Real Madrid began their LaLiga title defense with a disappointing 1-1 draw against Mallorca, as Vedat Muriqi’s second-half header equalized Rodrygo’s opening goal. The match, which marked Kylian Mbappé’s much-anticipated debut, took place at Mallorca’s Son Moix stadium.
The highly publicized “New Galacticos” lineup, featuring Mbappé, Jude Bellingham, and Vinicius Junior, struggled to make an impact in a lackluster performance. Madrid initially took the lead in the 13th minute, with Brazilian forward Rodrygo scoring from a beautifully curled strike, set up by a back-heeled pass from Vinicius.
As the game progressed, Mallorca started creating opportunities on the counter-attack, exposing Madrid’s frustrations in front of goal. Despite possessing the ball, Real struggled to generate meaningful chances. Mbappé and Bellingham were largely uninvolved, leaving Vinicius as the team’s primary offensive option, though he faced constant provocation from the home crowd.
Vinicius had a difficult outing in a venue where he previously encountered racial abuse. He engaged in several confrontations with opponents and received a warning from the referee after challenging the spectators.
Notably, Real Madrid’s goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois made several crucial saves to maintain their lead, but he couldn’t prevent Muriqi’s powerful header from a corner in the 53rd minute, which restored parity for Mallorca.
Frustration mounted for Real as they struggled to regain the lead. They threatened briefly through Mbappé, who made two strong runs down the left channel, but both of his attempts were thwarted by Mallorca’s goalkeeper, Dominik Greif.
The match ended with Real Madrid reduced to ten men after defender Ferland Mendy received a straight red card for a late sliding tackle during injury time. This draw followed a day after rivals Barcelona, despite missing key players, managed a comeback victory against Valencia. The outcome suggests that Real Madrid may need to put in more effort to effectively integrate Mbappé into their lineup.