A mighty header from Vedat Muriqi earned Real Mallorca a deserved point after Rodrygo had given Real Madrid the lead in the two sides' La Liga opener. Mallorca started well enough, but it seemed inevitable that eventually, Madrid’s class would tell, and on 13 minutes, a left-wing attack was sustained by Vinicius Jr’s backheel, and Rodrygo curled home a gorgeous finish. Madrid, though, appeared to be playing within themselves, while Mallorca were quick to the ball, well organised and brave in possession.
So it was no great surprise when, on 53 minutes, they equalised through Muriqi. Both sides then sought a winner, and though Mallorca eventually retreated, it was they who came closer in the final few minutes, but were unable to convert counters into goals. No club is better at signing the biggest names than Real Madrid, this latest iteration yet to gel but still constructing beautiful moves and goals.
But in both matches this week they have shown that they can be got at. Their back four – though all good players – are, Antonio Rudiger aside, not necessarily among the world's best. And though they will dominate possession in most matches, they are not going to keep the ball like a Pep Guardiola side, meaning they will always offer up chances.
Taking those chances can, of course, be harder against Madrid than anyone else. But both Atalanta and Mallorca have shown up vulnerabilities that will remain even when everyone is settled and fit. Mallorca put in a colossal team performance and Muriqi's goal was its reward, but he also epitomised it in his aggression and desire.
Real Mallorca: Greif 6, Maffeo 7, Valjent 6, Ballo 7, Mojica 7, Darder 6, Mascarell 7, Costa 7, Asano 6, Muriki 7, Rodriguez 6. Subs: Sanchez 6, Copete 6, Larin 7, Morlanes 6. Real Madrid: Courtois 6, Carvajal 6, Militao 6, Rudiger 6, Mendy 6, Tchouameni 6, Valverde 6, Bellingham 6, Rodrygo 7, Mbappe 6, Vinicius 6.
Subs: Modric 6, Guler 6, Diaz 6, Vazquez. Stat 4' - THIS HAS BEEN AN EXCELLENT START FROM MALLORCA Darder crosses, Militao heads clear, and when the ball comes back into the box, Rodriguez turns and drags a fine shot just wide of the near post. 13' - WHAT A GOAL! REAL MALLORCA 0-1 REAL MADRID (RODRYGO) Bellingham and Mbappe combine down the left, the former then finding the latter inside the box.
He finds Vinicius, who backheels to Rodrygo, and he sways inside to work a shooting lane ...
then unfurls a perfect curler into the far side-netting, halfway up. Madrid are quite good. 37' - LEFT IN SPACEMaffeo measures a cross, picking out Rodriguez inside the box.
But from 15 yards, he heads over. 53' - GOAL! REAL MALLORCA 1-1 REAL MADRID (MURIQI) This is a mighty header! Am inswinger towards the back post, he gets a run, and clobbers a belter inside the near post! 70' - VINICIUS GETS A RUN ON WITH THE BALLBut Costa does enough. No matter, Madrid come again, an overs from Vinicius before Bellingham goes into Mbappe, his shot blocked by Greif.
And when the ball comes back, a brilliant stretch fro Mojica pokes away from Rodrygo! What a passage that was! 87' - LARIN GETS AROUND THE OUTSIDE DOWN THE LEFT!He absolotely didles Militao, isolated out wide, cuts back ...
and Mendy blocks one shot, then another zips just past the post. 89' - LARIN GETS AWAY AGAIN!And this time, the ball winds up fizzing nicely into the path of the onrushing Sanchez ..
. who gets very excited very quickly, thrashing miles away..
