Real Madrid vs Mallorca: La Liga – Vinicius Jr, start, team news, lineups

3 hours ago 17

Who: Real Madrid vs Mallorca
What: Spanish La Liga – Match time 36
Where: Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain
When: Wednesday astatine 9.30pm section clip (19:30 GMT)

Follow Al Jazeera Sport’s live substance and photograph commentary stream.

Fresh from their demoralising 4-3 decision astatine Barcelona successful El Clasico connected Sunday, Real Madrid volition present look Mallorca astatine location astatine the Santiago Bernabeu connected Wednesday arsenic they desperately effort to support their La Liga rubric defence alive.

With 3 rounds to play, the title calculus is comparatively simple: Real request to support winning and anticipation Barcelona, who person mislaid lone 2 games successful 2025 crossed each competitions, suffer their remaining 3 league games.

Here are the cardinal talking points arsenic the Spanish giants embark connected their must-win Match time 36 fixture against Mallorca, who presently beryllium ninth connected the La Liga ladder:

El Clasico turned the La Liga rubric race

Barcelona’s melodramatic 4-3 come-from-behind triumph against Real connected Sunday was undoubtedly the astir devastating decision of the 4 El Clasico fixtures Madrid person had to their large rivals successful the 2024-25 season.

On astir days, prima striker Kylian Mbappe’s 2 goals successful the opening 14 minutes of El Clasico, followed by a hat-trick successful the 70th minute, would person been capable to hide immoderate squad successful the Spanish top-flight – but this Barcelona broadside is the exception.

Real Madrid present find themselves 7 points down the Catalan giants with conscionable 3 rounds remaining successful La Liga.

The basal maths is rather straightforward: if Real suffer oregon gully with Mallorca connected Wednesday, Barcelona – adjacent if they mislaid their past 3 matches – would triumph the La Liga rubric connected a countback; if Real bushed Mallorca connected Wednesday and Barcelona decision Espanyol connected Thursday, past Barcelona are instantly crowned champions.

How atrocious has Real Madrid’s play been?

Real Madrid began the play arsenic the defending La Liga champions with lofty aspirations to implicit a uncommon rubric treble: La Liga, Copa del Rey and UEFA Champions League.

They did triumph the UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Intercontinental Cup this season, but mislaid the Supercopa and Copa del Rey finals to Barcelona, portion they were eliminated from the Champions League by Arsenal astatine the quarterfinal stage.

Real are 0-4 against Barcelona this season, having mislaid some La Liga fixtures arsenic good arsenic the aforementioned Supercopa and Copa del Rey finals.

The Ancelotti-Alonso distraction

It was announced connected Monday that manager Carlo Ancelotti volition permission Real Madrid for a 2nd time, contempt having a twelvemonth remaining connected his contract, aft the Italian signed connected to manager Brazil earlier the FIFA World Cup 2026.

Speculation of his departure had been successful play for weeks aft the 65-year-old each but admitted to the media helium mightiness permission the nine aft the Copa del Rey last nonaccomplishment to Barcelona connected April 26.

Also connected Monday, aggregate Spanish media outlets reported that erstwhile Real Madrid prima midfielder – and existent Bayer Leverkusen manager – Xabi Alonso is acceptable to go the club’s adjacent brag connected a three-year woody erstwhile helium leaves the German nine aft this season.

Alonso, 43, is expected to articulation Real earlier the inaugural FIFA Club World Cup successful the United States from June 15 to July 13, media reports said.

Team quality – Real Madrid

In a superior stroke to Real Madrid’s short-term prospects, prima guardant Vinicius Junior volition beryllium retired the lucifer against Mallorca aft picking up an ankle injury, pursuing Sunday’s 4-3 nonaccomplishment to Barcelona.

Further depleting the regular starting XI are Lucas Vazquez, who is struggling with a thigh injury, and Aurelien Tchouameni, who picked up a yellow-card suspension and volition miss retired connected Wednesday’s important contest.

The mysterious presumption of cardinal attacking midfielder Rodrygo, who occupied a spot connected the seat during El Clasico and is rumoured to beryllium refusing to play successful caller matches, was addressed by Ancelotti connected Tuesday, who explained to the media wherefore the Brazilian prima volition miss his 3rd consecutive fixture.

“Rodrygo was struck by a fever past week, which hindered his grooming and recovery. Today, helium mentioned immoderate thigh discomfort that requires our cautious attention. Post-fever, he’s not yet successful apical form. Despite the swirling speculation, it’s wide that Rodrygo is cherished by everyone, particularly me,” Ancelotti said.

David Alaba, Eder Militao, Antonio Rudiger and Dani Carvajal each stay unavailable done injury.

Team quality – Mallorca

Manager Jagoba Arrasate is acceptable to play Leo Roman successful spot of first-choice goalkeeper Dominik Greif against Real Madrid.

Key midfielder Robert Navarro is anticipated to miss the lucifer arsenic helium battles backmost from an wounded helium picked up connected March 2 against Alaves.

Abdon Prats, Chiquinho and Manu Morlanes are each questionable for this fixture.

Possible lineups:

Real Madrid: Courtois; Valverde, Vallejo, Asencio, F Garcia; Bellingham, Modric; Guler, B Diaz, Endrick; Mbappe

Mallorca: Roman; Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Mojica; Mascarell, Samu; Asano, D Rodriguez, Darder; Muriqi

‘Not implicit yet’: Ancelotti connected rubric race

“Every lucifer against Mallorca is simply a battleground – aggravated and fiercely contested. Despite immoderate cardinal players being sidelined, we are prepared to tract a formidable lineup. Our purpose is to triumph successful these last 3 games. The league conflict is not implicit yet, and conceding to our adversaries is not an option. We’re determined to reason this challenging play connected a victorious note.”