Vinicius Junior and Sergio Ramos both scored as Real Madrid beat Mallorca 2-0 to regain the top of La Liga at Alfredo di Stéfano Stadium. Zinedine Zidane’s side are at level on 68 points in La Liga table with Barcelona, but Madrid-based team have better head-to-head record.
Zinedine Zidane has a task to rotate the Real Madrid players who perhaps can claim first-team spot in any top clubs in the world. He started with Bale and Vinicious at two sides, with Benzema at the middle. Kroos, Rodrygo and Marcelo did not find a place in the starting eleven. James Rodríguez did not get matchtime after he started in the last match. But Asensio, Isco, Kroos, Mariano and Diaz came as substitute.
Brazilian Vinicius Junior chipped over Reina in a first-half opener, from a pass from Modric. Sergio Ramos then increased the lead, when he stepped up for a free kick from 25-yards and then curled home brilliantly in the second half.
Mallorca gave a second-half debut to 15-year-old Luka Romero, who became the league’s youngest ever player.
Meanwhile, Gareth Bale featured in starting eleven since February but struggled to make any significant impact. Though he had to let Ramos take the free-kick, when Real Madrid captain step-up at the occasion, which ended in Real’s second goal. Bale fired a shot early in the sixth minute which was kept out by goalkeeper Manolo Reina.
Vinicius moves were electric along the left flank and made the Mallorca defence uncomfortable. He played with same vigour against Barcelona at Santiago Bernabeu, where he scored first goal. Vinicious missed out his second goal when his attempt came back hitting the barpost.
They could add few more, but former Chelsea forward Eden Hazard curled wide from 25 yards, and Karim Benzema’s shot was straight to Reina.
Real Madrid and Barcelona have seven matches each, with Real in little advantageous position. On the other hand, Mallorca’s have to fight to avoid relegation.
Real Madrid
13-Courtois, 2-Carvajal, 5-Varane, 4-Ramos <Booked at 35>, 23-Mendy <Booked at 80>, 15-Valverde, 10-Modric <Booked at 46> (Asensio 71′), 11-Bale (Isco 71′), 7-Hazard (Kroos 62′ <Booked at 87>), 25-Vinícius Júnior (Díaz 83′), 9-Benzema (Mariano 83′)
Substitutes
1-Areola, 3-Militão, 8-Kroos, 12-Marcelo, 16-Rodríguez, 20-Asensio, 21-Díaz, 22-Isco, 24-Mariano, 26-Altube, 27-Rodrygo, 39-Hernández
Mallorca
1-Reina, 24-Valjent (Gámez 61′), 21-Raíllo, 20-Sedlar, 7-Pozo, 12-Baba (Romero 83′), 23-Febas (Sevilla 61′), 11-Lago (Salibur 70′), 14-Rodríguez Vázquez, 26-Kubo, 22-Budimir <Booked at 8> (Hernández 61′)
Substitutes
2-Sastre, 4-Señé, 5-Campos Coll, 8-Sevilla, 9-Prats, 15-Gámez, 16-Salibur, 17-Trajkovski, 19-Chavarria, 25-Parera, 29-Hernández, 41-Romero
