Carlo Ancelotti didn’t mince words following Real Madrid’s frustrating 1-1 draw against Mallorca in La Liga. The Italian manager was visibly agitated by his team’s performance, particularly their lackluster attitude, which he felt was the root cause of their inability to secure all three points. The match, which marked Kylian Mbappé’s La Liga debut, was expected to be a celebratory occasion for Los Blancos, but instead, it ended in disappointment and frustration. Expectations were high for the French forward, who joined Madrid amid much fanfare and anticipation.
A Promising Start Turns Sour
However, Mbappé’s La Liga debut did not go as planned. While he was the focal point of attention, Mallorca’s defensive organization and resilience kept him largely quiet throughout the game. Despite showing flashes of his brilliance, Mbappé was unable to make a decisive impact, and Real Madrid struggled to find their rhythm.
Real Madrid initially looked in control and took the lead in the first half through a well-taken goal by Vinícius Júnior. The Brazilian winger, who has been one of Madrid’s standout performers in recent seasons, finished off a slick move with a clinical strike, giving the home fans reason to cheer. However, rather than building on this momentum, Madrid’s intensity seemed to wane as the game progressed.
Mallorca’s Resilient Fightback
Mallorca, to their credit, did not roll over after going behind. They remained disciplined and patient, biding their time before launching their counter-attacks. Their persistence paid off in the second half when they managed to draw level, much to the dismay of the Santiago Bernabéu crowd.
The equalizer came courtesy of Vedat Muriqi, who took advantage of some lax defending by Madrid to score with a powerful header. The goal not only stunned the Madrid faithful but also shifted the momentum of the match. Mallorca, buoyed by their goal, grew in confidence and began to pose more of a threat, while Madrid struggled to regain control.
As the clock ticked down, frustrations grew within the Real Madrid ranks, and this culminated in a moment of madness in stoppage time when Ferland Mendy received a straight red card for a reckless challenge. The French full-back’s dismissal only compounded Madrid’s woes, leaving them to see out the final moments with ten men.
Ancelotti’s Post-Match Fury
Carlo Ancelotti was in no mood to sugarcoat his team’s performance after the final whistle. The veteran coach, known for his calm demeanor, was unusually blunt in his assessment of the match. Speaking to the media, Ancelotti expressed his disappointment, particularly with what he perceived as a “poor attitude” from his players.
“We lacked intensity, we lacked focus, and above all, we lacked the right attitude,” Ancelotti remarked. “This is not the Real Madrid I know. We allowed Mallorca to get back into the game, and our reaction was simply not good enough.”
The Frenchman’s subdued display, after his heroics in the Super Cup, was a point of concern, though Ancelotti was quick to temper expectations given that this was just his first La Liga outing.
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