Kylian Mbappé's much-anticipated La Liga debut for Real Madrid ended in frustration as the reigning champions were held to a 1-1 draw by a determined Real Mallorca on Sunday. Despite taking an early lead through Rodrygo Goes, Madrid struggled to break down Mallorca's resilient defense, with the hosts equalizing in the second half through a powerful header by Vedat Muriqi.
Mbappé, who had scored in Madrid's UEFA Super Cup victory over Atalanta just days earlier, was unable to find the back of the net, repeatedly thwarted by Mallorca goalkeeper Dominik Greif. Madrid, despite their star-studded lineup featuring Mbappé, Vinícius Júnior, and Jude Bellingham, found it difficult to penetrate Mallorca’s defense, and in the closing stages, it was Mallorca who came closest to securing a win.
Real Madrid's struggles were compounded when Ferland Mendy received a red card in stoppage time for a high challenge on Muriqi. Coach Carlo Ancelotti acknowledged his team's lack of balance and defensive frailties, noting that they conceded too many counter-attacks and failed to control the game as they should have.
Mallorca’s coach, Jagoba Arrasate, in his first match in charge, was pleased with his team's performance, especially given the tough opposition. The draw was a significant achievement for the Copa del Rey runners-up, who managed to hold their ground against the champions.
Real Madrid took the lead early in the match when Vinícius set up Rodrygo, who curled a shot past Greif. However, despite continued pressure, Madrid failed to extend their lead. Mallorca leveled the score early in the second half when Muriqi headed in from a corner, and Madrid's efforts to regain the lead were consistently denied by Greif.
In the end, Mallorca held on for a valuable point, leaving Mbappé and his teammates disappointed on his La Liga debut. Muriqi expressed his delight at scoring against a team like Madrid, calling it "so beautiful" and emphasizing the importance of the point his team earned.
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