Barcelona, Aug 23 (v7n)- Kylian Mbappe's La Liga debut for Real Madrid did not go as hoped, with Los Blancos drawing 1-1 against Mallorca. Despite his arrival being highly anticipated, Mbappe struggled to make an impact, and coach Carlo Ancelotti pointed to a lack of "balance" in the team's performance. Ancelotti has faced challenges in integrating Mbappe with existing stars like Vinicius Junior, Rodrygo Goes, and Jude Bellingham, especially as all three forwards tend to drift towards the left flank. This has forced Bellingham into a deeper midfield role, which contrasts with his more attacking role last season.

Madrid's next fixture is against promoted Real Valladolid at the Santiago Bernabeu on Sunday. Valladolid, owned by former Madrid forward Ronaldo, started their season with a win over Espanyol. Although they are seen as underdogs, Madrid's forwards, including Mbappe, will be expected to deliver a strong performance in their first home game of the season.

Player to Watch: Julian Alvarez
Julian Alvarez, the former Manchester City striker, could play a more significant role in Atletico Madrid's upcoming match against Girona. After a brief appearance as a substitute in their opening fixture, Alvarez will be looking to make a stronger impact at the Metropolitano stadium.

Key Stats:
- 0: Real Valladolid was the only team in La Liga not to concede a goal in the opening round.
- 2: Robert Lewandowski is currently the top scorer in La Liga with a brace against Valencia.
- 17: French players were the second-most represented nationality in the opening week, with 17 appearances, behind 285 Spaniards.

Fixtures:
Friday:
- Celta Vigo v Valencia (1700 GMT)
- Sevilla v Villarreal (1930 GMT)

Saturday:
- Osasuna v Real Mallorca (1500 GMT)
- Barcelona v Athletic Bilbao (1700 GMT)
- Espanyol v Real Sociedad (1930 GMT)
- Getafe v Rayo Vallecano (1930 GMT)

Sunday:
- Real Madrid v Real Valladolid (1500 GMT)
- Leganes v Las Palmas (1700 GMT)
- Alaves v Real Betis (1715 GMT)
- Atletico Madrid v Girona (1930 GMT)