Real Madrid maintained its perfect start to the La Liga season, securing a hard-fought 2-1 victory over Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabéu. Goals from Arda Güler and Vinicius Jr. sealed the win, allowing manager Xabi Alonso to celebrate a third consecutive league victory.
The Spanish giants faced an early setback when Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi headed in a corner in the 18th minute, marking the first goal Real Madrid has conceded this season. However, Alonso’s side responded swiftly and decisively.
Arda Güler, making his third start of the season, equalized in the 37th minute with a close-range header after a cross from Alvaro Carreras. Just two minutes later, Vinicius Jr. surged into the box and slotted a finish into the bottom corner, putting Madrid in the lead.
The match was filled with disallowed goals, as Real Madrid had three strikes ruled out for offside or handball. Star forward Kylian Mbappé saw two goals chalked off, while a third from Güler was also canceled after the Turkish playmaker was judged to have handled the ball.
“With good team spirit, we managed to turn the game around,” Alonso told Real Madrid TV after the match. “I’m very happy with this start. We knew we were lacking minutes and some matches.”
The manager was then asked his opinion on Arda Guler’s ruled-out goal, to which he plainly said,
“The fourth official said it had to be an immediate action, but the referee interpreted it differently. 3-1 would have given us more peace of mind.”
“It was tight until the end. He’s the one in charge, and that’s how it turned out today,” he added.
The victory is particularly impressive given the team’s busy summer schedule, which included the Club World Cup, leaving them with a limited pre-season. Alonso brought back Vinicius Jr. and Trent Alexander-Arnold to the starting lineup, and both players played key roles in the win.
Mallorca pushed for an equalizer in the second half, with Samu Costa’s powerful shot requiring a spectacular goal-line clearance from Carreras. However, Madrid’s defense held firm, showing a level of control in the final stages that was not always present under their previous manager.
“This is a different season, almost without a pre-season,” Carreras told the club’s television channel. “All of us new players who have arrived have to fit in (quickly).”
The win leaves Real Madrid at the top of the table as the league heads into the first international break.