Real Madrid is gearing up to keep their winning streak alive as they host Mallorca at the Bernabeu this Saturday night, aiming for a third straight victory to kick off their 2025-26 La Liga season.
Los Blancos have already taken down Osasuna and Real Oviedo, racking up six points to sit comfortably in third place in the La Liga standings. Mallorca, on the other hand, are struggling in 16th, with just one point from their opening two games.
Real Madrid had a bit of a slow start against Osasuna on August 19, but Kylian Mbappe’s strike sealed the deal. They faced similar challenges against Real Oviedo last weekend, but Mbappe’s brace and a late goal from Vinicius Junior secured a 3-0 win.
Alongside Villarreal, Barcelona, Getafe, and Athletic Bilbao, Real Madrid are one of five teams with a perfect record so far. With the international break looming, the Bernabeu faithful will be expecting nothing less than another three points.
With Barcelona’s attacking prowess on full display—they scored three but conceded twice in a wild 5-2 win over Levante last week—the pressure’s on Real Madrid to stay sharp. The race for the La Liga title is shaping up to be a thrilling one, and Los Blancos can’t afford any slip-ups.
Historically, Real Madrid have dominated Mallorca, winning 46 of their 75 matchups, including both games last season, with a 2-1 victory at the Bernabeu. Mallorca’s season got off to a rough start with a 3-0 loss to Barcelona, where they also had two players sent off in the first half. They managed to salvage a point against Celta Vigo at home, thanks to a late equalizer from Mateu Morey, but they’re still stuck in 16th with just one point.
Despite their slow start, Mallorca showed promise last season, finishing 10th, just four points shy of a European spot. With enough talent in their squad, they could make a push for a top finish this term. However, beating Real Madrid away is a tall order—their last league win at the Bernabeu was back in May 2009, though they did pull off a shock victory in February 2023.
Real Madrid will be missing key players like Jude Bellingham, Endrick, Ferland Mendy, and Eduardo Camavinga for this final match before the international break, but Xabi Alonso has no new injuries to worry about. He might stick with the same lineup from the Oviedo game, though Vinicius Junior could replace Rodrygo up top. Dani Carvajal is likely to hold off Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Antonio Rudiger aims to keep his spot alongside Dean Huijsen in central defense over Eder Militao.
Mallorca, meanwhile, welcome back Vedat Muriqi and Manu Morlanes from suspension, and both are expected to start. New signing Pablo Torre, who joined from Barcelona this summer, should feature in the No. 10 role. Sergi Darder and Toni Lato are also set to retain their places, with Lato potentially slotting into midfield.
This clash promises to be a test for both sides—Real Madrid chasing momentum and Mallorca looking for a statement win to climb the table.
