Madrid, May 13 (EFE) - Real Madrid, after saying goodbye to the La Liga title with a defeat in the Clásico and moving seven points clear o...
Madrid, May 13 (EFE) - Real Madrid, after saying goodbye to the La Liga title with a defeat in the Clásico and moving seven points clear of FC Barcelona with nine remaining, has been undergoing a transitional period since Monday. Carlo Ancelotti will coach Brazil, and Xabi Alonso awaits his arrival. Until then, there are three La Liga matches. The first is this Wednesday at the Santiago Bernabéu (9:30 p.m. CEST, -2 GMT) against a Mallorca side playing for European qualification.
Two very different competitive demands in the final stretch of the season. However, Ancelotti insisted, in his first press conference after his appointment as Brazil coach was made official, that he doesn't want to let his second spell at Real Madrid end well.
This objective, however, is jeopardized by Real Madrid's ongoing injuries. Nine absences due to physical problems are added to that of Aurelien Tchouaméni, who picked up his fifth yellow card in La Liga in the Clásico, which carries a one-match suspension that he will serve this Wednesday.
Dani Carvajal, Éder Militao, David Alaba, Antonio Rüdiger, Ferland Mendy, Eduardo Camavinga, Lucas Vázquez, Vinícius Junior and Rodrygo Goes are out due to injury.
Rodrygo was the latest to join the injured list, with Fede Valverde and Brahim Díaz missing despite physical problems, after withdrawing from the first and only training session prior to Mallorca's visit.
With these absences, Ancelotti doesn't have many options in his starting lineup. With Thibaut Courtois in goal, Valverde will return to the right-back role, while with Tchouaméni out, youth player Jacobo Ramón will have to start in central defense alongside Raúl Asencio, and Fran García will complete the defensive line.
In midfield, Luka Modric will start what looks to be his penultimate match at the Santiago Bernabéu, as he has not yet renewed his contract with Real Madrid, which expires on June 30th. He plans to extend it, like Lucas Vázquez's, until the end of the Club World Cup.
Along with the Croatian, Ceballos and Bellingham, depending on their fitness after a demanding season. Should the Englishman not be 100% fit, Arda Güler, who was substituted at halftime in the Clásico, would come in.
The attack will be led by Kylian Mbappé, who, thanks to his hat trick, left the Clásico as the league's top scorer—two goals ahead of Robert Lewandowski—along with Brahim Díaz and Endrick, who could get another chance to start.
With these absences in mind, Real Madrid will host a Mallorca side immersed in the fight for Europe and hoping to scrape points from the Real Madrid Coliseum.
The latest victory of the Bermellones against Valladolid (2-1) restores hope to a team that has been fighting all season to enter Europe in a surprising way, but has not maintained a regular performance in recent weeks with defeats against Girona and Barcelona (1-0) or the draw against Leganés (0-0).
This lack of continuity has taken its toll on the Mallorcan camp, which has endured some difficult and unusual weeks for a team that has far exceeded its initial goal of survival and has established itself in positions of comfort and privilege.
One of the few players who has stood out this season has been Sergi Darder, who has returned to his best form and has turned his positive playing style into numbers with two goals and four assists in the last two months.
The goalkeeper will be Leo Román, Jagoba Arrasate's regular midweek replacement, and the five-man defense will be replaced with Mateu Morey possibly playing on the right wing instead of Pablo Maffeo.
Another option the coaching staff is considering is to start with a double striker to take advantage of the Whites' defensive absences, with Cyle Larin having the best chance of starting alongside another more versatile player.
- Probable lineups:
Real Madrid: Courtois; Fede Valverde, Asencio, Jacobo Ramón, Fran García; Modric, Ceballos; Bellingham; Brahim Díaz, Endrick, and Mbappé.
RCD Mallorca: Leo Roman; Mateu M., Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Lato; Antonio Sanchez, Samu Costa, Omar Mascarell, Sergi Darder; Larin.
Referee: Alberola Rojas (Castilla La Mancha Committee).
Stadium: Santiago Bernabéu.
Time: 9:30 p.m.
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Positions: Real Madrid (2nd. 75 points). Mallorca (9th. 47 points).
The fact: Mallorca has not won at the Bernabéu since May 24, 2009 (1-3).
The phrases:
Carlo Ancelotti: "I couldn't be Real Madrid's manager all my life."
Jagoba Arrasate: "Ancelotti is surely the best coach in Madrid's history."
Out: Carvajal, Militao, Alaba, Rüdiger, Mendy, Camavinga, Lucas Vázquez, Vinícius and Rodrygo (injury) and Tchouaméni (sanction); at Real Madrid. Robert Navarro, Morlanes, Abdón and Chiquinho (injury), in Mallorca.
Seasoned: Dani Ceballos, Fede Valverde, and Jude Bellingham at Real Madrid. Mascarell, Valjent, and Larin at Mallorca.
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