Real Madrid didn’t win a title on Wednesday – but it won a matter of pride.
Jacobo Ramon struck deep into stoppage time as Madrid clawed back to beat Mallorca 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabeu, keeping Barcelona’s La Liga coronation on ice for at least another day.
With the league all but lost, Madrid’s mission was singular: Don’t let Barça celebrate early. Mission accomplished – barely.
Mallorca stunned the hosts with an 11th-minute opener from Martin Valjent, forcing Madrid into chase mode.
The breakthrough came in the 68th minute, when Kylian Mbappe weaved through two defenders and slotted home the equalizer – his 28th goal of the campaign, extending his lead in the Golden Boot race over Robert Lewandowski by three.
Then came Ramon’s hero moment. Five minutes into added time, the 22-year-old midfielder pounced in the box and delivered a goal that meant more in spirit than in silverware.
“We always fight to the end when we wear this badge,” said goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.
Madrid, however, remains four points behind Barcelona, who can still clinch the title with a win over Espanyol on Thursday. Even a perfect finish for Madrid would require Barça to drop at least five points in their last three games – an unlikely scenario.
Still, for a team stung by four straight losses to its bitter rival this season – including Sunday’s 4-3 thriller in the final Clasico – Wednesday’s win offered a sliver of redemption. Barcelona outscored Madrid 16-7 across those four meetings, sweeping a season series that had at least three encounters for the first time.
Amid the drama on the pitch, all eyes were also on the sidelines.
Carlo Ancelotti, who will take over as Brazil’s coach next season, received a muted reception from Madridistas. There were no boos or cheers when his name echoed from the Bernabeu loudspeakers – just a respectful murmur as fans followed the traditional call-and-repeat chant.
“No different than usual,” Ancelotti said. “Every time I sit here, it feels special.”
The club hasn’t issued any official reaction to Brazil’s announcement, and Ancelotti wasn’t honored with a tribute before the match. Still, a section of fans chanted his name during the second half.
The 65-year-old Italian is wrapping up his second stint in Madrid, having guided the club to three Champions League titles, two La Liga trophies, and a cabinet full of domestic and continental honors across both spells. His only silverware this season remains the UEFA Super Cup, and he has one final home match – against Real Sociedad – to bid farewell.
When asked about the slim title hopes, Ancelotti smiled. “In football, anything can happen.”
His expected successor, former Madrid midfielder Xabi Alonso, recently announced he’s stepping down at Bayer Leverkusen. But Madrid has yet to confirm the transition.
Down the table, the relegation battle tightened. Leganes, owned by ex-Houston Astros GM Jeff Luhnow, was blanked 3-0 at Villarreal and remains in 18th – four points adrift of safety.
Alaves, just above the drop, edged Valencia 1-0 to widen the gap. Valencia sits in mid-table at 11th.
