Real Madrid in danger of stumbling in Mallorca
RCD Mallorca missed out on a historic third title win in the club’s history with a bitter and narrow defeat on penalties to Athletic Bilbao in the Copa del Rey final last weekend. Mallorca must now put the defeat in the final behind them and turn their attention to the league, as the relegation battle reigns supreme in everyday life
The league leaders Real Madrid visit Mallorca Son Moix Stadium early on Saturday evening (18:30), a very tough home game for the Mallorcans. But at the same time, this matchday clash is a good chance for the relegation candidates to possibly catch Real Madrid off guard. After all, the game is just a gray routine for Real between two glittering Champions League duels with Manchester City. The role of favorites is of course clear in advance, and yet the odds for Mallorca vs. Real Madrid are slightly higher than for other guest matches
This is undoubtedly due to the timing of the game, a possible resting of key regulars ahead of the CL second leg in Manchester, Real’s recent performances in Mallorca and the form of the islanders. In this preview, we take a closer look at all of this, provide predictions and betting tips with interesting value for Athletic Bilbao vs Mallorca and also look at the direct comparison between the two teams
Mallorca – Statistics & current form
RCD Mallorca put up a great fight against the favorites Athletic Club from Bilbao in the cup final last Saturday. Bilbao only came out on top on penalties and Mallorca’s dream of winning their second cup and only third title in their history was shattered late on.
Can Mallorca shake off the disappointment and perhaps even draw strength from it to put in a good performance against Real Madrid? The first leg was only played in January and Mallorca held out for an astonishingly long time at the Bernabeu, only conceding 1-0 in the closing stages.
If you believe in another surprise, and this time that the Mallorcans will win a point, you can get double odds of 2.00 on Mallorca vs Real Madrid. It may also be worth checking out which bookies are currently offering free bets to bet on a home win at odds of over 5.00 for Mallorca vs Real Madrid, which is of course bold and not without risk. On the other hand, Mallorca have won five of their six matches this season at home, including a 1-0 defeat of top team Girona a month ago – Mallorca’s favorite result under coach Javier Aguirre
RCD Mallorca with a stable defense – Real Madrid can also tell a thing or two about it
In recent weeks, Mallorca have once again displayed the attributes that make Aguirre’s side so uncomfortable: a dogged, difficult to break down defense and cohesive work against the ball. In March, Mallorca conceded just one goal in four league games, picking up seven points in the process. Only FC Barcelona managed to overcome Mallorca’s back line in their 1-0 win. Real Madrid also struggled to break the deadlock in January until the 79th minute.
Of the LaLiga teams in the bottom half of the table, Mallorca have conceded the fewest goals (35) after Las Palmas (33). The Mallorcans are mostly stable at the back, but are sometimes toothless up front as a result.
Only FC Cadiz (21 goals this season) score fewer goals than Mallorca (25) in La Liga. It is therefore hardly surprising that in 21 of Mallorca’s 30 league games, fewer than 2.5 goals have been scored. Betting on under 2.5 goals for Mallorca vs. Real Madrid therefore seems quite obvious, even if Real Madrid, the most goal-scoring team in La Liga, will be visiting Palma de Mallorca.
Predicted Mallorca line-up:
Real Madrid – Statistics & current form
Real Madrid proved their scoring prowess again on Tuesday in the Premier League as they scored three times against ManCity. But in the end, the 3-3 draw was still not the best result ahead of the second leg in Manchester. “I wanted to get a small lead, but we have to be satisfied. I think it’s a fair result based on the performance of both teams,” said coach Carlo Ancelotti.
As the La Liga leaders have a comfortable eight-point lead over arch-rivals and closest rivals Barcelona, Ancelotti could call for a rotation in Mallorca. It is also possible that the team’s thoughts are already in Manchester – all of these are dangers between two big Champions League games, especially when an uncomfortable visit to a relegation candidate is on the agenda in the grey of everyday life
Real Madrid in danger of stumbling in Mallorca
There’s a risk of stumbling for Real Madrid, who have stumbled a few times away from home recently anyway. In Valencia (2:2, Real even trailed 0:2) and at Rayo Vallecano (1:1), they recently lost points away from home. Games in which Real were vulnerable and sometimes lacked the necessary concentration. The Whites have drawn four and lost one away from home this season, but they are still the best away team in La Liga with this record.
As Ancelotti’s team have the best defense in the league and Mallorca are often harmless up front, you shouldn’t expect a dramatic goalfest like the one against ManCity. In our opinion, bets on under 2.5 goals or both scoring no are also possible, possibly also the bet that the score will be 0-0 at the break. Mallorca v Real Madrid has odds in the region of 2.60 for this bet.
Predicted Real Madrid line-up:
Mallorca – Real Madrid head-to-head comparison / H2H result
Mallorca are in danger of slipping up on Saturday because Real have lost two of their last three games here – in the form of defeats. Last season, the record champions suffered a 1-0 defeat on the vacation island, and RCD Mallorca also won by the same scoreline in 2019.
However, these were the only wins for the underdogs in the last ten head-to-head meetings, with Real Madrid winning all eight of their other matches. It is therefore hardly surprising that the overall record speaks for itself. Real Madrid have won 43 of their 71 matches, with 12 draws and 16 Mallorca victories
Mallorca – Real Madrid betting tip
The last time Real visited Mallorca, the atmosphere was heated, especially around Vinicius Junior, who was frequently the target of attacks and abuse, causing him and Real as a team to lose the plot. Mallorca triumphed 1-0 in February 2023, and a similar result this time would not come as a complete surprise. Mallorca have stabilized their defence of late, conceding just three home defeats and winning five of their six matches this season at home
In addition, there is always the danger that top teams – especially when things are a little more comfortable in the table – will suffer a league hangover between big Champions League games. A little less focus and seriousness, a little more rotation, coupled with a biting home side fighting for survival – that can result in a mix that can lead to the favorite slipping up.
Of course, Real have enough individual class to win in Mallorca even with half a B team and 80 percent commitment, but they might also get the better of them and never really get into the game. It was a similar story with Rayo, when they ended up with a tired 1-1 draw. For this reason, we prefer to hedge our bets with the double chance and predict Mallorca vs Real Madrid with a combination of X2 and Under 2.5.
