Having lifted silverware after just their first game of the season, Real Madrid could not have hoped for a better start.
With the UEFA Super Cup now under their belt, the men in white turn their attention to their first major competition of the season – La Liga.
The calendar sees Carlo Ancelotti and Co. travel to Palma where they will lock horns with Mallorca at Son Moix.
Of the last four times the two teams have faced off at the venue, Mallorca and Real Madrid have two wins apiece. Last season, it was the Merengues who took home the three points courtesy of a goal by Aurelien Tchouameni.
Madrid Universal brings you three talking points ahead of Mallorca vs Real Madrid.
Return of the champions
The 2023-24 campaign was very special for Real Madrid, especially considering that not many expected the team to do half as well as they did.
Winning the UEFA Champions League, at this point, has almost become a tradition for Los Blancos but La Liga has been relatively elusive of them.
Yet, last season was special as they maintained their consistency through the campaign and went on to win it by some margin.
Los Blancos completed the season with 95 points to their name, losing just one match all season in the competition. Their lead over second-placed Barcelona was a staggering ten points and it is safe to say that it was deserved on all fronts.
Entering the new season with new signings in Kylian Mbappe and Endrick, the Merengues’ status as favourites is only enhanced significantly.
Tomorrow’s clash against Mallorca marks the beginning of Real Madrid’s journey in the 2024-25 season of La Liga as they set out on an objective to win two consecutive league titles after a hiatus of 17 years.
Needless to say, there is great hope that they can start with a bang despite the challenging conditions.
The Mbappe-Vinicius connection
Despite dishing out a lacklustre opening 45 minutes in the UEFA Super Cup, Real Madrid were significantly improved in the second period as they demolished Atalanta’s defence with relative ease.
The men in white came out of the dressing room with renewed confidence after the break as they ramped up attack after attack, regularly getting into goalscoring positions.
One of the key partnerships responsible for the potent attacks, needless to say, was that between Kylian Mbappe and Vinicius Jr.
A lot was said in recent months about how the duo would get along with each other, especially given their similar niche and large egos.
Nothing, however, stopped them from combining effectively in their first outing together as they both displayed great understanding of each other’s movements off the ball and positioning.
It is clear at this point that both superstars will complement each other well on the field, for their connection in the UEFA Super Cup gave fans reason to believe there is a spark.
Tomorrow night, Carlo Ancelotti will thus likely stick to the same dynamic of deploying Mbappe as a runner between the lines and tasking Vinicius with breaking them to find the Frenchman. Some interplay and exchange, needless to say, will continue.
Midfield puzzle
The competition in Real Madrid’s midfield, ahead of the new season, is simply overwhelming.
Despite the departure of Toni Kroos, Carlo Ancelotti has seven viable options demanding a starting position and has only three places to distribute.
Eduardo Camavinga’s injury implies that there is one less factor for the manager to consider. There are still big decisions to take, nevertheless.
One would expect Aurelien Tchouameni to start the game as the team’s deep-lying midfielder, holding the fortress and aiding in transitions.
Jude Bellingham, after his sensational display against Atalanta, is a no-brainer on the field especially given that he is just returning to his best version.
After a rough couple of months, it is imperative that the manager gives him a run to maintain confidence.
The third piece in the puzzle is likely to be Federico Valverde who even scored the opener in Los Blancos’ recent win in the UEFA Super Cup. Luka Modric and Arda Guler, despite their fine form, will likely start on the bench.