Match preview

Despite having to contend with several injuries, Real Madrid are targeting a 36th La Liga title after winning 14, drawing three, and losing just one of their 18 league matches this season.

Because of those results and their perfect record in the Champions League group stage, Carlo Ancelotti was given a new contract extension. He will stay at the club until June 2026, putting an end to rumors that he was interested in the job of manager of Brazil.

Ancelotti saw his team show great spirit to deal with Nacho Fernandez’s red card and win all three points thanks to Lucas Vazquez’s header in stoppage time in Real Madrid’s last game of 2023 against Alaves.

They now have 17 games without losing in all competitions (W14, D3). With the narrow win, they also kept their ninth clean sheet of the La Liga season, which is one more than any other team in the league.

After having to deal with a tough away game before the break, Real Madrid will start the new year at the Santiago Bernabeu, where they have won 10 of their 11 competitive games this season, including their last five home games.

While the year was coming to a close, Mallorca went six games without losing in all competitions (W3, D3). They will be hoping to pick up where they left off in 2016.

Their first two games without a loss were draws against Cadiz and Alaves. In the second round of the Copa del Rey, they easily beat fourth-tier Valle Agues.

Going on to beat Sevilla 3-2 was their first league win since September. To end the year, they tied Almeria and beat Osasuna 3-2 in an exciting game with goals from Matija Nastasic, Dani Rodriguez, and Antonio Raillo.

Since their recent comeback, Mallorca has put five points between themselves and the relegation zone. This gives them a better chance of staying in the top flight for a fourth season.

Mallorca will remember their 1-0 home win over Real Madrid in February, but it will be hard to repeat that result since they have only won one of their nine league away games this season and have lost all seven away games against Real Madrid since May 2009, when they beat them 3-1.

Team News

Real Madrid trio Thibaut Courtois, David Alaba, and Eder Militao are all sidelined with anterior cruciate ligament injuries, while Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga are doubts.

While Dani Carvajal and Vinicius Junior are set to return to the squad after recovering from their respective injury issues, the latter may have to settle for a place among the substitutes, with Ancelotti likely to adopt a cautious approach with the Brazilian.

Arda Guler has seen the opening six months of his Real Madrid career affected by injury, but there is a chance he could feature on the bench, as he looks to make his long-awaited debut.

With Nacho set to serve a one-match ban, Ancelotti is expected to use Aurelien Tchouameni as a makeshift center-back alongside Antonio Rudiger.

As for Mallorca, they are still unable to call upon the services of defender Martin Valjent and forward Vedat Muriqi.

With Jaume Costa set to serve a one-match suspension for yellow card accumulation, Toni Lato could come into the side after recovering from an injury that has kept him out of the last two matches.

Former Real Madrid player Omar Mascarell missed the win over Osasuna through injury, but he could return in time to feature in the Mallorca midfield.

Real Madrid possible starting lineup: Arrizabalaga; Carvajal, Rudiger, Tchouameni, Garcia; Kroos, Valverde, Modric, Bellingham; Diaz, Rodrygo

Mallorca possible starting lineup: Rajkovic; Gonzalez, Nastasic, Raillo; Maffeo, S. Costa, Mascarell, Lato; Sanchez, Rodriguez; Larin