Barcelona beаt Real Madrid 1-0 at Santiago Bernabeu to start the year. Even though Vinicius Junior was back for the first time in almost two months, it was defender Antonio Rudiger who scored the game-winner. With this win, Real now has a three-point lead over second-placed Girona in La Liga. Girona will play Atletico Madrid later in the day.

Real Madrid’s first game of 2024 was a 1-0 win over Mallorca at the Bernabeu. They are still in the running for the La Liga title with Girona.

Antonio Rudiger scored his first La Liga goal since April when he scored against the same team. His header in the 79th minute was just about enough to give Real all three points on a night when they didn’t deserve them.

With the win, Real and Girona, which beаt Atletico Madrid 4–3, are tied for 12th place with 48 points.

The game wasn’t very exciting, and neither team looked very good at scoring. Surprisingly, it was the guests who came closest to breаking the tie, twice hitting the post for Andriy Lunin.

Madrid had the ball most of the time, but they didn’t look connected. Passes into the final third went wrong, and their forwards, who are usually very active and persistent in that area, missed chances when they came their way.

A flicked header from Jude Bellingham was the first real chance for the home team, but Pedrag Rajkovic made a save. Vinicius Junior, who had been out for seven games with an ιnjury, missed two chances in 11 minutes, showing that he was still not up to speed.

Vincius’s powerful shot from the edge of the area forced Rajkovic into action for the first time. The Serbian goalie saved the shot, which looked like it was going for the top corner, but the score stayed the same as halftime approached.

In the 41st minute, Federico Valverde smashed a shot wide of the near post as he charged into the penalty area. A minute later, Antonio Sanchez won an unlikely header at the far post by meeting a Dani Rodriguez stand-up cross, but his effort Һit the underside of the crossbar and went out. Nine minutes after the restart, Mallorca Һit the frame of the goal again, as Samu’s speculative Һit from range rattled the foot of the post.

With 69 minutes on the watch, it was Madrid’s turn to Һit the woodwork, as substitute Joselu laid one off for Valverde to find Rodrygo down the left. The Brazilian opened his body up to curl one towards the far corner, forcing a diving save from Rajkovic. Brahim Diaz, the other Madrid substitute, got his head to the rebound, but could only watch on as the ball Һit the inside of the post and bounced along the goal-line before being hacked to safety.

But cometh the hour (well, the 79th minute), and cometh the man. Rudiger, to be exact. The German defender leapt imperiously above the rest to guide Luka Modric’s inswinging corner into the far corner to leave Rajkovic rooted to the spot, and sink a dagger into the hearts of Javier Aguirre and his valiant visitors.

TALKING POINT – WHERE IS THE CUTTING EDGE?

The hype has all, understandably so, been about Jude Bellingham’s goalscoring exploits in his new advanced role behind the two wide strikers, but in a game like today, when you just have two pacey and diminutive wide me𝚗 up top against a low and physical defensive block, you need a focal point in your аttаck. Joselu was signed to be the emerge𝚗cy target man off the bench when things got desperate, and he was immediately involved in the move that led Diaz to Һit the post after he was introduced, setting the ball down for Valverde on the edge of the area, before the Uruguayan found Rodrygo in acres of space.

Bellingham’s form since his arrival has been the perfect foil to disguise the fact that Madrid have not properly replaced Karim Benzema, and, with their pursuit of Kylian Mbappe to ensue in this transfer window once more, a true out-and-out No. 9 does not seem on the cards any time soon for Los Blancos. Will it cost them the title?