Real Madrid stunned Mallorca with a last-gasp 2-1 win at the Santiago Bernabeu, delaying Barcelona’s La Liga title celebrations and injecting late-season drama into the Spanish title race. A 95th-minute winner from Jacobo Ramon ensured that the Catalan giants, poised on the brink of championship glory, will now have to wait a little longer to lift the trophy.
Barcelona, needing just two points from their final three games to mathematically secure the title, were on the verge of being crowned champions without kicking a ball. But Ramon’s clutch strike, following a scrappy piece of defending by Mallorca, flipped the script and kept Madrid’s faint hopes alive, at least on paper.
Mallorca drew first blood early in the match through a well-placed low shot from Martin Valjent, shocking the home crowd and momentarily threatening to derail Madrid’s dominance on home turf. Despite enjoying a lion’s share of possession and creating numerous chances, Real Madrid struggled to convert their momentum into goals until Kylian Mbappe, with his trademark precision, slotted home a composed equalizer into the bottom corner.
As the minutes ticked away, it seemed the game was destined for a frustrating draw for Los Blancos, until Ramon’s close-range volley sealed all three points in added time. The result means Barcelona’s title coronation will now hinge on their upcoming match against Espanyol, scheduled for 20:30 BST on Thursday a derby clash that suddenly carries even more weight.
Barcelona still hold a commanding four-point lead at the top of the table and have a game in hand, bolstered by their recent 4-3 thriller over Real Madrid in El Clasico their fourth head-to-head victory this season, including wins in both the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup finals.
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Meanwhile, the result adds a bittersweet note to Carlo Ancelotti’s final season at the helm of Real Madrid. The legendary Italian manager, who is set to take over as head coach of Brazil after the season, is likely to exit without adding a major domestic or European trophy to his already illustrious résumé. Despite this, Ancelotti remains the most decorated manager in the club’s history with 15 titles, including three Champions League triumphs and two La Liga championships.
His last piece of silverware came in December when Madrid edged past Mexican side Pachuca in the FIFA Intercontinental Cup final in Qatar a modest achievement for a club with sky-high expectations. Ancelotti praised his players’ resilience and mentality after the win over Mallorca, saying: “The team performed exceptionally well. They worked hard, played with intensity, and truly earned this victory. Although we started poorly, we improved in every aspect.”
With Xabi Alonso widely expected to replace him ahead of June’s FIFA Club World Cup, Real Madrid’s final games of the season may mark the end of an era, but as this match showed, they’re not going down without a fight.
This dramatic finish, Madrid’s late heroics, and Barcelona’s delayed celebration have made this one of the most talked-about weekends in European football. The stage is now set for a thrilling conclusion to the La Liga season.
