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Advantage Barcelona as Real Madrid are shocked at Mallorca
Marco Asensio’s missed penalty and Nacho Fernandez’ own goal were highlighted Real Madrid’s abysmal performance in their 1-0 loss to Mallorca in LaLiga.
With regular penalty taker Karim Benzema out injured, the onus fell to Marco Asensio, who is only just getting back to good graces with Carlo Ancelotti, to rescue a point for Real at Mallorca and the winger completely fluffed his lines.
Thanks to a Nacho Fernandez own goal in the first half, and Asensio’s missed penalty, Madrid have handed the initiative in the race to the LaLiga title to Barcelona, who could go eight points clear with a win over Sevilla later tonight.
How it happened
Madrid already knew that they would be without Benzema and Eder Militao for the game against Mallorca. Still, they would never have imagined that the replacements for these exact two players would end up directly costing them all three points and denting their hopes for a LaLiga title.
Both sides took the opening minutes of the encounter to feel each other out, and neither side really threatened to score until a problematic cross from Mallorca’s Dani Rodriguez was turned into his own net by Nacho who was trying to stop striker, Vedat Muriqi from getting on the end of the cross.
Nacho’s goal under the right circumstances would have been a brilliant strike, worthy of the goal of the month as his backward header left Thibaut Courtois in the Madrid goal completely flatfooted.
After scoring, Mallorca decided they were done with attacking forages for the half and allowed Madrid to have all the possession and shots they wanted without them posing too much of a threat.
Madrid had eight shots in the first half, but most importantly, none was on target, and seven came from outside Mallorca’s box.
The second half bore the same complexion as the first, barring one incident that could, and perhaps should have changed the outcome of the match.
Just before the hour mark, Vinicius Junior was fouled by Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic, and even though the goalkeeper would argue that it was more a collision than anything else, Madrid were awarded the penalty.
Rajkovic made up for his error, as he maintained his composure and stayed big to deny Asensio despite the Spaniard’s stuttering run-up.
Asensio’s penalty was the third that Real Madrid have missed this season but is perhaps the one that will cost them the most.
Despite 12 shots in the second half, Asensio’s penalty was the only one that managed to be on target, as a toothless Madrid, suffering from the absence of Karim Benzema failed to threaten Mallorca’s lead after the penalty.
Real Madrid opening a chasm between Barcelona and themselves
It ended 1-0 to Mallorca, meaning that Madrid have given Barcelona the chance to go eight points clear if they defeat Sevilla in the last LaLiga game on Sunday.
Madrid once again showed how much they miss Benzema’s influence and will be hoping that the captain as well as Eder Miltao can return as soon as possible.
With the title race now out of their hands, Real Madrid will now have to depend on Barcelona dropping points not only against Sevilla but also in at least one other match if they are to have any shot at the title.
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