Real Madrid kept the La Liga title race alive on Wednesday night, staging a dramatic comeback to edge Mallorca 2-1 at the Santiago Bernabéu, thanks to a stoppage-time winner from Jacobo Ramón.
Needing all three points to prevent Barcelona from prematurely clinching their 28th league title, Madrid fell behind early after Martin Valjent opened the scoring for the visitors in the 11th minute.
Despite dominating possession, Los Blancos found it difficult to break down a disciplined Mallorca defense.
It wasn’t until the 68th minute that Kylian Mbappé finally broke through, weaving past two defenders to slot home the equalizer.
The French forward entered the match with 27 goals, leading Barcelona’s Robert Lewandowski by two in the race for the Golden Boot. Mbappé also notched a hat trick in Sunday’s thrilling 4-3 loss to Barcelona.
Just when it seemed like Barcelona would be celebrating the title on Thursday with a win over city rivals Espanyol, Ramón delivered a late twist.
Deep into injury time, the midfielder found space inside the area and coolly buried the winner, delaying the Catalan club’s coronation.
The result adds a new layer of tension to an already fiery title chase. Barcelona, still four points clear, will secure the trophy with a victory at Espanyol.
The late goal also offered a reprieve for Madrid, who had suffered a stinging defeat in the final El Clásico of the season just days earlier.
That 4-3 thriller marked Barcelona’s fourth straight win over their archrivals this campaign, with an aggregate scoreline of 16-7. It was the first time the Catalans swept a season series featuring at least three clashes against Madrid.
Meanwhile, coach Carlo Ancelotti’s presence on the touchline stirred mixed emotions. Recently unveiled as Brazil’s next national team manager, Ancelotti received a lukewarm reception from Madrid fans, neither booed nor wholeheartedly cheered.
There were no significant jeers or cheers when Ancelotti’s name was announced by the loudspeakers at the Bernabeu before the match, with most fans applauding and saying his name along with the announcer, following the tradition at the stadium.
