Tchouameni’s Strike Secures Narrow Win for Depleted Real Madrid at Mallorca

Tchouameni’s Strike Secures Narrow Win for Depleted Real Madrid at Mallorca

Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory away at Mallorca in LaLiga on Saturday, courtesy of a decisive strike from Aurelien Tchouameni early in the second half. The win comes as a boost for Madrid, who rested key players ahead of their impending Champions League quarterfinal clash against Manchester City.

With the win, Real Madrid extended their lead at the top of the LaLiga table to 11 points, positioning themselves favorably as they gear up for the highly anticipated El Clasico showdown against Barcelona next weekend at the Bernabeu.

“We’re aware of where we are in this moment in LaLiga, in the Champions League, each game is like a final,” remarked Madrid manager Carlo Ancelotti in his post-match conference. “Having that advantage is very important ahead of Sunday’s game [the Clasico] and that’s our objective. I’m very happy, winning here is always difficult. In the second half, we played at a very high level.”

Tchouameni’s moment of brilliance arrived in the 48th minute, as he unleashed a thunderous shot from outside the penalty area that deflected off a defender, leaving the goalkeeper helpless.

The victory wasn’t just about Tchouameni’s heroics; Ancelotti utilized the match to rest key players such as Vinícius Júnior, Rodrygo, and Toni Kroos, while also giving starts to Nacho and Antonio Rüdiger, with Tchouameni suspended for the upcoming City clash.

Despite the depleted squad, Nacho and Rüdiger put on a solid display, although Madrid missed several opportunities to extend their lead, notably with Brahim Díaz squandering a close-range chance.

Ancelotti, who equaled Zinedine Zidane’s record of 183 league games coached for Madrid, emphasized the team’s consistency and commitment. “The team has been very consistent; what we’ve done is be consistent and very solid,” he remarked. “We haven’t always played well, but the team has always competed in every game.”

Real Madrid’s victory at Mallorca underscores their resilience and determination as they navigate through a crucial phase of the season, aiming to maintain their dominance both domestically and in Europe.

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