Verdict: Both teams to score
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
Real Madrid will look to extend their perfect start to the 2025-26 La Liga season with a third successive victory when they host Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabeu on Saturday evening.
Carlo Ancelotti’s side have already secured back-to-back wins over Osasuna and Real Oviedo, collecting six points that place them third in the standings. In contrast, Mallorca sit 16th, having picked up just a single point from their opening two fixtures.
Real Madrid
Real Madrid endured a slow start to their 2025-26 La Liga campaign against Osasuna on August 19, but a decisive strike from Kylian Mbappe was enough to secure all three points.
Xabi Alonso’s men faced similar difficulties in their second outing against Real Oviedo, yet they ultimately prevailed with a convincing 3-0 win. Mbappé scored twice before Vinicius Junior sealed the result late on.
Los Blancos are among five La Liga sides—alongside Villarreal, Barcelona, Getafe and Athletic Bilbao—to have taken maximum points from their opening two fixtures. Supporters will now expect another victory before the international break, especially with the title race already shaping up tightly. Barcelona’s attacking quality leaves little room for slip-ups, though the Catalans showed defensive vulnerability in their recent 3-2 win over Levante.
Madrid boast a dominant record against Mallorca, winning 46 of their 75 previous meetings, and they completed a league double over them last season, including a 2-1 triumph at the Bernabéu in the corresponding fixture.
Team News
For Saturday’s clash, Alonso will once again be without Jude Bellingham, Endrick, Ferland Mendy and Eduardo Camavinga, but there are no fresh fitness concerns. The Spaniard may stick with the same XI that began against Oviedo, though Vinicius is expected to return to the starting lineup in place of Rodrygo.
Elsewhere, Dani Carvajal could again be preferred to Trent Alexander-Arnold at right-back, while Antonio Rudiger is pushing to retain his centre-back spot alongside Dean Huijsen, keeping Eder Militao on the bench.
RCD Mallorca
Mallorca began their 2025-26 La Liga campaign in the worst possible fashion, suffering a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona in a game where they had two players dismissed before half-time.
Jagoba Arrasate’s men showed greater resilience in their second outing, earning a 1-1 draw at home to Celta Vigo thanks to an 87th-minute equaliser from Mateu Morey, which salvaged a point for the hosts.
With just one point collected from their opening two fixtures, the Pirates sit 16th in the standings, though victory over Real Madrid this weekend would provide a huge lift and propel them up the table ahead of the international break. It’s certainly something to aim for, though it remains to be seen how realistic that goal is.
Mallorca impressed last season, finishing 10th in La Liga and missing out on European qualification by only four points, and the squad retains enough quality to mount another push for continental football this term.
However, their recent record against Real Madrid is unpromising. While they last defeated Los Blancos in February 2023, they have not recorded a league victory at the Bernabeu since May 2009.
Team News
Vedat Muriqi and Manu Morlanes return to Mallorca’s squad after serving suspensions in their previous match, and both are expected to feature in the starting XI.
New summer signing Pablo Torre, who joined from Barcelona, is likely to take up the number 10 role for the visitors this weekend.
Sergi Darder and Toni Lato are also expected to retain their places in the side, with Lato potentially being deployed in a midfield role.
Conclusion
This clash could prove challenging for Real Madrid, as Mallorca possess plenty of quality and will be confident in their ability to become the first team to score against Alonso’s side this season. Nonetheless, Los Blancos are still expected to secure a third consecutive league victory.
Verdict: Both teams to score
Best odds: 7/5
Bookmaker: Betfair
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