Real Madrid Edges Mallorca 1-0 In Tight La Liga Clash
Real Madrid Edges Mallorca 1-0 In Tight La Liga Clash...
Real Madrid secured a hard-fought 1-0 victory over Mallorca on Saturday, maintaining their lead at the top of La Liga. The match, played at Son Moix Stadium, saw Aurélien Tchouaméni score the decisive goal in the 48th minute with a powerful header from a Toni Kroos corner.
The win keeps Madrid eight points clear of second-place Barcelona with eight games remaining. American fans are closely tracking the title race as US internationals like Weston McKennie (currently at Juventus) could face Madrid in next season's Champions League.
This matchup is trending in the US due to growing interest in La Liga's streaming rights battle. ESPN+ recently lost Spanish league rights to NBC starting in 2025, creating uncertainty for American viewers. Saturday's match aired on ESPN Deportes, drawing attention to the network's remaining La Liga coverage.
Mallorca nearly equalized in the 75th minute when Vedat Muriqi's header hit the crossbar. Madrid goalkeeper Andriy Lunin made three crucial saves to preserve the clean sheet. The visitors missed several chances to extend their lead, with VinĂcius JĂșnior hitting the post in the 63rd minute.
Carlo Ancelotti's squad now turns focus to Tuesday's Champions League quarterfinal first leg against Manchester City. The match will air on CBS and Paramount+ in the US, where Champions League viewership has grown 22% this season according to Nielsen data.
Mallorca remains 15th in the table, six points above the relegation zone. Their next match comes against relegation rivals CĂĄdiz on April 13. American-owned Mallorca, purchased by Phoenix Suns owner Robert Sarver in 2016, has become a case study in mid-table club operations.
The physical match produced six yellow cards, including one for Madrid's Jude Bellingham that rules him out of next week's league game. La Liga's disciplinary committee will review a potential additional suspension for his confrontation with the referee after the final whistle.
Spanish football analyst Graham Hunter noted on Twitter: "Madrid grinding out these wins shows why they're champions-elect. The pragmatism Ancelotti has instilled makes them favorites in every competition." His tweet garnered over 12,000 likes, reflecting US fan engagement.
With NBC's $2.5 billion La Liga deal beginning next season, American interest in matches like this will likely increase. The network plans to air games on Peacock and Telemundo, potentially expanding the league's US audience beyond its current 1.8 million weekly viewers.
