Real Madrid fight back to beat Mallorca 2-1
Soccer Football - LaLiga - Real Madrid v RCD Mallorca - Santiago Bernabeu, Madrid, Spain - May 14, 2025 Real Madrid's Jacobo Ramon celebrates scoring their second goal with Real Madrid's Jesus Vallejo REUTERS/Susana Vera
MADRID - Real Madrid's Jacobo Ramon scored in the fifth minute of stoppage time to earn them a 2-1 LaLiga win over Mallorca on Wednesday that kept Barcelona's title-winning champagne on ice.
While Madrid have two games remaining, they are four points behind leaders Barca, who have a game in hand and will claim their 28th LaLiga title on Thursday if they beat city rivals Espanyol.
An angled strike from inside the box by defender Martin Valjent in the 11th minute gave Mallorca the lead in a dour match at a half-empty Santiago Bernabeu stadium.
Kylian Mbappe levelled with a fine individual effort in the 68th minute for a depleted Real, who were missing 12 players due to injuries and wasted several chances.
Mallorca weathered a storm as Madrid pushed for a winner, with goalkeeper Leo Roman producing a remarkable performance.
Yet a mistake by the visitors' defence, who failed to clear a cross from inside the box, allowed Ramon to pounce on the ball and fire a volley into the back of the net to keep Real's slim title hopes alive. REUTERS
Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


CNA
25 minutes ago
- CNA
Exclusive-Guardiola dreams of World Cup glory but has no plans to leave City anytime soon
BARCELONA -Pep Guardiola has no plans to leave Manchester City anytime soon but the Spaniard has often thought about what it would be like to guide an international team and says he would love to take on the challenge of a World Cup or Euros campaign. "I would love to be in a World Cup, in a Euro, a Copa America,' Guardiola told Reuters in an exclusive interview. 'I have always thought about it. But it depends on many, many things. If it happens, it's fine. If it doesn't happen, it's more than fine as well." After winning 12 domestic top-flight titles across Spain, Germany and England, Guardiola endured a trophyless campaign with City last season, a shock to the system after so much success. While he came in for some stinging criticism over his elite squad's failure on all fronts, Guardiola said he was not interested in "proving the haters wrong' when City start afresh next season. "It's to prove myself that I can do it, I don't want to have those feeling that last season left' he added. "Because when we win, the wine tastes better afterwards, you sleep better. I don't know a manager who loses games and sleeps like a baby. It doesn't happen. You've got to worry. That's part of our life." Top of Guardiola's 'to-do list' is to win another Champions League with City and should they cross paths once more with Real Madrid, his nemesis Carlo Ancelotti will not be in the opposing dugout after the Italian took charge of Brazil. Mere mention of Ancelotti's departure was enough to put a smile on Guardiola's lips. The pair faced each other five times in the knockout rounds of the Champions League, with the Italian coming out on top in all but one. "I'm so happy for him,' Guardiola said. "But I'm so happy that he's not in Madrid anymore because all the time he beats me. That I don't have to handle it anymore." The Spaniard added that it was unrealistic to expect him to win everything every year, and said that even the most successful athletes lose more than they win. "I won 12 domestic leagues in 16 years. It's not bad, I would say. But you cannot win all the time. I cannot win the Champions League all the time," he added. "Michael Jordan, the best athlete I've ever seen in my life won six NBA Championships in 15 years. Tiger Woods, one incredible golf player, Jack Nicklaus, I don't know how many he has. But they lost more Grand Slams than they won. It happens." Enjoying a short holiday in Barcelona, Guardiola said he is just trying to live a "normal life" before football pulls him back in, with City set to play in the revamped Club World Cup in the United States from June 14 to July 13. 'Wake up later and don't be with the players. Try to live what would be a normal life,' Guardiola said. 'Go to a concert, lay down on the sofa, read books. I can play golf when my body allows me. Watch series that people suggest to me during the season to watch, like I'm not able to do. "And I want to tell you something. Usually, I'm going to do the same things as you do in your life.'

Straits Times
an hour ago
- Straits Times
England name squad for India Test series opener at Headingley
England have named a 14-player squad for the first match of the Rothesay Test Series against India, which is set to begin on June 20 at Headingley in Leeds. Ben Stokes will lead the squad as captain and Surrey bowling all-rounder Jamie Overton returns to the Test line-up for the first time since earning his sole cap against New Zealand at Headingley in June 2022. The 31-year-old is still under close medical review after breaking his right little finger during the first One-Day International against the West Indies at Edgbaston last week. Durham seamer Brydon Carse, as well as Warwickshire's Jacob Bethell and Chris Woakes, were recalled after featuring in England's Test tour of New Zealand in December. Surrey's Gus Atkinson was ruled out of selection due to a hamstring injury sustained during the one-off Test against Zimbabwe at Trent Bridge last month. England will play five Test matches against India over the next couple of months, finishing on August 4 at the Kia Oval in London. SQUAD Ben Stokes, Shoaib Bashir, Jacob Bethell, Harry Brook, Brydon Carse, Sam Cook, Zak Crawley, Ben Duckett, Jamie Overton, Ollie Pope, Joe Root, Jamie Smith, Josh Tongue and Chris Woakes. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.

Straits Times
2 hours ago
- Straits Times
Rangers appoint ex-Southampton boss Martin as head coach
Rangers have appointed former Southampton manager Russell Martin as head coach on a three-year deal, the Scottish Premiership side said on Thursday. Martin, who played 29 times for Scotland and made 17 appearances for Rangers during a loan spell in the 2017-18 season, returns to management for the first time since he was sacked by Premier League club Southampton in December. The 39-year-old took charge of Southampton in 2023 and guided them to promotion via the playoffs in his first season at the club, earning plaudits for his side's attractive style of football. They were brutally exposed in the top flight, however, losing 13 of their opening 16 games and going on to suffer the earliest relegation from the Premier League with seven games left in the season. "From my time here, I had a taste of how special this club is, the expectation, the passion and the history," Martin, who has also coached Swansea City and MK Dons, said in a statement. "Now, as I return, I'm determined to bring success back, for the supporters, the players, and everyone inside this club. "There's a lot to be done, but the goal is clear: win matches, win trophies, and give Rangers fans a team that they can be proud of. We want to play with bravery, to take the ball, to be aggressive, and to stand up in the big moments." Rangers, who were taken over by an American consortium of investors led by Andrew Cavenagh and 49ers Enterprises in May, finished their domestic campaign second behind rivals Celtic for the fourth consecutive year, last winning the league in 2020-21. Rangers will enter Champions League qualifying in the second round. REUTERS Join ST's Telegram channel and get the latest breaking news delivered to you.