Alvaro Arbeloa has accepted responsibility for Real Madrid’s defeat at Mallorca on Saturday, having rested Vinicius Junior for the game.
Madrid risk losing further ground in La Liga’s title race, ahead of Barcelona’s trip to Atletico Madrid later on Saturday, after Vedat Muriqi scored in second-half injury time, two minutes after Eder Militao had equalised for the visitors.
Manu Morlanes had opened the scoring four minutes before the break, with the home side moving out of the relegation zone and up to 17th, above Elche, with the victory.
The result, however, also has a significant impact on the top of the table and leaves Madrid four points behind league leaders Barca, who play at third-place Atletico later on Saturday.
Three days ahead of the first leg of Madrid’s Champions League quarter-final against Bayern Munich, neither Vinicius Junior nor Jude Bellingham started the game, with both introduced as second-half substitutes.
“This defeat is mine, absolutely,” Arbeloa said after the game. “I told the players that. I’m the one who makes the decisions.”
Asked if the loss may be decisive in the league title race, Arbeloa said: “It’s clear it’s more difficult now than before. What I told the players is that it doesn’t matter where Barcelona are — our objective is to win the eight games we have left.”
The defeat brings an end to Madrid’s five-game winning run across all competitions, but it does mean they have lost three of their last six matches in La Liga, following recent defeats to Celta Vigo and Getafe.
Mallorca players celebrate their stoppage-time winner (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
A damaging defeat for Madrid
Analysis by Real Madrid correspondent Guillermo Rai
Madrid has reconnected with some familiar and unwelcome ghosts.
Arbeloa was without Fede Valverde, suspended following the red card he received in the Madrid derby victory over Atletico and, notably, opted to rest Vinicius Jr., who played twice for Brazil over the international break.
Madrid kept faith with Brahim Diaz and once again turned to academy product Manuel Angel to bring balance in midfield, leaving Thiago Pitarch — one of the season’s surprise packages — on the bench.
Initially, the plan worked. Madrid controlled the early stages and Kylian Mbappe carved out several clear chances. But a lack of cutting edge proved costly, and Mallorca capitalised when midfielder Morlanes headed them in front.
Madrid players were left to rue their late loss (Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Rather than respond, Madrid shrank after the break. The introduction of Bellingham — limited to a 30-minute cameo and still short of full fitness — and Vinicius Jr., loudly jeered, failed to alter the direction of the game.
A late header from Militao briefly hinted at a comeback, but this was not the Madrid that had impressed against Manchester City. Defensive fragility remained, and striker Muriqi made it 2-1 to seal a damaging defeat for Arbeloa’s side — one that significantly dents their chances of keeping pace with Barcelona in the title race.
If Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid tonight, Madrid will be left seven points off the top with eight games remaining. More concerning, perhaps, is the timing: this setback does little for confidence ahead of a decisive Champions League clash against Bayern Munich at the Bernabeu on Tuesday.