Mbappe's Real Madrid LaLiga Debut Ends in Draw with Mallorca
Kylian Mbappe made his much-anticipated La Liga debut for Real Madrid, but the match ended in disappointment as the defending champions were held to a 1-1 draw by Mallorca on the opening day of the season.
Having recently completed a high-profile move from Paris Saint-Germain, Mbappe had already made his mark with a goal in Real Madrid's 2-0 Uefa Super Cup victory over Atalanta just days before, with his new teammate Jude Bellingham lavishing his praise for his work rate.
However, in his first taste of Spanish league football, the French superstar was unable to find the back of the net, despite several promising opportunities.
Real Madrid took the lead through Rodrygo in the 13th minute, who curled in a superb goal after a clever backheel assist from Vinicius Jr. The early strike suggested that Carlo Ancelotti's side might have been on their way to a comfortable victory, but Mallorca had other plans. The visitors equalised eight into the second half with a powerful header from Vedat Muriqi, connecting with Dani Rodriguez's cross to silence the Los Blancos away fans.
Mbappe, the six-time Ligue 1 Golden Boot winner and PSG's all-time leading scorer showed flashes of brilliance throughout the match. He came close to scoring on multiple occasions, including a fierce shot that narrowly missed the target and another that forced Mallorca's goalkeeper Dominik Greif into a crucial save. However, his efforts were not enough to secure a win for his new team.
The match took a further downturn for Madrid when defender Ferland Mendy was sent off deep into injury time following a reckless challenge on Muriqi. The red card added to the frustration of the night, as Madrid were forced to settle for a point in their first league match of the season.
Mbappe’s debut in La Liga marks the beginning of a new chapter in his career, as he plays his first league games outside of France after starting his professional journey with Monaco. While his impact was felt on the pitch, the draw leaves Real Madrid with work to do as they aim to defend their title as the season progresses.
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