Real Madrid will look to make it five wins out of five at the start of the LaLiga season when they host Real Mallorca on Sunday.
The title holders must do so without attacking talisman Karim Benzema, who suffered a thigh injury during the 3-0 midweek win over Celtic in the Champions League.
Forgotten man Eden Hazard replaced Benzema at Celtic Park and went on to complete the scoring. Carlo Ancelotti will turn to the former Chelsea favourite to feature as a false nine this weekend.
Mallorca have only lost once in their four games this season and exchanged late goals with Girona in a 1-1 draw last time out.
Sporting News is following the Real Madrid vs. Mallorca match live and providing live score updates and commentary.
MORE: Karim Benzema injury update: How many matches will Real Madrid captain miss?
Real Madrid vs. Mallorca live score
| 1H | 2H | Final | |
| Real Madrid | — | — | — |
| Mallorca | — | — | — |
Goals:
None
Real Madrid vs. Mallorca live updates, highlights from LaLiga
40 mins from kickoff: Hazard might be the direct replacement but much of the Benzema goalscoring burden will fall to Vinicius Jr. Handily for Ancelotti, the in-form winger seems more than ready to pick up the load. Vinicius has found the next in each of Madrid’s past four games in all competitions.
⚡ #RealMadridRCDMallorca ⚡ pic.twitter.com/64SIwwD86y
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 11, 2022
1 hour from kickoff: There is a slight surprise in the Mallorca XI. Javier Aguirre sticks with his expected 5-3-2 for this Santiago Bernabeu assignment but there is a start in midfield for Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta, who has so far been restricted to a grand total of three minutes in two LaLiga substitute cameos this term.
❤️👺🖤
El nostre 𝗫𝗜 𝗜𝗡𝗜𝗖𝗜𝗔𝗟#RealMadridRCDMallorca pic.twitter.com/asudP1yK9Z
— Real Mallorca (@RCD_Mallorca) September 11, 2022
1 hr 20 mins from kickoff: Here’s the Madrid starting line-up, with Hazard up front as expected. Dani Ceballos gets a first start of the season in midfield.
📋✅ Our starting XI 🆚 @RCD_Mallorca!#RealMadridRCDMallorca pic.twitter.com/dgHNl2HeSm
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) September 11, 2022
1 hr 40 mins from kickoff: So, can Real Madrid stay perfect in their title defence? They will, of course, have to do so without the injured Karim Benzema and lack a specialist striker in his absence. Eden Hazard played well and scored when introduced against Celtic in midweek and opportunity knocks for the Belgium star who has had a tough time since making his dream move to Madrid from Chelsea in 2019. Even so, it is hard to deny that for a club of their stature, Los Blancos look a little light in attack when Benzema is out of the picture.
2 hours from kickoff: Hello and welcome to The Sporting News’ live coverage of Real Madrid vs. Real Mallorca in La Liga. And don’t tell Carlo Ancelotti who’s tired and who’s not. He knows.
Shorter Ancelotti: I am the data 😎
The LaLiga-winning coach has no time for new-age load management data…
Watch his Real Madrid host Mallorca in #LaLiga from 9pm AEST, only on #OptusSport 🤩 pic.twitter.com/zC0AvuHHya
— Optus Sport (@OptusSport) September 11, 2022
Real Madrid vs. Mallorca lineups & team news
While it’s hoped Benzema could return from his thigh injury in time for the Madrid derby next Sunday, it will be Hazard replacing him against Mallorca as he did in midweek vs. Celtic, earning praise from Carlo Ancelotti, who called it “a perfect game” for the Belgian. He will suit up from the start against Mallorca, deployed as a false nine, or “a bit deeper” as Ancelotti put it.
In midfield, Aurelien Tchouameni and Luka Modric take a breather among the substitutes, with Dani Ceballos handed his first start of the season alongside Federico Valverde and Toni Kroos.
Meanwhile at the back, given a thigh injury will rule out Eder Militao, it will be David Alaba, and Antonio Rudiger teaming up at center-back. Right-back Alvaro Odriozola (calf) is the other injury absence.
Real Madrid starting lineup (4-3-3): Courtois (GK) — Vazquez, Rudiger, Alaba, Mendy— Ceballos, Valverde, Kroos — Rodrygo, Hazard, Vinicius Jr.
Mallorca manager Javier Aguirre has kept his starting lineup mostly consistent through the start of the La Liga season.
Last match, Aguirre made just one change, sending starting midfielder Clement Grenier to the bench for Antonio Sanchez. Grenier had picked up a yellow card in each of the team’s first three matches, meaning his use moving forward comes with risk. Both are among the substitutes today as Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta makes his first start of the campaign.
Forward Kang-in Lee, a 21-year-old World Cup hopeful for South Korea, has been one of the league’s best forwards to start the year, owning a goal and two assists through the first four games of the season. He is a dribble machine, second in La Liga with 10 successful take-ons, juts one behind William Carvalho of Real Betis.
Mallorca starting lineup (5-3-2): Rajkovic (GK) — Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Costa — De Galarreta, Rodriguez, Battaglia — Muriqi, Lee.
MORE: Celtic vs. Real Madrid result, highlights and analysis
Real Madrid vs. Mallorca TV channel, live stream
| UK | USA | Canada | Australia | |
| Date | Sun, Sept. 11 | Sun, Sept. 11 | Sun, Sept. 11 | Sun, Sept. 11 |
| Time | 13:00 BST | 08:00 ET | 08:00 ET | 22:00 AET |
| TV channel | Premier Sports 1, La Liga TV |
— | — | — |
| Streaming | Premier Player HD | ESPN+ | TSN Direct, TSN site/app |
Optus Sport |
UK: Sunday’s match between Real Madrid and Mallorca from the Bernabeu can be watched on Premier Sports 1 or LaLigaTV, with streaming available via Premier Player.
USA: All La Liga fixtures in the United States are broadcast via ESPN’s premium streaming service ESPN+.
Canada: In Canada, La Liga matches are broadcast and streamed by La Liga partner TSN.
Australia: In Australia, La Liga matches are broadcast and streamed by La Liga partner Optus Sport.
