Even though Mallorca commenced their most recent fixture in La Liga within the drop zone, trailing by a single point, their clash on home turf against Real Madrid “presents the ideal opportunity to secure an unexpected victory,” opines offensive player Pablo Torre.
Ex-Barcelona player Torre and his colleagues began their campaign under Jagoba Arrasate before the coach was dismissed on February 23, after a trio of consecutive losses heightened their anxieties of descending from the premier division.
Martin Demichelis, formerly coach of River Plate and Monterrey, has steered Mallorca to a quartet of points from four encounters since then, securing his initial triumph in their 2-1 conquest over Espanyol in their prior fixture at home on March 15.
Via AS, Torre stated, “We must demonstrate that we ought not to be in this predicament… and also to savor the occasion.”
“We can challenge them effectively. They are returning from an international break, which always presents difficulties to manage.”
Demichelis’s equivalent at Madrid, and co-temporary manager, acknowledges that it is “always challenging to reintegrate” players once they come back from national team duty.
Alvaro Arbeloa, whose team will welcome Bayern Munich for the initial encounter of the Champions League quarter-finals on Tuesday, followed by a league fixture against Girona on Friday (both 20:00 BST), affirmed, “But I have faith in how the players have prepared, their resolve, their disposition, their mentality, and their self-assurance.”
“I intend to deploy the strongest lineup I possess to secure victory, as I customarily do… there is a packed schedule of games in a short span, but we possess a roster of exceptional talents.”
A win would place Madrid a single point adrift of front-runners Barcelona, with eight league fixtures left to play in their season. Barca will then contest their outstanding fixture at Atletico Madrid on Saturday (20:00 BST).
“We have zero room for mistakes,” Arbeloa cautioned. “We must remain acutely conscious of this when we take to the field, because it’s going to be an extremely challenging encounter.”
Squad Information for Mallorca vs. Real Madrid
Skipper and central defender Antonio Raillo is sidelined due to an injury for Mallorca, who are also missing shot-stopper Lucas Bergstrom.
Loaned Roma central defender Marash Kumbulla and striker Takuma Asano are available for selection. Furthermore, the club’s quintet of international representatives – Vedat Muriqi, Martin Valjent, Samuel Costa, Johan Mojica and Marc Virgili – encountered no problems during their time with their countries, a fact Demichelis deemed “crucial.”
“Prior to their departure, I requested they grasp the predicament we’re in so they could be back promptly,” he explained.
“They all complied, and they were consistently in touch with us… [they] are eligible for selection; it’s now a managerial discretion.”
Shot-stopper Thibaut Courtois (quad) and central player Dani Ceballos (calf) are unavailable for Madrid. David Alaba is included in the team roster, but the defender, returning from his ailment, might not participate.
🔙 WE’RE BACK! pic.twitter.com/ZCS6maOa5l
— Real Madrid C.F. 🇬🇧🇺🇸 (@realmadriden) April 3, 2026
Playmaker Federico Valverde is banned, but Eder Militao will make his comeback from a protracted ailment. Arbeloa lauded Militao, stating, “In peak condition, he’s controversially the finest central defender globally.”
“We’ve valued his presence at Real Madrid for a considerable period, and it frequently feels as if there’s an augmented presence on the field when he’s there.”
“He is a transformative athlete. I’m delighted to have him back because he will be pivotal for this concluding phase of the campaign.”
Central player Jude Bellingham is poised for a complete comeback from injury, having not been jeopardized by England.
Arbeloa remarked, “For me, there’s no issue that he was not given playing time with England, nor would it have been an issue if he had.”
“I’m thrilled to see him resuming practice, and now my sole objective is to help him recover his peak form, which necessitates game time.”
Arbeloa anticipates no further issues for leading goal-getter Kylian Mbappe regarding a knee ailment but conceded that wide player Vinicius Junior is “fatigued, predictably so” after participating for Brazil.
“My colleague [Brazil coach Carlo Ancelotti] has afforded him little recuperation, but that’s understandable,” Arbeloa added. “Who wants to bench an athlete of his caliber?”
“I fully comprehend, but… both Real Madrid and [Brazil] are teams where the expectations are exceptionally stringent, and that’s what he must contend with.”
“He’s a phenomenal athlete, and it’s evident he’s endured an arduous fixture schedule from the commencement of 2026. I don’t believe he’s had a solitary day of respite. His condition will be monitored.”