Lee Kang-in’s Mallorca overcame the crisis by catching Real Madrid and at the same time escaped the threat of relegation.
Mallorca defeated Real Madrid 1-0 in the 20th round of the 2022-2023 La Liga held at Iberostar Estadio in Mallorca, Spain at 10:00 pm on the 5th (Korean time). 스포츠토토
Mallorca took the lead with Nacho Fernandez’s own goal in the 12th minute of the first half. Luis de Galareta’s ball hit Nacho’s head as he competed for a header with Bedat Muriki, and then passed goalkeeper Antonin Lunin’s height and was sucked into the net.
In the second half, goalkeeper Fredrik Rykovic saved the team. In the 12th minute of the second half, Rykovic fouled Vinicius Jr. and conceded a penalty kick, but blocked Marco Asensio’s shot as a kicker. Even after that, he was not shaken by Real’s wave of attacks and handled the ball stably.
With the win against Real Madrid, Mallorca has gained a lot. For once, he avoided losing streak. In the last round, they were beaten 0-2 by Cadiz, a relegation zone team, and were on the verge of a losing streak. It was a schedule to meet Sevilla, which has recently been on the rise after the match against Real, and Villarreal, which is in 5th place. After losing against Real Madrid, it is obviously burdensome to meet teams with superior power. Fortunately, with the win, I had some free time in my schedule.
It also settled stably in the top 10. Now the top is closer than the bottom. The gap with Cadiz in 18th place is nine points, three games behind the relegation zone. Rather, the difference between fifth place Villarreal and the points is only 3 points. As it escaped from the threat of relegation to some extent, it became possible to operate at a leisurely pace.
It also solidified the image that no team can easily win at home. With this victory, Mallorca ran a 4-game winning streak at home. Two of those teams were Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid. They won 1-0 in all 4 games, and at home, they are showing more solid defense and one shot than any other team. It is also positive that half of the remaining 18 games are at home.
After Lee Kang-in joined last season, Mallorca finished 16th and succeeded in remaining. This summer, they fully recruited key striker Muriki, and this winter, they are aiming for good results while protecting Lee Kang-in. It is the first time since the 2011-2012 season that the season has finished in the top 10.