Real Madrid came from behind to secure a 2–1 victory over Mallorca thanks to the individual skill of Vinícius Júnior, Arda Güler and Trent Alexander-Arnold.
The pressure was on Los Blancos to muster a strong response after going down 1–0 in the first half to a Mallorca side that has yet to win a game this season. The Santiago Bernabéu waited for the superstars in white to take over the game, and that’s exactly what they did.
Arda Güler, who has found himself a permanent place in Xabi Alonso’s XI, headed home the hosts’ equalizer in the 37th minute before Vinícius Júnior put Real Madrid up 2–1 just one minute later. Then, it was Alexander-Arnold who came up huge in the second half to protect his side’s lead and ultimately secure all three points.
Here’s three takeaways from Real Madrid’s third La Liga victory of the season.
It is no secret Vinícius Júnior underwhelmed last season, especially in La Liga. The Brazilian only found the back of the net 11 times in 30 league appearances and was often upstaged by Kylian Mbappé.
The winger also failed to impress at the FIFA Club World Cup, scoring just one goal in six matches in the United States. With each passing match, it seemed Vinícius Júnior was getting further and further away from the player that challenged for the 2024 Ballon d’Or.
Fast forward to Real Madrid’s 2025–26 campaign, though, and the 25-year-old is slowly reminding the world why he is one of the best wingers in Spain. Vinícius Júnior has played a role in three of Real Madrid’s six goals so far this season, with his most recent contribution securing all three points for Los Blancos against Mallorca.
ARDA GULER AND VINI JR. BOTH SCORE WITHIN A MINUTE TO TURN THE GAME AROUND FOR MADRID!
FROM 0-1 TO 2-1 IN AN INSTANT ⚡️ pic.twitter.com/sVXxQFcGmz
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) August 30, 2025
The winner was Vinícius Júnior at his best, both clinical and show-stopping in his individual moment of magic to complete Real Madrid’s comeback at the Santiago Bernabéu. With the Brazil international rediscovering his form alongside the already dominant Mbappé, Real Madrid could be on their way back to silverware.
Mastantuono earned his second consecutive start since making the move to the Spanish capital just two weeks ago. The 18-year-old is widely regarded as one of the most exciting young players in the sport, but he is still finding his footing in La Liga.
In a game where Los Blancos’ frontline shined, the former River Plate star struggled to leave his mark. Mastantuono was caught out in possession on multiple occasions and only managed one shot on target in 66 minutes on the pitch.
Still, it was his bit of skill in the penalty area and ensuing shot that momentarily created Real Madrid’s third goal of the night before a controversial VAR ruling wiped it away. Mastantuono also did not hesitate to track back and pitch in defensively to help out Alexander-Arnold, who is also carving out his place in the Spanish capital.
It’s harsh to judge the Argentine so early into his tenure at Real Madrid, but there are expectations he must meet if he is going to start over Rodrygo or even Brahim Díaz. Perhaps the better route would be to let Mastantuono settle into his new club and better understand his new teammates before throwing him into the XI week in and week out.
Alexander-Arnold made headlines for all the wrong reasons following his underwhelming La Liga debut against Osasuna. The England international was then overlooked by Alonso against Real Oviedo, with the Real Madrid boss opting instead to start Dani Carvajal.
The former Liverpool star only featured for three minutes in the team’s 3–0 victory before he returned to the XI against Mallorca. Alexander-Arnold immediately shined, picking out Mbappé twice in the early stages with clinical balls forward. He will have to wait a little longer to record his first La Liga goal contribution, though, after Mbappé was denied by the offside flag.
Even more impressive was Alexander-Arnold’s all-important defensive intervention in the second half. The 26-year-old beat Mateo Joseph to the end of a dangerous ball across the face of goal, executing a goal-saving challenge in the 59th minute to deny Mallorca an equalizer.
Although he has yet to reach the heights of his form in a red shirt, Alexander-Arnold proved he is more than capable of showing up and showing out on both ends of the pitch with Real Madrid.
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Source: https://www.si.com/soccer/alexander-arnold-redeems-himself-takeaways-from-real-madrid-2-1-mallorca
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