First Division - Day 27

Mallorca 1 - Real Madrid 0

Mallorca: Leo Franco; Olaizola, Fernando Niño, Nadal, Miguel Soler; Finidi, Engonga (Novo 60'), Marcos, Ibagaza (Paco Soler 80'); Eto'o, Luque (Biagini 63'). 4-4-2.
Real Madrid: Casillas; Michel Salgado, Hierro, Karanka (Guti 65'), Roberto Carlos; Figo, Iván Helguera, Makelele, McManaman (Savio 65'); Raúl, Morientes (Munitis 65'). 4-4-2.

Team changes: Mallorca: Finidi for Novo / Madrid: Roberto Carlos for Solari.

Goals:
1-0. 39. Luque. Soft header from Miguel Soler's centre which bounced past keeper.

Mallorca completed the double over leaders Real Madrid to move to within a point of a Champions League place. The Balearic island side seem to move up a gear playing against the top sides, and they completed their second run through the feared 'Bermuda triangle' of Depor, Barça and Madrid in much the same way as the first, ending the six game cycle with four victories and two draws. With Finidi returning from international duty and Roberto Carlos back from suspension both teams were at full strength, Del Bosque having given his key players a rest in their fairly meaningless midweek Champions League game at Anderlecht.

A packed San Moix stadium gave a hard time to Luis Figo as he came out, with a large number of Barcelona 'sympathisers' in the crowd. However they breathed a sigh of relief in the tenth minute when the Portuguese winger slid through a pinpoint ball for Raúl to find the net, only for referee López Nieto to rule out the goal for a marginal offside decision. Mallorca pulled themselves together, and five minutes from half time they took the lead when Luque's soft header bounced gently between Hierro and Casillas, the keeper probably put off by Eto'o's presence right in front of him. Eto'o later claimed that he had touched the ball as it was going on, but the referee awarded the goal to Luque. Before the break the young striker was unlucky not to make it two after Hierro's clearance fell straight to him, Casillas making up for his earlier mistake with a save at point blank range.

Figo tried his luck with a shot just after half time which Leo Franco blocked, but Madrid were not finding the route to goal, and Del Bosque made a triple change twenty minutes in to the half. Still Mallorca created the best chances, with Helguera clearing a shot from substitute Biagini off the line and Eto'o unfortunate to be ruled offside when clear in front of goal, and the Camerooni striker wasting a couple of chances near the end. Madrid could have claimed a late equaliser when Munitis fell in the penalty area near the end, but López Nieto ruled that the challenge by Marcos was fair. Mallorca close up to within a point of fourth placed Barcelona with this win, and they now have a real chance of a place in next year's Champions League if they keep up this form. Real Madrid have faltered recently, with only eight points from their last six games, but with Depor and Valencia losing and Barcelona only managing a draw they keep their five point lead at the top.

Results