Real Madrid host RCD Mallorca in a curious clash, after Brazil announced that Carlo Ancelotti would be their new coach earlier in the week. In addition to the reaction from the Santiago Bernabeu though, Los Blancos are in serious danger of forfeiting the match.
Already nursing nine injuries and the suspension of Aurelien Tchouameni, Ancelotti was already short of options. However during the course of Wednesday, as reported by Cadena SER, both Andriy Lunin and Brahim Diaz have gone down with muscle injuries. The former is ruled out and the latter is a major doubt.
La Liga rules state that teams must field at least seven senior players in a side, and Real Madrid only have 10 available. That doesn’t include Raul Asencio, who is still registered as a Castilla player. Before those injuries, Marca had predicted that Jacobo Ramon would partner Asencio in his starting debut, with Fede Valverde returning to right-back.
Brahim was backed to start up front alongside Kylian Mbappe, who with a two-goal lead over Robert Lewandowski, will seek to assert himself as the Pichichi leader with 27 goals, Endrick Felipe would likely come in for him. That is what Diario AS have in their predicted line-up, with David Jimenez also at right-back.
Ancelotti will obviously be conscious of this fact, but if he were to follow the line-up below, with Luka Modric coming in for Dani Ceballos, Real Madrid would be just two injuries away from having to forfeit the match due to an ineligible line-up.
With Brahim and Andriy Lunin picking up late injuries, #RealMadrid have just 10 senior players available for their clash with #RCDMallorca.
Diario AS say Carlo Ancelotti will line up as so, but will be conscious at least seven senior players must be on the pitch at all times. pic.twitter.com/R0hL9epk3m
— Football España (@footballespana_) May 14, 2025
