Sparks flew both on and off the pitch as Real Madrid clinched their spot in the Spanish Supercopa final with a commanding 3-0 victory over Mallorca. Manager Carlo Ancelotti found himself in the unusual position of peacemaker, attempting to diffuse a heated confrontation between the two squads after the final whistle.
Ancelotti Downplays “Unnecessary” Clash
Despite the convincing scoreline, it was the post-match scuffle that dominated the headlines. Ancelotti, ever the composed figure, characterized the brawl as an “unnecessary fight” and emphasized that he intervened simply to “calm things down.”
The fight was unnecessary. The game was over. I don’t blame my players or Mallorca’s players, it was unnecessary for both teams.
– Carlo Ancelotti, Real Madrid Manager
Vinícius Júnior at Center of Storm
Much of the tension seemed to stem from Mallorca defender Pablo Maffeo’s repeated clashes with Madrid star Vinícius Júnior throughout the match. Midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni alluded to a history of bad blood, noting “There’s a Mallorca player [Maffeo] who we have problems with every game.”
Tchouaméni, who himself was withdrawn due to injury concerns, downplayed the significance of the altercation. “People got angry but the most important thing is winning. It isn’t important. We don’t want to talk about this guy because that’s what he wants.”
Jude Bellingham Shines Amidst Drama
Lost in the shuffle was the stellar performance of midfielder Jude Bellingham, who opened the scoring for Madrid and drew praise from both his manager and teammates. Ancelotti highlighted Bellingham’s growing influence and chemistry with the squad’s other young stars.
Right now the team is improving because Bellingham is more active, he’s combining more with Vinícius and Rodrygo.
– Carlo Ancelotti
Tchouaméni echoed the sentiment, hailing the young Englishman as a “phenomenal player” who “helps us win games all the time.” However, there are now fitness concerns around Bellingham after he finished the match with apparent muscular discomfort.
All Eyes on Clásico Final
With the semifinal hurdle cleared, focus now shifts to the tantalizing prospect of a Clásico final against eternal rivals Barcelona. Ancelotti, as ever, remained measured in his assessment of the matchup.
Recently the Clásico has always been unpredictable. It’s hard to say what the next game will be like. It will be entertaining, there’ll be a lot of quality on the pitch …
– Carlo Ancelotti
As the dust settles on a contentious semifinal, the stage is set for another classic encounter between Spain’s two footballing giants. Will Real Madrid’s young stars rise to the occasion, or will Barcelona’s resurgence under Xavi propel them to Supercopa glory? One thing is certain – the eyes of the football world will be fixed on Saudi Arabia come Sunday.
