Real Madrid to be missing two players for La Liga opener against Mallorca

Real Madrid will be missing two players for their opening match of the 2024-25 La Liga campaign against Mallorca, with David Alaba and Eduardo Camavinga on the sidelines.

Alaba is still recovering from the ACL injury that he suffered towards the end of last year, although the Austrian is on course to return before 2025.

Camavinga, meanwhile, picked up a knee injury ahead of the UEFA Super Cup on Wednesday evening, and the France international will be out until the middle of September.

Real Madrid did not suffer any fresh fitness issues in their 2-0 success over Atalanta BC in the UEFA Super Cup, though, and head coach Carlo Ancelotti is expected to name the same XI, including Kylian Mbappe, who netted on his debut last time out.

Endrick did not feature against Atalanta, but the Brazil international is in line to make his first appearance for Los Blancos against Mallorca.

Alaba, Camavinga are missing for Real Madrid

"Tomorrow the league starts, with all the hope of retaining the title. Another coach has arrived there [at Mallorca], very experienced and very capable. We'll have to fight to win," Ancelotti told reporters during his pre-match press conference.

"We still don't know how many competitions we have to play, there are two (Club World Cup and Intercontinental) that are not clear. But we are going to compete in everything we can, in every game.

"Nobody here is talking about the septet, we are talking about the games we have to play. Above all, tomorrow's match. There is no other way of thinking. The calendar demands this. With this squad, we can certainly compete for everything.

"We think about reality, especially the players, they're the ones who are going to play the games. And they know when it's difficult to win. A match demands quality, sacrifice, thinking too far ahead is not good for anything.

"Obviously, we can't think about what will happen in May, we have to work every day to get to May and win every game."

Ancelotti calls Mbappe "an extraordinary talent"

Ancelotti was also full of praise for Mbappe ahead of the France international's likely league debut for the club this weekend.

"With all the new players, the people at the club try to make them feel comfortable. An extraordinary talent has arrived, we have to help him adapt. He's come into the dressing room very well, with humility, very earnest. He's started very well," he added.

"I have to decide on tomorrow's team, maybe there will be some changes, maybe not."

Mbappe started alongside Vinicius and Rodrygo in the final third of the field against Atalanta, with Jude Bellingham dropping into a deeper area alongside Federico Valverde and Aurelien Tchouameni.

Full Real Madrid squad vs. Mallorca:

Courtois, Lunin, Fran; Carvajal, Militao, Vazquez, Vallejo, F Garcia, Rudiger, Mendy, Jacobo; Bellingham, Valverde, Modric, Tchouameni, Guler, Ceballos; Vinicius, Mbappe, Rodrygo, Endrick, Brahim