Mallorca 2-1 Real Madrid: Los Blancos head coach Alvaro Arbeloa delivers verdict after damaging La Liga defeat hands Barcelona title advantage

Real Madrid's La Liga title hopes took a huge hit on Saturday afternoon, as Los Blancos suffered a 2-1 defeat to relegation-threatened Mallorca.

Manu Morlanes sent Mallorca ahead in the latter stages of the first period, before Eder Militao came up with a leveller for Real Madrid in the 88th minute.

However, Mallorca were back ahead in second-half stoppage time through Vedat Muriqi, with the in-form centre-forward winning it for the hosts in spectacular fashion.

The result has left Real Madrid second in the La Liga table, four points behind leaders Barcelona, who will tackle Atletico Madrid in a blockbuster clash on Saturday night.

7 - #RealMadrid have conceded at least one goal in each of their last seven @LaligaEn matches, their longest run conceding goals in the competition since October 2022 (also seven). Challenge. pic.twitter.com/lxDNtAM6ft

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 4, 2026

Real Madrid suffered a damaging loss to Mallorca on Saturday

Los Blancos head coach Alvaro Arbeloa has insisted that the title race is not over, but Barcelona will now have the chance to move seven points clear at the summit.

"La Liga is not over for us yet, there are still many games left," Arbeloa told reporters in his post-match press conference.

"In the second half there was anxiety about being down on the scoreboard, the patience we had to have, knowing that it was more difficult. We've come up against Mallorca in a context that's easier for them. There are eight games left, we need to win all eight.

"We played the first half much better than the second half. We didn't deliver today what we trained on all week. We didn't create good chances, and we lacked patience, energy, and ideas.

"Today without a 200% effort we weren't going to win. We've had a first half better than the second. The defeat is absolutely my fault, not the players. When they come out of the locker room they just have to think about Bayern."

19 – Vedat Muriqi has scored 19 goals in the 2025/26 @LaLigaEn season, a record for a Mallorca player in a single campaign in the competition since Dani Güiza in 2017/18 (27). Hope. pic.twitter.com/JmQdtb0ccm

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) April 4, 2026

What next for Real Madrid?

Real Madrid cannot afford to dwell on the defeat, with their attention now switching to next week's Champions League quarter-final first leg against Bayern Munich.

Bernabeu will play host to the blockbuster contest on Tuesday night.

Vinicius Junior and Jude Bellingham both came off the bench against Mallorca, and Arbeloa must now decide whether to bring the latter into the starting XI against Bayern, but the former will be a certain starter against the German champions.