Real Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti on Wednesday demanded a rapid reaction from his team after their capitulation against rivals Barcelona in the Spanish Super Cup final.
Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha and Alejandro Balde were all on target before halftime, after French forward Kylian Mbappe put Real in front in the fifth minute. Raphinha grabbed another in the second half while Rodrygo scored for Real.
Kylian Mbappe put Madrid ahead but a dominant Barcelona hit five in response before their goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny was sent off in the second half.
LaLiga leaders Real recovered from that setback and are on a five-match winning streak ahead of defending the Super Cup in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, but coach Carlo Ancelotti is cautious.
Last season, around this time, there was a surprise package in Girona in the top three of LaLiga. However, a year later, the Spanish league has returned to the status quo, with Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Atletico Madrid -- the three giants of Spain -- occupying the top three spots on the table at the end of 2024.
Jude Bellingham and Rodrygo scored second-half goals to help Real to a 3-0 win over Mallorca after Barcelona beat Athletic Bilbao 2-0 in the other last-four clash.
"Our player Luka Modric is out of the game against Mallorca today because of a viral illness," said the Spanish champions in a statement.
The Brazilian winger was dismissed in Madrid's 2-1 victory on Friday for pushing Valencia goalkeeper Stole Dimitrievski in the back of the neck.
"(Luka) is a gift for football and even more for those who can enjoy it up close," Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti said. "The fans, the players, the coach... for me it's a great gift. The way he prepares for this kind of match, as if it was a final. It's a very important example for our youngsters.
Rodrygo's goals tend to come in fits and starts and with three in his last two games, the forward may have hit a new purple patch at a crucial moment
Videos on social media appeared to show a fan at the Son Moix Stadium making a racist gesture towards Real midfielder Aurelien Tchouameni, who scored the only goal of the match.
Manchester City moved to the top of the Premier League as lowly Luton were eased aside 5-1 at the Etihad on Saturday.
Manchester City boss Pep Guardiola hailed his side’s character after the Champions League holders played out a thrilling 3-3 draw at Real Madrid.
In a rematch of last year's unforgettable Champions League semifinal, 14-time winners Real Madrid and defending champions Manchester City lock horns once again, squaring off in Tuesday's quarter-final first leg at the Bernabeu.
Guardiola said Madrid are a different proposition to last season.
Pep Guardiola's side thrashed Madrid 5-1 on aggregate in last season's semi-finals and Ancelotti called on his players to show more mental strength this time around.
Rodrygo fired La Liga leaders Real Madrid to a 2-0 win over Athletic Bilbao with a superb brace on Sunday to restore their eight-point advantage on Barcelona.
A second-half header by winger Raphinha earned second-placed Barcelona a 1-0 win over Las Palmas in LaLiga on Saturday after the visitors were reduced to 10 men in the first half.
Star striker Kylian Mbappe "can still change his mind" about leaving Paris Saint-Germain this summer, coach Luis Enrique said Saturday
