Spain La Liga: Real Mallorca 0-0 Real Marid

Posted on August 30, 2010 by SoccerPunter

Jose Mourinho’s La Liga adventure got off to a limp start when Real Madrid were held to a 0-0 draw at Real Mallorca while champions Barcelona cruised to a 3-0 win at Racing Santander.

When Jose Mourinho appealed for time at Real Madrid, few seemed willing to accept that he might actually need it – but on this showing he was right. The trouble for Mourinho is that time is not a commodity Madrid have in abundance. A goalless draw with Mallorca leaves them trailing behind FC Barcelona in the Spanish league table after one game – the same Barcelona side that dropped just 15 points in the whole of last season.

To make matters worse, Cristiano Ronaldo ended the game injured. Tests will be carried out today amid fears that it is a recurrence of the ankle injury that forced him to miss two months of last season.

Snapped up after last season’s treble-winning exploits with Internazionale, Mourinho’s arrival as coach at the Bernabeu has raised expectations he can end Barcelona’s two-year reign as champions.

While his new team were struggling to click in Mallorca, Pep Guardiola’s well-drilled outfit banged in three goals thanks to Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and David Villa.

Real Madrid’s Argentine striker Gonzalo Higuain was denied three times by home goalkeeper Dudu Aouate and Cristiano Ronaldo spurned a great chance as the visitors upped the pressure.

Mourinho’s new signings Mesut Ozil, Sami Khedira, Angel Di Maria, Sergio Canales and Ricardo Carvalho all featured but despite a frantic finish Michael Laudrup’s Mallorca were worth their point.

But few could say they were overly impressed, either. If the best chances did indeed fall Madrid’s way, Mallorca had opportunities too. Madrid have spent €80m this summer, plus almost €100m more in bringing in Mourinho and his staff, to go with the €258m spent last year. Mallorca are in administration.

“We were good tactically and very good in defence,” Real Madrid’s keeper and captain Iker Casillas told Spanish television.

“We did well and little by little will get better. The ball just did not want to go in.”

“We are a team in construction. I would like us to have had three points … but it’s not a dramatic situation,” Mourinho said afterwards. “On a positive note we conceded very few chances and had no problems at the back.

“The negative point is the result. I’m disappointed that with the number of chances we created we didn’t score.

“When you aren’t at your best you have to do two things, defend so your opponents don’t score, and take your chances. We deserved to win,” added Mourinho.