Real Madrid also dropped points in their second away game of the new season – and are already trailing rivals Barcelona. The Whites even came close to losing on Gran Canaria
Last season’s best away team (44 points, 13/5/1) stumbled badly away from home at the start of the new La Liga season. The 1-1 draw on Mallorca in the league opener was followed by a sobering 1-1 draw on Gran Canaria on Thursday evening. Las Palmas earned the point with a passionate performance.
For Carlo Ancelotti, a streak came to an end: no other coach in Europe’s top leagues had managed five wins with a 100 percent success rate on a Thursday.
At the Estadio Gran Canaria, the Italian made a total of four changes compared to the 3-0 win over Real Valladolid: Vazquez and Mendy made the full-backs, veteran Modric started in midfield and Brahim Diaz was preferred in the attacking front three.
However, none of this quartet were really able to put in a convincing performance. Real were particularly vulnerable defensively in the first half. The best example was in the fifth minute, when Rüdiger, Tchouameni and Eder Militao failed to find their duels – and Moleiro made it 1:0 for the underdogs
McBurnie misses the second goal
It could have been 2-0 shortly afterwards, but striker McBurnie stepped next to the ball in the five-meter area (10′). Real Madrid’s first really dangerous move was a free-kick from Fede Valverde, which former Barcelona keeper Cillessen scrambled out of the corner (25′).
Rüdiger actually had the best chance of the game when, in a fit of desperation, he tried his luck from the second row and forced Cillessen into a save (38′).
After the break, Ancelotti brought on new players in the shape of Rodrygo and Fran Garcia. And Real did indeed show a different face. The reigning Champions League winners hardly created any clear-cut chances. Instead, Sandro had the 2:0 on his feet, but missed from an acute angle (55′). On the counter-attack, Vinicius Junior headed over (56′).
Real luckily equalized before the final 20 minutes began: The ball unfortunately bounced off Alex Suarez’s hand and Vinicius Junior converted the ensuing penalty with ice-cold precision (69′). Anyone expecting the Blancos to go on the offensive was disappointed
Viti shocks Real only briefly
The weak Mbappé had the best chance after a short solo run in the penalty area, but missed to the right (85′). Real were even lucky not to be left with zero points: Viti’s spectacular goal into the right-hand corner was disallowed for offside (88′).
In the end, it remained a sobering 1-1 draw for Real. Arch-rivals Barcelona, who have so far held their own under Hansi Flick, are already four points ahead. All the more reason to focus on Real’s second home game on Sunday evening against Real Betis. Las Palmas visit Deportivo Alaves on the same day (5 p.m.)