Mallorca captain speaks out on Real Madrid star’s suspension – ‘We prefer not to get involved’ | OneFootball

Mallorca captain Antonio Raillo reflected on his team’s opening match of the season against Real Madrid, a 1-1 draw, and expressed hope that they could replicate that performance when they face Carlo Ancelotti’s side again in the semi-final of the Super Cup.

Raillo believes that the team’s approach in the first match should be the model for the upcoming encounter.

The centre-back pointed out that being a tight-knit and well-organised team will be key to their success.

“The tone of the first leg match is the mirror in which we have to look at ourselves,” he said as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

“We have to be a very united team, working as a defensive unit and having the pause to do damage up front, which is the step we lacked last season.”

Replicating the old tactic

Raillo believes that the plan they executed against Madrid in the first half of their opening match was successful.

Although the game ended in a draw, he felt that Mallorca came close to taking the lead and that the overall performance showed promise.

This is the standard they need to aim for in the Super Cup semi-final, and Raillo is hopeful that they can replicate the same level of intensity and cohesion.

“That plan against Madrid paid off in the first half. We drew but I think the game could have gone our way. That game is the mirror we need to look at and that’s what we’ll try to do tomorrow,” he said.

On Vinicius Jr.

When asked about Vinicius, Raillo acknowledged the Brazilian winger’s skill and importance to Real Madrid. Vinicius is known for his ability to take on defenders and create chances, which naturally makes him a target for fouls.

“The focus is a little more on him because he is a very decisive player. He always faces up, tries to dribble and get past the opponent.”

Raillo avoided commenting on the controversies surrounding Vinicius, emphasising that any discussions would only fuel unnecessary debates.

He expressed his preference to stay out of the situation, stating that not engaging in such discussions was the best course of action.

“Is it easy to provoke Vinicius? The thing is that it doesn’t matter what we say, you want to take everything out of context, find a way.

“We prefer not to get involved and that’s why we’re not even going to evaluate it. Not answering this question is the best remedy for that,” he noted.

On Vinicius’ suspension

On the topic of Vinicius’ suspension, Raillo made it clear that this was beyond Mallorca’s control.

They were unsure of how many matches Vinicius would miss following his involvement in an incident against Valencia, but their manager has prepared for the upcoming match as if the winger will be playing.

“Vinicius’ suspension doesn’t depend on us. We didn’t know how many games he would be given for what happened against Valencia, but the manager was clear about it. He prepared the game as if Vinicius were playing,” he concluded.