Real Madrid's winning rally delays Barcelona's coronation

MADRID — It was a matter of pride for Real Madrid.

There is little hope of winning the Spanish league, but the last thing it wanted to do was to hand Barcelona the title early.

And it needed a goal deep into stoppage time to achieve its objective Wednesday.

Jacobo Ramon scored five minutes into injury time and Madrid rallied to beat Mallorca 2-1 and delay Barcelona's title celebrations.

Madrid needed the victory to delay Barcelona from clinching its 28th league title.

The Catalan club remains four points ahead, and can still lift the trophy with a derby win at rival Espanyol on Thursday.

Mallorca took the lead on Wednesday through an 11th-minute goal from Martin Valjent, and remained in front until Kylian Mbappe beat a couple of defenders to equalize in the 68th.

Ramon netted the go-ahead goal from inside the area five minutes into injury time to snag the win for Los Blancos and keep Barcelona waiting.

Mbappe is still in the race to be the league's leading scorer, and reached 28 goals, three more than Barcelona's Robert Lewandowski.

Mbappe had a hat-trick in Madrid's loss to Barcelona on Sunday, when the Catalan club virtually secured the title by coming from behind to win 4-3 in the last "Clasico" of the season.

Madrid has little chance of defending its league title. It must win its final two games and hope Barcelona fails to take two points from its three remaining matches.

"When we wear this shield we always must fight until the end," Madrid goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois said.

"Even though there is still a big gap, we will keep fighting until it's mathematically impossible."

Madrid lost all four matches against Barcelona this season, being outscored 16-7. It was the first time Barcelona won every Clasico in a season that had at least three matches between the rivals.

Madrid coach Carlo Ancelotti received a mostly indifferent reaction from the fans at the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium on Wednesday after it was reported that he is to take the reins at Brazil.

The announcement was made on Monday, and some Madrid fans criticized Ancelotti for negotiating with the five-time world champion while the La Liga season is still underway.

There were no significant jeers or cheers when Ancelotti's name was announced by the loudspeakers at the Bernabeu before the match, with most fans applauding and saying his name along with the announcer, following the tradition at the stadium.

Madrid has not released any statement since Brazil's announcement, and there were no farewell or congratulatory messages for Ancelotti, either, ahead of Wednesday's match.

"There was nothing different," Ancelotti said. "Every time I sit on the bench at the Bernabeu, it's something special."

During the match, part of the crowd chanted Ancelotti's name.

The 65-year-old Italian is leaving after four mostly successful years in his second stint with Madrid, which won both the Champions League and the Spanish league title last season. The club only won the UEFA Super Cup this season.

Ancelotti also coached the club from 2013-15. He helped Madrid win three Champions Leagues, three Club World Cups, two Spanish leagues, two Copa del Reys, three UEFA Super Cups and two Spanish Super Cups.

Madrid still has one last game at the Bernabeu, against Real Sociedad in the final round.

Ancelotti said he wasn't giving up on the league title just yet.

"In soccer anything can happen," he said.

Former Madrid player Xabi Alonso is widely expected to take over the coaching job after confirming he is leaving Bayer Leverkusen, but the Spanish club is yet to make any announcements about Ancelotti's successor.

Agencies via Xinhua