Late Jacobo Ramon Strike Delays Barcelona’s Title Party as Ancelotti Nears Real Madrid Exit

Barcelona will have to wait a little longer to officially claim the La Liga crown after Jacobo Ramon’s dramatic 95th-minute winner secured a 2-1 victory for Real Madrid against Mallorca at the Santiago Bernabéu.

Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side, sitting comfortably at the top of the table, were just seconds away from being confirmed champions without kicking a ball. But Ramon’s last-gasp volley, following a string of missed Real Madrid chances, kept the title race alive — at least for another day.

Mallorca had stunned the Bernabéu when Martin Valjent drilled home a fine low effort to hand the visitors a shock lead. Despite dominating possession and creating several clear opportunities, Real Madrid couldn’t find a breakthrough until Kylian Mbappé equalized with a crisp strike into the bottom corner.

Los Blancos pushed relentlessly for a winner in the dying minutes, squandering chances until Mallorca’s defence finally buckled, allowing Jacobo Ramon to smash home from close range in stoppage time.

The result means Barcelona remain four points clear with a game in hand. Two points from their remaining three fixtures would be enough to secure their first league title since 2019. They’ll have the chance to wrap it up on Thursday evening when they face city rivals Espanyol.

Barcelona’s title charge was all but sealed last weekend after a pulsating 4-3 Clasico win over Madrid — their fourth triumph against their arch-rivals this season, including victories in the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup finals.

Meanwhile, Carlo Ancelotti edges toward the end of his tenure as Real Madrid manager, with his side now set to finish a rare trophyless campaign — a stark contrast to his otherwise glittering spell in charge. Ancelotti, the most decorated coach in Real’s history with 15 pieces of silverware, will depart to take up the Brazil national team job after the season concludes.

His final major success with the club came back in December, lifting the Fifa Intercontinental Cup in Qatar after defeating Mexican side Pachuca — a minor triumph for a club with loftier expectations.

Despite a disappointing season by Real Madrid’s standards, Ancelotti remained positive after the narrow victory, stating: “The team played very well. They fought a lot, played with a lot of intensity and it was a totally deserved victory. We are happy because we want to finish the season well. This game didn’t start well but afterwards we did very well in all senses.”

With Xabi Alonso heavily tipped to succeed Ancelotti at the Bernabéu this summer, Real Madrid fans will be eager to see what direction the club takes in a post-Ancelotti era. But for now, Barcelona’s champagne remains on ice — with the title race still, just barely, alive.

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