Real Madrid v Mallorca as it happened - Antonio Rudiger scores rare goal to win it for Los Blancos

TNT Sports presents the premium live sports rights previously carried by BT Sport including the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, UEFA Europa League, UEFA Conference League, Gallagher Premiership Rugby, Heineken Champions Cup, EPCR Challenge Cup, MotoGP, Cricket, UFC, Boxing and WWE. The streaming home for TNT Sports in the UK is discovery+, where fans can enjoy a subscription that includes TNT Sports, Eurosport and entertainment in one destination. You can also watch TNT Sports through BT, EE, Sky, and Virgin Media

They were not convincing in the slightest, but nor will they care, as Real Madrid eked past Mallorca 1-0 at the Santiago Bernabeu to keep their noses in front of Girona in the La Liga title race.

A 79th-minute header from Antonio Rudiger - his first La Liga goal since scoring against the same opposition in April - was just about enough to hand Real all three points on an evening where they didn’t really deserve them.

Neither side looked particularly potent in front of goal in a drab affair, and surprisingly, it was the visitors who came closest to breaking the deadlock, twice rattling the woodwork of Andriy Lunin’s goal.

For all their dominance in possession, Madrid looked disjointed for the most part, with passes into the final third going awry, and their strikers, so often prolific and relentless in the final third, missed the chances that came their way.

The hosts’ first real sighting of goal was from the head of Jude Bellingham, as the Englishman’s flicked header needed a save from Pedrag Rajkovic, before Vinicius Junior, returning from a seven-game injury lay-off, spurned two chances in 11 minutes, dragging two efforts wide of the target as he displayed his rustiness.

Rajkovic was called into action for the first time by a thunderous Vincius effort from the edge of the area, with the Serbian goalkeeper equal to a strike that seemed destined for the top corner, but the scoreline remained even as half time drew nearer.

On 41 minutes, Federico Valverde lashed a shot wide of the near post as he burst into the penalty area, before a minute later, Antonio Sanchez won the most unlikely of headers at the far post, meeting a Dani Rodriguez stand-up, and seeing his effort cannon back off the underside of the crossbar.

Nine minutes after the restart, Mallorca had hit the frame of the goal again, as Samu’s speculative hit from range rattled the foot of the post.

With 69 minutes on the watch, it was Madrid’s turn to hit the woodwork, as substitute Joselu laid one off for Valverde to find Rodrygo down the left. The Brazilian opened his body up to curl one towards the far corner, cuing a diving save from Rajkovic. Brahim Diaz, the other Madrid substitute, got his head to the rebound, but could only watch on as the ball hit the inside of the post and bounced along the goal-line before being hacked to safety.

But cometh the hour (well, the 79th minute), and cometh the man. Rudiger, to be exact. The German leapt imperiously above the rest to guide Luka Modric’s inswinging corner into the far corner to leave Rajkovic rooted to the spot, and sink a dagger into the hearts of Javier Aguirre and his valiant visitors.

There we have it. It wasn't vintage, but Madrid have the points, and that's all they'll care about. All attentions on Girona v Atleti now. Thanks for joining us, be sure to join us very soon for even more LIVE La Liga action.

... as Ndiaye races down the right, and he puts a hopeful ground cross in, that's cleared behind by Vazquez. Corner, Mallorca, but it's cleared well.

Madrid players scream in unison at the referee as Tchouameni touches it down and the ball strikes Samu's hand. The referee says free kick, rather than penalty.

Diaz darts down the left, and is barged over by Ndiaye.

Lucas Vazquez replaces Rodrygo.

Dani Ceballos replaces Modric.

Bellingham drives towards the D after being found by a lovely outside-of-the-boot pass by Modric. The Brummie believes he's been felled as he lets the effort go, but the referee says no as the shot flies into the stand.

Amath Ndiaye is on for Sanchez.

Antonio Rudiger meets it, and he's scored! They've finally broken the deadlock, and Mallorca's resoluteness. Modric's inswinger is flicked into the far corner by the German defender.

An inswinger from Modric has Gonzalez backpedalling under pressure from Joselu, and he flicks it behind.

Brahim Diaz fouls Lato at the far post as the cross comes in from the left.

Sergi Darder replaces Dani Rodriguez.

Abdon Prats is on for Larin.

Omar Mascarell is on for Morlanes.

Joselu works well to lay it off for Valverde, giving it to Rodrygo, who tries to guide it into the far corner. Rajkovic makes the save, and Diaz on the rebound, can't quite direct the header where he wants it, hitting the inside of the post and watching it rebound across the goal-line!

Joselu is coming on for Toni Kroos.

Matija Nastasic is booked for a swinging arm that catches Brahim Diaz's face.