Real Madrid and Barcelona secured hard-fought away victories in the Spanish league on Saturday while rotating their squads in anticipation of their upcoming Champions League clashes against Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain.
League leaders Real Madrid claimed a 1-0 win at Mallorca, maintaining an eight-point lead over Barcelona, who also triumphed 1-0 against Cadiz. The two Spanish giants are set to face each other next weekend following their midweek fixtures in Europe's premier competition.
Real Madrid midfielder Aurélien Tchouaméni broke the deadlock with the game's sole goal at Mallorca shortly after halftime. The victory sets the stage for their quarterfinal showdown against Manchester City after a thrilling 3-3 draw in the Spanish capital earlier in the week.
"We played a very challenging game against City, and we are fatigued, but we understand that when representing Madrid, we must give our best until the final whistle," Tchouaméni remarked.
Barcelona's victory over relegation-threatened Cadiz was sealed by a goal from João Félix. Manager Xavi Hernández opted to rest several key players in preparation for their home encounter against PSG on Tuesday.