Barcelona stepped onto the pitch with a clear objective: win and apply direct pressure on Real Madrid in the fight for the top of La Liga. The context was favourable, the league’s best attack against one of the weakest defences, and the game quickly showed that the logic of the table would carry weight on the pitch.
From the opening whistle, Mallorca’s plan was obvious. A back five without the ball, low block, compact 5-4-1, practically giving up on pressing high. When they recovered possession, they even dropped back into a back four. The game was shaping up as constant positional attack from Barcelona against a wall planted inside the box.
Even so, the first warnings actually came from Mallorca, largely due to some early lack of concentration from the Catalan side, especially from Koundé. Jan Virgili managed to exploit that flank in two situations, first by winning the ball near the box and then with a dangerous run in behind that exposed some lack of defensive coordination from Barça. Nothing that resulted in a goal, but enough to show that Mallorca weren’t there just to watch.
As the minutes passed, the match settled into the expected pattern: Barcelona installed in the attacking half, patient circulation, searching for interior space and lots of the ball falling on the left side.
And that’s where Marcus Rashford began to appear. Always the same movement: receives wide, cuts inside, looks for the shot. Tried once, went close. Tried again, blocked. On the third, the goal arrived.
In the 29th minute, Rashford once again cuts inside and shoots. The ball is blocked, falls to Lewandowski and that’s where the difference of an elite striker comes in. A fake shot that puts Valjent on the ground, a short adjustment to the right and a cold finish into the net. A goal of pure experience, from someone who may no longer have the explosiveness of other times, but still controls the timing of the action like very few.
The 1-0 slightly opened the game. Mallorca had to push up a few metres and that created more transitions, something that even benefited the rhythm of the match. Rashford remained the main attacking outlet and Barcelona piled up chances, including an unbelievable miss from Lamine Yamal in stoppage time, alone at the back post, a few metres from goal, firing wide.
In the second half, the dominance became even heavier. Barcelona increased the tempo, stepped up the counter-press and began to push Mallorca even closer to their own goal. Long-range shots, second balls, short corners and the goal felt like a matter of time.
It arrived in the 61st minute, from a short corner. Lamine receives just behind the D, shifts slightly to the left and unleashes a placed, powerful, unstoppable shot. A goal of pure talent, the kind that kills any remaining emotional resistance.
At 2-0, the game was practically over. Mallorca didn’t respond with pressure, didn’t push their lines up, didn’t take risks. They stayed low, passive, almost resigned. Barcelona, comfortable, began to manage possession and pick their moments to accelerate.
The third goal comes already in transition. Bernal drives into the box, takes the defender out of the play, Mascarell still gets a touch, but can’t prevent the goal. A move that closes the night with justice on the scoreboard.
Post-game
Barcelona did what they had to do: dominate, control and win without scares. It wasn’t a perfect performance, there was some early lack of concentration and wasteful finishing, but it was a victory from a mature team that knows when to accelerate and when to simply suffocate the opponent with possession.
Rashford was the main attacking agitator, constantly creating imbalance from the left. Lewandowski once again showed that, however physically limited age may make him, he remains lethal. And Lamine Yamal, between the shocking miss and the brilliant goal, once again made clear the size of the talent in his feet.
On Mallorca’s side, the defensive plan was disciplined for a while, but ambition was missing after conceding. Defending for 90 minutes without ever truly pressing makes it almost impossible to survive against an attack of this quality.
Barcelona thus move clear at the top, fulfil their obligation and keep maximum pressure on Real Madrid.