Reigning champions Barcelona kicked off their title defence in style with a 3-0 win over Mallorca at Son Moix on Saturday night, stretching their away winning run in LaLiga to eight games. For Jagoba Arrasate, it was another grim evening against the Catalans, his ninth straight defeat to Barça as a manager.
The contest was only seven minutes old when Barcelona struck first blood. Lamine Yamal, lively from the off, whipped a precise cross to the back post where Raphinha ghosted in unmarked and nodded home with ease.
Mallorca initially showed some fight, but the game took a dramatic twist midway through the first half. Ferran Torres doubled Barcelona’s advantage in the 23rd minute with a fine finish into the top corner — though the goal left the home bench furious.
One of their players had gone down with a head knock seconds earlier, yet referee José Luis Munuera Montero waved play on despite appearing ready to stop the game.
If that controversy rattled Mallorca, what followed all but ended their hopes. Manu Morlanes was dismissed for a second booking on 33 minutes, and just before the interval Vedat Muriqi saw red after a VAR check showed him catching debutant Joan García in the face with a raised boot. Down to nine men, Mallorca trudged into the break staring at the inevitable.
The second half was one-way traffic. Barcelona, playing with freedom and patience, carved open chance after chance but lacked the final touch. Dani Olmo hit the post, Raphinha squandered a second goal, and Pedri forced a strong save from Leo Román.
New signing Marcus Rashford, who joined on loan from Manchester United, made his debut just past the hour mark, replacing Torres in a triple change that also saw Gavi and Jofre Torrents introduced.
The final word fittingly belonged to Yamal. Deep into stoppage time, the teenager cut inside from the right and bent a gorgeous left-footed strike into the far corner, capping his man-of-the-match display and ensuring Barcelona’s defence of their crown began with authority.
Lamine was so electric that Barcelona posted a bit of his dazzling runs via their official X account, tagging him special, like we don’t already know.
Watch the video below:
For Mallorca, it was a sobering night: their first opening-day loss in ten years, and one that will sting given the controversy surrounding Barça’s second goal. For Hansi Flick’s side, though, the message was clear — the champions look ready to go again.
