Barcelona ended their recent slump in the Spanish league by defeating Mallorca 5-1 at the Son Moix stadium in Palma de Mallorca. The match, held on Tuesday, saw Barcelona's Raphinha shine with two goals, marking a significant return to form for the Catalan giants.
Barcelona, who had not secured a win in their last three league matches, came out strong against Mallorca. Ferran Torres opened the scoring in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error by Mallorca. Despite a brief equalizer from Mallorca's Vedat Muriqi just before halftime, Barcelona dominated the second half.
Raphinha restored Barcelona's lead with a penalty in the 56th minute after Lamine Yamal was fouled inside the box. He then extended the lead with a tap-in following an assist from Yamal in the 74th minute. Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor added to the scoreline with late goals, sealing a comprehensive victory for Barcelona.
Reflecting on the match, Raphinha expressed his satisfaction, stating, "We knew how important it was to win again. In the last three games, something has been missing. Today we were good; it wasn't our best game, but winning was the most important thing."
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised the team's performance, particularly highlighting Yamal's impact. "Lamine is always important. With his quality, he is a huge difference in our team," Flick noted. "It's important. But this is his quality, and we need it."
The victory places Barcelona at the top of the La Liga standings with 37 points, four points ahead of Real Madrid, who have two games in hand. The win also serves as a morale booster as Barcelona prepares to face Real Betis in their next league encounter.
Mallorca, currently in sixth place, will look to bounce back in their upcoming match against Celta Vigo. Despite the loss, Mallorca's recent form has been commendable, having secured victories against Valencia and Las Palmas prior to facing Barcelona.
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