RCD Mallorca 1-5 Barcelona: Raphinha at the double as Barca return to winning ways
Barcelona established a four-point advantage at the summit of LaLiga, as Raphinha's brace in the second half propelled them to a commanding 5-1 victory over Mallorca, marking their first win in four league encounters.
Following a surprising home defeat to Las Palmas on Saturday, Barcelona recognized the necessity for a strong response against a formidable Mallorca team.
Hansi Flick's squad appeared resolute in the early moments, and their vigorous start bore fruit in the 12th minute when Ferran Torres took advantage of a defensive error to nudge the ball past Leo Roman, securing his second goal of the season.
Encouraged by this early success, Barcelona maintained their dominance, with Torres having another attempt denied by Roman and Lamine Yamal missing a clear opportunity from a favorable position in the box.
Despite Barcelona's control, Mallorca posed a threat on the counter, and Jagoba Arrasate's team equalized just before halftime when Pablo Maffeo selflessly set up Vedat Muriqi, who scored from close range.
The second half saw Barcelona surge forward, and after Torres and Raphinha narrowly missed regaining the lead, a penalty was awarded when Johan Mojica fouled Yamal in the penalty area.
Raphinha confidently converted the penalty, placing the ball into the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season across all competitions.
Continuing to lead Barcelona's offensive efforts as the match approached the final half-hour, Raphinha netted a well-deserved third goal, finishing off Yamal's stunning trivela cross.
With momentum firmly on their side, Flick's team capped off the match with two additional goals in the closing moments.
Frenkie de Jong initially positioned himself perfectly to strike a loose ball into the net, subsequently assisting Pau Victor for an easy goal. This performance allowed Barcelona to maintain their impressive head-to-head record, remaining unbeaten in 17 matches with 15 victories and 2 draws.
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