Barcelona 1-0 Mallorca: score, goals, highlights, LaLiga

Far from vintage Barcelona as Xavi Hernandez's side recorded a narrow 1-0 win over Mallorca at Montjuic. 

A game the visitors will feel that they were at least worthy a share of the spoils with a solid performance especially in the first half where Larin and Muriqi provided a headache for the Barça rear-guard. Gundogan's penalty miss providing the highlight of a rather drab half of football as the Catalan side looked for a way through the dogged Mallorca defence.

The home side started to impose themselves half-way through the second period with the introductions of Lewandowski and Vitor Roque adding more bit to the Barça attack but it was Lamine Yamal who bagged all three points. 

The 16-year-old picked up the ball on the edge of the Mallorca box and cut onto his left foot to drill home with Mallorca keeper Rajkovic well beaten.

A bright spark on another grey performance from Barça and Xavi will be aware that his side will need to offer more if they are to secure a passage into the quarterfinals of the 2023-34 Champions League next Tuesday as Napoli come to town.

FT: FCB 1-0 Mallorca

A moment of magic from Lamine Yamal lit up the game where Barcelona (especially in the first half) were uninspiring and will need to perform at a higher level if they are to advance in the Champions League next week as they face Napoli.

The whistle sounds and Barcelona hang on and bag maximum points.

Time almost up in Barcelona and despite it not being impressive, the Catalan giants will record three points and keep up the distant pressure on Real Madrid and Girona.

Big week ahead for Barça as they face Napoli on Tuesday and travel to the Spanish capital next weekend where they face Atletico Madrid in LaLiga.

Five minutes of time will be added on.

Final minute of the contest.

Mallorca still looking for an equaliser as Yamal gets clipped by Riallo.

Romeu on for Gundogan

Samu Costa carded as he impedes Vitor Roque 

FT in Naples and Napoli and Torino playout a 1-1 draw.

Larin and Copete make way for Prats and Radonjic (Mallorca changes)

Abdon Prats poised to make an entrance for Mallorca.

Into the last ten minutes of the contest. 

Mallorca now being forced to adopt a more positive approach as the goal has given a sense of tranquilidad to the home side. 

38,225 is the official attendance tonight at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic.

Larin almost gets a reply for Mallorca as the Canadian swivels and just screws wide.

The flag was up so the effort would not have counted.

Barça take the lead

Wonderful left footed effort into the corner of the Mallorca next from the teenager.

Lato off along with Darder.

Jaume Costa and Antonio Sanchez on

Lewandowski combines well with Roque and the Brazilian heads over.

The substitutions do seem to have given Barça options and the past five minutes have been good for the Catalan side.

Tense now and Barcelona still struggling to create fluidity. Vitor Roque looks good since coming on. 

Morlanes off and Dani Rodriguez on

Lewandowski and Roque on for Barcelona with Guiu and Joao Felix making way.

The ball is teed up beautifully for Gundogan and the German international tamely passes the ball into the arms of the Mallorca stopper.

Muriqi strikes as Mallorca break quickly via Darder who has been excvellent tonight for the Palma based side.

Approaching the hour mark as Yamal rocks the crossbar with a ferocious strike.

Great effort from the young player as Rajkovic gets a slight touch onto the hit.

Torino have drawn level against Napoli as Sanabria draws the men from Turin level.

Mallorca hit the bar as Muriqi heads off the crossbar. The flag was up so the goal wouldn't have been allowed.

A goal for the visitors looks more likely now as the side in sky look extremely comfortable.

Larin fouled and Iñigo Martinez gets the first yellow card of the night.

Both sides have players warming up as we approach the 53rd minute.

Muriqi almost gets a touch on a decent Morlanes ball and Mallorca continue to look dangerous.

Napoli (Barça's UCL R16 opponents next Tuesday) have gone ahead at home to Torino with the Serie A side also in action on a Friday evening.

FCB start the second 45`.

The teams are back on the pitch with the second half ready to go.

Tonight's performance from Barça is one that we´ve seen too many times the season as the Catalan side struggle to find a cohesive rhythm and an ability to break down any team that sits deep.

Marc Guiu has seen little of the ball and Joao Felix has been his usual erratic self.

HT at Montjuic

Muriqi goes down in the box and appeals for a spot kick.

The whistle sounds and the teams exit the pitch for the interval.

Barcelona look void of any creativity and Mallorca look comfortable.

Fermin Lopez heads and as the ball loops, it takes a touch from the Mallorca defender to avert the danger as we have 3 minutes of added time confirmed by the 4th official.

Larin and Martinez have a one-on-one and the Canadian is quicker than the former Athletic defender. The Canadian fails to get a proper strike on target but Mallorca are probably the better team at the moment.

Morlanes with a fine header but the effort was easy for Ter Stegen to gather.

Muriqi and Larin are combining so well and look like a real threat.

Barcelona still just look flat !

Bad news for Barça as Raphinha is limping and will need to be replaced.

Fermin Lopez comes on for the Brazilian. 

Joao Felix screws a shit inches wide and that is the best chance for the home side (apart from the spot kick).

A few whistles breaking out from the restless crowd as Mallorca start to feel more at ease in the contest.

Larin breaks and looks to feed Muriqi and Cubarsí is on hand to cut out the ball.

Darder swings in a sweet ball and Muriqi and Larin almost get that all important touch. 

Mallorca do look sharp in the few times they venture forward.

We hit the half hour mark and still no way through for the Catalan side as Mallorca hold firm in defence.

Just the one effort on target tonight and that was the spot kick miss from Gundogan.

400th Barça appearance for Ter Stegen tonight!

We pass the 25 minute mark and that penalty miss is the main talking point of the game so far.

Gundogan is poised to take the kick.

The former Man City man has the kick saved by Rajkovic and Yamal is unable to get onto the rebound.

And indeed. it's a spot kick.

Raphinha clipped in the box and the match official is looking at the screen.

It does appear that the Brazilian was caught by Copete.

The atmosphere at the Estadi Olimpico is very lukewarm it has to be said. 

Much of the time, the game is played in almost complete silence and Barcelona will need this place to be rocking next Tuesday for the visit of Napoli.

The Serie A champions are also in action tonight and face Torino at home.

Yet to really see much of Marc Guiu tonight. The youth team player lining up with Joao Felix tonight and spearheading the Barcelona attack.

Fine work from Gundogan as the ball falls to Cancelo who has his shot blocked.

Approaching the quarter of an hour mark and despite dominating, nothing to trouble Rajkovic in the Mallorca goal.

77-23 (%) possession in favour of the home side.

Mallorca sit deep and look to hit Barça on the counter with Muriqi and Larin the attacking outlets for the island side.

Samu Costa clips Gundogan and is lucky to escape with no yellow card.

Mallorca now with four fouls against zero from Barça.

The home side enjoying all the early possession as Raphinha gets a shot off and the effort is well blocked by a Mallorca defender.

The camera pans to Xavi Hernandez who is serving a suspension tonight and sitting in a Vip box.

The action is underway at Montjuic.

Lewandowski picks up the Player of the Month award for Feb. and takes his place on the bench.

The sides are on the field. Barcelona in their classic azulgrana with Mallorca in their away colours of all sky blue.

Real Madrid are in action on Sunday as they welcome Celta Vigo with Girona at home to Osasuna.

Just five minutes ahead of kick-off at Montjuic ....

Xavi: "We won't throw in the towel"

Speaking to the media ahead of Friday's clash, Barcelona head coach Xavi Hernandez claimed that his team are still motivated and they refuse to throw in the towel.

He admitted that the game against Mallorca would be far from easy but was confident in his side securing maximum points.

Javier AguirreAguirre: "It's never a good time to play Barça"

Speaking ahead of the Montjuic clash, Mallorca's Mexican manager admitted that it was never easy to take points from Barcelona. 

The Mexican boss also admitted that 42 points was his target for his Mallorca side and that Xavi Hernandez has been 'brave' in his time on the Barça bench.

Barça-Mallorca: weather

It's a fresh and overcast evening in the Catalan capital with a current temperature of 14C-57F. The good news for match-going fans is that no rain is forecast with the bulk of the seating is open air at the Montjuic stadium.

Laporta: "We'll battle to the end"

FC Barcelona president Joan Laporta penned an open letter to all club members and affirmed his desire to 'fight to the end' in each competition where the club are still alive. 

He acknowledged difficulties and that he was forced to take tough decisions upon taking over the presidency and also confirmed that the entity was in a financially stronger place with economic issues something of a past issue.

RCD Mallorca XI

This is the Mallorca XI set to face Barcelona with the Balearic islanders looking for their first win over the Catalan giants in Barcelona since 2008.

FCB-Mallorca ref

Javier Iglesias Villanueva has been enlisted to oversee the Friday clash at Montjuic.

Tonight's game will be the Galician officials fifteenth of the current season.

The 40-year-old has yet to oversee a Barça game this season and has seen Mallorca draw one and slip up once under his arbitration.

Kounde rocking azulgrana knitwear

The ever stylish Jules Kounde showed up pre-game at Montjuic tonight sporting a retro-esque FC Barcelona style retro knitted jersey.

A closer look reveals that the emblem reveals a FC New York City lettering in the logo area.

Mallorca aiming for Copa glory

With their recent dramatic penalty shoot-out win over Real Sociedad, Mallorca will be looking to repeat the glory of 2003 when the island club recorded their first and only Copa del Rey win with a win over Recreativo de Huelva.

This time around, the Palma based side will face Athetic Club who despatched Atletico Madrid in the semifinals with the final at the Estadio de la Cartuja in Seville set to take place on 6 April.

Barça hold historical dominance over Mallorca

No wins for Mallorca in their past five meetings with Barça and history is very much on the side of the Catalan side with 47 wins in past meetings.

FCB XI confirmed

So, in the end Lewandowski starts on the bench with the striking duties falling to Joao Felix. Xavi looking ahead to Tuesday's game with his team selection tonight.

No Xavi on FCB bench tonight

Following his fifth yellow card of the season last Sunday in Bilbao, Barça boss Xavi Hernandez is suspended and cannot take his place on the Barcelona bench tonight with his brother Oscar set to be drafted in to give the team touchline advice with Xavi set to watch the game from a VIP sector at Montjuic.

Barcelona predicted XI

With the league clash against Mallorca being played on the Friday night to give Barcelona extra time to prepare for their Champions League R16 clash against Napoli on Tuesday, Xavi is without the injured Balde, Marcos Alonso, Gavi, Pedri, and De Jong

Barcelona predicted XI

Barcelona's starting team to face Mallorca could be as follows: Ter Stegen; Héctor Fort, Cubarsí, Iñigo Martínez, Oriol Romeu, Gündogan, Fermín, Raphinha, Lewandowski, Joao Félix.

Recent form: Mallorca

Mallorca 1-0 Girona

Real Sociedad 1 (4)-(5) 1 Mallorca

Alaves 1-1 Mallorca

Mallorca 1-1 Real Sociedad

Mallorca 2-1 Rayo Vallecano

Recent form: Barça

Athletic 0-0 Barcelona

Barcelona 4-0 Getafe

Napoli 1-1 Barcelona

Celta 1-2 Barcelona

Barcelona 3-3 Granada

All set in Montjuic

It has to be said that Barça are not enjoying their time at their temporary home with the Olympic stadium unpopular with players and fans alike. 

Mallorca meanwhile are looking over their shoulder at the drop zone and sit in 15th place with a six point breathing space between them and third bottom side Cadiz.

As the games roll by it does seem that the bottom three will be the sides playing second tier next football with Javier Aguirre's men also having the small matter of a Copa del Rey final to look forward to next month as they face Athletic Club. 

Anything less than a win would derail FC Barcelona's outside push for the title with just 11 league games remaining and Real Madrid still seven points clear at the top of the table. 

Barça v Mallorca start time

The game between Barcelona and Mallorca will be played on Friday, March 8 at Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys in the Montjuic area of the Catalan capital, with kick off at 3 p.m. ET/ noon PT.

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from Montjuic as FC Barcelona face RCD Mallorca as matchday 28 of the 2023-34 LaLiga season gets underway.