Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona: Lewandowski goal, score, highlights, LaLiga 2022-23

Mallorca-Barcelona: match report

Barcelona racked up their 18th unbeaten game away from Camp Nou and in the process returned to the summit of LaLiga for the first time since Xavi Hernandez returned to the club last December as head coach.

Tonight's showing at Son Moix may have lacked sparkle in a game where Mallorca were never out of contention after a wonderstrike from Robert Lewandowski opened the scoring on the 20th minute with the Pole finding the net for the ninth time this season for his new club.

Jaume Costa went closest for the home side but was thwarted by a fine reflex save from Marc Andre Ter Stegen as the German went on to record more than 500 minutes of action since shipping a goal.

Javier Aguirre's side never threw in the towel but never appeared to be in a position to really trouble the Barcelona goal with the Catalan outfit happy to dominate possession and deprive the islanders of the ball.

Barcelona's time on top of LaLiga may be short-lived with Real Madrid set to face Osasuna at the Bernabeu but with the big two both in blistering form, El Clasico in a fortnight may be a game worth tuning in for !

That's it... Barça win and go top of LaLiga

Time has expired as Barcelona look to hang onto the ball and seal what has been a hard won victory. The scoreline always meant Mallorca were never too far out of touch.

Only three minutes set to be added ... seems short and greeted with a moan from the Mallorca supporters

Kang-In Lee almost nicks an equaliser for the home side as his effort goes inches wide. The home fans come to life now with the fourth official poised to announce the 4-5 minutes of added time. 

Barcelona are currently top of the LaLiga table with this 1-0 lead

Poor from Ter Stegen as the German gives the ball away cheaply and Rodriguez is unable to capitalise as we head towards the 90 minute mark

Barcelona just trying to run the clock down now and retain this slender one goal lead. The Catalan side have offered very little going forward in this second half as they look to defend their lead.

Five to go and Lago Junior comes on for Ruiz De Galarreta

Valjent holds Ferran Torres and has his name taken. Danger here for the home side but Barcelona opt for the possession route. 

Maffeo and Kang-In Lee have been the standout players for the home side tonightl.

Dembele and Alba make way for Sergi Roberto and Ferran

Jaume Costa limps from the game and is replaced by Cufre.

Quarter of an hour remains at the Visit Estadi Stadium and Barcelona still dominate but the solitary goal means that Mallorca are still very much at the races.

Busquets impedes Baba and is carded

We haven't seen Dembele get the turbo on tonight and the French winger has been reasonably static on his wing.

Barcelona still applying all the pressure as the clock ticks down.

Xavi still looking anxious on the touchline with the slender 0-1 lead still meaning the game is very much alive.

Changes for Mallorca: Sanchez off-Rodriguez on

Barcelona changes: Kessie and Fati off, Pedri and Raphina on.

After some fine possession, Sanchez gives the ball away cheaply and Barcelona once again pick the ball up and just try and and pass with patince forcing Mallorca to move out of position. 

Pedri is stripped and ready to make an entrance. 

We pass the hour mark and Barcelona still very much in control of the contest. Mallorca now starting to lack intensity and surely a matter of time before Aguirre moves his bench into action.

Ter Stegen passes the 500 minute mark of not shipping a goal and writes a new page in the FC Barcelona history books.

Free for Mallorca and South Korean international Lee delivers but Barcelona are resolute and clear the danger. 

Just as we say that, Sanchez forces a fine stop from Ter Stegen. 

No sign of any changes yet as Mallorca struggle to move the ball forward and into the opposing half. Difficult to see Mallorca scoring from what we've seen and it really seems like a question of when Barcelona will double their lead.

Second half is underway at Son Moix/Visit Estadi Stadium...

As things stand, Barcelona leapfrog Real Madrid and currently sit atop the LaLiga table on 19 points with Los Blancos in action tomorrow.

Quite the stat !

Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona at the break

The whistle sounds with the visitors ahead through a cracking Robert Lewandowski strike on the 20th minute. Mallorca full of huff and puff but yet to create too much danger with their best chance falling to Costa who was thwarted by Ter Stegen.

One minute of added time here in Palma as Busquets gets medical attention.

Another Barcelona man is carded and it's Kessie who is booked for pulling Maffeo back with the Mallorca man in full flight

Tempers reaching boiling point now as the clock ticks down towards the 45' mark

Gil Manzano has branded a red to the Barcelona No. 2 Oscar Hernandez for something he must have said. 

Pique too makes his way into Gil Manzano's book with the Mallorca fans appealing for more than a yellow.

Christensen clatters into Muriqi and is immediately awarded a card for his trouble. First of the night for the Danish player

Barcelona looking to secure 500 minutes of not conceding. The Catalan side have just shipped one goal all season with that coming in San Sebastian as part of a 1-4 win over Real Sociedad.

Jaume Costa almost draws Mallorca level as Ter Stegen delivers an amazing reflex save to prevent the goal. Best chance of the night for the home side.

Lewandowski appears again and drives the ball close to the Mallorca goal... The Polish striker appeals for a corner but the match official points for a goal kick. 

Possession after half an hour: RCDM 33-67 FCB (%)

Mallorca are really under the cosh now as Barcelona sense that another goal ahead of the interval would really put the game beyond the home side. Ter Stegen yet to be really called into action.

The goal has boosted the men in gold as they press Mallorca back now. The goal has sucked some of the life out of the home supporters too with a hush over the stadium.

What a goal from the striker.... A fine individual effort as he cuts inside, checks and drives home an unstoppable effort for his ninth goal of the season in LaLiga

Goooooool. Barcelona take the lead and it's the Polish striker who puts Xavi's men ahead 

Mallorca refuse to go long from the goal kicks always opting for the short option as the game is held up with Costa catching Balde with his elbow. The Barcelona man is back on his feet and the game resumes.

Kang In Lee strikes and the ball is deflected over a corner for the home side. Ruiz De Galarreta heads over and Ter Stegen can breathe a sigh of relief. Both sides enjoying sustained spells of possession and we've yet to see Lewandowski get involved in the action yet.

Barcelona will be in Champions League action next week as the travel to San Siro to face Inter. They would have been encouraged to hear that the Milan giants lost at home earlier today as they fell 1-2 to Jose Mourinho's AS Roma side.

Barcelona's turn to create danger now as Alba and Ansu Fatu look to strike but nothing to bother Rajkovic in the Mallorca goal. The Serbian one of the many players in action now expected to be in action at the 2022 World Cup.

Barcelona dominate the ball as timid whistles ring out from the home supporters at the stadium. A mild early October evening in the capital of the island with a pleasant 22C/73 F at kick off. Ideal conditions!

Bright start from both sides with Balde making a mazy run forward with the teenager hitting the red wall of shirts. Muriqi is the lone striker for Mallorca.

We're underway in Palma. Malllorca start the action...

We're all set in Mallorca. A reduced capacity tonight (but far from a full house) with work being carried out on the Son Moix or Visit Mallorca Estadi to give it its correct corporate naming !

Mallorca-FCB match official

Jesús Gil Manzano is tonight's match official with the Don Benito (Extremadura) native a top flight LaLiga match official since 2012. 

Barcelona come into the game in second place in LaLiga knowing a win would propel the side to top spot (at least for 24 hours) with Real Madrid facing Osasuna on Sunday.

The Catalans have won every league game following their opening day 0-0 draw against Rayo at Camp Nou.

The defeat at the Bernabeu the only blot on the RCD Mallorca copybook following a run of positive results for the side from the Balearic islands.

A reminder of the teams for those just joining us tonight. Plenty of changes and new faces in the Barcelona side with the likes of Kounde, De Jong, Bellerin, Memphis and Araujo out of action through injury. 

Muriqi fired up for clash vs Barcelona

The Kosovan striker will be marshalled by Gerard Pique tonight with the veteran defender making just his second start of the 2022-23 season.

Mallorca will be in their classic red shirts, black shorts and socks tonight with the Catalan side sporting their all gold away kit for the clash in Palma.

Aguirre: 'Lewandowski is a killer'

Mexican coach Javier Aguirre stated pre-game that his side would not hold back and give everything they had as Barcelona visit Palma. The veteran coach was also full of praise claiming that the signing of Robert Lewandowski was good for the image of LaLiga but that the Polish striker is a clear source of danger for his side and is a proven 'killer'.  

Aguirre names Mallorca XI

The Mexican coach has named his side to face Barcelona tonight at Son Moix with no major surprises for the island based side. In form Pablo Maffeo will have a tough test tonight keeping an eye on the likes of Dembele and Lewandowski and home fans will be hoping that Kosovan striker Muriqi can add to his three goal tally for the season so far.

Real Mallorca-Barcelona: Recent LaLiga meetings

May 2022: Barcelona 2-1 Real Mallorca

January 2022: Real Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona

June 2020: Real Mallorca 0-4 Barcelona

December 2019: Barcelona 5-2 Real Mallorca

April 2013: Barcelona 5-0 Real Mallorca

Muriqi Mallorca's danger man

Vedat Muriqi will be the main goal scoring threat for the home side tonight with the former Lazio and Galatasaray man already on target three times in six games for 'Los Bermellones' this season.

Xavi names FCB XI

A rare start for Gerard Pique as the veteran defender makes his first LaLiga 2022-23 start in Palma tonight with the Catalan side badly affected by injured defenders with Araujo, Kounde and Bellerin all missing.

Ansu Fati also starts and will assist Dembele and Lewandowski in attacking duties.

Lewy on fire

All eyes will, as ever, be on Robert Lewandowski, who has made a superb start to his time in Spain. After drawing a blank on the opening weekend of the campaign against Rayo Vallecano, the Polish striker has netted eight times in the last five LaLiga fixtures. Real Mallorca, watch out!

Mallorca-Barça: headlines

- Robert Lewandowski bags the only goal of the night in the 20th minute

- Pique and Ansu Fati start for FC Barcelona

- Mallorca have not beaten Barcelona in Palma since 2009

- The Catalan side are without Kounde, Araujo and De Jong

- A Barcelona win would propel Xavi's side top of LaLiga overnight

- The last five LaLiga meetings have ended in wins for the 'Azulgrana' side

The return of Fati?

Xavi has kept his selection policy close to his chest but many observers feel that he may call upon Ansu Fati to head up the Barcelona attack along with Robert Lewandowski. Fati was overlooked by Luis Enrique for the recent Spain international window and will be aware that playing time to impress the Asturian is vital if he is to aspire of securing a place on the plane to Doha.

Aguirre welcomes key players back

Mallorca are boosted by the return to fitness of Amath Ndiaye, Rodrigo Battaglia and Matija Nastasić. However, recent clashes with Barcelona do not bode well for Saturday’s clash. Barça have won each of the last nine meetings between the teams and are undefeated in the last 12.

The last time Mallorca beat Barça in Palma was in 2009 and they have only recorded two home victories against Los Azulgranas in 16 attempts in the 21st century.

Barça, ravaged by injuries

The big question ahead of the game is how Barcelona will line up in defence. Xavi has been hit by a raft of injures at right-back, with Ronald Araújo, Jules Koundé and Héctor Bellerín all unavailable for selection. Sergi Roberto, next in line to play there, is struggling with a niggle, so a defensive reshuffle may be on the cards, with Eric García or even Jordi Alba candidates to play out of position.

An alternative option could see Xavi opt for a three-man central defence, with could potentially lead to a recall for Gerard Piqué, who has only featured in one LaLiga match this season. Until this point, Barça have only conceded one league goal.

The Catalan side will be gunning for all three points with the win enough to see Xavi's men sit on top of the league table overnight with Real Madrid in action on Sunday night as they face Osasuna at the Santiago Bernabeu.

The action gets underway at the Estadio Son Moix at 21:00 (local time) or 3:00 pm (ET) / 12:00 pm (PT).

Hello and welcome to our live coverage from Palma de Mallorca as Javier Aguirre's side face FC Barcelona.