Real Mallorca vs Barcelona summary: score, goals and highlights | LaLiga 2023/24

Mallorca 2-2 Barcelona: the stats

Here are some of the chief match stats, courtesy of our friends at SofaScore. Barcelona had the lion's share of the ball, but the attempts count was very even.

Cyle Larin will be having some particularly vivid nightmares about that late chance to win it for Mallorca, one suspects.

Mallorca moving on up

At the other end of the LaLiga table, Mallorca's point takes them up to 15th. They've now lost only once in their last four league games, albeit that one defeat was a big one.

Barça a point clear... for now

Having had to settle for a draw, Barça inch one point clear of Girona - who now have the chance to go two points clear at the top of the table.

Girona visit Villarreal on Wednesday at 1pm ET.

Peeeep peeep peeep! It's all over! The points are shared.

Mallorca have been terrific, and thoroughly deserve to take something from the game. For the first time in 12 meetings with Los Bermellones, Barça have failed to come away with all three points.

The leaders' five-game winning run in LaLiga is at an end.

Cancelo gets to the byline on the right, before lifting over a cross from Lewandowski at the back post. The striker can't get any power on his effort, however, and Rajkovic gathers with the minimum of fuss.

At the other end, what a chance for Mallorca to win it!

In the blink of an eye, the hosts are barrelling forward on a quick break. It's fed right to Larin, who has acres of space inside the box to pick his spot... and he sidefoots it wide!

Mallorca are just a couple of minutes from avoiding defeat against Barcelona for the first time in 14 years.

Balde scampers forward and slips it left to Gavi, who has a pocket of space on the left-hand edge of the box. Gavi can't do anything with it, though.

A moment later, Lamine whips over a lovely right-wing ball into Lewandowski's run towards the near post. Lewandowski sticks out a leg to try to volley it in past Rajkovic, but he can't direct it goalwards. It's out for a goal-kick.

Mallorca boss Javier Aguirre is shown a yellow card for giving the referee a little bit too much lip. I'm not sure exactly what Aguirre was complaining about, to be honest.

If it stays like this, Girona will have the opportunity to go clear at the top if they beat Villarreal tomorrow.

We're going to have seven minutes of time added on at Son Moix.

Darder skips away from Gavi, before nutmegging Lewandowski and drawing a foul from the Pole. The home fans enjoyed that, it would be fair to say.

That Fermín goal, by the way, is the 20-year-old's first for the Barcelona first team.

González appears to have been booked for being too slow to leave the field when he was replaced.

Mallorca make another couple of changes. Van der Heyden and Morales are on for González and Rodríguez.

Lamine Yamal produces a lovely change of feet before jinking in between two Mallorca defenders, before flopping to the turf just outside the box. He doesn't get a free-kick, and Copete gives him an earful.

Lamine has had a huge impact in the short time he's been on.

Again Mallorca come at Barcelona. Larin scampers past Koundé and into the Blaugrana box, but he's driven wide. The Canadian tries to beat Ter Stegen with a low, angled shot, but the German has his angles nicely sorted and saves.

Hold on, Mallorca certainly aren't done yet, though. The hosts lift it high into the Barcelona box, where Muriqi nods it down for Nastasic to strike first time.

The defender winds up and hits it with all his might, but a cluster of white shirts had jumped in front of him. It's blocked.

Barcelona bring Íñigo Martínez off for Jules Koundé.

Gündogan tries to dink a ball into Lewandowski's run into the Mallorca box, but it's cut out.

Back come Barcelona, and...

Abdón Prats celebrates his goal for Mallorca.

(Photo: EFE/Miquel Borrás)

The ball is lifted high into the Mallorca box, and it loops right down Rajkovic's gullet. The goalkeeper darts off his line to claim, to huge cheers from the Son Moix faithful.

Larin nods it through to Muriqi, who can't get his shot away in the Barcelona box. The ball falls back to Larin, whose effort is deflected off target... and the flag is up. Wouldn't have counted.

Decision reversed! No penalty!

It's the right decision I think. You can see in the replay that Copete's boot doesn't actually touch Lamine Yamal's.

Penalty to Barcelona! Talk about an instant impact from Lamine Yamal.

The teenager jinks into the box past Copete, who is adjudged to have brought him down. The challenge is shown on the big screen, eliciting jeers of disapproval from the home fans.

They're convinced it isn't a pen... and the referee is being called across to have another look at it!

Barcelona make a double change of their own: Romeu and Joao Félix are off for Fermín and Lamine Yamal.

Mallorca make a double substitution: Prats and Sánchez are replaced by Sergi Darder and Cyle Larin.

Both come off to huge applause, particularly Prats.

Nastasic was booked a moment or so ago, by the way, for an offence that I confess I missed.

Again Mallorca draw roars of approval from the home fans, threading together a nice passing move out to the right, where Sánchez wins a corner. 

Javier Aguirre is preparing a change or two over on the touchline.

On comes Lewandowski for Barcelona, with Ferran making way.

At the other end, Sánchez's right-wing delivery comes off a Barça boot and goes behind for a corner.

It comes to nought, having finally fallen for Rodríguez to send a speculative shot well off target.

Joao Félix hits the post! That one stayed hit, as they say.

Some 25 yards or so out, Joao Félix gets the ball out of his feet and absolutely wallops it at goal, but it bounces off the upright and away!

Barça are preparing to introduce Lewandowski.

Another Barcelona attack founders when Joao Félix is dispossessed, but back come the Catalans. They work it to Raphinha on the right-hand side of the box, but the Brazilian loses his footing and, as he falls to the turf, tries to lay it off to the top of the box. He plays it right to a red shirt.

Balde does very well to burst forward down the left-hand channel, leaving a couple of men trailing in his wake. He slips the ball left to Joao Félix, who has peeled off into space on the corner of the Mallorca box - but the Portuguese has his pocket picked, and the chance is lost.

Gavi drifts in from the left and floats a ball into the Mallorca box, but it's too long and runs behind.

Robert Lewandowski is out warming up for Barça. Lamine Yamal is also out on the touchline going through his paces.

Dani Rodríguez goes into the book for a late challenge on Cancelo.

Peeeep! We're back underway at Son Moix.

No half-time changes for either side.

Barcelona's less than watertight defence

Spanish football stats guru Mister Chip points out that the eight goals Barça have conceded so far in LaLiga in 2023/24 amount to the same total that they let in during their first 25 league games last term.

Peeep peeep peeep! Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz blows for half time at Son Moix, where Mallorca have recovered from that Raphinha leveller to lead for a second time.

Football's capacity to serve up the exact opposite of what you expect to happen really is remarkable.

In the minutes after Raphinha's goal, Barça really came alive in attack and looked like the only team capable of scoring a second before the break.

One three-touch Mallorca attack later, though, the visitors find themselves preparing for a second half in which they will again have to come from behind.

With González giving chase, Balde and Martínez crash into each other on the right-hand side of the Barça box, and it's out for a Mallorca corner.

Rodríguez delivers onto Muriqi's head, but he can't direct the ball towards one of the corners! Ter Stegen grabs hold.

Blimey, Barça have really come alive in attack. It's now Joao Félix's turn to go close to making it 2-1.

Gündogan threads a lovely pass into Raphinha's run to the right-hand byline, where the Brazilian cuts it back to the penalty spot. Joao Félix is waiting and fires low at goal, but Rajkovic gets a crucial hand to it!

What a chance for Raphinha! It should be 2-1 to Barcelona.

Gavi nods the ball forward to Ferran, who turns it on into the path of Raphinha's run in behind the Mallorca backline. Raphinha scuttles through on Rajkovic, but his finish is very far from the quality of his strike a minute ago. He puts his foot through the ball and absolutely blazes it! A huge opportunity spurned.

Six minutes of time added on, by the way.

Barça immediately push forward in search of a second. Cancelo crosses from the right, but his delivery is overhit. It runs out of the box and away.

There's a real chance for Ferran! Gavi does very well to wriggle into room to slip a neat little ball into the forward's run into the Mallorca box, leaving him one on one with Rajkovic. Ferrran gets plenty behind his shot, but the goalkeeper saves!

Muriqi goes close! Ah, but the flag was up.

A free-kick is swung in from the left right onto Muriqi's head, but he can't direct his effort goalwards, and it wouldn't have counted.

Barcelona's Romeu becomes the first man to be booked, after catching Muriqi with a flailing arm as the pair jumped together in an aerial challenge.

Maffeo is withdrawn, with Jaume Costa on in his stead.

Oh dear, Maffeo is down and clutching the back of his thigh. He appears to have done his hammy. The pitchside microphones pick up some fairly colourful language from the Mallorca defender as he rather vocally expresses his annoyance.

Moriqi joins Joselu in select scoring club

Football stats specialists Opta note that only Vedat Muriqi and Real Madrid's Joselu have managed to score against each of Barcelona, Madrid and Atlético since the start of the 2022/23 season. (Joselu was at Espanyol when he netted against Madrid, I'm sure you don't need me to clarify. His goals against Barça and Atleti also came with Los Pericos.)

Barça get Raphinha scampering into the Mallorca box and to the byline, with white shirts waiting in the middle - but the Brazilian's attempted cut-back is blocked. 

Raphinha has been Barça's chief danger man so far.

Muriqi wheels away in celebration after scoring for Mallorca.

(Photo: EFE/ Miquel A. Borràs)

Offside is given, but again Mallorca give Barcelona's defence serious food for thought.

Muriqi heads a right-wing free-kick back across the box for Maffeo to meet with his head - and it flies just wide. As I say, though, the flag was up against Muriqi, who was very clearly offside.

Oh, that's excellent play by Raphinha. Receiving on the right, he cuts inside and whips a ball into the middle, where Ferran has darted into position. Ferran can't connect with the inswinging ball, and it flashes across Rajkovic's goal and out. All it needed was a touch.

Oofff, Araújo is very close to getting himself into a right old mess there. With Prats breathing down his neck, Araújo almost allows the Mallorca man to nick it off his toes before the defender can play it back to Ter Stegen. Araújo survives, just.

Raphinha clips over a ball from right to left looking for Joao Félix, who is arriving in pace and in space. He's stretching for it, though, and can only prod it behind for a goal-kick.

Raphinha jinks into space to shoot, but his effort is blocked.

A moment later, Joao Félix scampers towards goal on the left and is brought down by Valjent, giving the visitors the chance to whip another dead-ball delivery into the Mallorca area.

Whip a delivery in they do, but the hosts clear.

Sánchez does very well to win the ball back in the Barcelona half, before racing towards the visitors' box. He fires in a low shot at goal, but it's tamely hit. Ter Stegen gathers it with ease.

González catches Joao Félix with a fairly robust challenge, eliciting a minor talking-to from the referee.

On the left flank, Rodríguez wriggles into space to left a ball into the Barcelona box, where Martínez has to head behind. Barça then deal with the corner.

Gündogan swings in a right-wing free-kick, which is headed clear by Copete.

Copete tussles for the loose ball out on the right wing with Araújo, who falls to the turf in pain, apparently caught by the Mallorca defender. Copete tells the Uruguayan in no uncertain terms that he believes he may be making a little bit too much of it, and the referee agrees that it's no free-kick.

Raphinha fizzes a low ball into Joao Félix just inside the box, but the Portuguese is crowded out and Mallorca bring it away.

Barcelona look to hit straight back, but when Ferran flops to the turf outside of the Mallorca box, the referee tells him to get up.

It's been a thoroughly sterling first 10 minutes for Mallorca.

Having had to deal with a mini wave of Mallorca attacks over the past couple of minutes or so, Barcelona get forward and work it to Raphinha, who has space on the right to run at the defence.

Copete does very well to keep the Brazilian in check, however; indeed, the defender succeeds in knocking it off the Brazilian and behind for a goal-kick.

Again Mallorca get the decibels rising among the home crowd, Gio González pinging in a cross from the right. Barça deal with it.

Dani Rodríguez plays a one-two before advancing towards the Barça box and letting fly from 30 yards or so out. His effort flashes wide, but it took a touch off a Barça boot and Mallorca have a corner.

Said corner comes to nought, but it's certainly been a promising start from the hosts. 

Muriqi gets the home fans out of their seats for the first time this evening, receiving the ball and barrelling forward down the left flank. Iñigo Martínez is quickly across to slide and boot the ball out, though.

Mallorca boss Javier Aguirre appears to be in good spirits tonight; we've just seen the Mexican enjoying a chuckle with the fourth official.

Ferran looks to be playing through the middle for Barcelona, with Joao Félix on the left and Raphinha on the right.

Peeep! Referee Alejandro Muñiz Ruiz gets us underway!

Almost time for kick-off!

There are just under five minutes to go until kick-off at Son Moix. Here's a reminder of the teams:

Real Mallorca:

Rajkovic, González, Valjent, Nastasic, Copete, Maffeo, Rodríguez, Sánchez, Samu Costa, Muriqi, Prats

Barcelona:

Ter Stegen, Cancelo, Araújo, Iñigo, Balde, Romeu, Gündogan, Gavi, Raphinha, João Félix, Ferran

LALIGA

Mallorca vs Barcelona: times, how to watch on TV, stream online | LaLiga

If you're busy asking yourself where you can tune in to Mallorca vs Barcelona, let me point you in the direction of my colleague Fidel Rubio's guide on how to watch the game.

Lewandowski needed a breather - Xavi

We've just heard from Barcelona boss Xavi, who has been speaking to Spanish broadcaster DAZN ahead of kick-off at Son Moix.

Asked about Robert Lewandowski's absence from the line-up, he confirmed that the Pole needed to be given a bit of rest. 

“He has a lot of game time in his legs, including with his national team,” Xavi said. “I had already said that I was going to rotate.”

Little between the sides in 21/22 and 22/23

As you'll see from that SofaScore graphic, Barcelona may be on a seven-game winning run in Mallorca, but their last two wins at Son Moix have been by just the one goal.

As I mentioned earlier, Robert Lewandowski got the winner as the Catalans edged Mallorca in October 2022, nine months after Luuk de Jong's goal was all that could separate the sides on the island.

Barça's Son Moix seventh heaven

Barça's 11-in-a-row run against Mallorca includes seven wins on the trot at Son Moix, with an aggregate score of 16-2.

Here, courtesy of our friends at SofaScore, is a rundown of those seven consecutive Barça triumphs.

Barça bid to stretch winning run against Mallorca

Barcelona are, it's fair to say, on a pretty decent run of form against Real Mallorca.

The Catalans have won their last 11 league meetings with Mallorca, and haven't lost to Los Bermellones since May 2009.

Xavi: De Jong will be "big miss"

“Frenkie’s going to be a big miss, because he’s a key player for us. Both because of the way we play and the form he has been in, it’s a bitter pill to swallow.”

Xavi: Mallorca "have a lot going for them"

More from Xavi's press conference yesterday:

“We know that Mallorca are a really tough side, because they have a lot of things going for them. Javier Aguirre has them really well drilled in defence. It’s going to be a tough game at a difficult place to go to - and they’ll be desperate to bounce back from their defeat to Girona.”

Xavi "delighted" to renew Barcelona deal

As he spoke to reporters ahead of Barcelona's trip to the Balearics, Blaugrana boss Xavi toasted what was a very fruitful weekend for the Catalans. Not only did they finish matchday six on top of LaLiga, but it was announced on Friday that the head coach has extended his contract at the Camp Nou until 2025.

“Yeah, it was a great weekend," Xavi told his pre-match press conference. "Above all because of my contract renewal, which shows the confidence the club has in me and my backroom team, and we’re delighted about that.

(Photo: EFE/ Toni Albir)

Aguirre: "We've put together a game plan"

“We’ve seen two games where Barcelona were really made to sweat - their 0-0 draw with Getafe [on LaLiga's opening weekend] and this weekend’s game against Celta, where they were 2-0 down with 10 minutes to go. We saw two ways of trying to stop them and, by taking examples from other coaches and allying that with our strengths, we’ve put together a game plan. But it’s never easy.”

Aguirre: "We seemed to have recovered our defensive solidity"

“In the two games before Girona, we had picked up four out of six points with two clean sheets. You don’t only win games by defending - and I’ll say again that we need to take a step forwards [in attack] - but we seemed to have recovered our defensive solidity and tried to play better football [at Girona]. But it didn’t work out.”

Mallorca have "moved on" from Girona defeat - Aguirre

Speaking to reporters ahead of today's match-up with Barcelona, Mallorca boss Javier Aguirre insisted is players have put their weekend woes in Girona behind them.

“The team has moved on [from the Girona defeat] and everyone’s raring to face Barcelona, as is always the case when you face the big boys," the Mexican said. "Against the likes of Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atlético, motivation is never an issue.”

A couple more Aguirre pre-match quotes coming up...

(Photo: EFE/ David Borrat)

Real Mallorca team news

The Mallorca starting XI is now also out. Javier Aguirre has opted for: 

Rajkovic, González, Valjent, Nastasic, Copete, Maffeo, Rodríguez, Sánchez, Samu Costa, Muriqi and Prats.

That's four changes to the side that began the weekend walloping by Girona, with Gio González, Copete, Antonio Sánchez and Abdón Prats all coming in for the hosts.

On fire Lewy makes way at Son Moix

So, Lewandowski is on the bench, despite scoring in each of his last four LaLiga games. Indeed, the Pole's double against Celta has left him joint top of the scoring charts with five, alongside Real Madrid's Jude Bellingham and Atlético Madrid's Álvaro Morata. 

What's more, it was Lewandowski who scored the winner for Barça at Son Moix last season.

But, I suppose, the 35-year-old is now an old man in footballing terms, so one can only surmise that Xavi feels he needs a bit of breather.

(Photo: EFE/ATIENZA)

Félix fitting right in

And here are some of the Barcelona players enjoying a pre-match stroll on the Son Moix turf.

To the right, you won't need me to tell you, is Mr João Félix, who has looked really rather good since joining on loan from Atlético in the summer. He's on three goals in four games so far for Barça, plus a pair of assists.

(Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea)

Barcelona are here!

We've just over an hour until kick-off at Son Moix, where Barcelona are now all present and correct. Here, courtesy of the club's social-media team, is footage of their arrival a short while ago.

De Jong set to miss Clásico

On that De Jong injury, it's believed that the Dutchman could miss as much as five to seven weeks. Given that the Clásico is in a month and two days' time, that would appear to rule him out of that one.

Here's my colleague Roddy Cons with a full report on De Jong's injury.

(Photo: Albert Gea/Reuters)

Lewandowski on bench for Barcelona

Xavi makes five changes to the side that started the weekend win over Celta Vigo, and has, most notably, opted to drop Robert Lewandowski to the bench.

Ronald Araújo and Alejandro Balde return in defence, while Íñigo Martínez also comes into the backline for his first Barça start. Gavi is in in midfield, and Raphinha starts on the wing.

Jules Koundé, Andreas Christensen and Marcos Alonso are also among those who drop out of the line-up - as is Frenkie de Jong, who is facing a sizeable layoff after coming off against Celta with an ankle injury.

Barcelona team news

Xavi has named his Barcelona line-up at Son Moix. He has gone with:

Ter Stegen, Cancelo, Araújo, Iñigo, Balde, Romeu, Gündogan, Gavi, Raphinha, João Félix and Ferran.

From Blaugrana to Blancos

Barcelona are going to be wearing their white change kit today. I actually quite like it, but nonetheless it strikes me as a bit weird.

Mallorca reeling after Girona gubbing

Real Mallorca, meanwhile, are giving their wounds a furious licking after shipping five at high-flying Girona at the weekend.

That heavy defeat came after a mini-run of four points from two games in which Los Bermellones didn't concede once. That pair of positive results included their first win of the season, a 1-0 triumph at Celta Vigo 10 days ago.

Javier Aguirre's men came into matchday seven sitting 16th, one point above the LaLiga drop zone.

Barça still unbeaten after Celta late show

For most of Saturday's game against Celta, Barça appeared to be heading for their first defeat of the season.

With 80 minutes on the clock, after all, Xavi's men were 2-0 down at Montjuic.

Then, however, Barça clicked in attack - and blew the Galicians away with three goals in the final 10 minutes, to make it five league wins on the bounce. Joao Cancelo, who has slotted in very nicely indeed since joining from Manchester City, clipped home the winner with a de-lish finish from Gavi's fine delivery.

(Photo: REUTERS/Albert Gea)

Barcelona edging Girona at top

Barcelona ended the weekend top of the table thanks to a combination of their dramatic comeback win against Celta Vigo on Saturday, and Real Madrid's defeat to Spanish capital rivals Atlético the following day.

Barça only lead the way on goal difference, though. Girona are their surprise fellow pacesetters, having most recently run away with a 5-3 victory over the team the Blaugrana are facing today.

Real Mallorca vs Barcelona: welcome!

Hello! No sooner has the weekend's LaLiga action come to a conclusion, than a midweek round of games is upon us.

Having moved to the top of the table on matchday six, Barcelona now visit Real Mallorca - a side they have fared very well against on the road in recent seasons.

Kick-off at Son Moix is at 3:30pm ET/12:30pm PT. Team news should be dropping in just under an hour's time.