Defending champions FC Barcelona kicked off their La Liga title defense in emphatic fashion, cruising to a 3-0 victory over RCD Mallorca in a fiery encounter at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix that was marred by two red cards for the hosts and a string of controversial refereeing decisions.
Goals from Raphinha (7’), Ferran Torres (23’), and Lamine Yamal (90+4’) sealed the points for Barça, who now provisionally top the La Liga table thanks to goal difference.
Barcelona dominated possession from the outset, putting pressure on a well-organized Mallorca side that looked dangerous on the counter—until everything unraveled.
Raphinha opened the scoring with a precise finish in the seventh minute, capitalizing on defensive uncertainty. The real flashpoint, however, came in the 23rd minute.
Ferran Torres doubled Barça’s lead moments after Mallorca captain Raiolla went down appearing disoriented following a defensive header. Play continued, and with no whistle blown, Torres struck. Post-match, Raiolla expressed disbelief:
“I was dizzy, trying to get up. The referee didn’t stop the game. I don’t know if it was the right decision, but we felt cheated,” Raiolla said.
Mallorca’s frustrations mounted, leading to two dismissals—one for Vedat Muriqi just before halftime and another in the second half, reducing the home side to nine men.
Barcelona’s new goalkeeper, Joan Garcia, was registered just hours before kick-off and passed a late fitness check after injuring his fingers in warm-up.
“I had full faith I’d be registered in time,” Garcia said post-match. “They wrapped my fingers, and I was good to go. It wasn’t a normal game—but we managed the chaos well.”
Garcia had little to do as Mallorca managed only four shots, none seriously threatening.
The match officiating came under immediate scrutiny. Mallorca players, fans, and coaching staff were left incensed by several decisions they believe tipped the balance unfairly.
Coach and captain both pointed to inconsistencies in card decisions, particularly around a rough challenge by Raphinha that went unpunished, compared to the straight red for Muriqi.
“There were many silly things, and they all went against us,” Raiolla said. “We feel terrible—we couldn’t play a full game with 11 men.”
Barcelona will travel to face Levante on Saturday before meeting Rayo Vallecano on August 31. Their first home game of the season will be against Valencia on September 14 at the Camp Nou.
Mallorca, temporarily at the bottom of the table, will look to regroup ahead of their clash with Celta Vigo next weekend.
Despite the chaos, Barcelona showed glimpses of fluid attacking football that could define their season. For Mallorca, discipline and focus will need immediate attention if they hope to rebound.
Match Summary
Stat Mallorca Barcelona
Possession 31% 69%
Shots (on goal) 4 (1) 24 (10)
Red Cards 2 0
Goals 0 3
