Barcelona was under pressure with a draw in the previous match in La Liga. There were also fears of a second consecutive draw against Mallorca. Finally they were rescued by 16-year-old Yamal. Barca left the field with a hard-earned victory (1-0) with his only goal in the 73rd minute.
In this victory, Barca has become second with 61 points in 28 matches, even if it is temporary. They are two points ahead of third-placed Girona. Real Madrid are at the top with 66 points from 27 matches. Zorana also played one fewer match.
It was 16-year-old Yamal’s sixth goal in all in his first full season at Barca. Before that, he has also reached several milestones at the beginning of his career. Among which is the youngest to make his debut in the Spanish league as well as scoring a goal.
The way Barca started the match, they could have scored in the 24th minute. Barca got a penalty after a weight review when Rafinha was subjected to a tough challenge. But Ilkay Gundogan’s shot from the spot kick was saved by Mallorca goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic with a dive to the left.
Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca looked even more formidable after the break. But despite creating several goal opportunities, they did not succeed due to lack of finishing. Mallorca is 8 points away from the relegation zone. They are at number 15 with 27 points.
With the Champions League looming, Xavi left the vital Robert Lewandowski on the bench for the final thirty minutes. Their opponents are Napoli in the second leg of the last sixteen on Tuesday. The first leg ended in a 1-1 draw in Italy.
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