Barcelona earned a 1-zero win over Mallorca in LaLiga on Saturday, in what was a far feistier affair than the Catalan membership might have anticipated. Robert Lewandowski scored the lone aim, having now netted in six of seven league video games this season.
– Report: Mallorca zero-1 Barcelona | Premier League desk | Upcoming fixtures
The consequence sees the Blaugrana climb to the greater of the desk, one level forward of exact Madrid, who’ve a recreation in hand. Los Blancos host Osasuna on Sunday with an alternative to leapfrog Barca.
bounce TO: participant scores | best/worst performers | Highlights and notable moments | publish-match quotes | Key stats | Upcoming fixtures
speedy response
1. Lewandowski shines as quickly as extra, with the assist of Ansu
Lewandowski’s extreme quality as quickly as as quickly as extra made the distinction as Barcelona maintained their unbeaten start to the LaLiga season.
The Poland striker has helped change the mentality at Barca collectively with his management and work ethic, nonetheless it is his potential to get hold of the internet that has significantly improved Xavi Hernandez’s side. His aim in opposition to Mallorca was the proper event. There appeared to be little on when he collected a go from Ansu Fati inside the twentieth minute, however he in the discount of to beat his man earlier than unleashing a low arrowed shot into the underside nook.
With that aim, Lewandowski grew to become the quickest participant to attain 9 targets in LaLiga inside the twenty first century, with these targets coming in simply seven appearances. He has 12 in all competitions in simply 9 video games.
Ousmane Dembele and Raphinha are usually the forwards chosen to flank Lewandowski, however Xavi handed Ansu a primary start inside the league this season at Mallorca. The 19-yr-previous continues to be clearly feeling his method again from a protracted-time period damage however his reference to Lewandowski is promising. After organising the primary-half aim right here, the two have now mixed for three targets inside the league this season, greater than every utterly different duo.
2. Xavi’s patchwork defence stands agency as schedule picks up
The journey to Mallorca marked the start of a tough run of 12 video games in LaLiga and the Champions League for Barca earlier than the World Cup. Xavi would have been despairing as he noticed Jules Kounde and Ronald Araujo, each regulars in his again 4, get injured in the course of the worldwide break, with summer time signing Hector Bellerin additionally added to the damage guidelines this week.
subsequently, with a double-header in opposition to Inter Milan in Europe and a go to to face exact Madrid in LaLiga to return earlier than Oct. sixteen, Xavi has to supply you options in defence if he needs to protect out the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Vinicius Junior.
in opposition to Mallorca, he made the shock willpower to subject left-again Alejandro Balde, who continues to be simply 18, at proper-again in what was a primary clue into what Xavi might even be pondering forward of Tuesday’s recreation in Milan. Gerard Pique and Jordi Alba each additionally acquired here again into the side having misplaced their places this season.
Andreas Christensen accomplished the again 4, however Marcos Alonso, Eric Garcia and transformed midfielder Sergi Roberto are inclined to get an excellent deal of minutes as a consequence of the video games come thick and quick for Barca over the following 5 weeks.
three. Mallorca proceed to level out wrestle in 2022-23
When the mud settles, Mallorca will take lots of positives from Saturday’s slender defeat to Barca, as they will have accomplished after they have been overwhelmed by Madrid on the Santiago Bernabeu final month.
Mexican coach Javier Aguirre, who acquired here in and stored them up on the final day of final season, has constructed a crew who’re tough to beat, particularly at dwelling. however for Lewandowski’s sensible aim, Barca did not create as a lot as they’d have preferred — and that is usually a Barca side which have scored three or extra targets of their previous 5 league video games.
Mallorca did not simply defend, both. They created prospects of their very personal and if not for Marc-Andre ter Stegen, they might have grabbed a draw. The German goalkeeper made good saves from Jaume Costa and Antonio Sanchez as he moved previous the 5 hundred-minute mark with out conceding a league aim, bettering his earlier best run for the membership.
Even in stoppage time, Mallorca have been nonetheless pushing, however Lee Kang-In‘s late strike fizzed throughout aim and huge as Barca, almost, acquired over the avenue.
participant scores
Mallorca: Predrag Rajkovic 6; Pablo Maffeo 6, Antonio Raillo 7, Martin Valjent 7, Copete 6, Jaume Costa 6; Baba 6, Inigo Ruiz de Galarreta 6, Antonio Sanchez 7; Vedat Muriqi 6, Lee Kang-In 7
Subs: Daniel Rodriguez 6, Braian Cufre 6, Lago Junior 5
Barcelona: Marc-Andre ter Stegen eight, Alejandro Balde 7, Gerard Pique 6, Andreas Christensen 6, Jordi Alba 6, Sergio Busquets 6, Gavi 7, Franck Kessie 5, Ousmane Dembele 5, Robert Lewandowski 7, Ansu Fati 6
Subs: Pedri 7, Raphinha 6, Ferran Torres 5, Sergi Roberto 5
best and worst performers
best: Marc-Andre ter Stegen, Barcelona. Barca obtained this recreation inside the two containers, so it was a toss-up between goalkeeper Ter Stegen and match-winner Lewandowski.
WORST: Ousmane Dembele, Barcelona. The French forward has been glorious for Barca this season, however that has solely served to enhance expectations. the following step is to try for consistency. This was a unusual off night.
Highlights and notable moments
it is not passable that Lewandowski is scoring at an outrageous price, he is contributing inch-good finishes like this one.
THIS flip AND finish FROM LEWY 😤 pic.twitter.com/7BQQAoEl1O
— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 1, 2022
Most of social media was in awe of that aim.
My phrase, pure class from Lewa…
— Gabriele Marcotti (@Marcotti) October 1, 2022
What a aim. That Polish Ian Rush actually is absurdly good
— Sid Lowe (@sidlowe) October 1, 2022
After the match: What the managers, gamers said
Xavi: “it goes to not be proper to clarify all the things with Ter Stegen and Lewandowski, there might even be extra to it than that. although it is clear that they’ve made the distinction tonight. Marc is in spectacular type. And Robert is a world-class aim scorer, maybe thought-about one of the best on this planet.”
Jaume Costa: “it is a disgrace. It was an whole efficiency but we do not have a optimistic consequence. We deserved extra after the method by means of which we performed. Aguirre’s mark is a Mallorca side that fights. sadly we might not hold the clear sheet to get no decrease than a stage.”
Key Stats (supplied by ESPN Stats & knowledge)
– Lewandowski now has 9 targets in LaLiga and 12 in all competitions. the one participant in thought-about one of Europe’s large 5 leagues with extra is Erling Haaland of Manchester metropolis, with eleven inside the Premier League and 14 throughout all competitions.
– Barcelona have obtained 18 straight LaLiga video games by means of which it has held a lead. The final time the Catalan membership did not take movement was on Feb. thirteen, after they have been held to a 2-2 draw by neighbours Espanyol.
– This was Barcelona’s fifth straight clear sheet in LaLiga, one factor the membership has not achieved since April and ought to of 2016.
Up subsequent
Mallorca: The Palma-primarily based membership get barely further relaxation earlier than they head to Alicante to deal with Elche inside the league every week from Monday.
Barcelona: The Blaugrana have simply two full days of relaxation earlier than they return to movement inside the Champions League on Tuesday, visiting the San Siro for a bunch-stage showdown with Internazionale. The Catalans’ subsequent LaLiga contest is every week from Sunday, after they welcome Celta Vigo to Camp Nou.
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