The leadership did not sit well with Barcelona, ??who got confused in Mallorca and ended up having to race to rescue a point. The rotations led to many disconnections in an unprecedented center of defense that was hauja for the Muriqi-Abdón couple while without Lewandowski in attack, very clear opportunities were missed to put out the fire before the break. In the end Xavi turned to the young players and it had to be the two youth players Lamine Yamal and Fermín who pinched the team and made Aguirre’s five defenders dizzy. Every game cannot be a comeback and Barça could not solve the mess they got themselves into.
Xavi pulled his players’ ears because the level of activation against Celta was not adequate for 80 minutes and, far from correcting themselves, Barcelona stumbled over the same rock against Mallorca. He entered the field relaxed and conceding a goal before the 10th minute was only the first sign that he had not learned his lesson. Instead of focusing on the scare they got, the Blaugrana stayed absorbed in the beauty of the leadership and the epic comeback.
Aguirre’s Mallorca came out as if possessed by the pyrotechnic and fire spectacle with which the locals were received and conveyed that intensity in each duel and in each clash. The locals surprised not because of their five-man defense, but because they were aggressive in their game plan. Their best points were the two forwards, Muriqi and Abdón Prats, who have become local heroes, one for permanence, the other for promotion, but they know that they cannot relax, who understand that their destiny is to fight for every ball.
If Iñigo Martínez, in his debut as a starter, and Araújo, who returned to the eleven after his injury, thought they would have a quiet night, the two forwards made it miserable.
So 1-0 was only the most logical conclusion than it seemed. Ter Stegen hesitated whether to move on to the Basque or Oriol Romeu and did neither. He risked the goalkeeper and with an inaccuracy gave it to Mallorca. The first cross was able to be cleared by the desperate Araújo, the second was scored by Muriqi from close range.
For the second consecutive game, Barça looked inferior and once again found it difficult to activate. Neither Cancelo nor Gündogan nor Ferran Torres showed the rebellion necessary for a comeback. Barça also missed Frenkie de Jong’s daring football. Only Gavi and Raphinha were trying to organize and wake up the team, respectively. One with passes and pause, the other with crosses and verticality.
The Andalusian was clairvoyant in his new role but Ferran Torres was caught at night in the area and collided with Rajkovic. And it was the Brazilian who equalized the score with a left-footed shot from the edge of the area. Barça did not tie with an elaborate play but with a recovery in the opposite field. The rebounded ball went to Raphinha who unleashed an unstoppable lash.
Mallorca suffered the blow and fatigue at the same time and the visitors had two very clear opportunities to turn the score around. Raphinha faced Rajkovic in the race and in an unbeatable position sent his shot into the clouds. Immediately afterwards, the goalkeeper did have to show off to deny a shot from João Félix’s turn.
But instead of going 1-2, the game went 2-1 at halftime. Three touches were enough for Mallorca to dismantle Barcelona’s defense. Rajkovic took a goal kick, Muriqi headed in and Adbón beat the center backs and with a soft touch overcame Ter Stegen’s somewhat hasty exit.
That second vermilion goal forced Xavi to speed up Lewandowski’s entry just after the post repelled a dry shot from João Félix, who cursed his luck before giving way to Lamine Yamal. The first ball that the youth player touched on the right wing ended up being knocked down by Copete. The referee declared a penalty but after the replay he went back.
The rectification did not affect the young winger who was a nightmare every time he received and faced. The youngsters, Lamine Yamal and Fermín, pinched Barça to activate it and to rescue it. The winger started the 2-2 play that culminated the interior after Raphinha, inside, centered and Lewandowski let it pass in the area with all the intention in the world.
There were 15 minutes left plus added time but this time there was no madness nor did a Cancelo appear to give Barcelona the victory. While Mallorca, who could have won on a counterattack by Larin, celebrated the point after seeing how the Blaugrana had won in their last seven visits, the last two by the minimum.
Mallorca: Rajkovic, Gonzalez (Van der Heyden 85), Valjent, Nastasic, Copete, Maffeo (Jaume Costa 35), Samu Costa, Dani Rodriguez (Morlanes 85), Sanchez (Darder 61), Abdon Prats (Larin 61) and Muriqi.
Barcelona: Ter Stegen, Cancelo, Araújo, Inigo Martinez (Koundé 78), Balde, Romeu (Fermin 64), Gündogan, Gavi, Raphinha, João Felix (Lamine Yamal 64) and Ferran Torres (Lewandowski 58)
Stadium: Son Moix (19,938 spectators)
Referee: Muñiz Ruiz (Galician c.)
Cards: Yellow to Romeu, Dani Rodríguez, Nastasic, Javier Aguirre and Van der Heyden.
Goals: 1-0 Muriel (8); 1-1 Raphine (42); 2-1 Abdon Prats (45 3); 2-2 Fermin (75).
