Dani Olmo’s swift second-half goal proved the difference as a dominant Barcelona overcame a resilient Mallorca side to secure a 1-0 victory, extending their lead at the top of La Liga.
The Spanish midfielder struck just 41 seconds after the restart, finally breaking the deadlock after Barcelona had remarkably failed to convert any of their 24 shots on goal in a one-sided first half.
Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman was the standout performer for the visitors before the break, producing a string of impressive saves to deny Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, as Barcelona exerted relentless pressure. In an extraordinary sequence of play, Roman and his defenders somehow managed to repel four Barcelona attempts from close range inside the penalty area within a mere 15 seconds.
Despite having only 22% possession in the first half, Mallorca did manage to breach Barcelona’s high defensive line on three occasions, only to be denied an opening goal by the offside flag.
Barcelona’s failure to score in the first half drew whistles from the home crowd at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys at the interval. However, Olmo quickly eased the growing anxiety with a composed left-footed finish early in the second half.
With Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid looming, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had made seven changes to his starting lineup. He later introduced Raphinha and Fermin Lopez in the second half as Barca searched for a second goal to put the game beyond doubt. However, Roman continued his stellar performance, ultimately making an impressive total of 11 saves to keep Mallorca in the contest.
Barcelona’s attacking dominance was underlined by their staggering 40 shots on goal – the most any La Liga team has attempted in a single match this season – while Mallorca failed to register a single shot on target throughout the entire game.
The victory extends Barcelona’s lead at the top of the La Liga table to seven points. Their closest rivals, Real Madrid, are scheduled to play Getafe on Wednesday. For Mallorca, who are chasing a Europa League spot, they remain in seventh place with 44 points, just one point ahead of Celta Vigo, who have played one game less. Football fans in Kumasi and across Ghana will be following these La Liga developments with keen interest.
