Liga, Barcelona 2-1 Mallorca. Blaugrana in 2nd place

A goal in time, three points and above all the end of the spell called Camp Nou. In fact, Barça returns to win after three consecutive defeats within the friendly walls, three knockouts costing the Europa League and the last feeble hopes of competing for La Liga against Real Madrid. He does it 2-1 against a submissive Mallorca, who collapses after the paw of di Depay risking the boarding several times. The Catalans win with ease with Busquets’ second seal of the season and two goals canceled for offside to Araujo and Ferran Torres. Xavi’s team is now second in solitary, with two lengths of margin over Sevilla and five over Atletico. For the mathematical certainty of the Champions placement, three points in the remaining four days are enough.

Illustrious return

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Now that La Liga has a new boss, the “casting” opens in Barcelona to deserve reconfirmation with the consequent jumble of rumors and indiscretions. But the goal of second place still remains to be conquered, which could at least partially reduce the seasonal flop. The company certainly did not look simple despite the opponent, the fault of the injury that put Gonzalez out of action until the end of the season (fractured foot), of the long-term injured (above all Pedri) and of the Covid that knocked out Mingueza and Braithwaite, to which is added the precarious condition of Dembélé. Among the illustrious precarious players there is also Piqué, who grits his teeth before raising the white flag after 28 ‘. But there is also the positive note, namely the return of Ansu Fati, inside the last 20 ‘after months stopped in the pits. The eleven chosen for the match against Mallorca, therefore, sees Gavi completing the midfield trio together with Busquets and De Jong and the return of Depay from the first minute in the attacking trio with Ferran Torres and Aubameyang.

Manifest superiority

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Xavi had asked his commitment and personality: satisfied. The Catalans are placed in the opposing half of the field and turn the ball quickly and accurately. Torres pounds on the right and Depay is keen to show off, while Aubameyang causes Rico to shiver after just 6 ‘. Mallorca responds, but it’s a flash in the pan. At 22 ‘Araujo placed the winning paw made in vain by an offside, at 25’ instead Depay unleashed the scream of the Camp Nou with a fulminating right-footed shot on the edge of the pole on a precise cue by Jordi Alba. The advantage of the Dutchman is a sentence, because from then on Mallorca is delivered without the slightest jolt. For Barça it becomes easy to find spaces by taking advantage of the ball turn and the movements to return of a very inspired Depay. The doubling was born from a good choral action, which closed the accounts, with applause from the Camp Nou for the captain Busquets, who scored in the 54th minute with a left from the edge. The guests shorten the distances in the 79th minute thanks to a flash of captain Raillo on a free kick, but Barça does not break down and take home the result.