Barcelona Dominates Mallorca Despite Coach’s Concerns

FC Barcelona secured a convincing victory in their opening match of the 2024 LaLiga season, defeating Mallorca 3-0. The match, held on March 15, 2024, saw the Spanish champions capitalize on a significant advantage after two Mallorca players were sent off in the first half. Despite the dominating scoreline, coach Hansi Flick expressed dissatisfaction with his team’s performance.

Barcelona took an early lead when Raphinha scored in the seventh minute, heading in a precise cross from Yamal. The match turned dramatically in the 23rd minute when controversy erupted over Barcelona’s second goal. After a Mallorca defender suffered a head injury, the referee did not stop play, allowing Torres to score. Flick emphasized the importance of maintaining focus until the whistle is blown.

“I tell the team we have to play until the referee stops the match,” Flick stated. “If I were on the other side, I wouldn’t be happy. But I tell them that they have to stay focused and keep going until the end.”

The match continued to spiral for Mallorca as Morlanes was shown a second yellow card shortly after the second goal, leaving his team with only nine players. Muriqi soon followed him off the field after a dangerous challenge on Barcelona’s goalkeeper.

It wasn’t until the 94th minute that Barcelona added their third goal, with Yamal scoring a stunning left-footed strike from the edge of the box, marking an impressive start to his season. Flick praised the young talent, noting, “He’s special and everyone is watching him. What I see is that he’s very motivated.”

Despite the victory, Flick’s thoughts were clearly on improvement. He remarked, “After going 2-0 up and Mallorca getting two red cards, I think the team played at 50 percent. We can do better.” The coach stressed the need for a more aggressive approach against weaker opponents, stating that playing at only half capacity is unacceptable.

Barcelona’s win sets a positive tone for their season, but it also highlights the areas for growth that Flick will address in training. The team’s performance will be under scrutiny as they look to defend their title in LaLiga.