BARCELONA, SPAIN — Robert Lewandowski's clinical finish and second-half strikes from Lamine Yamal and Marc Bernal powered league-leaders Barcelona to a commanding 3-0 victory over relegation-threatened Mallorca at Spotify Camp Nou. The Blaugrana's dominance was absolute, controlling more than three-quarters of possession as they extended their advantage at the summit of La Liga to 49 points.
Barcelona's superiority was evident from the opening whistle, with Hansi Flick's side pinning the visitors deep inside their own half. The breakthrough arrived in the 29th minute when Dani Olmo's intelligent movement created space on the edge of the area. The Spanish international threaded a perfectly weighted pass into Lewandowski's path, and the Polish striker made no mistake, drilling his right-footed effort into the bottom right corner past Leo Román. It was vintage Lewandowski, showcasing the predatory instincts that have made him one of Europe's most feared forwards.
The hosts continued to press after the interval, with Román forced into a string of impressive saves to keep Mallorca in the contest. The Mallorca goalkeeper denied Dani Olmo with a smart stop in the 57th minute after Marcus Rashford had teed up the midfielder, then produced an even better save moments later to push Fermín López's effort around the post. Pau Cubarsí also tested Román from close range in the 55th minute, but the visiting keeper stood firm to keep the deficit at just one goal.
Barcelona's relentless pressure finally told in the 61st minute when Lamine Yamal doubled the advantage with a moment of individual brilliance. Following a corner, Dani Olmo collected possession and laid the ball off to the teenage sensation lurking outside the box. Yamal took one touch to set himself before curling a sublime left-footed strike into the bottom right corner, leaving Román with no chance. The 17-year-old's technique and composure belied his tender years, further cementing his status as one of European football's most exciting prospects.
Mallorca briefly threatened to reduce the arrears when Antonio Sánchez forced Joan García into action in the 80th minute, the Barcelona goalkeeper pushing his effort around the post. But any hopes of a comeback were extinguished three minutes later when Marc Bernal put the result beyond doubt. Fermín López, who had been instrumental throughout, slipped a clever through ball into Bernal's path, and the young midfielder kept his composure to slot home with his left foot from the centre of the box.
The statistics painted a picture of complete Barcelona dominance. The hosts controlled 76.2% of possession, suffocating Mallorca's attempts to build any meaningful attacks. Barcelona launched 24 shots at goal compared to Mallorca's nine, with the Blaugrana's relentless pressure yielding 12 corners throughout the contest. Jules Koundé and Eric García marshalled the backline expertly, limiting the visitors to just four shots on target despite their desperate search for a foothold in the match.
The tactical battle was decidedly one-sided, with Barcelona's midfield trio of Marc Casadó, Dani Olmo, and Fermín López dictating proceedings. Casadó won a crucial free kick in the 85th minute when Omar Mascarell fouled him in a dangerous area, typifying Barcelona's control of the central areas. Mallorca's midfield struggled to cope with the hosts' movement and technical quality, with Sam Ú Costa and Omar Mascarell frequently overrun as Barcelona's attackers dropped deep to receive possession.
Flick made several changes late in the contest to manage his squad's workload, withdrawing Lewandowski and Yamal in the 78th minute with João Cancelo and Roony Bardghji entering the fray. The substitutions allowed Barcelona to see out the match comfortably while preserving key players for upcoming fixtures. Mallorca boss also shuffled his pack, introducing Antonio Sánchez, Mateo Joseph, and Sergi Darder in search of a consolation goal, but Barcelona's defensive organization remained resolute.
The victory extends Barcelona's impressive recent form, with the Blaugrana having won four of their last five matches across all competitions. Their 33-goal positive goal difference is the best in La Liga, underlining their credentials as genuine title contenders. For Mallorca, the defeat leaves them precariously positioned in 17th place with just 18 points from 19 matches, their negative seven goal difference highlighting their struggles at both ends of the pitch.
This performance sets the standard for [Team] as they prepare for their next assignment. Barcelona travel to face Dux Logroño on February 8, where they will look to maintain their momentum and extend their lead at the top of the table.