Three talking points as Barcelona ease past Mallorca 3-0 in La Liga | OneFootball

FC Barcelona kicked off their La Liga campaign with a clash against Mallorca. It was an important fixture for Hansi Flick’s side, who were eager to start their title defense with a strong result.

Goals from Raphinha, Ferran Torres, and Lamine Yamal secured a comfortable 3-0 victory for Barcelona. The scoreline could have been far greater, but the team eased off after Mallorca were reduced to nine men.

Had Barça maintained their intensity, the outcome might have been far uglier for the hosts. Flick’s men barely shifted out of second gear yet still managed to score three, making the contest feel more like a pre-season friendly than a competitive league encounter.

With all this in mind, here are three key talking points from Sempre Barca following Barcelona’s La Liga opener against Mallorca.

1. Refereeing drama takes center stage

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On a day when Barcelona fans expected scintillating football, it was refereeing drama that stole the spotlight at Son Moix.

José Luis Munuera endured a very difficult game. The controversy began with Barcelona’s second goal, scored by Ferran Torres. A Mallorca player was down with a head injury, and while the referee had the whistle to his mouth, he never blew it before the Spaniard found the net.

This sparked heated protests from Mallorca players, and several yellow cards were handed out. Morlanes was among those booked, and soon after, he received a second yellow for a foul on Lamine Yamal. Minutes later, Muriqi was also sent off for a dangerous challenge on Joan Garcia.

Just before half-time, Raphinha committed a reckless tackle that easily could have been punished with a straight red card. However, he was only shown a yellow, and VAR did not review the incident for serious foul play. Mallorca, therefore, had every reason to feel aggrieved.

2. Lamine Yamal keeps getting better

Lamine Yamal did not take even a couple of minutes to get going against Mallorca. The Spaniard looked so much sharper and quicker than he was last season, and put defenders to the sword with his accurate dribbling.

The Spaniard’s first moment of magic was a trademark cross to find a perfectly timed run from Raphinha for Barcelona’s first goal. It wasn’t outside the boot this time, but it was equally effective and gave Flick’s men an early need.

Lamine continued to keep pegging at Mallorca’s defence throughout the game and came close to scoring on many an occasion. He finally got his moment of glory just seconds before the end of the game, cutting in and unleashing a rocket past Leo Roman.

3. Eric Garcia ahead of Jules Kounde

Few players in world football have turned their careers around as dramatically as Eric Garcia since the start of 2025. Once on the verge of leaving Barcelona, he has now forced his way into the starting lineup ahead of Jules Kounde.

It was surprising when Flick preferred Eric to Jules in the Joan Gamper Trophy against Como, but that was only a pre-season friendly. The real surprise came when the German coach stuck with the same choice in the league opener.

Eric started at right-back against Mallorca and impressed with his forward runs and composure on the ball. Later, he shifted to center-back after Kounde came on.

How Flick manages the competition between Eric and Kounde remains to be seen, but it is clear that Garcia has climbed rapidly in the pecking order. The coming weeks will reveal whether this is a temporary experiment or a long-term decision.