Barcelona is poised to endeavor a resurgence in Spain’s premier football league as they host Mallorca at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Friday evening.
The Catalonian team presently holds the third position in the La Liga standings, trailing the table-toppers Real Madrid by eight points. Conversely, Mallorca occupies the 15th spot, maintaining an eight-point buffer from the relegation zone.
Match preview
Barcelona extended their unbeaten streak to seven games across all competitions following a goalless draw against Athletic Bilbao last weekend. This outcome propelled them to 58 points from 27 matches in the ongoing La Liga season.
Currently positioned third in the league standings, Xavi’s squad trails second-placed Girona by a single point and league leaders Real Madrid by eight points with 11 matches remaining. Consequently, Barcelona remains in contention for the league title as the campaign approaches its conclusion.
Since Xavi’s announcement in late January regarding his decision to step down as head coach at the end of the season, Barcelona has maintained an undefeated record, securing four victories and two draws in their last six league encounters. Their focus now shifts towards their upcoming fixture in the Champions League following their upcoming league match.
On March 12, Barcelona will host Napoli for the second leg of their last-16 tie, with both teams deadlocked at 1-1 after the first leg in Italy on February 21.
Despite their strong league performance, Barcelona has faced setbacks at their temporary home ground, Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, suffering all three of their league defeats this season. Nevertheless, their dominance against Mallorca is evident, having won 11 of their last 12 meetings in La Liga, including a 3-0 victory in the corresponding fixture last season.
Mallorca, currently occupying the 15th position, secured a 2-2 draw against Barcelona earlier in the season and enters this match on the back of consecutive victories under the management of Javier Aguirre.
Their recent successes include advancing to the Copa del Rey final with a penalty shootout victory over Real Sociedad and securing a 1-0 win against Girona in the league. With 27 points from 27 games, Mallorca sits comfortably in 15th place in the league standings, eight points clear of the relegation zone and just two points behind 13th-placed Alaves.
However, Mallorca’s performance away from home has been challenging, garnering only eight points from 13 matches, making it the fourth-worst away record in the division. Their solitary away league victory this season came in a 1-0 triumph against Celta Vigo in September.
Team News
In the recent encounter against Athletic, Barcelona encountered two notable injuries, as both Pedri and Frenkie de Jong were compelled to leave the field during the first half of the goalless draw.
There is apprehension regarding Pedri’s hamstring injury, which may necessitate surgical intervention, potentially sidelining him for the remainder of the season. Additionally, De Jong’s ankle ailment will result in an extended absence from play.
While Ferran Torres may recover from a thigh ailment in time for Friday’s match, Alejandro Balde, Gavi, and Marcos Alonso remain unavailable due to injuries. Furthermore, Ronald Araujo faces suspension following the accumulation of milestone yellow cards during the encounter with Athletic.
Potential replacements for the upcoming match include Fermin Lopez, Lamine Yamal, and Inigo Martinez, although Pau Cubarsi is expected to maintain his position in the central defense.
Meanwhile, Mallorca continues to contend with absences, with Pablo Maffeo sidelined due to a knee injury and Omar Mascarell suspended after receiving a milestone yellow card against Girona.
Samu Costa is anticipated to fill in for Mascarell’s absence, with the remainder of the squad likely to remain unchanged from their previous fixture against the current second-placed team.
In the attacking third, Vedat Muriqi is poised to partner with Cyle Larin, while Abdon Prats is expected to provide backup from the bench. Toni Lato is projected to continue his role as the left-sided wing-back.
Barcelona possible starting lineup:
Ter Stegen; Kounde, Cubarsi, I Martinez, Cancelo; Gundogan, Christensen, F Lopez; Yamal, Lewandowski, Raphinha
Mallorca possible starting lineup:
Rajkovic; Gonzalez, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, Lato; A Sanchez, S Costa, D Rodriguez; Muriqi, Larin