FC Barcelona – Mallorca
In the midst of the championship race, leaders Barcelona welcome European Cup contenders Mallorca to the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. A seven-point lead over Real Madrid is reassuring, but Hansi Flick is demanding another three points to keep the pressure on.
The Catalans will have to do without Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 40 goals this season. Ferran Torres or Dani Olmo are expected to fill the gap; both scored in the spectacular 4-3 win in Vigo.
Mallorca travels to the match in seventh place, weakened by the suspensions of Maffeo and Dani Rodríguez as well as several injuries. Nevertheless, the team is drawing courage from past away wins against higher-ranked opponents.
However, the head-to-head record paints a clear picture: four Barça wins and one draw in the last five games, most recently a clear 5-1 victory. For Flick’s team, the evening is therefore effectively a must-win game, while Mallorca has little to lose in the role of underdog.
Barcelona – Mallorca info
- Venue: Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys, Barcelona
- Date and time: 22.04.2025, 21:30
- Competition: La Liga (matchday 33)
Barcelona form & record check
Under Flick, Barcelona are showing attacking flair but also defensive nervousness. The 4-3 win in Vigo underlined both: comeback quality thanks to Raphinha and Olmo, but a shaky defense when switching play.
Barça has scored in each of its last five competitive games, four times with multiple goals – 80% above the 1.5-goal mark. However, the defense is not stable: the 1-3 defeat in Dortmund once again exposed weaknesses in the air.
Lewandowski’s absence remains the big issue. Interestingly, Barcelona have won all three games without the Pole, each by at least two goals. Torres and Olmo give the attack new flexibility, but whether that will be enough in crunch time remains to be seen.
Conclusion: The results are right, but the balance is not yet there. Flick needs a focused final phase of the season to avoid squandering the lead.
Flick remains loyal to his 4-3-3 formation. Szczęsny will be in goal, with Koundé, Cubarsí, Martínez and Martín likely to make up the back four.
De Jong, Gavi and Pedri will form the midfield triangle. Raphinha and Torres or Olmo will lead the attack. Both have recently demonstrated their finishing skills, but now need to prove their consistency.
On the bench: Peña as substitute goalkeeper, Fati for a late boost. No major experiments are expected – only minor adjustments will be made to the current successful framework.
Mallorca form & record check
Mallorca has been inconsistent: a strong 2-0 win at Real Sociedad was followed by a lifeless 0-0 draw against Leganés. In five league games, they have recorded two wins, two defeats, and one draw.
Striking: the team never trailed in these five games before the break and did not concede a goal – “Under 1.5 goals – 1st half” would be a logical bet.
The personnel situation is delicate. Without Maffeo, Dani Rodríguez, and other regulars, a lot of experience is missing. Creative head Darder now has even more responsibility, while the defense often collapses in the second half.
In seventh place, Mallorca are one point ahead of Celta Vigo and four points behind Real Betis. They have already pulled off away wins, but rotation and short recovery times make a repeat difficult.
Mallorca are likely to line up in their tried-and-tested 5-3-2 formation to neutralize Barça’s wings. The central axis of Raíllo, Copete, and Valjent is set, with Greif in goal.
Six absences limit the options. Darder and Morlanes control the game, while Prats and Larin lurk up front on the counterattack. Mojica provides pace on the left against Raphinha.
There is little relief on the bench: Amath Ndiaye and Javi Pérez can replace tired legs, but there are no real game-changers. The main goal remains compactness – and the hope that a quick transition will prove decisive.
H2H Barcelona – Mallorca Head-to-head & statistics
Since October 2022, the record stands at four wins for Barcelona and one draw. The most recent encounter in December 2024 ended 5-1 in favor of the Blaugrana.
Barça scored in each of these games, often before the break. It is striking that in each of the second halves, there were “under 1.5 goals” – the game calms down after the fireworks at the start.
Mallorca are still waiting for a win and have conceded at least one goal in all five matches. The streak speaks volumes and increases the pressure on the visitors to stick to their defensive game plan this time around.
