Real Mallorca 0 - Barcelona 3
Real Mallorca got off to the worst possible start to season 2025/26 with a 0-3 defeat to Barcelona in front of 23,318 fans.
Everything went wrong for the home side on Saturday night in the first half, which wasn’t helped by a shocking refereeing performance (by our cup final referee from last April who now calls himself Juan Munuera, who was just as bad as when he called himself Munuera Montero!). He was unbelievably bad in just about all his actions and Mallorca finished the first half feeling like we’d been “mugged” by the Andalucian official. He booked Morey after just seven minutes for what looked like an innocuous coming together, when a finger wagging and a warning would have sufficed. Have no doubt, Munuera’s inept performance will be remembered by us Mallorquinistas for years to come.
As expected, Barcelona were much better than Real Mallorca and took the lead early doors. In the sixth minute an unmarked Rapinha headed the Catalan league champions into the lead. In the 21st minute a misfiring Muriqi missed a great chance to equalise, shooting weakly into Barcelona’s keeper Juan Garcia’s hands when scoring looked easier. Then in the 23rd minute it all kicked off. Our Captain Marvel, Antonio Raillo, went down in the box after being hit on the head from a fierce shot. The referee put his whistle to his lips but for whatever reason (maybe noticing it wasn’t a Barcelona player on the deck) didn’t blow it as Raillo lay poleaxed.
Head injury protocol should have taken place, but nothing was done as Ferran Torres followed the play, belting home Barça’s second via the post. The disbelief from the home crowd was palpable as out came the white hankies in a show of disgust. The incident led to Morlanes and our coach Arrasate receiving yellow cards for protestations. Minutes later Morlanes lost it and was in the referee’s face, who had no hesitation in showing a second yellow card for a tackle on Lamine.
Things then went from bad to worse when a high boot from Muriqi saw him supposedly make contact with the Barça keeper’s head, although it looked from a replay that he barely touched him. Muriqi was given a straight red card via VAR and Mallorca were up against it down to nine men. Just before half time the Son Moix faithful again went ballistic when a bone-crunching tackle from Rapinha on Morey only received a yellow card.
After the break Mallorca’s mission was clear, given their numerical disadvantage. Stop Lamine Yamal and Barcelona from scoring a third. It almost worked and Mallorca must take great credit for their backs-to-the-wall defending in the second half. OK, Barcelona took their foot off the gas, but with time running out Lamine scored one of his trademark goals, cutting in from the right then unleashing a powerful left-foot volley past our man of the match, goalkeeper Leo Roman.
In the end, Barcelona ran out comfortable winners, but they didn’t need any help from Mallorca because the match was conditioned by a hopeless referee who cost Mallorca a goal and a red card, both of these being very harsh. This was Mallorca’s first defeat on match-day one in ten seasons. Next up, Celta Vigo come to Son Moix at 5pm next Saturday when it should be well “scorchio.”
Last Saturday at the City of Palma cup match, drinks outlets were selling 50cl bottles of water on a 2 for 1 deal at 3 euros. This Saturday two bottles of the same water were 6 euros. In the intense heat these bottles of water could have been life savers and should have been given away without charge. It’s amazing the mark-up in prices when Barcelona come to town!