Raphinha double guides Barcelona to 5-1 win at Mallorca

Barcelona captain Raphinha scored two goals as the team secured a much-needed 5-1 victory at Mallorca on Tuesday, marking their first LaLiga win in a month. The visitors dominated the second half, scoring four times.

Manager Hansi Flick opted to rest Robert Lewandowski, the league's top scorer, who had started all 20 matches this season. Lamine Yamal returned to the starting lineup after nearly a month out due to an ankle injury.

Without Yamal, Barcelona had struggled, earning just one point from their last three matches. However, with the 17-year-old back on the field, the team regained their offensive momentum.
Barcelona now leads the league standings with 37 points, four ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, who have two games in hand, while Atletico sits third at 32 points.

The match began with an early goal from Ferran Torres in the 12th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error from Mallorca. Johan Mojica misplayed a clearance, allowing Torres to slot the ball home under the goalkeeper.
Despite creating some opportunities in a lackluster first half, Barcelona conceded an equalizer just before halftime when Mallorca striker Vedat Muriqi scored on a swift counterattack.

The second half saw Barcelona come out strong, with Raphinha regaining the lead from the penalty spot in the 56th minute after Yamal was fouled in the box. Raphinha then tapped in a cross from Yamal in the 74th minute to extend the lead. Late goals from substitutes Frenkie De Jong and Pau Victor completed the scoring for an easy victory.

"We knew how important it was to get back to winning ways," Raphinha said to Movistar Plus. "Something has been missing in our last three games. Today, we played well—though it wasn't our best performance—winning was what mattered most. I'm currently at my best professionally, but I want to achieve even more for this club, which means a lot to me. I'll give everything on the pitch to keep our momentum going."