Yamal and Raphinha Shine as Barcelona Thrash 9-Man Mallorca 3-0

In a dominant display, Barcelona kicked off their La Liga title defense with a convincing 3-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday. The visitors took control of the match early, and two red cards for Mallorca sealed the fate of the home team.

Barcelona’s Lamine Yamal and Raphinha combined beautifully to score the opening goal in just the 7th minute. Yamal’s precise cross found Raphinha, who headed the ball into the net. The duo’s chemistry was on full display, and it set the tone for the rest of the match.

Mallorca’s Manu Morlanes was sent off in the 33rd minute after receiving a second yellow card for a challenge on Yamal. Just six minutes later, Mallorca’s Vedat Muriqi was also given his marching orders for a reckless challenge on Barcelona’s goalkeeper Joan Garcia. Muriqi’s studs made contact with Garcia’s cheek, and the referee had no choice but to send him off.

After going down to nine men, Mallorca struggled to cope with Barcelona’s attacking prowess. Ferran Torres scored the second goal in the 23rd minute, and Yamal sealed the win with a stunning curling shot in injury time.

Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick introduced Marcus Rashford in the second half, and the English striker made an instant impact. Although he didn’t score, his presence added a new dimension to Barcelona’s attack.

The opening round of La Liga saw some exciting matches, including Rayo Vallecano’s 3-1 win over 10-man Girona. Real Oviedo, who returned to the top flight after a 24-year absence, suffered a 2-0 defeat at Villarreal.

The La Liga schedule is heating up, with big matches coming up this weekend. Atletico Madrid will take on Sevilla on Sunday, while Real Madrid will play Osasuna on Tuesday to close out the opening round. Will Barcelona continue their winning streak, or will other teams challenge their dominance? Only time will tell.