Barcelona opened up their La Liga title defence with a routine 3-0 win away at 10-man Mallorca in their first game of 2025/26.
Player ratings
Joan Garcia – 7
The new No.1 was largely untroubled on his La Liga debut for Barcelona. Easily saved from Vedat Muriqi early on and looked steady.
Eric Garcia – 7
Was surprisingly picked to start ahead of Jules Kounde and was effectively free to bomb forward and help Lamine Yamal as Osasuna went down to nine players.
Ronald Araujo – 6
A few early nerves up against Muriqi, but he cannot really be judged on this game, as he was free to roam in the second half.
Pau Cubarsi – 7
Cubarsi looked as assured as we’ve come to expect and despite the chaos unfolding around him, he looked unfazed.
Alejandro Balde – 6
Much like the rest of the back four, a straightforward evening for the Spain international, and Manu Morlanes red card allowed for an even easier evening.
Pedri – 7
Kept his cool throughout and remain the hub of this Barcelona team under Hansi Flick.Frenkie de Jong – 7
Showed experience in a chaotic first half, and was regularly speaking to those around him to avoid Barcelona players being dragged into arguments, a solid all-round showing.
Lamine Yamal – 9
Right at the heart of the first half madness with a brilliant assist to set up Raphinha. Morlanes’ second yellow came as a result of being terrorised by Barcelona’s new No.10 and he looks sharp for the campaign ahead.
A final flourish makes his Barcelona’s MOTM – just at the point where it looked like a deserved goal would not come he lit up the night.
Fermin Lopez – 7
Not as potent in front of goal as he has been in preseason, but offered a consistent link from midfield into Ferran Torres, worth his start.
Raphinha – 8
Showed the ability to get in behind his marker yet again – as he did vs Como – and took his goal with trademark ruthlessness at the back post.
Ferran Torres – 8
Ferran or Rashford was the main pregame call for Flick and he went for the former’s experience. A goal shrouded in controversy, and probably triggered Mallorca’s collapse in discipline, but he smashed home superbly when the chance came his way.
