Barcelona edged Mallorca 1-0 at home on Tuesday night, thanks to a lightning-fast goal from Dani Olmo right after halftime, stretching their lead at the top of LaLiga to seven points ahead of Real Madrid, with five matches remaining.
Despite resting several regulars in anticipation of Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against fierce rivals Madrid, Hansi Flick’s men maintained control for most of the game.
Mallorca’s goalkeeper Leo Roman was outstanding throughout, keeping the hosts at bay with a string of excellent saves.
Olmo eventually broke the deadlock in the 46th minute, displaying great composure and finesse. Surrounded in a crowded box, he wriggled free and drilled a left-footed shot into the bottom corner before any defender could intervene.
With the victory, Barça moved up to 76 points, while Madrid, who are set to face Getafe on Wednesday, trail by seven but with a game in hand.
Mallorca, meanwhile, remain in contention for European football, sitting seventh on 44 points.
“Their goalkeeper had a great game,” said Barcelona’s Gavi in a post-match interview with Movistar Plus. “We had the chance to take advantage and took it. It’s football. We insisted, worked hard, kept going and the goal finally came.
“We played a great game overall and I’m very happy for the players who stepped up.”
Missing their top scorer Robert Lewandowski due to a leg muscle injury that will also keep him out of both the cup final and next week’s Champions League semifinal first leg against Inter Milan, Barça also left Jules Koundé, Raphinha, Pau Cubarsí, and Frenkie de Jong on the bench.
Nonetheless, the Catalans came out strong, pushing Mallorca back from the outset. Lamine Yamal, the 17-year-old sensation, tormented the visitors’ defense but was denied multiple times by the impressive Roman, who pulled off three brilliant stops to frustrate the winger.
Ferran Torres and Eric García also came close, while Gavi’s long-range strike deflected off the post in the 28th minute. A minute later, Ronald Araújo missed a golden opportunity, sending a close-range shot wide following a corner.
Mallorca had their moments, particularly on the counter. Mateu Morey had a goal chalked off for offside just before the break.
After Olmo’s breakthrough, the visitors nearly equalized in the 55th minute when captain Antonio Raíllo’s header from a free-kick narrowly missed the target.
Next up for treble-chasing Barcelona is the high-stakes Clasico in Seville, followed by a visit to struggling Valladolid. Then comes the LaLiga showdown with Madrid at the Camp Nou on May 11—a clash that could very well decide the fate of the title.
