Barcelona eager to end three-game winless run in midweek clash.
[introduction]
RCD Mallorca vs. FC Barcelona kicks off at 18:00 [GMT] on Tuesday, December 3, at Estadi Mallorca Son Moix.
[home]
Mallorca secured back-to-back league wins [DLLWW] with a 2-1 victory over Valencia last Friday. Jagoba Arrasate’s men fell behind after conceding a penalty in the 32nd minute but drew level through a composed finish from Cyle Larin in first-half stoppage time [45+3’]. Abdón Prats replaced Larin in the 79th minute and scored the winner [81’] with a header just two minutes after coming on, securing the crucial victory for Los Piratas. ‘I am particularly excited; it is a team victory,’ an elated Arrasate said after the win, which moved his team to sixth place with 24 points [7W, 3D, 5L]. ‘We have to keep going because we have another game on Tuesday,’ he added, turning attention to their midweek clash against league leaders Barcelona. While the Pirates aim to extend their winning streak to three, they face a daunting challenge, having failed to win any of their last 16 league matches against Barcelona [0W, 2D, 14L]. However, they will look to draw inspiration from their fine form at home, with three wins in their last five home games [3W, 1D, 1L]. A 4—4—2 could be seen, with Larin and Dani Rodríguez in attack.
[away]
Barcelona are now without a win in three matches [WWLDL] following a disappointing 2-1 home defeat to Las Palmas on Saturday. Raphinha’s 61st-minute equaliser was soon forgotten as Barcelona, having initially fallen behind to a goal from former player Sandro Ramírez [49′], conceded again in the 67th minute. ‘Players alone can’t win games; it’s always about the team,’ Hansi Flick said after the loss, emphasising the importance of teamwork. ‘We need to have good connections in defence and in attack, and today we didn’t have them,’ he added. Despite the loss, Barça maintained their position at the summit with 34 points from 15 games [11W, 1D, 3L]. However, their initial four-point lead over second-placed Real Madrid, who have a game in hand, was reduced to one. Barcelona will now look to bounce back to winning ways when they make the trip to Mallorca, a place they have found much success in recent times. The Culers have won in seven of their last eight visits to Mallorca [7W, 1D, 0L] and will look to do so once again this Tuesday. Lamine Yamal is likely to return to the starting lineup against Mallorca after making a comeback off the bench on Saturday. The 17-year-old is expected to start in Flick’s 4—3—3, alongside Raphinha and La Liga’s top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, who has 15 goals, in attack.
