Barcelona commenced their La Liga title defense emphatically with a commanding 3-0 victory against Mallorca on Saturday, capitalizing on the hosts' two first-half dismissals at a sweltering Son Moix.
In oppressive 35-degree heat, the visitors struck early as Raphinha soared to head home Lamine Yamal's pinpoint cross just seven minutes into the match. The breakthrough immediately settled the reigning champions despite the challenging conditions.
Controversy ignited shortly after when Ferran Torres doubled Barcelona's lead. The forward pounced on a rebound while Mallorca defenders protested, arguing play should have halted after Antonio Raillo remained grounded following a block. The goal stood despite vehement appeals from the hosts.
Mallorca's resistance crumbled further when Manu Morlanes received his second yellow card after 33 minutes. Ten became nine minutes later as Vedat Muriqi saw his initial booking upgraded to red via VAR for a dangerous high challenge on Joan Garcia.
With numerical supremacy, Barcelona managed the second half conservatively. Yamal remained a persistent threat, testing Mallorca's resolve with multiple attempts before finally sealing the result with a clinical finish deep into stoppage time, completing a comprehensive opening victory for Hansi Flick's squad.
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