Barcelona kept their title hopes alive with a narrow 1-0 win over Mallorca at the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys on Friday night. The only goal of the game came from 16-year-old sensation Lamine Yamal, who curled in a stunning shot from the edge of the box in the 73rd minute.
Yamal saves the day for Barcelona
Barcelona were looking for their sixth consecutive league win to close the gap with leaders Real Madrid, who are five points ahead with a game in hand. However, they faced a resilient Mallorca side that defended well and created some chances on the break.
The hosts dominated possession and territory, but struggled to find a way through Mallorca’s compact defence. They had a penalty appeal turned down by VAR in the 66th minute, when Raphinha went down under a challenge from Manu Morlanes.
It looked like Barcelona were heading for a frustrating draw, until Yamal produced a moment of magic. The young winger, who has been a revelation this season, received the ball from Robert Lewandowski on the right flank and cut inside. He then unleashed a curling shot that flew past the diving Rajkovic and into the top corner.
It was Yamal’s sixth goal in all competitions, and his fourth in the league. He has already broken several records for his age, such as the youngest player to debut and score in La Liga, the youngest to score for Spain, and the youngest to start in the Champions League.
Mallorca put up a brave fight
Mallorca, who are 15th in the table and eight points above the relegation zone, did not give up easily. They had a few opportunities to score, especially in the first half, when Vedat Muriqi forced a save from Ter Stegen and Samu Costa hit the post.
The visitors also defended with discipline and intensity, frustrating Barcelona’s attackers. They had a couple of chances to equalize in the final minutes, but Abdon Prats and Darder failed to hit the target.
Mallorca’s coach Javier Aguirre praised his players for their performance, and also acknowledged Yamal’s quality. “It was a fair result, we are satisfied. A victory would have been too much for us today. Yamal is a phenomenon, he reminds me of Messi. He has a great future ahead of him,” he said.
Barcelona prepare for Napoli clash
Barcelona’s coach Xavi Hernandez was relieved to get the three points, but admitted that his team did not play well. He also said that his players need to improve for their next game, which is a crucial Champions League last-16 second leg against Napoli on Tuesday.
“We conceded two goals after defensive mistakes and we can’t allow that to happen. It’s a shame, we lost two points because of these mistakes. We have to be more focused and more clinical. We have a very important game against Napoli and we have to be ready for it,” he said.
Barcelona have a 2-1 advantage from the first leg, but Napoli are in good form and have some dangerous players. Xavi said that he expects a tough game, but he is confident that his team can reach the quarter-finals.
“Napoli are a very strong team, they have quality and experience. They will make it difficult for us, but we have to play our game and show our character. We have a slight edge, but we can’t be complacent. We have to go for the win and secure our place in the next round,” he said.
Barcelona are aiming to win their sixth Champions League title, and their first since 2015. They are also hoping to catch up with Real Madrid in the league, and win the Copa del Rey, where they will face Sevilla in the final on April 23.
Category: Sports
Meta Description: Barcelona beat Mallorca 1-0 with a stunning goal from 16-year-old Lamine Yamal, who has been compared to Lionel Messi by the opposition coach.
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