Barcelona claimed a commanding four-point cushion at the summit of LaLiga as Raphinha’s second-half double secured a stunning 5-1 triumph over RCD Mallorca – marking their first victory in four domestic games for the Blaugrana.
After suffering an unexpected home loss to UD Las Palmas on Saturday, Barcelona understood a strong reaction was vital against a high-flying Mallorca outfit. Hansi Flick’s players appeared resolute in the opening exchanges, and their early pressure was rewarded in the 12th minute when Ferran Torres capitalized on a defensive blunder to slot an effort past Leo Román for his second strike of the season.
Energized by the breakthrough, Barcelona continued to assert their dominance in the game, with Torres seeing another attempt denied by Román and Lamine Yamal firing erratically wide from a promising position in the penalty area. Despite the visitors’ control, Mallorca posed a threat on the counter, and Jagoba Arrasate’s men leveled the score just before the interval when Pablo Maffeo selflessly squared the ball for Vedat Muriqi to tap into the net from close range.
Barcelona began the second half at full throttle, and after Torres and Raphinha both narrowly missed restoring their advantage, the visitors were awarded a penalty when Johan Mojica brought down Yamal in the box. Raphinha stepped up confidently and drilled the ball into the bottom corner for his 15th goal of the season across all competitions.
The Brazilian continued leading Barcelona’s offensive charge as the game moved into the final half-hour, and a well-deserved third goal soon followed, with Raphinha finishing off Yamal’s brilliant trivela cross. Riding a wave of momentum, Flick’s side further embellished the scoreline with two late strikes. First, Frenkie de Jong was perfectly positioned to hammer home a loose ball, before the Dutchman provided the assist for Pau Victor’s straightforward finish, ensuring Barcelona extended their impressive H2H streak to 17 matches unbeaten (W15, D2).