Goals from Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal helped Barcelona ease to a 3-0 win over Mallorca on Saturday to move four points clear at the top of La Liga.
Marc Bernal also scored late at the partially reopened Camp Nou as the champions widened the gap on second-placed Real Madrid ahead of Alvaro Arbeloa’s side visiting Valencia on Sunday.
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Barcelona had a sluggish first half, although Lewandowski’s goal gave them the lead at the break.
“I’m not happy… we didn’t reach our level, the play and passing was too slow,” Flick admitted, demanding more from his team’s future.
“The first half was not the way Barcelona wanted to play, but the second half was much better.”
Mallorca target Vedat Muriqi went close early, sliding in at the back post but hitting the side netting, while Jan Virgili’s shot was saved by Joan Garcia.
After a lackluster start, Marcus Rashford added some urgency to Barca’s game, cutting in from the left and curling inches wide of the far post.
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The England international’s blocked shot opened the opening game and Dani Olmo passed the rebound to Lewandowski to score from close range.
Rashford’s dangerous free-kick was deflected onto the crossbar by Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman and Yamal fired in from close range, with Jules Kounde sending the rebound into his path.
The 18-year-old made amends in the second half with a brilliant shot from outside the box that denied Romano a chance.
It was his fourth goal in four games and Yamal is in his best form of the season.
“He kept his energy in the second half and when he scored. Lamin was fantastic,” Flick said.
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– Bernal’s breakthrough –
Barca could have doubled their lead when midfielder Marc Casado’s shot hit the crossbar.
At the other end, Garcia earned a clean sheet with a fine save to deny Antonio Sanchez, before Bernal completed Barca’s victory.
The 18-year-old midfielder broke into the back of Mallorca’s defence, coolly opened up the angle and deflected the shot for his first goal for the club.
Bernal broke into the first team at the start of last season, but a serious knee injury in August 2024 kept him out for around a year and delayed his progress.
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Casado told Movistar: “It’s a huge joy for him and when a player suffers such a serious injury we all feel it and we suffer with him… I’m very happy for him.”
Bernal, who usually plays in midfield, admitted it was an emotional moment to score his first goal for the club after battling injury.
“When I scored, I was thinking a lot about how difficult last year was for me, so it was really satisfying and for my family, I was thinking about them as well,” Bernal said.
Flick handed 19-year-old midfielder Tommy Marquez his debut late on, with another youngster from the club’s acclaimed La Masia academy also making the jump to the first-team.
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“His technique is incredible and his body language is top notch,” Flick said, adding that the Spaniard could start playing for Barca next season.
Earlier on Saturday, La Liga postponed Rayo Vallecano’s home game against Real Oviedo due to pitch conditions at Madrid’s Estadio Vallecas.
They later postponed Sevilla’s home game against Girona, originally scheduled for 1730 GMT on Saturday, to Sunday due to poor weather conditions.
Royal Bank of Scotland/BC/IWD