FC Barcelona had the best possible start to LaLiga 2025/26, repeating the result with which they closed the previous season: 0-3 away, this time against Mallorca. The Azulgrana team, led by Lamine Yamal, won comfortably at Son Moix with a stellar performance from the player from Mataró.
The winger debuted the '10' jersey in La Liga with an assist and a great goal, participating in the two goals that opened and closed the scoring against a Vermilion team that, before the break, had already suffered two expulsions. One of them, caused by the imbalance of the 18-year-old player on the wing.
Lamine: assist and expulsion caused to pave the way for the rout in Mallorca
Lamine did what he wanted with Johan Mojica from the start of the match, easily overflowing on the right. In the 7th minute, a cross from him from the side found Raphinha alone. The Brazilian headed the bounce of the ball on the ground, taking advantage of the fact that the cross had the ideal speed and power to finish.
Then, in the 33rd minute, with Barça already leading 0-2 after a goal scored by Ferran Torres, the player from Rocafonda caused the second yellow card for Manu Morlanes. The defender had already been booked for protesting the 'Shark's' goal and was sent to the dressing room after a hard foul on the '10'.
Yamal left three rivals behind and, when he was about to step into the area, he was knocked down with a hard tackle from Morlanes. The main referee José Luis Munuera had no choice but to show him the second yellow card and, as a result, the red card that definitively tipped the balance in favor of an infinitely superior Barça at Son Moix.
Barça closed the rout with another bombshell from Lamine Yamal
Before the break, Barça slowed down and only Lamine, with a left-footed shot that went slightly high, continued to look for the rival goal. After halftime, the entry of Dani Olmo gave greater mobility to the culé attack, but the team continued with the low gear, an attitude criticized by Hansi Flick at the end of the match.
Time passed and, beyond a couple of notable saves by Leo Román from shots by Olmo and Pedri, along with a ball to the post by the player from Terrassa, there were few clear chances for the culés despite being eleven against nine. Already in added time, Lamine committed a foul on the lateral line on Jan Salas.
The 20-year-old midfielder angrily claimed to the Azulgrana winger and both faced each other, but the scuffle did not go further. However, the rival's reaction did not please the '10' at all and, in the next action, just before the end, he responded with one of his classic missiles from outside the area.
Yamal received from Gavi, pulled the diagonal inwards and took a left-footed shot that left Leo Román standing. The goalkeeper understood that, even if he stretched to the maximum, he could not contain such a bombshell. With this, the match ended 0-3, with a great goal and assist for the undisputed best footballer on the planet at this moment.
Flick, annoyed with the team, except Lamine Yamal
In the post-match statements, Hansi Flick, although he criticized the team's downturn after the 0-2 and the two expulsions in the Mallorcan team, warning that his players were at half-machine for the rest of the match, excluded Lamine Yamal from the criticisms.
For the coach, there is no doubt: the '10' must play practically everything, as long as he is physically fit. Keeping him 100% motivated and focused on football will be one of the keys for Barça to aspire to win everything in 2026.
"The important thing is that he (Lamine) plays with this high level. He is special and everyone looks at him. What I see is that he is very motivated. He is always willing to press. Everyone sees that he is exceptional", Flick pointed out.
In the 24/25 season, Yamal made 13 assists (leader of the tournament) and 9 goals in La Liga. Will he be able to surpass his records from the previous year? The average points to an offensive production at the level of Leo Messi's best years. In the pre-season, the winger scored 4 goals and 1 assist in 4 friendlies. Simply, the '10' is flying and there is no one who can stop him.