Yamal and Bernal Shine in Victory as Champions Go Clear of Real Madrid
Barcelona extended their lead at the top of La Liga with a workmanlike 2-0 victory over a stubborn Mallorca on Saturday, with second-half strikes from teenagers Lamine Yamal and Marc Bernal securing the points at a partially reopened Camp Nou.
The win, coming before title rivals Real Madrid face Valencia on Sunday, was built on patience after a frustrating first half. “We knew Mallorca are a hard team to score against, and that’s how it was,” Barca midfielder Marc Casado told Movistar. “In the second half they were more tired, and we were able to find the gaps.”
The visitors threatened early, with Vedat Muriqi hitting the side netting, but Barcelona grew into the game. Marcus Rashford, injecting urgency from the left, curled just wide and later forced a save that led to the opener. The rebound from his blocked shot fell to Dani Olmo, who teed up Robert Lewandowski for a simple close-range finish in the 29th minute.
Despite chances to extend the lead before the break—including a Rashford free-kick tipped onto the bar—the decisive second goal arrived from 18-year-old Lamine Yamal. Collecting the ball outside the box early in the second half, the winger unleashed a superb strike that gave goalkeeper Leo Roman no chance, marking his fourth goal in as many games.
Barcelona controlled the remainder of the match, with Casado hitting the crossbar and goalkeeper Joan García making a key save to preserve the clean sheet. The victory was sealed by another teenager, 18-year-old midfielder Marc Bernal, who came off the bench to score his first goal for the club. Showing admirable composure, he broke behind the defense, created space, and finished with a deflected shot.
The moment held extra significance for Bernal, who suffered a severe knee injury in August 2024 that sidelined him for nearly a year. “It’s a great joy for him,” said a smiling Casado. “When a player has such a bad injury, we all feel it… I’m very happy for him.”
The football elsewhere was overshadowed by weather and pitch concerns. La Liga postponed Rayo Vallecano’s match against Real Oviedo due to the poor condition of the Vallecas stadium pitch and later moved Sevilla’s home game against Girona to Sunday because of adverse weather.
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