Barcelona Makes Controversial Calls To Win The La Liga 2025 Opener

Barcelona began their 2025-26 La Liga season with a 3-0 away win at Mallorca at the Estadi Son Moix, but ruined by a spate of controversial refereeing. Home supporters exploded when VAR refused to look at Lamine Yamal when he was taking part in the second goal in the 7th minute build up, which it would appear he kept the ball in play despite it crossing the line before his head utilization on the goal.

What actually happened?

The latter objective was the cause of even more raging. In the 23rd minute, a long range strike by Yamal hit the head of Mallorca captain Antonio Raillos that made him to fall and stop it, and it was called off. The referee against apparent protest, kept the play going on and Ferran Torres who received the ball, put it into the goal, Efforts of the Mallorca players to stop the play led to furious protests. A later call by Barcelona coach Hansi Flick defended the move pointed out, as it should have been left to the referee to stop play.

First half and already Cards raining

Frustrations turned to outrage as Mallorca were down to nine men in the first half. In the 33rd minute, Manu Morlanes earned a second yellow card after committing a foul to Yamal and it was only six minutes later when Vedat Muriqi was sent off with a straight red after beating Barcelona debutant goalkeeper Joan Garcia high foot, a challenge and was reviewed by VAR.

Goalkeeper Joan Garcia despite the violent challenge and pre match warm up injury, proved to be resilient. He was able to maintain a clean sheet, and would subsequently downplay the seriousness of the situation, recognizing the ridiculousness of being two men up that early, but all in all he was happy with the win.

Second half 

Barcelona cruised to the second half with the game more or less in control. Yamal, Barcelona new No. 10 completed a great individual performance with a great curling shot in stoppage time to seal the 3-0 result, and to claim to be the best player of the game. Although the result on the scoreboard was highly impressive, Flick confessed he was still very critical of the level of intensity in his players even down a man after Mallorca, especially, as he continued to urge on his players that they should tighten up, improvement is yet to come.

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