Barcelona Kicks Off La Liga Title Defense at Mallorca
Barcelona’s La Liga campaign for 2025/26 is officially underway, and the first test comes away from home against RCD Mallorca this Saturday at the Estadi Son Moix, with kick-off scheduled for 7:30 pm CEST. The Catalan giants are looking to continue the dominance they showed last season under Hansi Flick, who guided them to a remarkable treble, claiming La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup, while also reaching the Champions League semifinals for the first time since 2019.
The Mallorca fixture is expected to be a stern but manageable test. The Balearic side, managed by Jagoba Arrasate, finished a respectable tenth in La Liga last season, just four points shy of European qualification. Historically, Mallorca have proven to be tough at home, but Barcelona’s record on the island is formidable. The team hasn’t lost at Son Moix since 2009, and in their last 15 meetings across all competitions, the blaugranes have claimed victory in 14 of them.
Barcelona will have a slightly altered squad for this opener. Veteran goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is absent due to back surgery, while star striker Robert Lewandowski will miss the early part of the season because of a muscle injury. Marcus Rashford’s registration, completed just before the match, allows him to join Barcelona on loan from Manchester United, providing a fresh attacking option alongside Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski when fit, Ferran Torres, and Raphinha. Rashford, seeking to reignite his career after falling down the pecking order at Old Trafford, could play a pivotal role if selected.
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Several departures have also reshaped the squad. Defender Inigo MartÃnez has moved to Al-Nassr in Saudi Arabia, and Ansu Fati has gone on loan to Monaco after limited appearances last season. Meanwhile, the midfield and defensive lines will feature a mix of youth and experience, including Pau CubarsÃ, Alejandro Balde, Ronald Araujo, Andreas Christensen, Jules Kounde, Eric GarcÃa, Pedri, Gavi, FermÃn López, Dani Olmo, and Frenkie de Jong. Young prospects like Marc Casadó and Joan GarcÃa are expected to add depth.
For Mallorca, key players like Pablo Maffeo will be unavailable due to injury, and Omar Mascarell faces a suspension carried over from last season. The team will field Pablo Torre against his former club, supported by Mateo Joseph, a recent loan signing from Leeds United. Mallorca will hope to use home advantage and the unpredictability of a season opener to challenge the defending champions.
Last season’s encounters highlight Barcelona’s superiority. In their last La Liga match against Mallorca, Dani Olmo’s goal secured a narrow 1-0 victory, while a previous meeting ended in a convincing 5-1 win with Raphinha scoring twice. Hansi Flick has expressed that while last season’s success is celebrated, the squad must continue to improve, particularly with promising talents like Lamine Yamal still developing.
As kickoff approaches, all eyes will be on how Barcelona’s new and returning players combine, whether Rashford can make an immediate impact, and if Mallorca can defy history and claim an upset on home soil. The La Liga title defense begins with promise, challenge, and plenty of excitement for fans across the globe.
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