Saturday, August 16
Venue: Estadi Mallorca Son Moix
Occasion: La Liga 2025/26 – Matchday 1
The 2025/26 La Liga campaign gets underway with an electrifying showdown as Real Mallorca host reigning champions FC Barcelona. It’s a classic David vs. Goliath encounter, but don’t expect Mallorca to lie down quietly—especially with the home crowd backing them to turn Son Moix into a cauldron.
📰 Team News
Barcelona
- The Catalans come in with a few notable absences:
- Robert Lewandowski is ruled out due to injury.
- Marc-André ter Stegen remains sidelined long-term.
- New signing Marcus Rashford may not feature due to registration delays.
- Predicted Starting XI (4-2-3-1):
- GK: Joan García or Iñaki Peña
- DEF: Koundé, Araujo, Cubarsí, Balde
- MID: De Jong, Pedri
- ATT: Lamine Yamal, Fermín López, Raphinha
- ST: Ferran Torres
With their typical possession-heavy style, Barcelona will rely on youth and technical brilliance to make up for the absence of a traditional striker.
Mallorca
- The hosts are relatively injury-free and fully motivated.
- All eyes will be on Pablo Torre, who faces his former club and is eager to prove a point.
- Goalkeeper Leo Román has called for fans to make the stadium an “inferno” for the champions.
Mallorca are expected to play compact, disciplined football, aiming to frustrate Barça and strike on the counter or from set pieces.
🔍 Tactical Insight
Barcelona will look to dominate possession and play through midfield maestros like De Jong and Pedri, with young stars Lamine Yamal and Fermín López providing the creative spark up front.
Mallorca’s strategy? Defend deep, stay organized, and exploit transitions. With a defensively drilled setup under manager Jagoba Arrasate, they’ll aim to contain the Blaugrana and pounce on mistakes.
📊 Prediction
Barcelona’s quality—even with key absences—should be enough to control proceedings. Mallorca may be resilient, but the champions will likely prove too strong in the end.
Predicted Score: Mallorca 0–3 Barcelona
Expect Ferran Torres to find the net and a dominant midfield performance from the visitors as they begin their title defense with confidence.
