Barcelona secured a tough win over Mallorca to remain steady at the top of the La Liga table, strengthening their position in this season’s thrilling title race.
The vital three points not only helped them keep their lead but reiterated the championship mentality required to fend off their nearest challengers as the season heads into its winding stages.
Here are the 5 things we learned:
1. Wasteful Finishing Must Improve
With all the ball, Barcelona had plenty of chances to score, but no clinical finishing.
It was as though Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati had butter on their boots when it came to putting the chances away.
But against better teams, it won’t come back to haunt us, but against a stronger offensive side, it will.
The finishing must improve, and trying to be too clever when trying to finish must be eliminated, too.
Having an important El Clásico and Champions League semi-final coming up and pinpointing finishing is a must if we are to advance and have a chance to win.
2. Lamine Yamal is Clinical
The boss has never been so happy with, and what Barcelona fan wouldn’t be, the 18-year-old sensation, who made Barcelona one of the best performers on the pitch.
He always looked dangerous against Mallorca’s back line.
His confidence rises week after week, the way he dribbles and just creates things, it’s like he is inevitable.
3. Defensive Vulnerability Returns
While Barcelona held the game in the palm of their hand, Mallorca made them pay for a couple of defensive mistakes, particularly in the offside trap and defending set pieces.
The visitors found themselves in dangerous situations.
Teams that are elite will finish those chances.
The backline needs to be more organized and focused to eliminate windy errors that can turn into grave mistakes in the critical moments of the contest.
4. Squad Rotation Worked – But Depth Will Be Their Undoing
Hansi Flick made multiple rotations to rest key players, and the team was able to control the quality, to a point.
Players like Ansu Fati and Héctor Fort showed glimpses but were somewhat disconnected about sharpness.
With a density of games, Barcelona’s lack of depth is potentially problematic and could cause issues if injuries occur.
The club needs to manage players’ minutes well to keep the more significant players fresh for the more important games.
5. Pedri masterclass
The ball is at the mercy of Pedri – crisp passes that can slice through defenses like a hot knife through butter, effortless dribbles that make defenders look like they are grasping at gossamer.
His movements are subtle, dazzling, and devastating, with each touch immaculate.
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