Hot notes

First helping of meat after a suspected fainting spell: the hot takes on Mallorca vs. Barça

Comfortable victory for Barça in a match marked by refereeing controversy

Munuera Montero talking with Antonio Raíllo, lying on the grass.
2 min

BarcelonaComfortable victory for Barça in the first League match. The Blaugranas had enough with a good start to beat Mallorca in a match marked by a controversial goal and two home side red cards (0-3). Here are some quick notes.

Gasoline that does not need to be supplied. Barça had already taken the lead when Raíllo, a Liga veteran, fell stunned after parrying a powerful shot from Lamine Yamal. His teammates called for play to be stopped, and the referee put his whistle to his mouth, but didn't blow it. Ferran Torres, focused on continuing the play, picked up the ball and sent it into the net, where Leo Román didn't even stretch. 0-2 and controversy ensued. While the Mallorcan players complained of a lack of sportsmanship, the Barcelona players hid behind the fact that Munuera hadn't stopped the game, which he should have done, following the rules regarding blows to the head (although it's true that Raíllo quickly got up to protest). Be that as it may, however, such a superior Barça doesn't need to find itself in the middle of the carrion that Madrid so enjoys.

Tears against successes. Dismayed by this unfortunate outcome—neither the referee nor the VAR could disallow a goal that came with the ball in play—Mallorca finally lost its chances in two (this time) well-resolved incidents by the refereeing team. Nothing to say about the first expulsion, that of Morlanes, who was booked for a prior protest and deserved the second for catching Lamine Yamal at goal. And equally fair was the straight red card for Muriqi, who nearly sent Joan Garcia to the hospital with a flying kick. Son Moix channeled his anger with tears and unedifying shouts that seemed exaggerated for the first matchday of La Liga.

The best, the first three points. Controversies aside, the match didn't have much more to it. Few interpretations can be made in mid-August, with preseason still fresh in the minds of the league and half of La Liga struggling financially to register new signings. From Barça's visit to Mallorca, we can see a general sense of continuity, with special attention to a high press that will provide plenty of joy, and logical progress from Lamine Yamal, who, with the number 10 on his shoulders, will only expand his repertoire of mischief. He gifted Raphinha a 1-0 lead with a cross that Messi would have scored, made his debut with a free kick, and scored a stunning goal to react to his opponents' provocations. It's almost half Barça, but we knew that.

Textile inconsistencies. Two interesting facts about the kit Barça wore in Palma deserve special mention. To start with, the Blaugranas had to compete at Son Moix wearing last season's third kit. It's a shame that none of the three brand-new jerseys Nike has designed for the current season would fit. But even stranger was seeing Flick's team wearing a sweatshirt before the match. In the tunnel outside the locker room, Lamine Yamal waited until the end to put it on, while Raphinha did so without zipping it up. In the midst of a heat wave, perhaps there was no need to complicate matters further.

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