Barcelona have a bit of history to make Barcelona officially start their La Liga title defense on Saturday, traveling to Mallorca for the season opener. The match represents a significant moment for the squad as they look to continue their momentum gained from last year’s run to the semifinals. The club’s treble victory last season was the culmination of a nearly unchallenged run through La Liga and a Champions League to remember. They’re resolute on maintaining that momentum.
The squad faces some challenges. Veteran goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen will miss out after undergoing surgery for lower back issues. Further compounding Ramos’s absence, star striker Robert Lewandowski is expected to miss the start of the season with a muscle injury. Even with those disappointments, Barcelona – strengthened through the arrival of Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United – look better placed.
Previous Encounters with Mallorca
Additionally, Barcelona has an excellent historical record against Mallorca, winning 14 of their last 15 matches in all competitions. In their last encounter, last April, they won a close 1-0 match at home. It was Dani Olmo’s brilliant strike that proved the critical winner to send them to victory. In their division playable last period, Barcelona controlled, taking place to a prime 5-1 victory with Raphinha racking up two times.
As they prepare for the upcoming match, the players are aware of the importance of maintaining their winning form against Mallorca. Hansi Flick, the Mannschaft’s head coach, played down star power and explained the requirement to deliver the same performance regularly.
“We are working hard to face this new season. Winning three titles last year is not the end – it’s a continuation. We will give everything this year.” – Hansi Flick
Squad Updates and Expectations
Araujo, Balde, de Jong, Pedri, Olmo, Lamine Yamal, Torres, and Raphinha complete this team filled with promise! One of those is Mateo Joseph, a Spain Under-21 international who came on loan from Leeds United.
Marcus Rashford’s debut for FC Barcelona on August 10th, 2025. He made his debut off the bench in a friendly against Como. His inclusion on the roster is hoped to add depth and creativity in attack.
National team coach Hansi Flick has been similarly optimistic about Lamine Yamal’s development too.
“Lamine Yamal still has room to improve. I like what I’m seeing. He’s training very well, with and without the ball, defending and pressing.” – Hansi Flick
Looking Ahead
With FC Barcelona’s league match against RCD Mallorca now just a few hours away, the attention shifts to getting back on top of La Liga. They scored well over 100 goals last year in just league play and they’ll want to bring that kind of offensive firepower back to your screens. There’s no doubt that with the correct balance of veterans and newcomers, Barcelona are poised to compete for silverware again.
The match against Mallorca will be a good test to know if they are prepared to face the tough season ahead. First the players, then the fans can hardly wait to see how the team continually mixes things up. They will face an uphill battle early in the campaign without ter Stegen and Lewandowski.
