Mallorca vs Barcelona 14/06/20

14 June 2020

La Liga (LL) is set to get back underway this weekend, as league-toppers Barcelona head to the Estadio de Son Moix to take on relegation-threatened Mallorca.

The hosts had endured mixed fortunes in the last five top-flight matches before the coronavirus pandemic halted proceedings in Spain (W2, D1, L2), as they trail 17th-placed Celta Vigo by a single point ahead of the kick-off. Not particularly an exciting team to watch, all of Mallorca’s last six LL fixtures have ended separating the sides by under 1.5 goals, with four of them yielding the identical 1-0 scoreline. The ‘clean-sheet theme’ could be on the cards here, given that eight of Mallorca’s 12 LL home results (win/loss) have seen the winner on the day keep a blank sheet. But, it will be a daunting prospect for Los Bermellones to pick up three points, considering that they’ve not only managed to beat Barcelona only once in their 12 previous top-flight home H2Hs (D1, L10), but they’ve also failed to find the net in three of the last four such clashes.

Meanwhile, the visitors went to the coronavirus break sitting two points clear of arch-rivals Real Madrid after picking up five triumphs in six league fixtures before the pandemic gripped football (L1). However, the reigning title holders have won just once in their last five LL road trips (D2, L2), conceding precisely two goals per match on four of those occasions. Far more comfortable on home turf, the Catalan giants have managed just 18 of their total 63 LL goals scored so far on the road (28.57%). Furthermore, only six of those 18 goals have come before the halftime break, and it’s not strange that Quique Setien’s men shipped the opening goal in nine of 13 LL away matches.