So last night I decided to relive Barcelona’s match against Mallorca from start to finish. Grabbed my notebook like always when I watch tactical stuff. Booted up the match replay on my laptop – full 90 minutes ahead.
The first half
Hit play and immediately focused on how Barca lined up. Saw Lewandowski dropping deep right from kickoff. Noticed Mallorca’s defence sitting so deep they were practically in the stands. Annoying bus parking! Watched Gundogan trying threaded passes through that wall – no dice.
Then around 25th minute, saw Fermín López make that smart run into space. Held my breath watching Lamine Yamal’s cross connect perfectly. Boom! Fermín’s header bounced off the post. Almost spilled my coffee right there.
Halftime adjustments
Noticed Xavi making tactical changes during break. Saw how he pushed Yamal wider and moved Cancelo forward. Immediately saw difference – more crossing options opening up.
The turning point
When Raphinha got subbed in at 59th minute, felt energy shift. Remember pointing at screen when he intercepted that lazy Mallorca pass. Watched him sprint towards box then SQUARE PASS PERFECTION. There’s Lewandowski sliding in – GOAL! Scratched big circle in my notebook for that combo.
Final 15 minutes got tense though. Saw Ter Stegen pull off two ridiculous saves – especially that point-blank reflex stop around 78th minute. Almost threw my notebook in relief when final whistle blew.
Key takeaways:
- Patience paid off – took 73 minutes to crack their defence
- Subs won it – Raphinha changed the game instantly
- Ter Stegen still elite – those late saves were clutch
Rewound Yamal’s assist like five times. Kid’s vision is unreal for 16. Shame Fermín didn’t finish that early header though – post still owes us one. Whole replay took almost three hours with all my rewinds and note-taking. Worth every minute.