Raphinha Scores 2 and Barcelona Ends Spanish League Slump

Barcelona's Brazilian forward #11 Raphinha kicks the ball during the Spanish league football match between RCD Mallorca and FC Barcelona at the Mallorca Son Moix stadium in Palma de Mallorca on December 3, 2024. (Photo by JAIME REINA / AFP)

Barcelona got back to winning in the Spanish league in style, routing Mallorca 5-1 on Tuesday with a pair of goals by Raphinha.
Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor also scored for Barcelona, which hadn't won in three consecutive league games to allow Real Madrid to inch closer at the top of the standings. Madrid is now four points back although it has two games in hand, The Associated Press reported.
Torres, who got to start in place of league-leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Mallorca defenders failed to clear an easy ball from inside the area. One defender tried to kick it away but it ended ricocheting off a teammate to give Ferran an easy shot on goal.
The hosts equalized with Vedat Muriqi in a breakaway just before halftime in what was Mallorca's only shot on target, but Raphinha put Barcelona back in front by converting a 56th-minute penalty kick. He added to the lead in the 74th after a nice assist by Lamine Yamal.
Raphinha now has 11 goals in 16 league games this season.
“This is probably my best moment, but I want to do more,” Raphinha said. “We knew it was important to win again after three matches in which something was lacking. It wasn't our best match, but it was important to win.”
Yamal also helped set up De Jong's goal five minutes later, not long after the midfielder had come off the bench. It was De Jong who then assisted Víctor's goal in the 84th.
Barcelona has scored five or more goals in a match for the sixth time this season across all competitions. It has outscored opponents 48-17 in the league alone.
Barcelona had lost twice in its last three league matches — 2-1 to Las Palmas at home on Saturday and 1-0 at Real Sociedad three rounds ago. Its other setback was a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo when it was winning 2-0 until late in the match.
The game against Mallorca was moved forward in the schedule because both clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, the other two clubs in the Super Cup, will meet on Wednesday in Bilbao.
Barcelona, which beat Brest in the Champions League last week, will visit Real Betis in its next league match on Saturday. Mallorca, sitting in sixth place in the Spanish league, faces Celta on Friday. Mallorca was coming off two straight league victories — against Valencia and at Las Palmas.