2 red cards, 2 controversial goals: Barcelona begin season with bizarre win vs Mallorca
admin | August 17, 2025 9:22 PM CST
Refereelona chants returned in La Liga after Barcelona played one of the most bizarre opening games in recent memory. Back as defending champions, Barcelona might have expected a celebratory start, but instead found themselves at the centre of fury at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix on Saturday, August 16.
The tension from the home fans was understandable after VAR refused to review the build-up to Raphinha's opening goal in the 7th minute. Lamine Yamal, stationed on the right touchline, appeared to have kept the ball in play after it had already crossed the line, before delivering a chipped pass to Raphinha, who slotted in Barcelona's first goal of the season.
While that incident could be seen as a 50-50 call due to the absence of a definitive camera angle, what followed plunged the game into full-blown controversy.
HEAD INJURY CHAOS
In the 23rd minute, Yamal cut inside and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that struck Mallorca captain Antonio Rallo on the head. Rallo collapsed immediately, clearly in distress. As Mallorca players stopped and appealed for the game to be halted, Ferran Torres pounced on the loose ball outside the box and curled a shot past goalkeeper Le Normand - who himself was glancing anxiously at his stricken captain.
Despite the obvious head injury, the referee allowed play to continue and awarded the goal. Mallorca players surrounded the officials in protest, insisting they had stopped playing because of Rallo's condition. Their pleas were waved away.
After the match, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick defended the decision.
"I always tell my players not to stop until the referee blows the final whistle. It's the referee who has to decide," Flick said.
RED CARD MAYHEM
Tempers boiled over soon after. Midfielder Manu Morlanes, already on a yellow for dissent, was sent off in the 33rd minute following a foul on Yamal. Six minutes later, Mallorca's misery deepened as striker Vedat Muriqi received a straight red card for a high challenge on Joan Garcia - the referee upgrading his initial yellow after a VAR review.
In contrast, a reckless lunge from Raphinha on a Mallorca player went unpunished. Commentators remarked that it could easily have warranted a red card, but VAR opted not to intervene.
YAMAL SEALS THE RESULT
Down to nine men before halftime, Mallorca's hopes of salvaging anything evaporated. Yamal, at the heart of nearly every key moment, capped his night with a late goal in the second half to seal Barcelona's win.
What should have been a celebratory return for the champions instead descended into acrimony - a match destined to be remembered less for Barcelona's football and more for the officiating that fuelled the chants of "Refereelona" once again.
While that incident could be seen as a 50-50 call due to the absence of a definitive camera angle, what followed plunged the game into full-blown controversy.
HEAD INJURY CHAOS
In the 23rd minute, Yamal cut inside and unleashed a powerful left-footed strike that struck Mallorca captain Antonio Rallo on the head. Rallo collapsed immediately, clearly in distress. As Mallorca players stopped and appealed for the game to be halted, Ferran Torres pounced on the loose ball outside the box and curled a shot past goalkeeper Le Normand - who himself was glancing anxiously at his stricken captain.
Despite the obvious head injury, the referee allowed play to continue and awarded the goal. Mallorca players surrounded the officials in protest, insisting they had stopped playing because of Rallo's condition. Their pleas were waved away.
After the match, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick defended the decision.
"I always tell my players not to stop until the referee blows the final whistle. It's the referee who has to decide," Flick said.
RED CARD MAYHEM
Tempers boiled over soon after. Midfielder Manu Morlanes, already on a yellow for dissent, was sent off in the 33rd minute following a foul on Yamal. Six minutes later, Mallorca's misery deepened as striker Vedat Muriqi received a straight red card for a high challenge on Joan Garcia - the referee upgrading his initial yellow after a VAR review.
In contrast, a reckless lunge from Raphinha on a Mallorca player went unpunished. Commentators remarked that it could easily have warranted a red card, but VAR opted not to intervene.
YAMAL SEALS THE RESULT
Down to nine men before halftime, Mallorca's hopes of salvaging anything evaporated. Yamal, at the heart of nearly every key moment, capped his night with a late goal in the second half to seal Barcelona's win.
What should have been a celebratory return for the champions instead descended into acrimony - a match destined to be remembered less for Barcelona's football and more for the officiating that fuelled the chants of "Refereelona" once again.
READ NEXT
-
White hair will be disappeared forever in 7 days! ‘These’ Ayurvedic remedies will be very effective, hair will be black
-
Symptoms of deficiency and methods of identification – Obnews
-
Amazon Appstore: Android Users To Lose Apps After August 20 – Will Your Unused Coins Be Refunded?
-
Nine in ten Indian Enterprises Consider Security and Privacy Risks Stall Ai Scaling | Technology news
-
Such an opportunity for purchase will not be again; Large discounts on the most expensive iPhone of Apple, priced by less than 20 thousand
