Barcelona, April 23 (HS): Barcelona took another strong step towards the La Liga title by defeating Mallorca 1-0 late Tuesday night. With this victory, the table-toppers Barcelona extended their lead over second-placed Real Madrid to seven points.

Olmo Secures Crucial Victory, Puts Pressure on Real

Spain international Dani Olmo’s goal secured the win for Barcelona and increased the pressure on current champions Real Madrid. Real’s next match is against Getafe on Wednesday. Hansi Flick’s team is now looking towards a possible ‘quadruple’ (four titles).

Several Star Players Given Rest, Fati Makes First Start

Ahead of the Copa del Rey final scheduled for Saturday, coach Flick rested several key players. For the first time since October, Ansu Fati was given the opportunity to start. Meanwhile, Hector Fort was brought in on the left side of defense and Ferran Torres took the place of the injured Lewandowski in the attack.

Numerous Chances in the First Half, But No Goals

Barcelona created chance after chance in the first half, but could not score. Gavi’s shot hit the post, and Torres and Fati missed easy opportunities. Young players Lamine Yamal and Fort also saw their efforts brilliantly saved by Mallorca goalkeeper Leo Roman.

Olmo Breaks the Silence in the Second Half

In the opening of the second half, Barcelona took the lead through Olmo with a passing move. Following that, Fati and Yamal tried to double the advantage, but Barcelona couldn’t find another goal due to Roman’s outstanding goalkeeping.

Roman’s Excellent Comeback, But No Points for the Team

This was Roman’s first league match for Mallorca in 2025, and he made 10 fantastic saves. He denied efforts from Yamal, Eric Garcia, and Lopez. In stoppage time, Mallorca called for a penalty after Garcia’s collision with Abdon Prats, but the referee rejected the claim.

Now All Eyes on ‘El Clasico’

Barcelona now has five matches left in the league, with the El Clasico against Real Madrid on May 11 being the most important. This match could further clarify the title picture.

Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar