Barcelona's quest for La Liga glory suffered a setback as they were held to a goalless draw by a resolute Real Mallorca at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix on Saturday evening.
The Catalan giants dominated possession but struggled to break down a well-organised Mallorca defence, with their attacking stars failing to fire on the night.
Mallorca's Defensive Masterclass
The home side produced a textbook defensive performance, frustrating Barcelona throughout the 90 minutes. Mallorca's backline, marshalled superbly by captain Antonio Raillo, stood firm against wave after wave of Barcelona attacks.
Xavi Hernandez's side enjoyed 72% possession but managed just two shots on target, with Robert Lewandowski unusually quiet in front of goal.
Barcelona's Missed Opportunities
The visitors' best chance fell to Pedri in the 67th minute, but the young midfielder fired straight at Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajković from close range. Substitute Ferran Torres also went close late on, but his curling effort sailed just wide of the far post.
Barcelona's frustration was compounded when João Félix received a late yellow card for dissent, summing up their disappointing evening.
What This Means for the Title Race
The dropped points leave Barcelona trailing league leaders Real Madrid by four points after just two games of the new season. Mallorca, meanwhile, continue their solid start to the campaign with four points from their opening two matches.
Xavi will need to find solutions quickly as Barcelona prepare for their Champions League opener next week, while Mallorca can take huge confidence from their performance against one of Spain's elite clubs.
