3 days later…
(La Liga:)
(Barcelona – Mallorca)
(Date: 22nd April, 2026)
Another day, another matchday, another ga.
For this ga though, Hansi Flick finally made a big change, taking majority of his starting XI players out of the ga.
Ferran Torres replaced Sam up top as the striker, while Dani Olmo took Lamine Yamal's position on the left wing. Raphinha was the sole starting XI forward who stayed in the lineup.
In the midfield, Pedri was taken off, replaced by Eric Garcia.
Alejandro Balde was also taken off in defense, Gerard Martin taking the position of the electric and enigmatic attacking left back.
As soon as the ga started, once again, just like Celta Vigo, despite the fact that they were in the Spotify Camp Nou, Mallorca approached this ga with the gutsy boldness to take a good result back ho.
The reason for their confidence?
Simple. Hansi Flick's rotation.
Lining up in a 5-3-2 formation, this was a dynamic Mallorca side.
With Greif holding the fort as their goalkeeper, Maffeo, Valjent, Raillo, Copete, and Mojica ford the valiant 5-man defense.
Ahead of them was the midfield trio of Rodriguez, Costa, and Darder, while further of them in attack was Abdon and Larin.
As soon as the ga started, for the first few minutes, FC Barcelona dominated possession but the visitors had the more clear-cut chances.
Nerves were high at the Spotify Camp Nou for a few minutes, right until Ferran Torres struck in the 12th minute of the ga, scoring the first goal.
The Spotify Camp Nou celebrated the goal exuberantly, bringing so much-needed calmness to the stadium but that calmness didn't last.
Just 3 minutes after Ferran Torres' goal, Mallorca equalized.
Darder, the center midfielder was the one who did, scoring an absolute banger from outside the box as he volleyed the ball in with venom.
That goal rattled Marc Andre Ter Stegen.
In the blink of an eye, 1-1.
After that goal, Barcelona cracked down with their players, Raphinha leading the charge to score the 2nd goal even as Frankie De Jong tried to orchestrate play from deep in Pedri's absence.
It didn't yield much fruit though, the midfield seed disjointed without the calming presence of Pedri Gonzalez.
The first half ca to an end 1-1 for the 2nd consecutive league ga.
During halfti, Hansi Flick had a fiery team talk with his players, refusing to make any change.
But as soon as his players returned to the pitch for the second half, they played with energy, but they lacked cohesion and balance.
Barca seed to have lost their identity and just 7 minutes after the 2nd half started, Mallorca capitulated on their opponent's weakness.
This ti, it was one of the 2 center forwards, Larin.
With a clever run, he was able to beat Barcelona's offside trap, running with the ball before shooting past a helpless Ter Stegen.
52 minutes, 1-2…
While the away fans celebrated excitedly, large swathes of the Spotify Camp Nou was left in stunned silence.
And yet, that was not all.
In the 62nd minute, 10 minutes after his first goal, Larin got his brace after another perfect sequence of deceiving Barcelona's offside trap as this ti, taking the ball calmly in his strides, he lobbed Ter Stegen, scoring his team's 3rd goal of the night.
In the blink of an eye, Barcelona was trailing by 2 goals!
Hansi Flick finally made changes, taking off Gavi, pushing Dani Olmo to the attacking midfield spot while introducing Sam and Lamine Yamal.
The impact of the substitutes was felt almost imdiately.
In the 65th minute, Sam slipped a ball to Raphinha whose first touch flicked it into Dani Olmo's path.
The Spanish attacking midfielder calmly rolled the ball into the box with his right foot and then with his left, he rifled it into the net.
GOALLLLLL…!!!
The fans in the Spotify Camp Nou roared with barely suppressed anger.
Their voices were now extrely loud, and riding this energy, FC Barcelona dug into their dogged reserves, Sam leading the charge.
Just 2 minutes after Dani Olmo's goal, Raphinha did it again, this ti Sam once again slipping a deceiving pass into his path.
One touch shot!
BAM!
The Brazilian didn't even try to control the ball and despite his awkward stance, he hit the ball first ti with venom, sending it straight to the roof of the net through the middle.
The Mallorca goalkeeper jumped, flailing his arms but he didn't get it; the ball flashed past him before he could react.
In the blink of an eye, 3-3!
BZZZ!
The atmosphere at the Spotify Camp Nou was now electric.
It was fever pitch tension.
Barcelona attacked, while Mallorca now defended for their lives, sotis coming out of their shell with half-hearted counterattacks that were quickly snuffed out before they could beco dangerous.
70 minutes, no goal…
80 minutes, no goal…
90 minutes, no goal…
90 plus 2 minutes, no goal…
90 plus 5 minutes, no goal…
90 plus 7 minutes…
FWEEE!
Dani Olmo won a penalty for Barcelona!
In the 90 plus 7 minute.
Sam stood over the ball, facing the goalkeeper who tried to taunt him to throw him off his ga. He smiled slightly.
FWEEE!
As soon as the referee's whistle sounded, he took a deep breath and did a short run, then a calculated stagger to through the goalkeeper off, then…
Bam!
He calmly hit it towards the top right corner, leaving the goalkeeper little chance though he dived the right way.
The ball nestled its way inside the net.
4-3…
BOOM!
The Spotify Camp Nou erupted, celebrating the pivotal ga exuberantly like they already won the league.
And most importantly, they celebrated because it was a good way to enter the next 16 days of death that would decide their team's season.
After today's ga against Mallorca, from 26th April, within a period of 16 days, FC Barcelona would play both legs of the UEFA Champions league semifinal against Inter Milan, while also facing Real Madrid, their eternal rivals in El Clasico twice, the first one in the Copa del Rey final.
So yes, FC Barcelona was in their period of death.
The period that would make or break their season.
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