Barcelona will play their first La Liga match of 2022 when they travel to the Balearic Islands to face Mallorca.
Venue: Visit Mallorca Estadi (Palma de Mallorca)
Key Statistics
Mallorca have lost just two of their last ten competitive games (W3, D5).
They have drawn their last four home matches but are unbeaten across their last five at home.
The hosts have conceded seven goals at home this season. Only three teams have conceded fewer on their home soil.
Barcelona have won just one of their opening away league games this season (D5, L2).
The visitors have scored just ten times away from home and have conceded eleven on their road trips in the league this season.
They have won their last five trips to the Visit Mallorca Estadi.
Head to head
The last 15 meetings between both sides have featured 11 wins for Barca and two wins for Mallorca (D2).
Latest Performances in all competitions
Mallorca: L-W-D-W-L
Barcelona: D-W-L-D-L
Mallorca
Mallorca positive run towards the end of 2021 ended with a disappointing 4-1 loss to Mallorca in their last outing.
The result meant that the hosts entered the winter break in 15th place, five points above the relegation zone.
However, they will hope to begin this new year with a win but come up against an opponent that have beaten them in each of their last seven meetings.
However, they come into this fixture on a five-game unbeaten run at home and will be confident of causing an upset against the Catalan giants.
Possible Mallorca starting line-ups
Manola Reina; Pablo Maffeo, Aleksander Sedlar, Martin Valjent, Juame Costa; Inigo Ruiz, Baba Mohammed, Daniel Rodriguez, Kangin Lee, Takefusa Kubo; Angel Rodrigiez.
Injured: Jordi Mboula, Salva Sevilla,
Doubtful: Antonio Raillo
Suspended: None
Barcelona
Struggling Barcelona will look to return to winning ways in the league when they travel away to Mallorca on January 2.
The Catalan side entered the winter break on the back of a 1-1 draw with Sevilla. The result left them rooted in seventh place, 18 points behind Real Madrid and ten behind Sevilla, who are currently Real Madrid’s closest challengers in Spain’s top flight.
Xavi’s side have only picked up 28 points from their 18 matches this season and are in danger of missing out of a place in next year’s Champions League unless they find the consistency that has so far eluded them.
With 2021 now behind them, the visitors will hope that the new year comes with better results for them. The acquisition of Spanish attacker Ferran Torres from Manchester City has added some firepower to the La Liga giants. But they will come into this tie without the services of their new player and several other first-team members who are missing through injuries and Covid.
Possible Barcelona starting line-ups
Ter Stegen; Sergino Dest, Ronald Araujo, Gerard Pique, Oscar Mingueza; Frenkie de Jong, Sergio Busquets, Nico Gonzalez; Gavi, Pedri, Ousmane Dembele.
Injured: Memphis Depay, Martin Braithwaite, Samuel Umtiti
Doubtful: None
Suspended: None
Prediction
Mallorca 1-2 Barcelona
