How did Raphinha stay on? Barcelona's controversial 3-0 win over nine-men Mallorca

Refereeing performance raised serious questions about consistency in La Liga once again

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Real Mallorca's defender Martin Valjent, midfielder Antonio Sanchez battle for the ball with Barcelona's forward Marcus Rashford during the Spanish league football match at Mallorca Son Moix Stadium in Palma de Mallorca on August 16, 2025.
Real Mallorca's defender Martin Valjent, midfielder Antonio Sanchez battle for the ball with Barcelona's forward Marcus Rashford during the Spanish league football match at Mallorca Son Moix Stadium in Palma de Mallorca on August 16, 2025.
AFP

Dubai: Barcelona's La Liga opener against Mallorca was effectively over by half-time, but not in the way anyone expected. What should have been a competitive fixture turned into a complete mismatch when the Catalan giants raced to a 2-0 lead while their hosts were reduced to just nine men - all within the first 45 minutes.

The game was killed off as a contest when Mallorca suffered back-to-back red cards. Manu Morlanes was sent off for a second yellow in the 33rd minute after a late challenge, and just six minutes later, Vedat Muriqi followed him down the tunnel for catching Barcelona's new keeper Joan Garcia in the face with a high boot. Both decisions were spot on from the referee.

 With goals from Raphinha and Ferran Torres already on the board, Barcelona were cruising against nine men. But the real controversy wasn't about the red cards that were given -- it was about the one that wasn't.

The incident occurred late in the first half when Mateu Morey picked up the ball near the touchline. What happened next left viewers stunned - Raphinha came flying in with what can only be described as a wild, reckless lunge that sent the Mallorca defender crashing to the ground in obvious pain. The challenge looked nasty from every angle, the kind that usually results in an immediate red card.

But somehow, Raphinha walked away with just a yellow. The referee didn't even bother checking VAR, which made the decision even more baffling. You could see the frustration written all over the Mallorca players' faces, and they made sure to let Raphinha know how they felt during the half-time break.

Even Barcelona's second goal was filled with controversy. Ferran Torres found the net while a Mallorca defender was clearly down in the box after taking what looked like a head knock from Lamine Yamal's shot. The referee completely ignored the situation, refusing to stop play for what appeared to be a potential concussion. Torres smashed the ball into the net from the edge of the box. They can argue that you have to play to the whistle but where is the sportsmanship?

By that point, with Mallorca already down to nine men and two goals behind, the match had become a formality.

The refereeing performance raised serious questions about consistency in La Liga once again.

Despite all the controversy, Barcelona secured three crucial points to start their season. Lamine Yamal was particularly impressive wearing the famous number 10 shirt, grabbing both a goal and an assist in a performance that showed exactly why he's considered one of football's brightest young talents.

From code to kick-off: Gulf News’ Mohammed Shamsheer spends his weekdays in DevOps and weekends watching football — a proud Chelsea supporter through and through.

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