Barcelona remain top of the LaLiga standings after rescuing a point in their 2-2 draw against Real Mallorca on Tuesday night.
LaLiga
Result: Mallorca 2-2 Barcelona
Date: 26 September 2023
Venue: Estadi Mallorca Son Moix
Catalans manager Xavi Hernandez rang the changes after the weekend's win over Celta Vigo, as Ferran Torres, Ronald Araujo, Gavi and Inigo Martinez brought into the side.
The home side took the lead after just eight minutes when Vedat Muriqi slotted home at the second attempt from close range after a goalkeeping error from Barcelona's Marc-Andre ter Stegen.
The visitors should have been back on level terms after 24 minutes when Raphinha did well to pick out Torres in the box, but the Spanish striker was unable to convert in the box.
Xavi's charges got their reward four minutes before the halftime break when the influential Raphinha was given space to cut inside and send a powerful low drive past Mallorca goalkeeper Predrag Rajkovic.
That joy did not last too long as Mallorca restored their lead in the third minute of time added on, as Muriqi turned provider to play in Abdon Prats who calmly slotted into the bottom corner.
Barcelona came out firing in the second half and were unlucky not to have found the equaliser ten minutes in as Joao Felix saw his powerful strike crash against the upright.
After Robert Lewandowski had been introduced earlier in the half, Xavi threw on youngsters Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal in place of Oriol Romeu and Felix for the for the final 20 minutes of the game.
The changes paid off as Fermin pulled the defending league champions level in the 75th minute with a composed finish after some more good work by Raphinha in the build-up.
The Catalans threw everything forward in search of a winning goal, but the home side defended quite deep and were able to hold on for the point.
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