Barcelona 3 - Mallorca 2

Barcelona: Víctor Valdés; Reiziger, Oleguer, Puyol, Van Bronckhorst (Motta 65'); Xavi (Iniesta 76'), Cocu, Davids; Luis García, Luis Enrique (Quaresma 64'), Ronaldinho. 4-3-3.
Mallorca: Miki; Olaizola, Ramis, Nadal, Poli (Edu Moya 12'); Pereyra (Bruggink 84'), Marcos; Campano (Correa 57'), Eto'o, Finidi; Delibasic. 4-2-3-1.

Team changes: Barça: Luis Enrique for Saviola / Mallorca: Miki, Olaizola, Marcos for Leo Franco, David Cortés, Colsa.

Goals:
1-0. 02. Luis García. Picked up rebound and beat Miki with shot from edge of area.
2-0. 17. Luis Enrique. Scored into empty net after Miki collided with Ramis.
3-0. 57. Luis García. Shot from right of area after Miki saved Cocu header.
3-1. 89. Eto'o. Received pass from Marcos and lobbed ball over keeper.
3-2. 92. Delibasic. Picked up through ball from Eto'o and beat Valdés from close up

Barcelona moved up to within a point of third placed Deportivo after beating Mallorca 3-2, their ninth win in a row in all competitions. the Catalans started well, and Luis García opened the scoring for them in the third minute only seconds after hitting the post. With Saviola suspended and Kluivert still injured, Luis Enrique was playing as makeshift centre forward, and he made it two on the quarter hour mark after Miki collided with his own defender and dropped the ball at the feet of Ronaldinho, who squared across for his colleague to score into the empty net.

For a few moments the visitors came back, with Eto'o heading wide following a corner and Cocu clearing from Nadal with the keeper beaten. But Van Bronckhorst crashed a free kick against the bar, and a few minutes after the restart Xavi also shot against the woodwork after a bad clearance from Miki.

Visiting manager Luis Aragonés had been vociferous throughout the game and at half time was shown the red card for protesting to the referee. But his side didn't react and Luis García got his second of the night around the hour mark after Miki blocked a header from Cocu.

The game seemed to be coming to a quiet end, but the locals relaxed too much and with two minutes to go Eto'o pulled one back when he chipped Valdés. And in injury time the Camerooni forward put through Delibasic for him to score a second and set the nerves of the local fans on edge. It was too late though, and with most of the sides around them winning, Mallorca find themselves only two points away from the relegation spots.