Mallorca: Aouate; Chico (Nsue 52'), Nunes,
Ramis, Cáceres; Pereira, Martí, Tissone (Alfaro 75'), Chory
Castro; Víctor Casadesús, Alvaro Giménez (Hemed 52').
4-4-2.
Barcelona: Víctor Valdés;
Piqué, Mascherano, Puyol; Thiago, Busquets, Fàbregas (Montoya
59'), Iniesta; Alexis (Tello 82'), Messi, Pedro (Keita 67'). 3-4-3.
Goals:
0-1. 26. Messi. Free kick which bounced past
everybody in to the net.
0-2. 79. Piqué. Turned ball in to net after
Messi shot came back off post.
Yellow cards: Pereira 26', Thiago 36', 55', Ramis 39', Puyol 87' / red cards: Thiago 55'.
Barcelona kicked off the weekend with a 0-2 victory at Mallorca which momentarily took them to within three points of rivals Real Madrid. Without any of his first choice full backs, Guardiola lined up in a 3-4-3 formation. Even so though Aouate had to be at his best to save from Messi before the Argentinian forward fired in a free kick which bounced past everyone in to the net midway through the first half. Alexis came close to a second when his deflected shot came back off the bar, but a few minutes in to the second half the visitors were left with ten men when Thiago was shown a second yellow card for what the referee considered was a hand ball. For a few minutes Caparrós's side came looking for the equaliser, Valdés having to save from Víctor Casadesús and from Hemed. But with ten minutes to go a shot from Messi came back off the post, and Piqué was there to steer the ball back in to the net. A seventh win in a row for the Catalans, and despite Guardiola's statements to the press that the league is lost, there is still a long way to go.