Sat Dec 07 17:49:02 UTC 2024: ## Barcelona Cruise to 5-1 Victory Over Mallorca, Retaking League Lead

**Barcelona, Spain** – Barcelona emphatically reclaimed their La Liga lead with a resounding 5-1 victory over Mallorca on Tuesday, fueled by a brace from Raphinha. The win, coming after a three-match blip where they managed only one point, sees them four points clear of Real Madrid, who have two games in hand.

The match also marked the return of Lamine Yamal from a month-long ankle injury, while top scorer Robert Lewandowski was rested after a run of 20 consecutive games across various competitions.

Mallorca took a surprise lead in the 12th minute through Ferran Torres, capitalizing on a defensive error. However, Vedat Muriqi equalized just before halftime for the visitors.

Barcelona dominated the second half. Raphinha converted a penalty in the 56th minute after Yamal was fouled in the box. Yamal then added a goal himself in the 74th minute, before late strikes from substitutes Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor sealed the comfortable victory. Barcelona scored four goals in a dominant second half display.

Raphinha highlighted the importance of the win after a recent dip in form, stating to Movistar Plus, “We knew how important it was to win again. The last three matches have been a bit off. Today we were good; it wasn’t our best game, but winning was the most important thing.”

The victory puts Barcelona on 37 points at the top of the table, with Atletico Madrid in third place on 32 points.

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