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Barcelona Thrash RC Mallorca To Return To Winning Ways, Back To Top LaLiga Table

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Barcelona Thrash RC Mallorca To Return To Winning Ways, Back To Top LaLiga Table—-Hansi Flicks men return to winning ways with a convincing win against RC Mallorca 5-1 away from home after a 3-game winless run.

The comprehensive victory brings the Catalans to 37 points at the top of the league table, four ahead of second-placed Real Madrid, but with two extra matches played.

Carlo Ancelotti’s Spanish and European champions will have the chance to cut that lead back to one point on Wednesday when they travel to Athletic Bilbao.

Mallorca stay sixth in La Liga, still two points behind Bilbao in the final Champions League spot.

Ferran Torres gave Barcelona the lead, before Vedat Muriqi equalised to ensure the sides were level at the end of an even first half.

Raphinha and Yamal then lit up the second half as the away side ran riot with the Brazilian scoring a double, followed by strikes from Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor.

“We knew how important it was to win again. In the last three games something has been missing. Today we were good, it wasn’t our best game but winning was the most important thing,” Barcelona captain Raphinha told Movistar.

Barcelona were boosted by the return of teenage starlet Yamal, who started the match after recovering from an ankle problem.

Hansi Flick’s side dropped points in the two league outings Yamal missed, and were also defeated last time out at home to Las Palmas when he was only fit enough to start on the bench.

The hosts gifted Barca the lead in the 12th minute when panicked defending resulted in Torres being presented with a golden opportunity when there seemed to be no danger.

As a trio of Majorcan defenders shepherded the ball back to their goalkeeper, full-back Johan Mojica suddenly decided to try to lash it away, only to smash the ball straight into Antonio Raillo and it fell perfectly to the feet of the Barcelona forward, who duly stroked home the opener.

The Catalans’ high defensive line caught Mallorca out on several occasions as they tried to spring their attackers with passes over the top.

Mallorca were, however, starting to build pressure on Barcelona, though the visitors remained dangerous on the counter with their fleet-footed attacking quartet of Yamal, Dani Olmo, Raphinha and Torres.

A second goal in the match did not seem far away, for either side, and it came for the hosts in the 43rd minute.

Inigo Martinez was deeper than the rest of the Barcelona line and Pablo Maffeo timed his run onto Sergi Darder’s pass to perfection, before rolling the ball across to Muriqi to tap into an open net.

– ‘Give everything’ –

Another defensive lapse nearly restored the visitors’ lead on the stroke of half-time, but goalkeeper Leo Roman bailed out Raillo for his poor back-header by denying Raphinha one-on-one.

The Mallorca ‘keeper thwarted the Brazilian again early in the second period, punching away a fizzing free-kick from close range.

But it was eventually third time lucky for Raphinha in his duel with Roman as he flashed a 56th-minute penalty just beyond the Spaniard’s reach.

The sheer pace of the returning Yamal had earned the spot-kick as he raced onto Olmo’s through-ball, before being brought down by Mojica inside the box.

Barcelona struggled creatively in Yamal’s absence, and the 17-year-old displayed his brilliance again moments later when an inspired backheel created a chance out of nothing, until Pedri’s snapshot was blocked.

Raphinha made the game safe for Barcelona with 14 minutes remaining when he knocked home a magnificent outside-of-the-foot cross courtesy of Yamal.

“I’m living my best moment but I don’t want to stop there. I want to do much more for this crest. It’s a club that I love enormously. Everything I can give on the pitch, I’ll give it,” said Raphinha.

Euro 2024 winner Yamal repeated the trick five minutes later, this time finding the forward run of Victor, whose pass across goal was cut out, but only as far as the onrushing De Jong who finished unerringly.

De Jong then turned provider in the final 10 minutes as he squared for 23-year-old substitute Victor to score.

Yamal could have capped off a superb second-half showing, but his dinked finish near the end was well saved by the defiant Roman.

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BREAKING: Arsenal Defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Emirates to Extend Unbeaten Run

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BREAKING: Arsenal Defeat Chelsea 2-1 at Emirates to Extend Unbeaten Run—-The Gunners came from behind after Morgan Rogers’ early opener, with Kai Havertz and Martin Ødegaard completing a comeback victory to maintain Arsenal’s perfect start to the Premier League season.

Arsenal produced another statement performance at the Emirates Stadium on Sunday, coming from behind to defeat Chelsea 2-1 and maintain their perfect start to the Premier League campaign.

Chelsea stunned the home crowd after just 77 seconds, when Morgan Rogers fired Xabi Alonso’s side into an early lead. Arsenal, however, responded strongly and gradually took control of the contest.

Kai Havertz restored parity in the 25th minute against his former club, finishing Arsenal’s sustained pressure to make it 1-1 before the break.

The Gunners continued to dominate after the restart and completed the comeback through captain Martin Ødegaard, who struck early in the second half after Havertz’s clever movement helped create the opening.

Chelsea pushed desperately for an equaliser late on, but Arsenal goalkeeper David Raya produced a crucial save to deny Estêvão and preserve all three points for the hosts.

The victory means Arsenal remain on nine points from three matches, level with Manchester City at the top of the Premier League. Chelsea, meanwhile, suffer their first league defeat of the season and remain on six points.

For Mikel Arteta, the comeback further underlined Arsenal’s championship credentials. The reigning champions showed composure after conceding their first goal of the campaign and once again demonstrated their ability to respond under pressure.

Chelsea’s defeat will be frustrating for Alonso, particularly after his side made such a fast start. Despite their attacking threat, Arsenal’s control and defensive resilience ultimately proved decisive.

The result also extends Arsenal’s remarkable unbeaten run against Chelsea to 12 matches across all competitions, further strengthening the Gunners’ recent dominance in the London derby.

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BREAKING: Manchester City Agree £125m Deal to Sign Enzo Fernández From Chelsea On Deadline Day

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BREAKING: Manchester City Agree £125m Deal to Sign Enzo Fernández From Chelsea On Deadline Day—-Cityzens have reached a British record-equalling agreement with Chelsea for the Argentina international on Deadline Day, with Fernández set to undergo his medical.

Manchester City have agreed a £125 million deal with Chelsea to sign Enzo Fernández in one of the biggest transfers of Deadline Day.

The agreement, reported by Sky Sports and other leading outlets, will see the Argentina international leave Stamford Bridge for the Etihad Stadium in a move that matches the British transfer record previously set by Liverpool’s £125m signing of Alexander Isak.

Fernández is expected to undergo his medical before completing the transfer, with City working against the clock to finalise the deal before the summer transfer window closes.

Maresca Reunites With Fernández

The move will see Fernández reunite with Enzo Maresca, who previously coached him at Chelsea and is now Manchester City’s manager.

Maresca is understood to have been a major driving force behind City’s pursuit of the midfielder as he looks to reshape his squad and strengthen the centre of midfield.

Fernández played an important role during Maresca’s time at Stamford Bridge, helping Chelsea win major silverware before the Italian manager’s move to Manchester.

Chelsea Accept Record Fee

Chelsea signed Fernández from Benfica in January 2023 for approximately £107 million, making him one of the most expensive players in Premier League history at the time.

Just over three years later, Chelsea have agreed to sell the 25-year-old for £125 million, representing a significant return on their original investment.

The Argentine had recently been left out of Chelsea’s squad for successive matches, increasing speculation that his Stamford Bridge future was coming to an end.

City Make Deadline-Day Statement

Manchester City had been pursuing Fernández for much of the summer, but negotiations intensified dramatically as the transfer deadline approached.

Chelsea had previously valued their midfielder at around £120 million and had initially expected him to remain at the club after an earlier deadline for bids passed without a formal offer. However, City’s interest never disappeared, and the two clubs eventually found an agreement on Deadline Day.

The final £125 million package now puts Fernández level with the British transfer record.

Fernández Begins New Chapter

For Fernández, the transfer brings an end to a turbulent period at Chelsea and opens a new chapter under a manager he already knows.

The World Cup-winning midfielder arrived in England with enormous expectations after starring for Argentina and Benfica.

At Manchester City, he will be expected to become a central figure in Maresca’s midfield and help the club compete on multiple fronts.

A Record-Breaking Transfer

The £125 million agreement places Fernández among the most expensive players in football history and makes the Deadline Day transfer one of the biggest stories of the summer window.

City are now racing to complete the remaining formalities, including the medical, before the deadline.

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