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Mallorca logo
La Liga | Gameweek 28
Jun 13, 2020 at 9pm UK
Estadi de Son Moix
Barcelona logo

Mallorca
0 - 4
Barcelona


Rodriguez (86')
FT(HT: 0-2)
Vidal (2'), Braithwaite (37'), Alba (80'), Messi (90+3')
Vidal (42'), Alba (73')

Barcelona return with a bang as Lionel Messi inspires 4-0 win

Barcelona return with a bang as Lionel Messi inspires 4-0 win
© Reuters
The Argentinian grabbed two assists and rounded off the scoring on the Balearic Island to move Barcelona five points clear of Real Madrid.

Barcelona hit the ground running as they cruised past Mallorca 4-0 in their first LaLiga game since the coronavirus pandemic.

The league leaders last played 99 days ago when they beat Real Sociedad 1-0, with the Spanish league suspended soon after because of the health crisis.

But it did not take them long to find their groove as goals from Arturo Vidal, Martin Braithwaite, Jordi Alba and Lionel Messi gave them the points on the Balearic Island and moved them five points ahead of Real Madrid in second.

In fact, it took just 65 seconds for them to make a mark as they enjoyed a dream start at an empty Son Moix stadium.

Alba whipped in a perfect cross from the left and Vidal got there first and powered a low header into the back of the net.

That left any gameplan Mallorca may have had in tatters as Barca took control of the game.

But they had to wait until the 37th minute to make their dominance count as Braithwaite opened his account for the club.

Spain Soccer Restart
A fan managed to get into the stadium and invaded the pitch (Francisco Ubilla/AP)

The former Middlesbrough striker joined Barca in February in a controversial move from Leganes had failed to score in his first three games but found the net in style, with a clinical finish after Messi had teed him up with a header.

The game was delayed in the second half, as an intruder in the stadium managed to get past security and on to the pitch before being taken away.

Messi may look different after the three-month break, having shaved his beard off, but not much else has changed as a brilliant through-ball set Alba away for the third in the final 10 minutes.

The Argentinian then completed a productive evening in stoppage time with a trademark jinking run and pinpoint finish into the top corner.

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Barcelona's Lionel Messi celebrates scoring their fifth goal on January 30, 2020
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Today's games header
Tables header RHS
TeamPWDLFAGDPTS
1Barcelona18122450203038
2Atletico MadridAtletico17115131112038
3Real Madrid17114237162137
4Athletic Bilbao1896327161133
5Mallorca188371821-327
6Villarreal167542827126
7Real Sociedad177461611525
8Osasuna176742225-325
9Real BetisBetis176652021-124
10GironaGirona176472325-222
11Sevilla176471823-522
12Celta Vigo176382528-321
13Rayo Vallecano165561819-120
14Las PalmasLas Palmas175482227-519
15Leganes174671523-818
16Getafe173771114-316
17AlavesAlaves174491928-916
18Espanyol1642101528-1314
19Real ValladolidValladolid1733111234-2212
20Valencia152491323-1010


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