Barcelona vs Mallorca Predictions

• Both teams have scored in six of Barcelona’s last nine home La Liga games
• Both teams have scored in three of Mallorca’s last four away games in all competitions
• Mallorca and Barcelona played out a 2-2 draw in La Liga earlier this season

Barca’s injury curse strikes again

Barcelona’s injury curse struck again last Sunday and Xavi’s side will be without two more top midfielders for the visit of Copa del Rey finalists Mallorca on Friday.

Barca lost Frenkie de Jong and Pedri to ankle and thigh injuries in the first half of last weekend’s 0-0 draw at San Mames, which maintained their eight-point lead over the fifth-placed side.Gavi had already been lost for the season with an ACL injury, leaving Ilkay Gundogan as the only available starter that would have been a first choice midfielder at the start of the campaign.

Barca’s problems in midfield could impact their ability to carve out chances, but it is just as likely to affect their ability to control games and keep opponents at arm’s length.Mallorca have failed to score in six of their lats eight La Liga away games, but will fancy their chances of creating some chances at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys against an unbalanced Barca.

The Pirates can cause the hosts some pain

The Pirates took a point from a 2-2 home draw with the Blaugrana in September and have scored on two of their last three trips to the Catalan city. Ante Budamir’s golazo gave them three points in a Basque derby against Alaves on Monday night and the club are looking forward to a Copa del Rey final date with Athletic Bilbao next month.

Their league position is still parlous, but confidence will be as high as it has been for a while coming into this clash.

Barcelona, who have won 10 of their 14 home La Liga matches this season, should still have enough quality to claim the win. But Mallorca proved they can make the best teams in the division squirm when they lost 5-3 at Girona earlier this season and, as Granada and Villarreal have shown recently, Barca do not like it when teams come after them.