Several players stood out as FC Barcelona clinched a victory in their last La Liga match against Mallorca. Lamine Yamal was once again the difference-maker, as he scored the only goal of the night, and gave the Catalan team a victory.
In the defense, Pau Cubarsi once again drew plaudits for his game as he effectively kept Mallorca attackers at bay, even though the opponents were far more physical and experienced than himself.
However, he was fully supported in his defensive duties by his partner, Inigo Martinez, who also had a good game after he returned to the starting eleven after some games.
Like Cubarsi, Martinez also spoke to the media in the mixed zone after the game. As Mundo Deportivo has noted, the former Athletic Club defender recognized the importance of this victory as it came against a difficult opposition:
“Yes, we knew it would be a match where we needed a lot of patience because it’s a very well-prepared team. They are the Copa finalist.”
Martinez further commented on how significant this win was, as it not only puts Barcelona in the second spot in La Liga for now but also raises the spirits of the team ahead of the crucial match against Napoli:
“The victory gives us a boost. This is the path to follow; we’re now in second place and we have to keep it up. We had the penalty, which is not a goal against us, but once again we had to turn around an unfavorable situation.
Then came Lamine’s goal, where he showed his skills. Winning gives us a different feeling for the Champions League. Not winning today would have meant arriving in a different atmosphere that would have made it harder for us. Great job.”
Lastly, Martinez was also full of praise for Lamine Yamal, who scored the winning goal for FC Barcelona, and has been a key player for the team throughout this season:
“A standout player. There are few players with that talent; he’s very disruptive and can generate problems, and goals… Hopefully, he continues on this path that benefits us a lot. We’re going to try to support him.”
