Arrasate hails 'turning point' win as Muriqi's hat-trick fires Mallorca to victory
Mallorca boss Jagoba Arrasate believes their thrilling win over Athletic Bilbao could be a season-defining moment, with Vedat Muriqi now La Liga's second-highest scorer.
Mallorca finally got their first win of 2026 in what manager Jagoba Arrasate described as an ‘electric’ match that could transform their season, with Vedat Muriqi stealing the show with his first-ever La Liga hat-trick.
Barnstorming battle at Son Moix
What a proper game of football that was! Mallorca and Athletic Club served up an absolute belter in the Balearics, with Arrasate’s men showing the kind of heart that’s been missing in recent weeks. The gaffer was buzzing with the attacking intent but still has concerns about his side’s defensive frailties.
“The team was braver today,” Arrasate explained after the match, clearly chuffed with his players’ mentality despite some nervy moments. The victory puts Mallorca on 21 points from 20 matches, which the boss acknowledges isn’t quite where they want to be.
Muriqi makes his mark
Vedat Muriqi was the star of the show, bagging himself a hat-trick to reach 14 goals for the season, making him the second-highest scorer in La Liga. It’s the kind of performance that’s bound to have transfer rumours swirling, but Arrasate was quick to shut down any speculation:
- 14 goals for the season now (second in La Liga scoring charts)
- First hat-trick in the Spanish top flight
- Growing transfer interest seems inevitable
“That he’s attracting interest seems completely normal to me, but I’m not expecting any movement,” Arrasate insisted, clearly keen to keep his star striker at the club.
Defensive concerns remain
It wasn’t all champagne and roses though. Arrasate couldn’t hide his frustration with Mallorca’s defensive issues, particularly their habit of conceding quickly after scoring. The boss didn’t celebrate the third goal properly, fearing another rapid response from Athletic.
“We need to fix the defensive issue, we need more solidity,” he admitted, though he did note that “corrections are always easier to make after a victory.”
Penalty decisions
Arrasate also had some choice words about the state of modern football regarding penalties, suggesting that many are “accidental” and questioning whether the current interpretations are good for the game. The penalty decisions went Mallorca’s way this time, but the manager clearly has concerns about the direction of football’s rulebook.
For now though, Mallorca can enjoy their first three points of the new year, with Arrasate hoping this victory can be the “turning point” that kickstarts their 2026 campaign.