Bernal announces himself with stunner as Barça's new star is born
Marc Bernal's moment of brilliance caps impressive Barcelona display against Mallorca, while Lamine Yamal shines and Koundé struggles in a rollercoaster performance.
Patience pays off for the young midfielder as he finally gets his chance to shine in the famous blaugrana colours.
Bernal’s moment of magic
Talk about waiting for your moment! Marc Bernal has been biding his time this season, showing remarkable patience despite limited opportunities. There were even whispers about a potential January exit, but Flick - much as he did with Eric García last year - assured the youngster he was in his plans.
Against Mallorca, Bernal exploded onto the scene with a goal that showcased his complete skill set:
- Brilliant off-the-ball movement to receive Fermín’s perfect pass
- Explosive pace to burst past defenders in a lung-busting sprint
- A sublime piece of skill to leave the final defender for dead
- Clinical finishing to bag Barcelona’s third of the night
Comparisons to Sergio Busquets are inevitable - proper big shoes to fill, those - but this finish was something even the legendary Busi never produced in a Barça shirt. The lad’s got star quality written all over him.
Koundé’s nightmare showing
Blimey, what a shocker from Jules Koundé! The Frenchman had an absolute mare in the first half, repeatedly rinsed by Virgili down his flank. Flick couldn’t hide his frustration as Mallorca turned Koundé’s side into a proper highway, exploiting it time and again.
To be fair, he didn’t get much help from Lamine Yamal in defensive coverage, but that doesn’t excuse the uncharacteristic errors from a player of his calibre.
Chances and controversy
Lamine Yamal had a golden opportunity late in the first half after a brilliant Rashford free-kick was saved by Leo Franco. The ball fell to Koundé who squared it to Yamal arriving unmarked at the far post. With the goal at his mercy, the youngster somehow fired wide when it seemed easier to score.
Controversy struck in the 49th minute when Yamal, released brilliantly by Dani Olmo, was clearly brought down in the box by Mojica. Referee Quintero González waved play on, and remarkably, VAR didn’t intervene despite what looked a stonewall penalty.
Yamal makes amends
After a quiet first period, Yamal turned it on after the break. Beyond the penalty shout, he grabbed his goal with a thunderbolt from the edge of the box - fooling the keeper who expected his trademark curler by instead blasting it to the opposite corner.
The young star’s second-half performance showed exactly why he’s considered one of the brightest talents in world football, even on days when things don’t all go his way.