Real Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona Luuk de Jong seals win for Xavi's depleted side
Luuk de Jong scored the winning goal with a header at the back post from Oscar Mingueza's cross in the first half.
Xavi's side dominated for significant periods without several first-team players because of Covid and injuries but was often frustrated.
De Jong was the main threat, hitting the woodwork twice in the first half, including once with a bicycle kick.
Mallorca pushed for an equaliser late on when Dani Rodriguez's teasing ball was headed inches over the bar by Fer Nino before Marc-Andre Fer Stegen was forced into a smart save to deny Jaume Costa.
But the hosts, sitting 15th in the table, we're unable to keep out Barcelona, who have closed the gap on fourth-placed rivals Atletico Madrid.
Barcelona was missing 17 players, including regulars Dani Alves, Ousmane Dembele, Jordi Alba, Philippe Coutinho, Gavi and Serginho Dest.
Earlier this week, Xavi said it was "crazy" that La Liga was allowing the game to go ahead, given the state of the teams' respective squads.
But his young players, with an average age of 24 years and 201 days, managed to get the job done.
Ahead of kick-off, former Mallorca and Barcelona star Samuel Eto'o made a guest appearance.
A mural of Eto'o was unveiled outside the Estadi de Son Moix, and he was applauded by both sets of fans in the stadium.
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