The 2025/26 La Liga season kicks off with a compelling fixture as reigning champions FC Barcelona travel to the Balearic Islands to face RCD Mallorca on Saturday, August 16. The match, set for a 7:30 PM CEST (1:30 PM EDT) start at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix, marks the first official test for both clubs as they look to begin their campaigns on a positive note.
Under the guidance of manager Hansi Flick, Barcelona stormed to the league title last season, and the pressure is on to replicate that success. The Catalan giants enter the new season after a prolific preseason, where they scored an abundance of goals across four friendly matches. However, their title defense begins with significant challenges, as they will be without two of their most crucial players. Goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen is sidelined with a back injury until late September, while star striker Robert Lewandowski is recovering from a hamstring injury expected to keep him out until late August, according to a report from FotMob.
Despite a relatively quiet transfer window dictated by financial constraints, Barcelona made a notable move by securing England forward Marcus Rashford on loan from Manchester United. After being registered ahead of the opener, Rashford has been named in the traveling squad and could make his highly anticipated La Liga debut. His presence will be vital in an attack missing Lewandowski. All eyes will also be on young sensation Lamine Yamal, who is coming off a stellar preseason where he found the net four times and will be expected to carry a significant creative and goal-scoring burden.
On the other side, Mallorca, managed by Jagoba Arrasate, will be eager to build on a respectable 10th-place finish last season. They also enjoyed a strong preseason, winning four of their six matches. The club has strengthened its squad with several new faces, including midfielder Pablo Torre, who made the switch from Barcelona. Goalkeeper Lucas Bergstrom arrived on a free transfer from Chelsea, and forward Mateo Joseph joined on loan from Leeds United. Their attack will be led by Vedat Muriqi, who was their top scorer last season and will pose a significant threat to a Barcelona defense without its first-choice keeper.
Historically, this fixture has been heavily one-sided. Barcelona boasts a formidable record against Mallorca, having won 14 of their last 16 encounters, with two draws, and have not lost at the Estadi Son Moix since May 2009, as noted by Newsweek. The last meeting at this venue was a resounding 5-1 victory for the Blaugrana. However, both teams have a strong tradition of starting the season well. FC Barcelona’s official site highlights that Mallorca is unbeaten in their last four opening day fixtures, while Barça has not lost a season opener since the 2019/20 campaign.
With Barcelona looking to overcome key absences and Mallorca aiming to spring an early-season upset at home, the stage is set for an intriguing start to the La Liga title race. The match will be officiated by referee José Luis Munuera Montero.
