Barcelona end La Liga slump with 5-1 win

MADRID (AP):

Barcelona got back to winning ways in the Spanish league in style, routing Mallorca 5-1 yesterday with a pair of goals by Raphinha.

Ferran Torres, Frenkie de Jong and Pau Victor also scored for Barcelona, who had not won in three consecutive league games to allow Real Madrid to inch closer at the top of the standings. Madrid are now four points back although they have two games in hand.

Torres, who got to start in place of league-leading scorer Robert Lewandowski, opened the scoring in the 12th minute after Mallorca defenders failed to clear an easy ball from inside the area. One defender tried to kick it away but it ended ricocheting off a teammate to give Ferran an easy shot on goal.

The hosts equalised with Vedat Muriqi in a breakaway just before halftime in what was Mallorca's only shot on target, but Raphinha put Barcelona back in front by converting a 56th-minute penalty kick. He added to the lead in the 74th after a nice assist by Lamine Yamal.

Raphinha now has 11 goals in 16 league games this season.

Yamal also helped set up De Jong's goal five minutes later, not long after the midfielder had come off the bench. It was De Jong who then assisted Victor's goal in the 84th.

Barcelona have scored five or more goals in a match for the sixth time this season across all competitions. They have outscored opponents 48-17 in the league alone.

Barcelona had lost twice in their last three league matches - 2-1 to Las Palmas at home on Saturday and 1-0 at Real Sociedad three rounds ago. Their other setback was a 2-2 draw at Celta Vigo when it was winning 2-0 until late in the match.

The game against Mallorca was moved forward in the schedule because both clubs will be playing in the Spanish Super Cup in January. Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao, the other two clubs in the Super Cup, will meet on Wednesday in Bilbao.

Barcelona, who beat Brest in the Champions League last week, will visit Real Betis in their next league match on Saturday. Mallorca, sitting in sixth place in the Spanish league, face Celta on Friday. Mallorca were coming off two straight league victories - against Valencia and at Las Palmas.