Mallorca 0-1 Barcelona: Robert Lewandowski nets his ninth goal in seven league games as Barca go top

Barcelona returned to the top of La Liga thanks to the best goal Robert Lewandowski has scored for them yet.

The Polish striker’s prolific start in Spain has now netted him nine goals in the first seven games of the season, but none have been more brilliant than the one he sent past Pedrag Rajkovich after 20 minutes against Mallorca.

Ansu Fati played the ball to his left. He drifted away from Martin Valjent and curled a shot into the far post of the keeper – it was his 12th goal in all competitions for Barcelona and he is well on his way to the half century he managed to achieve last season.

Mallorca had the chance to equalize in the first half, but just as Lewandowski had done the job for them on one side, Marc-Andre ter Stegen did the same on the other. When Antonio Sánchez’s cross arrived on the edge of the six-yard box, left-back Jaume Costa ran for it, but Ter Stegen made a brilliant save from his shot.

It was the fifth consecutive zero for the German keeper and he beat his previous record for minutes without giving in.

Ter Stegen would also push shots on goal from both Sanchez and Kang In Lee in the second half as Mallorca pushed forward for the equaliser.

Barcelona have spent a lot of money on the attack over the summer, but it is at the back where a real revolution has taken place – they have only conceded one goal so far this season in La Liga and this victory was secured without the help of the injured Jules Kounde who has to be back in fourteen days for the Clasico.

Barcelona created even more chances, but Franck Kessie, Fati, Dembele and substitute Raphinha were unable to capture them and that made for a nerve-wracking last minute.

“We had the chances to win by a bigger margin,” admitted Sergi Busquets. “We had the game under control, but if it’s just one goal, you’re always just one goal away from two points slipping away.”

This was Barcelona’s first match of a marathon game in which they will play 12 times in 40 days.

Ahead of their away game at Inter this week, coach Xavi said: “We have a lot of players gone but we have the squad to face it.”

Barcelona will play twice against Inter and in quick succession against Real Madrid and Bayern Munich. They have the defensive steel and the ever-in shape striker to help them rise to the challenge.