Barcelona’s exceptional record in recent La Liga openers ahead of Mallorca clash | OneFootball

Barcelona are set to kickstart the new season tomorrow as they travel to Son Moix to face RCD Mallorca in the La Liga opener.

As the defending champions, Barcelona will be expected to start the campaign on a strong note and secure three points.

If Barça’s mighty squad and exceptional pre-season form weren’t enough, history also appears to back the Catalans heading into the league opener.

Barcelona’s spectacular winning record in opening fixtures

Last season, Flick’s men began with a comeback 2-1 win over Valencia at Mestalla. Robert Lewandowski’s brace overturned an early deficit to ensure the perfect start.

While the 2021/22 and 2020/21 campaigns started with goalless draws, Barcelona have otherwise been remarkably consistent in their opening fixtures.

Can Barcelona extend their pre-season momentum and start with a win over Mallorca? (Photo by Judit Cartiel/Getty Images)

The 2023/24 opener saw them grind out a result against Getafe at the Coliseum Alfonso Pérez, while the 2022/23 campaign began at home with a 0-0 against Rayo Vallecano.

The years prior produced more emphatic starts, including a 4-2 win over Real Sociedad in 2021/22 and a 4-0 thrashing of Villarreal in 2020/21.

In fact, between the 2009/10 and 2018/19 seasons, Barcelona put together a stunning streak of ten consecutive opening-day victories.

Only twice in the past decade have the Blaugrana failed to win their first match of the season, and they have suffered just one defeat in their last 15 league openers.

That loss came in the 2019/20 season, when Athletic Club’s Aritz Aduriz scored a spectacular late winner at San Mames.

The previous defeat before that was all the way back in August 2008 – Pep Guardiola’s debut as manager – in a 1-0 loss to Numancia.