Virus-hit Barça win at Mallorca

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BARCELONA, Spain, Jan 3, (AP): Barcelona earned a 1-0 win at Mallorca with a team badly hit by the coronavirus. The absence of 10 first-team players gave the rarely used Luuk de Jong the chance to finally show his worth as a striker since he joined Barcelona on loan at the end of the summer transfer market as a bargain replacement for Antoine Griezmann.

Coach Xavi Hernández had to align a front line with De Jong flanked by youth players Ferran Jutglà and Ilias Akhomach. De Jong, who had failed to earn consistent playing time, succeeded in providing a potent attacking threat for the visitors. The Dutch striker tapped the ball onto the post moments before he produced a superb bicycle kick that rattled the crossbar. He then headed in his goal when he reached a cross by Óscar Mingueza at the far post just before halftime. Barcelona still needed a stoppage- time save by Marc-Andre ter Stegen to rise to fifth place, one point from the Champions League spots. Elche coach Francisco Rodríguez was sent off for repeatedly protesting during his team’s 0-0 draw with Granada, while Real Sociedad drew 1-1 at Alavés.

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