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| Mallorca manager, Arrasate |
Mallorca head coach Jagoba Arrasate expressed his frustration following his side’s 3–0 home defeat to Barcelona, citing the challenges of playing with nine men and questioning the refereeing decisions that influenced the outcome.
Arrasate was blunt about the difficulty his team faced after early dismissals:
"With nine players, it’s impossible. There was no game. Those who paid over a hundred euros only saw 25 minutes," he said, emphasizing how the early red cards left Mallorca with little chance to compete effectively.
Despite the setback, Arrasate acknowledged the team’s resilience in the second half.
"We take away the team’s work. At 0-1 we were able to equalize and lay the first stone, and if the crowd supports us, we can achieve important things… I take away the reaction of the team and the crowd in the second half," he noted, highlighting the positive response from players and fans alike despite the difficult circumstances.
The Mallorca coach was particularly frustrated by the handling of controversial moments, especially the sequence that led to Barcelona’s second goal:
"I think we all saw it. Last week we were told that if there’s a head injury, the game stops. The fourth official told him to stop because it was a head blow. He takes the whistle, we all thought he had blown it, and to everyone’s surprise, he gives a goal; I don’t understand it," Arrasate said, questioning the clarity and consistency of officiating.
Arrasate also criticized the refereeing decisions surrounding his players’ dismissals:
"Morlanes got a yellow for protesting the second goal, then a second yellow very harshly. And Muriqi’s red – he accidentally hits the goalkeeper in the face, and the referee gives a yellow, but VAR had warned him. It’s a shame because the match lasted only twenty-something minutes."
On the broader issue of refereeing consistency, Arrasate added:
"We complain about the criteria, which isn’t consistent. It irritates you, angers you, and at halftime, with nine players and 0-2, we were very heated. We had to calm ourselves and bring in fresh players. We made three substitutions that gave us a boost, which the fans appreciated. The only shame is the last goal, which makes the scoreline look worse."
Despite the disappointment, Arrasate seemed to take a measured view of his team’s performance, praising their resilience and the support of the crowd. Mallorca will need to regroup quickly as they prepare for their upcoming matches in La Liga, hoping to bounce back after a challenging outing against one of Spain’s top sides.
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