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| Pablo Maffeo of RCD Mallorca and a Robert Lewandowski of FC Barcelona competes for the ball during the LaLiga Santander match between RCD Mallorca and FC Barcelona at Estadi de Son Moix on October 01, 2022 in Mallorca, Spain. |
Lewandowski’s lethal finish sent Barcelona provisionally top of La Liga with a tight 1-0 win at Real Mallorca on Saturday.
Marc-Andre ter Stegen kept a fifth consecutive clean sheet in the top flight and, along with Lewandowski’s brilliantly taken strike in the 20th minute, it was enough to put Barcelona one point clear of Real Madrid, who host Osasuna on Sunday.
Earlier Atletico Madrid cruised to a 2-0 win over a toothless Sevilla, increasing the pressure on Julen Lopetegui.
Marcos Llorente and Alvaro Morata’s goals took Atletico provisionally up to sixth, while leaving the hosts 16th, just a point above the relegation zone.
In Mallorca, Xavi Hernandez’s side demonstrated they are ironing out the creases which caused them so many problems last season, improving both defensively and in attack, with the relentless Lewandowski leading the charge.
Barcelona’s coach earned a new domestic record of 18 consecutive league matches on the road without defeat, moving ahead of former Real Madrid coach Zinedine Zidane.
Ter Stegen, who has started this season in top form, beat his own personal record of 500 minutes without conceding in La Liga, reaching 534 minutes and counting.
At the other end, Lewandowski leads the scoring charts in Spain on nine goals from seven games, after clinically curling into the bottom corner to break the deadlock against Mallorca.
“This win will help us ahead of some very tricky weeks,” Ter Stegen told Movistar.
“The record isn’t as important as the win. I’m sure it will give me confidence. These wins put you in a good dynamic, these games mean a lot.
“They help us maintain the pressure on Real Madrid.”