The match against Mallorca not only marked Barcelona’s end of a three-match winless streak but also saw a unique achievement for Robert Lewandowski, despite the Polish striker not playing in the game.
Details: For the first time since joining Barcelona, Lewandowski, being fit and not under suspension, did not play in a match and remained on the bench. Previously, the Catalan team’s coaches had always included him in every one of the 115 matches he had been available for, but this time he spent the entire match as a substitute.
Reminder: It was speculated that this decision might have been a precautionary measure by Barcelona’s coach, Hans-Dieter Flick, who may be trying to get Lewandowski to focus less on his personal goal tally and more on team play, something the Polish striker has been criticized for recently.