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Barca seek morale boost in Mallorca

Barcelona will be hoping to get back on track after their defeat by Real Madrid just before Christmas with a good performance at mid-table Real Mallorca today, although their poor away record in the league makes three points far from certain.

The Catalan club have only won twice away from home this season but visits to Mallorca have become morale-boosting occasions for Barca in recent years, as they have inflicted heavy defeats on the hosts in their last four trips there.

Last season, Barcelona hammered Mallorca 4-1 with two goals coming from Eidur Gudjohnsen and another from Andres Iniesta and both men might have pivotal roles to play today.

In the absence of injured superstars Ronaldinho and Lionel Messi, who have tendonitis in the left knee and a muscle tear in the left thigh respectively, Iniesta could play up front alongside Samuel Eto'o.

Gudjohnsen might slot in behind the pair although Barca coach Frank Rijkaard may also opt to throw teenage striker Bojan Krkic into the action.

Barcelona needs to focus more on winning even if that means dropping their short passing game style, Eto'o said on Thursday.

"We need to win, win, win and score points, even if we play badly," he told a news conference.

"We haven't always done things well. At times we are obsessed with passes and maintaining the ball. But if you do not score, it does not matter what else you have done," he said.

Eto'o said losing to Real was "hard" but the team has not yet given up hope that they can win the league title and he defended Barcelona's Brazilian star Ronaldinho, who has failed to make an impact this season.

"The loss does not mean the league is won, but it will have boosted their confidence. Even if we do not win it, we have to keep going and trying right up until the final day," he said.

"We know how much Ronaldinho is worth and what he can bring to the team. People should be grateful for what he has achieved," the Cameroonian said.

If Barcelona drop points in Mallorca, they could find themselves in the embarrassing position of losing their status as the top club in the city as their neighbors Espanyol are only one point and one place behind them.

Espanyol, who have 33 points, play host to fourth-placed Villarreal today in a match that could also determine who is Real's closest competitor by the end of the weekend as Villarreal are only one point further back.

La Liga leaders Real Madrid take on Real Zaragoza at the Santiago Bernabeu tomorrow.
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