Advertisement League of Ireland Horse Racing TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Sport meets news, current affairs, society & pop culture Rugby Weekly Extra Dive into all the news and analysis 3 times a week The Football Family Weekly insights from the week’s big talking points Advertisement More Stories Barcelona's Lamine Yamal (top) celebrates after his teammate Dani Olmo, (left) scored his side's goal.Alamy Stock Photo Barcelona close in on La Liga title while PSG four games away from historic unbeaten season Both sides are also still in contention for the Champions League. 10.55pm, 22 Apr 2025 Share options BARCELONA INCHED CLOSER to the La Liga title with a 1-0 win over Mallorca which took them seven points clear of Real Madrid. Spain international Dani Olmo slotted home to help Barca turn up the heat on second-placed champions Madrid, who visit Getafe on Wednesday. Hansi Flick’s side, aiming for a potential quadruple, outplayed the visitors but could not extend their lead at the Olympic stadium as goalkeeper Leo Roman made save after save. With Saturday’s Copa del Rey final against rivals Real Madrid in mind, Flick rested several of his usual starters. The coach handed former teenage prodigy Ansu Fati his first start since October and deployed Hector Fort on the left of the defence, with Ferran Torres up front in place of injured top scorer Robert Lewandowski. Barcelona created several chances in the first half and could hardly believe the score was goalless at the break. Gavi’s deflected shot hit the post, while Torres fired over after Olmo played him in. Advertisement Fati also fired narrowly off target as the hosts turned the screw, and Roman saved from teenage star Lamine Yamal, before Fort’s shot was blocked as Mallorca rode their luck. Now 22 and struggling for minutes at Barca, Fati drilled wide of the near post when he might have tested the increasingly-busy Roman, before Mateu Morey blasted home at the other end but was offside. Barcelona left the pitch frustrated but swiftly took the lead at the start of the second half, with Olmo firing home after a long string of passes. Fati came close to a second but Roman palmed his drive to safety. Flick sent on Raphinha and Fermin Lopez to try and finish the job. Yamal should have added Barcelona’s second when the excellent Pedri sent him through, but Roman made yet another save. The goalkeeper showed good reflexes to thwart Eric Garcia and then clawed out Lopez’s deflected shot when it looked like it was dipping over his head for his 10th save of the night. It was Roman’s first appearance in the league in 2025 for Mallorca and although he and his side left without a point to show for it, another save to deny Lopez towards the end underlined his outstanding display. Mallorca appealed for a penalty in stoppage time when Garcia held Abdon Prats in the box but their appeals were waved away. Barcelona have five games remaining in La Liga, including a mouthwatering Clasico showdown against Real Madrid on 11 May. Elsewhere, Paris Saint-Germain were held to a 1-1 draw at Nantes in a rearranged Ligue 1 game, a result which maintains their unbeaten domestic record this season with the Champions League semi-final against Arsenal on the horizon. It looked like Vitinha’s first-half strike might be enough for PSG, who have already secured a fourth consecutive Ligue 1 title, to leave the Stade de la Beaujoire with the victory. However, Nantes hit back to equalise with six minutes remaining through their Brazilian midfielder Douglas Augusto, earning the hosts a precious point in their battle for survival. PSG might still have won the game at the death, but a header by substitute Goncalo Ramos from a Desire Doue cross came back off the crossbar. Nevertheless, the draw means they have still not lost a game against domestic opposition since May last year, and leaves them just four Ligue 1 matches away from becoming the first team ever to complete a French top-flight campaign without losing. The closest a team has ever come to doing that remains Nantes, who went undefeated through their first 32 matches before suffering their only loss on the way to becoming champions in 1994/95. – © AFP 2025 Viewcomments Send Tip or Correction Embed this post To embed this post, copy the code below on your site Email “Barcelona close in on La Liga title while PSG four games away from historic unbeaten season”. Recipient's Email Feedback on “Barcelona close in on La Liga title while PSG four games away from historic unbeaten season”. Your Feedback Your Email (optional) Report a Comment Please select the reason for reporting this comment. Please give full details of the problem with the comment... This is YOUR comments community. Stay civil, stay constructive, stay on topic. Please familiarise yourself with our comments policy before taking part. Leave a Comment Submit a report Please help us understand how this comment violates our community guidelines. Damaging the good reputation of someone, slander, or libel. Racism or Hate speech An attack on an individual or group based on religion, race, gender, or beliefs. Trolling or Off-topic An attempt to derail the discussion. Inappropriate language Profanity, obscenity, vulgarity, or slurs. Advertising, phishing, scamming, bots, or repetitive posts. Please provide additional information Thank you for the feedback Your feedback has been sent to our team for review. Leave a commentcancel Access to the comments facility has been disabled for this user View our policy ⚠️ Duplicate comment Post Comment have your say Or create a free account to join the discussion euro round-up News in 60 seconds FreePremier League Man City get huge Champions League boost with 95th-minute win over Aston Villa 45 mins ago FreeImpressive All Whyte on the night as Derry beat Sligo to go three points off the top Meath set up Leinster U20 football final rematch with Louth AnalysisDeparture What legacy will Marc Canham leave Irish football? Gavin Cooney and David Sneyd AnalysisAll Square Munster hurling day of draws adds to the pressure and uncertainty facing every team FreePodcastThe Football Family Canham to leave FAI as LOI takes leave of senses Ulster hit with injury absentees and doubts ahead of crucial Sharks meeting Dates For Diary Here's this week's GAA inter-county schedule and TV coverage O'Connor, Warwick and Matty Rea among 8 senior players to depart Ulster at end of season FAI announce exit of chief football officer Marc Canham Marching up together We deserve to celebrate – jubilant Leeds bask in Premier League return more from us Investigates Daft.ie Property Magazine Allianz Home Magazine The 42 Sports Magazine Money Diaries The Journal TV Journal Media Advertise With Us About FactCheck Our Network FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition more from us TV Listings GAA Fixtures The Video Review Journal Media Advertise With Us Our Network The Journal FactCheck Knowledge Bank Terms & Legal Notices Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition © 2025 Journal Media Ltd Terms of Use Cookies & Privacy Advertising Competition Switch to Desktop Switch to Mobile The 42 supports the work of the Press Council of Ireland and the Office of the Press Ombudsman, and our staff operate within the Code of Practice. You can obtain a copy of the Code, or contact the Council, at https://www.presscouncil.ie, PH: (01) 6489130, Lo-Call 1800 208 080 or email: mailto:info@presscouncil.ie Report an error, omission or problem: Your Email (optional) Create Email Alert Create an email alert based on the current article Email Address One email every morning As soon as new articles come online Sign in or create a free account To continue reading create a free account Or sign into an existing account