Football can work in mysterious ways – especially if it gets affected by injuries, Covid, lack of money, strange events in the football market – and you get into surreal situations. For example, Barcelona boss Xavi Hernandez must field an attacking trio of Luuk de Jong, Ferran Jutgla and Illias Akhomach. In other words, an unwanted man Xavi is looking to get rid of and a couple of inexperienced youngsters.Ferran Jutgla and Illias Akhomach (©AFP)Many eyebrows were raised when Luuk De Jong arrived ahead of this season from Sevilla. A player who has had his good days playing for the Andalusian team and especially for PSV Eindhoven back in his motherland, De Jong wasn’t a nobody, but he wasn’t an addition that would lift the squad that had just lost Lionel Messi and Antoine Griezmann. Former coach and De Jong’s compatriot Ronald Koeman brought the attacker to replace the Frenchman but it’s fair to say that it was a feeble move.It quickly became clear that the Dutch striker is out of his depth and Xavi’s arrival all but ended his fleeting career with the Catalan club. However, in their first match of 2022, Xavi and Barca fans will have to pray that Luuk has a few goals in him as the depleted Barca squad flies out to the island of Majorca to face Real Club Deportivo Mallorca.Jutgla and Ilias have recently made their first-team debuts under Xavi and they are suddenly facing a difficult task of scoring goals in league matches. In an ideal world, both of them would be eased into the side gradually, but this season is far from ideal. There is no time to test the waters or look for the sharks – you just have to dive in.8️⃣ Barça’s wonder kids stepped up 👶🏼Nico, Gavi, Abde, Jutglá, Ilias… have been added to the already proved youngsters in the squad. pic.twitter.com/QWOuGToE56— La Liga Lowdown 🧡🇪🇸⚽️ (@LaLigaLowdown) December 31, 2021 Mallorca are doing well in their first season back in La Liga. The club has strung 16 years in the top flight around the turn of the century but have been struggling in the second division for a long time, even dropping down to the third tier in 2017/18 campaign. However, they are a difficult team to beat at their Estadio de Son Moix. Since the start of the season, they suffered just one defeat in nine home fixtures.It’s a funny world indeed.LA LIGA – ROUND 19FridayValencia – Espanyol 1-2 (0-0)/Alderete 51 – de Tomas 83 pen, Puado 88/Sunday16:00: (6.25) Getafe (3.80) Real Madrid (1.65)18:15: (2.45) Elche (3.15) Granada (3.30)18:15: (1.40) Atl.Madrid (4.80) Rayo Vallecano (9.50)20:30: (3.60) Alaves (3.15) Sociedad (2.30)20:30: (1.90) Betis (3.60) Celta (4.40)23:00: (3.70) Mallorca (3.40) Barcelona (2.15)Monday21:00: (1.45) Villareal (4.70) Levante (8.00)23:00: (3.40) Osasuna (3.00) Ath.Bilbao (2.50)23:15: (4.70) Cadiz (3.45) Sevilla (1.90)***odds are subject to change
