Chapter 104: Feint to the East, Strike to the West

For this match, Barcelona's newly appointed coach, Reixach, was facing serious headaches.

He had only been given the reins of Barcelona just before the New Year, and this winter the club had injected very little cash into the transfer market. Although they had made a tidy profit off Figo in the summer, the transfers of Ovimas, Petit, and Gerard had already absorbed all the funds generated by Figo's move—and their combined wages far exceeded Figo's own.

Moreover, even though signing Alfonso on a bargain from Betis had been a stroke of luck, his salary—along with those of the other new signings—placed a heavy burden on Barcelona's books. If these players performed, all would be well; but based solely on their performances this half-season, these major summer signings had been a complete letdown.

Ovimas was originally envisioned as Figo's ideal successor. However, although the Dutch winger was talented, he lacked the all-around playmaking ability of Figo. Accustomed as he was to the direct, high-tempo style of the Premier League, he struggled to adapt to La Liga's nuances. Petit, despite an impressive showing at the European Championship that summer, had seen his form drop significantly this season—his displays paled in comparison to those of Cocu. And Gerard, ever since his return to Barcelona, had failed to recapture his Valencia form; frequent injuries had rendered him largely ineffective. As for Alfonso? Let's just say he was no longer the Golden Boot winner he once was.

The cadre of Dutch players had flourished under Van Gaal's system. Once Van Gaal left, whether it was a case of "mourning the loss of one star while celebrating another" or simply the natural decline of a system, many of their performances began to fluctuate wildly. Only a handful—Cocu, Frank de Boer, Kluivert, and a few others—managed to maintain their previous standards. That group of Dutchmen had been the wellspring of Barcelona's success over the past three seasons. With their form in decline and the new signings failing to deliver, Barcelona's slide was, sadly, inevitable.

Reixach's starting lineup for this match was as follows:

Goalkeeper: Frenchman DitrulDefenders: On the right, Puyol; on the left, Sergi; central defenders Avelado and Frank de Boer paired upMidfield: With captain Guardiola sidelined due to injury, the young Xavi partnered with Cocu in central midfieldWingers: Ovimas on one flank and Luis Enrique on the otherForwards: Rivaldo and Kluivert up front

Since Van Gaal's departure, Rivaldo was arguably the happiest beneficiary. Under Van Gaal, he had been forced to play exclusively as a left forward—a role that had frustrated him. Once Van Gaal was gone, both Ferrer and Reixach granted Rivaldo ample freedom, and his goal tally soared. With 11 league goals in 16 matches and 6 goals in just 6 Champions League appearances, Rivaldo's scoring rate confirmed his status as a top-tier star. Given space, he could score almost at will—but his individual brilliance failed to translate into overall team success. In fact, as his tally climbed, Barcelona's winning chances steadily diminished.

When the players emerged from the tunnel, over 20,000 Mallorca fans erupted in thunderous cheers—though their applause was reserved exclusively for the home side.

Shortly thereafter, José strode confidently from his own tunnel. No longer was he the inexperienced interim coach who had come in mid-season to put out fires; he was now the savior in the eyes of Mallorca's supporters. Even if the previous matches hadn't been aesthetically flawless, the aura he had built over half a season of miraculous displays could not be so easily shaken. Of course, if Mallorca's results were to slip in the coming weeks, that hard-earned reputation might gradually erode—but José was determined never to let that happen. This match was his moment to reassert his authority.

From the very first minute, the game lit up in spectacular fashion.

What dazzled everyone was, of course, Mallorca's performance. Barcelona, for its part, continued its dismal, familiar display—most of the play revolving around Rivaldo's feet as if his individual prowess were expected to carry the team singlehandedly. No matter how talented, expecting one man to dismantle a professional defense was unrealistic—and Rivaldo was no exception.

Mallorca, on the other hand, had abandoned their old tactic of launching quick counterattacks by sending long balls to a lone striker or relying solely on the pace of two wingers. Although their approach remained rooted in counterattacking, they had shifted focus from raw speed to patient, short-range combinations among the attacking players, methodically tearing down the opposition's defense.

Mallorca's two defensive midfielders, both adept at launching long passes, ensured that nearly every ball recovered in the back was swiftly moved forward. Whether it was Ngonga or Mota, they could quickly find the space up front where the attackers could take over, keeping the play crisp and direct.

"Ngonga's style isn't new—he's always played that way, given his roots in defense. That's nothing surprising," commented Iván Hidalgo as he watched Mota deliver a beautiful, low, driven pass to Ibáñez on the right flank. He frowned thoughtfully. "But what really intrigues me is Mota. This 18-year-old Brazilian, who joined Mallorca's academy two years ago, doesn't display that stereotypical Brazilian tendency to cling to the ball. His movements are refreshingly crisp and uncluttered. Frankly, it almost seems as if Ngonga has suddenly become 15 years younger and gained an extra 10 centimeters in height."

"Exactly," agreed his partner, Xavier Bonés, nodding. "He's got average pace, a tall, commanding presence, and excellent interception skills—an ideal prototype for a defensive midfielder. Yet, unlike most players in that role, he also possesses excellent close control and the ability to launch a precise long pass. Although his defensive work isn't outstanding, his combined offensive and defensive capabilities allow him to dictate the tempo in midfield—almost like Barcelona's own Guardiola. If I hadn't known he was Brazilian and had been groomed at Mallorca from an early age, I'd swear he was another product of Barcelona's famous 'number 4' mold."

"I do wonder, though," Iván added, "why does José field two midfielders with nearly identical profiles? Their attributes are so similar that it seems like a redundancy. In previous games, Ngonga was largely the playmaker—except for that one match when he played on the right wing and Mota took over. But in today's game, both have been organizing almost equally. Doesn't this risk creating chaos in the midfield?"

"Not at all," Bonés replied calmly. "Even though they alternate in directing the play, they do it seamlessly. I'm not sure how they manage it, but it's clear that whether it's Ngonga or Mota, once they get hold of the ball, they immediately spring into action with effective organization."

Iván scratched his head. "Sometimes, if one person can handle a task, why split it between two? It almost seems redundant."

"On the contrary," Bonés countered with a smile, "two heads are better than one. Their joint presence makes it much harder for the opposition to pin them down. Moreover, even though neither is an elite defender, together they offer extra protection in front of the box. Today, our full-backs have been making frequent forward runs and providing ample support. Adding an extra midfielder in that area is a safe strategy—in fact, with their positioning, Rivaldo hardly even touches the ball."

Barely had Bonés finished his observation when Barcelona's midfielder Xavi sent a slicing pass aimed at Rivaldo—but Mota intercepted it cleanly!

Rivaldo spun around, intent on recovering the ball, yet Mota had already stepped forward and slotted it to Ngonga. Mota then accelerated down the field, and Ngonga, without missing a beat, delivered a sharp diagonal pass back to Mota.

Whenever Mota took possession, several of Mallorca's forwards surged forward to create counterattacking opportunities—and today was no different!

Glancing up, Mota noticed that Ibáñez had already sprinted deep into the opponent's half. Instead of passing to him, Mota suddenly executed a clever chip, sending the ball directly to Ronaldinho, who had positioned himself near the center circle as a support runner.

With his back to Barcelona's half, Ronaldinho took the ball. Cocu charged in from behind, attempting to close him down, but Ronaldinho didn't simply shield the ball. Instead, with a quick, elegant leg cross, he allowed the ball to roll neatly between his legs, then spun sharply and darted past Cocu!

The stands erupted in deafening cheers. Even if the move didn't immediately result in a goal, such dazzling skill was enough to send the fans into raptures.

Cocu was completely taken aback—he hadn't expected this young forward to use such flair to shake him off. With his reflexes dulled by age, Cocu simply couldn't react in time and was left trailing far behind.

After evading Cocu, Ronaldinho began dribbling forward at pace. His impeccable ball control allowed him to keep the ball close without having to constantly check his feet, so his dribbling speed was almost as fast as his sprinting.

Xavi had already dropped back into a deeper defensive position, attempting to stem the attack, but it was too late to halt Ronaldinho's advance. At that moment, Puyol lunged in from the flank, determined to use his physicality to disrupt Ronaldinho's momentum.

However, Ronaldinho's strength in one-on-one challenges proved far superior. Despite a few tussles, he maintained his balance and continued his run—though the contact did momentarily slow down the counterattack. As Barcelona's defenders began to regroup, Ronaldinho suddenly pulled the ball back and secured it at his feet.

Puyol, rather than rushing further, recognized that his job was simply to slow down the counterattack—any delay was beneficial. After all, Mallorca's attacking threat was not overwhelming; their forwards were not particularly tall, and even an average aerial defense on Barcelona's part wasn't something to fear when facing a well-organized ground attack.

Ronaldinho then glanced to his right, as if checking on Ibáñez's position. At that very moment, Puyol and the other Barcelona defenders inadvertently shifted their focus to the right flank. Sensing his opportunity, Ronaldinho suddenly lifted his left foot and executed a perfectly timed chip, sending the ball high into the penalty area!

In the blink of an eye, as the ball soared, Luke burst through the defensive line and beat the offside trap!

It was one of Ronaldinho's signature moves—"Feint to the East, Strike to the West!"