Chapter 107: Mallorca’s Onslaught

Compared to the dynamic display from Ronaldinho, Barcelona's star Rivaldo looked rather lackluster in this game.

Just as Coach José had predicted, Rivaldo's explosive goal-scoring burst in the first half had taken a toll on his stamina—no matter how brilliant a striker may be, after a period of extraordinary form his output can naturally decline. Moreover, Barcelona's tactic of immediately looking for Rivaldo as soon as they regained possession was proving easily countered. Even though Ronaldinho was drawing plenty of attention with his flair, Barcelona's defensive strategy couldn't quite neutralize him. Ronaldinho is an essential part of Mallorca's attack, but not the entire engine. With Mota and Ngonga orchestrating the buildup from deeper positions, even if Ronaldinho were to be tightly marked, the ball would eventually find its way to Ibáñez, Luke, or even Eto'o, who could then create the space Ronaldinho needed.

Under these circumstances, Mallorca's offensive pressure began to steadily overwhelm Barcelona.

Barcelona's defense had never been particularly solid. They were known for their attacking mindset—even their defenders, when in possession, often preferred to pass forward rather than simply clear the ball. That habit works fine when under little pressure, but when the opposition forces them, it increases the risk of costly errors.

In the 67th minute, Mallorca launched a dazzling counterattack from midfield. Ronaldinho, evading the marking of Petit with a burst of speed, delivered a stunning through pass. Luke made a surging run from the flank and once again found himself one-on-one with the goalkeeper!

José leaped to his feet; if that chance were converted, the match would practically be decided. Facing the onrushing Ditrul, Luke fired a shot into the bottom right corner. Yet Ditrul reacted swiftly—diving and managing to parry the ball with one hand. A collective groan rose from the stands.

"Luke wasted a golden opportunity!" the commentators lamented. "His movement was exquisite, but his finishing at the near post seems lacking. In the first half, Luke could have scored directly—had it not been for Ditrul's heroics. Luckily, Eto'o was there to pounce on the rebound!"

Luke could indeed score many goals, but perhaps because he is a more well-rounded player, he wasn't the prolific striker some might expect. There are few perfect forwards in this world.

Just as José was shaking his head in resignation, the ball flew toward the right side of the penalty area. Sergi controlled it with a deft touch and began to turn, intending to distribute it. That was exactly the kind of move that Barcelona's defenders are used to—upon gaining possession, their instinct isn't to clear the ball, but to pass and launch an attack.

Sergi controlled the ball and spun around—only to see a flash of darkness! In a split second, a powerful, muscular leg lunged forward and intercepted his loose control, kicking the ball away. Immediately, the opposing player surged forward, cutting Sergi off.

It was Eto'o again—another brilliant interception in the defensive third! Sergi was stunned; positioned on the edge of the box, he knew all too well the danger of allowing an attacker like Eto'o to operate in the penalty area. Reacting quickly, Sergi turned to defend, but wary of committing a foul inside the box, he could only trail Eto'o and harass him from behind.

Seeing that the attack wasn't over, the rest of the Mallorca players sprang into action. Luke beckoned at the edge of the area, Ibáñez hovered inside for support, and Ronaldinho positioned himself slightly further forward, ready for Eto'o's next pass.

Barcelona's defenders weren't idle either—they had begun their recovery and now swarmed to mark the Mallorca forwards, determined to snuff out the counterattack before it could develop further.

Eto'o suddenly took a lateral step with the ball and burst parallel to the touchline toward the penalty area. De Boer charged forward from the front, while the rest of Barcelona's backline shadowed the Mallorca attackers relentlessly.

Eto'o swung his right foot, and with a sudden, forceful flick of his inside boot, he sent the ball arcing toward the top of the penalty arc. At that moment, several of Mallorca's attackers had already flooded into the box, and Ronaldinho had attracted the attention of two Barcelona midfielders, leaving a gap along the edge of the penalty area.

Filling that void was Mota, making a well-timed late run forward—the other Brazilian in the team. Receiving Eto'o's return pass, Mota swung his left foot and blasted the ball powerfully toward the bottom right corner. Ditrul, still recovering from his earlier effort, was helpless as the shot rocketed past him and into the net!

"GOOOAAALL! Samuel Eto'o—what a strike! That's his second goal this season!" the commentators erupted. "Ever since Eto'o joined Mallorca—after barely featuring for Real Madrid—he's been in unstoppable form. Even during his loan spell, he never looked this lethal… Five league matches, three goals, plus two in the Copa del Rey! Eto'o is finally showing the clinical edge of a top striker. Compared to last season, his performance has improved dramatically, and his link-up play has never been better. If Real Madrid could field three forwards for Di María last season, why can't they line up three for Eto'o? His talent is every bit as formidable."

Luke crumpled in disbelief, holding his head in frustration, while José shook his head, a mixture of regret and determination in his eyes. Luke was certainly capable of scoring many goals, but perhaps because he is an all-around player rather than a pure finisher, perfection remained elusive. There are few flawless forwards in football, after all.

Just as José was lost in thought, the ball sailed into the right side of the box again. This time, Sergi controlled it smoothly, turned, and prepared to launch an attack—the familiar move of Barcelona's defenders, whose first instinct is to distribute the ball rather than clear it outright.

But as Sergi turned, he saw a flash of darkness—a powerful, well-timed tackle! A strong leg lunged in, intercepting Sergi's control and forcefully nudging the ball away. Immediately, the opposition surged forward.

Once again, it was Eto'o! Another masterful steal in the backfield! Sergi, who had been positioned near the edge of the box, knew the peril of letting an attacker like Eto'o operate inside the penalty area. He quickly turned to contain Eto'o, but inside the box he was cautious about committing a foul. Instead, he resorted to trailing Eto'o and trying to disrupt his rhythm.

Realizing the attack was still unfolding, the rest of the Mallorca players rallied. Luke signaled from the penalty area, Ibáñez hovered for a possible pass, and Ronaldinho stayed alert just outside, ready for another delivery from Eto'o.

Barcelona's defenders, now recovered, huddled closely to quash the counterattack before it could gain momentum. Yet Eto'o, ever the catalyst, took a determined step sideways with the ball and began sprinting along the touchline toward the penalty area. De Boer met him head-on, while the remaining Barcelona defenders hounded the Mallorca attackers.

With a quick movement of his right foot, Eto'o unleashed a crisp pass that sailed into the area near the top of the arc. At that moment, several Mallorca attackers had penetrated the box, and Ronaldinho had drawn away two Barcelona midfielders—leaving a gaping hole along the edge of the area!

Into that space surged Mota—the other Brazilian talent. With perfect timing, Mota received Eto'o's pass, swung his left foot, and struck the ball with tremendous force toward the bottom right corner. Ditrul, still reeling from his earlier efforts, had no chance as the ball whistled past him and hit the back of the net.

"Fantastic!" José roared, punching the air before sprinting to the sideline, his arms flailing in jubilation.

The goal wasn't just about the score; it was a statement. As the ball carrier broke free, his teammates executed their roles to perfection, and the attacking interplay that Mallorca had been cultivating was beginning to crystallize. Mota, running toward the touchline with arms outstretched, was intercepted mid-run by Ronaldinho. The two burst into laughter as they embraced—ever since Ronaldinho joined Mallorca, Mota had been his first friend; both, sharing similar ages and heritage, had bonded quickly. José recalled that later at Barcelona, the two would maintain an exceptional rapport.

With Eto'o—who later emerged as one of Barcelona's top strikers—inspired by Ronaldinho's initiatives, and with Luke contributing both goals and assists, Mota netting one as well, José couldn't help but feel a mischievous thrill. "How devious," he mused, "to defeat Barcelona using players who might one day shine at Barça themselves."

The Mallorca supporters erupted in ecstatic cheers—the team now led by a two-goal margin, they felt no apprehension. With the score and on-field dominance firmly in their favor, the fans were convinced that Mallorca would soon unleash a whirlwind that would reshape La Liga.

"Full time! Two-nil!" the announcer declared. "With one goal in each half, Mallorca have triumphed at home over fourth-placed Barcelona. Throughout the match, Mallorca controlled the game. Beyond the two goals, they created numerous chances, leaving Barcelona with no answers. Post-winter break, Mallorca look revitalized! With several teams ahead drawing or losing, this victory catapults Mallorca to sixth place, tied on 25 points with Villarreal, but trailing fourth-placed Barcelona by five points. Their position remains fragile, with teams on 24 points—Alavés, Camara, Las Palmas—and others with 23, like Villarreal and Oviedo. La Liga this season is teeming with mid-table contenders. Even 16th-placed Celta have 19 points. Will Mallorca launch a fierce assault into the top four, or remain in the middle? Only time will tell!"

In the first league round after New Year's, in a marquee clash, Mallorca defeated Barcelona 2–0 at home—an emphatic announcement that they would dramatically impact the shape of La Liga this season.

There's no doubt that this nearly uncontested victory has raised the team's expectations for the upcoming fixtures. Despite a relatively short training camp and a still-developing understanding among the players, they had already subdued Barcelona. With every passing game, as their chemistry strengthens, the team's performance is bound to improve.

This renewed confidence spurred them to train with even greater intensity. In their next Copa del Rey match, José planned to use the game to give fringe players valuable experience and to experiment with new tactical ideas.

With a lineup featuring goalkeeper Franco, right-back Campano, center-backs Camara and Nino, left-back Capdevila, holding midfielder Marcos, left winger Karaze, right winger Ibáñez, attacking midfielder Novo, and forwards Delgado and Luke, José suddenly realized that his team could field two distinct formations.

In an away Copa del Rey clash against a third-tier side, despite featuring seven players who had only joined during the winter break, Mallorca's squad performed admirably—perhaps the opposition was simply too weak. Their unique qualities shone through. In the end, thanks to goals from midfielders Novo and Marcos, Mallorca comfortably won 2–0 and advanced to the third round of the Copa del Rey.

In that match, Campano tirelessly surged down the right flank, tracking back diligently. Though his technical skills were modest, his work rate was exceptional, and he rarely lingered with the ball. He did everything expected of a full-back—overlapping runs, drawing defenders, providing support, delivering crosses, tracking back, blocking shots. While he might not possess the explosive pace of George or the pure defensive acumen of Soler, his youth and versatility made him a valuable asset. Even if he couldn't secure a starting spot, he was an ideal bench player.

As for Novo, he seemed to inspire extra trust from José. His ball control was impressive, and he possessed a fine blend of playmaking and forward-driving ability. His goal—scored after a timely run and a well-executed header from Delgado—was a testament to his attacking intelligence. Compared to Ibáñez, Novo resembled more of a classical midfielder, adding technical quality to the center of the park. Although his dribbling might not be as dynamic as Ibáñez's, in a team like Mallorca that prized ground passing, his role was just as crucial.

Watching these two young talents, José couldn't help but wonder if he had been overly fixated on the familiar names from his past. Although those established stars were undoubtedly brilliant, there were also unsung, talented players whose abilities should not be overlooked. These players were skilled, dependable, and loyal—content to play from the bench if needed. Uncovering even one such player could solve many of the team's issues.