Chapter 130: A Favorable Situation

Shouting slogans about winning the title isn't unusual in the latter half of the season. Generally, such slogans help unify the team and clarify their objectives. However, José's casual and almost playful declaration didn't attract much attention.

José knew very well that Mallorca wasn't truly capable of challenging for the title this season. They had dropped unnecessary points in the first half of the season, and Real Madrid was in excellent form. The realistic goal was to secure a top-four finish, especially while other teams were distracted by European competitions.

The next league match was an away game against Barcelona. Mallorca was only one point behind them. If they could repeat last season's feat of defeating Barcelona at the Camp Nou, they would break into the top four.

However, José understood that last season's victory would be difficult to replicate. Barcelona wouldn't fall for the same mistake twice, and this time, they had only played a UEFA Cup match over the weekend, meaning they were in good condition. Forcing a win might backfire.

For José, even a draw would be an acceptable result. The gap was just one point, and Barcelona was bound to make mistakes in the remaining matches—he was certain of it.

A week later, Mallorca managed to secure a hard-fought draw at the Camp Nou. Rivaldo scored both goals in the match—one for Barcelona and one as an own goal while trying to clear the ball. That fortunate own goal earned Mallorca a valuable point.

José was satisfied with the away draw, but at home, he had no intention of dropping any points.

Since last season, José's home record as a manager had been nothing short of astonishing—an unbroken winning streak. Ten consecutive home wins last season, seven more this season, plus two Copa del Rey home victories and three UEFA Cup home wins. A staggering 22-match home winning streak. He had no intention of letting that record end.

Against Real Madrid at home, José wanted only one result—victory.

He feared no one at home, and the circumstances were in his favor. Just three days prior, Real Madrid had fought fiercely against Leeds United to secure top spot in their Champions League group. Although they won, the match had drained them. Meanwhile, Mallorca had the advantage of a full week's rest.

With all these advantages, José gave Real Madrid no breathing room. From the start, Mallorca pressed aggressively, turning the match into a physical battle. With superior stamina, Mallorca had the upper hand. Step by step, they built their attacks while denying Real Madrid any real opportunities. Vicente del Bosque had no effective counter-strategy. In the end, a brilliant goal from Luque in the 37th minute secured a 1-0 victory for Mallorca—completing a season sweep over Real Madrid.

Meanwhile, the top teams continued to stumble due to fatigue. Deportivo La Coruña failed to capitalize on Madrid's loss and suffered a 2-0 defeat to Las Palmas, staying five points behind Real Madrid. Valencia also faltered, losing 3-2 to an in-form Celta Vigo, leaving them just two points ahead of Mallorca. As for Barcelona, they were the only top-four team that didn't lose—but they didn't win either. A 2-2 draw against relegation-battling Numancia saw them drop to fifth place, overtaken by Mallorca.

For Barcelona, this season was turning into a nightmare.

"Now that we've come through the toughest period, our next task is simple—win every match we're supposed to win and solidify our position!"

Facing a brutal stretch of three consecutive matches against top teams, Mallorca emerged with seven points—far exceeding José's expectations. Two of the games were at home, and José would have been content with five points. However, his players performed even better than he had hoped.

"Hmm… looks like we're finally on the right track," José thought.

With the international break coming up, La Liga wouldn't resume until April 1. Thanks to their strong performances, several Mallorca players had earned international call-ups. Eto'o joined Cameroon, Gamarra returned to Paraguay, Ronaldinho was selected for Brazil, and even Luque was called up to the latest Spain squad. Kaladze, already a seasoned Georgian international, brought Mallorca's international representation to five players—a rare achievement for the club.

However, not everyone made it. Motta wasn't yet considered for Brazil's midfield, which was overflowing with talent. Ibagaza and Franco missed out on Argentina's squad. Capdevila, despite his quality, wasn't selected by Spain. Players like Novo, Campano, and Marcos weren't regular starters at Mallorca, so their chances were slim. Nadal and Engonga were past their prime, while Nino had no realistic shot at the national team.

With so many key players away, Mallorca had a chance to rest and recharge.

During the tough stretch of matches, José had been fully focused on the competition. After defeating Real Madrid, and with five of his starters on international duty, he rewarded the team with a three-day break. He had become quite adept at balancing discipline and rewards.

However, with the break, José suddenly found himself with nothing to do. His father managed the club's operations, and he had no interest in investments like some other time travelers. His job was simple—coach the team and develop players.

Feeling a bit bored, José went to the club the next day. The first-team training ground was empty, but the reserve team was still practicing.

Mallorca B had struggled in the second half of the season. Losing four key players to the first team had severely weakened them. To compensate, more youth players were getting early exposure to professional football.

José didn't disturb the reserve team coaches. Instead, he quietly observed their training. Before long, a tall figure caught his attention.

"Oh, it's that kid Matías?" José's eyes lit up.

A few months ago, in Madrid, he had given Matías and his father a contact number—not his own, but that of Mallorca's youth academy director. After returning to Mallorca, he told the director to expect a young defender looking to join. If the boy passed the trial, he should be informed.

To José's surprise, just a few days later, the director confirmed that Matías had arrived, passed his trial, and joined Mallorca's youth team.

What José hadn't known was that Matías had been immediately released by Getafe's youth team after their meeting. Without a professional contract due to his age, he saw no reason to stay and traveled straight to Mallorca, securing his spot in the youth setup.

José hadn't thought much of it at the time. Based on what he saw in Madrid, Matías had the physicality and defensive ability to make it in Mallorca's youth system. Given the club's defensive approach, the coaches valued strong defenders. Campano, for instance, had risen from the youth ranks to the reserves in a similar fashion. However, in just two months, Matías had already been promoted from the youth team to the reserves—an impressively fast rise.

Intrigued, José watched him closely. What he saw left him stunned.

Matías had improved significantly. While he was still slow on the turn, he was no longer relying solely on rough tackles to stop opponents. His positioning had improved, and he used his footwork to block attacking players more effectively. Most importantly, he had learned to coordinate with teammates, recognizing that defensive cohesion was more effective than one-on-one battles.

Even the best defenders in the world struggled when isolated against attackers. Proper positioning and teamwork were essential qualities for a top defender.

"Did I just strike gold?" José wondered.

Just as he was contemplating this, a hand patted his shoulder, making him jump.

Turning around, he saw the reserve team coach, Mésquida.

"It's you," José said.

"What are you doing, secretly watching the reserves?" Mésquida chuckled.

"Didn't want to interrupt your training," José replied with a grin. "Remember, I came from the reserves myself. Back then, we hated it when first-team coaches came down and started giving orders. I wouldn't make that mistake."

Mésquida laughed. When José had played for the reserves, they had shared a good relationship, so their conversation was casual.

"With the first team on break, you must be bored," Mésquida said, sitting down on the grass.

José joined him, casually plucking a blade of grass and putting it in his mouth. "That tall kid—he's improving fast. I didn't expect him to make the reserves in just two months."

"We're short on players," Mésquida shrugged. "Two center-backs got injured, so we had to call up reinforcements from the youth team."

Mallorca B had dropped out of the top twelve in the second division, far from their stable top-six position earlier in the season. While not in immediate danger of relegation, the decline was noticeable.

"Don't stress too much, Joan," José patted Mésquida's shoulder. "The reserve team's job isn't about results—it's about producing talent for the first team. As long as you don't get relegated, it's fine. Even if you did, the real problem would be the lower competition level, not the standings."