Chapter 136: The Compensation We Deserve

After defeating Barcelona over two legs, Mallorca had just one final match remaining this season—the Copa del Rey final. Their opponent was Zaragoza, who had edged past Atlético Madrid 2-1 over two legs. The final would take place at the Olympic Stadium in Seville.

For Zaragoza, who had barely managed to avoid relegation, this season was nothing short of a disaster. Last season, they finished fourth in La Liga, but this time they plummeted to 17th place—the biggest decline of any team in the league. Winning the Copa del Rey was their only remaining hope.

This desperation was evident in Zaragoza's attitude.

Upon arriving in Seville, Zaragoza's head coach, Costa, stated in an interview:"We are grateful to Mallorca for defeating Oviedo... but that doesn't mean we will hand them the Copa del Rey. Our performance this season has been terrible, and we owe our fans an explanation. We must win this trophy!"

Costa's words had a clear background—before the final round of the league, Zaragoza had the same number of points as Oviedo. However, they had the worst head-to-head record among the three teams in danger—Oviedo, Osasuna, and themselves. If Osasuna won and Oviedo secured a draw, Zaragoza would have been the team relegated.

Luckily for them, Mallorca, despite only needing a draw, still went all out to defeat Oviedo. That victory ensured Zaragoza's survival by a single point. In that sense, Zaragoza truly owed Mallorca a big thank you.

But José wasn't having it.

"We didn't beat Oviedo for Zaragoza's sake," José responded swiftly. "We aim to win every match, regardless of the opponent. And we certainly don't need Zaragoza to gift us the Copa del Rey. If we want it, we'll take it ourselves. We don't need charity from anyone."

Mallorca's fans loved this response—it was full of confidence and defiance.That's right, do we need anyone to hand us anything? No! If we want something, we'll take it ourselves! Don't forget, we're the La Liga runners-up. And you? You barely survived relegation!

However, José was well aware that this match wouldn't be as easy as the league standings suggested. The gap between the two teams wasn't as large as it appeared.

Yes, Zaragoza had been terrible this season, but they were still the team that finished fourth last season. More importantly, they hadn't lost any key players. In fact, their downfall stemmed precisely from keeping the same squad.

Last season, this group of players had performed exceptionally well, securing a historic Champions League qualification. But then, due to pressure from the Spanish Football Federation, Zaragoza gave up their Champions League spot to play in the UEFA Cup instead. Whether or not they were willing to do so is another matter, but the club's decision was clearly influenced by political considerations—perhaps to maintain good relations with Real Madrid or to stay in the Federation's good graces.

But for the players, it was a different story.

They had fought hard to earn that Champions League spot, only to have it taken away from them for reasons beyond their control. How could they still be motivated?

Even if playing in the Champions League wouldn't have significantly increased their earnings, any ambitious player would want to showcase their talent on the biggest stage. When that opportunity was stripped away, how could they still have the drive to compete?

José couldn't understand Zaragoza's management. If he were in their position, he would have refused, even if it meant clashing with the Federation. The Champions League spot was one thing, but the club's image was another. A club that willingly handed over its hard-earned qualification—what kind of future could it have?

This wasn't just about money.

A similar situation had occurred in 2005 when Liverpool won the Champions League. UEFA initially wanted Everton, who had finished fourth in the Premier League, to give up their spot. But Everton stood firm and refused, forcing UEFA to make an exception and grant Liverpool a special entry into the qualification rounds. That incident even led to a rule change: the defending Champions League winner would automatically qualify, but if they were outside their league's allocated spots, one team from that league would have to drop out.

Everton's resistance wasn't about money—it was about pride and reputation. After all, they were Liverpool's city rivals. Why should they sacrifice their hard-earned qualification for their arch-enemies?

Zaragoza's mistake was different, but it had similar consequences. Their players lost faith, and their performance collapsed. But that didn't mean they were a weak team. They still had the quality of a top-four side, and when something important was on the line—like avoiding relegation or winning a trophy—they could still fight fiercely.

José respected their potential but wasn't worried. Mallorca was in excellent form. Despite a grueling schedule, they had managed their fitness well.

"Zaragoza plays a balanced game," José told his coaching staff in the pre-match meeting. "Their defense isn't rock-solid, and their attack isn't overwhelming. They rely on stability. That means we can't get dragged into a slow, back-and-forth match. That's their comfort zone.

We'll attack. We'll overwhelm them and break their defense. We'll win this game by taking the initiative!"

For certain opponents, specific tactical adjustments were necessary. But against most teams, the best approach was simple—impose your strengths, overwhelm them, and crush them. That was how elite teams played. And José believed that while Mallorca might not yet be a traditional powerhouse, they were close.

Mallorca's fans shared this belief. Nearly 20,000 of them traveled to Seville, a massive turnout considering the club's size. While Zaragoza had more supporters in total, Mallorca's presence in the stadium was just as strong.

This was no ordinary final—it was a historic moment for Mallorca.

The day before the match, Mallorca announced their starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: FrancoDefenders: Jorge, Nadal, Niño, CapdevilaMidfielders: Motta, Kaladze, Ibagaza, RonaldinhoForwards: Luque, Eto'o

A full-strength squad. A clear statement of intent. Mallorca was going all in for this trophy.

Inside the locker room, as the players finished their warm-ups, José smiled.

"Another season, another mid-season takeover," he said. "And yet, we've achieved something incredible together. I'm truly happy to have gone through this journey with you all."

The players glanced at each other—was he saying goodbye?

José quickly cleared things up. "Oh, don't get me wrong. Unless something crazy happens this summer, I'll still be your coach next season. But that will be my first full season in charge, a new challenge for me.

So before we start that new journey, let's create the perfect ending for this one. Someday, I want to be able to tell people that before I had even coached a full season, I had already won two major trophies—the UEFA Cup last season and…"

"THE SPANISH COPA DEL REY!" the players shouted in unison, finishing his sentence.

José laughed.

"That's right! Let's attack and win this trophy! We had an incredible league campaign. The only reason we didn't win the title was a few small mistakes. We deserve compensation. And that compensation is the Copa del Rey!"

Of course, football doesn't guarantee rewards for good performances. But in moments like this, logic didn't matter. What mattered was igniting the team's fighting spirit.

José saw the fire in their eyes.

He pointed at the locker room door.

"Now, go out there and take what's ours!"

"Let's go! Take what's ours!" captain Nadal roared, leading his teammates out.

They stormed toward the pitch, ready to seize the Copa del Rey. Whether they truly "deserved" it wasn't the point. At that moment, their only goal was to win.

As José watched them leave, he stood up and turned to his coaching staff.

"Let's go, gentlemen. Time to claim the first Copa del Rey in our club's history."

His assistants exchanged glances, nodded, and followed him.

They were ready to take what was rightfully theirs.