Chapter 137: Success After Hardship

The Seville Olympic Stadium was built in 1999 for the World Athletics Championships that year. However, it had no connection to the local Sevilla club. After construction, the stadium remained largely unused, occasionally serving as a venue for the Spanish national team. The local government had long hoped to sell or lease it, given the high annual maintenance costs. But neither of the city's two major clubs, Sevilla FC and Real Betis, were interested, as they already had their own home grounds.

"What a waste," José thought to himself. He would love for Mallorca to have such a stadium, one already built and even being offered by the government.

Unfortunately, Mallorca was never in a position to host major tournaments. The club had no choice but to continue renting the Son Moix Stadium.

José pulled his gaze away from the stadium and focused on the match.

Given the club he had taken charge of, there was no choice but to take things step by step—win more trophies, build a reputation, and eventually work toward a new stadium. Overcoming challenges made success all the more satisfying.

Real Zaragoza looked nothing like their lackluster league form in this match. In La Liga, their poor performances stemmed from dissatisfaction with the club's management and lack of ambition. But now, with the Copa del Rey title on the line, they were highly motivated.

However, Mallorca's determination burned even brighter.

Mallorca had a full squad, while Zaragoza was missing two key players—Argentine striker Esnáider, on loan from Juventus, was suspended, as was Spanish international defender Paco. Esnáider had scored 11 goals in the second half of the season, making him Zaragoza's most dangerous forward. Meanwhile, Paco was the backbone of their defense. Their absences were a massive blow to Zaragoza.

From the opening whistle, Mallorca launched relentless attacks, pressing aggressively in midfield and relying on Thiago Motta to orchestrate from deep. This left Zaragoza struggling whether to sit back or press high.

If they defended deep, Mallorca would patiently probe and wear them down. If they pressed, Motta and Ronaldinho had the vision to exploit space behind them, and with Eto'o and Ibagaza's speed, that was a nightmare waiting to happen.

It didn't take long for Mallorca's onslaught to pay off.

Ronaldinho passed to Kaladze before making a forward run. Kaladze laid the ball off to Motta, who sent a direct pass to Luke. Luke, in turn, played it first-time to Ronaldinho, who had arrived at the edge of the box.

Ronaldinho received the ball, feinted with his right foot as if to cut inside, then suddenly shifted left, bursting into the penalty area!

His marker, Rebosio, was a step too slow. Ronaldinho surged into the box, where Aguado rushed to cover. But Ronaldinho accelerated down the byline, leaving his opponent behind!

Now close to goal with a tight angle, everyone expected him to cut the ball back to Eto'o or Luke in the middle. But instead, he surprised everyone with a shot!

He briefly glanced at the center—fooling the goalkeeper and defenders—then suddenly fired a powerful left-footed shot at the near post!

The ball rocketed off his foot, staying low and fast, sneaking past the near post into the net!

Mallorca fans, who filled nearly half the stadium, erupted in thunderous cheers!

Ronaldinho ran toward the stands, shaking his right hand before throwing a powerful punch into the air. Then, he turned to embrace his jubilant teammates.

"Well done! Keep pressing them! Play to our strengths!" José clapped and shouted instructions from the sideline.

The early goal was great, but sitting back and engaging in a slow battle would only help Zaragoza recover. José's plan was clear—hit them with a relentless storm from the start, tear their defense apart, and crush them before they could find their rhythm.

Zaragoza was a slow-starting team. The longer the game went, the more it would favor them. Mallorca's fitness advantage from the semifinals was gone. Zaragoza had taken a 2-0 lead in the first leg of their semifinal and rested key players in the return leg, conserving energy. Meanwhile, Mallorca had endured a fierce battle against Barcelona, expending much more energy. If the game dragged on, Mallorca might run out of steam first.

So, before Zaragoza could settle in, Mallorca had to build a lead that would make a comeback nearly impossible.

Mallorca's players understood this perfectly.

"Mallorca's attack is relentless! Even after taking the lead, they haven't slowed down. Instead, they keep pressing in midfield and launching wave after wave of attacks. It looks like they want to break Zaragoza's defense in one go!" commentator Hidalgo remarked.

"It's a bold approach, but they need to build a big enough lead. This style is exhausting, and given Mallorca's tougher semifinal battle, if they don't secure a safe cushion, they could be in trouble in the second half," added Bonés.

Theory was one thing—executing it was another. This was where a manager's ability was truly tested.

José had clearly prepared well, and his players executed perfectly.

They didn't waste time with slow, patient buildup. Instead, they constantly fed the ball to Ronaldinho, Ibagaza, and Eto'o, who drove at Zaragoza's defense, creating immense pressure.

Even though Zaragoza defended valiantly, the absence of Paco left holes in their backline. It was only a matter of time before Mallorca capitalized.

In the 24th minute, Eto'o was fouled after a driving run down the right, earning Mallorca a promising free kick. Ronaldinho delivered a pinpoint cross, and the onrushing Jorge powered a header into the net!

Zaragoza's nightmare wasn't over.

Twelve minutes later, Eto'o's relentless drive forced a penalty after being brought down in the box. Ronaldinho calmly converted from the spot.

3-0.

Before halftime, Mallorca had already built a commanding lead!

"Unbelievable dominance! This Copa del Rey final is turning into a rout! Despite Zaragoza's valiant efforts, they simply can't stop Mallorca, who now lead by three goals! The suspense is already gone—this second half might be a dull affair..."

Many shared that sentiment. But when the second half began, the tide began to shift.

Mallorca's initial adrenaline rush began to fade, and fatigue set in. Their intensity dropped, while Zaragoza slowly clawed their way back into the game.

Thankfully, José had anticipated this. Early in the second half, he made two defensive substitutions—Ngonga and Campano replaced Jorge and Ibagaza, reinforcing the right flank.

He held onto the third substitution in case of injuries.

Mallorca sat back to defend, absorbing Zaragoza's pressure. Though their defense was solid, the growing momentum of their opponents made the fans uneasy.

In the 78th minute, Zaragoza finally broke through. Nino tripped Paraguayan midfielder Acuña in the box—penalty!

Brazilian striker Jamelli stepped up and scored.

It was still 3-1, but now, concern crept in.

Then, in the 90th minute, Jordi unleashed a thunderous strike from the edge of the box—goal!

3-2!

Mallorca's lead was hanging by a thread!

José shook his head. The physical disadvantage was clear. Thankfully, the first-half cushion had been enough…

For the final substitution, he brought on Marcos for Luke, simply adding more defensive bodies to protect the lead. It wasn't pretty, but it worked.

The final whistle blew.

Mallorca had done it!

The tension from the second half made the victory even sweeter. After all, triumph is most exhilarating when it comes after hardship.

Mallorca fans hoped that next season, José would lead the team from the start.

And José? He was thinking the same thing.