Chapter 150: The Meat Grinder Midfield

As Mallorca took the lead at home, the match started to heat up!

The Mallorca players had a psychological advantage—under Jose's guidance last season, they had defeated Real Madrid twice in the league, so they weren't afraid of their opponents. Scoring so early further boosted their confidence.

On the other hand, Real Madrid's players had the pride of a big club to uphold. Just the transfer fees for Figo and Zidane could have bought the entire Mallorca squad (based on their transfer prices when they were signed). If they lost to Mallorca so easily, how would they face the world? At the very least, being seen as overrated was something Real Madrid's players couldn't tolerate.

Real Madrid had the upper hand in midfield. Figo and Zidane were not easy players to mark. Despite Mallorca's full-backs frequently helping with the defense, they still couldn't stop Figo and Zidane's attacking combination. However, Zidane's passes were often too obvious, as he wasn't yet in full sync with his teammates—after all, overly subtle passes that trick the opponent are just as likely to trick teammates.

So, Zidane's passes were mostly straightforward, and although they were accurate, it was easier to defend against them, allowing Mallorca's midfield to hold their ground.

Seeing that Real Madrid's midfield was gradually putting pressure on Mallorca, Jose furrowed his brow. Mallorca's midfield defense wasn't bad. Kralz was a solid defensive player, and Mota was not only excellent at organizing but also defensively solid. With two dedicated defensive midfielders, most teams would struggle, but they were facing Real Madrid, a team with two of the world's best players at their peak!

Such a team seemed one of a kind in European football.

"Hmm, against a team like this, a meat grinder midfield combined with quick counterattacks is the way to go," Jose thought, stroking his chin.

But he didn't rush to make changes. After all, playing against Real Madrid in such a high-pressure match wasn't a frequent opportunity, and it might speed up the team's development.

Such a good sharpening stone was hard to come by.

As the game continued, Real Madrid's front players started to build better chemistry. Raul's positioning, Morientes' runs, Figo's intricate dribbling on the wing, and Zidane's threading of passes... Even though Zidane and the others weren't completely in sync, their skill allowed them to pull off some dazzling combinations, which put increasing pressure on Mallorca's defense.

In the 27th minute, Real Madrid displayed a series of brilliant plays. Figo cut inside from the wing and passed to Zidane, who feigned to receive the ball but let it roll past him. Morientes, with his back to goal at the edge of the box, backheeled it into the penalty area. The ball flew between Van Buyten's legs, and Raul, receiving it in the box, faked a shot, then another, spinning past Nadal and striking the ball into the net. Although Franco got a hand to it, he couldn't stop the ball from going in!

Over a thousand Real Madrid fans in the stands erupted in cheers as Raul kissed his left ring finger, arms outstretched, running toward the fans to celebrate!

Jose shook his head slightly. There was nothing he could do about that goal. Real Madrid's stars had fully displayed their individual abilities, and Zidane's dummy pass was a masterstroke. Though Zidane wasn't directly involved in the attack, his movement and feint drew Mota out, leaving space for the rest of the attack. Technically, Mallorca's defense hadn't made an error, but they still conceded, which was just part of facing such top-level players.

There was still plenty of time in the game, so there was no need to panic.

When the match resumed, Mallorca continued to battle Real Madrid's midfield. Despite the ongoing pressure from Real Madrid, the Mallorca players held firm and managed to regain control of the match!

This shift came from two players.

The first was Ronaldinho. Under Makelele's defense, he started to expand his movement range, appearing more on the wings to avoid Makelele's marking. With only one defensive midfielder in Real Madrid's lineup, Makelele's move to the wing left the center exposed, giving Mota more room to exploit.

The second was Rufet. When it came to disrupting the midfield, Rufet displayed better organization than Ibáñez. His passing accuracy and impressive crossing ability allowed him to shine in this situation, initiating attacks rather than blindly dribbling down the wing like Ibáñez.

With their efforts, Mallorca's attack slowly started to build momentum. Jose nodded slightly. With Rufet's addition, Mallorca's midfield technical play had visibly improved. It wasn't that Ibáñez wasn't skilled, but his style didn't gel well with Ronaldinho and Mota. Ibáñez was better suited to solo runs during counterattacks, while Rufet, though not as fast, was far better at coordinating with teammates. He wasn't the kind of player to steal the spotlight, but his absence would be sorely felt.

At the same time, Mallorca's midfield stopped trying to match Real Madrid's technical play. Instead, they avoided direct confrontation and moved the ball quickly to their two nimble forwards, challenging Real Madrid's aging center-backs, gradually turning the tide.

However, in football, a favorable situation doesn't always guarantee a lead. Just as Mallorca was getting back into the game, Real Madrid regained the lead through individual brilliance!

Zidane was fouled by Mota, and Figo took the free kick. He sent it curving over the wall into the top corner, with Franco helpless to react!

"This is ridiculous!" Jose exclaimed, slapping his palm in frustration. This late goal in the first half was a big blow for Mallorca, adding more pressure on them.

"Real Madrid has retaken the lead! Just as the first half was about to end... once again, it's individual brilliance! Zidane earned the free kick, and Figo curled it in! Mallorca hasn't had much luck in this match, with two half-chances turned into goals by Real Madrid!"

The whistle blew to signal the end of the first half. Real Madrid led 2-1 away, a very favorable result for them. Even if they ended up losing, their two away goals would give them the upper hand in the second leg. Mallorca's coach, Jose, left the field with a furrowed brow. For a team like Mallorca, who aimed to make a strong start to the new season, losing the first match was a big issue. After all, Jose had a 29-match unbeaten streak in all competitions at home! It seemed unlikely he would maintain that record now.

At halftime, Jose made three substitutions.

Since this was the Super Cup, the rules allowed more substitutions than usual. Replacing three players wasn't surprising, but Jose's choices left everyone puzzled.

Young striker Drogba replaced Luke, which wasn't unexpected. However, Pablo Garcia, a defensive midfielder, replaced Rufet, a more attacking midfielder, which raised some eyebrows. It seemed clear that Mallorca was trying to strengthen their attack, but swapping a defensive midfielder for an attacking one didn't quite make sense.

The third substitution was Marcos for Capdevila, a defender known for his assists. It seemed strange to replace a full-back with a defensive midfielder.

Jose looked at his new lineup and smiled slightly.

This was his carefully crafted "meat grinder" midfield, relying on counterattacks and individual brilliance up front...

With Capdevila off the field, Kralz moved back to left-back. Mota and Marcos formed a solid midfield trio, with Garcia providing tireless running and Marcos offering stability. Mota's ability to create and organize was better supported. Drogba, now up front, would lead the charge against Real Madrid's tiring center-backs, while Ronaldinho would play as a left forward, with Eto'o drifting right. Mallorca's formation was now 4-3-3!

In reality, Mallorca's tactical shift wasn't huge—it was just a matter of bolstering the midfield defense. Drogba's introduction added an extra attacking option, and his aggressive play would create more opportunities for Ronaldinho and Eto'o.

Jose hadn't worked on this formation for long. He was simply trying something out—after all, they were already behind. Strengthening the attack might expose the defense to more counterattacks, but that was a risk he was willing to take.

Jose didn't care too much about the unbeaten record. No one could maintain an unbroken home streak forever, especially since Mallorca's home ground wasn't known for being difficult for visitors to adapt to...

Moreover, this was just a Super Cup match. Losing wouldn't harm his reputation—coaches like him valued actual trophies more than unbeaten streaks.

Jose's adjustments weren't reckless either. The problem in the first half was that Mallorca couldn't contain Figo and Zidane, which led to two goals from situations that didn't seem like real chances. Now, with Pablo Garcia's defensive strength and Marcos' stability, the midfield defense was much stronger, and this was a targeted tactical change.

The "meat grinder" midfield Jose had envisioned would soon make its appearance on the Spanish football stage. While it might not be as famous as Mourinho's "Iron Curtain" at Chelsea, in the slightly less physical, more technically focused La Liga, it could create quite a stir!

Now, facing Real Madrid, the "Galácticos," Jose would see if his tactics could work in La Liga!