Chapter 159: The First Victory

Ashley Cole was still very young.

Not even 21 years old, he had been loaned to Crystal Palace for half a season last year before becoming a starter for Arsenal in the second half. His career had been smooth sailing—transitioning from a mediocre forward to a promising top-tier fullback. However, despite being a few months older than Eto'o, he lacked the same level of experience.

In a moment of hot-headedness, he made the worst possible decision, one that ended his first Champions League match prematurely.

"Oh! Ashley Cole trips Eto'o in the box! What will the referee decide... A penalty! No doubt about it! Cole fouled him from behind inside the penalty area! Mallorca wins a penalty!"

As soon as the referee ran toward the penalty spot, everyone in the Arsenal camp knew they were in trouble. Ashley Cole also snapped back to reality, realizing the magnitude of his mistake. But before he could even plead his case, the referee, after pointing to the penalty spot, reached into his pocket...

"Red card! The referee shows Cole a red card! Eto'o was through on goal with no one left to stop him, and Cole fouled him from behind—there's no argument about this red card! Arsenal is in serious trouble now. Not only do they have to face a penalty kick, but they'll also have to play with ten men for the remaining seventy-plus minutes!"

Wenger was already preparing to protest when the penalty was awarded. Seeing the red card, he dramatically spread his arms and shouted toward the pitch. Meanwhile, José smiled and clapped enthusiastically—this referee was the epitome of fairness and justice!

Arsenal's protests, of course, had no effect. Champions League decisions were not overturned, and Ashley Cole's foul fully justified a red card. After all, he was the last defender, and the foul denied a clear goal-scoring opportunity.

"This is Arsenal's third red card of the season! In their previous four Premier League matches, they already had two players sent off. Since Wenger took charge in October 1996, Arsenal has received a total of 35 red cards. That's a high number. Wenger has brought a beautiful attacking style to Arsenal, but he still hasn't resolved the rough and aggressive defensive habits inherited from the George Graham era. Maybe that's his next challenge..."

José sat on the bench, smirking. This was an unexpected gift. He had anticipated Arsenal players picking up yellow or even red cards, but he had expected Vieira to be the one sent off—after all, the French midfielder had already received two red cards in four league games this season. Yet, it was Cole, known for being less aggressive, who got sent off. Now, Arsenal's left flank would be significantly weakened both offensively and defensively.

Ronaldinho picked up the ball and stepped into the box. He was Mallorca's primary penalty taker, with Eto'o as the secondary option.

Facing Seaman, Ronaldinho grinned, turned, took a short run-up, and struck the ball!

Using the inside of his left foot, he placed the ball toward the bottom right corner of the goal. Just before striking, he made a slight hesitation, twisting his body slightly as he powered the shot. The ball curled ever so slightly outward, flying past Seaman's outstretched hand and crashing into the net!

1-0! Mallorca took the lead at home! And now, they had a numerical advantage!

Wenger had no choice but to make a substitution. With such a massive gap on the left flank, he couldn't leave it exposed. He brought on Dutch international Giovanni van Bronckhorst for Edu, positioning him as the left-back. This move weakened the midfield, but since Arsenal was already struggling in midfield, Wenger opted to bypass it entirely, playing direct balls to the forwards and wingers for counterattacks. With a man down, this was the only viable strategy.

José was never one to let an opportunity slip away. He immediately adjusted his attacking focus, instructing Ronaldinho to initiate more plays from the center. While Arsenal still had Vieira in midfield, he was now alone in that battle. With Ronaldinho operating centrally and Motta pushing forward, even someone as formidable as Vieira couldn't hold off multiple threats at once.

Arsenal was at their best when attacking, but when forced into a defensive stance, their effectiveness dropped significantly!

The rest of the match played out predictably. Ronaldinho, dancing through the midfield like an elf, repeatedly drew Vieira's attention before distributing the ball to teammates like Rufete and Motta, allowing them to attack Arsenal's backline directly. Arsenal's defenders were struggling to cope with the relentless ground-based attacks.

"We're not inferior to Arsenal in terms of technique!" José said confidently to Natal. While having a numerical advantage contributed to Mallorca's dominance, the real reason they were dictating the game was the technical ability of their players. Arsenal had their own technical stars, like Bergkamp and Pires, but as a team, Mallorca was proving superior.

Thierry Henry, the King of Highbury, found himself in the same predicament as a year ago. Mallorca's defenders didn't dive into tackles but instead shadowed him closely, forcing him into dead ends. With the defenders' pace matching Henry's, they patiently waited for him to dribble into trouble before cleanly dispossessing him.

On the offensive side, Ronaldinho continued to pull Vieira out of position before passing to onrushing teammates—an approach that was proving devastatingly effective.

In the 25th minute, Ronaldinho set up Motta for a long-range strike just outside the box. The ball rocketed toward the goal, crashing off the crossbar!

Two minutes later, the same sequence played out—Ronaldinho passed, Motta unleashed another shot, and this time, Seaman made a spectacular save to push it away.

"Mallorca is launching wave after wave of attacks! Arsenal's defense is crumbling! Playing with an extra man, Mallorca is not sitting back after taking the lead; instead, they're pushing forward relentlessly, showing no signs of first-time Champions League nerves. They want to capitalize on their advantage and completely crush Arsenal!"

José was a master at finishing off wounded opponents.

This was Mallorca's first-ever Champions League match, but José felt no psychological burden. Compared to the league, the Champions League group stage was just about facing stronger opponents. But Mallorca had already toppled plenty of giants—last season, they had beaten all four of La Liga's biggest teams: Valencia, Deportivo, Real Madrid, and Barcelona. Arsenal was a great team, but they weren't superior to those clubs.

Besides, José never saw Mallorca as an underdog in this matchup. He believed they were on Arsenal's level. And when facing an evenly matched team while holding both a score and numerical advantage, why not go for the kill?

Additionally, Wenger's in-game adjustments were mediocre. If Mallorca could secure a decisive lead before halftime, it would be game over.

In the 41st minute, Mallorca doubled their lead. Motta received a pass from Ronaldinho and, instead of shooting, calmly played the ball out wide to Rufete. The winger took a touch and curled in a low cross. Eto'o burst past Campbell, controlled the ball, and fired a shot!

Seaman parried it away, but the ball fell kindly for Albert Luque, who ghosted in to poke it home…

"GOOOOOOOOOAL! Albert Luque! A sharp follow-up! Mallorca leads 2-0 at home! Their first-ever Champions League victory is within reach!"

"Arsenal is in deep trouble now! They're down a man and trailing by two goals. At this point, Wenger might be thinking about damage control rather than a comeback. It's only the first group-stage match; as long as they don't lose too badly, they can recover in later games..."

Wenger looked on helplessly. If this had been a do-or-die match, he might have gone all-in, but in a group-stage opener, risking further humiliation wasn't worth it.

In the second half, Mallorca shifted gears, controlling possession and managing the game. Wenger knew then that Arsenal had no chance of turning it around.

When the final whistle blew, the stadium erupted in cheers!

This was a historic moment—Mallorca's first-ever Champions League victory in their 85-year history!

José stood up and waved to the crowd.

This was the first victory. But it wouldn't be the last.