Chapter 161: The Challenge of a Tight Schedule

Mallorca ultimately held on for a draw in their away match. Although Eto'o and others created several chances on the counterattack, luck was not on their side, and they failed to score. However, securing a draw away from home was still a good result. With this point, Mallorca climbed to the top of the group standings, Panathinaikos dropped to second, while Arsenal moved up to third after a 3-2 home victory over Schalke 04, who remained at the bottom after losing both of their opening matches.

This outcome left the German media speechless. Apart from Schalke 04, Borussia Dortmund only managed two draws, and Bayern Munich had one win and one draw. The only German team performing well was Bayer Leverkusen, who won both of their matches and topped their group, even securing a crucial victory against Barcelona in the second round.

After completing these two Champions League group-stage matches, José wasn't feeling much aside from confirming that the Champions League was indeed a gold mine. Even before the group stage began, Mallorca had already received a $6 million broadcasting fee—equivalent to the club's entire league TV revenue for the season. Additional revenue came from home match ticket sales and extra TV fees, while bonuses from one win and one draw totaled nearly $1 million. No wonder clubs were willing to spend heavily on signings to strengthen their squads, not to mention the hidden benefits of increased exposure.

"By the way, what's Roa doing these days?"

Back in Mallorca, José wasted no time and immediately sought out Natal.

"Roa?" Natal was momentarily taken aback before recalling Mallorca's former starting goalkeeper from two years ago.

Natal had been with Mallorca for seven or eight years, long enough to remember Roa. The Argentine had been the national team's first-choice goalkeeper but shockingly retired before his career even began to decline. His reason? His religious beliefs and a desire to avoid the impending apocalypse.

"He's been in seclusion for about two years now," Natal said, thinking for a moment. "I remember he retired after the 1998-99 season. Supposedly, he's been living in the mountains near Buenos Aires, waiting for an angel to come and take him to salvation."

At this, Natal couldn't help but chuckle. "I recall an Argentine journalist who went through great trouble last year to find him for an interview. Roa was furious at first—he thought the angel had finally come to save him!"

José laughed as well. Roa had always been a character—deeply religious, even refusing to play matches on Saturdays due to his beliefs.

"I remember his faith was based on a sect that worshipped Nostradamus and believed the world would end in 1999. Now it's already 2001—he should have realized he was wrong by now. Our goalkeeping position is too thin with just Franco. Even though Roa hasn't played in two years, he could still serve as a backup goalkeeper."

"He's 32 now, still in his prime for a goalkeeper. Two years out of the game wouldn't be a problem for a backup role," Natal agreed. He was familiar with Roa's strengths—his physical attributes were even better than Franco's, and he had a fearless, decisive style. However, one concern remained.

"His personality is a bit eccentric. While he won't make a fuss over salary, he does care about being a starter. If he's just a backup, I'm not sure how he'd react…"

"Then we'll make that clear from the start," José said decisively. "He'll be the backup unless he can prove he's better than Leo. It's not like two years ago—Leo is younger and the future of Mallorca. If Roa is willing, great. If not, we won't force it. I'm not going to risk team harmony over a backup goalkeeper."

Natal nodded in agreement. "Got it. If there's nothing urgent, I'll fly to Argentina. I knew Roa quite well when he was here, so it'll be easier to talk."

"That would be ideal," José said. This was precisely why he had brought it up with Natal in the first place.

As Natal was about to leave, José suddenly remembered something. "Wait—Roa isn't a non-EU player, is he? Our foreign quota is already full."

"Oh, he has a Spanish passport," Natal reassured him. "Back then, we had plenty of foreign players—Stanković, Ibagaza, Lauren… He definitely isn't classified as a non-EU player."

"That's a relief." José let out a breath. He had briefly considered signing a future star as a backup—someone like Petr Čech. But if Čech spent two years on Mallorca's bench, would he still develop into a world-class goalkeeper? Grooming players required giving them opportunities, and Mallorca didn't have room for an understudy in goal.

The best solution was to sign an experienced veteran willing to be a backup, someone who could provide stability. Big clubs often phased out aging goalkeepers into backup roles, but Mallorca didn't have that luxury.

So Roa was the best option. If he agreed, José wouldn't have to worry about Franco getting injured or suspended.

After Natal departed for Argentina, José turned his focus back to training. With two matches per week, adjustments were necessary. Training sessions focused on recovery after matches, followed by tactical drills and maintaining peak condition.

Three days later, Mallorca traveled to face Celta Vigo. As the league leaders, José hoped to continue their winning streak. However, they suffered their first defeat of the season.

Celta had rested for a full week and took advantage of their superior fitness, pressing Mallorca aggressively. The visitors, exhausted from constant travel and matches, struggled to cope.

Celta were a strong La Liga side, frequently qualifying for the Champions League and occasionally beating powerhouses like Real Madrid and Barcelona. Against Mallorca, they were evenly matched. But with the fitness disadvantage and Celta's home advantage, José's team was gradually overwhelmed.

Just before halftime, midfielder Edu latched onto a cross from Karpin and slotted home the opener. In the second half, Mallorca pressed forward in search of an equalizer, but luck was not on their side. Shots from Ronaldinho and Eto'o were either saved by the goalkeeper or denied by the crossbar.

With Mallorca committing numbers forward, Celta struck on the counter. In the 82nd minute, Catanha sealed the win with a clinical finish.

A 0-2 defeat—Mallorca's first league loss of the season—dropped them to fourth place, while Celta moved to the top of the table.

With little time to dwell on the defeat, Mallorca immediately flew to Germany for their third Champions League group-stage match. They now faced back-to-back encounters with Schalke 04, which were crucial for securing qualification. If they could take enough points from Schalke, their path to the knockout stage would be much smoother.

However, winning at the newly built Veltins-Arena wouldn't be easy. Schalke fans were known for their passion, and the miners of Gelsenkirchen were never short on enthusiasm.

Despite starting the Champions League campaign poorly with two losses, Schalke had shown resilience in their narrow 2-3 defeat at Highbury. Now, they were regaining their form. Their squad was no pushover either, featuring players like Böhme, Agali, Sand, Poulsen, Asamoah, and Andreas Möller.

This was a tough away fixture.

Meanwhile, Arsenal would face Panathinaikos in the other match. No matter the outcome, Mallorca had an opportunity to gain an advantage in the group—provided they could win in Germany.

José knew this was no time to hold back.

"Möller is their midfield general. Even at 34, he can't be underestimated. Böhme's attacking play from the left is also dangerous. Kaladze will mark Möller, and Campano will handle Böhme. Containing them is the key to victory."

"As for their forwards, Sand and Agali—our defenders won't fear aerial battles. Van Buyten will handle Agali, Nadal will mark Sand. If we cut off their midfield supply, we'll have half the battle won."

"In attack, we'll exploit their lack of agility. Krasić starts alongside Eto'o—don't over-dribble, focus on quick passing and movement."

José clapped his hands. "Let's go, guys. We must win this match! A draw is the minimum, but victory is our goal!"