Chapter 174: Mallorca, the Strong Team

When the referee blew the final whistle, the Bayern Munich fans inside the Olympiastadion could hardly believe their eyes. Even the commentators were left stunned.

Everyone had sensed that a record was about to be broken as the match neared its end, yet when it actually happened, the impact was still overwhelming.

Bayern's three-year unbeaten home record in the Champions League—a symbol of their near-invincibility in Europe—had been shattered. A glorious 25-match unbeaten streak had come to an abrupt end.

And the team that ended it wasn't Manchester United, Barcelona, or Real Madrid. It wasn't any of the European giants Bayern had faced at home over the years. It was Mallorca—a club making its first-ever appearance in the Champions League this season!

A small club from a remote island had taken down the undisputed kings of German football!

Over the past three seasons, Bayern had reached the Champions League final once, suffering one of the most shocking comebacks in tournament history. They had made it to the semifinals another time, eliminating Real Madrid in the group stage with back-to-back 4-0 wins, only to be knocked out by the same opponent later. And they had also lifted the Champions League trophy once. This level of success had only been matched by Juventus from 1995-98 and Real Madrid from 1998-2000. Though Bayern's form this season had slightly dipped, their unbeaten home record in Europe had remained intact—until tonight.

And the team that finally broke it was Mallorca.

Bayern's fans stared in disbelief at Mallorca's players celebrating on the pitch. For them, this match was a nightmare. But for Mallorca, it was the realization of a dream.

"The younger generation is truly impressive."

Ottmar Hitzfeld watched José embrace his players in celebration. He shook his head. Though Bayern's struggles in the second half were partly due to his own tactical misjudgment, José's ability to exploit those weaknesses and adjust his own strategy accordingly was a testament to his coaching brilliance.

"If he can build a strong enough squad in the coming years… Mallorca might just shake up all of Europe!"

In that moment, Hitzfeld felt his age catching up with him. Maybe Beckenbauer and the others were right—perhaps his time at Bayern was coming to an end.

But José was unaware of the thoughts running through Hitzfeld's mind. All he knew was that, with this victory, Mallorca's path forward was now wide open.

If they could beat Bayern in Munich, what chance did teams like Nantes or Boavista have of stopping them?

More importantly, Mallorca had finally delivered a strong performance away from home. The match itself, both in execution and result, was highly satisfying. This victory could mark a turning point—breaking the notion that Mallorca was a team that dominated at home but struggled on the road.

"If we can beat Bayern in their own stadium, why can't we do the same elsewhere?"

That was the message José drilled into his players after the match.

There was no doubt that this victory elevated Mallorca's reputation, but it also changed the team's mentality.

This wasn't their first win against a big club, but beating top teams in La Liga was different from beating European powerhouses. In Spain, even the best teams played 38 league matches a season—losing a few to mid-table clubs wasn't shocking.

Before this, Mallorca's biggest European scalp was Arsenal. While Arsenal had been dominant in the Premier League, their performances in Europe had been lackluster, failing to progress past the Champions League group stage in its restructured format.

Bayern, however, was a different beast. A four-time Champions League winner, the reigning champion, and the undisputed giant of German football.

Beating Bayern marked the moment when Mallorca stopped being a dark horse and started looking like a legitimate force.

That aura of a big team wasn't fully formed yet, but the seed had been planted.

Now, José's task was to nurture that seed, help it grow, and turn it into a towering tree.

And it seemed that tree was growing faster than expected.

Back to the League

Upon returning to Mallorca, the team immediately faced their 14th league match of the season. The fixture scheduler likely never expected this game to become the round's biggest highlight.

After 13 rounds, Mallorca and Deportivo La Coruña were tied at the top with 26 points (8 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses). Behind them, Barcelona and Valencia had 23 points, sitting in fourth and fifth place, while Real Madrid was struggling at eighth with just 19 points.

What no one anticipated was Mallorca's dominant performance against Deportivo.

Luke scored twice in the first half (8th and 29th minutes), Ronaldinho added another after the break, and substitute Campano sealed the win in the 80th minute. Deportivo only managed a single goal through Uruguayan striker Pandiani. Their star forwards, Makaay and Tristán, were completely nullified by Mallorca's defense.

The Spanish media summed it up perfectly:

"Both teams played tough Champions League matches midweek, both beat strong opponents—Mallorca won away at Bayern, Deportivo defeated Arsenal at home. Yet Mallorca came out blazing, while Deportivo looked like they were sleepwalking."

The sheer one-sided nature of the match left everyone stunned. No one called Mallorca's win an upset anymore—it was simply expected. They were just that strong.

"Since everyone considers us a big team now, we should start acting like one."

José smiled as he addressed his players in training.

With that in mind, he decided to field a completely rotated squad for their upcoming Copa del Rey match.

As defending champions, Mallorca had skipped the first round. Due to an upcoming World Cup, the tournament schedule had been restructured so that all matches—including the final—would be completed before the Champions League knockout rounds began.

Mallorca's second-round opponent was Segunda División side Lleida. José had already planned to use backups in the Copa del Rey, and this was the perfect opportunity.

The Rotated Squad

Starting lineup:

Goalkeeper: Miki

Defenders: Campano, Niño, Gamarra, Olaizola

Midfielders: Marcos, Pablo García, Engonga, Novo

Forwards: Klasnić, Drogba

Though it was a reserve lineup, several players—Campano, Gamarra, García, Klasnić, and Novo—were regulars in league and Champions League matches. That level of quality was simply beyond what a Segunda team like Lleida could handle.

Novo shone in the match, assisting Klasnić and García for their goals before scoring one himself in the second half. The only disappointment was Drogba.

Despite playing the full 90 minutes and getting several chances, he failed to convert. His long spell away from competitive action had clearly affected his sharpness.

José wasn't too concerned. Drogba was essentially relearning how to play at this level, and that process took time. But he did recognize that lack of match fitness was an issue.

After some thought, he decided to take action.

"Didier, you need more games. But we don't have many left for you to play in right now… I have an idea, but I need your approval first."

Drogba, frustrated with his poor performance, eagerly asked what the plan was.

Then he heard José say something unexpected.

"Starting today, you'll play for the reserve team."

"The reserve team?" Drogba was stunned.

**"Yes. They play in the Segunda, which is about the same level as Ligue 2. The opponents there aren't as tough as in La Liga or the Champions League, making it a good environment for you to get back in form. Besides, you're not alone—Roa will also play there for a while. The reserve team needs help, and you need game time. It's a win-win.

You're still in our Champions League squad, and you can return anytime. But there's one month left until the second half of the season. I want to see a better Drogba by then.

Tell me, Didier—can you do it?"**

At first, Drogba was frustrated. But then he realized José had a point. The reserve team played in a competitive league, and this was only temporary. If he performed well, he would return to the first team and play a key role in both La Liga and the Champions League.

He also trusted José—the coach who had brought him from France to Spain wouldn't just abandon him.

"No problem, boss. I promise you—one month from now, you'll see a different Drogba!"

José grinned and patted his shoulder.

"The youth team's training schedule is different from ours. If you want, after finishing there, you can still train with us."