Chapter 195: Seizing the Initiative

"Welcome to Old Trafford! We are about to witness the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals, where Mallorca from La Liga will take on the home team, Manchester United! This is Mallorca's first time competing in the official group stage of the Champions League. The last time they participated was in the 1999-2000 season, but they were eliminated in the qualifying round. However, their performance this season has been remarkable—they advanced past two group stages with games to spare and are currently leading La Liga. They could very well become the tenth club in Spanish football history to win the league title! Despite facing Manchester United at Old Trafford, they will not be intimidated."

At the same time, Bayern Munich is hosting Real Madrid in what might be the more eye-catching match. However, these two teams have clashed so frequently in recent seasons that it's starting to feel repetitive. In contrast, Mallorca's challenge against Manchester United offers a fresh spectacle. Mallorca may not have much experience in European competitions, but they have a knack for facing English teams. Back in the Héctor Cúper era, they defeated defending champions Chelsea in the Cup Winners' Cup semifinals but ultimately lost in the final due to two unlucky goals. The following season, José took over as caretaker manager and led Mallorca to the UEFA Cup title. On their way to lifting the trophy, they knocked out Leeds United in the semifinals and then defeated Arsenal on penalties in the final.

This season, they once again faced Arsenal in the first group stage, winning one match and drawing the other. Now, they are up against Manchester United. Apart from Liverpool, Mallorca has essentially played against every top English club—and they remain unbeaten! Across seven matches, they have secured three wins and four draws, including a penalty shootout victory in the UEFA Cup final. Their record against English sides carries significant weight.

Meanwhile, Manchester United, the dominant force in English football over the past decade, bears the responsibility of restoring the league's reputation in European competition!"

"The starting lineups are out… and surprisingly, both teams are placing great emphasis on the defensive midfield position!

Manchester United, playing at home, has opted for a 4-5-1 formation. Ole Gunnar Solskjær is dropped from the frontline, leaving Ruud van Nistelrooy as the sole striker. David Beckham starts on the right wing, Ryan Giggs on the left, with Paul Scholes playing as an attacking midfielder. Roy Keane and Nicky Butt form a double-pivot midfield, suggesting that Sir Alex Ferguson is wary of Mallorca's midfield attacking threats.

In defense, Gary Neville starts at right-back, Mikaël Silvestre at left-back, while Laurent Blanc partners Ronny Johnsen in central defense. The goalkeeper is French international Fabien Barthez.

On the other hand, Mallorca's approach is even more extreme. Despite their attacking trio of Ronaldinho, Samuel Eto'o, and Luke still in the lineup, José has benched Rufete in favor of a three-defensive-midfielder setup. On the left, they have Georgian international Kakha Kaladze, with Pablo García positioned on the right, and Thiago Motta in the center.

In defense, Jorge has been left on the bench, with Campano taking over at right-back, Joan Capdevila on the left, while Daniel Van Buyten and captain Miguel Ángel Nadal form the center-back pairing. The goalkeeper is Leo Franco.

It's clear that Mallorca is prioritizing defense in this away game!"

The commentator was right—José's strategy for this match was primarily defensive. The presence of Van Nistelrooy, a lethal poacher inside the box, alongside Manchester United's world-class midfield, made José wary. However, this did not mean he was abandoning the attack altogether.

Benchings Rufete in favor of Pablo García was a move to bolster defensive coverage and provide better support on the flanks. At the same time, it freed up Motta, reducing his defensive burden and allowing him to make attacking runs that could disrupt Keane's playmaking.

Manchester United's midfield was renowned worldwide, seemingly flawless. But José knew where its weakness lay.

It was in technical ability.

United was, after all, an English club. Generally speaking, English players were not known for their technical finesse. While England occasionally produced rare, technically gifted players—like Bobby Charlton, Glenn Hoddle, Paul Gascoigne, and later Joe Cole—these players were anomalies rather than the norm.

Paul Scholes, in his later years, would become a midfield maestro, mastering long and short passing with surgical precision. But at this stage of his career, he was more of an attacking midfielder with a knack for scoring rather than a true playmaker.

Beckham and Giggs were also not traditional playmakers—one was a crosser without equal, and the other a brilliant dribbler.

In reality, Manchester United's playmaking duties fell to their captain, Roy Keane.

Keane was crucial to United's defensive stability, using his immense presence to disrupt opposition attacks. But his contribution to United's offensive play was just as important.

He was the one who quickly distributed the ball from the back to initiate attacks. He was the one who stepped up to break deadlocks when the team was struggling. He wasn't a prolific scorer or a great assister, yet he was one of the most vital cogs in United's attacking machine.

José's midfield setup was designed to contain Keane.

Ronaldinho alone would demand much of Keane's attention. Though the Brazilian wasn't yet at the peak of his career, Keane would still have to expend considerable energy to keep him in check. This meant Keane would have fewer opportunities to influence United's attacking play, which in turn would reduce the threats Mallorca's defense had to deal with.

In addition, freeing up Motta with the support of Kaladze and García placed even more pressure on Keane. This would allow Mallorca to introduce a central passing option, exploiting United's aging and slow central defenders with speed and technical ability.

However, Ferguson seemed to have anticipated this. He paired Keane with Nicky Butt in midfield. Despite being primarily a backup due to Keane's dominance and Scholes' emergence, Butt was a solid defensive midfielder. His presence eased Keane's defensive workload, allowing him to contribute more to United's attack.

Classic Ferguson—always one step ahead!

At this point in time, Ferguson was seen as Wenger's equal in the Premier League. Though he held the upper hand, he could never shake off Wenger's relentless pursuit. Yet in later years, when English football became more competitive, Ferguson flourished while Wenger struggled to keep up.

Whether it was against Rafael Benítez's resurgent Liverpool or José Mourinho's powerhouse Chelsea, Ferguson suffered setbacks but always found a way to bounce back.

He was a fighter, never backing down, just like his seemingly nuclear-powered heart that, despite his age, continued to beat with incredible strength.

What made Ferguson even more fearsome was his constant evolution. Unlike many older coaches who resisted change, he remained eager to learn, always studying younger managers and embracing new ideas. This adaptability was what allowed him to stay at the top of the game for decades, becoming the very symbol of Manchester United's dominance.

People speculated about Ferguson's retirement as early as 2003, yet by 2012, he was still there, winning league titles and adding another Champions League trophy to his collection. Even when the supposed "end of the world" loomed, Ferguson remained standing.

Earlier this season, he made a bold move by signing Argentine playmaker Juan Sebastián Verón, despite already having a midfield packed with talent. Though this experiment would later be deemed unsuccessful, his willingness to innovate proved that he had a mind as youthful as ever.

Standing by the away dugout at Old Trafford, José glanced over at Ferguson. The stadium's design allowed him a clear view of the Scottish manager, who was casually chewing gum, staring intently at the pitch in silence.

José quickly looked away and gazed up at the misty Manchester sky.

Manchester was an industrial city—more accurately, a post-industrial one. Living here wasn't particularly pleasant, but Old Trafford was one of the most iconic stadiums in the world.

It had rained earlier, and the wet pitch would likely make passing trickier—something that didn't favor Mallorca's style of play.

"This won't be an easy match," José thought to himself.

With the roars of over 50,000 Manchester United fans and the chants of 3,000 traveling Mallorca supporters, the game kicked off.