Chapter 202: Ripples

Mallorca's exit from the Champions League semifinals due to the away goals rule wasn't a disgraceful loss.

However, the ripples caused by this match wouldn't simply fade away.

At the post-match press conference, Ferguson didn't dwell too much on the injuries of Keane and Beckham. Everyone could see that Keane got injured in a challenge of his own, while Beckham, though taken out by García's tackle, was just unlucky—there was nothing particularly malicious about the challenge.

With Mallorca eliminated, Real Madrid became the only Spanish club left in the Champions League semifinals. They secured their spot by defeating Bayern 2-0 at home, advancing with a 3-2 aggregate score. Their next opponent would be Liverpool, while Manchester United was set to face Bayer Leverkusen.

For United, these semifinals were going to be painful. The medical reports soon confirmed the worst: Keane had suffered an Achilles tendon injury in his right foot and would be sidelined for four to six weeks. Beckham's injury, however, was even more severe—he fractured the metatarsal bone in his left foot. Even if the surgery went smoothly, he'd need at least two months to recover, putting his participation in the upcoming World Cup in serious doubt.

At first, it was just United fans worrying about their team's Champions League chances. But as details of Beckham's injury emerged, all of England went into an uproar.

Suddenly, everyone was talking about Beckham's metatarsal, concerned about how his absence might impact England's World Cup performance. Then, out of nowhere, a wild conspiracy theory began circulating—one that accused Mallorca of a sinister plot.

The theory went like this: García, the Mallorca player who injured Beckham, was a teammate of Franco, Mallorca's Argentine goalkeeper, who was trying to earn a place in Argentina's national team. With Argentina set to face England in the World Cup group stage, the best way for Franco to prove his value was by eliminating England's key player. The fact that both García and Franco were South Americans fueled the absurd notion that this was a deliberate act.

Ridiculous as it sounded, many people bought into it. The English press, eager for controversy and headlines, jumped on the bandwagon, relentlessly attacking Mallorca and Pablo García. Some newspapers even called for García to be banned for a year—despite knowing how absurd that demand was, they were more than happy to milk the situation for readership.

Normally, the noise from the English media wouldn't have affected Mallorca too much. But Beckham's injury had drawn worldwide attention, and soon, even some Spanish media outlets started discussing the incident, inevitably putting pressure on Mallorca.

At first, José ignored the media storm entirely. He had bigger things to worry about. Mallorca had gained a lot from their Champions League run, but the cost had been heavy. Besides Motta, who was still sidelined, the match against United had left Rufete with a calf injury and Nadal physically drained. While Nadal wouldn't be out for too long, he'd still miss several key matches.

This meant that for their upcoming clash against Valencia, Mallorca would be missing three key starters. Considering they were desperate to make a statement in La Liga after their Champions League exit, these absences were a major blow.

And as the media distractions grew, Mallorca—already fatigued and struggling for form—found themselves in an even worse state.

On April 14th, when Mallorca hosted Valencia, they looked visibly exhausted. Despite their efforts, they were constantly on the back foot. Valencia, having had no midweek match, were in better shape physically. Under Benítez's command, they launched wave after wave of attacks, leaving Mallorca scrambling to defend.

Given the situation, José abandoned hopes of securing a home win to extend their lead. The reality was clear—Valencia, with their superior fitness, had the upper hand, and Mallorca simply couldn't afford to go all out.

"That fat bastard really knows how to stockpile good fortune," José muttered, glaring at Benítez, who sat expressionless in the visiting dugout. Benítez was never the kind of coach who could maintain consistency throughout an entire season, but when he focused on a single competition, he always got results. It was, in a way, his signature strength.

Under these circumstances, José adjusted his tactics to strengthen the defense, while Benítez made attacking substitutions to press for a win. In the end, neither team could break the deadlock, and the match ended in a 0-0 draw. Mallorca maintained their one-point lead over Valencia. With four matches left, winning all four would secure the league title.

For Valencia, the draw meant they still had hope. Mallorca's remaining schedule wasn't in their favor—they still had to visit the Bernabéu. Meanwhile, Valencia's next match was a home fixture against Deportivo La Coruña. If they won that, their chances of finishing the season with four straight wins looked much better.

Despite the draw, José was frustrated. Real Madrid had surprisingly lost to Osasuna, validating his earlier prediction that they'd slip up. This left Mallorca two points ahead of Madrid, but failing to widen the gap over Valencia kept the title race wide open.

The league table now stood at:

Mallorca - 64 points

Valencia - 63 points

Real Madrid - 62 points

Deportivo La Coruña - 61 points

With just four rounds left, the title race was as intense as ever. Barcelona, sitting in fifth with 57 points, was barely clinging to Champions League qualification hopes, let alone the title race. Meanwhile, former frontrunners like Celta, Betis, Athletic Bilbao, and Alavés had all fallen out of contention. Their lack of squad depth meant they couldn't sustain their form over a long season, unlike Mallorca, who had now reached the level of giants like Real Madrid and Barcelona.

Two seasons ago, they had barely avoided relegation while winning the UEFA Cup. Last season, without European distractions, they finished second in La Liga. That was surprising, but not unheard of—mid-table teams occasionally overachieve. But this season, competing fiercely in both the Champions League and La Liga, Mallorca had proven themselves as a truly elite team.

So while José was frustrated, he wasn't in a terrible mood. After the match, he attended the press conference alongside Nadal. With Mallorca out of the Champions League, their remaining league matches would be played at a less demanding schedule of one per week, allowing players to recover properly.

When José arrived at the press conference room, Benítez was already there, his usual deadpan expression in place. Seeing José, he gave a slight nod—what happened on the pitch stayed on the pitch.

Benítez prided himself on his tactical adjustments and in-game decisions, skills he honed from his time studying in Italy and England. Yet, in this match, José had responded to each of his moves perfectly, preventing Valencia from gaining an upper hand.

For that, Benítez had to admit he now saw José as an equal.

The two exchanged a firm handshake.

"Sorry, we're still a point ahead," José said with a smirk. "If we win our last four games, the title is ours. And now, we don't have the Champions League distracting us."

"The Bernabéu won't be easy," Benítez replied expressionlessly. "We just need to beat Deportivo next round."

"I've won at the Bernabéu before. Plus, Madrid will be preoccupied with the Champions League," José shrugged.

"I'm taking twelve points from the last four matches," Benítez said, locking eyes with José. "If you drop even a single point, the title is mine."

"Try me," José shot back.

Neither was willing to back down, and both knew there was no point continuing the exchange—letting the media enjoy the show wasn't in their interest. They released their handshake and took their seats for the press conference.

The usual questions about the title race were easy to handle. But just as the session was wrapping up, an English reporter suddenly spoke up.

"With Beckham's injury possibly ruling him out of the World Cup, what are your thoughts on this situation, Mr. Alemany?"

The Spanish reporters froze. They had deliberately downplayed the issue, knowing that Beckham's absence could actually benefit Spain's national team.

José lifted his head and glanced at the reporter. The guy was obviously trying to stir the pot.

Digging a finger into his ear, José lazily replied in Spanish, "Sorry, I don't understand what you're saying."

Everyone knew José spoke English fluently. His sarcastic response had the Spanish journalists struggling to hold back laughter—it was clear he had no patience for the question.

But the reporter, undeterred, repeated his question—this time in Spanish.

José's irritation grew.

Motta was injured too, but no one cared. Now you come to my press conference to ask about something completely unrelated? Just because you're a journalist, you think you can say whatever you want?