Chapter 222: The Intrasquad Training Match

Munn turned out to be quite the financial expert. In just a week, he had put together a preliminary investment plan, detailing the initial capital needed, the number of workers and equipment required, the order and quantity of construction materials during the mid-phase, and the final workforce required to complete the project. Everything was meticulously planned, and at a glance, José found no issues with it. Even Alemany, an experienced businessman with knowledge of construction, saw no flaws in the plan.

Though the details had been worked out through discussions with the construction company, José was still quite impressed by Munn's abilities. Without hesitation, he entrusted Munn with the entire budgeting and coordination of the stadium project. During this period, Munn's annual salary was set at 100,000 euros—more than double what he had been earning at Alemany's hotel. On top of that, there would be a generous bonus once the stadium project was completed.

With the promise of a bonus, Munn's enthusiasm soared. He understood the importance of this job for his future, so he threw himself wholeheartedly into the project. This was a massive undertaking, and as a project manager, he stood to gain considerable benefits as well.

With Alemany overseeing things, José had nothing to worry about. He could now fully focus on the pre-season training camp. After all, results were the foundation of Mallorca's success. The club had undergone a massive overhaul this season. If they could survive this transition, Mallorca's reputation as a strong team would be solidified. But if they failed to win a major trophy this season, they might forever be seen as an exciting underdog—a team that constantly gets picked apart by bigger clubs every summer.

Winning a championship would increase Mallorca's appeal, making it easier to retain players. It would also elevate the status of the team's key players in the national team setup. In such a scenario, players like Tristán, Ibagaza, Luque, and Motta—who might otherwise leave in search of bigger opportunities—would be more likely to stay. José wanted to build wealth through player sales, but that didn't mean he enjoyed having to rebuild the squad from scratch every season. That would be exhausting and would also wear down the team's morale.

With the international players returning, Mallorca's squad was finally complete. Since the team had failed to win any trophies last season, their first official match was scheduled for September 2nd—the opening game of La Liga. This gave José ample time for adjustments.

After ten days of physical conditioning, José began integrating tactical drills into training sessions. The tactics remained largely the same as last season, but the team had to adapt to two new central figures—Albertini and Alonso.

Among the new signings, Belletti and Kaká adapted the fastest. Belletti was a quiet, no-nonsense player, while Kaká, with his ever-present sunny smile, quickly bonded with the team—especially with Ronaldinho's help.

Another Brazilian, Senna, was much more reserved. He was virtually unknown in Brazil, and his low-key personality made him almost invisible to his teammates. Instead of seeking attention, he quietly focused on improving himself through relentless training. Compared to the other three Brazilian signings, all of whom were national team players, Senna had the weakest presence.

But José had been watching him closely. He admired Senna's work ethic, technical ability, and ability to distribute the ball efficiently during training. José was convinced that using a non-EU roster spot on Senna would not be a mistake. Senna might not have the defensive range of Makélélé, but his ability to connect defense and midfield was just as valuable.

Compared to the Brazilians, the three Spanish signings blended into the squad even more naturally. Campo had played for Mallorca before, though only a few former teammates remained—Olaizola and Soler, both of whom were no longer regular starters. However, with assistant coach Engonga serving as a bridge, Campo quickly settled in. After two years as a benchwarmer in Madrid, he had come to terms with his role as a backup. But with Nadal nearing the end of his career, Campo knew he would get opportunities, just like Gamarra had last season.

As for Torres and Alonso, they were already well-known in Spain. Although Mallorca had become increasingly international under José, it was still a Spanish club at its core. This summer, they had lost two Spanish players, Luque and Novo, but had added three in their place, strengthening the local identity. Torres was a shy young man, while Alonso, though only slightly older, was reserved and easygoing. Their good personalities made it easy for them to integrate.

The biggest outlier among the new signings was the most high-profile one—Italian midfielder Albertini. He attended training on time and was professional during sessions, but he barely spoke to anyone, keeping himself isolated from the rest of the squad.

José quickly noticed this. He valued Albertini highly. Even though the Italian was only on loan, his role was crucial. With Alonso still adapting and unable to fully replace Motta, Albertini's performances would heavily influence Mallorca's early-season—and possibly entire-season—success.

José understood why Albertini was unhappy. After all, leaving a club where he had played for thirteen seasons—only once being sent on loan—was bound to be painful. Albertini could have refused to leave Milan, as no one could have forced him out. But the curly-haired Italian, with his charming smile, was also a man of immense pride. He refused to cling to a team that no longer needed him.

Although he agreed to join Mallorca, his heart remained in Milan—with Milanello, with the San Siro.

Even though he appreciated Mallorca's sunny weather and the friendly locker-room atmosphere, he still struggled to truly integrate into the squad. Instead, he built an emotional wall around himself, shutting out his teammates.

This wasn't sustainable.

So, on the second day after physical training ended, José arranged an intrasquad training match.

The starting lineup featured Franco in goal, Belletti, Nadal, Van Buyten, and Capdevila in defense. Albertini was paired with García in midfield, with Ronaldinho and Rufete as attacking midfielders—Ronaldinho on the left, Rufete on the right. Up front, Eto'o and Torres led the line.

This lineup was essentially an evolution of last season's core team, with Belletti, Albertini, García, and Torres replacing the departed George, Motta, Kaladze, and Luque.

The reserve team, in contrast, looked like a mix of misfits—Roa in goal, Campano, Niño, Campo, and Olaizola in defense. The midfield trio of Senna, Alonso, and Marcos played behind an advanced Kaká, with Drogba and youth team call-up Güiza leading the attack. This side clearly lacked star power compared to the starters—Kaká was the only true star player.

Yet the match was surprisingly competitive.

The first team habitually relied on Albertini to orchestrate play from deep, but his recent silence had hindered his chemistry with his teammates, leading to frequent mistakes. Meanwhile, the reserve team's midfield—featuring selfless workhorses like Senna and Marcos—kept feeding the ball to Alonso, who dictated play with short and long passes. Short passes set up Kaká for individual breakthroughs, while long balls targeted Drogba's aerial dominance.

This simple strategy required minimal coordination, only a few small-scale combinations.

As a result, the reserves stunned the starters by scoring twice in quick succession—first through a Drogba header, then through a Kaká solo run. The first team was left humiliated.

At that point, Ronaldinho stepped up. He started dropping deeper to link play with Albertini, slowly improving their connection. Though breaking through the reserve team's midfield trio was tough, having two playmakers allowed the team to create more chances. Eto'o eventually scored with a close-range finish, and Torres equalized with a header from a Capdevila cross.

The match ended in a 2-2 draw. Among the reserves, Kaká, Drogba, and Alonso were particularly impressive. Campo struggled due to his lack of match fitness, while Senna surprised everyone. His simple yet effective interceptions and tireless running helped disrupt the first team's attacks, and he always quickly passed to Alonso to dictate play. His work was unspectacular but invaluable.

After the match, several reserve midfielders gathered around Senna, praising the 26-year-old unknown. Senna, however, just grinned humbly, showing no signs of arrogance.

José had remained silent throughout, observing everything. When the match ended, he checked his watch—it was time to wrap up. He clapped his hands and said, "Alright, that's it for today! Get some good rest, guys. We've got more training tomorrow!"