Chapter 225: A Stroke of Luck in the Group Draw

For the new season, José planned to rely more on a double defensive midfield and dual attacking midfield formation—a setup Brazil had used in the 2006 World Cup. That team had Ronaldo, Adriano, Ronaldinho, and Kaká—a front-four combination so dazzling that people called it the "Magic Quartet." Yet, their World Cup campaign was an absolute disaster.

José believed there was a reason for that failure. The Brazilian coach at the time simply put those four stars on the field and let them play freely, without any structured tactics. On top of that, bad luck struck—their form collectively plummeted at the worst possible time. That so-called "strongest Brazilian team in twenty years" ended up with a lackluster performance not because of tactical issues but because they had no tactics at all.

That year, Ronaldinho was at his peak before the World Cup, leading Barcelona to a historic treble. But the immense effort drained his energy and form, making his World Cup performances underwhelming. Kaká, on the other hand, struggled to integrate his more European-styled play with the rest of Brazil's free-flowing attack, making it difficult for him to shine. Ronaldo was already in decline with Real Madrid, while Adriano was no longer the unstoppable force he once was. On paper, it was a dream team. In reality, their performances had already started fading. The coach's reliance on star-player tactics resulted in a disorganized mess, leading to their downfall.

Many analysts later blamed the 4-2-2-2 system, saying Ronaldinho and Kaká couldn't coexist. But José thought that was nonsense. Despite their different styles, they were highly complementary. Ronaldinho was a master of tight-space dribbling and incisive passing, making him lethal in confined areas. Kaká, while less skilled in tight spaces, had superior physical attributes and was a devastating force on the counterattack. The more space he had, the deadlier he became. Even in set plays, his powerful long-range shots made him a scoring threat.

Both players were versatile enough to play centrally or on the flanks. As long as they weren't fighting for the central playmaker role, they could take turns attacking from different areas, creating havoc for the opposition. Mallorca was a team that relied on a deep-lying playmaker to dictate the game, allowing these two to focus purely on attacking roles, maximizing their impact.

Pre-Season Training and Chemistry Building

After several friendly matches, José began reducing physical training and increasing tactical drills—pair exercises, small-group matches, half-field battles, and full intrasquad games. The goal was clear: make the players understand their teammates inside out through sheer repetition and effort.

As the month progressed, the chemistry between Mallorca's players grew stronger. After countless intrasquad matches, they started instinctively understanding each other's habits, leading to better and more precise passing.

José felt more confident about the team's progress. Albertini, despite being 31, was still a top-class midfielder. He wasn't past his prime yet. In fact, José was already considering ways to keep him beyond this season—once Albertini's contract expired, signing him on a free transfer with a salary bump might be a viable option.

Albertini's leadership and passing had begun to shine. While he wasn't as in sync with teammates as Motta was, he had one distinct advantage over him—long passing. Motta was more of a short-passing specialist, using precise one-touch passes and surgical through balls to break defenses. But long passes? He was average at best. The best long-passer in Mallorca before Albertini's arrival was actually Rufete, the team's designated corner and indirect free-kick taker.

Albertini, however, was on another level. His long-range passes were like cruise missiles—pinpoint accurate over 30 meters, with an error margin of less than half a meter. That was an incredible stat. With him in midfield, Mallorca's counterattacks would become even more dangerous.

Moreover, Albertini's experience and reputation instantly earned the trust of his teammates—a key reason why José brought him in despite already signing Xabi Alonso. Alonso, while talented, lacked the stature and credibility to lead the team. Even with ability, teammates might hesitate to fully trust him. But Albertini? His name alone commanded respect. The plan was simple: let Albertini mentor Alonso, easing the young Spaniard into a leadership role over time.

José made sure Alonso fully understood this plan, avoiding potential misunderstandings. Many problems in football arose because coaches didn't explain their decisions, leaving players to overthink. Alonso, being a smart player, recognized the value of this arrangement. Even if he wasn't a starter right away, getting mentored in a title-challenging squad was proof of José's faith in him.

The Draw for the Champions League Group Stage

With everything in place, Mallorca was now ready for the season opener. Their first La Liga match would be a home game against Athletic Bilbao, marking the official debut of the new Mallorca.

But before that, there was another major event on everyone's mind—the Champions League Group Stage Draw, which was happening three days before the season began.

The first group stage draw didn't require managers to attend in person, as it took place right after the final round of UCL qualifiers. José and his staff would watch it live instead.

This season was also significant because it was the last time the UCL would have two group stages. UEFA had already announced that from next season, the second group stage would be scrapped, replaced by a straight knockout format from the Round of 16. This change would reduce player fatigue and limit the risk of teams getting overworked.

José saw this as a financial loss—more UCL matches meant more money. Cutting four matches meant clubs could lose millions in revenue. Unsurprisingly, big clubs protested, but UEFA stood firm, ignoring the G14 group's opposition.

Mallorca's Surprisingly Favorable Group

Most big teams made it through qualifying: Milan, Inter, Real Madrid (3rd in La Liga), Deportivo (4th in La Liga), Manchester United, and Newcastle all progressed. However, Mallorca's ranking skyrocketed this year.

Last season, they barely made Pot 2, but after a stellar unbeaten UCL campaign, their coefficient points soared, pushing them into Pot 1!

That meant Mallorca would avoid giants like Real Madrid, Manchester United, Juventus, Inter, Bayern, and Arsenal in the group stage. Milan, due to poor previous campaigns, fell into Pot 3, while Leverkusen jumped into Pot 2 after their fantastic season.

There was a real danger of Mallorca landing in a Group of Death—imagine a draw with Dortmund (Pot 2), Milan (Pot 3), and Newcastle (Pot 4)! A nightmare scenario.

Everyone in the club was nervous. UEFA wasn't fond of too many "dark horses"—they liked them as occasional surprises, not regular contenders. There was a real chance Mallorca would be thrown into a brutal group.

But when the draw was revealed… Mallorca couldn't believe their luck!

Their opponents?

Galatasaray (Turkey)

Lokomotiv Moscow (Russia)

Club Brugge (Belgium)

No European powerhouse in sight!

Galatasaray? A team Mallorca already defeated before. Lokomotiv Moscow? Tough away conditions due to weather, but otherwise manageable. Club Brugge? A solid team, but not one to fear.

Compared to Real Madrid, who got Roma again, or the brutal Group G (Bayern, Deportivo, Milan, Lens), Mallorca hit the jackpot.

"Luck was on our side," José admitted, but added:

"That doesn't guarantee qualification. Every match still requires full effort. The past is history—we need to prove ourselves again."