I Am Jose-Chapter 113 - : Mallorca’s Suppression

Once Vicente del Bosque received Mallorca's starting XI, he was immediately convinced that Mallorca would deploy a counter-attacking strategy in this match. The lineup read as follows:

Goalkeeper: FrancoDefenders: George, Nadal, Nino, and CapdevilaMidfielders: Karaze, Mota, Ngonga, and "Little Ron"Forwards: Luke and Eto'o

Although compared to their previous match—where Mallorca had attacked with ferocity—the starting eleven had only been altered by one substitution (Ngonga coming on for Novo), Bosque discerned something more subtle. While Mallorca's midfield appeared, on paper, to line up in a diamond, in reality they were structured with the defensive solidity of a three-man holding midfield. Karaze was not only a dynamic winger but also a robust defensive asset, and Ngonga, a model defensive midfielder, completed a trio that was more than capable of shielding their back line.

Bosque had only received Mallorca's starting lineup two hours before kick-off. Under such tight timing, no further changes could be made unless a player were injured—and even then, it would cost one of the limited substitutions. Thus, he knew the lineup was as genuine as it gets.

"He really intends to catch us off-guard, doesn't he? That young man is cunning indeed," Bosque mused inwardly.

With a steely confidence, he thought, "No matter how sly a fox may be, it can't outsmart a skilled hunter." Although he had just received the lineup, Bosque had prepared for this match on both sides. Since Mallorca were set to play on the counter, his primary concern was clear: how to break through their defence and neutralize their counterattacks.

Breaking down Mallorca's defensive structure wasn't a major worry for Bosque. He was confident that with Raúl's technical flair to create chances inside the box, and with Morientes—whose attacking drive and ability to time his runs stood out from players like Kluivert—the trio in Madrid's forward line could dismantle even the densest defensive setups. Not to mention, in midfield, Figo's penetrating runs had the knack for unlocking defences. Just these three, he reasoned, would pose little trouble against a compact defence.

Yet, it was Mallorca's counterattacks that troubled him. "Little Ron" and Eto'o were both blisteringly fast, and their understanding was almost telepathic—a combination that could wreak havoc on Real Madrid's back line.

To counter this threat, Bosque decided to make a few tactical adjustments. He deployed Savio as his left winger and instructed Carlos to limit his forward passes. "Carlos's pace is our best weapon to curb Eto'o's runs," Bosque explained silently. Moreover, Bosque planned to assign Maklélé the task of "freezing" Little Ron—essentially, keeping the initiator of the counterattacks from exploiting space.

Bosque's idea was simple: use Maklélé to stifle the forward drive of Little Ron and rely on Carlos to neutralize the most dangerous outlet—Eto'o. In his view, if Real Madrid could deny Mallorca the space for their counterattacks, their threat would be significantly blunted.

As for Luke, although he played an important supporting role in Mallorca's attack—organizing play and creating opportunities for Eto'o—he was more of a provider than a pure goal-scorer. His contribution was contingent on teammates creating space. Bosque believed that if they could effectively contain Little Ron and Eto'o, Luke's impact would be minimized.

Having carefully considered his tactical plan and finding no obvious flaws, Bosque felt confident enough to instruct his players to take the field.

As Bosque emerged from the tunnel, the players on both sides were already in position. It was then that he noticed José standing near the visiting coaches' area. Their eyes met, and José turned, offering Bosque a friendly smile.

José had long admired Bosque. Few coaches had won top honors both at club and international levels, and Bosque's accolades—with two Champions Cups and two league titles at Real Madrid, and a World Cup with Spain—were the stuff of legend. Yet, despite such achievements, Bosque's time in charge of a club had only amounted to five or six years; at least, that was how it had been when José first began his own second act.

Sometimes, José wondered, what might have happened if, after leaving Real Madrid, he had taken over another elite club? That question, however, would remain unanswered—unless he could somehow be reborn as Bosque himself. But today, Bosque was his rival. Regardless of how much José admired Bosque's record, he was determined to defeat him in this match, thereby solidifying his own team's confidence once more.

When José saw Real Madrid's starting lineup, he knew he had successfully lured Bosque into a trap. The Madrid XI was as follows:

Goalkeeper: CasillasDefenders: Salgado, Jerzy, El Gra, and Robert CarlosMidfield: Last season's stalwarts, Kalandra and Campo, had been relegated to the bench this season. The midfield pairing comprised Maklélé and the versatile Cameroonian Graeme (or "Grémi," as Bosque sometimes called him).Wingers: Figo on the right and Savio on the leftForwards: Raúl and Morientes formed the striking partnership.

At first glance, this lineup appeared ordinary—but José saw the hidden subtleties.

Savio, a tragic talent on the left, had significant attacking prowess, but his misfortune was that in a team like Real Madrid, he was forced to operate behind a monster on the left—a one-man dynamo in Carlos, who was effectively playing the roles of two players. Since Carlos could cover twice the ground, why then have another player compress his space? That was precisely why Savio had languished on the bench for so long. He wasn't short on opportunities, but when he did play, he was often shifted further inward to leave a gap for Carlos to exploit—or relegated to doing the dirty work. In this match, with Carlos deployed in his natural left-back role, it signified one thing: Carlos would be tasked with reducing his forward assists, thereby limiting Savio's influence on the left attack.

Why, then, would Bosque instruct Carlos to limit his assists—the very lifeblood of Real Madrid's attacking play? The reason was simple: to counter Mallorca's rapid counterattacks. Bosque was well acquainted with Eto'o's pace and believed that, in Real Madrid's defensive line, only Carlos had the speed to keep up with him. But if Carlos ventured too far forward in his creative role, no matter how fast he was, he wouldn't have time to recover defensively.

Similarly, Bosque had chosen to play Grémi in a deeper midfield role. The logic was partly personal: Grémi and Eto'o were teammates on the Cameroonian national team, and Grémi understood Eto'o's movements intimately. Although Grémi was a versatile defender, his best attributes lay on the right flank—as a right winger or right-back. Playing him as a defensive midfielder didn't exactly suit his natural strengths; Bosque had chosen him over more traditional holding midfielders like Seradès-Flavius specifically to counter Eto'o.

If Real Madrid were to adopt a possession-based, expansive style, such measures wouldn't be necessary. Bosque's plan, however, was singular: to thwart Mallorca's counterattacks.

"You think that way? Then it's perfect..." José responded with his most congenial smile directed at Bosque, while inwardly relishing the satisfaction of his own tactical subterfuge.

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Merely five minutes into the match, the normally composed Bosque noticed something amiss. From the first minute, Mallorca's formation had been pushed forward aggressively, their midfield pressing with ruthless intensity. Nino shadowed Morientes, while Mota and Karaze worked in tandem to neutralize Figo, leaving Raúl unchallenged. Simultaneously, the rest of the Mallorca players joined in a concerted midfield press.

Mallorca's defensive line, pushed up by about 30 meters, forced Real Madrid's attacking players into disarray. And once they regained possession, the Mallorca players immediately launched counterattacks—their forwards exchanging rapid, incisive passes before unleashing shots almost instantaneously.

Within just five minutes, Mallorca registered two consecutive shots—Eto'o and Luke each had an attempt—yet Casillas's nimble reflexes saved the day on both occasions.

"Are they really playing an all-out, dual-attacking style?" Bosque initially was stunned before realizing that something was off.

Even though Mallorca had deployed three defensively solid midfielders, their attacking momentum remained undiminished. Both of their full-backs were pushing high up the pitch, while Karaze and Ngonga provided cover on the flanks. Bosque's carefully laid-out plan had been entirely undermined by this unexpected approach.

He had previously devised tactics focused on penetrating dense defensive setups. But now, with Mallorca's defensive line advancing by 30 meters, the entire environment had changed. Once past that 30-meter mark, a breakthrough typically led to a shot. However, now even if Real Madrid's attackers managed to breach Mallorca's defence, they would need to advance further to pose a real threat to the goal. Given that Real Madrid's forwards aren't exceptionally fast and that Mallorca's backline had significantly increased their pace, Bosque's original plan was proving less effective.

And what about Mallorca? With their entire formation pushed high up the pitch, as soon as they won the ball, they could immediately launch an attack. Their midfielders would bypass Real Madrid's double pivot, with "Little Ron" operating on the left flank and Eto'o drawing defenders on the right. Their quick, short passing combinations often allowed them to penetrate Real Madrid's penalty area before the opposition had time to reorganize.

This tireless, high-energy pressing and counterattacking style was clearly designed to dominate Real Madrid in the first half—to seize the initiative and take an early lead.

Bosque found himself momentarily at a loss for how to adjust his tactics. Fortunately, he had fielded a robust defensive unit. Even though Real Madrid's midfield was being stretched by Mallorca's relentless pressing, there remained a sufficiently solid back line. Maklélé, darting around in midfield to break up play, also intercepted many of Mallorca's advances, significantly disrupting their attack.

"Maklélé... he really is indispensable for Real Madrid," Bosque thought.

Watching the match from afar, Piri—tuned in to the live broadcast back in Mallorca—muttered under his breath. He rarely followed Real Madrid's games closely (perhaps to avoid the emotional toll), but tonight he couldn't help noticing that Maklélé was indeed crucial for Madrid.

Real Madrid's midfield was brimming with attacking talents—Figo, McManaman, Savio, Muniti... even Brazilian Flavio Consasson had demonstrated an ability to orchestrate attacks. Yet, when it came to defensive sacrifice, only Maklélé was willing to do the hard work. His presence maintained midfield balance and provided much-needed protection. Piri, intimately familiar with Madrid's workings, had long wondered if any other player could ever replace Maklélé's role.

Still, Piri wasn't convinced that Madrid would collapse entirely without him. Even if Maklélé were to leave, Real Madrid had the resources to buy a top-quality defensive midfielder.

"It's a bit worrying—if we don't secure a lead by halftime, the second half could be dangerous for us. Bosque seems content to stall, waiting for halftime to make his adjustments..." Piri mused thoughtfully.