I Am Jose-Chapter 153 - : The Champions League Draw Begins

After securing a home victory against Real Madrid, José didn't grant his players any time off. This season's schedule was extremely tight due to the upcoming World Cup. La Liga had to conclude by mid-May, and with the Champions League fixtures added, Mallorca could forget about the luxury of playing just one match per week like in previous seasons.

For José, this was a welcome challenge—more games meant more revenue. It also emphasized the need to build up stamina before the season kicked off. Although Mallorca had a young squad, endurance training was just as crucial for them.

The next match was set for a week later at Camp Nou against Real Madrid. Another week after that, on August 26th, La Liga would officially begin.

As for the Champions League, the qualification rounds were still underway, leaving Mallorca's group-stage placement uncertain. However, thanks to their solid performances in the Cup Winners' Cup and UEFA Cup over the past seasons, they had accumulated a fair number of UEFA ranking points. While securing a top-seed status was out of the question, Mallorca was likely to land in either the second or third pot. They certainly wouldn't drop to the dreaded fourth-tier teams.

José wasn't particularly concerned about group-stage opponents. As a first-time Champions League contender, Mallorca had no reason to fear any matchup. The only thing to do was take each game as it came.

For now, training focused heavily on fitness and tactical drills. Against Real Madrid, José had originally intended to test a "muscle midfield" approach combined with fast counterattacks. However, what unfolded was more of a physical midfield battle with chaotic scrambles in the attacking third. This posed some issues—while Mallorca's counterattacks were sharp, they didn't yet resemble the classic fast-transition style where the ball was quickly moved through midfield, wingers exploited space, and central players received chances inside the box. Instead, their approach relied on direct balls to the forwards and short-passing combinations up front. Transitioning to a more structured counterattacking style would take time.

Beyond team-wide training, José also provided specialized guidance to several young players. Drogba worked on his finishing, Van Buyten on his footwork, and Klasnić on his positioning and off-the-ball movement—skills that could be refined through repetition. Meanwhile, Rufete had already matured in his technical attributes, while Pablo García needed to improve his ability to initiate attacks immediately after winning possession—something that could only be developed through real matches.

Fortunately, this season promised plenty of competitive fixtures, ensuring ample opportunities for growth.

José had a decent amount of cash on hand, but he was well aware that it wasn't enough to make major moves. At best, it could sustain the club's operations for a few years. Until Mallorca's local economy flourished and the club established additional revenue streams, player trading would remain essential for both strengthening the squad and ensuring financial stability—just like this summer's transfer market dealings.

This season, Mallorca had reinforced its roster while also turning a profit in the transfer market. This was the management model José planned to follow moving forward. If the price was right, any player could be sold. After all, his knowledge of future stars allowed him to find suitable replacements ahead of time. By leveraging player sales, he could grow the club's assets and gradually build Mallorca into a European force.

Put simply: he was going to turn Mallorca into a "black market" club.

Plenty of European teams had successfully followed this model in the future—Porto in Portugal, Sevilla in Spain, Lyon in France, and Udinese in Italy. These four clubs thrived by developing and selling players, earning substantial profits while still maintaining respectable competitive records. Porto dominated the Portuguese league and won both the Champions League and the UEFA Cup. Sevilla secured back-to-back UEFA Cup titles. Lyon won seven consecutive Ligue 1 titles and consistently advanced to the Champions League knockout stages. Udinese wasn't as dominant but regularly competed in Europe, all thanks to their rational business approach.

For now, José saw no better strategy. First, he had access to a wealth of talent he could sign before they hit their peak. Second, he had no choice—the financial regulations in place meant he could only generate profits through club operations.

Although this summer's transfer market only yielded a profit of just over three million euros, this was Mallorca's first Champions League season. José didn't want to destabilize the squad too much. Moreover, the club hadn't yet established itself as a go-to seller in the transfer market. Right now, Europe's top clubs were focused on poaching superstars from each other—they had the money to do so.

To truly become a "black market" powerhouse, Mallorca first needed results. Porto, Lyon, and Sevilla only became selling clubs after proving themselves on the pitch. When Mallorca won the UEFA Cup, Diego Tristán fetched nearly 20 million in the transfer market. The previous season, despite a strong league campaign, they hadn't won a major trophy, and the only significant departure was Ibagaza to Valencia. Top clubs simply weren't interested in players who hadn't shined in the Champions League.

Balancing financial gain and sporting success—that was José's ideal scenario for Mallorca. Whether he could pull it off, however, depended on his abilities.

August 19: Camp Nou, Spanish Super Cup Final

Real Madrid fans finally had their moment of joy. Their team delivered an impressive attacking display, claiming the first trophy of the new season—the Spanish Super Cup. Zidane scored his first goal in a Real Madrid shirt, Raúl bagged a brace, and Morientes added another. Mallorca, however, went down fighting, playing an attacking game on the road. Eto'o and Ronaldinho each found the net, and the aggregate score was only a one-goal difference.

Despite the loss, Mallorca put up a respectable performance. While the previous match showcased their young players, this time, it was the veterans who stepped up. Eto'o and Ronaldinho proved that in crucial moments, experience mattered. Their goals were no flukes.

Eto'o, in particular, impressed Drogba. Surrounded by two defenders, he managed to strike the ball into the top corner with precision. The Ivorian forward couldn't help but admire his African counterpart—no wonder Eto'o was a guaranteed starter while he was still a substitute. His finishing ability was simply on another level.

"Jealous?" José smirked. "Then learn to shoot properly. You're a striker—what good is a forward who can't score?"

With that, he left Drogba in Eto'o's hands. The Cameroonian was tasked with teaching him to keep his shots within the frame of the goal—a simple yet fundamental skill.

"You hear those fans cheering for Eto'o? If you can score like him, you'll get the same adulation." José knew there was no better motivation for Drogba than seeing another African striker thrive.

August 23: Champions League Qualification Ends

The third round of Champions League qualifiers concluded, with notable casualties—Parma, Rangers, and Ajax were all eliminated. Meanwhile, Spain's two qualifying teams both advanced. Barcelona defeated Poland's Wisła Kraków 5-3 on aggregate, while Deportivo La Coruña saw off Croatia's Hajduk Split 3-1. With four Spanish teams in the group stage, La Liga tied with the Bundesliga for the most representatives. Serie A and the Premier League had only three teams each.

With all 32 teams confirmed, UEFA announced the seeding for the group stage. The top-seed pot included Bayern, Real Madrid, Manchester United, Barcelona, Lazio, Juventus, Arsenal, and Liverpool. Mallorca barely squeezed into the second pot—ranked 16th among the 16 second-tier teams, thanks to Parma and Ajax's early exits.

The third pot still contained strong opponents. Schalke 04 and Leverkusen were formidable German sides, while Feyenoord and PSV from the Netherlands posed serious threats. Nevertheless, being in the second pot was a win for Mallorca. Still, success would depend on their own performances.

A favorable draw was helpful, but ultimately, a team's strength determined its fate.

August 24: The Champions League Draw in Monaco

José and Natal boarded a flight to Monaco, where the Champions League draw was set to take place. This was an event he had long looked forward to—after all, only Europe's elite clubs made it here. This season, the only notable absentees were Inter Milan and Valencia—ironically, one managed by Héctor Cúper and the other his former club.

Cúper's bad luck was almost comical. It wasn't that he lacked ability, but he always seemed to fall short at crucial moments. Leading Mallorca and Valencia to three consecutive European finals, only to finish as runner-up each time, was an unparalleled record.

But without Inter in the draw, José would be missing a familiar face.

Upon arriving, he and Natal weren't swarmed by photographers. For Mallorca, this was a historic moment, but for the football world, it was just another team in the draw.

"Disappointed?" Natal joked.

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"Not at all," José replied coolly. "Once we make a mark in the Champions League, they'll regret not taking more photos."

They both chuckled before stepping into the grand hall.