I Am Jose-Chapter 155 - : First Victory

Las Palmas is an unpredictable team—when they hit their stride, they can be tough to handle. José had no intention of engaging in a head-on battle with them. Instead, his plan was to first wear down their momentum and then exploit their defensive weaknesses to strike.

Executing this approach wasn't too difficult. José didn't want his two tall center-backs getting exposed by the opponent's counterattacks, which relied on speed. Fortunately, Mallorca's midfield was composed of technically sound players with strong ball control—perfect for countering Las Palmas' fast-paced style.

The opponent in this match wasn't too different from Rayo Vallecano, whom José faced in his first game coaching Mallorca. However, this Mallorca team was much younger than the one from two years ago. They no longer needed to rely on ultra-defensive tactics and baiting the opponent into mistakes. Now, they had the ability to win in a more controlled and elegant manner.

Amidst the cheers of the Mallorca fans, the players stepped onto the pitch. For this match, José stuck with the same starting lineup he used in the first leg of the Super Cup, employing a diamond-shaped 4-4-2 midfield—though it could also be seen as a modified 4-4-2. Kaladze provided defensive cover for Motta, Rufete played on the right, and Ronaldinho had the flexibility to operate on the left and center.

Compared to many of his contemporaries, José's greatest strength was his willingness to break free from rigid formations. This was the direction in which football would evolve—players becoming increasingly versatile, breaking the constraints of traditional formations in favor of more fluid styles of play. At present, only a handful of coaches were beginning to explore this concept, and they were still in the experimental stage. But José already had the knowledge and experience—he could effortlessly implement the tactical innovations that would become widely known in the future.

For this approach to work, players needed strong tactical awareness and execution. José had been drilling this into them during training, shaping the team into a cohesive system.

The idea of a "system" in football might seem vague, but at its core, it was about having a tactical framework that could be universally applied. Building such a system was a long-term process, but there were ways to see results in the short term.

With the referee's whistle, the match officially began!

From the start, Las Palmas pressed aggressively in midfield, but Mallorca remained composed, passing the ball around to tire out their opponents. Although it was early in the season, making it unlikely to exhaust the opposition physically, Mallorca's real goal was to dampen their initial intensity. They couldn't allow Las Palmas to come out swinging and unsettle them.

No team can maintain relentless aggression indefinitely—this principle holds just as true on the football pitch.

As the game progressed, Las Palmas' movements began to slow—not only due to fatigue but also because their pressing wasn't yielding results.

After weathering the initial storm, Mallorca began to counterattack, controlling possession and probing for weaknesses in their opponent's defense.

Las Palmas remained well-organized, and Mallorca's initial attempts didn't break through. But José wasn't worried—he knew that as soon as they scored one goal, more would follow.

That goal finally came in the 42nd minute.

Ronaldinho received a pass from Motta and burst past the defense on the left wing!

Once a defensive line is breached, vulnerabilities start appearing everywhere.

After cutting inside, Ronaldinho didn't cross immediately. Instead, he applied more pressure, further disrupting Las Palmas' defensive shape.

A clever right-footed touch inside the box allowed him to evade another defender. The Las Palmas backline was now in complete disarray!

The angle wasn't ideal for a shot, so Ronaldinho calmly played a pass into the box.

Luke held off a defender and struck the ball toward goal!

The shot hit the goalkeeper's chest and rebounded into the box. Eto'o reacted quickest, firing a follow-up attempt—only for a defender to clear it off the line!

For a moment, chaos engulfed the penalty area, and visibility was limited. Then, a sudden cheer erupted from the Mallorca fans behind the goal, and the net rippled violently!

"The ball... it's in! Mallorca's first league goal of the season! And the scorer is... Rufete! The newly signed midfielder scores his first goal for the club!"

Rufete spread his arms wide as he sprinted away in celebration, shaking his jersey while the Mallorca supporters roared in delight.

"Let's look at the replay... Eto'o's shot was cleared off the line, the ball rolled loose in the box... A defender tried to clear it but failed, and the ball landed right at Rufete's feet. All he had to do was fire it into the net! A clear-cut goal!"

"Our new signings have had great luck this season!" José clapped his hands and laughed as he spoke to his assistants.

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His staff nodded in agreement. In their first competitive match, Van Buyten and Drogba each scored, and now Rufete had also found the net. The only new signings yet to score were defensive midfielder Pablo García and backup striker Klasnić. However, García was a pure defensive midfielder, so a goalless season wouldn't be surprising, and Klasnić hadn't played much yet—there was no need to worry.

From a psychological standpoint, it was a huge boost for Mallorca's key signings to score early. With this pressure lifted, they could focus on their performances without being weighed down by expectations.

José knew that Van Buyten and Rufete weren't the type of players to make an immediate impact. Van Buyten still needed time to gel with the backline, while Rufete's strengths lay in playmaking and creating chances rather than scoring. However, the media could be harsh. These early goals would ease the pressure on them.

Shortly after the goal, the halftime whistle blew. Mallorca led Las Palmas 1-0 at the break.

In the locker room, Rufete received plenty of congratulations from his teammates. A quiet and humble person, he was naturally well-liked in the squad.

"We played well in the first half—let's keep it up. In the second half, let's put this game to bed. Attack them, score a couple more, and they'll collapse. They've already lost their edge. Finish this off, and then we can rest... well, except for our international players."

Laughter broke out in the dressing room. After this match, Mallorca would have a break due to international fixtures. The next league game wouldn't be until September 9, followed by Champions League matches—meaning the tough schedule was about to begin.

Fortunately, Mallorca didn't have too many players called up for international duty. Aside from Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Kaladze, Kamara, Rufete, and Van Buyten, most of the squad could rest.

As the second half kicked off, Mallorca attacked with even greater intensity, pinning Las Palmas deep in their half.

Buoyed by his goal, Rufete became increasingly involved, launching dangerous attacks down the right flank. His activity pinned Las Palmas' left side, and with full-back Jorge frequently overlapping, Mallorca's right-wing dominance grew stronger.

In the 62nd minute, Jorge's run drew defenders away, creating space for Rufete, who whipped in a cross. The ball flew over Eto'o and the defenders, reaching Luke at the back post. He met it with a precise header, guiding the ball into the corner!

2-0, Mallorca extended their lead!

As José had predicted, while Las Palmas could resist when one goal down, falling two goals behind shattered their structure.

Just four minutes later, Motta intercepted a pass in midfield and laid it off to Ronaldinho. With a perfectly weighted through ball, he sent Eto'o racing behind the defense. The Cameroonian forward reached the ball before the onrushing goalkeeper and slotted it home.

3-0! Game over!

Seeing that the result was sealed, José made three substitutions at once—resting Eto'o, Rufete, and Kaladze in favor of Klasnić, Novo, and García. With these international players taken off, they could recover better before joining their national teams.

Even with changes, Mallorca's control remained firm.

Klasnić worked hard but couldn't find the net. Meanwhile, José kept Drogba on the bench.

"I won't play you in the league until your finishing improves," José told him with a grin.

Drogba was frustrated. Sure, his finishing wasn't great yet, but did José have to be so blunt?

José simply smiled. For a player like Drogba, pushing him hard was the best way to unlock his full potential.

The match ended 3-0, securing Mallorca's first league win of the season.