I Am Jose-Chapter 164 - : Victory Unstoppable, Even with One Less Man

Mallorca's second goal came in the 43rd minute of the match, just before halftime.

After José's tactical adjustment, Mallorca's midfield stabilized, gaining more attacking opportunities. Their nimble offensive play left Schalke's towering defenders in disarray. This goal was merely a product of their growing dominance on the field.

Schalke 04 fought fiercely, but their attacking plays were relatively easy for Mallorca to defend against. Mallorca had no shortage of tall defenders in their backline. However, Schalke's defenders struggled to cope with Mallorca's attacks, especially as Mallorca's midfield gained increasing control over possession.

This fundamental difference set the tone for the match.

During halftime, José emphasized maintaining their technical superiority in the second half. The key was to control possession in midfield while ensuring defensive stability. He instructed his players not to rush into long balls but to focus on playing short, ground passes.

Schalke 04 had no effective response to this strategy. They continuously attempted crosses from the wings to create scoring opportunities in the center, but Mallorca's defense was impenetrable. Even when Van Buyten and Kaladze occasionally missed a clearance, the experienced Nadal was always there to cover and neutralize the danger. Meanwhile, Mallorca's attacks kept Schalke's goal under constant threat.

In the 79th minute, Eto'o returned the favor to Luque with an assist. After breaking down the flank, Eto'o delivered a half-height cross, and Luque dived forward to head the ball into the bottom corner of the net. 2-0. Mallorca had sealed the victory.

With this loss, Schalke 04's chances of advancing were all but extinguished. Though mathematically still alive, their hopes were slim at best.

On the other hand, Mallorca's victory significantly boosted their chances of qualifying. Panathinaikos lost 1-2 at home to Arsenal, dropping to third place. Arsenal, after losing to Mallorca, had now secured back-to-back wins and moved up to second. Mallorca, with seven points, topped the group.

Upon returning to Mallorca, José was showered with praise from the Spanish media. Among the four Spanish teams in the Champions League, only Real Madrid, with three consecutive wins, had practically secured qualification. The other two teams had not fared as well—Barcelona had lost to Leverkusen, and Deportivo had drawn against both Olympiacos and Lille. If not for their victory over Manchester United, they might have been bottom of their group. Given this context, Mallorca's performance was all the more remarkable.

"Perhaps we should stop calling Mallorca a dark horse. In the past three seasons, they've finished in La Liga's top three twice, won the UEFA Cup, and were runners-up in the Cup Winners' Cup. Even for the traditional powerhouses, such achievements aren't easy to replicate. Moreover, this season, Mallorca has been outstanding in both the Champions League and La Liga. If they maintain this level, no one can deny that they have become a serious force in European football!"

Mallorca's impressive performances in the Champions League were beginning to draw increasing attention. As La Liga's runners-up, they had now consecutively defeated last season's Premier League and Bundesliga runners-up, further solidifying their legitimacy. People no longer attributed their success to other teams underperforming the previous season. Instead, they acknowledged, "No wonder they finished second in La Liga last season—they really are that good!"

There's no such thing as overnight success. For Mallorca to establish themselves as a strong team in the eyes of fans and pundits was another step toward José's ultimate goal.

Despite their triumph in Germany, Mallorca couldn't afford to relax. While their next Champions League fixture wasn't until October 17, they had three league matches in the coming week—Villarreal at home on October 1, Barcelona away on October 4, and Zaragoza at home on October 8. Only after these games would they get a brief respite before facing another demanding period of two matches per week.

José had no plans for widespread squad rotation. Firstly, his tactical system still needed time to solidify. His previous rotations had maintained the team's core structure while integrating different players. Secondly, with the season still in its early stages, players were better able to recover physically. With the Champions League campaign going well, it was crucial to accumulate points in the league. Every point mattered.

However, José slightly overestimated his squad's ability to cope with this grueling schedule.

Since September 9, Mallorca had played nine matches in a month—a level of intensity the players struggled to adapt to. Last season's starters were accustomed to a one-match-per-week rhythm, where their bodies naturally peaked for weekend fixtures and dipped midweek. The adrenaline of the Champions League had masked this issue so far, but now, back in the league, signs of fatigue were emerging.

On October 1, Mallorca hosted Villarreal. The previous season's newly promoted side had performed impressively and were in fine form this campaign. They were level on points with Mallorca at nine but trailed due to goal difference. They nearly shattered José's perfect home record—Villarreal's "Madman" Palermo scored with a header in the 14th minute.

Mallorca responded with relentless attacks but struggled against Villarreal's strong resistance. The players were not at their sharpest and missed several chances. Just before halftime, Ronaldinho broke through and scored an equalizer.

However, shortly after the restart, Eto'o was ruled offside on a forward run. Frustrated, he shouted at the assistant referee. Sensing trouble, José's heart skipped a beat.

The referee jogged over and showed Eto'o a yellow card.

José immediately realized—Eto'o had already been booked in the first half.

Sure enough, the referee pulled out a red card and brandished it in front of Eto'o!

The Mallorca fans erupted in deafening boos, but the decision was final—Eto'o was sent off!

"Damn it! How can you hand out a red card so easily? Are you out of your mind?!" José roared from the touchline.

The referee ignored him, while the fourth official stepped in to issue a warning. José, still fuming, backed off and approached Eto'o.

"Don't worry, Samuel. Even with one man down, we're still going to win this!"

Eto'o, still feeling wronged, nodded. He couldn't believe how unfairly he had been sent off.

As Eto'o headed down the tunnel, José made an immediate substitution—he brought on Ivan Klasnić for Kaladze, a midfielder. Being a man down wouldn't stop them from attacking!

Perhaps sensing their coach's fury, Mallorca's players suddenly burst into life, running harder and attacking with even greater intensity.

Despite having an extra player, Villarreal found themselves pushed back, unable to withstand Mallorca's relentless assault.

Motta's long-range shot from deep.

Luque's quick turn and strike from the edge of the box.

Rufete cutting inside from the wing before unleashing a powerful shot.

Wave after wave of attacks overwhelmed Villarreal's defense, forcing them into disarray.

Originally hoping to exploit their numerical advantage to retake the lead, Villarreal were instead pinned back by Mallorca's aggressive onslaught.

José's perfect home record had a profound psychological impact—the players never even considered the possibility of losing. Their only thought was to keep attacking and break through the opposition's defense!

Even Mallorca's defensive play became more aggressive. The referee, perhaps realizing he had been too harsh with Eto'o's red card, hesitated to issue further bookings. With the official going easy on them, Mallorca's defenders ramped up their intensity, leaving bodies flying all over the pitch.

Recognizing that Mallorca had completely lost their minds and were in all-out attack mode, Villarreal decided to retreat and defend instead of risking more damage. They focused their defense on Ronaldinho, Luque, and Rufete—Mallorca's key attacking threats. Klasnić, however, was left largely unattended, marked by only one defender.

The Croatian striker had yet to score for Mallorca, and his reputation was more that of a supporting forward than a pure goal-scorer. But José had given him clear instructions before subbing him in:

"If they don't mark you tightly, take the shot yourself."

Klasnić bided his time.

In the 78th minute, he received a pass from Ronaldinho at the edge of the box. Normally, he would have looked for a pass, but this time, he decided to go for it.

A quick feint. A sudden cut inside past the defender.

The 𝘮ost uptodat𝑒 novels are pub𝙡ished on freeweɓnovēl.coɱ.

José clenched his fist. "Come on! Put that ball in the net!"

And Klasnić did just that.

With a clean strike, he sent the ball screaming into the near corner. The goalkeeper, expecting a far-post shot, dived the wrong way.

"GOOOOOOOAL! Ivan Klasnić! A brilliant solo effort! His first goal for Mallorca—and it puts them ahead despite being down to ten men!"

Klasnić sprinted towards the stands, greeted by an eruption of cheers.

"Our perfect home record isn't luck—it's pure determination!"