Mallorca, located in the heart of the Balearic Islands, is the central and largest of the three major islands in the group. Covering an area of 3,640 square kilometers with a population approaching one million, nearly half of the island's population resides in Palma de Mallorca, the island's largest port and the capital of the Balearic Islands Autonomous Community. This is also the location of the Mallorca Club's stadium and headquarters.
With over 300 days of sunshine each year, Mallorca is a place where the weather is always bright and cheery. The landscape is varied, from sandy beaches and steep cliffs to fields of olive and almond trees. Due to its beautiful weather and scenery, Mallorca is often called the "Paradise of the Mediterranean." Tourists flock from all over Europe to soak in the sun and surf, making Mallorca a buzzing hub.
Naturally, tourism is the island's biggest economic pillar, and its historical architecture is mostly Gothic in style. Palma's seaside promenade is lined with hotels, bars, restaurants, and nightclubs. From the Bellver Castle, you can enjoy a panoramic view of the entire city, taking in sights like the Gothic Cathedral, the Almudaina Palace (formerly an Arab fortress), the Gothic Quarter, Cottons Plaza, the Town Hall, King James III Street, the Born Avenue, Villagran Plaza, and Las Ramblas (where Chopin once lived).
Thanks to these iconic old buildings and the fantastic weather, Mallorca is dotted with hotels. Palma, the regional capital, is of course the biggest, but coastal cities like Andraitx, Sóller, Alcúdia, Santa Margalida, Artà, Manacor, and Campos are also thriving. José's father, Alemany, is a hotel chain mogul, earning millions of dollars a year. His local ties are what allowed him to become the president of Mallorca, a position he attained without facing much resistance. The majority shareholder group, the Asensio family (who hold 60%), controls the Málaga region, and other major shareholders, like Vicente Grande's company (holding 30%), have their headquarters outside of Mallorca. Alemany's appointment faced little opposition, mostly due to his deep roots in the local community.
The team's home stadium, the recently opened Son Moix Stadium, is located just east of Palma, with excellent transport links. The team's training base, Doral, is just a short 10-minute drive away.
When the news came that José was appointed as the second-team coach, there was little resistance. After all, José had come up through the second team, and he had good relationships with the coaches. The second-team coach, Francisco, had already planned to retire, so José's return to the second team as coach was a logical step.
After meeting a few of the second-team coaches, José made his way to the training field. Despite being mid-season, the second-team players were still hard at work—after all, they needed to keep pushing if they hoped for a chance at the first team.
"Joan, how's the second team been doing these past few months?" José asked with a grin, addressing Joan Mesquida, the second team's oldest assistant coach.
"Not bad. We finally secured our place in La Liga last season… That Diego Tristan you've been keeping an eye on has been outstanding. 19 goals in 34 matches—no wonder the first team is keen on him," Joan replied.
"He's 23 now, so it's about time," José chuckled. "What about that guy I brought back from Brazil?"
"That tall one? He's been impressive. Even though he's only been here half a year, he's already become a key part of the second-team attack. His technique is great, and his playmaking is solid. If it weren't for him, we might not have managed to stay up." Joan nodded toward the field. "Even though he's Brazilian, he's really hardworking..."
José followed Joan's gesture and saw the tall young player in action—his strong build and focused demeanor stood out as he worked with a teammate on some short passing drills. José smiled with satisfaction.
That young player wasn't a future star, but he was certainly a talented one. Just six months ago, José had spotted him during a trip to Brazil and managed to bring him in from Brazilian club Juventude—Thiago Motta.
José hadn't come to Mallorca with plans to bring in a slew of future stars, but at the time, he had no power to do so. Transfers in Spain were handled by a transfer manager, not the coach. Plus, he didn't want to draw too much attention to his plans. It wasn't just his individual effort—it was a team thing.
Motta's arrival had been an accident. A year ago, he had suffered a serious injury in Brazil and was effectively discarded by Juventude. When José found him, he was a free agent, and José managed to bring him in for the youth team using the little influence he had left.
"Thiago, Alberto, you're working hard," José said, walking onto the field after a brief chat with Joan.
Motta gave a grateful look, while the other young player greeted him normally. "Hello, Coach José."
José nodded toward the other player. "Alberto, Diego will join the first team at the start of the season. The second team will need you to step up and score. Keep performing, and your first-team days will come soon."
Alberto Luke nodded vigorously. With Diego Tristan's example in mind, he felt more confident about his future.
"I'll be taking over as the second-team coach now," José continued with a smile. "This season, we're going to do better than last year. And I'll be changing up how we train, so be prepared. Got it?"
Motta and Luke exchanged excited glances. Their excitement was barely contained.
While Mallorca's fans dreamed of what the team could achieve in the Champions League this season, José was beginning his journey as second-team coach.
Not many people paid attention to this news. After all, it was just a coach returning to a team he'd worked with before—a normal move, as Alemany had said.
For José, however, it was a crucial step. Starting with the youth team, he hoped to implement his tactical philosophy, slowly shaping the team's approach so that it could influence the first team's tactics. This kind of continuity was essential for a club's long-term success.
José was well aware of the story of Johan Cruyff, who laid the foundation for Barcelona's La Masia academy over two decades. Even if it wasn't widely known at the time, José knew this was the path he needed to follow.
José wasn't trying to follow in the footsteps of Real Madrid, bringing in endless superstars and splashing money to build a powerhouse team. He knew too well that even with the world's best coach, Mourinho, leading the most expensive group of players, Real Madrid still struggled to outplay Barcelona. Mallorca, with its resources, could never compete financially with Real Madrid. Maybe following Barcelona's model was more suited to their situation.
And so, José began his mission at the youth team, eager to instill his tactics. This was why he had wanted the job in the first place. As just an assistant coach, he wouldn't have the power to do so.
While José worked hard with the youth team, Mallorca began their journey in the new season.
But no one expected it to be so tough!
As the previous season's fourth-place finishers, Mallorca began with the Champions League qualifiers. If they could beat Norwegian team Molde, they'd enter the group stages and rake in a substantial amount of money.
But the first match ended 0-0 away, and the second ended 1-1 at home. Despite going unbeaten, Mallorca's Champions League hopes were dashed.
Things didn't get better in the league. In their first match, they lost 2-1 to Real Madrid. The next match, they lost 2-1 to Rayo Vallecano. And it just got worse from there.
After 19 rounds, Mallorca had won only three games, drawn three, and lost a staggering 13. They were dead last in the league, deep in the relegation zone.
The fans were furious. They didn't want to see a seventh relegation. Two years ago, they had returned to La Liga for the seventh time, and they weren't about to wait for an eighth.
"If we don't win the next match, Gómez is out!"
Alemany made the decision in a meeting. It was effectively a death sentence for Gómez, as their next match was away against Real Madrid.
The management had no objections. Gómez's poor performance had made it clear that he wasn't up to the task. Despite Mallorca's strength not seeming to have dropped from the previous season, their results were disastrous.
Alemany knew the shareholders were likely mocking him. Finding a replacement mid-season was never easy.