When the final whistle blew, signaling the end of the match, Galatasaray fans lowered their flags in defeat. In the subsequent game, Mallorca, relentless and driven by physical superiority, continued their brutal attack on Galatasaray. As the match neared its end, Ibargasa received the ball, dribbled sideways, and suddenly fired a shot. The ball sliced through the crowded penalty area and flew into the bottom corner of the net. Tafarel couldn't save it—3-0!
The final result was a humiliating 3-0 loss for Galatasaray at home, despite dominating possession and shots on goal. This was their second-worst loss of the season! While it didn't match the disastrous 5-0 defeat to Chelsea in the group stage, which didn't eliminate their chances of progressing, this 3-0 loss essentially sealed their fate—Galatasaray's European journey this season would end in a week!
For Galatasaray, a team with a significant domestic advantage, the European stage was their main focus, and they were desperate for honor. However, their path to Europe had been brutally interrupted by a team recently fighting relegation in La Liga!
The frustration of the Galatasaray fans boiled over that night, and they staged a massive protest. But to their surprise, they couldn't find a single Mallorca fan. After the match, Mallorca's supporters, under the guidance of their group leaders, quietly left Istanbul, and the entire Mallorca squad also snuck away in the night, leaving a place that neither welcomed nor suited them...
"These guys really have no class," some players grumbled on the flight back to Mallorca.
José just smiled. He was very familiar with the behavior of Turkish fans. A relatively fanatical group often does things that go against the spirit of sportsmanship. To all of Europe, Turkey was like Europe's South Korea—fierce, determined, but often petty and poor at handling loss...
But José didn't care. After all, he wouldn't be facing Turkish teams very often. If they met again, he'd just be cautious. Moreover, given the nature of Turkish fans, they'd likely form many rivalries, without specifically targeting Mallorca.
Back in Mallorca, the team was greeted warmly by their fans. Recently, it had been a time of joy for them—the team had escaped the relegation zone, a major victory, and they were also securing wins in the UEFA Cup, rekindling the dreams of last season!
"Help us win a European trophy, José!" Many Mallorca fans displayed large banners. These signs reflected their deepest wishes—European glory. The club had never won a European championship trophy. Domestically, they held the King's Cup and the Super Cup. While they hadn't won the league title, these honors gave the fans some comfort. But in Europe, their trophy case was bare, almost pitiful...
"Guys!"
In front of countless passionate fans, José made a shocking move. He jumped onto the bus roof. Despite the instability under his feet, he spread his arms wide and shouted, then gestured for the fans to quiet down.
The fans fell silent, all looking up at the young man on top of the bus, waiting for him to speak.
"Guys, I'm not the kind of person who makes promises like, 'We'll definitely win the UEFA Cup for our fans' right now… But here, all I can say is this: whether in the league or the UEFA Cup, my players will give their all! With their full determination, passion, and fighting spirit, they will deliver a result that will make you proud! My only wish now is to play all fourteen remaining matches this season and let Mallorca's cheers echo throughout Europe!"
The fans fell silent for a moment before erupting in deafening cheers!
Although José's words were vague, the fans weren't blind or stupid. With only ten league matches left and a quarterfinal second leg of the UEFA Cup, there were only eleven games left. To play all fourteen, they had to win both semifinal legs and reach the UEFA Cup final in Copenhagen, Denmark!
This was essentially a veiled promise—José was committing to do everything in his power to lead Mallorca to the European honor their fans dreamed of!
Seeing the cheering fans, José slowly clenched his fist, pursed his lips, and pumped his fist a few times before jumping down from the bus roof. Though he wasn't an athlete, he was agile enough to land without much stumble, and the crowd cheered again.
"Tomorrow's a rest day. Everyone, take a good break! The upcoming league matches will need your best form! Though the UEFA Cup is important, our primary task is survival in the league. If we can't stay up, even winning the UEFA Cup will be meaningless. If we were a second-tier team winning the UEFA Cup, that'd be an achievement, but if we're relegated and still in Europe… I'm sure the media would have a field day."
With these words, José clapped his hands and dismissed the team. The players, who had been confined to their hotel for three days due to safety concerns, quickly scattered when they heard about the break.
"José, do you really think we can win the UEFA Cup?"
As José watched his players scatter, his assistant coach, Natal, asked, a worried look on his face.
Turning to the concerned assistant, José smiled. "Antonio, what are you worried about?"
"I want the team to win the UEFA Cup too… after all, Mallorca has never won a real European title. The only thing we've achieved was last year's 'Winners' Cup' when we reached the final by beating Chelsea... But this season is different. Last year, we performed well in the league and secured third place early, with Coach Cooper focusing all efforts on the 'Winners' Cup, which is why we did so well. But now, although we're out of the relegation zone, we're barely ahead of the bottom two. We need to focus on staying up. I worry that juggling both could hurt us. If we don't win the UEFA Cup and also fail to survive, the season will be a disaster," Natal said, full of concern.
"I understand exactly how you feel," José nodded. "I think this is on the minds of all Mallorca fans… We crave glory, but the reality is, we're just a small club. Surviving in La Liga is hard enough, let alone competing for European honors... But the simple things don't need me. As a coach, if I'm going to do something, I'll take on the hardest challenges."
Natal stared at José in shock. Before him stood a young face filled not only with energy but also immense determination and willpower.
"I don't think we'll fail to survive in the league. The two extremes in La Liga are very pronounced this season. We're 17th, but only seven or eight points from 10th place. If we win the games we should win, staying up won't be an issue. And as for the UEFA Cup, we're almost in the semifinals, with only a step left to the final. So, what's stopping us from going all in? If we win, we'll achieve something unprecedented for the club. If we lose, we're only sacrificing one competition and some small prize money. The UEFA Cup prize and broadcast fees are pretty low anyway…"
"José, stop dodging the point. I know exactly what you mean," Natal said, shaking his head. "Of course, the UEFA Cup is worth fighting for, but the real issue is that we'll be facing a grueling schedule. In the next ten weeks, we have four weeks with double matches. Half of our starting lineup, excluding the goalkeeper, are over 30. Can they handle it? Even if they can now, what if we break down towards the end? That could be a huge loss!"
José waved his hand dismissively. "That's where strategy comes in... In the league, we'll target the mid-table teams and relegation rivals. If we face top teams, we'll rotate players to keep the defenders fresh. This way, we'll ensure our players are in top form for the crucial matches... We make do with what we've got. Worst case, we coaches work a little harder, do extra preparation, and that won't be a problem. From the club's perspective, if we're not in Europe next season, that's a big loss too. So, winning the UEFA Cup to secure a spot next season is a must-do task."
Natal nodded slightly. "Since you've thought it through so carefully, I've got no more objections. Let's help you get through these matches! After all, I want to win the UEFA Cup too!"
"Exactly, because we're all Mallorcans..."