"This time, neither of us can fully focus on going up against each other. Let's wait for the next time... Small clubs have it tough, and it's even tougher for small clubs playing on two fronts."
That was the meaningful parting remark Cooper left as he turned away.
"Small club, huh? That's exactly why I don't want to be stuck coaching one forever..." José watched Cooper's retreating figure and thought to himself.
A narrow 1-0 defeat to Valencia left Mallorca stuck at 34 points. Just last round, they had seen a glimmer of hope when Atlético Madrid suffered a crushing 3-0 away loss to Numancia, putting Italian coach Ranieri under immense pressure. Real Betis played out a 0-0 draw with Celta, leaving both teams trailing Mallorca by two points. Among the teams ahead of Mallorca, only Numancia, with their win over Atlético, managed to pull four points clear. Oviedo, Racing Santander, and Málaga all lost, leaving their leads over Mallorca at just one, two, and three points, respectively. Mallorca's relegation battle hadn't worsened—yet.
"We have eight league matches left. Our opponents are Espanyol, Barcelona, Alavés, Oviedo, Real Betis, Valladolid, Sevilla, and Atlético Madrid. Four of them are direct rivals in our survival fight. In these eight games, we need at least 12 points to secure safety. That means there won't be much time for adjustments—we need to give our all in every single match!"
"No problem, boss! We've had over a week of rest before the Espanyol match—more than enough time to crush our opponents!" N'Gonga spoke on behalf of the squad.
José nodded in satisfaction. Sacrificing this match had its rewards. For Mallorca, this rare break meant they could approach the upcoming games with renewed energy.
The fixture list actually played into Mallorca's hands.
April 2nd: Home vs. Espanyol.
April 6th: Home vs. Leeds United.
April 9th: Away vs. Barcelona.
Then, a week's rest before:
April 16th: Home vs. Alavés.
April 20th: Away vs. Leeds United.
April 23rd: Away vs. Mallorca (reverse fixture).
With a break in between, that meant six games in four weeks—not an unbearable schedule.
The upcoming league fixtures weren't against direct relegation rivals. If Mallorca could perform well during this stretch, they might secure safety early, allowing them to focus on other competitions without distractions.
The Battle Against Espanyol
After more than a week of rest and preparation, Mallorca hosted Espanyol!
As the second team from Catalonia in La Liga, Espanyol was often seen as a Spanish government "spy" in the region. Their seasonal objectives? Survival—and making life difficult for Barcelona. And every season, they did a decent job at both.
This season, Espanyol was comfortably mid-table. They weren't entirely free from relegation danger but also weren't in any immediate trouble. As a result, their trip to Mallorca was relatively relaxed.
Unburdened by pressure, Espanyol started the match well.
In the 4th minute, after a slick passing sequence in the final third, midfielder Roger broke into the box and was brought down by Nino in a covering tackle. The referee pointed to the spot. Romanian midfielder Gálca converted the penalty, putting Espanyol 1-0 up.
But Mallorca, well-rested and full of energy, immediately bared their fangs.
Since José took charge, Mallorca hadn't lost a single home game—not even a draw. They had maintained a perfect record across both the UEFA Cup and La Liga. There was no way they'd let Espanyol ruin that streak!
In the 22nd minute, N'Gonga played a through ball to Tristán. Holding up play at the edge of the box, Tristán drew Espanyol's defenders before turning and threading a pass into the area. Eto'o burst forward, took a touch, and calmly slotted the ball past the keeper—1-1!
"Samuel! Samuel! Samuel!"
The Mallorca fans chanted in unison.
Eto'o hadn't been at the club long, but his performances had already cemented his status among the supporters.
Just as José had predicted, the combination of the agile and relentless Eto'o with the towering and powerful Tristán represented Mallorca's new hope—at least under his guidance.
The first half ended 1-1, but neither the fans nor the players were satisfied.
So, in the second half, Mallorca intensified their attacks.
Winning this game before the UEFA Cup resumed would boost the team's momentum and form.
One team was desperate to win at home, while the other lacked the fire of a Catalan derby. The result? Mallorca dominated the second half.
In the 67th minute, Ibagaza dribbled down the flank before cutting inside and whipping in a left-footed cross. At the near post, Tristán controlled the ball on his chest before firing a half-volley past the keeper—Mallorca took the lead!
In the 81st minute, the victory was sealed.
Stankovic delivered a free-kick into the box, and substitute full-back Armando struck at the far post, making it 3-1!
Another crucial win for Mallorca.
With their excellent recent form, they climbed to 37 points. Meanwhile, their relegation rivals floundered: Racing Santander drew, Numancia drew, Oviedo drew, Málaga drew, Real Betis lost, Atlético Madrid lost, and Sevilla lost. Mallorca jumped from 17th to 15th, opening up a five-point gap above the drop zone!
With seven matches remaining, that cushion provided much-needed breathing room. More importantly, it allowed them to shift focus to the UEFA Cup.
Eyes on the UEFA Cup
As the last remaining Spanish club in the UEFA Cup semifinals, Mallorca started attracting national attention.
While Spain's teams had done well in the Champions League, their performances in the UEFA Cup—a competition that better reflected a league's overall strength—had been poor in recent years. Throughout the '90s, the UEFA Cup and Cup Winners' Cup had been dominated by Italian teams.
This season, however, all Serie A clubs were eliminated in the Round of 16. Unfortunately, Spain's clubs had been knocked out one by one as well, leaving Mallorca as the lone survivor.
With that in mind, Spanish media began paying closer attention to them, alongside the Champions League quarterfinalists: Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Valencia.
On April 5th and 6th, the Champions League quarterfinals kicked off.
The Spanish teams had mixed fortunes.
Real Madrid, the reigning English champions, were held to a 0-0 draw at home and now faced a tough away leg. Barcelona, meanwhile, suffered a heavy 3-1 defeat against Chelsea. Their semifinal hopes were in jeopardy.
The biggest surprise? Valencia.
Under Cooper's guidance, they stunned last season's Serie A runners-up Lazio with a 5-2 thrashing at home, all but securing their spot in the semifinals.
The footballing world was left in shock.
In the previous league match, Valencia had fielded a weakened squad and suffered a 3-0 defeat to Barcelona. But that strategic rest paid off—Barcelona, exhausted, lost to Chelsea, while Valencia, refreshed, produced a historic Champions League performance.
Strategic sacrifice—José had learned this trick from Cooper. And he was using it too.
"Alright, now it's our turn. We didn't completely sacrifice the last league match, but that break should've kept you all fresh, right?" José grinned at his players.
"Absolutely! We're ready!" The Mallorca squad rolled up their sleeves, eager for battle.
Their UEFA Cup semifinal opponents? Leeds United.
This Leeds side was already taking shape as the "Young Guard" that would make waves in the coming years. While Ferdinand, Viduka, and Dacourt hadn't yet joined, the core of their future team was in place. They were having a strong season, closely trailing Manchester United, Arsenal, and Chelsea, with a good chance of qualifying for next season's Champions League.
But recently, they had struggled.
Two straight league losses to Leicester and Chelsea, combined with their second-leg UEFA Cup defeat, meant they were on a three-game losing streak.
José saw the pattern.
"David O'Leary really pushed his squad too hard. The Premier League's schedule is already brutal, and Leeds are fighting on three fronts. Without a winter break, their energy is drained. And yet, in their last league game, they still fielded their strongest XI... Let's see how they handle us in our fortress!"
With Mallorca's island climate and home advantage, Leeds were in for a tough test.
José smirked.
"At home, we need to take full advantage. Otherwise, the away leg will be our turn to struggle."