"The weather here is really nice."
Standing on the training field and gazing into the distance, Ian Hart pulled his hand away from the makeshift shelter and mumbled to himself. He then lifted his foot and sent the ball flying over the field.
"Lee, catch it!"
Facing Hart's long pass, Leeds United's midfield dynamo, the troublesome boy Baoye Lee, who had been in great form this season, seemed a bit distracted. He reached for the ball but misjudged his touch, and the ball hit the side of his foot before bouncing away, intercepted by Miles, a right-back from the substitute team.
"Shit!" Baoye waved his hand in frustration, but his energy remained low. He even abandoned the training session, walked off to the side of the field, took off his shoes, and began massaging his calves.
"What's going on with Lee?" O'Leary frowned as he watched the training session and turned to ask his assistant coach.
"Maybe he's just tired…" the assistant coach yawned. "It's so warm here, and it's spring. This is the perfect time for afternoon tea—imagine a cup of tea and a couple of cookies. That would be heaven…"
O'Leary shot his assistant a stern look, effectively silencing the remainder of his comment.
However, he didn't reprimand his assistant coach. Looking around, he noticed that aside from the undisciplined troublemaker Baoye, the other Leeds players also seemed a bit fatigued. It was early April, right in the heart of spring, and the weather on the island of Mallorca was particularly pleasant. Having come from chilly England to the warmer climes of Mallorca, even O'Leary felt that the most comfortable thing was to find a quiet spot for a nap. It was no surprise the players, who had been battling fatigue for most of the season, were struggling to maintain focus.
"Forget it, let's call it a day. Everyone take a good rest," O'Leary decided, waving his hand, signaling the players to stop training and rest their tired bodies.
The players, relieved as if granted a pardon, scattered from the field, each finding a shaded spot to relax. The weather on Mallorca was indeed lovely, and it wasn't hard to see why many teams chose to hold their pre-season training here—it helped in building up fitness more effectively.
O'Leary watched the players resting and joking around with a worried expression. Physical fatigue wasn't something that could be recovered in a day. Tomorrow was match day, and if the players weren't in top form, how were they going to handle the first leg of the match?
But the first match was an away game, and even a draw would favor them in the second leg at home. Based on the earlier matches, Mallorca was more of a counter-attacking team with average offensive power. A draw away from home didn't seem impossible.
After thinking for a while, O'Leary decided on this strategy. The players' fatigue was a result of the climate here, so it made sense to adopt a more cautious approach. Even if they lost by a small margin away, they could make up for it at home. After all, it would be the Mallorca players struggling with the weather then.
As he thought this through, O'Leary felt comfortable with his plan. Leeds was known for its attacking style, but their defense wasn't shabby either. Center-backs Radbey and Woodgate were solid, and there was the sweeping midfielder Batty in front of the penalty area. The attacking fullbacks, Hart and Kelly, were more offensive-minded, but could also return to defend if needed.
However, O'Leary made a big mistake. He was so focused on countering Mallorca's strengths that he overlooked his own team's talents. With young, brilliant attacking players like Kewell, Smith, and Baoye, why would he ask them to play a game they weren't suited for and didn't want to play? That was essentially wasting their potential.
"Have their players been sluggish in training these past couple of days?" José asked the training staff, and upon receiving a confirmation, he smiled with satisfaction.
José hadn't done anything to cause the sluggishness, as there was no need to. More importantly, if it got out that such tactics were used, Mallorca's reputation would be ruined. The sluggishness of Leeds' players could be attributed to nothing more than the weather.
Springtime in Mallorca was similar to the spring in southern China—a little humid and extremely warm. For someone coming from a colder climate, it was almost inevitable to feel tired and sluggish for a few days. This was common across Europe and China.
While Mallorca's players were also affected by the weather, they had lived in this climate year-round and were accustomed to it. This didn't affect their performance, and they could recover quickly. The warmer climate helped injuries heal faster, and stamina returned more quickly than in colder regions.
When April 6th arrived, the Estadio Son Moix became once again a place of celebration for the people of Mallorca. Since the second half of the season began, every home game had been a joyful event for them—because every time, they had watched a victory.
"Forward! Mallorca! Forward! Mallorca!"
As both teams took the field, the two thousand Mallorca fans erupted into a roar that drowned out the cheers of over a thousand Leeds supporters. Despite the British fans shouting at the top of their lungs, their voices were overwhelmed by the majority of Mallorca's fans.
The starting lineup for Mallorca was: Franco, Miguel Soler, Nino, Nadal, Olesola, Francisco Soler, N'Gonga, Ibagasa, Stankovic, Eto'o, and Tristan.
For Leeds United, the starting lineup was: Martin, Kelly, Radbey, Woodgate, Hart, David Batty, Buck, Baoye, Kewell, Smith, and Bridges.
Looking at the starting lineups, both sides had fielded their strongest players. Leeds United's young squad seemed ready to engage in an intense back-and-forth match.
"Attack us? They'll only end up dying faster," José thought to himself, calmly watching from the coach's seat.
His strategy was simple. At the start of the match, he would keep things steady. If Leeds focused on defending and trying to waste time, Mallorca would immediately ramp up their offensive and tear through Leeds' defense.
José knew that not every team could play a defensive counter-attacking game successfully. At least not one led by young players. Young players were usually full of energy and aggression, and even though they might be defensively solid, they often lacked the patience to withstand repeated attacks. Teams like Mallorca, with experienced defenders, were better equipped for such tactics. They didn't get frustrated when under pressure and rarely left gaps in their defense. But for Leeds, their defense was youthful and inexperienced—especially the likes of Woodgate, Kelly, and Hart. Their defensive abilities were good, but they were far better suited to an attacking game. Asking them to play a defensive counter-attack would be a colossal mistake.
José wasn't sure if O'Leary would fall into that trap, but five minutes into the match, a smile spread across his face.
During this time, Leeds' defense hadn't pushed forward at all. Their attacking fullbacks barely crossed the halfway line. Meanwhile, Mallorca passed the ball freely in Leeds' half, and the Leeds forwards seemed lethargic, not pressing as they normally would.
"Just as I thought, their players' poor condition has led them to adopt a conservative strategy for the away game… O'Leary, you're in trouble now!" José's eyes lit up.
He stood up and made a gesture with his hands—pushing them forward and waving them towards Leeds' half.
Like a brilliant conductor, his gesture signaled a sudden shift in Mallorca's attack. It was no longer a series of harmless passes. Now, it was a full-on assault, breaking out like a flood.
When the ball reached N'Gonga again, he didn't make a simple cross but feigned one, tricking Baoye, and quickly shifted the ball, moving past him with a sharp turn!
Although Baoye looked tired, he was still frustrated at being outmaneuvered by the older player.
"Old man, let's see how I steal the ball from you!" Baoye thought as he chased hard from behind.
However, N'Gonga didn't give him the chance. Seeing that Batty was closing in on him, he passed the ball out to the right to Ibagasa, who controlled it and, facing Hart's defense, quickly moved towards the sideline, accelerating to break through!
Hart, caught off guard by Ibagasa's fast break, was easily outpaced—Hart was known for his offensive capabilities as a left-back, but his speed wasn't exceptional. And against a quick player like Ibagasa, it was easy for him to be left behind.
Ibagasa quickly closed the gap to the ball, but instead of crossing it into the box, he made a sharp cut into the penalty area!
"Don't just cross the ball—English center-backs are solid defensively and excel in aerial duels. A forced cross is a waste of an opportunity… The left-back's defense is weaker, so when you break through, cut inside to disrupt their defense and create chances for Diego and Samuel!"
Recalling José's instructions before the match, Ibagasa decisively carried the ball into the box. Behind him, Hart was struggling to catch up, and inside the penalty area, Mallorca's attackers—Tristan and Eto'o—were moving to find space!