Figo's struggle in attack was merely a microcosm of Barcelona's overall attacking troubles.
In La Liga, it's rare to face a defense so thoroughly executed. After all, La Liga is known for its strong entertainment value among the top European leagues, but, as with any league, there are always exceptions.
Mallorca is one such exception. Despite their less-than-impressive playstyle, limited support, and unglamorous image, they have consistently been one of the toughest nuts for the stronger La Liga teams to crack.
Facing eight full-time defenders and two part-time ones, along with a defense that resembled an iron wall in the penalty area, Barcelona's players were struggling. Even though Figo and Rivaldo possessed exceptional dribbling skills, with a defense that barely made any challenges but stayed tightly on their heels, they found it difficult to create meaningful chances. The boos from the Nou Camp crowd had been incessant since the second half began, but they did nothing to shake Mallorca's defense.
"From what I see now, things are looking good. At least with this defense, even a fully-committed Barcelona can't create many real chances. We'll have to rely on a spark of brilliance from the stars."
Jose sat calmly on the away team's bench, tuning out the loud boos and insults from the crowd, and focused solely on the game.
He was satisfied with the current situation.
At least for the first twenty minutes, Mallorca's defense had thoroughly contained Barcelona's attack, preventing them from creating clear opportunities. This proved one thing: Mallorca's defense was trustworthy. Especially in tight spaces, the veteran defenders' lack of speed and stamina didn't become a weakness, and their precise positioning and wealth of experience made it difficult for Barcelona to make any breakthroughs. The same tactic had neutralized Arsenal's offense earlier.
Looking over at the disgruntled Barcelona fans who expected Mallorca to engage in an all-out attacking match, Jose couldn't help but smile inwardly.
He would love to use an elegant attacking strategy for Mallorca, but given the circumstances—taking the job mid-season without reinforcements and with little time to set up a tactical plan—how could he go toe-to-toe with a team like Barcelona?
In Jose's mind, no matter whether you play attacking or defensive football, winning was the ultimate goal. And right now, with the resources at hand, he was more focused on achieving results.
For Jose, the pressure wasn't particularly intense at the moment. This half-season was an opportunity to test his coaching abilities—how to integrate the available resources and achieve better results, or find breakthroughs in certain areas. So far, he was pleased with his own performance.
His gaze returned to the pitch, where Barcelona's relentless attack was entering its 25th minute. Though they remained fierce in attack, their intensity began to decline as the match wore on.
No team in the world could maintain an all-out offensive for an entire half, and Barcelona was no exception. Despite Mallorca's well-organized defense, Barcelona's attack had begun to lose its sting. Football matches may be 90 minutes long, but even the most beautiful attacking moves only result in a handful of dangerous shots, with most of the game spent passing around, probing, and pulling opponents out of position.
As Barcelona's attacking momentum began to wane, Mallorca seized the opportunity to counterattack!
Perhaps it was the "tiger not emerging from its lair" approach that led Barcelona to believe Mallorca had abandoned their offensive intent. As soon as Mallorca began their attack, Barcelona's defense was caught off-guard.
When Stankovic and N'Gonga combined in a one-two pass around midfield, Barcelona's defenders rushed to position themselves, but by then, a massive gap had appeared on their right flank. Stankovic quickly sent a long ball down the wing!
Ibagasa, with blistering pace, sprinted to the ball's landing spot. Sergei, who had been pushing up earlier in the attack, was now scrambling back and couldn't get in the way of Ibagasa in time!
It was another quick counterattack!
Jose's careful tactical work in coordinating a few key attacking players began to pay off. As Ibagasa sped down the right wing, other attacking players were also making well-timed runs elsewhere.
Tristan surged through the middle, while Eto'o quietly followed up on the left...
A counterattack doesn't need too many players joining in—well-timed runs are enough!
Once Ibagasa reached the area parallel to the penalty box, he immediately passed to Tristan in the center.
Tristan used his body to hold off Aveledo and Frank de Boer, then controlled the ball with his foot, before hammering it with his right leg, sending it toward goal!
The shot was powerful, and the ball zipped through Aveledo's legs, skimming the ground and heading for the bottom-left corner of the goal. Despite a delayed reaction, Heisp made an attempt to save, diving and stretching out his right hand, trying to block the ball with a single palm.
Having felt the ball, Heisp immediately sought to rise and cover the rebound. But his previous save had been so forceful that he almost flung himself out of position. His movements were sluggish as he tried to recover…
Then he heard a massive cheer from the stands!
Looking up, Heisp saw a shadow streaking into the box, getting ahead of the ball.
"Ibagasa passes… Tristan shoots! Oh, Heisp saves it, but he couldn't hold on… who's that? So fast! Samuel Eto'o! He strikes! GOAL! A sharp follow-up shot, Eto'o doubles his tally! The loaned forward from Real Madrid scores twice at the Nou Camp! No Real Madrid player has done that in recent seasons! This is a huge blow to both Real Madrid and Barcelona!"
After scoring the second goal, Eto'o celebrated just as he did with his first—head held high, chest out, arms dramatically swinging by his sides as he confidently jogged towards the away team's bench, before spreading his arms and embracing Jose in a tight hug!
Eto'o was showing his respect for Jose. Although he had contributed many goals for Mallorca, the club had given him a rare opportunity to prove himself. Without Mallorca, Eto'o wouldn't have had a chance to shine at the Nou Camp!
Tristan, Ibagasa, and Stankovic rushed over to join the celebration...
Mallorca's players surrounded Jose, joyfully embracing him. They enjoyed playing under him because his style allowed them to play comfortably. The veterans didn't have to run endlessly, while the younger players had plenty of space to express themselves. The results were good, so how could they not love playing for Jose?
Surrounded by his players, Jose felt elated.
The counterattack was a pleasant surprise. Perhaps Barcelona's defense had been shaken by their previous loss, as they made several unforgivable mistakes in this phase. Their full-backs pushed too high up, failing to track back quickly, and when Ibagasa broke through, they didn't cut off his passing lane to Tristan, which allowed Tristan to shoot easily. Even in Eto'o's follow-up, Reizig didn't manage to get back in time.
It was a collective defensive failure from Barcelona!
With a two-goal lead, Mallorca's defense could be even more resolute and composed. With this kind of match preparation, there would be no problem employing such defensive tactics in the Cup Winners' Cup final.
"Keep defending, and let's take the three points home!" Jose raised his right hand, showing three fingers, and yelled enthusiastically as the players returned to the pitch.
Van Gaal sat motionless on the Barcelona bench, watching the match in the 72nd minute. He knew it was over. Barcelona had no chance of turning it around.
Against Mallorca's packed defense, Barcelona had no way of breaking through. Down by one goal, there was still room to fight for a chance, but now, two goals down...
Even as Jose raised his three fingers, Van Gaal didn't flinch.
He knew he'd lost this game, and lost it without a fight. There were countless excuses—failing to respect Mallorca, benching Figo in the first half, the almost cynical defensive tactics—but for Van Gaal, the reality was simple: he lost, and nothing else mattered.
Meanwhile, Mourinho was deep in thought. Whether at Porto, Barcelona, alongside Robson or Van Gaal, or even in tactical discussions with Cruyff, his focus had always been on attack. He had learned to cherish attacking football, but this loss had made him realize the importance of defense.
Forget possession, forget playing pretty football. Lock down your opponent's attacking lanes, seize your chances, and use rapid, incisive counterattacks to strike hard!
For Mourinho, a new world was opening up before him, a new football philosophy was taking shape in his mind.
"Jose is indeed impressive," Mourinho thought to himself.