I Am Jose-Chapter 129 - : Who Says We Have No Chance at the Title?

With a one-goal lead, Mallorca found the game much easier to handle.

Deportivo La Coruña pushed hard for an equalizer, but Mallorca's midfield put up a tenacious resistance. Capdevila diligently marked Makaay's diagonal runs from the flank, and even George pushed up to midfield, applying relentless pressure.

Every time Mallorca won the ball back, their counterattacks sent waves of panic through Deportivo's defense. Their approach was straightforward—win possession, play a direct pass in behind, and let Eto'o and company use their pace to exploit the gaps. It was simple, but it struck Deportivo right where they were weakest, leaving them helpless.

At the same time, Deportivo's playmaker, Djalminha, found himself trapped in a personal battle. He stubbornly tried to take matters into his own hands, repeatedly dribbling forward—only to be swarmed by Mallorca's midfield.

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To be fair, his technical ability was exceptional. Even under tight marking, he managed to create some opportunities. But football is a team game. No matter how skilled he was, he couldn't single-handedly break through Mallorca's entire defensive setup.

With their backline constrained and their attacking players isolated, Deportivo's offense was ineffective at best.

The first half flew by. Deportivo struggled to break through Mallorca's midfield, Tristán was invisible due to a lack of service, and Makaay barely had any chances to make his trademark runs. Meanwhile, Mallorca's attack, though not the most efficient, had already secured the crucial opening goal.

As the halftime whistle blew, despite an intense battle in midfield, both teams had barely managed a handful of shots—fewer than ten in total.

Thanks to an early, well-executed counterattack, Mallorca held the lead in a first half where goal-scoring chances were scarce.

"We'll keep playing like this in the second half. As long as Djalminha stays on the pitch, we'll keep targeting him!"

"Let them pass the ball to him, but the moment he gets it, we swarm him! Win possession and counter quickly. Stay patient—don't push too high in attack. Makaay is lethal on the break, and we can't give him space."

While José laid out his second-half strategy in the Mallorca dressing room, Deportivo's coach, Irureta, was having a headache in the visitors' locker room.

Without a doubt, Irureta was Deportivo's greatest-ever coach—the mastermind behind the thrilling "Super Depor." However, he had one major weakness as a manager: he was too nice.

A mild-mannered man, Irureta was known for his lenient approach, especially toward talented players like Djalminha. His famous conversation with the Brazilian playmaker had already shown how much he indulged him—even when Djalminha was blatantly disrespectful, Irureta didn't get angry.

Such kindness made him a beloved figure, but as a coach, he lacked the authority to maintain strict discipline. Deportivo had a strong Brazilian contingent, and cliques naturally formed in the squad. Irureta's control over the dressing room relied more on respect than on authority.

So, looking at an increasingly frustrated Djalminha, Irureta found himself at a loss.

"No need to panic. We may be behind, but it's not a disaster yet," Irureta reassured his players. "In the second half, we don't have to rush. Mallorca's defense isn't as strong as last season. If we stay patient and take our chances, we can beat them."

"Stop trying to do everything alone. Pass the ball more. Their wide defensive coverage isn't great—use quick passing to create openings for Roy." He directed this last part at Djalminha.

The Brazilian nodded as if he understood—but whether he actually listened was anyone's guess.

Irureta sighed. Djalminha had been outstanding this season, but something about this match had thrown him off.

Still, Irureta couldn't afford to sub him out. With both La Liga and the Champions League entering a crucial phase, dropping a star player could do more harm than good.

At this point, he could only hope that Djalminha would sort himself out.

But expecting a 30-year-old to suddenly mature overnight? That was wishful thinking. Young players can grow up in an instant, but a seasoned pro? They're set in their ways.

As the second half began, Djalminha did seem to adjust, opting for more passes. But after a few failed attacks and some tight marking from Kaladze and company, his frustration returned. Before long, he was back to his old habits—grabbing the ball and charging headfirst at Mallorca's defense, time and again.

"This is exactly why I don't indulge players," José mused with a smirk. "No matter how talented, if they play selfishly, they'll hurt the team as much as they help it. You can't let that slide."

Mallorca's defense easily contained this style of attack. Now, it was just a matter of time—could they score a second goal before Irureta lost patience and finally substituted Djalminha?

Deportivo's defenders, already exhausted from a relentless schedule, were beginning to show signs of fatigue. With two intense league games and two Champions League matches crammed into the past week, their legs were heavy.

Then, in the 67th minute, Mallorca struck again.

Djalminha's pass was intercepted by Capdevila, who immediately played it forward to Kaladze. Without hesitation, Kaladze passed it to Ronaldinho in midfield.

Eto'o sprinted down the left flank, and Deportivo's defenders quickly shifted to cover him. But Ronaldinho didn't pass to Eto'o. Instead, he switched play to the right.

There, a rapid Argentinian winger was storming forward—Ibáñez Ibagaza.

Since the second half of the season, Ibagaza, once a guaranteed starter, had seen his role reduced under José. However, his quality remained undeniable, especially in counterattacks.

Yet Deportivo had completely ignored him.

Receiving the ball, Ibagaza charged down the wing. By the time Romero realized the danger and scrambled to cover, it was too late.

Near the edge of the box, Ibagaza cut inside and, before Naybet could close him down, struck a low, precise shot.

The ball zipped into the bottom corner—goal!

Mallorca doubled their lead!

"That's it! We've got this one!"

José pumped his fist and turned to high-five Natal.

With only 20 minutes left, Mallorca could now afford to sit back and defend.

Considering their upcoming matches against top teams, José made defensive substitutions, bringing on Campano for George and Engonga for Luque. With two fresh defensive players, Mallorca settled into a compact shape.

Seeing no other option, Irureta finally replaced Djalminha with Valerón—a move that came far too late.

Deportivo now dominated possession, pressing Mallorca back. Valerón brought composure to their attack, Makaay repeatedly cut inside from the flanks, and Tristán fought for space in the box.

Their offense became much more dangerous, but Mallorca's defense was well-organized. Kaladze and Capdevila locked down the left flank, while Nadal stuck to Tristán like glue.

Finally, in the 85th minute, Deportivo pulled one back.

Receiving a pass from Valerón, Makaay drove into the box. Tristán blocked Nadal's path with a basketball-style screen, allowing Makaay to unleash a precise shot past Franco.

"Damn, their attack is sharp. Good thing we built a cushion." José exhaled.

Few teams had broken through Mallorca's defense like this—Arsenal and Barcelona failed last season. Though Mallorca's defense wasn't as solid this year, Deportivo's attacking quality was undeniable.

Still, José wasn't worried. Time was running out, and Mallorca's counterattacks could still pay off.

Sure enough, as Deportivo threw everything forward, their defense crumbled again.

In the dying minutes, Motta's through-ball set up Ronaldinho one-on-one. The Brazilian coolly rounded Molina and slotted home.

3-1. Game over.

With this win, Mallorca closed the gap on the top four.

All their rivals had dropped points—Deportivo lost, Real Madrid and Barcelona drew 2-2, and Valencia were held by Zaragoza.

Mallorca was now just one point behind Barça, three behind Valencia, five behind Deportivo, and ten off Real Madrid.

"Who says we're only aiming for a Champions League spot? Who says we can't win the league?"

Smiling at the press conference, José declared, "Thirteen rounds left. I think we still have a great chance."