I Am Jose-Chapter 133 - : A Broader Vision

For the entire La Liga, the situation had become quite clear.

In the next three rounds, Mallorca only needed to win one match, and with Barcelona trailing by seven points, they would no longer be able to catch up. This meant Barcelona and Valencia would be left fighting for the final Champions League spot. Meanwhile, Deportivo La Coruña had to win all three of their remaining matches to secure second place. Their hopes of defending their league title were almost non-existent, as they trailed Real Madrid by six points. As for Real Madrid, they only needed four more points to clinch their first league title in three years, fulfilling Vicente del Bosque's dream.

After returning from Barcelona, Mallorca prepared to host Rayo Vallecano at Son Moix Stadium.

Compared to last season, the roles of Mallorca and Rayo Vallecano had completely reversed.

The last time Rayo visited Mallorca, José had yet to coach a professional team, Mallorca was rock bottom in the standings with low morale, while Rayo was flying high in third place, aiming to achieve a miraculous season as a newly promoted club.

Now, just a year later, Mallorca had fully recovered, climbed back to third place, and all but secured a Champions League spot. On the other hand, Rayo had slipped to 14th, only four points above the relegation zone, still battling to avoid the drop.

When Rayo's female president, Teresa, met Mallorca's president, Alemany Sr., in the VIP box, she couldn't help but feel emotional.

"I have to say, you have an outstanding son."

If she had said this a year ago, it would have sounded more like courtesy—or even sarcasm. But now, she was entirely sincere. At just 26 years old, José had become one of the best coaches in La Liga. As a father, Alemany Sr. had every reason to be proud.

The elder Alemany responded modestly, his smile growing wider. He had always looked like a kind and cheerful old man, but now his happiness was even more evident.

However, José was not as gentle as his father. Facing a struggling Rayo Vallecano, he had no intention of showing mercy.

Just one minute into the match, Eto'o latched onto Motta's beautiful through ball and slotted it past the keeper to open the scoring.

In the 34th minute, Ronaldinho orchestrated a brilliant attack from midfield. Ibagaza carried the ball across the edge of the box before firing a precise shot to double the lead.

Only three minutes later, Luque set up Eto'o inside the box, and the Cameroonian striker converted his second goal of the match.

By halftime, Mallorca led 3-0. Compared to last season, when they struggled to win matches even through counterattacks, this was a completely different level of dominance. Meanwhile, Rayo's decline from their previous form was painfully evident.

Rayo's players were in disarray, but Mallorca didn't continue their relentless assault in the second half. José clearly instructed his team to conserve energy, substituting Ronaldinho, Nadal, and Motta for Novo, Engonga, and Gamarra in preparation for the next match. Yet even while easing off, Mallorca still added to their lead—Novo sealed the 4-0 victory with a beautiful lob in the 90th minute.

A resounding victory!

"That Alemany kid really doesn't hold back..." Teresa sighed, shaking her head. However, she wasn't too upset, as results elsewhere were in her favor—Osasuna and Racing Santander both failed to win, leaving Rayo with a four-point cushion over the relegation zone. Safety was almost secured.

For Mallorca, however, this victory was cause for celebration.

In another shocking result, Deportivo La Coruña lost 2-1 at home to Valladolid, a team desperate to avoid relegation. With this win, Valladolid pulled five points clear of the drop zone, nearly ensuring their survival, while Deportivo now trailed Mallorca by two points.

With only two matches left, Mallorca needed just a win and a draw to secure second place.

"See? As long as we don't make mistakes, our opponents eventually will. I'm glad to see you all maintaining consistency. Now, it's up to you—don't slip up and give others a chance. Two matches remain. I don't want anything less than victory!

"We showcased great attacking ability today. Next match, we face a team that's just as dangerous going forward. Let's go to their home ground and show them that when it comes to attacking football, we are still the better team!"

Mallorca's next opponent was Alavés—who had just suffered a heartbreaking 5-4 defeat to Liverpool in the UEFA Cup final.

Despite losing, Alavés earned the respect of Europe with their fearless attacking football. They were the complete opposite of last season's Mallorca, who won the UEFA Cup by prioritizing defense.

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Now, José wanted to prove a point—"Last season, we didn't play attacking football because we lacked the players. That's not the case anymore."

Having focused on the UEFA Cup, Alavés now sat ninth in La Liga, five points behind Villarreal in seventh, meaning European qualification was practically out of reach. However, they had no intention of losing to Mallorca at home.

Their attacking prowess was evident immediately. Unlike Mallorca's recent matches where they scored early, this time, they were the ones on the receiving end.

Just three minutes in, Alavés midfielder Carmona unleashed a fierce shot from the edge of the box, stunning Mallorca.

Mallorca responded instantly, launching a relentless counterattack. In the sixth minute, Eto'o won a corner, Ronaldinho delivered it into the box, and captain Nadal soared above the defense to head it home—his first goal in three seasons!

Nadal was so ecstatic that he ran to embrace José. As a defender, he rarely scored, and this goal felt like a reward for years of hard work.

With both teams scoring in the first six minutes, the match turned into a thrilling end-to-end battle. Neither side could break the deadlock until halftime.

However, Mallorca struck first in the second half.

Just two minutes in, Ronaldinho lofted a perfect pass to the edge of the box. Ibagaza controlled it masterfully, dribbled into the area, and chipped the ball over the goalkeeper—2-1!

Alavés fought back in the 57th minute, as Jordi Cruyff poked the ball past Franco to level the score. But that was as far as they got.

In the 72nd minute, Ronaldinho put Mallorca ahead again.

Then, in the 82nd minute, Eto'o sealed the win, making it back-to-back matches where Mallorca scored four goals!

Although Deportivo La Coruña won at Valencia, Mallorca only needed a draw in the final round to secure second place—their highest-ever league finish.

When the team returned to Mallorca, fans greeted them with banners, one of which stood out the most:

"June 18th—Let's witness history!"

June 18th marked the final league matchday. Mallorca would host Real Oviedo, who still needed at least a point to guarantee survival.

Oviedo sat 17th with 41 points, while Osasuna, in 18th, had 39. With Osasuna having the worse head-to-head record, Oviedo only needed a draw to stay up.

"We only need a draw too," José told his coaching staff. "But we can't let the players think that way. Three days after this match, we have the Copa del Rey semifinal. The schedule isn't in our favor, so I'll rest some key players—Motta and Ronaldinho won't play."

"Both of them? Isn't that too risky?" assistant coach Natal asked hesitantly.

"Losing them will hurt our attack, no doubt. But don't forget—we have another player who can dictate the tempo."

The coaches looked puzzled. José smiled.

"Come on, you've already forgotten about him? Our veteran captain? He may have been on the bench lately, but he deserves a proper send-off."

It was only then that they realized—José was referring to Engonga.

"José, that's a bit of a stretch," Natal protested.

José shook his head. "Next season, Engonga will get even fewer opportunities. He deserves a fitting finale in this historic match."

The room fell silent.

Finally, Natal nodded. "You're right. Vicente deserves it."

"Besides," another coach added, "it's just Oviedo. Even without Ronaldinho and Motta, we'll still win!"

José grinned. "That's the spirit! We aim to be a top club. That means thinking beyond just one match. I want it all—the Copa del Rey and direct Champions League qualification!"