I Am Jose-Chapter 177 - : Worth It

Jose was pleasantly surprised to see Matthias holding his own against Drogba in the reserve team's training sessions. Training is always more effective when players of similar levels go up against each other—this is true in any field. Having an opponent of comparable ability pushes both individuals to improve more rapidly.

While Matthias may not match Drogba in other aspects, their physical battles were evenly matched. This dynamic meant that Matthias could refine his defensive skills, while Drogba could sharpen his finishing, both at an accelerated pace.

"Should I promote Matthias to the first team? At least Drogba would have a proper sparring partner in training," Jose mused. Mallorca's current center-backs each had their strengths but struggled to contain Drogba. Gamarra lacked height, Nadal was aging, Van Buyten had the height but not the strength to match Drogba, and Nino faced similar struggles. Drogba couldn't find a real challenge within the first team.

After further consideration, Jose abandoned the idea. Matthias was already a starter in the reserves, gaining valuable match experience against different types of forwards. Rushing his promotion without guaranteed playing time in the first team would do more harm than good.

Developing young players requires careful planning.

Still, it amazed Jose that a player with Matthias' physical gifts had slipped through the cracks from Real Madrid's youth academy to Getafe's without anyone taking notice. His luck in discovering him was undeniable.

"There must be a reason," Jose thought to himself.

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With a congested schedule ahead, Jose decided to have a conversation with Matthias during the winter break to understand his past. Player development isn't just about technical ability—psychological factors matter too. If Matthias had been overlooked so many times, could there be personal issues at play? That's what Jose wanted to find out.

After securing two crucial victories, Mallorca's form stabilized heading into the winter break.

In La Liga's 15th round, Mallorca faced Valencia away and managed a 1-1 draw thanks to Luke's fifth goal in the last four matches. Luke's red-hot form was turning heads, particularly after his brace against Deportivo La Coruña. Rumors swirled that the national team was considering calling him up.

Mallorca then dominated Boavista 3-0 at home in their second Champions League group match, taking control of the group with two wins out of two. Bayern Munich, meanwhile, narrowly edged Nantes to recover from their first-round loss.

With qualification looking promising, the Champions League would be on hold until late February, allowing Mallorca to focus on domestic competitions.

Jose stuck to his strategy—starting his main squad in the league while using rotations in cup matches. The approach yielded results: Mallorca defeated Malaga 2-1 at home and secured a 1-1 draw away at Real Betis. With 10 wins, 4 draws, and 3 losses after 17 rounds, Mallorca led La Liga with 34 points, three ahead of second-placed Real Madrid. In the next round, a draw against Real Madrid at home would secure the winter championship.

Meanwhile, the Copa del Rey campaign continued successfully. Despite fielding mostly reserves, Mallorca eliminated Segunda División side Sporting Gijón to reach the fourth round, where they would face Athletic Bilbao.

"Beat Real Madrid, and we'll all have a fantastic Christmas!"

After a rocky start to the season, Real Madrid had regained their footing. Despite winning just twice in their first nine matches (with five draws and two losses), they had since won seven of their last eight, including a five-match winning streak coming into the clash against Mallorca—the longest in La Liga this season.

However, Mallorca fans firmly believed their team could win. Under Jose's leadership, Mallorca had an astonishing 42-game home winning streak across all competitions—30 in La Liga, 4 in the Champions League, 5 in the Copa del Rey, and 3 in the UEFA Cup. A record like that made them confident, no matter Real Madrid's form.

Five-game win streak vs. 42-game win streak. One represented recent momentum; the other, a growing legacy at Estadio San Moix.

"Damn, the pressure is immense," Jose muttered as he read the media frenzy surrounding the match.

Real Madrid was now a well-oiled machine under Vicente del Bosque, with his system of a nominal left midfielder and two holding midfielders fully established. While Jose wasn't intimidated, beating this version of Real Madrid wouldn't be easy.

Jose knew that in the future, Real Madrid would struggle even with seven superstars. But that was without Del Bosque and Makélélé—two figures crucial to balancing the team's attack and defense. Without them, Madrid would falter against high-pressing, fast-breaking opponents.

But right now? With both still in the fold? Beating them would take pure strength—no tricks, no shortcuts.

Few teams had managed that in recent years.

Despite his doubts, Jose never approached a game expecting to lose. He also recognized that the unbeaten home streak had become both a badge of honor and a burden for Mallorca.

Under the watchful eyes of all of Spain, the showdown between two streaks began.

In a dramatic conclusion, both streaks were snapped. Mallorca and Real Madrid played to a 1-1 draw, ending Mallorca's 42-game home winning streak while also halting Madrid's five-match winning run.

The first half was a tactical battle. Eto'o and Morientes each missed golden chances, while Ronaldinho and Zidane put on a midfield masterclass—one dazzling with flair, the other controlling the tempo with precision.

Early in the second half, Raul broke the deadlock in the 55th minute, finishing beautifully from a Zidane assist. But Mallorca responded quickly, and in the 68th minute, an in-form Luke volleyed home an Eto'o pass to equalize, sending the home crowd into a frenzy.

"Luke levels it! Mallorca is truly formidable—they concede to Madrid and fight back immediately... Two Spanish strikers on the scoresheet, Raul and Luke! In an era dominated by foreign forwards, it's refreshing to see local talent shining. After producing Diego Tristán, Mallorca has unearthed another Spanish marksman in Luke!"

Spain's commentators showered Mallorca with praise. The fans, too, believed in a comeback.

For the next 20 minutes, Mallorca went on a relentless assault, pressing aggressively and cutting off Real Madrid's transitions while launching wave after wave of attacks.

But Real Madrid's defense held firm.

With Makélélé covering space, the tireless Geremi supporting him, and the center-back duo of Helguera and Hierro holding their ground, Madrid formed an impenetrable wall. Salgado and Roberto Carlos stayed back, and with Iker Casillas in peak form, nothing went in.

Four crucial saves—including one denying Eto'o's close-range effort—kept Mallorca at bay.

When Casillas fingertipped a Ronaldinho lob just over the bar, Jose sighed. "Maybe we won't win this one after all..."

Yet instead of frustration, he felt relief.

Carrying the weight of an unbeaten record was exhausting. The greater the achievement, the heavier the pressure.

"If we can't win, so be it. This might ease the pressure on the players. Staying undefeated is good enough."

Jose made attacking substitutions, but Madrid dug in, happy to settle for a draw. They knew this was the best result they could hope for at San Moix.

When the final whistle blew, the home crowd let out a collective sigh. Mallorca's perfect home record had ended, but they remained unbeaten.

Jose lost a historic streak, but the fans' heartbreak proved one thing—he had built something truly special.

And for that, it was all worth it.