I Am Jose-Chapter 189 - : The Importance of a Goalkeeper

With three consecutive victories, Mallorca was riding high. In this round, Real Madrid unexpectedly lost to Espanyol, widening the gap between them and Mallorca to five points. With more than half the season completed, Mallorca still held a significant lead, proving their strength. By now, no one considered them a dark horse anymore—Mallorca was recognized as a true powerhouse.

After Franco was taken to the hospital for examination, the results came back, allowing José to breathe a sigh of relief. It was just a mild concussion, requiring about twenty days of rest. Though the recovery time was long, it was still good news for Mallorca—he would be back on the pitch before the fourth round of the Champions League group stage, which was crucial given the team's upcoming packed schedule.

However, for the next three league matches and one Champions League fixture, José had no choice but to rely on Roa. Although Roa had performed well as a substitute in the last game, he had been away from the pitch for a long time. Whether he could maintain a high level of performance remained uncertain.

After defeating Celta Vigo at home, Mallorca traveled to Castellón, Valencia, to face Villarreal. Last season's newly promoted side had performed well in their first year, but their form had dipped this season, leaving them in 16th place—a stark contrast from last season when they were competing for European spots.

However, in this midweek match, the Yellow Submarine made life difficult for Mallorca. Despite Ronaldinho scoring a goal, Villarreal's Montaño and Pritz each found the net in either half, securing a crucial three points for the home team. Mallorca suffered a disappointing defeat away from home.

Roa's performance was average. While he didn't make any glaring mistakes, Villarreal only had two real scoring opportunities, and both resulted in goals. Meanwhile, Mallorca created far more chances but failed to capitalize due to the opposing goalkeeper's heroics and some bad luck. It was a frustrating loss.

After the match, Mallorca rushed back to their island base to prepare for their 25th-round home fixture against Barcelona. In this game, fatigue clearly affected Mallorca's performance, and they had to settle for a 0-0 draw.

Following three consecutive wins, Mallorca hit a slump, managing only one point in their last two matches. Fortunately, their rivals also struggled—Real Madrid won one and lost one, while Valencia, Deportivo La Coruña, and Barcelona each recorded a win and a draw, slightly closing the gap.

A week later, Mallorca was held to another draw, this time away at Zaragoza. They had been leading 1-0 in the 80th minute, only for Roa to commit a costly mistake—he fumbled a ball while coming off his line, allowing the opposing striker to pounce and score. The match ended 1-1, a bitter result for José's team.

José was frustrated. A coach could do many things, but he couldn't prevent a goalkeeper from making errors. As the saying goes, a goalkeeper is half a team—his performance could significantly impact a club's fortunes.

Roa had the ability and a wealth of experience, even more than Franco. However, his two-year absence from the game had affected his sharpness. While his individual skills were still respectable, the bigger issue was his lack of chemistry with the defenders.

The defensive line in front of him was completely different from the one he had known during his time as Mallorca's first-choice keeper. Back then, he had played behind Soler, Marcelino, Siviero, and Olaizola. Now, Marcelino had moved to Newcastle, Siviero had returned to Argentina, Soler had gone to the Segunda División, and Olaizola was no longer part of Mallorca's plans. In their place stood Jorge, the young Capdevila, the veteran Nadal, and Belgian defender Van Buyten.

These players had only joined Mallorca in the past year or two, meaning their cohesion as a defensive unit was still developing. Adding Roa, who hadn't played with them before, only made matters worse. Many of his mistakes stemmed from a lack of understanding with his defenders—something that couldn't be fixed overnight. It required time to build chemistry, but time was something Mallorca didn't have.

Thus, once Franco recovered, Roa would return to the bench.

Roa was naturally disappointed. He knew he needed more time to gel with his teammates. If he had a longer run in the team, he believed his performances would improve.

He worked even harder in training, trying to speed up the adaptation process. However, some things simply couldn't be rushed. If Franco's injury had happened two months later, Roa might have been much more effective. Right now, though, he was still struggling to fully adjust.

Three days later, Mallorca traveled for their next Champions League match against Nantes.

Nantes had lost their first two group stage matches. If they lost again, their hopes of advancing would be completely extinguished. As a result, they came out with great intensity, launching a relentless offensive from the very start.

Before this match, Franco had fully recovered, but José decided to leave him on the bench as a precaution. With two straight wins in the group stage, Mallorca had a comfortable lead. Even a loss here wouldn't be disastrous.

Perhaps feeling the pressure of Franco's return, Roa was eager to prove himself. He shouted instructions throughout the match, trying to organize his defense and compensate for the lack of familiarity with his backline. A vocal goalkeeper could make a significant difference, and Roa, with his experience, understood that well.

Mallorca's defenders held firm despite Nantes' aggressive start. They were used to facing desperate opponents this season—teams pushed to the brink, only to be sent over the edge. This was just another case of an opponent making one final stand.

However, the presence of Roa in goal created a subtle difference. His recent unconvincing displays had impacted the defense's confidence.

Although Mallorca's defenders never openly blamed him, they played with a subconscious hesitation, always considering the possibility of a goalkeeping error—just like England's defenders after David Seaman's retirement, constantly worrying about their unreliable goalkeepers. The added mental burden made defending more difficult.

In the 31st minute, this pressure led to a rare mistake from their usually solid captain, Nadal. His attempted headed clearance fell right to an opposing forward, who immediately fired a shot past Roa. The goalkeeper reacted, but it wasn't enough to prevent the goal.

Roa got up from the ground helplessly. He had no complaints about conceding. Nadal, meanwhile, gave him an apologetic gesture, but Roa shook his head—he had made his own share of mistakes and understood that no one wanted to mess up. Sometimes, errors were simply unavoidable.

José, watching from the sidelines, also shook his head. But he remained calm. The damage was manageable—Franco would soon be back, and Mallorca's defensive confidence would return.

Despite Roa's struggles, Mallorca's overall form had not completely collapsed. In these four matches without Franco, the team had recorded three draws and one loss. Thanks to their rivals also dropping points, Mallorca still held a three-point lead in the league. The only regret was not capitalizing on this period to extend their advantage.

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As the match continued, Mallorca launched a counteroffensive. Nantes, desperate for a win, focused on defending their lead, though a victory wouldn't significantly improve their qualification chances—it was more of a last-ditch effort to stay in contention.

But Mallorca's superior quality showed. Even though fatigue from their hectic schedule was evident, they maintained attacking pressure. Eventually, in the second half, Luque set up Eto'o for the equalizer.

The match ended 1-1. While Nantes earned their first point of the group stage, their qualification hopes were all but over. Meanwhile, Bayern Munich won their match against Boavista, reaching six points. With three group-stage games remaining, it was now evident that Mallorca and Bayern were the favorites to advance—it was only a matter of time.

As the final whistle blew, José exhaled deeply. Over the past twenty days, Mallorca had played three league matches and one Champions League fixture, failing to win any of them. This stretch had been a clear reminder of how crucial a reliable goalkeeper was.

Thankfully, Franco was back and in good shape. Confidence was restored, and Mallorca was ready to push forward once again.

"Sorry, boss. I didn't do well enough."

Roa knew his performances hadn't met expectations and that he would likely be benched in the next game. Nevertheless, he approached José to apologize.

José, appreciating his attitude, patted him on the shoulder. "Carlos, I'm not blaming you. Two years away from the game isn't easy to overcome. But if you get another chance, I want to see your best performance."