After a week when I read “Donald Trump is proof that Willie Wonka had sex with the Oompa Loompas” and in the UK, chancellor of the exchequer Rachel Reeves maintained her budget would result in many working people paying less tax – because they would no longer have a job! – Real Mallorca will face one of their toughest opponents (after Real Madrid on the opening day back in August) when Atletico Madrid play in Son Moix on Sunday at 4.15pm.
After another dismal away performance last Friday against Alaves, Mallorca reach match day 13 in eighth place on 18 points. With 12 games played, we’ve averaged less than a goal a game. However, in defence the team have only conceded nine compared to 18 at this stage in 2023. We’ve scored 10 times so far, whereas last year we’d netted 12 in early November. Coach Jagoba Arrasate said before the Alaves game that the team must play much better on the road than their previous abysmal showing, going down 2-1 at Espanyol. Arrasate said he was going to rotate the squad in Alaves, which he did, but making six changes backfired badly.
As we reach the 13th game our top goal scorers are Dani Rodriguez (midfield) two goals, Valery Fernandez (defender) two goals and Vedat Muriqi (striker) two goals. The list is completed by Antonio Raillo (defender) one goal, Abdon Prats (striker) a penalty, Larin (striker, well that’s his job description!) one goal, plus an own goal in our favour. There’s no question that the team is much more dynamic this season and that’s basically because we brought on board two quality players in Johan Mojica and Robert Navarro.
For Sunday’s game Mojica is a doubt as is Japanese flying machine Takuma Asano. Samu Costa returns after suspension and he is just the player we need against “Los Colchoneros.” The visitors are in deep crisis despite spending millions on Connor Gallagher from Chelsea and Julian Alvarez from Man. City. Neither of these big money transfers have come to fruition so far. “Atleti” have more than a dollop of attacking options including the brilliant Antoine Griezmann. There’s also a touch of nepotism in attack with the coach Diego Simeone’s Son Giuliano scoring in their win 2-0 at Las Palmas last weekend. On Wednesday night in the Champions League, another late Correa strike saw them get out of jail in Paris, beating PSG 1-2.
Sunday’s game has the two best defences in La Liga on show but in the “net bulging” department Atletico have scored 18. After these two bad away game reversals, that have slightly deflated the fans’ spirits, a win on Sunday would see Mallorca back in the higher echelons of La Liga. The pressures of previous campaigns when the team were flirting with relegation are for the time being not a distraction.
It was announced on Tuesday that club director/advisor Graeme Le Saux was to end his association with the club, although no reason was given for his departure. The relationship between Jersey-born La Saux and Mallorca began with one of the most painful defeats of his career. In 1999 Mallorca reached the final of the last-ever European Cup Winner’s Cup, beating Chelsea on aggregate in the semifinal. Le Saux is no stranger to the island as he and his Argentinian wife own property in the Pollensa area. Working a lot in the USA, he knew our then owner Robert Sarver and in 2017 he was asked to join the Palma outfit, first as an advisor and then as a board member. He was involved when Mallorca performed the miracle of two consecutive promotions. When the offer came, the defender who won the Premier League with Blackburn Rovers in 1995 and played in the 1998 World Cup, had little managerial experience. Although his visits to the island were few and far between, recently he did make it to the Cup Final in La Cartuja Seville in April.
Mallorca support Valencia
The whole of Spain has been traumatised by the terrible floods and loss of life in the Valencia region. There was consternation last weekend when top football matches went ahead. Mallorca player Toni Lato was born in the affected area and lost one of his best friends in the disaster. On Tuesday while dropping off donations at the Son Moix, I witnessed the incredible response from Mallorca supporters clubs. It was heaving with young volunteers directing the long queue of cars and helping us unload our packages for reloading on to the huge truck waiting to ferry the products across to Valencia. It was a very moving sight to see how the Mallorcan public were responding, the solidarity has been brilliant. Enhorabuena to all those involved.
And finally
Back in the Wild West a cowboy walked into a bar, ordered a whiskey and seeing the bar was empty asked the bartender “Where is everybody?” The bartender replied “They’ve all gone to the hanging.” The cowboy asked “Hanging, whose hanging?” “Brown Paper Pete,” said the bartender. “What kind of name is that?” enquired the cowboy. “Well,” the bartender explained, “He wears a brown paper hat, brown paper shirt, brown paper trousers and brown paper shoes.” “Strange guy,” exclaimed the cowboy, “What are they hanging him for?” “Rustling!!”
