Chapter 22: Unexpected Twists
The imposing Mallorca team continued to fight on the field against the home team, Athletic Bilbao, after the break. After limiting several of Bilbao's key players to the best of their ability, Mallorca took control of the match but couldn't extend their narrow lead. They entered halftime with a 1-0 advantage.
Back in the locker room, the Mallorca players were in high spirits. Tristan, full of energy, rolled up his sleeves and boastfully said, "You guys don't know, when I hammered that ball into their net, the entire stands went dead silent... that feeling, it was amazing!"
José smiled as he watched Tristan show off. When dealing with young players, you couldn't suppress them too much; in fact, on the pitch, they needed more freedom to grow. In terms of personality, it was the same—having a young forward like Tristan who could liven up the locker room was good for the team's overall atmosphere.
"Second half, let's stick to what we've been doing. When we have attacking chances, we need to seize them. Defensively, focus on their key attacking players, especially Guerrero. He's the source of Bilbao's offensive play. If we can handle him, victory will surely be ours!" After the locker room settled, José clapped his hands and said loudly.
Miguel Nadal, who usually stayed quiet in the locker room, suddenly spoke up. "Boss... sir..."
His words were only half-finished when laughter erupted in the room. It was clear that Nadal, originally intending to call José "boss," had hesitated. At 33 years old, Nadal was 9 years older than José, so calling him "boss" felt awkward. Hence, he corrected himself and said "sir."
José laughed as well, waving his hand. "Miguel, just call me José. I don't mind older people calling me by my name. What's on your mind?"
Nadal nodded. "Well, José... since the start of this season, Guerrero has always been subbed out at halftime."
Another veteran, Captain N'Gonga, nodded in agreement. "That's right. Especially in the recent few rounds, Guerrero's been substituted at halftime by Fernández, and it's upset the Bilbao fans."