Chapter 27: For the Future
"I think the importance of this match is something I don't even need to explain... For this match, we even gave up a previous league match. You should know, with the performance La Coruña showed in that match, we definitely had a chance to defeat them. I'm not one to let things go without compensation. If we make such a huge sacrifice and don't get a return, I'd be very unhappy... The return is this match against our opponents!"
"Attack them to beat them, Miguel, if there's a chance, you can push forward to assist and put pressure on their forwards... Don't worry about anything else, when you have the ball, if there's a chance to break through, take it. We have many players up front with breakthrough ability, and their defenders are also used to stopping the opponent's attack with fouls. Don't forget, this is our home ground! If they try to foul us, they'll regret it! Diego, you stay up front to draw their fire, Yuvan, Ariel, Samuel, when you get the ball, break through when you can, force them into fouls! Got it?"
"Got it!" The Mallorca players replied loudly in unison. In their last match, they played without pressure, and the veterans had a good rest. Now they were in top form, ready to defeat their opponents and gain a huge advantage going into the next stage!
Monaco had also been in great form recently.
Since the start of the season, they had been performing excellently in Ligue 1, currently sitting at the top of the standings, and it looked likely they would win the Ligue 1 title this season. Under these circumstances, Puel had increased his focus on the UEFA Cup. Simply winning Ligue 1 wouldn't be enough for him; if he could secure the double, including the UEFA Cup...
Every coach has ambitions, and Puel was no exception.
He had carefully watched the previous match between Mallorca and La Coruña, and naturally came to the same conclusion that José had hoped for: Mallorca was a courageous team that liked to attack, but their attacking efficiency was not very high. They struggled against tight defenses, and their defense was prone to mistakes...
"Well, if these guys go crazy, they'll be tough to deal with. La Coruña still managed to get a goal against them, and recently their win rate in La Liga has been high, so their morale is strong. We should play it safe away from home..." Puel thought.
"If their defense wasn't so poor, maybe they wouldn't even be in the relegation zone with their attacking ability. But this is good news for us. While they're fighting relegation, how much energy do they have left to focus on the UEFA Cup? This draw is actually quite favorable..." Puel thought with satisfaction.