Chapter 29: Mallorca, Not Like a La Liga Team
"Oh oh oh oh oh! What a beautiful direct free kick! Yvan Stankovic! Mallorca has equalized! After five pretty good free kicks, Mallorca finally equalized with Stankovic's beautiful curved ball! Their tactic of forcing fouls paid off, and the goal just before halftime is crucial for Mallorca!" shouted the ESPN commentator.
The stands erupted in deafening cheers from Mallorca's fans as they celebrated the equalizing goal. Even though they conceded an early goal, Mallorca's dominance in the game afterwards had given their fans confidence, and this equalizer was the release they needed!
Stankovic jumped towards the stands, letting out a loud roar, and his teammates rushed to join him, all of them raising their fists in front of the crowd!
José nodded heavily. Being able to equalize before halftime would make the second half much easier.
Meanwhile, Puel frowned as he watched everything unfold, thinking about how to play the second half—clearly, his previous judgment had been wrong.
Two minutes after the match restarted, the referee blew the whistle signaling the end of the first half. 1-1, both sides entered halftime with the score level.
Clearly, this score was not favorable to Mallorca, who were playing at home, but it was a good result for Monaco. However, the expressions of both coaches didn't show this—José wore a faint smile, while Puel frowned with a look of concern...
"Great job in the first half, everyone! Although we conceded an away goal, I can guarantee that this goal won't cause us much trouble if we continue like this... In the second half, Monaco has two choices. First, they can continue with a defensive counterattack, and we can continue to apply pressure. Second, if they push forward, it'll make our attack easier. If they attack, our main offensive weapon will be Samuel, using his dribbling to create opportunities! Don't forget, four of their five defenders already have yellow cards, so we can exploit this. Whether they defend or attack, we need to use our dribbling to create chances. Don't worry about scoring; Barthez's performances in world tournaments and club matches have been like two different people. It's not that hard to break his defense," José said confidently.
His words brought laughter from the entire locker room. Honestly, Barthez's performance in the first half had not been impressive—he fumbled a few long shots and was slow in reacting to Stankovic's free kick...
"Anyway, the score is 1-1, which isn't favorable for us right now, but we still have plenty of advantages. If we take advantage of a few chances in the second half, victory will smile upon us... Every match in the UEFA Cup is difficult, but as long as we play to our strengths and stay focused, we will get the result we want. Don't forget, we were third in La Liga last season, and our strength hasn't decreased this season... We have to believe in ourselves to seize all opportunities."
After finishing, José waved his hand. "Now, take a good rest. The next 45 minutes will be the decisive moment for us to reach the UEFA Cup quarterfinals. Guys, recharge your energy before the battle begins."