Chapter 34: Quarterfinal Opponents in the UEFA Cup
"José, you're really giving me no face at all. You know Málaga is my favorite team, yet you still went ahead and beat them by two goals. Couldn't you have taken it easy? Both teams staying up would have been great," complained a slightly chubby young man, about the same age as José, seated across from him.
José sipped his tea slowly, a faint smile on his face but offered no response.
"Strange. You used to love drinking cola. Two years in the U.S., and now you're into tea? What's so great about it? It's not as energizing as coffee or as satisfying as cola," the chubby young man grumbled, taking a sip of his coffee.
"Juan, you should drink less cola. Carbonated drinks aren't great for the body. Besides, cola is high in sugar. Just look at your figure. Aren't we the same age? And yet you're so much bigger than me," José teased, setting his cup down with a grin.
Juan glanced down at his slightly protruding belly and sighed, shaking his head. "What can I do? It's God's will that I carry some extra weight. Who am I to resist? Besides, I'm not an athlete. What's the harm in drinking soda?"
"Let me tell you a little secret," José said, feigning mystery. "Cola reduces sperm count."
"Pf—!" Juan nearly spat out his coffee, choking and coughing for a while before gasping, "You're... joking, right?"
"Of course, I'm joking." José shrugged, laughing heartily. Seeing Juan's helpless look, he added, "But seriously, less soda is good for you."
"Fine, I'll cut back," Juan relented with a resigned shake of his head. "But you still haven't answered my earlier question."
"As Mallorca's sporting director, such comments are highly inappropriate," José said, not missing a beat. "And as the son of Antonio Asensio, Mallorca's largest shareholder, Juan, your words bring shame to the Asensio family."
Juan Asensio, sporting director of Mallorca and eldest son of the club's largest shareholder, Antonio Asensio, was left speechless, looking utterly defeated.