I Am Jose

"You mean... José is interested in the shares we hold?"

It had been a year since they last met, and it seemed that Antonio Asensio had changed considerably. A year ago, he had been a lively old man, though thin, he had seemed to be full of energy. However, a year later, his complexion had grown much paler, and his already thin body had become even more frail, with frequent coughing fits.

Seeing him like this, Juan couldn't help but feel upset. He had known his father's health wasn't great for quite some time. In fact, it was his father's declining health that had prompted him to step down from the president position a year ago. After all, a sharp, capable man like Asensio, with a strong desire for power, would never have resigned from the position of president of Mallorca if not for his health.

During his time as president, Asensio had led Mallorca to the most glorious years in its history, including winning the Copa del Rey, the Super Cup, and finishing third in La Liga—achievements that had never been reached before. In terms of club management, Asensio had been outstanding, keeping the second-largest shareholder, Grande, completely in check. Unfortunately, despite his successes, Asensio's health was no match for Grande's. Grande was younger and healthier, something Asensio could not accept.

He wasn't alone in his frustration—anyone would feel the same. If he had known Chinese history, he might have compared himself to Zhuge Liang, with Grande as the ever-resilient Sima Yi. But luckily for him, he had a good friend by his side—someone capable of managing Mallorca, someone with no stake in the club but a strong relationship with Asensio—Alemany.

Thus, before stepping down as president, Asensio's final act was to place Alemany in charge. Asensio was pleased with this decision, knowing that Alemany, without any shares in the club, would essentially be working for the Asensio family, who still held the majority of the shares. Asensio trusted Alemany's ability to manage the club well and continue bringing in profits. If he had known Chinese history, he might have compared his actions to Zhuge Liang's strategy to eliminate Wei Yan.

However, Asensio wasn't exactly Zhuge Liang. While he had foreseen Alemany becoming even closer to the Asensio family, he also calculated that Alemany's experience would be useful to Juan, as Juan would struggle against Grande without Alemany's help. But one thing Asensio hadn't foreseen was the impact of the Champions League reform.

Before the 1999-2000 season, the Champions League, although expanded to include second-place league teams, was still largely dominated by a few top clubs. The income from the competition was not very significant for most teams, and the level of competition in domestic leagues wasn't as intense as it would later become. Therefore, top clubs were still cautious with their investments.

However, from the 1999-2000 season, the Champions League expanded further, and more clubs could benefit from it. The increased revenue immediately sparked investment from clubs, including Mallorca, who, eager for the Champions League's lucrative rewards, raised the salaries of their players and increased expenses. This was a normal move—after all, if a club's income increased, but players' salaries remained stagnant, the players might start seeking transfers.