I Am Jose

The second-round match of the Copa del Rey was nothing more than a warm-up; Mallorca's main focus this week was preparing for their league home clash against Alavés.

Currently, Mallorca sat on 25 points while Alavés had 24, making this a true battle between rivals—a contest that naturally commanded extra attention from Coach José.

Whenever José thought about Alavés, memories of that season's League Cup final resurfaced. In that campaign, Liverpool achieved a treble by winning the League Cup, FA Cup, and League Cup, and in the following season, they added the European Super Cup and the Community Shield to become "the five-trophy team." Although some argued that without the league title and the Champions League, these accolades lacked prestige, there was no denying the magnitude of their achievement.

Yet when José recalled that League Cup final, it wasn't Liverpool who dominated his thoughts—it was their opponents, Alavés. This club had equaled the miracle that Mallorca once produced, reaching the final of their first-ever European competition. Although they eventually fell short, their feat was nothing short of admirable.

That nerve-wracking final remained etched in José's memory. Normally, he didn't pay much heed to League Cup matches, but that game was an anomaly—an almost unheard-of high-scoring affair. In 90 minutes the teams were locked at 4–4, and in extra time, Liverpool clinched a 5–4 victory courtesy of an own goal from an Alavés defender—a scoreline so rare it had not been seen in decades.

José couldn't forget the standout performances from a few Alavés players that day. Moreno, playing through injury, had scored a hat-trick; a young Kluivert had pulled the score back to 4–4 right before full time; and on the right flank, Romanian full-back Contră had displayed a masterclass in both attack and defense. In particular, Contră's blistering runs on the wing completely neutralized the opposition left-back, Calagr. It wasn't a fluke—over the past season, Contră had been among the most dynamic full-backs in the league. In fact, there was a saying in La Liga at the time: "On the left, there's Carlos; on the right, there's Contră"—a tribute to the two most exciting attacking full-backs.

José had once considered acquiring Contră for his own team that winter, but practical constraints intervened. First, the non-EU quota wouldn't allow another signing, and second, Alavés had flatly rejected José's $3 million offer, declaring Contră as non-transferable. The message was clear: Contră wasn't for sale—at least not at that price. Moreover, as Alavés were making their European debut that season with dreams of glory in the League Cup, they couldn't possibly sell one of their key players to a rival like Mallorca.

Frustrated but undeterred, José had to settle for using George, whose form was still adequate. At least for a year or two, he would suffice; if not, the youthful Campano could fill in for a while.

This failed transfer stung José, fueling his determination to show Alavés that they could be beaten on the pitch—even if they wouldn't sell their prized players. "So you think you're our rivals, unwilling to part with your stars? Then I'll beat you anyway. Just wait and see—if you won't sell, we'll still win!" he vowed privately.