I Am Jose

Both teams were bound to give their all in this match—there was no doubt about it. One glance at the starting lineups was enough to confirm this.

Cooper fielded his strongest XI, despite the Champions League looming just around the corner. His lineup featured:

Goalkeeper: CañizaresDefenders: Angloma, Ayala, Pellegrino, CarboniMidfielders: Baraja, Vicente, Mendieta, AimarForwards: Carew, Angulo

With Deschamps injured and Zahovič failing to integrate into the squad, Cooper had no choice but to deploy his main squad. His bench was also packed with quality players, including Djukic, Zahovič, Kily, Alonso, and Juan Sánchez.

José responded with an aggressive setup:

Goalkeeper: FrancoDefenders: Jorge, Nadal, Niño, CapdevilaMidfielders: Motta, Kaladze, Ibagaza, RonaldinhoForwards: Eto'o, Luque

This was Mallorca's regular lineup in recent matches, and his substitutes included Gamarra, Engonga, and Novo.

—

"Cooper is using a single defensive midfielder in an away game? And he's left Kily on the bench, opting for the young Vicente? Seems like he's aiming for a more attacking approach," Hidalgo remarked.

"Exactly. This choice suggests Cooper wants all three points on the road. I never expected him to abandon his usual cautious approach..." Bones nodded in agreement. "On the other hand, José is even more aggressive. He's playing Ibagaza in midfield to boost the flanks. If he wanted a more conservative option, both Novo and Engonga would have been better choices. The question is: Can Ibagaza handle Carboni?"

"The key battle might be on the wings—Mallorca's right and Valencia's left. Will Carboni crumble under Ibagaza's pressure, or will Vicente give Jorge nightmares? That will be crucial."