When the league calendar was drawn in June, the Mallorca made headlines about the football aristocracy. Not because of his new and secretive project, headed by a Biscayan from 46 years seasoned in northern football, a man without fuss, from the inexhaustible pool of Basque coaches. But because the island was going to witness the debut of Mbappé almost an epiphany.
But ninety minutes after that night of football in Son Moix, the illusion landed on the most unexpected shore. It was the Vermilion fans who came out euphoric after seeing their team put Real Madrid on the ropes and tie them (1-1) while three sports titans looked on in the stands: Nadal, Stairs y Rudy Fernandez.
Something had changed. The team flowed with a different rhythm. He had almost the same face, but a different look.
Today, eight days later, RCD Mallorca Jagoba Arrasate has slipped into the top six teams in the championship. He is the only one to have won the last three games, thus completing a streak that the club had not achieved for twelve years. Nine points in ten days. A milestone that uncorks the joy in a club that suffered last year to stay in First Division.
“he decided to grow”
To understand the dimension of this good start, two more pieces of information. In eight games he has half of all the victories he had last year. And he achieved it before October, when last season (despite reaching the Cup final) he did not reach that figure until February.
Analysts agree in giving credit to the bench. “It is an obvious consequence of the change of coach,” he explains. Alvaro Delgadoa former club advisor who, without disparaging the previous coaches, appreciates that with Jagoba “a brave decision was made and a commitment was made to grow, giving way to modern football.”
“The squad has not changed that much,” points out the former manager, “but the system and the attitude have changed, they play with a defense of four and not five, with advanced lines, without fear, pressing high.”
Something like this explains Francisco Chichi Soler club legend, the player who wore their shirt the most times (419). “The team dares, it continues to combine at the top the entire game and that has upset the players.” “Not only withdrawal and order are valued anymore, everyone is plugged in and doesn’t give up anything,” adds the former midfielder, gold in Barcelona ’92.
An ancient trend
With that script and a courage typical of a Mallorca from another decade, they beat Valladolid in Pucela. The decisive goal came with a winger pressing and stealing the ball in the rival area despite leading in the 82nd minute. Without a trace of the old bus parking in their own area. Valery He ran without looking back. He stole and hit low. So simple and so difficult in a club with an ancestral tendency towards conservatism, inseparable from the character of the Mallorcans.
Arrasate, a student of football and a fan of Basque rural sports, spent the summer on the island, where one of his good friends lives, Aritz Aduriz Athletic icon and former Mallorca player.
Coach and former school teacher, Arrasate applies pedagogy to his players. For now, the former Osasuna coach has landed on his feet. Within the club his affability, his ability to work and his desire to give opportunities to the youth team are praised. He debuted Marc Domenech (born 2006), a junior. Transfers like Mojica, Takuma Asano or the skillful Robert Navarro have reinforced that offensive character, allowing other touch midfielders such as Sergi Darder o Dani Rodriguez grow in the association.
The season has only just begun. In the stands, some already mention Europe as a forbidden spell before the sly gaze of those who know that the year is long. And that, using the metaphor used these days by Arrasate, these are not always surfed “good waves”.