I Am Jose-Chapter 128 - : Lightning Assault

No matter how Djalminha felt about it, his hatred for José was inevitable.

For Djalminha, who came from a middle-class background, football was merely a hobby. This prevented him from reaching greater heights—something that could be seen in his conversations with Irureta. At the end of last season, Irureta had half-jokingly told his student, "If you can keep your red cards under three for the entire season, you could win the World Player of the Year award."

Djalminha's response was natural: "Screw the Player of the Year." He simply didn't care.

Because of this attitude, this most unprofessional of professional players had always treated football as a form of entertainment. Last season, his performance was top-tier, helping Deportivo La Coruña secure their first-ever league title. However, this season, his form had dipped, which led to the more hardworking Valerón gradually securing a starting spot. Even so, Irureta still relied on Djalminha more.

"I'll make that guy realize that he has no right to criticize my playing style!" Djalminha spat during an interview.

Because of this statement, the atmosphere leading up to the match grew tense...

"Kala, stick to Djalminha. Frustrate him. Got it?" José instructed Kaladze in the locker room.

Kaladze nodded. How do you neutralize an unstable genius? By getting under his skin and letting his emotions affect his game. And Djalminha happened to be exactly that kind of volatile talent.

Coaching battles aren't fought on the pitch—something not many coaches understood at the time. But for José, it was second nature. The information overload of the future had already taught him the advantages of such tactics. Against someone like Djalminha, whose talent was as extraordinary as his temper, this strategy was even more effective.

With that instruction given, José shifted his focus to the attack.

"Deportivo's defense isn't bad, but it's not as solid as Valencia's. Their center-back Donato is already 39 years old. He's still playing well, but his reaction speed has inevitably declined. Samuel, he'll be your primary target. Beat him with your pace. As for the other center-back, Naybet, Albert, keep him occupied and create openings for Samuel. Romero and Pablo are both excellent attacking full-backs, so we need to suppress their wing play. Control the midfield and take the fight to them."

For this match, José once again deployed an attack-minded midfield, starting Ibagaza alongside Ronaldinho as dual playmakers.

Deportivo had plenty of veterans. Aside from the nearly 40-year-old Donato, they also had 33-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder Mauro Silva, 30-year-old left-back Romero, 30-year-old center-back Naybet, 31-year-old captain and left midfielder Fran (not to be confused with the Uruguayan Diego Forlán), 30-year-old attacking midfielder Djalminha, 30-year-old goalkeeper Molina, and 32-year-old Brazilian defensive midfielder Sampaio. In contrast, the only players under 25 in their starting lineup were right-back Pablo, right-winger Makaay, and striker Tristán. Deportivo also had a strong Brazilian influence—even Donato was a Brazilian-born Spaniard. This meant that while they played attractive, technical football, they weren't the most physically dominant team.

In contrast, Mallorca lacked physically weak geniuses. Their strategy was to use strength and aggression to disrupt Deportivo's defense before exploiting them with fast-paced attacks.

Deportivo's defensive core was built on aging veterans. They wouldn't struggle with structured, back-and-forth battles, but fast attacks could tear them apart—just as Mallorca had experienced in the past.

Against such a team, the best approach was quick counterattacks. But José wasn't planning to park the bus. He knew Tristán's presence in the box was a threat, so he opted for a midfield-based counterattacking strategy instead.

Mallorca's frontline had no shortage of speedsters.

This 𝓬ontent is taken from fгeewebnovёl.co𝙢.

While El Clásico was about to take center stage elsewhere, Mallorca hosted Deportivo La Coruña at home.

Tristán received a warm welcome from the fans. Although he had only played one season at Mallorca, his goals in both La Liga and the UEFA Cup had left a lasting impression. Seeing key players leave after a single season was almost routine for Mallorca fans at this point.

In fact, Deportivo's squad featured more than just Tristán—both Romero and Valerón had previously played for Mallorca in the 1997-98 season. Romero moved to Deportivo immediately after, while Valerón spent two seasons at Atlético Madrid before joining them.

Moreover, Tristán's departure had fetched Mallorca the highest transfer fee in their club's history. Given that, it was only natural for the fans to applaud him.

Tristán was friendly with his former teammates, exchanging handshakes and hugs. The rest of Deportivo's players, however, were far less cordial. Makaay remained expressionless, while Djalminha kept casting provocative glances at the Mallorca squad, clearly looking for trouble.

Unfortunately for him, the Mallorca players ignored him completely, treating him like thin air. This only made him even more furious.

Determined to prove himself, Djalminha went on the attack right from the start.

Receiving a return pass from Makaay, he didn't play it safe. Instead, he charged straight toward Mallorca's penalty area!

You ignored me? Well, now I'll show you exactly what kind of player you're dealing with!

Fueled by frustration, Djalminha displayed his dazzling skills, easily getting past Luque, who was caught flat-footed.

Next, he left Ronaldinho in the dust. Though Ronaldinho was also a skilled, imaginative player, he wasn't known for his defensive ability. He reacted, but Djalminha's quick footwork left him behind.

"His technique is truly outstanding," José admitted from the touchline. But he wasn't worried—modern football was no longer a one-man show. Team defense and coordination were what truly mattered.

As expected, Djalminha soon ran into Mallorca's defensive trap.

Motta and Kaladze closed in, stopping his advance. Kaladze gave him a subtle nudge to disrupt his balance, and Motta swiftly poked the ball away.

"Damn it! That was a foul!"

Rather than chasing back, Djalminha threw his arms up, demanding a free kick. The referee ignored him and instead sprinted toward Deportivo's half—Mallorca's counterattack had already begun!

Motta's tackle sent the ball to Ibagaza. The Argentine didn't waste time dribbling. Deportivo's defense had just pushed up, caught in transition from defense to attack—a perfect moment to strike!

"Immediately play into space after winning the ball in midfield!"

José had drilled this principle into his team before the match.

So, without hesitation, Ibagaza lifted the ball toward Ronaldinho near the center circle.

Receiving the pass, Ronaldinho showcased his footwork, maneuvering in tight space between Mauro Silva and Sampaio—two former Brazil internationals. Then, he suddenly threaded a through ball!

The pass split Donato and Naybet apart, and like a lightning bolt, Eto'o surged forward!

At 39 and 30 years old, Donato and Naybet turned sluggishly, utterly outpaced.

By the time they turned around, Eto'o was already five meters ahead of them, chasing down the ball—onside!

With two long strides, he entered the box. Goalkeeper Molina rushed out, but Eto'o coolly flicked the ball over him.

The crowd erupted in cheers as Eto'o sprinted past Molina, catching up with the ball before calmly slotting it into the empty net!

Less than a minute into the game, Mallorca had taken the lead with a brilliant counterattack starting from midfield!

"What a rapid attack! This wasn't just a simple counter—it was a perfectly coordinated midfield press leading into an immediate strike. Deportivo's defense had no time to react... This was clearly a tactical plan from José!"

"José has already shown impressive tactical acumen this season, especially against strong opponents. His game plans have given even top coaches headaches. It's remarkable that such a young manager possesses such keen insight. While it might be premature to predict a Champions League spot for Mallorca, their ability to rack up points makes them a strong contender for European qualification!"

Clapping his hands with satisfaction, José knew exactly how to exploit an aging defense—after all, Mallorca themselves had suffered from the same issue before.

With a 1-0 lead, the game was now firmly in their control!