I Am Jose-Chapter 169 - : Refusing to Be Weak Away from Home

José's bold ambition sounded inspiring, but for Mallorca, reality was much simpler—they had to take things one match at a time.

After securing early qualification for the Champions League knockout stage, Mallorca suffered a minor setback in La Liga. They were held to a 3-3 draw away against newly promoted Sevilla, who repeatedly exposed Mallorca's defense with quick counterattacks, embarrassing their backline.

Though it was just a draw, the match revealed a key weakness—while Mallorca's attack was dazzling, their defense wasn't as solid as before. Against teams with pacey forwards, unless they adopted a defensive approach, their backline was vulnerable.

In the final group stage match of the Champions League, José fielded an entirely rotated squad, giving playing time to those who had been sidelined, including the long-benched Didier Drogba. Despite the changes, Mallorca still won at home, edging out Panathinaikos 1-0 thanks to a goal from Ivan Klasnić, securing first place in their group and advancing to the Round of 16 in style!

Spanish teams dominated the group stage, with all four progressing to the knockout rounds. The Bundesliga, however, suffered, as Schalke 04 and Borussia Dortmund were eliminated, leaving only Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen. Italy lost Lazio, leaving just Juventus and Roma. Meanwhile, all three English teams survived.

La Liga was undoubtedly in its prime. With Serie A fading in European competition, Spanish clubs had been shining on the continental stage, drawing increased attention.

Back in domestic action, Mallorca maintained their strong home form, cruising to a 3-0 win over Tenerife. However, their struggles away from home continued—against Real Sociedad, they labored until the 85th minute before Ronaldinho's solo effort secured a narrow 2-1 victory.

José was frustrated. This wasn't about fixture congestion—there had been a full week of rest between games. Yet, Mallorca's home and away performances were worlds apart.

At home, they were unstoppable, winning every match so far, a record unmatched across Europe. Their league position reflected this dominance, sitting atop La Liga with 26 points (8 wins, 2 draws, 2 losses), three points clear of Deportivo La Coruña. But away from home, they struggled—even when they won, it was rarely convincing.

This disparity was partly due to Mallorca's unique climate. The island's warm, humid weather made it tough for visiting teams to adapt, while Mallorca themselves struggled when traveling to different conditions.

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José had no quick fix for this—it was something the players had to gradually adjust to.

Champions League Second Group Stage Draw

With the group stage complete, it was time for the second-round draw. UEFA didn't require managers to attend, instead broadcasting the results live.

As Group C winners, Mallorca were placed in Group A, where they'd face Bayern Munich, Portuguese side Boavista, and French club Nantes—a fairly reasonable draw.

Real Madrid and Manchester United were paired in Group C, alongside Porto and Sparta Prague, making it a manageable group for both giants.

Barcelona and Deportivo, however, weren't so lucky.

Barcelona found themselves with Liverpool, Roma, and Galatasaray—a tough but not impossible group. Deportivo, however, landed in a nightmare group with Bayer Leverkusen, Juventus, and Arsenal, making their path to the quarterfinals incredibly difficult.

José couldn't help but smirk at Barcelona and Deportivo's misfortune. He had no idea why Mallorca got such a favorable draw, but he wasn't complaining.

However, his amusement was short-lived. Mallorca's away struggles resurfaced in their next league match. Despite an early goal from Albert Luque, they collapsed in the second half, allowing Espanyol's Raúl Tamudo to score twice and hand them a 2-1 defeat.

"Is Mallorca's true form finally showing? Will their results start to crumble as they juggle La Liga and the Champions League?"

The media was quick to pounce on the narrative. With this atmosphere looming, Mallorca set off for Germany.

It wasn't their first trip there this season—they had already faced Schalke 04, last season's Bundesliga runners-up. This time, however, they were up against the reigning German and European champions, Bayern Munich.

The challenge couldn't be greater.

Bayern hadn't lost a home Champions League match in 25 games. Meanwhile, Mallorca had gone unbeaten in their three away games so far, a decent record but nowhere near Bayern's level. Still, for such a young team, it was a remarkable achievement.

Bayern's legendary manager, Ottmar Hitzfeld, wasn't underestimating Mallorca. Schalke's struggles against them had proven just how dangerous they could be. Their second-place finish in La Liga last season was no fluke.

"I don't think we got an easy draw," Hitzfeld said in an interview. "Any team that makes it to this stage had to eliminate two others to get here. Mallorca proved their quality by finishing ahead of Arsenal in their group. We'll take them very seriously. They're currently leading La Liga, and if we underestimate them, we'll pay the price. No match is won easily."

José heard Hitzfeld's words and sighed.

"Our opponents are finally starting to take us seriously..."

The loss to Espanyol hadn't been catastrophic—Mallorca still led La Liga, ahead of Deportivo on goal difference. But their away form was a growing concern. A team aiming for greatness couldn't rely solely on home performances.

Dominating at home but struggling away wasn't a recipe for long-term success. While Mallorca weren't completely helpless on the road, their performances were nowhere near their home standards.

Facing Bayern in Munich would be the ultimate test.

"For Mallorca, reaching this stage is already a great achievement," José said humbly upon arriving in Munich. "This is our first Champions League campaign, and we lack experience. Getting this far is already beyond expectations, and everyone—fans and the club—are happy with our progress. Of course, we'll fight to advance, and we won't give up any match. But whatever happens, we'll accept the outcome."

Bayern had undergone some changes since their triumph last season. Defenders Thomas Linke and Patrik Andersson had left, along with midfield veteran Mario Basler. Lothar Matthäus had retired earlier. In their place, young Owen Hargreaves had secured a starting role, while Claudio Pizarro had joined Elber up front. The biggest tactical shift was reverting from a back three to a back four.

Gone were the days when Michael Tarnat and Thomas Helmer terrorized the flanks in their Champions League-winning campaign. Now, the fullback roles were held by Willy Sagnol and Bixente Lizarazu, with Sammy Kuffour and Robert Kovač anchoring the center. Stefan Effenberg remained the team's heartbeat, though past his peak. Meanwhile, Hasan Salihamidžić and Paulo Sérgio provided width, and the South American strike duo of Elber and Pizarro offered attacking flair.

Though a German club, Bayern's recent style had been heavily influenced by technical play, a shift that made them even harder to counter.

"Tactical adjustments won't be enough—we'll have to adapt on the fly," José told his assistant, Natal, before the match. Natal nodded in agreement.

Bayern's strength came from a combination of elite player development, financial power, and ruthless efficiency. Though they were starting to decline, they remained formidable.

"They're strong, but they're past their peak. We may not be as good as them yet, but we're still on the rise."

Inside the dressing room before kickoff, José addressed his players with a smile.

"So, don't feel any pressure. Play without fear. Even if we lose, it won't drastically affect our chances of advancing. But I want you all to perform at your best, just like you do at home!"

José wanted his players to play freely, without the mental burden of an away fixture. He believed that with their individual talent and team chemistry, Mallorca could stand their ground against anyone.

Mallorca would not be weak away from home.