Before the World Cup RCD Mallorca managed three away wins at some difficult grounds. We beat Rayo Vallecano, Valencia and Villarreal. Mallorquinistas quite rightly thought we were a tough side to beat home and away. However, since Qatar this feeling has all but disappeared. Defeats against Getafe, Osasuna, Cadiz and now Sevilla have given local fans a wake up call. In the four games mentioned, Javier Aguirre’s men have conceded seven goals and failed to score in any of them. These are figures that make thoughts of moving into the top half of La Liga incomprehensible. Even if we win all our remaining home games, it still might not be enough unless we at least try to win away games.
Several local media outlets have described the local Real Mallorca form as having two faces, e.g. Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde. On Saturday night in Seville, we had no idea against a Sevilla side who were all over us for most of the game. We may be impenetrable at home but away from Palma we leak goals like a sieve. Sevilla were vastly superior to a Mallorca side who were on the back foot from the first whistle to the last. Sevilla player Bryan Gil, a Sevilla academy player, who’s failed to make an impression at his parent club, Tottenham Hotspur, was our downfall. He tormented our back five every which way but loose. Sevilla did something we couldn’t, getting the ball to the bye line and crossing it to whoever could get on the end of it.
The home side opened their account in the 28th minute and it was easy peasy lemon squeezy. A ball over the top of our defence saw Martin Valjent struggle to challenge In-Nesyir and the Moroccan World Cup player was in easy street putting “Los Nervionenses” a goal up. After that we led a charmed life, thanks to a wonder save from Rajkovic and a goal-line clearance from Galarreta.
Our midfield was wobbling like a big blancmange on a plate. Normally reliable players like Baba, Kang In Lee and Galarreta kept giving the ball away.
The second half was only minutes old when the game’s main talking point happened. In our one and only breakaway, Muriqi (who on Saturday played upfront on his own, played in defence, down the wing, made the bocadillos at half time and even flew the plane back to Palma !) was through on a one-on-one situation with Sevilla’s midfielder Gueye. He clearly tugged Muriqi’s jersey and as Gueye was the last defender it was a clear red card decision. The dynamic “muppet” refereeing duo of on-the-pitch Iglesias Villanueva and VAR referee Mateo Lahoz didn’t even consider it worth looking at, and we were robbed.
Another defensive howler saw Bryan Gil double Sevilla’s lead with a tap in on the goal line to finish off the game.
I couldn’t understand why Aguirre played until the 83rd minute with three centre backs, bringing on Abdon Prats with only a few minutes remaining.
SUMMING UP : Mallorca cannot keep doing this to their fans. Performing miracles and punching above their weight at home and then playing utter rubbish as they did on Saturday in Seville. If it wasn’t for Rajkovic we could have lost more heavily. He’s a class goalkeeper and deserved better from his defenders.
We had too many invisible players against Sevilla, who must do a lot better next Saturday against Villarreal in the Son Moix at 18:30.
PS I watched the game at my usual venue, the Mallorcafé. It was packed, reservations only and was almost empty before the full time whistle blew. These guys don’t ask a lot, just can we please have our away form back please. All we are saying is “give us a goal.”