After a week when it was reported that the Bank of England are encouraging “gender fluid men” to go to work in earrings, make up and stiletto heels – and they can wear a suit one day and a dress the next! – Real Mallorca, this time last week were teetering on the fringes of La Liga’s relegation zone.
Fast forward seven days and they’re now in that relegation zone after a disappointing 1-2 defeat by Betis last Sunday.
This weekend they fly to Vigo where they’ll play Celta on Sunday at 6:30pm. This game is crucial for the islanders as they face a catastrophic scenario of relegation to the Spanish second division if our results both home and away don’t improve soon. Celta will be coming off a Thursday night (yesterday) game against Greek side PAOK of Salonica in the Europa League and will be preparing for the second leg in Vigo next Thursday.
Celta will be fully focused on the European competition as in La Liga they’re in the comfort zone of 7th place. This is a situation Real Mallorca must take full advantage of and they cannot return from Vigo empty handed. If the worst scenario happens and they don’t get a favourable outcome (we’ve only won away twice in 14 months), it’s quite possible the club’s hierarchy will be preparing coach Arrasate’s P45.
The Palma side simply cannot afford to drop any more points with all the teams round about us picking up points last weekend. The standings in La Liga (except the Big Two at the top) are tighter than ever and it looks like the third relegation spot will be contested by at least 10 teams. Realistically we have to win six of the remaining 14 games, an unlikely scenario considering we’ve only won six games all season!
Coach Arrasate is walking the managerial tightrope and is under intense scrutiny. His stats aren’t good. He has reached 300 games in the top flight, coming here after spells at Real Sociedad and Osasuna.
Since arriving in Palma in 2024, he has managed 62 league games which include 19 wins, 15 draws and 28 losses. This season Arrasate is struggling with inconsistent performances leading to a truly disappointing campaign.
There are many things that aren’t good with the club this season (moneywise we’re balancing the books) but at the end of the day the coach with his high salary must take most of the responsibility for the team’s poor form. The mounting pressure from frustrated Mallorquinistas and the local media don’t help Arrasate’s cause. Curiously this season, Mallorca have been one of the highest scoring sides in La Liga, thanks to the magnificent form of our best player, Vedat Muriqi, with his goal tally now at 16.
I t’s our fragile defence that’s been letting us down. The coach has been banging on every week about defensive solidarity and so far we’ve conceded 39 goals. Arrasate’s tried three centre backs, a back four, different full backs (definitely our weakest position) and centre backs and different midfielders to bolster our leaky defence who haven’t kept a clean sheet for nine games. It’s clear Muriqi’s goals aren’t enough at the moment to save us from being in deeper trouble.
The team have run out of ideas, passing the ball between themselves in midfield in a pitifully slow build-up, then not knowing how to get into the penalty area. Our throw ins and set pieces need looking at but at least last Sunday we were actually running to take corner kicks. In that Betis game we dominated possession 65/35 but our defence couldn’t contain the visitors’ pacey breakaway attacks.
New Angolan, on-loan striker Zito Luvumbo came on for the second half and was played out of position down the right wing. He clearly needs to adapt to the game plan but he looks a powerful player and he forced a couple of corners by “getting stuck in.” We do in fact have an already-made right winger in French youth international Justin Kalumba whom the coach doesn’t seem to see fit to play (as yet).
He warms up with the other subs at half time then goes back to warm the bench. It’s obvious this youngster is a good player so it’s a mystery why he doesn’t get some minutes. He’s been described as one for the future. Never mind the future, let’s take care of the present and get him on the pitch NOW – he can’t be any worse than some of the others! I’m filled with trepidation for Sunday’s game on the Atlantic coast and pray that miracles do in fact happen in football. Visca Mallorca!
AND FINALLY, in 1999 Celtic signed a Brazilian player with the unfortunate name of Rafael Scheidt. As a footballer he was rubbish but his surname caused the local media to have a few funny headlines.
Some of them were (1) Then Celtic manager John Barnes was “dropping Scheidt on the bench”, (2) Word spread at the hospitality buffet in Parkhead that John Barnes was to put Scheidt into a number of different rolls (actually roles) and (3) His appearance on the pitch started fans singing “You’re Scheidt and you know you are!” to the tune of “Go West.”