After a week when 67-year-old Madonna came on stage in California spilling out of a lilac satin corset and purple stockings – comments ranged from “The whole thing looks short of pockets,” “Where does she keep her bus pass?” and “You never saw Pavarotti belting out Nessun Dorma in his Y-fronts!” – Real Mallorca face probably the biggest game of a troubled season tomorrow (Saturday, April 25) away at fellow relegation candidates Alaves, kick off in the Mendizorroza is 2pm. Alaves “El Glorioso” is one of those Basque sides who at home are tough to beat with an intimidating atmosphere guaranteed.
What makes this game so exciting is that Alaves are just two points behind us in La Liga standings.
Several of the Mallorca players hobbled off the pitch after the Valencia 1-1 draw on Tuesday. A key factor for the coach Martin Demichelis will be the team’s physical condition, with precious little time available to prepare for tomorrow’s game. The rest period being so short could well see the coach ring the changes to freshen up the team if some players are physically struggling. There’s a question over “speedster” Luvumbo who could return to the squad after it was reported his hamstring strain wasn’t as bad as first thought.
Once again on Tuesday night Demichelis gambled with the old fashioned diamond formation of Costa, Morlanes, Darder and Pablo Torre, who managed to create an attractive style of football although we did lack a bit of aggression against an opponent who seemed content with a draw. Much of our resurgence on the pitch is due to the new coach.
He has had the best debut stats from a new manager (so late in the season) in the 21st century. He arrived with the task of facing a schedule that has become 12 finals (with six games left to play), two home and four away. There’s no question Martin Demichelis (who cuts a dapper figure in his technical area) has hit the ground running and at last we have a coach who’s able to get a tune out a team of assorted instruments who were searching for proper harmony.
Generally speaking, 41 points should see us safe from the dreaded drop, although 42 would be better. That would mean Mallorca need two more wins and two draws in their six remaining matches. On Wednesday night Atletico Madrid played a weakened side due to Champions League commitments and were beaten 3-2 by Elche. Whatever happens in the remaining weeks, there’s going to be a nail-biting finish to La Liga’s relegation outcome in May.
With Vedat Muriqi banging in goals for fun this season, it comes as no surprise to read that several top clubs are monitoring his situation. The striker is enjoying the best moment of his career, rubbing shoulders in European football with the best strikers on the Continent, just three goals behind Mbappe (24) who leads the race for the La Liga top scorer award, “Pichichi.”
Turkish club Fenerbahce (where Mallorcan Marco Asensio plays) have been interested in Muriqi since Christmas as have other clubs, especially Barcelona. His 21 goals so far this campaign haven’t gone unnoticed in Catalunya and Mallorca’s sporting director Pablo Ortells is preparing for a busy Summer as the rumour mill begins to spring into action. However a possible departure, which the player left in Mallorca’s hands, won’t be easy. The minimum price is set at 30 million euros.
Real Madrid – The Worst Losers in World Football
The recent Champions League second leg quarter final game between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid was a classic with the Spanish side being eliminated 4-3 on aggregate. That defeat laid bare Real’s least appealing side. They reacted like spoiled children venting frustration at every turn. Their insistence that they were robbed was utter rubbish as they lost to the better side and with a referee who treated them like any other team – for a change!
Real Madrid, once known for their dominance and class now show a different image when things don’t go their way. Now their inability to accept defeat gracefully is becoming a defining trait. Real Madrid blame their exit from the Champions League not on their own performance but on the Slovak referee, Slavko Vinic.
He was surrounded by Real players after the final whistle and key players like Vinicius Junior, Jude Bellingham and especially Arda Guler painted a picture with their bad behaviour which knew no bounds. Contrast that with the example set by Kylian Mbappe who handled frustration with class, applauding the winning Bayern side. His mature response went largely unnoticed amid Madrid’s chaotic outcry. Their horrible sense of entitlement reeks.
AND FINALLY, a young lady went to see Dr Smith about having her boobs enlarged. Dr Smith advised her “Every day after your shower, rub your chest with this cream I’m prescribing and say ‘Scooby, Doobie, Doobie, I want bigger boobies.’” She did this for several months and it worked a treat. She developed D cup boobs. One morning she was running late, got on the bus and in a panic realised she had forgotten her morning ritual. Frightened she might lose her lovely boobs if she didn’t recite the little rhyme, she stood right in the middle of the aisle, closed her eyes and said “Scooby, Doobie, Doobie, I want bigger boobies.” A guy sitting nearby looked at her and asked “Excuse me, are you by any chance a patient of Dr Smith?” “Why, yes” she replied “I am. How did you know ?” He leaned closer, winked and whispered “Hickory, dickory, dock!!”