Mallorca’s coach, Javier Aguirre, fresh from his media commitments back in his native Mexico, wasn’t taking any chances with his team selection as Union had a reputation as “giant killers” on their own patch beating Real Madrid a few years ago and knocking out La Liga side Cadiz in the last round. Almost all the usual starters began the game including South Korean star Kang In Lee who only returned from World Cup duty in Qatar a few days ago.
Also included was Vedat Muriqi and he came close to scoring in the first minute, but went on to have a quiet game. Mallorca should have had this game out of sight in the second half as substitutes Tino Kadewere and Angel Rodriguez missed a couple of easy chances.
Making an appearance in goal was the forgotten man Dominik Greif in his comeback after being out injured for nearly a year. The 6ft 6in Slovakian keeper had a couple of saves that kept Mallorca in the game and it’s now decision time. With Serbian World Cup goalkeeper Pedrag Rajkovic the automatic No. 1 net custodian and Ibiza-born Leo Roman (now a Spanish Under 21 internationalist) looking a top prospect, it’s between Leo and Dominik to see who’s going to be loaned out next month.
Last week I wrote about the January transfer window and how there’s not expected to be much movement from our director of football Pablo Ortells. The big problem for us is other clubs trying to buy some of our players with Vedat Muriqi top of the wanted list.
Kang In Lee is another team member interesting several English Premiership sides and now Sporting Lisbon have announced on social media that they are keen on the services of centre back Martin Valjent.
He is a 27-year-old Slovakian international and his performances of late have attracted attention as transfer talk begins to snowball. Martin cost 1.5 million euros after he came on loan in the 2018/19 campaign from Italian Serie B side Chievo Verona. He’s now in his fifth season on the island and is an indisputable starter for Aguirre. Valjent has a contract until 2025 with a 15 million euro buy-out clause. He’s stated on several occasions that he feels “comfortable and happy” at the club.
REAL MADRID GAME IN DOUBT
Real Madrid will take part in the Club World Cup in February which means our home game against them during the weekend of 4/5th could be in jeopardy. The competition will take place in Morocco until the 11th in the middle of a hectic schedule for Ancelotti’s boys when they will play 17 games in five different competitions.
They will only be required to be in Morocco for February 6 as they have a “bye” until the semi-final along with Brazilian outfit Flamenco. As things stand, Real Madrid will have to postpone two La Liga matches (including our one) if, as expected, they reach the final. The big problem then is if it has to be rescheduled, it’s going to be very difficult to find an alternative date to play the re-arranged game.
That will really spoil it for some local fans who only buy a season ticket for the Son Moix when the “big two” come to town. The price of a match ticket for either of these two sides in Palma is always exorbitant and just about covers the price of a season ticket!
France came up short in the World Cup final and left it a shade too late to get back into the game. For the rest of Europe, France is the place to go to spot talent.
Free football academies have played a major role in putting their football well and truly on the map. Every notable European club has or has had players who passed through the main French academy in Claire Fontaine.
They never stop churning out a conveyor belt of talent, and it’s incredible the number of French players in top European leagues. 34 play in the Premier League, 20 in La Liga, 37 in Italy and 40 in the Bundesliga, 5 of them at Bayern Munich.
AND FINALLY, the day I built a snowman. 8am, I made a snowman. 8:10, a feminist passed and asked why I didn’t make a snow woman. 8:15, so I made a snow woman. 8:17, my feminist neighbour complained about the snow woman’s voluptuous chest, saying it objectified snow women everywhere. 8:22, a transgender man/woman/person asked why I didn’t just make a snow person with detachable parts.
8:25, the vegans at the end of the street complained about the carrot nose, as veggies are food not to decorate snow figures with. 8:28, I was called a racist because the snow couple are white. 8:31, the middle-aged Eastern gent across the street demanded the snow woman be covered up. 8:40, the police arrived saying someone had been offended. 8:42, the feminist neighbour complained again that the broomstick of the snow woman needed to be removed because it depicted women in a domestic role.
8:43, the council equality officer arrived and threatened me with eviction. 8:45, TV news crews arrived and asked me if I knew the difference between snowmen and snow women. I replied “snowballs” and am now called a sexist. 9:00, I was on the news as a suspected terrorist, racist, homophobe, sensibility offender, bent on stirring up trouble during difficult times.
9:10, after being asked if I had any accomplices, my kids were taken by Social Services. 9:29, far left protesters offended by everything marched down the street demanding for me to be arrested. By noon it had all melted. Moral : There is no moral to this story. It all happened because of snowflakes !
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