After a week when there was more despair for Manchester United when plans for ground renovations at Old Trafford were leaked to the media, and immediately there was a major issue – the seats will be facing the pitch ! – Real Mallorca returned to training on Tuesday after their festive break. Mallorquinistas will miss 2024, a year of emotions, nerves, anger (especially where VAR was concerned) and farewells; from almost winning the Copa del Rey final in Seville last April to just avoiding being relegation fodder in May. As 2025 arrives, the Palma side find themselves in “nose bleed territory,” sixth place in La Liga which, if we finish in that position, would see us in the Europa League.
Our Cup Final appearance opened the door to participation in the Spanish Super Cup being played in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between January 9 and 15. Personally I think it’s a distraction and a “bump in the road” for Mallorca in what has been and is a brilliant season so far as we compete in three competitions. We play Real Madrid on Thursday, January 9 at 20:00 (Palma time) and if a miracle happens and we make it to the final, we’ll play either Barcelona or Athletic Club in the final on Sunday 12th. Mallorca will have an advantage over Real Madrid in that they’ll have three days more preparation as Madrid have to play a postponed La Liga game against Valencia tonight.
Since the 2019/20 season, the competition has been in Saudi Arabia with a final four format. The monetary benefits received by clubs taking part is calculated by the number of trophies they’ve won and the team’s prestige which is based on the revenue generated from TV rights.
The Spanish Super Cup brings in a significant income for the Spanish FA and the whole of Spanish football. Saudi Arabia pays 40 million euros annually to take the Super Cup to its country. Of that, 40 million or 20% is spent on grass roots football in Spain. Before all that kicks off, there’s a little matter of Mallorca facing fourth division Galician side Pontevedra tonight, Friday, at 19:00 hrs. These guys are no mugs as they have already seen off Levante and Villareal. If Mallorca get through this tricky tie, they’ll be in the round of 16 to be played around January 15.
The January transfer window officially opened yesterday (Thursday) and continues until February 3. Mallorca’s position in La Liga classifications gives them the label of “appetising” for many footballers and their agents who see the club as being a candidate for a European place. It also means players’ s careers can be revived and loan deals come into prominence. Sadly for Real Mallorca it looks like we’ll lose the services of centre back Martin Valjent at the end of the season on a free transfer. After months of negotiations there’s been no agreement on an increased contract and the 29-year-old will leave these island shores after six great years at the Son Moix.
Signed from Italian second division side Chievo Verona on loan in August 2018, little was known about the Slovak defender. Six years later Martin’s become a legend at the club and last month played his 219th game in a Mallorca jersey. Valjent has been a fabulous player at Real Mallorca and a Collosus alongside Raillo in our defence over his time here. Valjent will always be able to brag about two promotions and having played in the final of the Copa del Rey. The club very much wanted to renew his contract but NOT at any price. He was offered an increased deal months ago but his “people” (agents) weren’t in agreement and sadly he’s on the move.
Each Spanish club has a salary cap which is calculated based on a series of factors including revenues, costs and debts. It is proportional to roughly 70% of the club’s revenues. It’s such a shame in modern football that a high value player like him is able to let his value fall to zero. No doubt Mallorca will sign an adequate replacement in the Summer and it is also a big chance for Copete to step up and be counted.
The other bit of transfer rumour news is that there’s been no official approach from Jose Mourinho’s Fernabahce for Vedat Muriqi. From Mallorca’s point of view, if there was an approach they would politely tell the Turkish giants to go forth and multiply. Muriqi is a key piece in the Real Mallorca scheme of things and is worth a lot more than the derisory 5 million euros we’d get for him. He is the highest paid player on Mallorca’s books and stressed himself his desire to be on the island for a long time.
The transfer rumour mill has started on the island with the name Marco Asensio appearing. Now 28 years old, he began is career as a part of the Platjes de Calvia team in Magaluf in 2006, then joined Real Mallorca for seven years before moving on to Real Madrid in 2014. Now at PSG, he’s had a wretched time in Paris and has recently been stuck on the bench. Mallorca allegedly are interested in a loan deal but his 10 million euros net per season (for any side) is unaffordable. However, clubs interested in Marco would want PSG to take care of a good part of his salary.
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