The islanders, executioners of Girona and penultimate in the league, will contest the final of the cup after 21 years of winning it with Samuel Eto’o as reference
If there is a revelation in Spanish football in the 2023/24 season, it is Girona, who are close to making history by qualifying for the Champions League next year. But it is not the only one, since on Tuesday Mallorca performed another feat by eliminating Real Sociedad in Anoeta in the cup semi-final. Javier Aguirre’s men, who held to a 0-0 draw in Son Moix, drew 1-1 in Anoeta and in the penalty shoot-out secured their ticket to the final, which will be played in La Cartuja on April 6, and also for next year’s super cup in Saudi Arabia. An impressive achievement for a team that had no chance of fighting for this title, although the cup always gives chances to the underdogs. In fact, the Girona could have been the heroes of this story, but it was Mallorca who left them out with a 3-2 win in the first half of the quarter-finals played in Son Moix. Thus, the glories are distributed, even if it is due to the misfortune of some.
Mallorca, second B in the cup
Mallorca needed some joy this season, since Javier Aguirre’s team, after the previous good campaign – ninth with 50 points, just ahead of Girona – and to bolster themselves in the summer, when they sold Kang In Lee, with signings like Darder or Larin, are suffering much more than expected to save themselves. They now have a six-point margin over Cadiz, but they occupy seventh place and relegation is very close. And of course, the cup also serves to disconnect them from this pressure, which Girona will want to take advantage of this Sunday, when they visit Son Moix with the intention of punishing the fatigue caused by Tuesday’s game in Mallorca.
It won’t be just any week for Mallorca, obviously. The islanders have achieved with a triumph, which can be even greater with the trophy, a recovery process that has lasted seven years. The club was relegated to second division B in the 2017/18 season. Coincidentally, the debut of Girona in the first and, to complete it, starting the season playing in Peralada, when the sparkling team were Girona’s subsidiary. Since then, Mallorca began an upward march that, if it secures permanence, will have taken it back to consolidating itself in the first place and, in addition, to enjoy this triumph in the cup. And with two players (Abdón and Raíllo) who have made the entire journey.
The title, the next challenge for the Balearics
Winning the title is the next challenge for the Balearics. It will be their fourth final in their history and they have only won it once. In the first two, they lost against Atlético, in extra time (1990/91), and against Barça, on penalties (1997/98). In the third, the 2002/03 season and with Samuel Eto’o as a great figure in the team and scoring a double in the final, Mallorca, led by Gregorio Manzano, did not fail against Recreativo de Huelva (3- 0). 21 years have passed and now the excitement of the cup is once again filling Palma. Son Moix will be a party on Sunday, but Girona will want to spoil it.