August!

August is upon us, the month where the roads are jam packed, you can’t park anywhere and trying to get a restaurant reservation is nigh on impossible. For those of us who work in the tourist industry it’s heads down and look forward to September.

We took the opportunity last weekend to leave the island and take a trip to Barcelona. We love the city but when we found out Arsenal were playing there in a pre-season game we had to go. Well my Wife had to be persuaded with a promised tapas bar visit and that we would stay in a hotel and not on the airport floor like last time when we saw Queen live with Adam Lambert!

Ryanair played their old chestnut game, by not buying a seat they tell you “there’s a chance you won’t be sat together” change that to “there’s absolutely no chance you’ll be sat together and we’ll put you in the worst middle seats”. Sure enough we ended up going with 4E, 5B, 5E and 31B and coming back with 3B, 5B, 30B and 31B! You couldn’t make it up. Anyway it’s only half an hour so no worries.

The tapas restaurant didn’t disappoint as always, it’s called Cervecería Catalana by the way in Calle Mallorca, so easy to remember. We made our way to the stadium by Metro which we’d never done before. We bought a ticket that covered 10 journeys which covered going for all of us and going back and was just 10.65€. Fairly easy to understand too once you get your bearings. The game was for the Juan Camper trophy a traditional beginning of season game they play every year. The whole of the Barcelona team was introduced to their fans and no surprise who got the biggest cheer. Messi is God in these parts and unfortunately(or fortunately) for us he didn’t get on. Rest after the Copa America was the official line, although he’d been out partying in Ibiza last week.

It was totally full with 98,000 fans and the game was going well at 1-0 to the Arsenal until we decided to score an own goal with 20 minutes to go and the man that we once bid £40 million plus a penny for, Luis Suarez scored in the final minute. Still a great day out and the boys loved it.

Real Mallorca play their final warm up game this weekend when they play in the Trofeo Cuitat de Palma against La Liga side Levante. It’s their traditional beginning of season game where they like Barcelona did present their team to the fans. The club have sold their full quota of season tickets, 16,125, they need  to keep 20% of seats back for visiting fans.

Whilst I have sympathy with people especially friends who couldn’t get season tickets for Real Mallorca. Where were you 2 years ago when we were in 2B? You might want to watch Barcelona but you chose not watch us on a cold January day against Atletico Saguntino!

This is the time of year that Fantasy Football leagues are popular, we have a similar thing on the radio where we predict the Premier League scores. Some of the names people come up with are great.

Lallanas in Pyjamas

Lads on Toure

We’re Going Toulouse

Pjanic at the Disco

Moyes N The Hood

Chamakh My Pitch Up

Deeney in a Bottle

You Kante Be Serious?

Woo Woo That’s The Sound of Nampalys

Neville Wears Prada

Absolutely Fabregas

Pathetico Madrid

Klopps and Robbers

Le Saux Solid Crew

Knowing me, knowing you…Zaha

And my favourite in our league There’s only 1 F in Fulham.

To join us in our Radio One Mallorca mini-league, follow these 3 easy steps: 

1. Register or log-in at IKTS (https://iknowthescore.co.uk/) 

2. Join the Premier League 2019/20 game 

3. Click on Mini-Leagues in the menu and enter the following code: k533d 

My favourite football story of the week was the match between Tiptree Engaine FC and Stanway Rovers Reserves. The referee failed to show up so a replacement was found from the gathered supporters. He was a qualified referee but the only problem was he had no whistle. The only thing they could find was a toddlers harmonica! I’ve seen the footage online and it’s hilarious when he blows as every time it’s a different note. Would love to see that in the Premier League this weekend.

On my radio show every day I do a fascinating fact and this was a good one this week. Bohemian Rhapsody’ by Queen contains the famous “mamma mia, mamma mia, mamma mia let me go” line. In January 1976, it was knocked off the No.1 position on the UK chart by Abba’s ‘Mamma Mia’.

Dad Taxi returns this weekend with an early morning trip to Binnisalem as my eldest starts his pre-season games.

Enjoy your weekend!

Richie presents the Radio One Mallorca Breakfast show Monday to Friday07.30-11.00am on 93.8fm in Mallorca and 102fm in Calvià, online at www.radioonemallorca.comon mobile through their free App for IPhone & Android, The Tunein Radio App, iTunes, the Spanish TDT TV service and all smart speakers. . If you can’t hear him on the radio then you’ll find him working at Pirates Adventure the islands number one night out and every now and again he may make an understudy appearance!

Feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com