Let’s start by looking back at this week last year when Mallorca came back from 2-0 down to Deportivo La Coruña to win promotion back to La Liga. When Abdon Prats hit an 84th minute screamer the whole stadium went completely nuts and the celebrations went long into the night.
Fast forward one year and Mallorca are now staring down the barrel of relegation and a return to La Liga 2. A disappointing 1-1 draw at home to fellow relegation strugglers Leganes meant that there’s now a 3 point gap between them and fourth bottom Eibar.
A 2-0 loss away at Real Madrid last night wasn’t unexpected but it’s another game gone with no points picked up. Mallorca are still playing well but can’t put the ball into the onion bag and right now goals are what they need. It was great to see Luka Romero making his Mallorca debut. He becomes the youngest player ever to play in La Liga, aged 15 years and 219 days. Romero beat the record held for 81 years by Francisco Bao Rodriguez, known as Samson, who played on December 31st 1939 aged 15 and 255 days for Celta Vigo against Sevilla.
Born in Mexico, to Argentine parents, Romero moved to Andalusia, Spain, at the age of three. He moved to Formentera at the age of seven, and started to play for Ibiza team Penya Esportiva Sant Jordi.
In 2011, Romero had a trial with Barcelona but could not sign as he was under 10 and did not live in the area. In 2015, he signed an eight-year youth contract with Mallorca at the age of ten. In his first four years at Mallorca, Romero scored 230 goals in 108 matches. Hopefully when he turns 16 Mallorca can sign him to a professional contract and get decent money for him before a big club comes in.
Only 7 games to go for Mallorca and it’s hard to see them getting out of the mire.
Home: Celta Vigo, Levante, Granada,
Away: Athletico Bilbao, Atlético Madrid, Sevilla, Osasuna.
Good news for Mallorca this past week was Dani Rodriguez signing a new contract with the club until 2023. For me he was the player of the year last year and the goal he scored against his old club Albacete in the play-off semi final was an absolute screamer.
One thing that is probably effecting Mallorca more than other clubs is the lack of fans as there’s no doubt they helped with the promotion push last year.
La Liga sent clubs a protocol detailing how to manage fans returning to games this season. Included in the measures are 5 arrival slots, from 1.5 hours to 15 mins before kick-off and fans will leave according to their row, with those closest to exits allowed out first.
All will have to have temperature checks, wear masks and stay in their seats. They’ll also be given specific toilets to use. All stadium retail outlets will be closed and Clubs will decide which fans use up their allocations.
Atlético Baleares will find out this evening how they can progress to La Liga 2 in the Segunda B play-offs draw. Sad news from the club this week was that Scottish U-21 International Jordan Holsgrove has had to go back to his parent club Reading and therefore can’t play in the play-offs. We’ll also be looking out for the opponents of UD Ibiza and Pena Deportivo who are also looking to get promoted.
My two, Jake and Jude signed their contracts this week with CD San Francisco. Jake entering his fifth season with the club and Jude his third. Exciting news from the club this week was last year they won a competition set by Palma City Council to get their facilities upgraded. This week the Council came to settle the last of the plans and so it looks like a new pitch will be laid in September.
Great news for all the players as right now the surface isn’t the best.
Take care everyone, I’m back at the 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 atwww.radioonemallorca.com on 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!
Follow him on Twitter @DadTaxi1 & Instagram @dad.taxi or feel free to email him at rprior@globobalear.com
Dad Taxi Mallorca 