They remain undefeated, but no longer undefeated. Mallorca drew against Napoli in their fifth try of the pre-season (1-1). A goal from Raíllo, in the 54th minute of the match, compensated for the initial goal scored by Osimhen, from the penalty spot. Against the most demanding rival to date, the vermilions showed their faces and they continue to show slight improvement over games.
It took Napoli nine minutes to dot the i’s, end the invincibility of the vermilion team during the pre-season and reveal some of the shortcomings Real Mallorca had covered up after the first four friendlies.
While it is true that, until the game against the Italians, Aguirre’s men had always faced teams one or two steps below, at Castel de Sangro they did so against a Champions League opponent, who finished third in Serie A last year and who has a much higher budget than the red team.
Aguirre continues to try, but he does it without getting out of the pattern in which he is still stubborn and that nothing and no one, it seems, will make him change. In his defense of five he touches and retouches, tests and stops testing. But the number is unwavering for the Mexican. Five back and no discussion. Against the Italians, for example, he gave the title to Gayá and left Valjent on the bench. Moreover, he gave Predrag Rajkovic his first minutes with the vermilion rubber band and the Serbian goalkeeper took nine minutes to collect his first ball from the back of the net.
Copete committed an absurd and unnecessary penalty. The Andalusian footballer hit the ball with his elbow and the referee signaled the maximum penalty. Osimhen did not forgive from eleven meters to register the first goal on the scoreboard (min. 9). Mallorca were overwhelmed in these early stages, weak in defense and soft in attack.
Baba was the most overmatched, missing and erratic football player, but the team in general lacked ideas, speed and depth, issues that largely resolved themselves as the minutes went by. There was little news from Rajkovic, who Napoli didn’t seem to want to demand too much of him on the day of his premiere.
After the break, Raíllo was quick to please his team. It was in the 54th minute of the match that the Cordouan took advantage of a loose rebound from the goalkeeper. from the Italian team, Merey, to a header from Muriqi, who had just come off in the second half, and put the tables on the scoreboard.
Aguirre shuffled his cards, almost completely changing all of his chips, but neither a very hard-working Kang, nor an insistent Antonio Sánchez, nor Vedat’s continued insistence managed to move the light. Napoli, who were taking their foot off the accelerator as the minutes went by, practically ended the game in a stalemate, with no intention of taking anything positive from the game against vermilion.
Data sheet:
Naples: Meret, Kim, Mario Rui, Fabian, Osimhen, Lozano, Rrahmani, Zielisnki, Di Lorenzo, Lobotka and Kvaratskhelia.
Majorca: Rajkovic, Maffeo, Raillo, Gaia, Copete, Jaume Costa, Baba, Grenier, Dani Rodriguez, Abdon Prats and Angel Rodriguez. Vedat Muriqi (45 minutes), Kang In Lee (45 minutes), Leo Roman (61 minutes), Antonio Sanchez (61 minutes), Lake (76 minutes), Battaglia (76 minutes), Gio (min. 76) and Cufré ( min 76).
Goals: 1-0: Osimhen (min. 9). 1-1: Track (min. 54).
Arbitrator: Francesco Fourneau.
Yellow cards: Baba (min. 39), Raíllo (min. 45),
Red cards: There were none.