Contents THE PAYPAL INTERVIEW: 10 ANTE BUDIMIR: NUMBERS COUNT 4 CARLOS ROA 12 THE PUSH FOR PROMOTION 13 DIMONIÓ VOTED LA LIGA’S BEST CONTINUES FOR MALLORCA B MASCOT REMEMBER? THE NIGHT WE RESERVED FOR LEGENDS: 14 CONQUERED THE BERNABÉU 16 ESTEVE FRADERA SURPRISE! OUR SENIOR STARS 18 VIDEOCALL THE FÚTBOL BASE 2 RCDMAGAZINE 3 MAY 2020 The Interview: Carlos Ángel Roa “At Real Mallorca I had the best years of my career” go in! involved in that match against Barcelona, that title and that It’s impossible, right? That was team. I still get goose bumps ver the course of the Earthquakes as a goalkeeping our night, and for many reasons looking back at everything. previous few weeks coach in the MLS. How’s life in too. The plan was not to go to in lockdown, we the United States? O penalties. We were playing well Hector Cúper famously said have enlisted fans across against a spectacular Barcelona after the defeat that Barcelona our Facebook, Twitter and We’re very happy here. All of side at the time, who had just took home the cup that night, Instagram pages to settle a us who are part of Matías won the league with players like but Mallorca had won it. Do you debate spanning generations: coaching staff were players, Rivaldo and Luis Figo. I’ll tell feel the same way? what is RCD Mallorca’s greatest but we never had the chance to you one thing though, I knew starting XI? With votes totalling play in the United States. It’s a that if it went to penalties, I I still think that we should have in the thousands to first decide bit different to our Latin culture, would be confident. I felt good the team and the fans. I haven’t won it. It’s no consolation that upon who should be given but you learn from everything. both physically and mentally, talked about it this much after he said Barcelona took home the honour of wearing our We had a big challenge ahead of but getting to penalties was not so many years. I couldn’t enjoy the trophy, not in the slightest. No.1 jersey, Carlos ‘Lechuga’ us after a difficult first season, easy. We received two red cards my best years as a footballer Of course, the defeat bothers Roa was elected as the club’s but we got some good results. in extra-time, Enrique Romero as the only thing that mattered me, but we can’t change what finest goalkeeper ahead of This was our season of growth and Oscar Mena, and Jovan to me as a player was: winning, has been and gone. What does Dudú Aoaute and Ezzaki Badou and consolidation, but as you Stankovic was injured. We winning, winning, success, and fill me with satisfaction is the who finished second and third already know, the coronavirus resisted stoically. When we got then winning again and playing fact that we did everything respectively. has put everything on hold. “That fact fans to penalties, it was clear that it well in training and matches possible to try and win it. was not going to be our night. for both Mallorca and the Barcelona were the favourites, First-choice shot-stopper still remem- Bragging rights in California Mallorca did end up winning national team. I couldn’t stop yet we gave them a good game throughout the most successful aren’t a given considering San the Cup in 2003, however. to think what was going on and and they were worried about us. epoch of our history, Roa won ber me after Jose Earthquakes have a well- There you have, the club’s big appreciate that it was nice and For Barcelona it’s just one more the Spanish Super Cup, reached known rival in LA Galaxy... so many years moment, not ours. What’s clear so special. It’s something that cup. They’re used to winning, Copa del Rey and UEFA Cup though, is that we have to be is remembered by the entire but their fans must have been Winners’ Cup finals and helped makes me very Absolutely! Look, last year, proud of the performance from generation of fans that were like: ‘damn, these guys have the club achieve a record high when a world-class player like third-placed finish during a spell happy” Zlatan Ibrahimovic played with at Son Moix which spanned them, we beat them both home five seasons. To celebrate the of all, I get very emotional and away. What penalised last Argentine’s place among our hearing that as such a long year was the bad run of results prestigious pantheon of bona- time has passed since my era we had in the final part of the fide club legends, RCDMagazine at Mallorca. It was a wonderful season and that deprived us of went Stateside via virtual means stage in my career and my best a place in the qualifiers for the to speak with the man himself. years too. That fact fans still title. remember me after so many Carlos, it’s a pleasure for us years makes me very happy. I’m You’re active on social media to speak to you again and very touched and it brings me a and don’t shy away from congratulations on being voted great deal of joy. interacting with fans. This year as the best goalkeeper in our is the 22nd anniversary of our club’s history by fans. What’s it Before reflecting on your cup final against FC Barcelona like receiving such an honour? time here in Mallorca, let’s and many Mallorca players talk briefly about what you’re have reminded you of the The pleasure is all mine! Being currently up to. You’ve been match you had despite losing able to hear from you and fans part of Matías Almeyda’s the title – people still wonder again has made my day. First backroom staff at San Jose how Stankovic’s penalty didn’t 4 RCDMAGAZINE 5 MAY 2020 made us sweat for it’. We were four. It was fate, because even cogs that fitted together and shoot-out and our coach, Daniel the time, but reflecting upon it, so close to winning it. After the penalties were an eventuality “As time has worked perfectly. Passarella, came up to me and was it the right one? game, losing out on penalties we had trained for. The one told me that we had to win. and receiving a runners-up which really would have put us passed, I’ve Every footballer we’ve spoked That put a lot of pressure on It’s always difficult and medal from the king, we were in a position to win was taken by learnt to value to who played in that Mallorca me, but all things considered, complicated to delve into this broken. I was in a very bad way our set-piece specialist and best side remember it very fondly... I did okay. The game had to topic. Through the passage of in all honesty, because we had player, Stankvoic - someone that final” be won because if we didn’t, time, I think about it now and given everything and it wasn’t who used to hit them like god I would have liked to have the criticism would have been it pains me to have left the enough to win the title. As time himself and had never missed been able to stay at Mallorca. heavy. In Argentina, football island at that time because I has passed, I’ve learnt to value – yet he wasn’t able to score. Cúper gave shape to a team, Who knows? Maybe as coach is a passion and very intense, had a great relationship with that final. That showed he’s also human which as you said, had come or goalkeeping coach, the people, team-mates, and can make mistakes. It’s not from playing in the Segunda but life takes you on a coaching staff, colleagues You mentioned that you felt easy walking 70 metres to the División. Honestly, the team had different path. I have a lot and fans at the club. My confident going to penalties, penalty spot, with all the people to respond because we didn’t of affection for Mallorca heart and mind asked this but few goalkeepers can say shouting and the opposition start well. The first half of the because they’ve always of me and it was what they saved three spot-kicks goalkeeper ahead of you. Your season went badly and there treated me very well and made me happy at the time. and then also stepped up legs begin to tremble because were even some people calling because I enjoyed some I was leaving a place where themselves to score... of the enormous responsibility for Cúper’s head until we won of the best moments of I was treated wonderfully that rests on your shoulders. and then went on a really good my life there, like when the and some people didn’t If we had won the title, it would streak. We either won or drew, Argentina national team understand that part me, have been truly epic. I was able While your first season in the very few games were lost after called me to participate the different and spiritual to save three penalties from Primera División following that. If God had brushed us a at the World Cup. I wish side I have. Later on, when players of Rivaldo, Figo and promotion from the Segunda little more with his magic wand, when my career ended I was in the street people Albert Celades’ calibre, but then División was good, next year who knows what we could have that I could have had some would stop me or they also score myself.