1997–98 RCD Mallorca season
# 1997–98 RCD Mallorca season

In the 1997–98 season Real Club Deportivo Mallorca competed in La Liga and Copa del Rey.

## Summary

The club with the President Bartolome Beltran appointed on 10 July 1997, Argentinian head coach Héctor Cúper from Lanús as its new manager, winning the spot ahead of Portuguese José Mourinho. After winning the relegation playoff defeating Rayo Vallecano and Cuper secured, Beltran announced several transfers in for the La Liga newcomer team: Brazilian attacking midfielder Palhinha (1994 FIFA World Cup Champion) arrived from Cruzeiro, Brazilian right back Ivan Rocha and Argentinian striker Gabriel Amato from Hércules CF. On 15 August 1997 Argentinian goalkeeper Carlos Roa and right winger Oscar Mena were transferred in from Lanús.

Also, Beltran negotiated six transfers from Valencia CF due to these players were discarded by Argentinian coach Jorge Valdano: left back Enrique Romero, defensive midfielder Vicente Engonga, Galvez, striker Moya, central back Iván Campo and midfielder Xabier Eskurza. Two more incorporations attacking midfielder Juan Carlos Valeron from UD Las Palmas and left winger Jovan Stankovic from CD Logroñés, both players arrived to the club after the few chances of play in their former teams.

## Squad

    Squad at end of season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Kike Burgos |
| 2 | MF | ARG | Oscar Mena |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Ivan Rocha |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Barbero |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Marcelino |
| 6 | DF | ESP | Paco |
| 7 | DF | ESP | Lluís Carreras |
| 8 | FW | ESP | Gabriel Moya |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Gabriel Amato |
| 10 | MF | BRA | Palhinha |
| 10 | FW | ESP | Santiago Ezquerro |
| 11 | MF | YUG | Jovan Stanković |
| 12 | DF | ESP | Iván Campo |
| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| 13 | GK | ARG | Carlos Roa |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Javier Olaizola |
| 15 | MF | ESP | Paco Soler |
| 16 | FW | ESP | José Gálvez |
| 18 | DF | ESP | Xabier Eskurza |
| 19 | MF | ESP | Juan Carlos Valeron |
| 20 | MF | ESP | Monchu |
| 21 | FW | ESP | Enrique Romero |
| 23 | MF | ESP | Vicente Engonga |
| 24 | GK | ESP | Xabier |
| 26 | DF | ESP | Fernando Niño |
| — | DF | ESP | David Castedo |

### Transfers

In :

| Pos. | Name | from |
| - | - | - |
| DF | Enrique Romero | Valencia CF |
| DF | Iván Campo | Valencia CF |
| FW | Gabriel Moya | Valencia CF |
| MF | Vicente Engonga | Valencia CF |
| FW | Jose Galvez | Valencia CF |
| MF | Xabier Eskurza | Valencia CF |
| MF | Oscar Mena | Lanús |
| FW | Gabriel Amato | Hércules CF |
| GK | Carlos Roa | Lanús |
| MF | Juan Carlos Valeron | UD Las Palmas |
| AM | Palhinha | Cruzeiro |
| DF | Ivan Rocha | Atlético Madrid |

Out :

| Pos. | Name | To | Type |
| - | - | - | - |
| AM | Palhinha | Flamengo | |

### Left club during season

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 10 | MF | BRA | Palhinha (to Flamengo) |

**Arrived club during season**

Note: Flags indicate national team as defined under FIFA eligibility rules. Players may hold more than one non-FIFA nationality.

| No. | Pos. | Nation | Player |
| - | - | - | - |
| 10 | FW | ESP | Santiago Ezquerro (loan from Atlético Madrid) |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Ivan Rocha (loan from Atlético Madrid) |

## Competitions

### La Liga

**League table**

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | D | L | GF | GA | GD | Pts | Qualification or relegation |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 3 | Real Sociedad | 38 | 16 | 15 | 7 | 60 | 37 | +23 | 63 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 4 | Real Madrid | 38 | 17 | 12 | 9 | 63 | 45 | +18 | 63 | Qualification for the Champions League group stage |
| 5 | Mallorca | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 55 | 39 | +16 | 60 | Qualification for the Cup Winners' Cup first round |
| 6 | Celta de Vigo | 38 | 17 | 9 | 12 | 54 | 47 | +7 | 60 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |
| 7 | Atlético Madrid | 38 | 16 | 12 | 10 | 79 | 56 | +23 | 60 | Qualification for the UEFA Cup first round |

* 1 2 RMA 2–0 RSO; RSO 4–2 RMA
* ↑ Real Madrid was qualified directly for the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League as holders.
* 1 2 3 MLL: 9 pts; CEL: 5 pts; ATM: 2 pts
* ↑ Since Barcelona, winners of 1997–98 Copa del Rey, was qualified for the 1998–99 UEFA Champions League, losing cup finalists RCD Mallorca earned a spot in the first round of the 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup.

**Positions by round**

| Team ╲ Round | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 | 27 | 28 | 29 | 30 | 31 | 32 | 33 | 34 | 35 | 36 | 37 | 38 |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| Mallorca | 6 | 9 | 2 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 7 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 7 | 8 | 10 | 11 | 9 | 8 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 6 | 6 | 7 | 5 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 8 | 7 | 4 | 4 | 4 | 5 | 5 | 5 | 5 |

* 1998–99 UEFA Cup Winners' Cup First round
* Leader
* 1998–99 UEFA Champions League Qualifying Round
* 1998–99 UEFA Cup First round
* 1998 UEFA Intertoto Cup Third round
* Play-off relegation to 1998–99 Segunda División
* Relegation to 1998–99 Segunda División

## Statistics

### Players Statistics

| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Total | Total | 1997–98 La Liga | 1997–98 La Liga | 1997–98 Copa del Rey | 1997–98 Copa del Rey |
| - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| No. | Pos | Nat | Player | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals | Apps | Goals |
| 13 | GK | ARG | Roa | 31 | -28 | 25 | -22 | 6 | -6 |
| 14 | MF | ESP | Olaizola | 45 | 0 | 37 | 0 | 7+1 | 0 |
| 5 | DF | ESP | Marcelino | 46 | 3 | 36 | 2 | 10 | 1 |
| 12 | DF | ESP | Campo | 43 | 1 | 33 | 1 | 10 | 0 |
| 21 | DF | ESP | Romero | 47 | 3 | 38 | 3 | 9 | 0 |
| 2 | MF | ARG | Mena | 46 | 9 | 35 | 7 | 7+4 | 2 |
| 23 | MF | ESP | Engonga | 41 | 0 | 34 | 0 | 5+2 | 0 |
| 19 | MF | ESP | Valeron | 47 | 4 | 32+4 | 3 | 9+2 | 1 |
| 11 | MF | YUG | Stankovic | 44 | 9 | 31+4 | 4 | 7+2 | 5 |
| 9 | FW | ARG | Amato | 46 | 14 | 32+3 | 13 | 8+3 | 1 |
| 8 | FW | ESP | Moya | 25 | 3 | 16+7 | 3 | 1+1 | 0 |
| 1 | GK | ESP | Kike | 19 | -22 | 13+1 | -17 | 5 | -5 |
| 3 | DF | BRA | Rocha | 11 | 0 | 4+3 | 0 | 0+4 | 0 |
| 4 | DF | ESP | Barbero | 4 | 0 | 1 | 0 | 3 | 0 |
| 6 | DF | ESP | Paco Sanz | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| 7 | DF | ESP | Carreras | 17 | 1 | 7+5 | 1 | 2+3 | 0 |
| 10 | MF | BRA | Palhinha | 11 | 0 | 5+4 | 0 | 2 | 0 |
| 10 | FW | ESP | Ezquerro | 20 | 8 | 7+7 | 6 | 3+3 | 2 |
| 15 | MF | ESP | Paco Soler | 30 | 1 | 5+17 | 1 | 5+3 | 0 |
| 16 | FW | ESP | Jose Galvez | 32 | 9 | 13+12 | 5 | 5+2 | 4 |
| 18 | DF | ESP | Eskurza | 30 | 1 | 8+16 | 0 | 5+1 | 1 |
| 20 | MF | ESP | Monchu | 22 | 5 | 5+12 | 4 | 5 | 1 |
| 24 | GK | ESP | Xabier | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| 26 | DF | ESP | Fernando Niño |
| 3 | DF | ESP | David Castedo | 5 | 1 | 1+1 | 0 | 3 | 1 |
| | MF | ESP | Maldonado | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |
| | MF | ESP | Martí | 1 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 1 | 0 |

* Source:
