By Mark Baber
May 31 – Mallorca finally admitted defeat in their battle to keep hold of Giovani Dos Santos for their crucial final game of the season, after Mexico had written to FIFA demanding his release in advance of their World Cup qualifier this coming Tuesday.
The situation arose due to Mexico’s qualification for the FIFA Confederations Cup, which led to their World Cup qualifier against Jamaica being moved forward to June 4.
Mallorca are bottom of La Liga, with Real Zaragoza and Celta Vigo a point ahead and Deportivo two points ahead, with one game to go. They need a win on Saturday against Real Valladolid, and other results to go their way, to escape relegation.
Mexico’s national team director Hector Gonzalez Inarritu wants Dos Santos to be well prepared for the game in Jamaica, and has insisted on Mexico’s right to have him join the squad five days prior to the qualifier.
This is in line with FIFA regulations when the match is on a different continent from where the club is domiciled, even though he is unlikely to play in Friday’s friendly against Nigeria and despite Mallorca’s offer to fly him out on a private jet immediately after Saturday’s game.
Mexico currently sit in fifth place in the decisive hexagonal round which will decide which three teams go through to the 2014 World Cup finals and which team has to play a decider against New Zealand.
With so much at stake for both Mexico and Mallorca, it is not surprising that dispute between club and country had become heated with Mallorca president Lorenzo Serra Ferrer saying, “Things like these wouldn’t happen in Barcelona or Madrid.”
Hector Gonzalez Inarritu, the director of Mexican national teams, claimed, “The club is kidnapping the player and breaking a rule that is very clear, so we’d like actions to be taken against the club.”
But, although uncompromising, Gonzalez did recognise that “everybody fights their battle. They’re in danger of being relegated, and he is their most important player.”
Contact the writer of this story at moc.l1734857493labto1734857493ofdlr1734857493owedi1734857493sni@r1734857493ebab.1734857493kram1734857493