Copa defeat but plenty to be proud about for Atlètic Sant Just in historic Mallorca clash

The half-time whistle was met with one of the loudest triumphant roars of the night. The score was 0-0 but this was a serious achievement for Atlètic Sant Just, whose players celebrated with the same fervour as the fans in the stands. 

Reaching the break level was worth celebrating because this was an amateur team, playing in the sixth tier of the Spanish football pyramid, competing on equal footing with a professional first division side, having done so with a man less from the 24th minute, and having created the better chances of the first half. 

Atlètic Sant Just don’t pay their players, unlike basically all of their opponents in Lliga Elit, five divisions below RCD Mallorca, who reached the final of this competition in 2024. Even Mallorca’s B team play in a division above the Catalan side. 

Yet here they were, against all odds, coming out equal against far superior opposition after the first 45 minutes were played. This alone is a feat worth being proud of, and the celebrations after the half-time whistle showed they knew they were more than in this contest.

In the stands too, the club have plenty of proud about for their fanbase that turned out for the occasion and made this an atmosphere that nobody connected with the club will forget in a hurry. 

Ahead of kickoff, it wasn't just the starting XI that posed for the team photo, the whole matchday squad got in the picture alongside their friends, everyone fully aware of the magnitude of the historic occasion they were taking part in. 

The amateur side gave Mallorca some scares too. There were moments that Sant Just could have taken the lead, having created numerous chances. Jan González rounded the keeper but saw his effort blocked before reaching goal, while another attempted chip from the striker just had too much purchase on it, sailing over the bar. 

Earlier in the game, supporters thunderously lifted their voices as defender Nacho delivered strong tackles, spiking adrenaline levels on and off the pitch. Nacho may have paid dearly for this adrenaline boost, as mid-way through the first half, he was shown a straight red card for a poorly timed tackle, a moment which completely changed the dynamic of the game. 

In the end, the numerical advantage clearly showed, and Mallorca found chances much easier to come by in the second half. Hearts were broken just three minutes after the restart with a goal from a corner that ricocheted off numerous heads, eventually into the Sant Just net.

The numerical advantage really became apparent in the second half, with Mallorca creating chances much more frequently. A double blow came for Sant Just on 70 minutes, when star forward Jan González went down injured and asked to be substituted, only for the Balearics to double their lead at the end of the very same move.

Supporters enjoy "party"

Albert, supporting Atlètic Sant Just, told Catalan News ahead of the game that he was hoping for a "surprise" on the night, but was at least expecting "fight" from the underdogs. Aritz, meanwhile, was very confident of a historic upset. 

Gerard, a close friend of Atlètic Sant Just star striker Jan González, explained to Catalan News that he was "happy" and "excited" for the team to play such a special encounter. He was slightly more realistic about the team's chances of progressing, pointing out the chasmic difference between the two clubs, but was delighted for his friend to be able to enjoy such a game. 

Another friend of González, Biel, was delighted to point out that the Sant Just striker was the current top scorer in the competition, given his goals in the qualifying round. "It's a party," he said of the occasion, "and it's recognition for the club."

He hoped for a game of very few goals, which he thought would suit Atlètic Sant Just better than Mallorca. 

Miracle of Atlètic Sant Just

The story of Atlètic Sant Just is one of a minor miracle, as the club were founded just 15 years ago by a group of parents fed up with how things were being run when their children were part of the other club in the city, CF Sant Just. 

Having managed four promotions in their short lifespan, they are now playing in the Lliga Elit, the 6th tier of the Spanish football pyramid, without paying their players anything but some small bonuses for results.

Family values and creating the best environment possible are at the core of everything Atlètic Sant Just do. 

Their first senior team was comprised of a group of young childhood friends, a group who went from attending each other's teenage birthday parties to nowadays attending each other's weddings and children's christenings.   

The biggest game in the club's history, the Copa game against Mallorca, kicked off at 8pm in the L'Hospitalet municipal stadium.