Mallorca on brink of glory as Copa del Rey final approaches

As Real Mallorca prepare for the Copa del Rey final, a slogan appearing all over Palma captures the spirit of the moment for a club with a turbulent past: "Venim de l'infern per tocar el cel" – "We come from hell to touch heaven."

This bold statement, displayed on red posters across the city, resonates deeply as fans from the idyllic Balearic island make their way to Seville for the showdown against Athletic Bilbao.

Since Samuel Eto'o scored twice against Recreativo de Huelva to help Real Mallorca win their sole Copa del Rey title in 2003, the 108-year-old club began a nightmarish descent to the depths of Spanish soccer, threatening their existence.

Helped by a North American takeover, Los Bermellones (The Vermillions) have been on the up since sliding into Segunda Division B (Spain's third-tier) in 2017 and are now firmly established in La Liga.

They still operate on a minuscule budget compared to Spain's big hitters, but against the odds this season, they beat surprise La Liga title contenders Girona during a Copa del Rey run, which continued with a penalty shootout victory over Real Sociedad in the semis.

Although Javier Aguirre's team is still too close to the La Liga relegation zone for comfort, all thoughts are now on the showdown against favorites Bilbao, when victory would spark the fiesta of all fiestas.

Thousands will watch on a huge screen erected in Palma's Placa de la Reina and as many as 20,000 Mallorquinistas are set to travel to the game despite air tickets reportedly soaring to as much as 600 euros ($651).

Diehard red

One is 35-year-old Juan Mitas, a diehard red who has lived and breathed Mallorca since the heartbreaking 1998 Copa del Rey final loss on penalties to Barcelona.

"Eight years ago, we were in the third division, and in four days, we are playing the Copa del Rey," Mitas, who will travel to Seville via his wife's city of Cordoba, told Reuters in a cafe next to the Estadi Son Moix, which Real Mallorca call home.

"I'm not nervous, but excited. I wouldn't say I am confident, but I trust in this team. They go into every match with their best face. The Copa is a gift, a bonus.

"I'll always be a Mallorquinista; if I have children, my kids will be Mallorquinistas; even my wife is now a Mallorquinista."

In a league full of superstars, Mallorca remains a homely club, big on spirit and short on egos.

Former Mexico coach Aguirre's team is not known for flamboyance but is resolute and organized, and veteran forward Abdon Prats is a genuine cult hero, complete with an 80s-style mustache.

The 31-year-old from Arta in the island's north returned to the club at their lowest ebb and has become a talisman, scoring the winner in the 2019 playoff final against Deportivo de La Coruna to send Mallorca back to La Liga.

"As a Mallorcan, it's a dream," Prats said after the semi-final win over Real Sociedad. "We are a club to be proud of, one that has been reborn after eight years."

Bilbao, who have knocked out Barcelona and Atletico Madrid en route to the final, are a formidable obstacle, but Mallorca has overcome bigger ones.

"(Athletic) haven't won the Copa in 40 years. They're the favorites, but they have more pressure than us," Kosovan striker Vedat Muriqi said.