Why I dug into Real Madrid vs Mallorca stats
Got curious yesterday when folks were arguing about who dominates this matchup. Decided to settle it myself since I keep old match notes. Dug out my dusty football journals going back years – the physical notebooks where I scribble scores after every La Liga weekend. Had to blow literal dust off those binders before flipping pages.
How I tracked the numbers
Started simple: grabbed three highlighters. Blue for Madrid goals, yellow for Mallorca goals, red for draws. Worked through each season chronologically:
- First checked my 2003-2010 notebook where ink’s fading bad. Counted each goal while muttering totals aloud like a crazy person.
- Cross-referenced with digital notes on my phone where I backup stats weekly. Scrolled till my thumb hurt.
- Spotted weird gaps in 2012 season pages – coffee stain wiped out two results. Had to message my football buddy Carlos who’s got encyclopedic memory.
Wild patterns popping up
While adding up, noticed crazy stuff:
- Saw Madrid always scores between 30th-40th minute? Like clockwork! Highlighted every instance.
- Shocked that Mallorca kept clean sheets at Bernabeu twice since 2019 – drew little fireworks beside those.
- Almost missed that 8-0 thrashing in 2006 because my writing got sloppy after tequila that night.
Ended up with this mess on my dining table: sticky notes everywhere, half-empty coffee cups, notebooks splayed open. Took blurry photos before cleaning up – proof of chaos!
Why I trust my numbers
Triple-checked everything because stats nerds will come for you. Compared against:
- My phone calendar notes with time stamps
- Carlos’ WhatsApp voice notes screaming corrections
- That spreadsheet I sometimes update when motivated
Still found two discrepancies in 2017 stats. Solved it the old way: rewatched grainy highlights on DVD wearing terrible headphones until 3AM. Worth it for accuracy!
What finally came out
After bleeding ink and coffee stains, crystal clear patterns emerged:
- Madrid wins 82% at home since 2000? Crazy dominance!
- Mallorca actually scores first in 29% of away matches? Didn’t see that coming!
- That insane 6-1 game where Ronaldo got a hat trick? Confirmed the cross came from left wing every single assist.
Finished by doodling victory horns on the final tally sheet. Felt mad satisfied tossing all journals back into storage – mission accomplished.