Mallorca, a holiday island par excellence, used to be a place where all top football clubs arrived with fear. RCD Mallorca (often called Real) isn't the top club it used to be 20 years ago, but at the moment the fans are content that they are back in the top flight.
Until 1999 Mallorca had one of the finest stadiums in Spain but after 1999 one of the ugliest. At the time, there were several extremely cheerless stadiums being built, very self-absorbed, often with a running track around the pitch too. Son Moix (now the Visit Mallorca Estadi) can host 20.500 fans, but it is never completely filled. It is in fact a giant athletics stadium, an uninspired design where fans are sat miles away from the pitch. A couple of years ago, the club built a temporary stand behind the northern goal, de Grada Lluis Sitjar, which stands actually on the inner side of the running track. It's the place for Mallorca's faithful and hardcore fans. At least they are a little bit closer to the players they cheer for.
At the entrance of the parking lot behind the main stand at the Cami dels Reis there is a big sculpture of a football player with his foot on the ball. It is an art piece created by Joan Bennassar, a famous artist from Mallorca. His recognizable work can be found all over the island. This football player was created for RCD Mallorca's centenary in 2016.
On the north side of Son Moix, you will find the Mallorcafe, a restaurant dedicated to RCD Mallorca. On the front windows, there are pictures of famous managers of the club, like Hector Cuper and Luis Aragones. It's the place for the Mallorquinas to enjoy good food and a pint before the match.
In the centre of Palma de Mallorca lays the Plaça de Cort, a beautiful square which has the shape of a slice of pie. In the centre of the square, you will find fan stores of Real Madrid and RCD Mallorca right opposite each other. The most prominent building on the square is the town hall of Palma de Mallorca, the place where the celebrations of RCD Mallorca take place. The players appear on the balcony and the Plaça de Cort is full of people. The last time that happened was in 2019 because following the club's promotion in 2021 celebrations were not allowed.
For years, the beloved former stadium of Mallorca was just waiting to be demolished. Altogether it took approximately 15 years until the Estadio Lluis Sitjar was finally destroyed, but to this day you can still see enough of the old stadium. The enclosing walls are still there, with its highlight the former entrance at the Carrer de Ramon Picó I Campamar. Traces of lost grounds are rare, so it is a must-visit for the real football romantics.
Around the corner at the Estadi Lluís Sitjar, you'll find an old, run-down velodrome along the Carrer de Miquel dels Sants Oliver, diagonally opposite the Carrer de Damas Calvet. It is the former Velódromo de Tirador. On the pitch in the middle of the velodrome, RCD Mallorca (then still known as Alfonso XIII Foot-Ball Club) played its very first matches.
'Every disadvantage has its advantage', said Johan Cruyff once. At Mallorca, the advantage of the cheerless stadium is that you can easily get tickets. You can order them on the official website of the club.
If you don't have your own car, you can reach Son Moix best by bus. From the bus stop at the Plaça d'Espanya, bus 6 or 8 will bring you within 15 minutes to RCD Mallorca's home.
Images: Shutterstock
