Mallorca's Muriqi bags first hat-trick and pledges loyalty: "I'm happy here"
The Kosovan striker silences transfer rumours after his three-goal heroics secured a 3-2 win against Athletic Club, revealing sporting director told him he's not for sale.
Vedat Muriqi finally delivered the goods with his first hat-trick for Mallorca, powering them to a crucial 3-2 victory over Athletic Club while putting transfer speculation to bed.
The Pirate’s Triple Treasure
About bloomin’ time! Mallorca’s Kosovan talisman has been threatening to explode all season, and finally delivered with a match-winning treble against a strong Athletic side. The big man has been in decent nick lately, but this performance was something special - his first hat-trick since washing up on the Balearic shores.
What made it sweeter was how badly Mallorca needed these three points. They’ve been having a right mare in the table, and this victory could be just the ticket to turn their season around.
Transfer Talk Torpedoed
When a striker starts banging them in, the vultures start circling - that’s football for you. But Muriqi has come out and made it crystal clear where his loyalties lie.
“I’m happy here,” the big man declared after his heroics, revealing a recent heart-to-heart with sporting director Pablo Ortells. Muriqi apparently told Ortells that if selling him would save the club financially, he’d understand - proper class act, that. But Ortells wasn’t having any of it, telling the striker he’s going nowhere.
Team Spirit Restored
Beyond the goals, what stood out was Mallorca’s renewed fighting spirit. They were getting stuck in for every loose ball - something that’s been missing in recent weeks according to Muriqi himself.
“This is what we’ve been talking about all week,” he explained post-match. “We’ve found what we’ve all been missing - a team that fights for every ball. That’s how you win matches.”
The victory wasn’t just about the three points, though they’re absolutely pukka for Mallorca’s position. It was about rediscovering their identity as a team that will give you a proper game, no matter who you are.
For Muriqi, the personal milestone of a first Mallorca hat-trick will be one for the memory bank, but it’s the team’s performance that seemed to please him most. Talk about your proper team player.