The next ten matches changed everything.
And nothing.
That was the strange part.
---
At first, people called it luck.
Then momentum.
Then "new manager bounce."
But after ten matches, even football's harshest critics were forced to admit something uncomfortable:
Miraflores had become difficult to play against.
---
Matchday 2
Miraflores 2 : 1 Racing Santander B
Ugly win.
Rain. Bad pitch. Late winner from a set piece.
But for the first time all season, Miraflores came from behind to win.
The fans noticed immediately.
Old Miraflores collapsed after conceding.
Malik's team responded.
---
Matchday 3
CD Lugo B 0 : 3 Miraflores
That was the first statement performance.
Aggressive pressing. Fast transitions. Controlled possession.
Adrian Vega destroyed defenders repeatedly down the flank while Raúl organized the backline like a general.
Commentators sounded stunned.
"This doesn't even look like the same club anymore."
---
Matchday 4
Miraflores 1 : 0 Burgos Athletic
Not pretty.
Very professional.
Malik celebrated this win more than the 3–0.
Because this one showed discipline.
Compact shape. Emotional control. Defensive patience.
The players were learning.
Matchday 5
Osasuna B 4 : 2 Miraflores
Reality arrived again.
High defensive line punished brutally. Fitness still inconsistent. Mental fatigue visible.
For the first time since Malik's arrival, criticism exploded again.
"Naive tactics exposed."
"Young manager finally figured out."
"Miraflores defensive structure still pathetic."
But inside the dressing room…
Something had changed.
The players no longer looked broken after defeat.
They looked angry.
That difference mattered.
Matchday 6
Miraflores 3 : 2 Deportivo Aragon
Chaos.
Pure chaos.
End-to-end football. Two red cards. Last-minute winner.
The stadium exploded so loudly after the final goal that one local newspaper called it:
"The loudest moment Miraflores has produced in years."
And for the first time…
Fans started chanting Malik's name.
Quietly at first.
Then louder.
Matchday 7
Salamanca 1 : 2 Miraflores
Professional.
Cold. Efficient. Ruthless on counters.
Pundits started noticing tactical evolution now.
Miraflores no longer attacked recklessly every match.
Malik was adapting.
Learning.
Dangerous combination.
Matchday 8
Miraflores 4 : 1 Zamora
This was the media explosion game.
Everything worked.
High pressing. Fluid rotations. Vertical buildup. Fast recovery structure.
Even veteran analysts sounded shocked afterward.
One television pundit stared directly into the camera and said:
"This football is too sophisticated for a relegation team."
Social media exploded instantly.
Clips of Malik screaming pressing instructions from the touchline spread everywhere online.
Football fans loved intensity.
And Malik's Miraflores played with violent intensity.
Matchday 9
Ponferradina B 2 : 1 Miraflores
Tired legs finally appeared again.
Three players carrying knocks. Squad depth issues growing.
Malik rotated heavily and paid for it.
But even after losing…
The media discussion remained focused on him.
Not the result.
Him.
Matchday 10
Miraflores 2 : 0 Cultural Leonesa B
Professional again.
Controlled. Mature. Patient.
Raúl later admitted privately:
"We would've drawn this match before he arrived."
That was true.
Old Miraflores survived matches.
New Miraflores tried controlling them.
Matchday 11
Miraflores 3 : 1 Real Unión
"This makes it 8 wins in 10 games"
And the loudest atmosphere yet.
Fans waving scarves. Players pressing like madmen. The stadium alive again.
At full-time, Malik stood near the touchline staring at the crowd while thousands applauded around him.
Not because Miraflores were safe.
They weren't.
Far from it.
But for the first time in years…
The club had identity.
And football fans could forgive suffering if they believed in something.
The media completely lost control afterward.
"GENIUS OR MADMAN?"
"MALIK BALL TAKES OVER THIRD DIVISION"
"NEW MANAGER BOUNCE OR REAL REVOLUTION?"
"CAN MIRAFLORES ACTUALLY SURVIVE?"
Television debates became ridiculous.
One former manager dismissed everything immediately.
"It's emotional football. Opponents will adapt eventually."
Another argued back furiously.
"No, look at the tactical details! Their spacing is completely different now!"
One pundit laughed.
"I don't care if he's twenty-two or twelve, the boy can coach."
Meanwhile online…
Malik became football internet's newest obsession.
Clips. Tactical threads. Press conference quotes. Training intensity stories.
Some fans loved him.
Others waited desperately for collapse.
Because football always preferred building heroes just to destroy them later.
But beneath all the growing hype…
The league table remained brutal.
Miraflores had improved massively.
Yet the damage before Malik arrived was catastrophic.
Seventeen points from safety.
Months of terrible football. Terrible morale. Terrible structure.
Even after seven wins…
They were still deep in the relegation zone.
And Malik understood something the media didn't.
Momentum in football was fragile.
Very fragile.
Especially at struggling clubs.
One bad month could destroy everything again.
And unfortunately for Miraflores…
January was approaching.