Chapter 100
Chapter 100
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 100
Chapter Title: Because It's There, Now It's Gone - 3
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Tak-!
I place the ball I had tucked under my arm down in the center of the center circle.
Only then do I exchange high-fives with my teammates.
"Bene!"
"Nice!"
"Let's do this, let's do this!"
Every second is precious, and even though we scored, the situation still feels lacking, so our celebration is brief.
After high-fiving me, my teammates quickly cross the half-line and head back to their positions.
07:42
FIO 1 : 0 MIL
Glancing up at the scoreboard, the clock is approaching the 8th minute.
For now, it's done.
Just as we aimed, we scored quite—or rather, extremely—early.
"Hoo."
To be honest, the situation is what it is, but... I feel a bit dazed.
...Just what was I thinking, trying to break through that defensive line?
Thinking back to that moment, nothing comes to mind.
Of course, because I charged in without thinking.
But it worked, and I managed to get past all of the opponent's defense and even score.
I'm surprised at myself for doing something so nonsensical.
Thinking I'd drive all the way up and finish it myself without even passing...
It must be because I've been away from the pitch for a while; I was clearly not in my right mind, just like when I first debuted.
Maybe the opponent was also so flabbergasted that their reaction was late.
If anyone expected me to push in like that during a settled attack rather than a counter, they should have been a prophet, not a soccer player.
Because that's not the proper way to break down a two-man defense.
But... I don't know.
It's a bit fun to think that it worked precisely because it wasn't the "proper" way.
Normally, I wouldn't have cut through the center like that.
I didn't have a partner like Vlahovic to combine with by battling the defense, nor did the defensive line look disorganized with visible gaps.
Rather, the opponent's defensive formation had perfect spacing, so tight it felt suffocating to face head-on.
So normally, I would have started by moving left and right, disrupting their line with passes.
That's more... correct.
In other words, it's a safer method with a lower chance of failure.
Especially since the opponent wasn't some U17 team but league-leading AC Milan, I would have been even more cautious.
But... this time, I just went for it.
I had no certainty from the start that I could break through everything.
My head was clearly telling me to hold back.
But my feet told me something else.
They told me to just go forward.
So I just went forward.
How could I have been so reckless?
"Lee! Lee! Lee! Lee! Lee! Lee!"
While the opponent is holding a quick strategy meeting to delay the kickoff, I look at the fans cheering for me.
Maybe the reason I could be so reckless was... because I had the belief that even if I failed to break through the defense, even if I went down the wrong path a little, those people wouldn't jeer at me.
Just who... are these people to support me so much?
"...!"
Feeling something surge within me, I end up doing something I've never done in my life.
I waved my arms up several times towards the fans, telling them to cheer even louder, to block the opponent's ears.
"──!!!"
In response, the fans filling the stands create an earthquake at Artemio Franchi.
My ears ring, and vibrations travel up from the soles of my feet, shaking my heart.
I don't know for sure, but... in this atmosphere, even a team like AC Milan would have to gulp.
"Focus! Don't get swept up in the atmosphere!"
I nod at the voice coming from my left rear and look at the opponent.
The captain is truly a captain; even in this atmosphere, he maintains his composure and reminds us that we still have a long way to go.
There's no captain like that on the field, so why does he act like an idiot playing pranks with the other seniors at the training ground?
If it's for the team's unity, then I guess the captain isn't just anyone.
Paaang-!
Paaang-!
The opponent is exchanging horizontal passes at a low position to circulate the ball.
I can feel Leão and Reijnders making occasional movements, but forward passes to them are rarely seen.
I wonder if that's because our defense is so perfect, but it's closer to the fact that they have no intention of coming forward at all.
Otherwise, they couldn't be this relaxed.
The center-back taps it to the full-back.
The full-back taps it back to the center-back.
The center-back taps it to the other full-back.
They don't even look forward, just circulating the ball among themselves; if someone saw this, they'd think there were nearly 90 minutes left.
Trying to figure out their intention, I think it must be the same idea: not to get swept up in the atmosphere.
They conceded an early opener—or rather, a goal to pull one back—but our weakness remains that we're playing at home.
That damn away goals rule.
Since the value of our one goal and their one goal is different today, they're probably just relaxing with the thought that they just need to score one goal.
Paaang-!
I don't think their attitude is bad for us, either.
It's a shame that time seems to flow meaninglessly, but the opponent is a team strong in attack.
There's nothing bad about them choosing to seal that strength themselves.
Plus, our defensive tactic isn't a high press, so when we don't have the ball, I, as a top three, just wait in a deeper position.
This means we can save the stamina we should be using for attack.
There's nothing bad about it.
There's nothing bad, but... I can't help but feel the desire to get the ball quickly.
A veteran like the captain might be able to stay calm in this situation, but I can't.
When I hear the fans' screams waiting just for me, and when I imagine my dad and Jiu's voices mixed in with them...
I don't want to spend time like this leisurely.
Tatatat-!
I glance around and make a slight movement to the left.
In front of me, the opponent's midfielder Tonali was holding the ball, looking forward, and behind me, Kessié was holding his position.
If you draw a straight line through those two, I was right on that line.
I moved slightly to get out of it.
It was to let Kessié enter Tonali's field of vision.
If he still holds back on a forward pass here, I'd have to be disappointed and give him credit at the same time.
However, Tonali also seemed unable to hold back.
Paaaaang-!
The pass goes past me, crossing the half-line.
At the same time, I turn and follow the pass.
Then I see Kessié, who has brought the ball under his feet, and Bonaventura and Torreira charging toward him.
Tatatat-!
I join in on the press against those two.
If the opponent succeeds in breaking the press here, it could be dangerous, but if we steal the ball...
The opponent will have sent the ball to a dead zone.
Tatatat-!
I can see the opponent's pupils shaking as our encirclement tightens from all sides.
To be honest, I could see a way out of the encirclement, so it was a bit scary, but...
It doesn't matter as long as the opponent doesn't see it.
Paaang-!
Torreira, leaning his upper body back and stretching, barely touches the ball with his short leg.
This causes the ball to roll sideways, and Bonaventura picks it up as if he'd been waiting for it.
And then...
Swaaaaah-
The ball is passed to me.
Paaang-!
I trap the ball with my right foot and wait for a moment with my body still facing our own goal.
I could turn around immediately, but it felt like the defense would back off to the distance if I did.
I wanted the opponent's players to swarm me, and since they had lost the ball in a slightly dangerous position, they had no choice but to do so even if I didn't want it.
Tatatat-!
In front is Kessié, behind is Tonali.
From the left and right, the other midfielders close in on me.
We lost the ball in an attacking situation, so it could lead to a counterattack.
The best defensive method in this situation is to retrieve the ball right where it was stolen.
So the opponent's response wasn't wrong; it was the correct response, but...
That's why it was so easy for me to read.
Tuk-
Beeeeeeeeeong-!
I push the ball slightly forward to create a single step of space, twist my body, and strike the base of the ball.
It might look reckless to the opponent that I whip in a pass without even checking my surroundings, but if you know the habits of my teammates, it's not so reckless.
Shuuuuuuuung-
The ball flies toward the right flank of the opponent's territory.
With that pass, and Romero running toward it in my sights, I also sprint forward.
Tatatat-!
The opponent's left-back, Theo Hernandez, has fast feet, and because of that, he tends to position himself high up the pitch.
His speed allows him to cover a wide range.
However, right now, Romero got the head start, and...
When it comes to speed, our Romero doesn't fall behind easily.
Paaang-!
Romero reaches the ball as it drops from a bounce. Even with that touch, the ball bounces forward without losing speed—a great first touch.
However, that touch was a bit too heavy.
Because of that, Romero and Hernandez are in a race without the ball, and Romero, running with short strides, looks a bit pathetic.
Hernandez, with his long legs, is definitely faster, and the gap between them is closing.
Tatatat-!
While keeping an eye on the situation on the right, I also run along the right half-space.
My destination is the right side of the box.
However, there are an incredible number of companions with the same destination.
As I run, I glance to the left, and Saponara, charging in from the left, looks quite offended.
It means all the defense is paying attention to me.
Paaaaang-!
In this situation, Romero's ground cross starts to approach the box.
It was a cross he put in immediately without being able to hold onto the ball because Hernandez's chase was so fierce, and it was right when I was barely entering the box.
There are at least three defenders around me.
I feint a shot by folding my right foot, then spread both legs wide.
Swaaaaah-
The ball passes right through my legs as if nothing happened.
Romero's cross was a direct train to Saponara, and I was not the station to stop at.
"...!"
I turn my head and see Saponara, looking at the ball coming toward him with a tense face.
I shout something obvious, trying to ease his tension.
"Finish it!"
Tuk-
Beeeeeeeeeong-!
He traps the ball for a moment and then shoots.
That shot...
Thwack-!!
Shakes the net of AC Milan once again.
Waaaaaaaaaaaaaah-!!!
The stadium shakes at the same time, and I wonder if the opponent can still pretend to be calm after this.
After conceding the opener, the opponent still circulated the ball with taps, expressing their attitude that 'we still have plenty of time,' but after the second goal, they started to move as if a fire had been lit under their feet.
Indeed, even when the score was tied, they couldn't pretend to be cool.
Thanks to that, the game caught fire.
Just like the atmosphere at Artemio Franchi right now.
"Left!"
"Keep the line! The line!"
The opponent comes out as if they're going to score at least one goal before the end of the first half, and we also move our feet busily.
It's truly funny; even though we've scored two goals in a row, we are still at a disadvantage.
I wonder what this damn away goals rule is all about.
It feels unfair, but on the other hand, I can understand it.
Ahi ahi ahi-!
Magica Viola-!!
È triste il mio cuore lontano Da te-!
Magica Viola alè-!!
The cheer song the fans are singing is torturing my eardrums.
I feel fortunate that I'm not on the away team.
At this level, I think even if they gave the opponent a benefit, no one would complain.
I heard a Korean proverb that says even a sheet of paper is lighter when two people lift it together.
It means it's better to combine forces even for easy tasks, but if tens of thousands of people join forces like this, couldn't they accomplish anything?
...This makes me sound like I'm pretending to be knowledgeable.
Still, I've read a lot of books during my rest, so I've learned quite a bit.
"Good!"
"Come in again! Here!"
Anyway, that atmosphere made us run one step further and made the opponent uncomfortable.
The opponent's passes rarely created dangerous chances, and we showed the concentration to cut even passes that shouldn't be cut.
We seemed possessed by something, and so did the opponent.
Beep, Beeeeep-!
As a result, the opponent had to face the whistle signaling the end of the first half without gaining anything.
45:00
FIO 2 : 0 MIL
There were still 45 minutes left, but as I headed to the locker room, I couldn't imagine it at all.
The ending where we get eliminated in this atmosphere.