Chapter 16
Chapter 16
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 16
Chapter Title: Today is the Cheapest
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I've realized something recently—3
The sun is blazing again today.
And once again, I'm standing beneath that very sun.
"Hoo-"
My second start... but still.
Standing on the pitch like this, waiting for the whistle, I can't hide my nervousness.
I'm naturally a pretty anxious person to begin with... but today, there are a few more reasons for it.
First and foremost, it's an away game.
Empoli isn't that far from Florence, but an away game is still an away game.
Yesterday, I came to this city by bus with the team and spent an evening here. It wasn't a long time, but being alone in a strange city wasn't very comfortable. Every time I tossed and turned, I thought of home.
Actually... it was a bit of a strange feeling.
I'd never once thought of Florence as my "home." I just... thought of it as a city I was living in for a bit. It's not like I'd lived in Florence for a long time.
But coming here for a real away game, it felt different somehow. I must have grown somewhat attached to it. Maybe I started feeling that way after Ji-woo came.
Anyway, that's the first reason.
Actually, the second reason is bigger.
It's that I've been given a pretty important mission in today's game.
Today's opponent, Empoli FC, is a lower-tier group team. Like Sassuolo last time, they're a team objectively weaker than us.
Therefore, the game was expected to be under our control, with the opponent occasionally looking for counterattacks.
The coach said the key in a game like this is "not to rush."
Since we'll have more opportunities, and the opponent is only aiming for counters.
He said there's no need to hurry; we should take it slow and try to build up our attacks properly, even if it's just once.
Hmm.
I nodded as I listened up to that point.
I thought, 'So it's about quality over quantity in attacks,' and 'Minimizing mistakes will be important,' and I was roughly picturing the game plan.
Then, the coach pointed at me and said.
"Ji-an will be in the driver's seat today. If Ji-an steps on the accelerator, you increase the speed. If Ji-an steps on the brake, you slow down. You match Ji-an's tempo. Ji-an also presses the ignition button for the attack. Everyone got it?"
"Yes-!"
At first, I was a bit surprised and couldn't understand, but after thinking it over, he was telling me to lead this game. Telling the other kids to match my tempo ultimately meant telling me to control the tempo of the match.
For a moment, I felt a little—no, a lot—of pressure.
I wondered if I should be taking on such an important role. Even if the opponent is a weak team, and I did my part in the last game... isn't this too big of a role?
Who am I to these kids...
"Hoo-"
But I decided to give it a try.
I have no intention of running away anymore.
Throughout this week, training with Luca Coach, I felt it thoroughly. The joy you can only taste in that moment you overcome your limits.
And that joy was highly addictive.
The impulse to feel it again swept away the feeling of pressure.
As Luca Coach said, I'll believe in myself a bit more and take on today's match.
I will lead this match.
"Peeeeep-!"
The game starts with the opponent's kick-off.
Simultaneously, I push forward toward the front.
As I go up, I feel our team's midfielders matching my speed and following me up.
Our goal today is a perfect victory: keep as much possession as possible and not even give the opponent a chance.
The base of our game operation is to be cautious in attack, but bold in defense and pressure.
"Trap them!"
"Push them! Stick to them!"
As we push forward with momentum, it's clear that the opponent is flustered.
It's different from the Napoli game. Those kids tried to break our pressure with passes.
But these guys don't seem to have the composure for that.
Bwooooooong-!
Just seeing this kind of irresponsible long pass tells you that.
"I'll get it!"
The ball drops into our territory, but since it wasn't an intentional pass, it doesn't connect to their attacker. We easily steal the ball and start a proper probing attack by slowly circulating it from the back.
"..."
As I return from the pressing position to near the half-line and look around, I feel the opposing team's kids pulling way back, like the tide receding.
They seem to want to retreat and defend solidly rather than apply pressure.
"Hey."
I drop below the half-line to receive a pass.
There's no pressure on me, but I exchange light passes with nearby teammates to hold the tempo for a moment.
Paaang-
Paaang-
As I do, I rack my brain on how to effectively break down an opponent that has gone into a full defensive stance.
The opponent has already settled in and is waiting.
So, a bland attack will struggle to create open space.
To create open space... two methods come to mind.
One is to develop the ball to one side to draw the defense that way, then quickly switch play to the opposite side to attack.
The other is to break through by dribbling to create a crack in their defense.
Which is better?
The decision wasn't difficult.
If the second method succeeds first, the first method becomes much easier.
So, naturally, I start with the second one.
Having finished my calculation, I turn on the ignition and place my foot on the accelerator.
Paaang-
Paaang-
I relax my body and slowly exchange passes, and I feel the opponent loosen up in rhythm with us.
Tat-tat-!
I turn sharply toward the front.
For a moment, the entire forward field comes into view, and I feel everyone in front of me looking at me.
I slightly lower my head to ignore their gazes.
And I focus only on the one man in front of me.
If I can get past just one, our team will be much more comfortable.
Tata-tat-!
I set my direction to the right and drive in diagonally.
The defense gets pulled out in that direction too,
Tat-!
For a moment, I plant my left foot on the ground as if to change direction, bouncing my upper body. The opponent flinches at that movement.
Taking advantage of that brief gap,
Paaang-!
I accelerate again and keep driving straight to the right. Nothing grand or flashy... but nothing is as efficient as something simple.
Tata-tat-!
I pull him all the way out so he can't even think of catching up again. Then, once I've secured enough distance, I slow down again, checking my teammates' positions and waiting. Until another one comes to me.
If he doesn't come, I just keep going?
Tat-tat-!
Yeah, he has to come.
The opponent's defensive midfielder comes over, as if he can't just watch.
That means his original spot is now empty.
Our team's right winger, Makeda, runs into that spot.
Paaang-!
I slip a forward pass to Makeda, then immediately runs to the right.
Meanwhile, Makeda keeps the ball.
Once I get into position, he gives me a return pass.
Paaang-!
I receive the ball with the touchline at my back.
Then I face off one-on-one with their fullback... but I see the defensive midfielder I dropped coming in for a double team from the left.
No. Get away from me.
Paaang-!
I pass the ball to our fullback behind me, making him go back,
Paaang-!
And I get the return pass.
Now it's a real one-on-one.
I quickly charge at the opponent before it becomes one-on-two again. The countless times I've clashed with Luca Coach were all for this.
Believe in myself, and boldly move forward.
Tuk, tuk-
I tap the ball in with the top of my foot, showing him my rhythm,
Shweeeek-
And I swing my left leg with a slight off-beat motion.
A feint with an upper body movement, a step-over.
Can he withstand this dribble I've honed with Luca Coach?
Wobbles-!
See. There's no way he could defend better than the Coach.
Get out of the way.
Tata-tat-!
The moment his balance breaks, I knock the ball to the right. I instantly succeed in penetrating inside the box.
I keep driving in... but the angle for a shot looks too narrow.
I glance toward the center.
I see the center forward, Enzo, charging toward the goal.
The keeper is hugging the near post, but he's standing in an ambiguous position, conscious of a cross.
This is...
I'll take it.
Bwooooooong-!
I strike it as hard as I can with the top of my foot.
Thinking of hitting the near post, I whip it.
A refreshing sensation runs up from my right foot.
Shwooooooong-
As I watch the shot fly toward the goal, I see the keeper caught in a wrong-footed movement.
No matter how you look at it, it's too late.
Slap-!!
The net ripples wildly.
That was my answer to Luca Coach.
Director Paolo has a bad back.
That's why he always sits with his legs crossed when he's in the stands. He did the same today.
Until the game started.
"..."
But now.
Director Paolo isn't crossing his legs.
His back isn't touching the seat back either.
He's leaning forward, intently writing something in the notebook he always carries with him, watching the game. His posture is as if he's about to be sucked into the stadium.
Slap-!!
"Waaaaah-!"
"SÌÌÌÌÌÌ-!"
The sound of the net rippling is heard. At the same time, the kids' cheers erupt.
A goal. A goal. A goal for Fiorentina.
"..."
Director Paolo glances at his wristwatch.
Let's see...
30 minutes.
30 minutes have passed since the start of the game.
And that was the third goal.
Right. The net had already rippled twice before.
And at the center of it all was always that kid.
"Lee Ji-an..."
The first goal was all Lee Ji-an from start to finish. He picked up the ball from the half-line and went up, creating space with organic passing play. Then he opened up a chance with a bold dribble and finished it himself.
The second goal highlighted his vision.
The process of entering the box was similar to the first goal, but this time he cut inside toward the center.
Then he looked to the opposite side. He used the defense being drawn to him to put in a lobbing pass.
It was an amazing vision, and the quality of the pass was top-class.
And just now, the third goal.
This one... was beautiful.
The opponent, unable to do anything after the previous two goals, could only retreat further.
In front of them, Lee Ji-an drew a huge arc, as if to show off.
A mid-range shot. The mid-range shot with its beautiful trajectory was sucked right into the corner of the goal.
In just 30 minutes.
Lee Ji-an was making the Empoli kids lose their will to fight.
"Grrr..."
Director Paolo groaned and leaned his back against the seat. Whether it was the heat or something else, his mind felt a little hazy. Thanks to that, he'd forgotten about his back pain.
...He wanted to drink a glass of cold water and clear his head.
"Huyuu..."
Director Paolo wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled the bag next to him.
He rummaged through the bag and pulled out a moderately worn-out notebook.
Opening the notebook, he narrowed his eyes and started searching for something.
"Let's see... Fe... Fe..."
As he scanned the densely written characters, his hand stopped on a page.
"...Here it is. Federico Chiesa."
Federico Chiesa.
A Fiorentina youth product now playing for Juventus, Italy's rising star.
Director Paolo's notebook had Chiesa's salary negotiation history written just as it was.
-2015 weekly wage: 192 euros.
-2016 weekly wage: 2,385 euros.
-2017 weekly wage: 13,865 euros.
-2018 weekly wage: 60,538 euros.
As Director Paolo read through these records, the words Coach Toni had said came to mind.
"Today is the cheapest."
Puh-hah-! Director Paolo burst into a hearty laugh and began to urgently call someone.
It seemed he would need more funds.