Chapter 99
Chapter 99
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Translator: MadScientist
Chapter: 99
Chapter Title: Because It's There, Now It's Gone - 2
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When classified narrowly, it's about 370,000 people; when classified broadly, it's about 1 million.
For the Italians living in and around the city of Florence, March was the toughest month of all.
There were two reasons for this. First, the Italian national soccer team was eliminated after losing to North Macedonia in the World Cup regional playoffs.
And second, Fiorentina's core ace and the genius beloved by all, Lee Jee-an, was unable to play due to accumulated fatigue and injury.
Truthfully, Italy's failure to qualify for the World Cup was a huge shock in itself.
But what made the people of Florence even more depressed was the fact that they couldn't see Lee Jee-an on the pitch.
The World Cup is a festival that happens once every four years, but Jee-an was a figure who brought joy to a million people every single week.
Of course, there were certainly people who valued the World Cup more.
It's only natural to feel deeply regretted not being invited to a festival that only happens once in four years.
However, as the saying goes, "Don't be deceived by familiarity and forget what is precious."
For the people of Florence, what was more important than a festival that comes only once every four years was the happiness they could enjoy every week, right by their side.
Therefore, it was no exaggeration.
The fact that the expressions of the Florentine people brightened up again overnight was due to the news of Lee Jee-an's return to training.
─[Breaking News] Jee-an Lee, scheduled to return to training tomorrow··· Possibility of returning as early as next week's Coppa Italia semifinal second leg
💬 Comments
— FiorentinaFan12
Really? Is he really coming back?
— Finally!
Finally! He's finally coming back! This has been the longest month of my life!
⭐ Top Comment
— I Almost Went Crazy
I really thought I was gonna lose it. It wasn't even this bad when I quit smoking.
— Weekend without Lee
A weekend without Lee was like a day without morning coffee.
— Viola's Heart
It was so hard because he was there and now he's gone···
— Flower of Florence
Lee has finally returned!
— Worried Fan
I hope he's not returning earlier than planned because of the tournament match. What's more important than the immediate results is Lee's physical condition.
— Club Insider
I heard the club is taking special care of him. The OK signal has probably been given for sure.
⭐ Top Comment
— Transfer Expert
Lee's return is equivalent to signing the world's best player.
─[Photo] Lee, light training on his first day back··· Completes jogging, running, cycling, etc., without issues
💬 Comments
— Photo Where?
So where's the photo? It's so bright I can't see anything.
— Training Photos
Who knew training photos could be this exciting.
⭐ Top Comment
— Every Photo
The players are all smiling brightly in every photo. It's the exact same expression I had on my face while reading this article.
— Is it just me?
Is it just me, or does he look more mature?
— We Didn't Know
We didn't know because we see him every week. Lee was growing up day by day, month by month. He's sixteen, after all.
— First Time Seeing
I think this is the first time I've seen Lee training with a smile like that.
⭐ Top Comment
— To Lee
It's so wonderful to see! May Lee's life be like a fine wine!
─[Interview] Jee-an Lee, who returned to training, on his current condition··· "No discomfort."
······Lee, who had finished his training in a cheerful atmosphere, revealed the following in a subsequent interview. "I have decided not to play in the Milan match if I am not in one hundred percent condition. During my time off, I felt that many people were worried about me, and as such, I intend to be careful to prevent further injury. Therefore, if I do play against Milan, the Lee of that day will be the Lee at one hundred percent condition."
Numerous articles poured out, even though his name hadn't been listed on the matchday squad, and it was simply a return to training.
And the reactions to that news were all, without exception, "Finally."
Truthfully, a month can be long, but it can also be a short period of time.
Especially in the case of muscle injuries, it's common to be out for several months, so a return after just one month could be considered quite early.
However, for the fans, that one month felt like a year because Fiorentina's record in the four games they played without Jee-an was a disastrous one win, three draws, and three losses. [Translator's Note: The text says 1 draw, 3 losses, but the context implies a poor record. I have translated it as written, but the subsequent line about 1 win against Empoli confirms the poor run.]
They lost twice to Milan, including the cup competition, drew with Inter, and then lost to Napoli again.
All in all, one draw and three losses.
Fiorentina had failed to secure a single win after their victory against Empoli.
Of course, the opponents' lineups were formidable, but they were teams that Fiorentina had beaten with Jee-an.
More than anything, the problem was that their level of play had regressed to that of the early to mid-season.
If Jee-an had never existed from the start, it might have been different, but because he was there, the thirst for his return was several times more intense.
So for the fans, the month without Jee-an could not help but feel like a year.
In such a situation, the news of Jee-an's return was delivered, and right before the Coppa Italia semifinal second leg against Milan at that.
It was only natural that all the fans' expectations were focused on him.
◇◇◇◆◇◇◇
He would wake up early, have a simple meal, take a light ten-minute walk around his home, and then return to shower.
After that, he would get dressed, pack his bag, and leave the house.
On the walk from his home to the training ground, he would always exchange greetings with the familiar faces he met.
Then, after arriving at the training ground, he would have the final tactical briefing with the head coach, the coaches, and his teammates.
After that, he would board the club bus on time and head for their home stadium, Artemio Franchi.
On the bus, he would watch the fans cheering for them outside the window, and upon arriving at the stadium, he would quickly head to the locker room to put his things away and change into his soccer cleats.
Next, he would go out onto the field for a light warm-up, and under the coaches' lead, he would proceed with the warm-up in the order of passing, dribbling, and shooting.
After finishing the warm-up, he would return to the locker room, change into his match kit, check his phone messages one last time, and then leave the locker room.
And then··· Standing in the tunnel for stadium entry, he would feel his heart pound from the energy emitted by tens of thousands of spectators.
This was his match day routine, which he had so very naturally performed every Saturday or Sunday, every weekend.
But today, those routine things felt new and special.
It must be because he had been separated from this routine for over a month.
Having been apart for a while, he realized something.
That all of these things are not to be taken for granted, as naturally as the sun rising in the morning and setting in the evening.
It is not a given that I can stand here, nor is it a given that I can tread on the grass of Artemio Franchi.
Furthermore, receiving the cheers of the fans is not a given either.
These were all things to be thankful for, as if for the first time.
It is a blessing to be able to have such opportunities and experiences.
Today, I am suddenly having such thoughts.
"Enter!"
At the signal for the players to enter, he follows the backs of his seniors and exits the tunnel.
As he walks through the narrow tunnel and finally the field comes into view, he feels his body vibrate from the roar of the crowd, along with a tremendous sense of openness.
This feeling.
Having not experienced it for the past month, he realized it with certainty.
He had missed this feeling.
And now.
Seeing the goosebumps all over his body··· it seems he has, knowingly or unknowingly, quite liked this moment.
"Lee! Lee! Lee! Lee! Lee!"
As he stands with his hands behind his back, side by side with his seniors, the voices of fans calling his name strike his ears.
At first, that sound was quite burdensome.
He couldn't understand why they would cheer for him like that, and it was embarrassing in front of his seniors.
But not anymore.
He wishes they would call out louder.
Hearing that voice, the thought that he must win today's match began to surge within him.
"Okay, gather around."
After the player introductions and greetings with the opposing team's players,
He stands in the center of their side of the pitch, arms around his teammates' shoulders, forming a circle.
And he listens intently to the captain's words.
"This is a different match from the starting line. Since we lost 0-2 in the first leg, our 90 minutes today can't be the same as theirs. So, let's cherish every single minute and play."
"Okay!"
"The most important thing is defense. We came back from the away game with zero goals, so if we concede one goal today, it's no different from conceding two. So, absolutely, we must prioritize defense from the start. The attack will······"
The captain, who was in the middle of speaking, suddenly trailed off and looked at me.
The captain, with a strange smile, continued.
"The attack will sort itself out smoothly. Why?"
The other teammates also looked at me and laughed before answering.
"Because Jee-an is back."
"Because we have our ace."
"Because the world's best genius is on our team."
···It's incredibly cringeworthy.
But maybe it's because I'm still only sixteen.
That cringey feeling isn't so bad after all.
The captain said to me.
"Forza is yours to call today."
At those words, I nodded my head slightly, cleared my throat, and shouted.
As loudly as I could, as if I had been waiting for this moment···
"Forza──!"
"Viola──!"
And then we dispersed to our respective positions for the match.
*
There is only one thing I must do in today's match.
Just one.
Score as early as possible.
The coach or the coaches didn't give me this task directly, but it was a goal I had set for myself.
The match starts not at 0-0, but at 0-2.
It means we have to score three goals to win, and even if we finish the 90 minutes with just a one-point difference, we cannot guarantee victory.
It's because of the away goals rule.
As such, it goes without saying that we must score as quickly as possible.
Well, setting all that aside··· I just wanted to show it quickly myself.
To Jiu, and to our team's fans.
That I have returned here.
Paaang-!
Paaang-!
I position my body facing the direction of our goal, lightly exchanging the ball with my teammates around me.
While doing so, I gather basic information one by one, such as whether the opponent plans to pressure us aggressively today, or if they are prepared to defend in a block.
Of course, even though every second and minute is precious, rushing only leads to a fall.
Since I was the one who fell in such a way, I focus on gathering information about the opponent while moving lightly.
Paaang-!
For now, the opponent isn't showing any signs of aggressively engaging in tackles.
They are keeping their distance and holding their positions, even as I play with the ball in midfield.
I suppose it's probably because they have the leeway of a two-goal lead.
Paaang-!
Formation-wise, it's a 4-2-3-1 shape.
However, based on what my radar is picking up, it's closer to a 4-4-2 shape.
The opponent's frontline striker, Olivier Giroud, is positioned high up, and on the left, Rafael Leão is also up to a similar height.
Except for those two, the rest are in a defensive formation, with the central midfielders and the right winger dropping back to sit in between, forming a 4-4, two-line defense shape.
Paaang-!
The gap is quite tight, making it hard to see any obvious weaknesses.
Honestly, there are some teams that, even while playing purely defensively, expose gaps.
But the opponent's defensive positioning today is high in completeness. My fellow top-three forwards, Saponara on the left and Romero on the right, are diligently moving to find space, but the opponent rarely shows a flaw.
Then, I must create one.
Tuk-!
As I continue to handle the ball with one-touch passes, the moment I make that decision, I stop the ball and turn towards the opponent's half.
Then, the sight of the well-organized red-uniformed line comes into view.
For a moment, the perfection of that sight is so stifling that it's hard to find the courage to drive the ball and penetrate that gap.
However, that was my old self.
It means I now have the courage to do so.
Because··· I know that even if I fail a few times, it's okay, and our fans won't be disappointed even if I can't break through in one go.
If it's okay to fail, there's no reason to be afraid of it.
Tatatat-!
I drive the ball up along the right half-space, from the center to the right.
Then, two midfielders narrow the gap to lock down the space. One is Sandro Tonali and the other is Franck Kessié.
I've heard they are both aggressive players with a fighter's temperament.
That's why I chose this direction.
It's easier to get past them when they rush in first.
Tuk, tuk-
As the distance closes to a certain point, I slightly reduce my speed and increase the number of touches on the ball.
I push the ball with my left foot, then hold it again with my right.
While doing so, I watch their reactions with my eyes to gauge which side would be easier to break through.
Hmm··· It seems I don't need to think about it for long.
Either side is manageable.
Tatatat-!
I suddenly accelerate.
My calf, which pushes off the ground without a word of complaint, feels admirable.
Along with the calf that has regained its senses after a brief period of wandering, I charge towards the space between Tonali and Kessié.
And I continue to drive the ball without stopping until I am within a distance where they could stretch their legs and reach the ball···
Tatat-!
The moment Kessié's right foot stretches out first, I push the ball to the left with the outside of my left foot, evading that foot.
Tatat-!
However, so as not to completely change direction, I control the ball again with the inside of my left foot and push it forward.
Thanks to that, I was face-to-face with the last line of defense in an instant.
Did they not expect the midfield to be broken through so quickly?
Their reaction is slow.
And on top of that, I have already picked up speed.
The subsequent process is handled even more simply and quickly than before.
In the same way I broke through the third line of defense, I charge straight ahead, and when the opponent reacts,
I evade them a step earlier and aim for the empty space.
When I came to my senses, I was preparing for a shot on the right side of the box.
All I could see in front of me was the goal and the goalkeeper, who had shrunk his body completely.
Beeeeeeep-!
Deciding that a powerful shot wasn't necessary, I strike the ball with the inner bone of my right big toe.
Hoping the ball would head for the left corner of the goal.
Swaaaaaah-
The shot flies low, grazing the grass, and I, having taken the shot, continue to run towards the right side of the goal, carried by my momentum.
Then, I soon change direction and run towards the goal.
Thwack-!
I pick up the ball that had been slammed into the back of the net to put it back on the half-way line.