The Knight's Hat-Trick
Our tactics could be viewed as a variation descending from a 1-3-5 formation into a diamond shape, but examining the defensive setup, there was a center-back at the rear, with full-backs positioned slightly spread out above.
Honestly, though, our tactic employing one center-back and two full-backs couldn't be deemed exceptionally strong defensively. However, since we typically held the game's initiative, such weaknesses rarely manifested.
This season, maintaining a possession rate in the mid-70% range, we overwhelmed our opponents.
The way to counter our possession-based pressure was, as always, a counter-attack. Yet, because our center-back Tiana and the full-backs Narcis and Narcis—who assisted in build-up from the center—were all swift players, we could somewhat thwart the opponent's counter-attacks.
Even so, the reason we conceded only three goals across seven league matches and two Champions League games was, of course, due to Maximilena's presence. As the world's highest-rated goalkeeper, and having opened the horizon of the sweeper-keeper, Maximilena possessed a formidable strength in dealing with counters.
Just like now.
Bang!
Marisol's powerful shot echoed loudly, but our guardian angel Maximilena, who had already advanced to the penalty area, blocked the shot with her foot.
'Good!'
Unlike my internal cheer, a cry filled with envy erupted from Clemence beside me. Was she itching to join the attack immediately?
But Clemence's desire couldn't be fulfilled. Narcis, who caught the deflected ball, immediately punted it long, and Albaria, who received it on the left side.
In such a situation where we led 1-0, we would usually choose to circulate the ball and play possession, but Albaria charged forward.
Although it differed from our strategy, given that Real Madrid's lines were pushed forward due to the counter-attack, and Albaria, as a world-class winger, made the judgment to time the counter perfectly.
And I, too, ran forward to match Albaria.
Of course, I couldn't be faster than Clemence just because I started first, so Clemence matched me from the side. But I was the one who positioned myself first near Albaria.
I returned the pass to Albaria, who then received the ball in front of the penalty box.
"Pass!"
At that moment, Yelena, who had been running from behind, shouted strongly. Quickly turning, Yelena was right next to me. And when I looked at Clemence's expression, a flash of hesitation crossed her face.
In front of the penalty box, the players to mark were me and Yelena. But among the two, only Clemence could mark one.
Naturally, in this situation, the one who needed marking was Yelena, who could take a long-range shot, so after a brief hesitation, Clemence ran to mark Yelena, leaving me unmarked.
Well, although I had scored one goal with a long-range shot this season, since Yasmin was also a decent goalkeeper, I didn't want to gamble on a counter-attack opportunity while leading 1-0 and facing Yasmin.
If we countered here, we would be in danger too.
Therefore, the method I chose was to penetrate.
Among the two defenders marking Arnal, Josephin ran towards me. Her specialty was dirty play to disrupt the attack's flow. But since my body was already inside the penalty box, I dismissed such plays from my mind.
However, I couldn't be careless. Josephin was a defender who played good defense besides dirty plays.
Tuk.
Space opened for Albaria, who came out again. The shot that could be taken there was obvious, so Albaria would probably choose to pass.
The pass path was blocked by Clemence to Yelena, blocked by Gabriela to Arnal, and I was somewhat distanced from Josephin.
And I momentarily made eye contact with Albaria. Because I was the one farthest from the main marker.
Tuk.
The ball Albaria sent rolled strongly between Josephin and me. Of course, closer to me.
Albaria's fast pass, like a shot, was one that fully trusted my ball touch.
'She trusts me too much...'
I momentarily thought it might be too much, but I trusted the me who trained for so long and thrust my foot towards the ball.
Thud.
The ball hit the outside of my foot, rising high. And Josephin, who thought I miscontrolled the ball, smiled victoriously and ran.
But it was all my intentional control.
The moment the high ball passed over my head, I turned my body back in time, using the left foot that touched the ball as a pivot and leaped up.
Bang!
Although my posture was slightly unstable, it didn't hit exactly with my extended right foot, but luckily, the ball went towards the goal as I wanted.
And in this situation, that was enough.
Josephin's large body was blocking the goalkeeper's view.
- Waaaaaaa!!!!
After scoring such a goal, I should have run to the corner kick flag for my signature ceremony, but it was a pity that I couldn't because of the big motion... My arm also hurt a bit from the backflip.
"Sir Ryu! This crazy guy!"
"The Knight of the South King did it again!"
"...So, that's not the knight, right."
And around me, as I lay on the ground, other teammates came running and made a fuss. Of course, even I would want to watch the highlight video of myself today again, as it was a wonderful goal, but the tone suggested they were just teasing, so I pushed away their hands and stood up on my own.
"Haha, or what. I appoint you as the knight of this body."
"...No need."
"Don't refuse, there are men worldwide wanting to be my knight."
"Lucia. I'm still a minor, right?"
"Huh? I didn't mean it that way? Anyway, what's in the kid's head..."
...I was being refused. With Lucia's cheeky smile, all I could do was,
"Think about Lucia's usual behavior!"
I shouted and slapped Lucia's arm.
"Ouch! Little guy has strength."
"I'm 5-6cm taller than Lucia, right?"
After that, while teasing Lucia, I returned to the field, and Marisol's gaze looking at me was felt. She was glaring at me with a stiff expression, probably having sensed defeat.
'Well, if we conceded two goals in the first half against us, it's basically a loss.'
I showed a made-up smile to such Marisol and rubbed her mood, and seeing Marisol turn her head with a sour expression, I could reconfirm today's victory once again.
*
'Tsk, laughing during the match...'
Marisol turned her head sharply after seeing Ryu Ha-neul smiling at her. And remembering the scene of Ryu Ha-neul touching Lucia while blushing, anger surged suddenly.
'I work hard to death, but someone is doing romance during the match...'
Seeing that, the world felt too unfair. A guy who smiles and flirts with teammates during the match having such talent. The heavens were resentful.
And after the last World Cup, where they were eliminated in the quarterfinals, the words spat by a teammate came to mind.
"Hmph, if you had done well like Ryu, we would have advanced."
After the defeat, the response returned after venting anger like fire at teammates who couldn't follow his level was comparison with Ryu Ha-neul.
"You say I'm worse than that guy?"
"Yeah. You are the kind of girl who only knows how to eat in the greenhouse of Real Madrid. If the ball doesn't come? Have you ever come down like Ryu even once? Do you know how much we run to pass the ball to you? You selfish guy can't play like Ryu even if you try forever?"
And the subsequent fistfight left bruises on each other's faces, and after the fight, as South American people without backends, they drank and resolved.
The enmity with teammates was washed away with one drink, but even after returning to the team, Marisol's heart was prickly.
Because the words she spat then were deeply embedded in Marisol's chest.
In fact, Marisol had never once thought she was worse than Ryu Ha-neul. She knew Ryu Ha-neul was good at it, but she had won the top scorer in three competitions.
Football is ultimately a sport of scoring goals. And Marisol was the player who scored goals best in the world currently. But saying she was worse than Ryu...
Fortunately, Marisol, as a reward for being gifted talent by the god of football, was a person with passion for football. She was the type who accepted her shortcomings and gave feedback.
'Why did that guy say such words?'
And I found Ryu Ha-neul's full match video. Although I had watched his highlights many times, since I hadn't seen the full match, upon watching the video, Marisol couldn't help but be shocked. He was, as the teammate said, raising the overall level of the team.
Although I had met on the ground, the positions were too far, so I couldn't feel it, and since the team was Barcelona, I didn't feel the teammates raising the level, but Ryu Ha-neul playing for the Korean team was that kind of player.
Of course, Marisol, as a person with pride, wasn't the type to be shocked and depressed.
'Hmph, this guy is like this, I could do better.'
There was no reason she was worse than Ryu Ha-neul in physical or shooting power etc. So Marisol studied Ryu Ha-neul's style from then on, and since the start of the season, she played following Ryu Ha-neul's play.
Despite that effort, the only thing returned was the slump article.
Marisol laughed at such articles and passed them, thinking her poor performance was due to not participating in pre-season training because of the World Cup, so team chemistry didn't match.
And now, directly on the field, watching Ryu Ha-neul's play consciously, I could clearly see. Ryu Ha-neul was assembling the game like a world-class playmaker who had been running in the pro world for 20 years.
Even Lucía, who won the Ballon d'Or, or Clemence and Iris, who were responsible for the team's midfield, couldn't show such play.
But since the guy was only 16 years old, he couldn't have experience, so this must be innate talent...
'Why did god give such talent to such a guy...'
And the fact that that talent returned to a man who flirts with women on the field made Marisol slightly sad.
No matter how great a goalscorer, she was still an 18-year-old young player. With her mentality shaken like that, the game couldn't progress properly, and Marisol kept making errors, while Ryu Ha-neul rampaged through the field like meat in water.
In that situation, when Clemence stopped marking for scoring, Ryu Ha-neul started rampaging even more,
- Waaaaaaa!!!!
Just before the end of the first half, Ryu Ha-neul, who had penetrated into the penalty box with a 2-1 pass, scored another goal. And with teammates hugging him, showing that angelic smile, Marisol's anger surged even more.
'Why to that guy...!'
"......"
Back in the locker room, the coach was saying something, but to Marisol whose mentality was already broken, the coach's voice didn't reach.
"Marisol! Marisol!"
"Ah, ah.... Yes."
"Substitution. Your condition isn't great today."
"...Yes."
Although it was a substitution after the first half, since she knew her performance wasn't good, Marisol accepted the coach's words without a word, and 20 minutes into the second half.
- Waaaaaaa!!!
Ryu Ha-neul shook Real Madrid's goal net again. It was the third goal, signaling the hat-trick.
'Hat-trick at 16 in El Clasico.... Why such a guy who only knows girls has such talent...'
His age was the age when he was playing in the Uruguayan league. But he scored a hat-trick on the big stage El Clasico. And that hat-trick was not a simple hat-trick, but one made while controlling the game in his hands.
Seeing that, no matter how Marisol, she had to admit it now.
That his talent was above hers. And, like the teammate said, that she couldn't become like Ryu even with lifelong effort.
But Marisol clearly knew. That she was younger than him in some things.
'Yeah, keep doing that, playing with girls there. I'll surpass you someday. ...In my way.'
So Marisol sat on the bench, resolving with all her might. The resolve to surpass Ryu Ha-neul in her own way.