Chapter 168
Chapter 168
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 168
Chapter Title: vs Barcelona -2
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***
Josep Guardiola, better known to Korean soccer fans by his nickname 'Pep' Guardiola, the manager of Barcelona, couldn't help but be momentarily flustered by the reporter's question.
'Is this provocation...?'
Seeing Pep Guardiola unable to comprehend the question, the reporter brought a hand to his head. And in that instant, Pep understood perfectly.
Pep Guardiola's scalp burned from Park Chan-hyuk's lowbrow personal attack.
'Is the Union Berlin manager scared of us?'
But as his heated head cooled, he quickly grasped the current situation.
After all, a biting dog doesn't bark.
The fact that Park Chan-hyuk was provoking him was clear proof that he was afraid of facing Barcelona.
'It seems certain, given that he's only provoked strong teams so far.'
And in truth, Pep Guardiola, who had been busy ever since taking over as Barcelona manager, was well aware of Park Chan-hyuk's existence.
He was a severe soccer addict who thought about nothing but soccer at all times.
Plus, with Park Chan-hyuk's current stature, it was impossible not to know.
[Top 5 Promising Managers to Lead World Soccer.]
Park Chan-hyuk was a manager receiving considerable attention in European soccer circles as someone who would advance the sport alongside him.
Pep Guardiola had known of Park Chan-hyuk even before his name started making waves.
He was a tactically exceptional manager.
'It was impressive.'
If Pep himself had followed the typical elite path, Park Chan-hyuk was someone who had truly risen from the bottom. It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say he stood at the complete opposite end of the spectrum from Pep Guardiola.
For the record, this didn't mean he looked down on him for his humble origins.
Pep Guardiola actually felt that Park Chan-hyuk's rise from the bottom was even more remarkable.
Even in lower leagues, a managerial position wasn't easily given without considerable ability.
'And to a person of color, no less.'
European soccer was still predominantly white-dominated.
Even blacks who had long excelled on European stages were rare as managers.
Yet an Asian had seized that position purely on merit.
'He even promoted his team from the fourth division and grew alongside it.'
Constantly developing alongside a team was no easy feat.
Though his provocation skills seemed to have grown alongside his tactics.
'Well. This might be the Union Berlin manager's way of showing respect. Or perhaps an Asian cultural thing.'
So Pep Guardiola was somewhat pleased by Park Chan-hyuk's provocation.
It was an acknowledgment that Barcelona and he himself were threatening.
He interpreted it as a form of respect, in its own way.
"Someday, I'd like to go all out against Union Berlin. It's unfortunate that our players are quite fatigued due to bad luck right now. But as always, we'll overcome it. Because we are Barcelona."
That didn't mean he felt good about it, separate from his understanding.
***
Separate from the infamous incident where he trolled in the Champions League final due to food poisoning.
Pep Guardiola is evaluated as one of the most influential managers in modern soccer.
It had gotten to the point where world soccer history was divided into before and after his emergence.
Sometimes his soccer philosophy was criticized for making the game boring.
Well. That was unavoidable.
'As technology advances, the space for individual heroics naturally shrinks.'
Just as people often likened soccer to war, in actual warfare too, as technology and tactics evolved, the impact of individuals diminished.
In the past, war was even seen as a sport in some cultures.
Europe only came to view war as tragedy after experiencing total war.
'Excluding Northeast Asia, where nations have been brawling since ancient times.'
Honestly, that place was just insane.
Wars rarely wiped out entire countries in Europe.
And win or lose, one of the two nations vanished.
Anyway, just as advancements in technology and tactics eliminated ways for individuals to turn wars around, in soccer too, as tactics evolved, the influence individuals could have on matches naturally decreased.
'Of course, Messi and Ronaldo carried their teams with individual brilliance amid all that.'
Frankly, such cases were exceedingly rare.
Messi and Ronaldo weren't ordinary players, after all.
[Pep Guardiola, "We are Barcelona."]
In any case.
I expressed my disappointment while reading the follow-up interview article with Pep Guardiola.
'Tsk. I was hoping he'd charge in provoked, but it didn't work.'
I had employed Korea's traditional 'come at me' tactic passed down from the Goguryeo era.
But Pep Guardiola didn't take the bait.
Unfortunately, Pep wasn't the type to fall for foolish questions.
'Might've needed that "devilish schemes defy heaven's logic" line.'
Well. No use regretting it now.
Now, only the all-out war against the real Barcelona remained.
***
Iron and Blood Stadium, where the Barcelona vs. Union Berlin match was taking place.
Before kickoff, the players came out onto the pitch and began warming up slowly.
'As expected, their condition isn't great.'
Pep Guardiola's expression naturally hardened as he watched the players warming up.
Barcelona's players were in poor shape due to having traveled 1,547 km by bus.
It was only natural.
Condition couldn't return to normal in just two days.
All they could do was curse UEFA for not granting the match postponement request.
Anyway, moments later.
"Union Berlin vs. Barcelona! Barcelona vs. Union Berlin—the Champions League semifinal first leg is underway! Union Berlin on the left, Barcelona on the right."
With the referee's whistle, the Champions League semifinal first leg between Union Berlin and Barcelona kicked off.
"Barcelona had to travel 1,547 km by bus due to the volcanic eruption in Iceland's Eyjafjallajökull. No wonder the players look visibly fatigued!"
"Yes. Covering that distance by bus can't leave them in normal condition."
"Ah! And right as I say that—Thomas Maier with intense pressure!"
Union Berlin pressed Barcelona fiercely from the opening whistle.
They had decided to raise the tempo early to drain Barcelona's stamina.
"Union Berlin is ramping up the pace right from the start!"
"Yes. Manager Park Chan-hyuk seems intent on pulling ahead at home."
They knew the later the game went, the more advantageous it would be for them.
Meanwhile, Barcelona calmly circulated the ball despite Union Berlin's intense pressure.
Barcelona escaped the pressure with quick passes.
"Xavi. Iniesta. Dani Alves!! Unbelievable! It's like they're playing a video game!"
"Indeed. And Alves passes to Lionel Messi."
"Messi, who's been called the heir to Pelé and Maradona in this Champions League campaign. What will he show us against Union Berlin...?"
The ball swiftly went from Xavi to Iniesta to Dani Alves and into Lionel Messi's possession.
Messi began shaking up Union Berlin's defense line.
"Ah! Right as I speak—Lionel Messi breaks through Union Berlin's defense!"
"Ah! Dangerous! For Union Berlin!"
Lionel Messi's choice after breezing past Union Berlin's defenders.
Was a pass.
Union Berlin defenders surrounded him, making a shot impossible.
"Messi! No shot—he passes!"
Messi's pass went to Pedro Rodríguez.
Those watching the match anticipated Barcelona's goal.
"Pedro Rodríguez!!"
But Pedro Rodríguez's shot.
Whiff!
Thud!
"Woooooooooah!! Manuel! Manuel! Manuuuuueeeel!! Manuel Schmidt blocks Pedro Rodríguez's shot!!! Super! Super! Super save!!"
It was stopped by Manuel Schmidt's brilliant save.
"Jaaaaaaa!!"
Manuel Schmidt, who had dramatically saved Barcelona's shot, pumped his fist in the air and roared.
Barcelona's chance to seize control was blocked by Manuel Schmidt, and soon after, a surging Union Berlin counterattack began.
"Luka Modrić gets the ball! Barcelona presses Modrić, but he shrugs them off easily."
Luka Modrić escaped the pressure using his physicality.
Modrić was small in stature, but not to the point of being overpowered in physical battles against Xavi and Iniesta.
'......Me winning physical duels?'
Luka Modrić was having a novel experience in this match against Barcelona.
In any case.
Luka Modrić escaped Barcelona's pressure and linked up with Shinji Kagawa.
In Shinji Kagawa's sights were Gareth Bale and Son Heung-min sprinting into the space behind Barcelona. Anticipating Barcelona would play on the counter, Park Chan-hyuk started Son Heung-min over Ángel Di María.
And seeing the players running into the space behind Barcelona, Shinji Kagawa's choice was Son Heung-min. Barcelona was focusing more on marking Gareth Bale.
Shinji Kagawa's pass connects to Son Heung-min.
"Son Heung-min!!"
Son Heung-min's first touch was poor, narrowing his shooting angle.
But he didn't panic and fired a shot immediately.
"Goooaaaal! Son Heung-min! Son Heung-min scores! Assist from Shinji Kagawa, and Son Heung-min! A Korea-Japan collaboration goal! Union Berlin takes the lead over Barcelona!!"
It was the moment Korea and Japan teamed up to rattle Barcelona's net.