Soccer Genius Wants to Get Noticed - Chapter 200



Only Krnovel

Episode 200: A Night for Revenge (1)

The Civitas Metropolitano was packed with a sold-out crowd.

Whistle, whistle.

In the front row of the stands, the Spanish flag and a large white and red flag symbolizing Atletico Madrid are being waved, while on the side of the stadium, card sections are being raised simultaneously.

Instead, huge letters appeared on both sides of the mascot in the shape of a bear, and the home fans repeatedly stomped their feet and sang the cheering song.

[We always thrill our fans with passion!]

[When you stand in front of the ball as a champion, you see the true meaning of team!]

[A place where thousands of people who love emotional soccer gather together~]

[Atleti, Atleti, Atletico de Madrid!!]

This is 20,000 more seats than Cologne’s home stadium, so the away team players can’t hide their nervousness.

Fortunately, the Champions League group stage is already in its fifth match, so the team did not show the same level of nervousness as they did in the first match.

“Relax! If you win, you go up!”

“This is practically the last match! Let’s do our best, but don’t tremble and fall over!”

“It’s nothing! I prepared a lot!”

Inside the stadium passageway.

Cologne is led by veteran striker Mark Uth, and the voices of veteran players such as Schmitz and Huybers encourage each other.

“Building up from the back is more important than ever. Both the backs, as well as Sciuri and Duda, and the two wingers, need to drop in. Let’s start from the side and then switch to the other side to find an attacking route.”

“Ja.”

Overall, he joked that they shouldn’t be too stiff, but each position went through a final check based on instructions from the coaching staff.

In contrast, Atletico Madrid looked much more relaxed.

[So today, Jose, are you going to block it out?]

[Don’t stop me. To be frank, Mario is the problem, not me.]

[I?]

[Number 28. You need to get a dedicated mark. Are you sure?]

[Ah, of course. You blocked it well last time. You have some ability, but not yet.]

[Then can I make a bet?]

[… … What are you trying to bet on?]

[How about buying me something I want? Choose something that costs a reasonable amount, but is sensible enough that I wouldn’t mind spending my own money on it.]

Central defender Jose Jimenez, who holds dual Spanish and Uruguayan citizenship, responded with a mischievous smile.

His partner, central defender Mario Hermoso, can’t help but laugh.

However, the case of attackers was a little different.

While Alvaro Morata stood still and focused, Antoine Griezmann showed interest in the boy standing next to him.

“He oido tu nombre muchas veces ultimamente.”

“… … .”

Since it was our second meeting, I tried asking him a question in Spanish just in case, but as expected, he didn’t understand.

“I mean, I’ve heard your name a lot lately.”

“……what.”

English is also a failure.

Fortunately or unfortunately, Elis Schiri, who was standing behind Sung Ha Neul, provided the interpretation.

“I’ve been hearing your name a lot lately.”

“… … Do you speak English?”

“Everyone speaks English. It’s a basic skill for players who want to advance to Europe.”

“I can’t do it.”

“Uh… … Hanul, you were already in Germany. You didn’t come here after becoming an adult. So what I mean is-”

“Okay, I get what you mean.”

As Skiri tries to collect his words, his words get tangled, and the boy waves his palm as if it’s no big deal. Griezmann, who had spoken first, just watches blankly.

“Ahem, anyway. What do you want to say?”

“Answer? Why me? It’s right before the game. Just ignore me.”

“… … .”

“Why are you trying to pick a fight in the middle of nowhere… … .”

In addition, the person in question is not an ordinary person. He chooses to lie and say that he just said, “Thank you.”

On the other hand, there were things to learn.

There’s no need to chat before the game.

Because I have to focus on the game.

Because it’s a match that will determine whether you advance to the tournament round.

Even if you just look at the Group B rankings, it was like that.

1. FC Cologne (3 wins, 1 loss) 9 points, goal difference 1.

2. Club Brugge (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) 7 points, goal difference 2.

3. AT Madrid (2 wins, 1 draw, 1 loss) 7 points, goal difference 1.

4. FC Porto (4 losses) 0 points.

If Porto beats Brugge, they will have to wait until the 6th match (the final match of the group stage) even if they lose to Atletico Madrid, but if Cologne wins, it is virtually the same as confirming their advancement.

But if Brugge beat Porto and lost the away game… …then the maths would get complicated.

So at least it should be a draw, no.

It was a must-win game.

* * *

After shaking hands with the opposing players and the referee, he moved towards the center line.

I take a deep breath, deep into my lungs. The air is warm and soft, but it feels very different from the rough and cold sensation typical of Germany.

A feeling of alienation.

The atmosphere in the stadium is also like that.

A rounded oval. The first and second rows of seats were at a gentle angle, but the back row was extremely steep, like a cliff.

[Wow!!]

It felt like they were placed in a way that allowed each individual’s voice to be heard, given the distance from the field. In fact, the boos and cheers of the home crowd were particularly loud.

[Vamos campeon, pon huevos que hoy ganamos, que yo estoy des controlado, yo te quiero ver campeon.]

(Come champions, we rise, we win today, I’m out of control, I want to see us become champions.)

[Jamas, jamas, te dejara esta hinchada ni en las buenas ni en las malas nunca deja de animar!]

(We will never, ever leave you. We will never stop singing!)

The non-stop cheering song is a bonus.

There must have been seats reserved for away fans, but perhaps it was because the place was 1.5 times larger than the Rhein-Energie-Stadion (it sounded more than twice as large just from the sound). My eardrums were buzzing, and I felt like my concentration was about to be shattered at any moment.

So, I stand still, shake my head as if I’m shaking it off, and then quickly turn my attention to different parts of my body.

The muscles leading to the arms and waist are ready. The thigh muscles were a bit tight due to the relentless schedule, but that’s a good thing.

It’s moderately stiff, so it will naturally loosen up as the game time passes.

After completing a final check of the knee, calf, and ankle joints, raise your head.

Mark Ut stands before your eyes.

The harbour of Cologne.

“Jun… … Uh… … ?”

“what?”

“Are you ready? Wake up, kid!!”

For a moment, I was moved by the half-screaming voice.

Beep!

Because the referee’s whistle has blown, arguments with teammates are put off until later, and communication is done with eye contact and nods.

preparation?

It is a given.

After finishing the game today, I will soon sign a new contract.

If we want to end on a high note, we can’t just sit by and watch them get eliminated from the Champions League.

Because I have to make them pay the price for getting robbed in the previous meeting (and it was even a home game).

I was going to do my best to make sure that I would suffer the same thing.

Boom, boom!

The curtain rose on Game 5 as he received the ball from Ut and passed a ground ball to Skiri in the back.

* * *

First half.

As soon as the match started, things that were different from the previous match became noticeable.

AT Madrid’s formation changed from 352 to 442, and some of the starting lineup changed, such as Antoine Griezmann at the front and Condogbia in the central midfield position.

Cologne had the same starting lineup, but changed their tactics from 4231 to 4132. They took a more aggressive stance and applied strong forward pressure.

and.

“Pressen!”

The early atmosphere was ours as planned by the coaching staff.

Boohoo!

Coming from the right flank of the opposing camp, Remperle runs forward to match the timing of the pressure, and Mark Uth closes in on the center… … so the opposing fullback has no choice but to kick forward.

This is thanks to the strong forward pressure from the front line rather than the second line like last time.

In addition, right-back Benno Schmitz also sticks close to the opposing winger, checks the trajectory of the aerial ball and fights for position.

There was no need to force yourself to win.

Just rub shoulders, grab the uniform, or do something that disrupts your body balance as long as it doesn’t go against the rules.

Tick!

The one-touch pass that followed misses the opponent’s intended path, and Skiri, who quickly runs to the right flank of the team’s camp, wins possession of the ball.

A chance to counterattack.

However, no counterattack is carried out.

“slowly!”

“Lift it up little by little!!”

We will play the game in our own hands, but we will not rush. We will hold the center and push from the bottom, and eventually let the midfield go.

That was the conclusion that Steffen Baumgart wanted to reach.

Twitch, swoosh!

“Precision is rapid!”

Immediately after the official ball crossed to the left side of the friendly camp, AT Madrid also started to apply organized pressure.

Unlike last time, Florian Kainz drops deep to the center line to create a passing lane, and Ondrej Duda, who started as an attacking midfielder, also drops down to the central midfield position.

“You can give it back!”

With the addition of central defender Schabot and Scharlie, there are now four passing lanes, forcing the need for at least one or two additional players to win the ball back.

Come, come, come.

The temptation to cling to the opposing camp and put pressure on them.

Although the players in charge of the opposing second line did not advance beyond a certain distance, it was unavoidable that the overall formation would be distorted to the left.

Bam.

Boohoo-!!

Within the center line, below the left flank, Scirig receives the ball and passes it long to the right flank of the opposing team.

The destination is the right sideline, 2-high.

As winger Remperle sticks close to the last defensive line, the one who receives the ball is the winger-Schmitz who joins the attack.

Then… … it’s the attackers’ turn to move.

The winger is wide to the side, so I move down the line from the right-most forward position, a little lower than the second line, to create a clear passing lane.

[13 is missing!]

[Hold your seat!]

Additionally, Mark Utt also darts into the space on the right, leaving the left striker spot vacant.

If AT Madrid chose a zonal defense, Cologne’s response was to use asymmetric tactics.

Fight!

While the opposing defense struggles to fix the messy formation, the subsequent detailed tactics give me space and the ball.

Schmitz’s choice was Remperle, but the opposing midfielder, conscious of the 2-on-1 combination, followed him up. So I moved into that empty space and received Remperle’s back pass.

Choaak, ssut.

The opposing defense did not completely collapse, but rather, Axel Witsel, who started as a central midfielder (he played as a central defender in the last match), stood firm.

Check the condition… … no.

It’s my turn to show who I am.

He received the ball by rushing into the empty space, so his speed was adequate, and the passing routes to Mark Ut and Schmitz were also healthy, while on the left side, Kainz and Duda were swimming upstream like salmon.

It will take time for the opposing defense to reorganize, that is, to form a compact defense.

Fight!

It was just the right time for me to get active.

It’s showtime, it’s revenge time.