[Football] Bad Boy Batty

Since the season's undefeated run, it seems like all the troubles have come at once.

There was no time to refute Aguero's doubts, or even to attend the big party held by the club that night. Batistuta immediately took Neymar, Jesus and Ederson home.

The epidemic situation in Brazil is serious, and holding the America's Cup is tantamount to not taking human lives seriously.

"It's because our president loves to use football as a tool. Do you remember what he said when he forced the Brazilian league to restart in May? Yes, football players have better physiques than ordinary people, and they can recover faster even if they are infected. Listen."

Batistuta called all the Brazilian players in the Premier League to his house to discuss countermeasures. The meeting was quite successful. After all, the America's Cup was very important. No one played games, listened to music, or talked about other things during the meeting. But unfortunately, they didn't come up with any good solutions until the end.

"Maybe we can strike," Richarlison said. "If the Football Association insists on holding the game, we won't play at all. Simple and direct."

No one supports him.

Even Batty, who has always been more radical, doesn't.

"No matter what the people above want to achieve with the America's Cup, our people are looking forward to this competition. The epidemic has taken away the joy of this land. We cannot let them down," he said.

"The best way would be for CONMEBOL to compromise and postpone or cancel the game," Neymar added, "but we've already postponed it for a year, and there's still the World Cup next year."

The implication is that this matter is extremely difficult to handle.

Postponement is impossible, what about canceling the game?

This is not much simpler than postponing the event. Other participating countries except Brazil will have objections. As long as you participate in the America's Cup, you can get 400 million US dollars. Compared with the possible harm caused by the epidemic, many players are counting on receiving the participation bonus.

After seeing off the others, Batistuta and Neymar huddled together on the sofa to watch the latest melodrama, but I believe neither of them was in the mood to really pay attention to the plot.

"How about we find an excuse not to attend?" Neymar put his hand into Batistuta's light hair and rubbed it gently.

"Okay," Batty said lazily, "but people will call us cowards."

"Don't worry about them," Neymar said. "As long as they don't like it, they will complain. Before you joined the national team, people scolded me for two years, saying that I didn't do anything."

"So you should really thank me," Batistuta raised his hand and pinched Neymar's cheek, teasing, "I not only improved the Brazilian team's performance, but also helped you share the pressure."

"Thank you. I can't say this to you hundreds or thousands of times." Neymar said seriously, "Then Batistuta, back to the question just now, what do you think of my proposal?"

"Not very good." Batty said mercilessly, "I thought you were very loyal. What's going on? Are you also going to 'betray' the national team?"

"It's not betrayal. I just don't want us to be infected. It's not a good feeling to be positive, you know."

"Oh - thank you for your concern, you are so sweet." Batistuta patted Neymar's belly as a reward, "but dear, we have to participate."

"why?"

"Because Bolsonaro, he won from the moment he invited the America's Cup to Brazil." Batty sneered, "Don't you understand? We have been roasted on the fire, damn politicians."

"You can't say that, Batistuta, football has nothing to do with politics."

"Maybe in the last century, but now... they are trying to turn football into their political tool, and what can we players do?" Batistuta blew his lips to express his dissatisfaction. "The damn government's protection against the epidemic is not as good as my godfather's. They are in charge of slums and sell contraband, but they care about the people more than politicians."

Of course, Neymar thought, the public are the buyers, and who cares more about the buyers than the sellers?
Suddenly, Batty seemed to have thought of something. "Next year is the general election, Ney, you have to be careful and don't let anyone catch you."

Neymar has little interest in pursuing a career in politics.

"I understand, Batistuta, but..." He said briskly, ruffling Batistuta's hair to comfort him, "Are we still talking about the America's Cup?"

"Of course not." Batistuta also realized that he was too angry just now. He muttered a few words and looked up to meet Neymar's palm.

"So we have to go."

"Correct."

"Well, remember to bring more masks."

"And condoms. I need lots and lots of sex to forget the damn fact." Barty raised his eyes and looked up at him. "Since you're almost 30, Ney, do you think I should lower my expectations of you?"

"Don't provoke me, little bastard. If you want, I can make you forget all this right now and you won't be able to walk on your own until tomorrow morning."

"Haha, I doubt it."

The melodrama on TV reached its climax when the male protagonist rushed into the rain, hugging his pregnant extramarital affair partner who had just been driven away by him and had been in a car accident, and she was screaming in pain.

In Batistuta's living room, he raised his hand and pressed Neymar's neck, and the two exchanged a warm kiss.

"Will be fine."

……

In the field of football, South America, which contributes the most talents, is actually very backward. Previously, the America's Cup has never had a fixed time. The South American Football Association stipulates that as long as a certain number of member countries apply, the America's Cup can be held. It is very "capricious" (just like the character of the people on this continent)

Because of the existence of such a system, everyone can see that in the past 10 years, the America's Cup has been held four times for various reasons.

It was not until 2020 that the America's Cup was confirmed to be held every four years like other major competitions. However, due to the epidemic, the "first" America's Cup in 4 was postponed to 2020. Just last month, Colombia gave up the right to host the event due to public dissatisfaction over tax issues and domestic chaos.

The situation in Argentina was similar, so a very absurd scene happened.

With 14 days to go before the start of the America's Cup, the hosting rights are still "unclaimed".

At this time, Brazil took over the America's Cup, which perfectly diverted people's attention and also alleviated domestic public opinion pressure.

Therefore, even though the Brazilian Sports Ministry has figures like Tite who support the players' opinions, the Copa America has to be held in Brazil due to pressure from above.

Even though their head coach is still an acting one.

……

On June 6, a week before the start of the tournament, Batistuta returned to Brazil on a private plane with several teammates.

He no longer has any expectations for this Copa America, but fortunately Argentina will also participate, and Aguero and Messi's names are on the roster.

So, Batty can take this opportunity to solve another big problem.

"Kun still doesn't answer your call?" Jesus asked worriedly, "Bati, how do you feel?"

"I'm fine." Barty took a few grapes from the plate and popped them into his mouth. "But you got it the other way around, Gabi. It's not that he doesn't answer my calls, it's that I don't answer his calls."

Jesus opened his eyes wide in surprise.

"He has to pay the price for his rudeness," Batistuta shrugged. "First of all, I didn't instruct the hackers to expose the files. Secondly, it was not me who destroyed Messi's feelings for the club, but the Barcelona executives. So, I don't accept his accusations."

"That--"

"Not even an apology." Batty raised his chin and said arrogantly, "I'll deal with him when I'm in a better mood. The initiative is in my hands. You know, he's right about one thing. My godfather can really do anything."

The expression on Jesus' face began to become complicated.

He is worried about Messi.

Everyone knows that Batistuta's godfather is capable. He has no doubt that if Batistuta wants Aguero to stay and Messi to transfer to Manchester City, his godfather will definitely help him.

And if Messi joins...

Guardiola's focus will be entirely on improving the strikerless formation, which will have little impact on players like Aguero who are at the end of their careers, but he will have to reconsider his future, Jesus thought.

Maybe he should accept Arteta's invitation.

At the same time, in a villa in France, a bald man was packing his suitcase.

Halfway through packing, he took out his mobile phone to check the news. Just now, the French team held a press conference. Head coach Deschamps announced the European Cup roster and briefly answered reporters' questions.

Regarding Augustus, he said: "Augustus is an excellent player. I often watch his games at Manchester United. His leadership on the court and in the locker room is beyond people's imagination. I believe he will lead the French team to greater glory."

Regarding Mbappe, he said: "Kylian wants to play as a center forward? I haven't heard of it, and I don't know where you got the news from. If he wants to change his position, he will come to me and we will talk and make a decision based on his characteristics and abilities. Everything is for the team, he knows this very well, so don't try to sow discord between us anymore."

As for Zidane, he said: "It's a pity that he is no longer the head coach of Real Madrid, but I don't see what this has to do with the French team. He has his own decisions to make. If he wants to replace me, he can talk to the Football Association, and then the Football Association will come to me and tell me that I have been fired, but so far I have not received a call from the Football Association."

After reading all the interviews, the bald man's eyes became more determined. He packed up the remaining things without saying a word, then took his suitcase, locked the door, called a taxi to the airport, and resolutely embarked on the journey to Brazil.

……

On the morning of June 6, Batistuta was woken up by Neymar in a daze.

"What time is it? What do you want to do?" He tried to open his eyes a little, "Honey, Amor, Papi, stop it, do whatever you want, but don't disturb my sleep."

"What are you thinking?" Neymar slapped him lightly. "Even if I wanted to come, I wouldn't do it while you're sleeping."

Batty sat up dazedly and scratched his hair: "Okay, what do you want to say?"

"I want to say - look at this!" Neymar took a tablet and put it in front of Batistuta. The big words on it made Batistuta sober up at once, "We need a new head coach!"

[Breaking news! At 4am, the Brazilian Football Association announced that Zidane will be the interim head coach of the Brazilian team and will lead the team until the end of the America's Cup. If he officially takes over by then, Zidane will become the first foreign head coach in the history of the Brazilian team! ]

Zidane?
Interim head coach?
My God, is there such a thing as a temporary coach for the national team?
What kind of cool operation is this?

Looking at the screen, Batty felt a black screen before his eyes.

As expected of a hotbed of modern magical realism, South America is a continent where anything is possible.

(End of this chapter)