The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 203 Conflict with Oneself

"In this way, the situation in Group B becomes clearer."

The TF1 commentator then briefly mentioned the situation of the other groups in the previous round.

"Contrary to the common perception among most fans that there is a clear distinction between strong and weak teams, many of the teams we consider strong actually struggle somewhat in the Europa League. This proves that every team that can compete in European competitions is not a weak team."

"Napoli, Atletico Madrid, and Liverpool all played well and won by large margins."

However, Newcastle United, Borussia Mönchengladbach, Marseille, Tottenham Hotspur, and Inter Milan all drew their matches.

Inter Milan, in particular, drew 2-2 with Rubin Kazan at home, which surprised many people.

Stramaccioni, who has never coached a first team, is causing this Serie A giant to lose its luster. Last season, he took over from Ranieri and led the Nerazzurri to a somewhat improved result, ultimately finishing sixth. However, this season their performance has begun to decline, and it's hard to imagine that Inter Milan might not have any European competitions to play in by the end of the season.

Thessaly Stadium.

De Bruyne's free kick caused chaos in the penalty area of ​​Hapoel Tel Aviv.

Lukaku signaled that the opponent might have committed a handball foul, but the referee ignored him.

The game continues.

Hapoel Tel Aviv's attack mainly relies on ball control and then attacking down the flanks.

but,

Facing a midfield combination of De Bruyne, Kanté, and Rothen.

Hapoel Tel Aviv had absolutely no control of the ball.

In the Israeli Premier League, they never play a defensive counter-attacking style.

In fact,
Since Zahavi left Hapoel Tel Aviv, the team's attacking imagination has been severely limited.

Dado's tactics may have some highlights in attack, but the players' limited abilities make them difficult to execute.

In particular, the lack of overall squad depth, the aging defensive system, and the inconsistency of the goalkeeper have seriously hampered the team's performance.

This season, they have been overtaken by Maccabi Tel Aviv and Maccabi Haifa in the Israeli Premier League, and are currently considered "goalkeepers in the championship group".

This also marks the beginning of the traditional powerhouses' decline into mid-table teams.

Now playing away from home.

The players from Hapoel Tel Aviv were clearly struggling against a Bastia team that was riding high on morale.

A huge mistake occurred near the end.

Mane pressed forward, but their veteran defender, Digar, made a passing error, passing the ball across to Lukaku's feet.

This completely baffled Lukaku.

He was a step too slow and his first touch was too heavy, allowing Eder to rush out and collect the ball.

Hey!
The fans at the scene held their heads in regret; this was a golden opportunity.

Lukaku was still in a daze, and it wasn't until he realized what kind of opportunity he had missed that he realized what kind of opportunity he had missed.

He gave an awkward laugh.

Give Mane a thumbs up!

drop!
The halftime whistle blew, and the first half ended.

clap clap clap!
The fans in the stadium applauded the team enthusiastically. The performance in this half can be described as a complete domination, exploding the midfield of Hapoel Tel Aviv, leaving the opponent only able to retreat and barely defend.

The "MLG" trio of Mane, Lukaku, and Gaião gave Hapoel Tel Aviv's defense a lot of trouble.

Especially on Gaio's side, there were two yellow cards.

So when Dado returned to the locker room, he had a furrowed brow and didn't know how to talk to the players.

reverse?

He sighed. Perhaps there was a possibility.

But when he actually stood in the center of the locker room, his expression was serious, and his eyes, sharp as a hawk, swept over everyone.

"Listen! Now is not the time to give up. There are still 45 minutes left in the game. What does a two-goal deficit matter? Remember the team crest on your jersey. It won't let us fall before the final whistle."

No matter how strong the opponent's winger is, he's still just one person!

In the second half, the full-backs should mark him tightly, and the defensive midfielders should provide cover at any time. Don't let him get going. When they push forward, the defensive line will be full of holes. When counter-attacking, boldly move behind them, and the midfield passing should be as fast as a knife!

I don't know if the final result will be as wonderful as we hope, but we're already on the brink of elimination after six Europa League group stage matches. Losing this game would basically mean our elimination.

So don't worry about the outcome.

I need each of you to run 10% more and win one more second ball! Don't worry about mistakes, just keep going! We have nothing left to lose, and if we can't win, goal difference is useless.

Fight for the last forty-five minutes!

The players at Hapoel Tel Aviv looked determined, but deep down, there was a hint of dejection.

Through the first half of the game, they already knew what kind of team they were facing.

The gap objectively exists.

but,

They really only have one way out: to fight.

the other side.

Hagi Begic, on the other hand, kept emphasizing that the offense needed to be fast.

"The faster you go, the more you can disrupt their formation, and that's your chance. You need to be more decisive in the attacking third. If there's space, shoot decisively and be ready to cover second balls at any time."

"Of course, the back line can't be pushed too high. When the opponent attacks behind the defense, Sidibé, don't push up too much. Your main role is to help with the defense. You have speed and can track back."

The players nodded.

Done.

The players rested on their own, and the team doctor performed muscle relaxation exercises on some players.

Fabricio helped Gaio relieve his muscle tension and said, "You need to be careful. That opponent's move was a bit too aggressive; it felt like they were playing with fire."

Gaio nodded. "As a striker, isn't it normal to get kicked? People say that a striker's career basically declines drastically after thirty, while a defender's career, if he is disciplined enough, is mostly in its true peak after thirty."

Fabreto strongly agrees with this, "That's right, after all, one is the one being kicked and the other is the one kicking, the difference is still huge."

In fact, Fabreto was thinking that if Gaio continued to play the way he does now, he might decline significantly before he turned thirty.

Gaio is physically fragile and tall, so his fancy footwork makes him an easy target for opponents.

Frequent injuries seem to be a common occurrence for him.

Genius is the greatest pain in the hearts of mediocre people, who are not afraid to face genius with the greatest malice.

Fabrico watched Gaio rest with his eyes closed, saying nothing, and silently relaxed.

Gaio took a moment to glance at the panel.

soon.

Halftime ends.

The players from both sides returned to the field.

boom!
Boom boom! !
The fans' enthusiasm remained undiminished, and the atmosphere among the more than 20,000 people grew even more vibrant.

The majority of the more than 20,000 people were Bastia.

A small number of players came from other parts of France specifically for Gaio, who is now the most watched star player on the French national team.

It has no shortage of fans.

drop!
The whistle blew, and the second half of the game continued.

The players at Hapoel Tel Aviv have noticeably become more aggressive.

But it didn't work.

De Bruyne controlled the ball in midfield, turned, and then feinted to change direction, not only shaking off the defender but also being fouled by the opponent's aggressive pressing, who ultimately brought De Bruyne down. The referee promptly issued a yellow card to Wilmuse.

Welms protested to the referee, but to no avail. Many Hapoel Tel Aviv players looked toward Dado on the sidelines.

The latter made no comment.

Obviously,

They should be allowed to continue playing like this.

In the stands.

Ilion and Leonardo laughed when they saw De Bruyne get away from the situation.

Both of them were very satisfied with him.

Leonardo told Ilion, "I think this number 17, Kevin De Bruyne, our two clubs could talk about it, it looks good."

Ilion shook his head. "You won't buy him. Pogba is playing well. You don't lack midfielders. What you really need is a top-class explosive player like Gaio. It depends on whether your team has the guts to sign him and build the team around him."

Leonardo seemed somewhat frustrated upon hearing this. "I can't make any decisions about what's happening in Turin. All I can do is report the situation here truthfully."

Illion nodded. As scouts working outside the team, they were unlikely to influence the team's decisions.

He said, "If Turin is willing to take a gamble on Gaio, I'm willing to introduce you to Marotta so he can come to France and talk to Gaio's father, who is also his agent."

You can see Gaio's style of play; he needs possession of the ball and he needs a central role.

The obstacle for Juventus in signing him is whether the team can offer him these qualities.

Leonardo remained silent.

A common problem for elite teams like Juventus is the lack of competition.

Ilyon continued, "You can look at Gaio's situation in Bastia and the French national team now. Bastia goes without saying; they are definitely clinging to Gaio's coattails."

The French team was in a period of player shortage, and Gaião's emergence filled this gap. In addition, Blanc and Deschamps made bold promotions, and the team underwent a major overhaul.

They are currently building the team around Gaio.

and,

See that number 13 player? N'Golo Kanté, who was a substitute in Ligue 2 last season, has made it into the French national team squad after joining Gaio this season.

Gaio's influence in France is greater than you or I think.

Therefore,
I'm really looking forward to Gaio joining Juventus, after all, Juventus has a French tradition. However, it comes back to the question: can Juventus offer Gaio the tactical and dressing room status he had in Bastia and the French national team?

Leonardo remained silent.

Ilion continued, "So, don't be fooled by the media hype about Gaio potentially joining teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​or Bayern Munich."

That's actually impossible.

Because such a wealthy family cannot be centered around an eighteen-year-old child.

Barcelona has this tradition, but Gaio isn't a La Masia graduate, doesn't belong to Barcelona, ​​and it's impossible for him to come.

Leonardo finally couldn't hold back any longer and asked, "Then where do you think he'll go?"

Ilion chuckled, "Didn't I tell you? A 'Juventus' that can give Gaio an absolute core position."

Leonardo shrugged, neither confirming nor denying, and said, "These are all just our guesses. What if Gaio does have a dream of marrying into a wealthy family?"

"You don't understand Gaio."

Ilyon directly dismissed him, saying, "For a top talent like Gaio, they never need the team to make him who he is; he makes the team and creates an era."

Leonardo frowned. "You think highly of him?"

Ilion focused his gaze on Gaio, who was dribbling and attempting a breakthrough, and replied, "He's the one I brought to Chelsea."

Leonardo didn't know what the connection was between the two, but it was clear they had run out of things to say.

boom!
A deafening roar erupted as Gaio racked up three kills in a row!
Both Goldana and Antby had yellow cards, and with Welmus having already received a yellow card for a foul, the Hapoel Tel Aviv players knew the referee was strict.

They dared not break the rules.

So when Gaio had the ball and was double-teamed by two defenders, he pretended to cut inside, but then suddenly changed direction and continued to drive along the sideline.

Winger Ben Haim, who was tracking back, made a flying tackle from the side.

Gaio stopped with his foot, flicked the ball from behind to his other foot, and after Ben Haim slid past him, quickly headed into the penalty area.

At this moment, Hemovic came up to block Gaio's path to continue cutting inside.

Goldana caught up with them.

Gai glanced at the situation in the middle lane, but instead of cutting inside, he suddenly went down to the byline.

A cross came from the right foot.

Bang!
However, his shot didn't create any angle, and Haimovic, who caught up, blocked the ball out of bounds.

TF1 commentator: "Pass! Oh dear, Gaio didn't handle the ball well. The ball just happened to be on Gaio's right foot, and his right foot is much worse than his left. There's nothing he can do about it."

De Bruyne walked toward the corner flag area.

I gave a high five to Gaio, who was passing by, to cheer him on.

Gaio walked out of the penalty area, waiting for a second chance, while reaffirming his determination to practice his right foot.

In fact, he was already aware of this during the European Championship, but for various reasons, he had not been able to train his right foot intensively.

In fact.

Gaio knew very well that all these reasons were superficial; the real core reason was that he felt his left foot was sufficient.

Through long-term training, he developed a neuromuscular memory that prioritizes his left foot.

In particular, successful experiences in matches reinforce the left-foot-first behavior pattern, forming a path dependency.

Positive feedback will continuously solidify the habit of using the dominant foot.

Additionally, training the right foot can lead to a decrease in "self-efficacy," as people dislike seeing their own shortcomings.

Gaio examined himself and realized he was avoiding the issue.

Train your right foot.

It's not just about training your right foot; it's also about confronting the path dependence your body has developed over the past decade and fighting against your own psychological barriers.

drop!
The referee's whistle brought him back to the game.

De Bruyne reached out his hand.

Bang!
He kicked the ball out, and it flew towards the center.

Chaos reigned.

Players from both sides jumped to contest the header, but Lukaku was once again squeezed into the crowd and did not jump.

Joplin failed to contest the header this time.

but,

He also affected the opposing defender Digal's clearance, whose header grazed Joplin, changing the ball's direction.

The speed has slowed down considerably.

They rushed towards the edge of the restricted area.

Gai made an immediate anticipation, and Jemba defended him from the side.

Gaio didn't hesitate.

With its berserk mode activated and extremely fast startup speed, it appeared in front of Jemba first.

When the ball landed, he was a full body length ahead of Djemba.

Gaio volleys the ball into the air!
Bang!
(End of this chapter)