The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 315 The Dual Blues Meet, Individual Heroism [Over a Million Words!]

"Put on your blue outfit and watch our game."

Sing loudly, sing clearly, until we win!

Everyone was singing: Chelsea
Oh!
Blue, our dream.

When the players from both sides stepped onto Stamford Bridge again, the atmosphere suddenly intensified, with cheers and chants filling the air.

Gaio tapped the edge of the line.

Enter the stadium.

This time he didn't lose focus; he completely ignored the outside world and only paid attention to the field.

The two sides began their pre-match ceremony.

now,

The England commentator is introducing the lineups for both sides, "Benitez's ever-present 4-2-3-1 formation..."

Torres;
Hazard, Mata, Oscar;

Lampard, Ramirez;
Ashley Cole, David Lewis, Ivanovic, Azpilicueta,
And goalkeeper Petr Cech.

Chelsea's bench also includes players such as Cahill, Demba Ba, and Terry.

"Bastia, on the other hand, did not use their usual 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1 formations, but instead opted for a 4-4-2 defensive formation. Hagi Bejic clearly did not want to play an attacking game against Chelsea in this match, but rather focused on defense."

The two forwards are Lukaku and the highly anticipated Gaião.

The midfield quartet consists of Palmieri, Rothen, De Bruyne, and Kanté.

The backline consists of Sidibé, Joplin, Van Dijk, and Anguilla.

And young goalkeeper Damian Martinez, on loan from Arsenal.

However, compared to Chelsea's bench, Bastia's bench clearly doesn't have many backup options.

The commentary boosted the confidence of many Chelsea fans watching the broadcast.

They hadn't watched Bastia's matches, but after hearing the commentators' comments, they felt the match was likely a sure thing.

Like other dark horse teams, Bastia can only put together a decent starting lineup.

So once they pick up the pace and drag the game into the later stages, these teams simply can't keep up.

On the field, the opening ceremony was in progress.

As the only Premier League team representing the European competition, this match was being followed not only by Chelsea fans, but also by fans and management of many other Premier League teams.

Because many Premier League teams have already set their sights on Bastia's players.

In their eyes, this dark horse team from Ligue 1 will be like those non-elite teams in the past, with most of their main players being poached.

This is the destiny of every underdog team.

soon.

The pre-match ceremony concluded at 9 PM.

It kicks off at the same time as another Europa League match!
drop!
Game start!
Chelsea kicked off first, and when Torres passed the ball back, everyone at Bastia, including Lukaku and Gaio, was walking back.

This is also a key tactical principle for them in this match.

The ultimate defense and counter-attack!
Chelsea actually wanted to seize the initiative at the start, but seeing Bastia's resolute retreat, Mata, after controlling the ball, subtly gestured for them to take it slow.

Before the match, Benitez told the players that Bastia would not give them any space.

Positional warfare is the norm.

Therefore, the pace is relatively slow at the beginning.

The broadcast camera focused on the stands, spotting Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich, with Granovskaia and CEO Ron Gourley beside him.

Abramovich sat expressionless on the stage, watching his team.

When the commentator saw this shot, he said, "I wonder what Abramovich's mindset will be towards these three Chelsea players from Bastia tonight. Will he hope they perform better or worse?"
Especially Gaio. Gaio left Chelsea because he beat up a Russian youth player that Abramovich liked. Now that Russian youth player has disappeared from England and can't even play in the Russian Premier League when he returned to Russia.

However, Gaio defied the odds and rose to prominence, eventually becoming a superstar after overcoming numerous obstacles.

The biggest transfer signing this summer was Gaio.

A while ago, there were reports that Abramovich was planning to sign a top striker. I wonder if Gaio's name is on Abramovich's shortlist?

but,

The broadcast showed footage of Chelsea executives like Abramovich, but not of players like Jerónimín and Chatham.

They are simply too unknown.

If Bastia hadn't become the biggest dark horse in Ligue 1, who would have cared about this Mediterranean island team?

Teams like this are countless, not just in Europe, but even in France.

at this time,

The two men were in the stands behind Bastia's bench, watching as Chelsea completely overwhelmed Bastia's defense, and they felt very nervous.

They were terrified of being overwhelmed by Chelsea.

There's another issue they're all well aware of: while Bastia was making club history, they were also coming into the sights of European giants.

Chatham had already received tentative inquiries from some of the top four European leagues.

Many teams want to buy their players.

The player who was asked the most questions was somewhat counterintuitive. Many people might think that Gaio was the most asked, but in fact, very few people asked Gaio.

On the contrary, players like Kanté, Van Dijk, and Mane are getting more inquiries!
Especially Kanté.

Kante found his place in Bastia's defensive system within a short period this season and performed exceptionally well.

Such as this time.

After the start of the game, Kante basically covered Mata's running area the whole time, making it difficult for Mata to organize any play after receiving the ball.

Kante is very close to Mata.

and,

Because Hagi Bejic knew how important Mata was to this Chelsea team, he gave Kante freedom of movement. He only needed to mark Mata and didn't have to worry about anything else.

Of course, Mata is also used to being targeted.

Benitez's tactics have long been studied by Premier League coaches, so there are also counter-tactics.

however,
As time went on, Mata suddenly felt that Kanté was a little different!
He really can't be shaken off!
Mata received the ball near the center circle in Chelsea's half, and Kanté immediately closed in, using his body to block the position while extending his leg to interfere.

Mata stumbled slightly and managed to pass the ball back, but Kanté immediately turned and continued to block Mata's path to receive the ball.

This incident left Mata in a rather awkward position.

The commentator remarked, "It's Kanté again!"
As soon as Mata got the ball, the small Bastia player clung to him like a leech, physically tough and constantly harassing him with his feet. Mata couldn't turn around at all and could only pass the ball back!
Mata is having a really tough time!

Judging from Kanté's anticipation and footwork, his center of gravity was extremely low, and Mata couldn't move him at all. Kanté didn't easily make a move, but kept applying pressure, compressing Mata's space and time! Mata was completely locked down!
No wonder Arsenal and Manchester United are both rumored to be interested in signing Kanté; this young French defensive midfielder certainly has something unique about him.

Actually, it wasn't just Kanté; players like Van Dijk and Sidibé also performed well.

Damian even made two saves that weren't particularly dangerous.

On the contrary, Gaio has barely touched the ball in almost ten minutes since the start of the game.

Bastia fans were getting anxious; Bastia couldn't get the ball out!

Chelsea also made a mistake, losing possession to Bastia, but Chelsea immediately counter-pressed.

More importantly, Bastia's defense is starting to crumble!

The problem lies on the left flank.

After Mata was shut down, Chelsea changed their tactics, directly using individual skills on the wings to break through!

Hazard had the most possessions of the ball.

In the 12th minute, Hazard's breakthrough forced Angula into a foul, resulting in a yellow card for Angula.

This yellow card also made Haji Begic on the sidelines frown.

Hazard!
Hagi Begic is quite familiar with him. When Gai was with Lille, it was Gai who single-handedly defeated Lille, led by Hazard, which made it possible for them to win the French Cup later.

Since joining Chelsea, Hazard has quickly demonstrated top-level performance.

Hagi Bejic focused on a recent game where Hazard played well.

In the league, Chelsea defeated West Ham 2-0. Sky Sports gave Hazard a match-high 9 points, praising his "dominant performance".

With an assist to break the deadlock, a goal to seal the victory, and countless other threatening attacks, Hazard gave West Ham no peace throughout the entire match.

The defender had barely caught his breath when Hazard was already upon him again.

He contributed one assist and one goal.
That goal was a complete explosion of individual ability. After combining with Mata, Hazard cut inside at high speed, controlled the ball with his chest, and then smoothly flicked it past the defender who was trying to pounce on him before firing a tricky low shot into the net with his left foot.

Amazingly, from Mata's lobbed pass to Hazard's sprint down the wing and into the net, only 4 seconds had passed. The Belgian was like a gust of wind, whistling the ball into the opponent's goal.

Looking at the football world, there are many players who are good at dribbling, but the difference between superstars and good players is the "last move" after the dribble. Some people can dribble past opponents beautifully, but their final pass or shot is always incomprehensible, such as Gervinho. What makes Hazard valuable is that he is strong at dribbling, and his passing and shooting abilities are equally outstanding.

This is why Gaio is receiving so much attention now.

His market value is even higher than Hazard's!

On the one hand, Hazard is already 22 years old, but Gaião is only 18.

On the other hand, Gaião's ball control is better than Hazard's.

pity.

In this game, when Hazard started to take over, Gaio couldn't get the ball.

Gaião seemed somewhat helpless in the attacking third.

They really couldn't pass the ball.

De Bruyne made two forward pass attempts, but both were double-teamed and he was unable to get the ball to Gaio's feet.

De Bruyne reached out his hand to Gaio as an apology.

Gaio actually understood.

Hagi and Begić knew how to shut down Chelsea's playmaker Mata, so why didn't Benitez know how to stop De Bruyne's passes?

It wasn't just De Bruyne; he himself was also closely marked.

Ashley Cole completely abandoned his forward runs and mostly stayed around Gaio.

David Lewis was also ready to cover at any time.

On the other hand, Lukaku's side only had Ivanovic holding the fort.

Benitez was confident that Ashley Cole and David Luiz could contain Gaio.

Wow!

Just as Gaio was waiting for his chance, gasps erupted again at Stamford Bridge.

It's Hazard again!
He changed direction with lightning speed, shaking off Anguilla. Rothen came to cover, but was also easily fooled. Hazard was about to unleash a powerful shot.

Damian has positioned himself near the left corner, ready to make a save.

Van Dijk also moved over to block Hazard's shot.

however,
Hazard flicked his ankle, turning it into a pass.

Bang!
The ball was passed across to the middle, and Torres seized the opportunity after Van Dijk moved, making a straight run forward.

Joplin simply couldn't keep up with Torres's acceleration.

We were completely crushed!
Torres rushed forward, the ball was perfectly positioned, and he made a delicate poking shot.

Swish!
The football finally pierced through Damian's fingers!

Boom boom!

Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers. In this clash between two blue teams, Chelsea's blue still held the upper hand.

Torres ran to the sidelines with his arms outstretched to hug and celebrate with his teammates.

There are widespread rumors that he will leave Chelsea, but he continues to prove himself.

This proves that he is still the golden boy, the eternal T9.

Benitez pumped his fist, letting out a huge sigh of relief. One goal was all it took to make it more.

He glanced furtively at the Bosnian people not far away.

I felt a slight scorn in my heart.

Bastia's ability to eliminate Tottenham and Inter Milan in succession was not because Bastia was particularly strong, but because those two teams were in a state of collapse.

Both teams have one thing in common: they are both led by young coaches!

They were all impractical young coaches with idealistic tactics in their minds.

In Benitez's view, Tottenham and Inter Milan ruined their own careers.

Bastia?

But that's it!

at this time,

The English commentator was also shouting wildly, "Goal! Torres! Hazard! A magical performance! He first dribbled past Anguilla and Rothen, then fooled goalkeeper Darmian and the covering Van Dijk!"
Just when everyone thought he was about to unleash a powerful shot, he flicked his ankle and delivered a deadly cross! Torres understood perfectly, cut into the space, and easily slotted the ball into the net!

1-0, Chelsea break the ice!

This goal is a microcosm of Chelsea's formidable strength and a reflection of Bastia's predicament!

Hazard's individual ability overwhelmed the defense, and Torres's ghostly runs seized the fleeting opening.

Bastia's defensive system finally showed cracks under the continuous attacks.

After panning across the jubilant Chelsea fans, the broadcast camera also captured the Bastia players shaking their heads in frustration, as well as a small number of Bastia fans in the away section.

The commentator continued, "The dark horse's magical journey has encountered a severe test at Stanford Bridge!"

They were firmly suppressed by Chelsea and struggled to make any impact in attack.

Gaião, the Europa League's top striker, almost disappeared into the sea of ​​blue throughout the match, barely touching the ball!

Bastia's strengths—speed and counter-attacks—were completely stifled by Chelsea's midfield control and high pressing; they appeared helpless.

Gaio and his teammates walked towards the center circle.

On the road.

Gaião told De Bruyne and Rothen, "Don't look at people, just keep passing forward long balls. I'll be there. Don't wait, or the chance will be gone! Be quick! This is our only chance. We're positioned too deep; it's too difficult to build up our play slowly."

De Bruyne and Rothen both looked rather serious at this moment.

Chelsea truly lives up to their reputation as Chelsea.

The pressure they felt was immense, and it was really hard for them to adapt.

After hearing Gaio's words, they all nodded subconsciously.

Gaio also waved and clapped to his teammates, encouraging them to stay focused and not look defeated just because of a single conceded goal.

“The game isn’t over yet!”

"Even if we lose this game, there's always the home game!"

Hagi Bejic was frantically waving his hands on the sidelines, yelling at his players to keep up the defense!
He glanced at Angula's position and gestured for Rothen to help.

however,
Just ten minutes later, Stamford Bridge was once again filled with joy.

It's Hazard again!
He was dribbling down the left flank when Anguilla forced him to the sideline, but he managed to create space with a fake turn and pass the ball to Lampard, who was coming up for a one-two pass.

Hazard turned and sprinted out, receiving the ball and cutting inside immediately.

Van Dijk hesitated this time, unsure whether to step up or not, and Hazard unleashed a powerful shot!
The ball is in the net again!

The English commentator immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Unbelievable! It's Hazard again! I'm sure Bastia fans are very familiar with this dribbling ability. It's a pity they won't see Gaio get past Chelsea like this tonight, but they will see Hazard get past Bastia's defense like this. 2-0, I believe Benitez's team is one step closer to advancing."

In France.

TF1's commentators were also a little pessimistic, after all, Bastia was completely dominated in both the game and the score.

His tone was somewhat heavy. "Bastia's defense was so fragile in front of Hazard. Angola was repeatedly outmaneuvered, and Van Dijk was also hesitant."

Chelsea had clearly done their homework and fully understood Bastia's defensive weaknesses. Even though Kante locked down Mata, Hazard's dominance on the left flank was proof of that.

The miracle of Corsica seems to be gradually dimming under the dazzling starlight of Stamford Bridge.

They gave it their all, but the gap was clearly visible against Chelsea's complete dominance and star players' brilliance.

De Bruyne struggled to organize play, the ball couldn't get to the attacking third, and Lukaku and Gaio's speed was rendered ineffective.

Bastia's winning weapon was precisely dismantled by their opponent.

This defeat may foreshadow the end of a legendary journey.

The glory of reaching the Europa League semi-finals is enough to be recorded in history.

But reality is cruel – with the summer transfer window approaching, the shining names of Gaião, De Bruyne, and Kante are destined to become targets for top clubs.

Bastia may find it difficult to retain these players destined to become stars; their dream season may truly be coming to an end.

Bastia.

Fans who couldn't travel to London watched the broadcast from various locations.

Even inside the Thessaloniki stadium, a special screen was brought in so everyone could watch the game together.

They only charge a symbolic fee of 1 franc.

After all, every step Bastia takes now is a step towards history, and every away game is crucial.

however.

Almost thirty minutes had passed, and Bastia still hadn't had a single shot on goal. In fact, they had very few chances to even attempt a shot.

On the contrary, the opponent has already scored two goals.

This left Bastia fans feeling somewhat hopeless.

The atmosphere at Thessaloniki Stadium has gradually shifted from initial anticipation to the current silence.

In contrast, Stamford Bridge was bustling with excitement.

Chelsea fans were shouting and waving their flags.

Some extreme fans even mocked Gaio, De Bruyne, Lukaku, and others.

They also sang adapted songs.

Using the tune of "He's a Happy Guy," but full of irony—"Kevin De Bruyne! Where's the pass going?"

He spent most of his time on the Chelsea bench.

Install the core in Bastia!

Where should the pass go? Where should the pass go?

of course,

Neither Gaio nor Lukaku can escape it.

"Bastia Recycling Center! We only accept Chelsea trash!"

"Three losers! Even as a team, they're still losers!" "Go home, London's outcasts!"

"He reigned supreme in Corsica, but became mute upon returning to London!"

As Gaião walked back to the center circle, he patted De Bruyne on the shoulder.

"What the newspapers say and what the fans shout are things that happen off the field; they can't change the outcome of the game."

"The outcome depends solely on this."

He pointed to the feet of the two players, "It depends on the situation on the field."

"As for what they're saying, it's just noise until the results are in."

De Bruyne turned to look at Gaio and let out a deep breath.

This half hour made him somewhat doubt himself.

perhaps,

Am I really just like the fans sang, unworthy of Chelsea's appearance?
Is playing for a team like Bastia the only option?

Do not!
De Bruyne looked at Gaio, his resolve gradually hardening.

What do you mean by "only fit to play in Bastia"?
Bastia is no worse than Chelsea!

no way!

"Hmm," De Bruyne hummed in response.

Gaio forced a smile and continued to the center circle, preparing to kick off.

drop!
The whistle blew, and just like before, as soon as Lukaku passed the ball, Chelsea immediately pressed forward.

This time it was the same, even the goals conceded were the same.

Gaio received the ball with his back to the goal and was pushed down from behind by Ashley Cole.

The referee called a foul.

Ashley Cole shrugged, but wagged his finger at Gaio.

Known as one of the best left-backs in the Premier League, Cole is full of confidence.

What French genius?
He's just a guy who can't even get playing time at Chelsea.

Cole was a striker from age 7 to 15 when he was young, so he understands all too well what strikers are thinking.

So when he transitioned to left-back in the youth team, he thrived.

Kerr himself has said in interviews that he takes pride in stopping opponents from breaking through, defending the goal, and preventing opponents from scoring; this is his basic defensive philosophy.

Gaio completely ignored Cole's actions.

He got up and walked forward.

At least he gave Bastia a set piece to see if they could create an attacking opportunity.

The answer is no.

When De Bruyne passed the ball out, Ivanovic outjumped Lukaku and headed the ball towards midfield.

Instead, it almost created a fast break opportunity for Chelsea.

Fortunately, Torres was dribbling the ball when Van Dijk made a precise sliding tackle to dispossess him and send the ball out of bounds.

Both sides were once again engaged in positional warfare.

but,

Bastia finally got a chance in the 37th minute!
Rothen, positioned at right-back, gained a passing space and launched a long diagonal pass into the attacking third.

Gaio was the fastest runner; he saw where the ball was going to land and then judged Cole's position.

Without stopping the ball, he passed it to Lukaku in the middle of the field as he sprinted forward.

however.

Lukaku had just charged forward when Ivanovic pushed him aside, and the ball was passed back to Cech after a few quick steps by Ivanovic.

This ended Bastia's counterattack.

Gaio shook his head helplessly.

Lukaku also kept shaking his head, and casually gave a thumbs-up to Gaio's pass.

soon.

Chelsea launched another attack, and with a two-goal lead, they didn't feel safe, or rather, they wanted to completely crush Bastia.

They're still attacking!

However, Chelsea's players had been attacking for half the game, and their physical condition had also declined somewhat.

Kante seized the opportunity and tackled the ball away from Mata's feet.

De Bruyne found an opportunity and took control of the ball.

Without hesitation, remembering Gaio's words, he kicked out with a powerful kick!
Bang!
The ball flew straight down the right flank.

Gaio had already rushed out almost the instant the pass was made.

However, neither Ashley Cole nor David Lewis lost their positions.

When Gaio receives the ball and accelerates to advance down the wing.

The two surrounded Gaio from the front and back, blocking his path of advance.

Gaio, however, did not slow down or move to the outside; instead, he went to meet Gaio head-on.

Ashley Cole immediately stepped forward, wondering how Gaio dared to come at the two of them.

Just as he took a step forward to close the distance, Gaio suddenly paused, feigning to slow down.

Ashley Cole saw an opportunity and stretched out his leg to block the shot.

The moment he stretched out his foot.

Bang!
Suddenly, Gaio pushed the ball forward with his left foot, and the ball passed between Cole's feet.

And David Luiz, who was coming over to help defend Gaio on the outside, obviously didn't expect the ball to come over so suddenly!

He did not make any interception move.

The football then passed right between his legs!
Wow!
Everyone was stunned by Gaio's move; Gaio actually kicked the ball through two legs!
One wears two!

Ashley Cole and David Lewis were both stunned; neither of them had expected this.

Before they could even turn around, Gaio had already rushed out, shaking off the two players and dribbling the ball from the outside straight towards the penalty area!
Louis reached out to pull Gaio, but missed by a hair's breadth.

"Geo!"

"Geo!!"

At this moment, both the commentators and Bastia fans were spontaneously chanting this name.

When everyone thought Gaio had disappeared, he stepped forward!
Ivanovic charged forward at full speed from the other side, trying to stop Gaio.

But it's too late to catch up.

Chelsea's hopes now rest on Cech!
They hoped that this Czech goalkeeper could save them once again.

Cech has already made his move.

When facing Gaio, a striker who loves to dribble past goalkeepers, the goalkeeper was somewhat intimidated and didn't dare to completely hand over his weight.

Gaio flicked the ball to his right with his left foot, as if he was about to shoot.

Cech did not eat the dummy.

He knew that Gai was a left-footed player, and his right foot was only used for passing.

His focus was still on defending against Gaio's sudden dribble back or sudden acceleration to break through from the right side.

however,
While Cech was still pondering Gaio's next move, Gaio's move was not a feint.

Bang!
He flicked the ball with his left foot, then unleashed a powerful shot with his right!
The simplest and most direct shot!
Cech hadn't initially planned to make the save, but seeing Gaio's unusual movement, he lunged forward to block it.

In such a split second, if you're slow on one step, you'll be slow on every step.

When Cech fell, the ball had already passed him!

Swish!
The football flew straight into the top corner of the goal and slammed into the net.

2-1!

Bastia have pulled one back!
They still have hope!

After seeing the ball go in, Gaio didn't celebrate; instead, he rushed into the net and took the ball out.

He then waved to his teammates and ran towards the center circle.

Although there was no celebration.

But this goal was of great significance to Bastia at that moment!
They can score!
Everyone's eyes lit up, and they felt their confidence return.

Courtside.

Haji Begitch also perked up, pumping his fist and hugging his assistants in celebration.

They are still lagging behind.

But Gaio's goal gave them hope!

The TF1 commentator was also very excited, "Buuuuut!! A very typical Gaio-style goal! So beautiful! We were saying before that Hazard tonight was like Gaio, easily passing through the opponent's defense like it was a road, but it turns out that once Gaio is given the opportunity, he is the stronger one!"
Ashley Cork and David Luiz were scrimmaged, which is simply unbelievable, and Chelsea fans' last hope, Czech goalkeeper Petr Cech, also failed to hold on.

Gaio loves to dribble past opponents, a trait that seems to have remained unchanged from his youth to his current professional career.

This is precisely where his talent lies.

But this time, it's a little different.

Gaio no longer insists on shooting with his dominant foot, and when he has the opportunity, he does not pursue an absolute success rate or absolute certainty.

In my opinion, Gaio has improved again.

The English commentators were equally surprised by Bastia's goal, saying, "This was entirely due to Gaio's individual ability, and had nothing to do with Bastia's system. But this kind of individual heroism is exactly what Bastia desperately needs right now. Fortunately, they have Gaio."

at the same time,

The stadium in Thesari was already filled with cheers!

"Geo!!"

The fans chanted Gaio's name with all their might. When the team was in trouble, it was their young captain who stepped up in the end.

Some of the elderly people were so moved that their eyes welled up with tears.

Bastia has had a tumultuous year, but this season has given them a lot of hope.

So they don't want to fall here.

They want to go to the finals!
I want to go back to the Netherlands and fulfill that dream I had 34 years ago!

The game continues at Stamford Bridge.

Chelsea continued to push the ball forward, but after Bastia scored a goal, their defense became much tougher.

That aura hasn't dissipated!

In the stands.

Abu remained silent, his eyes fixed on the field, never looking away.

Even Granovskaya, who was closest to him, had no idea what he was thinking.

Time passed by minute by minute.

drop! !

The whistle blew at the end of stoppage time, marking the end of the first half.

The Bastia players breathed a sigh of relief; Gaio's goal at the crucial moment prevented them from completely losing their nerve and allowed them to withstand Chelsea's attack.

but,

This situation is still somewhat difficult for them to accept.

Amidst the rippling blue of the entire venue.

The players from both sides went into the locker room to rest and prepare for the second half of the game.

The locker room door in Bastia slammed shut, shutting out the noise of Stamford Bridge.

The atmosphere was somewhat oppressive. The players were panting heavily, sweat dripping down their faces, and their eyes showed exhaustion and a hint of confusion.

This was the worst they had ever been suppressed.

The pressure on the defense was immense; they had never faced such a strong attack, whether against Inter Milan or Tottenham.

Chelsea's main advantage lies in their attacking prowess, which is significantly stronger than those two teams.

Bastia could only retreat deeply.

The result of dropping deep is that they rarely have possession of the ball and can only passively defend, which is exhausting.

Even Van Dijk felt his chest heaving and he was exhausted, let alone Anguilla, who was completely outplayed by Hazard in the first half.

Anguilla's face was full of apology. He felt a sense of collapse, having been caught off guard by Hazard's sudden attack.

There's no way to stop it!
More importantly, he also paid the price with a yellow card, which will make his defense even more hesitant in the second half.

As captain, Gaio felt for the first time that the team was struggling.

More frustrating than the 2-1 scoreline was Chelsea's control of the game.

He's not the kind of captain who's all about passion and enthusiasm, the kind who gives a long, impassioned speech when the team is behind.

but.

Gaio knew he needed to say something.

His gaze swept across the locker room. He was still thinking about what to say when he saw that everyone's eyes were involuntarily focused on him.

Gaio smiled, abandoning all his prepared remarks, and said directly, "It's only 1-2. The fact that we scored shows that their defense isn't that solid. Besides, I haven't even gone to the left wing yet. They've destroyed our left wing, and I can destroy theirs too. Get some rest and try to get me a couple more passes in the second half."

Gaio spoke in a relaxed tone, and after he finished speaking, he looked at De Bruyne.

The latter nodded slightly.

In this half, De Bruyne, whether out of nervousness or because he was effectively marked, didn't really make any passes.

One of Gaio's two chances came from a pass from Rothen.

Sometimes, the more you want to perform, the more nervous you become.

crunch.

When Haji Begichi opened the door and came in, the noise from outside seeped in through the open door, drawing everyone's attention to the doorway.

Hagi Bejic came in and said, "Hey guys, 1-2 isn't the end of the world! At least we have a valuable away goal. Gaio's goal proves we can break down their defense!"

Everyone nodded.

He then shifted his focus to the core issue, saying, "But we must also see where the problem lies. What is the problem? Hazard! He tore apart our left flank!"

At this point, Hagi Begic looked at Angula, not blaming him. He knew it was a difference in ability. Angula had accompanied him from the French National League to Ligue 1 and the Europa League. This fighter with a painful childhood had truly given his all.

His voice softened a bit, "Angula, you did your best, but Hazard is in red-hot form today, and we couldn't stop him. It's not entirely your fault. But we need to make adjustments. If this continues, we might see a third or fourth goal in the second half."

But how do we adjust it?
Haji Begić had been thinking about this problem on his way here; Angura's position clearly required help.

But basically only Kanté can really help him.

The problem is that Kante needs to mark Mata.

This presents Haji Begitch with a choice.

Should Hazard continue his explosive runs down the left flank, or should they shed some of the defensive pressure on Mata and take on the central burden?
Although it was supposed to be a multiple-choice question, there was no real choice.

Hajibejic made his choice the moment he walked through the door: Hazard had already proven effective and had to be contained.

Therefore,
Hagibejic said, "Ngolo, in the second half, your main task is no longer to mark Mata, but to increase your coverage area and focus on helping defend the left flank. When Hazard gets the ball, you and Angura form a double-team to force him to the outside. You must not let him cut inside easily! If necessary, commit a tactical foul decisively. Of course, Angura, you need to watch your actions. You already have a yellow card."

Both of them nodded.

Hagi Bejic continued, "Rothen and Kevin, you two are responsible for covering Kante's position and covering the middle. Romelu, you also need to drop back. If necessary, leave only Young as the lone striker in the front. We won't have many attacking opportunities, so we must focus on defense!"

"it is good!"

Everyone responded.

Subsequently,

Hagi Bejic addressed the offensive issues, saying, "They're pushing wide on both flanks, leaving huge gaps behind them! We must use our speed to break through them and seize every transition opportunity! Our runs must be decisive! Kevin, on the fast break, your passes need to be faster and more accurate! Reduce dribbling and attack directly behind them!"

At this point, Haji Begitch's gaze involuntarily drifted toward Gaio.

Barcelona suffered a crushing defeat in the Champions League, and the media said that Barcelona had a "Messi dependency." But in Bastia, isn't there a similar "Gaio dependency"?

However, this is not a bad thing.

Hagi Begic doesn't understand why anyone would think that giving the ball to the best player on the team isn't a tactic.

Is it because the team they support doesn't have that kind of star player?
"Yang, you are free to choose your position in the attacking third."

After going on to explain the specific details for a while,

Hagi Bejic patted the tactical board and said, "Listen! Chelsea are strong, they are all very good, but anything can happen in the second 45 minutes! We withstood their fiercest attack in the first half! We're only one goal behind! Think about Gaio's goal! They are not invincible!"

"The roar of Stamford Bridge? Let it be our background music! The boos from the fans? That's just pressure on Chelsea! We just need to focus! Execute the tactics! Trust our teammates!"

"In the second half, we need to do two things:"

Tighten the defense! Lock down Hazard, cut off one of their sources of attack! Ensure our counter-attacks are efficient, tear their defense apart with speed, and score another one! Or even two!

"Remember! Returning to Bastia with an away goal is a victory! Here at Stamford Bridge, we have the chance to take even more!"

(End of this chapter)