The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 316 Come Back, You Are the Future of Stanford Bridge

"A 2-1 lead is far from enough!"

That goal we conceded was a wake-up call for our defense!

Chelsea dressing room.

Benitez showed no sign of a smile, instead giving a stern lecture to the Chelsea players.

His sharp gaze swept across the defensive line, especially Ashley Cole and David Lewis.

"Gaio! I believe I've said it many times, this young man's acceleration and change of direction are top-tier threats, but that breakthrough in the first half... Cole, Louis, you two were out of position! You gave him a one-on-one opportunity!"

His gaze met that of the two men.

Both Cole and Louis seemed a little uneasy.

Benitez's cold-heartedness, or rather, his low emotional intelligence, is widely acknowledged.

Recently, former Arsenal and Liverpool player Pennant spoke about Benitez.

Pennant is the guy who went to jail for drunk driving in 2005.

Pennant was sentenced to 90 days in jail and granted parole after 30 days. He continued to play for Birmingham City, but during his parole period, he was required to wear an electronic monitoring device even when playing.

He's a player who's quite capable.

He and Benitez had previously worked together at Liverpool FC.

He really disliked Benitez.

Pennant said: "Of all the coaches I've ever had in my career, Benitez was probably the worst at handling interpersonal relationships. Seriously, he wouldn't give you any explanation for his decisions, like why you weren't playing. I remember once I was named the best player in a game, and he came over and told me what I did wrong and pointed out my shortcomings."

“That’s the kind of coach he is. When you play well, he will never say things like ‘Good job, keep it up next game’ or pat you on the shoulder to encourage you. He will never do that.”

"One more thing, you can't knock on his door, and you don't need to ask why, because he won't give you any explanation or answer at all."

right now,

Benitez was as usual in the Chelsea dressing room.

Terry sat in the corner, lost in thought.

He didn't listen to what Benitez was saying at all. For him, the only chance he might get on the field was if Benitez left.

Fortunately.

Mourinho is coming back.

Terry felt he was missing Mourinho a little.

Terry was injured during a match against Liverpool last November and missed the next two months of games.

After his comeback, he participated in all training sessions, but since mid-February, he has never played in two consecutive games, becoming a rotation player.

This made him uncomfortable.

After all, who would be happy to see someone who could be the soul of the team end up like this?
This discomfort has now developed to the point where he gets annoyed whenever he sees Benitez's sour face in the locker room.

After losing to Manchester City in the Premier League in February, Terry and Benitez had a heated argument, with Terry expressing his dissatisfaction with Benitez's management style.

The matter was eventually suppressed.

But their relationship has never truly been repaired since then.

Fortunately, Benitez has already decided to leave at the end of the season.

However, this also means that Benitez no longer needs to win over the locker room, and he has no more reservations about dropping Terry.

Actually, it wasn't just Terry.

And Lampard.

It's quite an achievement that Lampard was able to start in this match.

Because it was just ten days ago.

In the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester City, Benitez left both Lampard and Terry in the stands, not giving them a single minute of playing time.

Benitez couldn't handle Terry, and he denied any conflict with Terry, emphasizing that it was just a tactical necessity. His reasoning was simple: Terry was old, plagued by injuries, and his physical condition was also an obstacle.

however,
What's baffling is that, in the match against Manchester City, despite having two substitutions available, Benitez refused to make any further personnel changes, and could only watch helplessly as the team was eliminated from the FA Cup.

Even Chelsea's own people couldn't stand by and watch this situation unfold.

Pat Nevin, a Chelsea legend who served as a commentary consultant for the BBC during that match, bluntly stated: "What surprised me was that when you tried to play long balls, Lampard was still sitting on the bench!"

Looking at their record this season, due to age and injuries, Lampard and Terry have only played together in 17 games, which is not a large number in the total of 59 games played so far this season.

but,

More important than the tactical aspects is the mental impact of the two players.

What are the names Terry and Lampard at Chelsea?
He is the backbone and the soul of the team!

Especially in high-stakes matches, veteran players are needed to anchor the team.

Since 2006, Terry and Lampard had never missed a single minute of an FA Cup semi-final or final, but this time it was the first time in seven years that both of them were benched for the entire 90 minutes.

By offloading Lampard and Terry, two veterans, Benitez has taken away the soul of Chelsea, which is practically a crime for Chelsea fans.

If it weren't for the fact that Benitez was already confirmed to be leaving the team.

Chelsea fans have already rebelled.

All we can do now is endure.

Like Terry, they are all waiting for their savior, Mourinho, to return.

"You like cutting inside? Block the paint! Force him to the outside! Even if he crosses from the byline, it'll be much less threatening, instead of just standing there like that player who conceded the goal! You're the best left-back in the Premier League? You just let him get past you like that? Don't you feel ashamed? He's just an eighteen-year-old kid."

Benitez's words continued to reach Terry's ears.

It made him a little irritable.

The key point is that Benitez wasn't just annoying at Chelsea; he was equally annoying even at Liverpool, where he achieved great success.

Terry knew that Gerrard had complained about Benitez, saying, "I could pick up the phone and call every coach who has ever managed me at Liverpool, except for Benitez."

Gerrard also said that when Benitez first met Gerrard's mother, his opening line was, "Does Steven like money?"

This greatly annoyed Gerrard.

Previously, Terry only thought Gerrard was a bit over the top, but after Benitez came to Chelsea for a season, Terry also began to understand that feeling.

If he wanted to beat up that arrogant brat Gaio before, now he really wants to beat up this fat Spanish man in front of him!
Such a comparison.

Terry suddenly realized that Gaio wasn't so annoying after all.

He even hoped that in the second half of the game, Gaião could thoroughly defeat Chelsea and let Benitez experience what a complete and utter defeat was like.

Although Terry wanted to beat up Gaio, he could also see that Gaio was truly talented.

Time passes minute by minute.

The break was about to end, and both teams' players were ready to return to the field.

And this time.

Ilion was walking excitedly toward the stands after receiving a phone call.

It was Granovskaia who called.

The content was simple, with only a few sentences, but the meaning Granovskaia conveyed greatly excited Ilion!
Abu has given in!
After deciding to sell Torres, Granovskaia is now pushing for Abramovich to re-sign Gaio.

Gaio's abilities have been perfectly demonstrated; the past events are nothing more than trivial matters. Therefore,
Granovskaia called Ilion and told him one thing—to use Ilion's personal friendship with Gaio to push for Gaio's return to Chelsea, with no problem on the terms.

Glasvskaya didn't hide anything, saying, "I contacted them, but didn't get a direct response."

Ilion readily agreed.

He's now eager to contact Gaio and tell him the good news.

Children of Stamford Bridge, it's time to go home!

In Ilion's eyes, Gaião could be Chelsea's super core player for the next decade or even longer.

He doesn't even dare to imagine how many championships he could win if he built the team around Gaio.

Even small teams like Bastia have become dark horses in France.

What about a wealthy club like Chelsea?

The picture was so beautiful that he dared not think about it.

Blue is the color!

As Elion stepped into the stands and walked to his seat, the cheers of the Chelsea fans in the stadium rose in waves.

Ilion couldn't suppress a smile.

He adored Gaio; his unparalleled footwork was that of a true genius.

He also likes Chelsea.

His family has been Chelsea fans since his grandparents' generation, and he has witnessed Chelsea's late-night festivities.

We are naturally incredibly grateful to Abramovich for bringing Chelsea to its peak era.

And now,
He saw a greater era for the Blues, perhaps on the horizon.
Do you two really have a conflict?

As the players from both sides walked onto the pitch, De Bruyne and Gaio walked side by side, and De Bruyne mentioned Terry.

He was confused.

If Terry and Gay had a conflict, then why did Terry look at Gay with such admiration when they met in the player tunnel?
Gaio shrugged. "Anyway, we're not friends."

immediately,

Gai gently nudged De Bruyne toward the center circle. "Don't think about that. You should be thinking about how to pass the ball to me later."

soon.

The players from both sides stood in the center circle again, waiting for the whistle to blow.

The commentators were already at work, announcing, "Welcome back to Stamford Bridge, everyone! The second half is about to begin!"
The current score is Chelsea leading Bastia 2-1 at home.

This scoreline, while seemingly favoring the Blues, actually conceals a fierce battle!

Neither side has made any substitutions yet, and Chelsea still holds a one-goal lead.

But Gaio's one-on-one goal with his weak foot in the first half, piercing through two defenders, was like a thorn in Chelsea's side. It was more than just a goal; it was a declaration to the entire Stamford Bridge that Bastia was no pushover and that they possessed a super weapon capable of changing the course of the game.

The key focus of the second half will undoubtedly be the rematch between Gaião and Chelsea's defense. Benitez will certainly make targeted arrangements. Can Cole avenge his defeat, and can the Blues shut down Gaião?

These are all key points!

Meanwhile, Bastia's overall resilience will face its ultimate test. Amidst the clamor at Stanford Bridge, can they remain calm and transform the flame of hope ignited by Gaio into a substantial offensive?

A score of 1-2 means anything is possible!
Chelsea scored again, virtually sealing the victory; if Bastia can equalize, they will return with a valuable draw and away goals, instantly reversing the situation.
The whistle blew, and the match officially began!

Bang!
The football kick-off.

After Bastia kicked off, Chelsea immediately pressed forward, focusing on pressing the midfield.

Especially De Bruyne.

Despite the fans' mockery, Chelsea clearly understood who the core of Bastia's midfield was.

So as soon as De Bruyne passed the ball, Ramirez knocked him to the ground.

In the second half, Chelsea took the initiative to increase the tempo and try to play with intensity.

Bastia was clearly prepared, immediately compressing their defensive line and denying Chelsea any space to accelerate.

Haji Begitch is determined to park a bus in front of Stanford Bridge.

This can also be considered as using the skills of a master charioteer to make a chariot.

Setting up buses is useful.

Chelsea's attack failed to materialize, and the key issue was that Hazard wasn't as effective when Kante and Anguilla were both positioned on the left flank.

Hazard's breakthroughs have become somewhat unsustainable.

Can Kante completely contain Hazard?

The answer is definitely no.

However, it greatly limited his ability, making him less relaxed than in the first half.

Mata in the middle lane did have some opportunities.

He was finally untied.

They wanted to try and penetrate the mid-lane with Torres, Hazard, and others.

However, Bastia has extremely strong defensive capabilities.

If they attack from behind, Joplin, Angula, and others won't be able to withstand it.

However, when it comes to head-to-head play, these "low-level center-backs" promoted from the French National League are quite capable.

Torres is not the kind of powerful target man striker.

Therefore,
Chelsea found themselves struggling to break down Bastia's defense.

The commentator sighed, "Chelsea are in an awkward situation. They have possession, but can't find a way to break down the defense. Hazard is heavily marked and his effectiveness is greatly reduced. Their attempts to penetrate through the middle are met with Bastia's ironclad defense. Torres is isolated in the penalty area. Their attacks are all bark and no bite."

but,

This situation has caught the eye of scouts and managers from the Premier League and even other leagues.

Their summer transfer window signings list has added one or two more names.

Van Dijk and Kanté are both top-tier players!
Chelsea can be seen as helping them test the waters.

Gaio played much the same way as in the first half, unable to get the ball, but at this point, no one dared to ignore him.

Everyone knows that Gaio has the ability to change the course of the battle.

Time passed by minute by minute.

Chelsea couldn't break Bastia's defense, and in the 70th minute, Benitez finally couldn't hold back any longer.

Replace Torres with Demba Ba.

They tried to solve the current situation with a center forward like Demba Ba.

Hagibejic also substituted Angura, who had a yellow card and was exhausted, with Kahusac to increase the defensive intensity.

Neither side made any substitutions that affected the score.

Demba Ba was even worse than Torres when he came on; he became nothing more than Van Dijk's toy.

As the 90 minutes drew to a close, the score remained 2-1.

(End of this chapter)