The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 328 Listen, those are the waves of the Mediterranean.
"nervous?"

Gaio patted Kant on the shoulder, noticing that the little black man's body was tense.

Kanté snapped out of his daze, took a deep breath, and nodded honestly: "One thing is certain, this is unlike any game we've ever played."

Not far away, De Bruyne was repeatedly adjusting his socks and chimed in, "Nothing's different, N'Golo. Think about Inter, think about Chelsea, we've been through this kind of pressure before."

"Pass me the ball, and we'll take care of the rest."

Rothen looked up at Gaio and Kanté, his voice steady: "I think Montpellier is more nervous than we are."

After checking that his dreadlocks weren't coming undone, Lukaku boomed, "What's there to be afraid of! Their defenders are as slow as tanks when they turn! I'll just dribble past them all!"

Kant felt the warmth of Gaio's palm.

And what my teammates said.

He nodded slightly, but he didn't know what to say; he just smiled foolishly.

The locker room door was pushed open, and Hagi Begic appeared in the doorway. All conversations stopped abruptly, and all eyes turned to the head coach.

The coach's gaze slowly swept across the entire field, a rare smile appearing on his lips. "The words 'champion,' 'record,' and 'the eyes of all of France' are suffocating, aren't they?"
wrong.

This is only our 36th game of the season.

Just like the previous 35 matches, it was 90 minutes, one patch of grass, and one ball.

Forget the standings, forget the cheers from the stands.

You only need to remember three things: First, run as usual; second, pass the ball as usual; third, trust the people around you who are wearing the same jerseys.

As for tactics, I have nothing to say; we've practiced them countless times.

Now all you need to do is play football with your instincts.

Just like when you were kids on the street, except now there are tens of thousands more people cheering for you in the stadium.

Finally, he walked over to Gaio and gently patted his shoulder: "You must also trust your captain."

Everyone else laughed.

Hagi Begic's gaze swept over everyone. "If you feel nervous, think about the sound of the sea breeze outside the stadium. That's the sound of the Mediterranean waves, just like what we hear every day at the training base. It's never changed."

Go ahead.

Go and play the purest form of football for this island.

The rest is up to fate.

Hagi Begic walked to the center of the locker room, extended his hand, and all the players gathered around, including assistant coach Dominic and other staff members.

Subsequently,

Everyone shouted together – "Fight, Bastia!"

When going out,
Everyone's eyes were filled with determination; they were determined to defeat this not-so-strong opponent in this match.

They made team history.

The players from both sides met in the players' tunnel.

However, I'm not familiar with most of them.

No words were spoken.

Rothen, however, started chatting with Montpellier's right winger, Camara.

Gaio also saw Kamara.

Kamara is currently in the final stage of his career, and he holds the record for most goals scored as a substitute in Ligue 1.

Kamara is only 174cm tall, but he is very sturdy and has an extremely explosive physique. He was one of the players that Deschamps spotted when he was coaching Monaco.

He was spotted by Monaco at the age of 16 and brought to Monaco. Then, at the age of 19, in the 2001-02 season, he was spotted by Deschamps and given the opportunity to play for Monaco's first team.

and,

On his 19th birthday, he scored his first professional goal.

It has to be said that sometimes life is just a pre-written script.

Based on his good performance at Monaco, he was selected for the Senegalese national team in the season when he was 19 years old, and went on to participate in the 2002 Africa Cup of Nations and the World Cup.

He was the youngest player on the Senegalese team at the time.

It's fair to say this was a brilliant start.

however,
His career didn't develop as expected after the World Cup, and he seemed somewhat lost.

He then went to Montpellier, helping the team, which was still in Ligue 2, to be promoted to Ligue 1, and last season he was a key player in helping the team win its first Ligue 1 title.

This can be considered the most significant chapter in his career.

After talking with Rothen.

Camara also greeted Mane and chatted for a bit.

Mane is now considered a promising young star in Senegal, and is highly praised by the Senegalese sports media, who believe he will become the answer for Senegal's left winger in the future.

this game,

Hagi Begic was more relaxed, playing a 4-3-3 formation and starting Mane.

Camara's conversation with Mane was noticeably more heartfelt than his conversation with his former teammate Rothen.

Gaio even overheard Kamara whispering "Congratulations."

now.

The stadium erupted in frenzy as the players waited in the tunnel.

The DJ at the stadium is announcing Bastia's starting lineup for tonight's match.

"Kevin De Bruyne!"

"Ngolo Kant!"

"."

Every time a home team player's name was announced, the cheers were deafening.

Finally, the DJ read out each word carefully, "CAPITAINE! Number 10! Yang—Gaio—!!"

boom!
The cheers reached their peak, and the fans' emotions were completely ignited. After the roar, the fans chanted "CHAMPION!" three times in unison.

Tonight is champion night!
Gaio stood in the players' tunnel, closest to the exit, where he could hear the commotion at the Cesarian stadium most clearly.

The sound in the passageway was completely suppressed.

All everyone heard was the sound of voices converging from outside the stadium and then crowding into the players' tunnel.

It was all mixed together and I couldn't hear it clearly.

But the more you listen, the more the emotions in the story seem to make your blood flow faster.

Gaio unconsciously clenched his fists; he could clearly feel his pulse beating in sync with the vibrations coming from the outside world.

One after another, each time, it became heavier and faster.

"Let's go in!"

The referee saw that the time was up and immediately waved his hand.

Gaio took a deep breath and took a firm step toward his first top-tier league title.

The moment I stepped out of the passage, everything became clear and bright.

Countless sounds rushed towards me from all around.

Across the stands, the banners unfurled by fans also came into view in a rather aggressive manner.

“108 ANS D'ATTENTE”

"BIENVENUE LA FTE DU TITRE!"

"1 HISTOIRE: GUEHO!"

"Gueho, Marque pour nous!" The Bastia players, including Gaio, only glanced at it before refocusing on the pre-match ceremony.

Fans could start celebrating much earlier, but they had to wait until 90 minutes later.

at the same time,

TF1 commentators are already providing commentary, saying, "This may be the most historically significant match of the season."

At this moment, at the Thesari Stadium in Corsica, the air has frozen. The air is no longer filled with the salty smell of the sea breeze, but with an anticipation that is enough to make one's breath catch in their breath.

Bastia, a team from a small Mediterranean island, is just 90 minutes away from their first top-flight league title in their 108-year history.

They only need a draw, or a point, to forever etch their names on the championship trophy.

Their opponent is none other than last season's champion – Montpellier.

It seems like a script written by fate, where last year's disruptor becomes the final hurdle before the new king's throne this year.

Judging from their paper strength and investment in the season, there may be a gap between the two sides.

But today,
All data analysis and comparisons of strength pale in comparison to the immense power of emotion.

Bastia possessed a dream they had waited a century for, a legendary striker who broke all-time goalscoring records—Yan Gaio—and they were eager to clinch the title at home.

The commentary continued, and the broadcast camera kept panning across the players.

In addition to close-up shots of the players on the field, the camera also panned across the Bastia stands.

Bastia fans were cheering enthusiastically everywhere.

And in the VIP section.

There were also some familiar faces: Deschamps, Zidane, Blanc, and Legrand. These legends, who played a pivotal role in French football, all came to this island off the French mainland to witness history.

Courtside.

Hagi Begic tried hard to look serious, but images of winning championships kept popping into his mind.

He kept suppressing it, yet it kept surfacing.

His dream is about to come true, to be with the team on this small island.

Gaio and Montpellier captain Camara were tossing the ball, and Camara guessed correctly, choosing to kick off.

Gaio chooses his attack direction.

Everything is proceeding at a rapid pace.

The tifo from the die-hard fans' stand that many Bastia fans were expecting has yet to appear, and it seems unlikely to ever do so.

In the Ultras Bastia's die-hard supporters' stands, Modoso simply kept waving his flag and leading the members in singing one cheering song after another—

Listen, that's the roar of the Mediterranean waves.
Look, the blue flames of Thessalonians are burning.

A century of waiting has culminated in tonight's battle cry.

Our heartbeats and shouts resonate endlessly.

drop!
When the match time is up, the referee blows the whistle, and the match officially begins!
Cheers erupted again from the crowd.

Bang!
Montpellier took the kickoff and quickly retreated. Playing away from home, they had no intention of seizing the initiative at the start, but rather focused on building their offense slowly.

Bastia did not press the ball.

That's not their style.

Everyone, especially the defensive players, should take their positions first.

Hagi Begic's rule is always to prioritize defense before focusing on offense.

Although this is a battle for the championship.

But the pace wasn't fast.

More than ten minutes passed, and neither side managed a single shot on goal.

The game reached a stalemate.

Bastia patiently passed the ball around in the attacking third, passing it back when there was no attacking opportunity.

The players knew they couldn't afford to lose their composure, as positional play wasn't their forte.

Moreover, even if it's a draw, they are still the champions.

Do not worry.

Time passed slowly, but the cheers from the fans in the stands did not diminish in the slightest.

But the attack can happen in an instant!

De Bruyne received the ball on the right side of midfield, which was originally just a normal receiving move.

But after observing for a moment, he suddenly sent out a low through ball!
The ball found Gaio precisely at his feet as he dropped back to receive it.

Gaio received the ball with his back to goal, and Montpellier's full-back Bedimo immediately closed in on him.

however,
Gaio didn't give him a chance to get close at all.

The instant the ball touched the instep of his foot, Gaio did not stop the ball. Instead, he used the outside of his right foot to gently flick the ball to the right rear, while simultaneously turning to the right!

His quick turn and touch of the ball were so fast that no defender in Ligue 1 could keep up with Gaio's pace.

Bedimo only felt the blue figure flash by before he was completely left behind.

Another defensive midfielder, Estrada, was already in position to provide support. The Chilean player made a decisive and fierce sliding tackle from the front.

In a flash, Gaio deftly flicked the ball upward with the tip of his left foot—the ball leaped just a few centimeters high, perfectly clearing the sliding tackler's foot.

He himself, like a butterfly flitting among flowers, lightly glided past his opponent and regained control of the ball.

Wow!

These two consecutive dribbles drew gasps from the fans in the stadium once again.

Watching Gaio dribble past opponents is a real treat.

at this time,

Gaio has broken into the penalty area.

The last defender, Kotari, fought back and retreated, blocking the near-post shot.

The goalkeeper lowered his center of gravity and kept a close eye on Gaio's steps.

Without any hesitation, Gaio lowered his left shoulder, feigning a powerful shot towards the far corner. This convincing feint instantly tricked Kotauri into shifting his weight to the left, and the goalkeeper instinctively moved his feet toward the far post.

however,
Just as the ball was about to leave his control, his left ankle underwent an extremely subtle and inconspicuous change.

Bang!
Amidst the expectant gazes of the entire stadium, Gaio unleashed a powerful shot!
The football didn't fly towards the far corner; instead, it drew a slight but deadly arc, gracefully passing over the goalkeeper's instinctively outstretched glove, grazing the top corner of the near post, and spinning into the net!
Swish!
The ball went in!
1-0!

The moment the net trembled,
The entire Thessalon Stadium seemed to have been struck by an invisible lightning bolt, plunging into an extreme, explosive celebration!
Every face in the stands was contorted with ecstasy, a surge of hot blood coursing through their veins!
"Geo!"

"Geo!!"

The name was shouted repeatedly, the sound rising like a tsunami, as if to tear apart the Corsican night sky.

At times like these, fans are no longer just calling out, but making a pilgrimage, worshipping.

Gaio is a god who makes dreams a reality!

The young father hoisted his child high onto his shoulders. The child, wearing a large number 10 jersey, waved his little hands in bewilderment, his babbling completely drowned out by the deafening cheers of his father and the surrounding crowd.

In their ecstasy, everyone instantly realized one fact: 1-0! We're in the lead!

This means that the coveted Ligue 1 title has never felt so real, so within reach!
The shouts of "Champions! Champions! We are the champions!" began to intertwine with the name Gaio.

After scoring, Gaio rushed towards the corner flag, spreading his arms wide to face the sea of ​​blue that was cheering for him.

His teammates rushed toward him from all directions.

this moment,
He is not only a goal-scoring hero, but also the chosen one who will bring the island its first top-flight league title in a century.

Faith received the most perfect response, and all expectations were transformed into a tangible reality.

(End of this chapter)