The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 335 Angels and Demons

Near the six-yard box in the middle, in a flash, all the attacking players who had broken into the penalty area made an instinctive sprint and reaction.

Lukaku, De Bruyne, and even left-back Sidibé, who made a high-speed run down the left flank, reached the far post with their amazing speed.

The three players, like three sharp arrows, simultaneously shot towards the goal from three different directions.

Their attention was completely focused on the football with its unpredictable flight path, their eyes filled only with an intense desire to score.

however,
Gaio's shot, which resembled both a pass and a shot, had an arc that far exceeded everyone's expectations.

It didn't land on any of its teammates' running routes, but instead, with a strong spin, it headed straight for the far corner, bypassing everyone in the middle, including the goalkeeper.

Moraes was completely fooled by this bizarre circuit!
He had been moving his feet to intercept the cross, but now he could only awkwardly push off the ground in the opposite direction, desperately diving towards the far post to save the ball, his fingertips almost touching it.

But it's too late!
The football grazed his fingertips, struck the inside of the far post with precision, made a crisp "thud," and then deflected into the net!

The ball went in!!!
11 minutes in, Bastia took the lead!
Gaio landed with a limp and fell to the ground, but he immediately got up and rushed toward the Bastia fans' stand.

He patted the team emblem on his chest.

Upon reaching the stands, he faced his most devoted followers and suddenly opened his arms wide!
He held his head high, his chest heaving violently, like a god bathed in a volcanic eruption, calmly accepting the overwhelming worship.

The deafening shouts from the stands seemed to engulf him.

His goal was like a bolt of lightning, instantly striking the entire Bastia stands.

Time seemed to freeze for a second, and then—

The volcano has erupted!
boom!
The Bastia fans in the stadium erupted in a deafening roar.

They didn't care about the final outcome; all they saw was Gaio using an unconventional shooting motion to put the ball into the net.

that's enough!
The fans at the very front of the stands gripped the railing tightly with one hand and waved wildly with the other, shouting at Gaio with all their might, hoping he would hear their voices and feel their emotions.

In the crowd, some older fans burst into tears, their wrinkled faces gushing with joy. Some opened their mouths but couldn't utter a sound, their shoulders trembling violently. 35 years ago, on a rainy night in the Netherlands, they watched their team lose and be shut out by the opponent. 35 years later, they finally witnessed this moment of scoring!
Someone roared in Corsican dialect, their voice trembling with anguish: "Do you see that! That's Gaio! It's our Gaio!"

At this moment, no one cares about tactics, no one cares about formations.

All they knew was that after waiting 35 years, their team, in a country where they had once lost everything, and their young captain, had taken the lead in the most incredible way!
35 years of waiting, 11 minutes of redemption—it was all worth it at this moment!

In the stands,
Zidane leaned forward abruptly from his seat, clapping his hands involuntarily, his eyes gleaming with disbelief and astonishment, exclaiming, "C'est incroyable!"

He turned to Deschamps and said, "Didier, did you see that? That kind of decision-making under extreme conditions, that instantaneous power from the ankle—that's something that training can't teach. It's talent, it's true superstar instinct."

Deschamps said with admiration, "Of course, I've always known what kind of player Gaio is, and what we need if we want to go further in the World Cup is this kind of killer born for big games."

Zidane nodded, his gaze still following Gaio: "He reminds me of some of my teammates back then, not in terms of technique, but in that absolute confidence of 'doing the impossible'. He is different from everyone else, but his ability to decide the game is on the same level."

Deschamps finally managed a barely suppressed smile.

There are many star players, but very few superstars who can decide the outcome of a game.

Turning to look at Zidane, the two smiled at each other again. This young man who shone throughout the stadium is undoubtedly the answer to the French football front line for the next ten, or even fifteen years!
at the same time,

The TF1 commentator was extremely excited, his voice rising sharply with shock and excitement, speaking rapidly and almost cracking: "My God! It's a goal! Jan Gaio! Scores in the eleventh minute! This is a goal that cannot be described in words! This is a goal that belongs only to a genius!"
Look at the slow motion: Lukaku's shot was blocked, Luisão's clearance flew towards the byline by accident, and everyone gave up, but Gaião didn't! His start was like lightning!
Zero angle, or even almost a negative angle!

His body had completely lost its balance, making it a completely unfeasible shooting opportunity.

Goalkeeper Morais had completely covered the near post, and he thought it would be at most a back pass.

But Gaio!

He used the outside of his foot to create a devilish arc!
Look at the trajectory of this ball. It bypassed all the scramble in front of the goal. Lukaku, De Bruyne, and Sidibé were all in position to make a run, but they all became the backdrop for this goal. The ball spun directly towards the far corner!
This is a goal that turned the impossible into possible!

Amsterdam Arena erupted!

Bastia fans went wild! 35 years of waiting, the regret left on Dutch soil 35 years ago, at this moment, their new generation of geniuses achieved revenge across time in the most incredible way!

Benfica paid the price for their extremely aggressive start!
They dominated their opponents for ten minutes, but Gaio only needed a moment to change the score!
This is football! This is the final! This is the value of a superstar!

Most of the Bastia fans who couldn't make it to the stadium were at the Cesarí Stadium tonight.

The club specially organized for Bastia fans who were unable to travel to the Netherlands to watch the game together at their home stadium. There were no tickets; the only requirement was to wear a Bastia jersey to enter the stadium.

A huge projection illuminated the moment Gaio scored.

The thousands of people were just as frenzied as the usual 20,000!
No one cared where they were. They stretched out countless arms toward Amsterdam, toward the heroes on the screen, jumping, hugging, and pounding wildly, as if they could reach that distant patch of grass through time and space.

The entire stadium transformed into a pot of boiling blue seawater, with every shout a scalding bubble.

After 35 years of waiting, the place where the dream began has received the most extreme and crazy response!
They are not in Amsterdam, but they *are* Amsterdam!

at this time,

No one expected that the balance of the game would be broken in just eleven minutes.

In Amsterdam, the frenzy at Bastia contrasted sharply with the disappointment of Benfica fans.

The scene on the sidelines amplified this contrast to the extreme: Benfica's bench erupted in uproar and astonishment, while Bastia's bench burst into ecstatic roars.

The same applies to both head coaches.

Jesus looked serious, his brow furrowed. Actually, he wasn't like this when Gaio scored.

He was already like this when the team couldn't break through. He knew that against a team like Bastia with a very strong counter-attacking ability, if he couldn't suppress the goal in time, he would likely be punished.

right now,

The punishment has come.

After his initial excitement, Hagi Begic quickly calmed down, realizing that with only a one-goal lead, it was far too early to celebrate.

He kept making a pressing-down gesture with both hands towards the players and pointed to his temples, signaling everyone to calm down.

The competition has only just begun.

A goal completely changed the game.

On the way to the center circle after celebrating, Gaio told his teammates to "calm down." The game wasn't over yet, and they needed to be 200% focused to finish the rest of the match.

"Geo!"

While on the road, Gaio heard a familiar voice.

I turned my head and saw it was Mbappe's family.

The Mbappe brothers waved wildly at him.

Gaio nodded slightly, somewhat surprised that they had ended up sitting in the Benfica fan section.

When Mbappe, Etang, and Saliba saw Gaio nod, they celebrated even more excitedly.

They didn't feel that the air around them had gotten any colder.

Benfica fans looked somewhat indifferent at the Frenchmen who had blended in with them.

Wilfred calmed the brothers down a bit.

It's not that they didn't want to buy tickets for Bastia, it's just that they couldn't get any.

So I bought a ticket for the neutral stands, but who knew that the area around me was completely taken over by Benfica fans.

drop!
The game continues.

After conceding the goal, Benfica, like an enraged swarm of bees, launched an even fiercer and more rapid attack on Bastia's defense as soon as the ball was restarted.

They have no way out now.

We must score!
That's the cruelty of cup competitions.

Benfica's flanks became the focus of their attack. Right winger Salvio suddenly surged forward, received a pass from his teammate at the corner of the penalty area, and without making any adjustments, unleashed a powerful shot!

The football shot straight into the near corner of the goal like a cannonball!

Martinez reacted with lightning speed, diving to the side and barely managing to deflect the ball out of bounds with one hand!
The save drew gasps from the stands.

The corner kick was taken, and Benfica's center forward Cardozo used his powerful attacking force to seize the near post and leaped into the air!

But Van Dijk held his position as firmly as a rock, using his superior aerial ability and accurate judgment to overpower Cardozo and clear the ball far out of danger with a clean header!
Wow!

This series of attacks left the fans in awe.

After the ball went out of bounds, Joplin and his teammates, along with Van Dijk, roared wildly in celebration of this successful defensive play.

Their defense was no less effective than scoring a goal for the team.

Benfica's all-out attack remains a double-edged sword.

In order to maintain pressure, their defensive line pushed further and further forward, widening the gap between the midfield and the backline.

Every cross that was cleared and every long-range shot that was blocked meant that Bastia could instantly gain possession of the ball.

The two center-backs, Garay and Luisão, had already positioned themselves near the center circle, with a large open area behind them.

On Bastia's front line, Gaio and Lukaku were like two arrows ready to be released.

Their eyes were fixed on the back of Benfica's last defender, ready to launch an attack and deliver a fatal blow to that fragile defense.

Jesus stood on the sidelines, still looking worried and anxious.

As the head coach, he was all too aware of the danger the team was in.

But he had no other choice.

We must attack!

Wow!
Suddenly, Rothen intercepted the ball again, and unlike the previous times when he lost the pass, this time he successfully passed the ball to De Bruyne's feet.

Rothen expended too much energy on the defensive end, and this high-intensity match was indeed not very friendly to a veteran like him.

But this time, it's being circulated as a threat!
Still demonstrating skill!

De Bruyne had the ball, and Gaio saw it immediately.

He immediately made a lateral run to receive the pass, but Melgarejo stayed close to his side, his right hand subtly grabbing his jersey.

The moment he felt the pull, Gaio not only didn't resist, but instead suddenly stopped and turned around!

Melgarejo was thrown off balance by the sudden reaction force, nearly losing his balance and falling, and the pull naturally loosened.

Gaio immediately accelerated forward, instantly creating an opening.

A perfect opportunity to strike back!
drop!
However, the next moment the referee, Keppers, blew his whistle.

He pulled out a yellow card.

Pointing to Matic.

Matic didn't argue; he simply shook his head and retreated to a defensive position.

De Bruyne got up from the ground and dribbled forward, but was tackled and brought down by Matic.

Matic was well aware of the consequences of letting De Bruyne pass the ball out.

So they simply committed a tactical foul.

This scene made Jesus' expression even more serious. Less than twenty minutes had passed and the midfield maestro had received a yellow card. What should he do next?
Free kicks are taken arbitrarily.

Although Matic's tactical foul temporarily thwarted the fast break, Bastia's offense did not stop.

After the ball was kicked off, they quickly transitioned to positional play, while Benfica's defense quickly settled into position.

The ball was passed around several times before finally reaching Gaio's feet again.

Bastia's tactics were indeed as simple as the media described: when the game was stalled, just give the ball to Gaio.

He received the ball with his back to goal on the right wing, and Melgarejo and Salvio immediately surrounded him like hungry tigers, their four arms almost locking him in place.

After suffering several setbacks, Melgarejo knew very well that Gaio was not as harmless as he appeared on the surface; this guy was a seasoned veteran on the court.

Therefore, Melgarejo was very cautious this time and would not make any moves lightly.

All we need to do is stop Gaio.

however,
With an incredibly swift turn, Gaio forcefully slipped through the gap between the two players!

However, instead of forcing his way through, he keenly observed the large gap in the open area on the left flank, made a long pass to the overlapping left-back Sidibé, and then moved laterally without hesitation, cutting diagonally towards the center.

Sidibé didn't go down the wing, but instead passed the ball back to De Bruyne in the middle.

The two-footed passing caused some chaos in Benfica's defense.

De Bruyne met the ball without making any adjustments and delivered a penetrating through ball with his right foot!

The ball sliced ​​through the defense like a scalpel.

It wasn't given to Lukaku in the middle, but rather to the empty space on the left side of the penalty area again!

Palmiri, who started the match as left winger, quickly followed up.

However, he was still slow.

After all, he is older.

It was a great opportunity, but he stopped the ball and didn't make a smooth move immediately, giving the defender an opening.

He has no advantage in a one-on-one situation.

The attack suddenly came to a standstill.

The TF1 commentator was filled with regret, "An opportunity! A golden opportunity! But alas! He paused for a moment, and in that instant, the offensive rhythm, which had been so intense, cooled down!"
That stop was fatal.

This reminds me of Gaio's positioning when he makes runs; his body posture is always forward, towards the goal, and the moment he receives the ball is immediately followed by the next action of shooting or breaking through.

Palmiri, or most ordinary forwards, need to stop, observe, and then make their next move. The difference between top superstars and ordinary players lies in this life-or-death decision.

This is why Gaio is worth 8000 million euros, while Palmiri can only be a rotation player in Bastia.

The difference in talent lies in this instinctive handling of opportunities.

In Gaio's mind, there is no 'pause,' only 'end.'

This goal perfectly illustrates Bastia's happiness and dilemma: they possess a superstar who can decide a game, but they must also bear the reality of a huge talent gap between their players in other positions and that of the superstar.

Palmiri passes the ball back.

Bastia's offensive has come to an end. In fact, Bastia's attack is not very strong at the moment. They often prefer to rely on the individual abilities of their forwards to launch counterattacks.

Instead of intentionally controlling the ball to stretch the opponent's formation.

to be honest.

The personnel configuration is only suitable for counter-attacking, and they can't play a decent ball control tactic.

The only players capable of receiving the ball in the attacking third are Gaio and De Bruyne.

The game became a stalemate, and Bastia patiently passed the ball around looking for an opportunity.

Benfica quickly pressed and Bastia retreated to defend again.

This puts them in their comfort zone.

With only a one-goal difference, Benfica fans in the stadium continued to chant loudly, hoping their team could seize the opportunity as soon as possible.

however,
Their attack was also somewhat constipated; Van Dijk really marked Cardozo to death, and Kante also marked Matic to death.

His few attempts to shoot from outside the box either landed in the stands or were blocked.

Bastia also had counter-attack opportunities, but the opponent was clearly prepared. Their pressing after losing possession in the middle was very fast, and De Bruyne was also marked, making it difficult for him to make long passes.

but,

After seeing Benfica's targeting of De Bruyne, Bastia realized he needed to work on the flanks.

28 minutes.

Veteran Palmiri, facing pressure on the left flank, calmly passed the ball across to the overlapping left-back Sidibé.

Sidibe received the ball and without hesitation, he dribbled forward at high speed like lightning!
His horse was tall and strong, and he made a sharp run along the side of the road.

Just as the opposing defensive midfielder Enzo Perez pressed forward, Sidibé deftly passed the ball to De Bruyne in the middle, while continuing his forward run. De Bruyne then passed the ball back.

In the middle, they executed a classic one-two pass, leaving a large gap on Sidibé's left flank.

Although Palmiri wasn't fast, he was still making a great effort to receive the ball, and Bastia's entire formation was moving forward.

However, Sidibé was still stopped by Almeida.

The speed has slowed down.

Once again, the battle has entered a positional war.

De Bruyne pulled over to receive the ball, but with his back to goal, he was immediately marked by a defender. He tried to find a pivot in the middle, Lukaku, but the Belgian striker was tightly marked by Luisão and Garay, with no passing options.

In that split second, De Bruyne's vision caught sight of a silently moving blue figure—

It's Gaio!
He quietly withdrew from the crowded center and roamed to the wide area on the left flank, while the left winger Palmiri, who was originally in this area, tacitly moved inside, creating space for him.

Without hesitation, De Bruyne delivered a low diagonal pass with his right foot before the double-team could form, accurately finding Gaio on the left wing.

Gaio easily controlled the ball near the sideline. Facing Benfica's Perez marking him closely, Sidibe dropped back and Almeida also surrounded Gaio to defend him.

Everyone anticipated he would cross from the byline – Lukaku and Palmiri were already positioned in the penalty area, making it the most logical choice.

If all else fails, the ball can be passed back to Sidibé, who is in an open position.

Gaio first lowered his shoulders and pretended to accelerate down the flank, tricking Pereira into shifting his weight backward.

however,
The next second, he flicked the ball sharply to the right with the tip of his right foot, and his body flashed into the penalty area between Pereira and Almeida like a cheetah!
This unexpected cut inside caught all the defenders off guard!
Many people didn't even realize how easy Gaio's inside cut was!

Perez immediately wanted to make a move, but he hesitated when he saw that it was inside the penalty area.

Center-back Luisão quickly came to cover and block the shooting angle.

Goalkeeper Morais also quickly moved to block the near post.

Gaio swung his left leg hard at the football.

Luisão and Perez, who were chasing back, were all blocked by flying tackles from Almeida!
He tried to block Gaio's shot.

Even Morais has made saves and shifted his focus.

however,
The next second, Gaio suddenly stopped with his left foot and simply flicked it to the side.

They shook everyone away!
The three players who had been tackled to the ground looked towards the middle, trying to get up and continue defending.

But Gaio was too fast.

He moved laterally, adjusted his footing in just two steps, and unleashed a powerful right-leg shot!
Bang!
A bang!
The football, like a white lightning bolt shot from the barrel, without spin, relied purely on its immense power, skimming along the grass, and hurtling towards the far corner of the goal at an astonishing speed!

Goalkeeper Morais was completely fooled by the feint and was unprepared for the low shot. He could only turn his head in despair.

On the other side, center-back Garay threw himself out in an attempt to intercept.

But the football crashed heavily into the far corner of the net!
Lift the snow-white net high!
Like the white crests of the Mediterranean waves.

The ball went in again!

Gaio scored twice, giving Bastia a 2-0 lead!

The entire Amsterdam Arena was instantly ignited by this earth-shattering shot!
After Gaio saw the ball go in.

He smiled, then patted the blue-black team badge on his chest repeatedly and forcefully before charging toward the corner flag, leaving three deep marks on the grass with a powerful knee slide.

After standing up, he suddenly spread his arms wide, raised his head high, and faced the Bastia die-hard fans' stand.

The stadium lights are like the sun illuminating dreams.

De Bruyne, who was closest to him, was the first to rush over, hugging Gaio from behind, frantically ruffling his hair with both hands, and excitedly shouting in his ear, "Beautiful! Absolutely beautiful, Gaio! A brace!"

Lukaku, Rothen, Palmieri, and others ran over, not to hug him, but to pat his back forcefully, again and again, their faces filled with incredible admiration and joy.

2-0!

Such a score would be considered a huge score in the final.

Most finals had very small point differences.

Nobody wants to make a mistake.

But today, Bastia continued their consistent scoring efficiency, and Benfica were completely overwhelmed!
In front of the players.

The Bastia fans in the stands were also in a frenzy, with everyone's expressions filled with ecstasy.

Several blue flags fluttered like surging waves.

"Geo!!"

"Geo!!!"

Their shouts were unified, deafening, and overwhelming!
The moment Hagibis scored, his tense nerves seemed to find an outlet, like a flood bursting its banks.

He clenched his fist fiercely, and even kicked the water bottle he had just drunk from toward the coaching bench in his excitement.

He then turned around and hugged the assistant coaches who rushed over, shouting as they did so!
The players on the bench all rushed to the sideline, waving towels and water bottles, jumping wildly, and hugging each other in celebration.

At this moment, the Amsterdam Arena is no longer a stadium, but an erupting volcano.

of course,

On the other side, there is a frigid climate, much like the Arctic ice field.

The two extreme emotions that football represents are clearly revealed at this moment.

Morais helplessly retrieved the ball from the net, and captain Enzo Perez tried to clap to wake his teammates, but his movements were stiff and his shouts were drowned out by the huge sound, sounding weak and powerless.

Cardoso and Salvio in the attacking third stood still, staring blankly at their own goal, as if they couldn't comprehend everything that had happened in such a short time.

The massive, deep red stands seemed to have all sound sucked away the moment the goal was scored.

The thunderous cheers abruptly ceased, replaced by a deathly silence, as if everyone had gasped in shock.

Countless waving flags instantly dropped to their lowest point, and people froze in place, their hands covering their heads, their faces frozen in shock, pain, and bewilderment.

The deep red ocean seemed frozen, leaving only a chilling despair spreading endlessly.

On the sidelines, Jorge Jesus stood motionless, his hands deeply tucked into his trouser pockets, his face ashen and his lips pressed into a cold, straight line.

His gaze was fixed intently on the field, his eyes so sharp they seemed to pierce the air.

My mind raced, searching for a solution.

What should he do?
What should Benfica do?
He had no answer.

Like Bastia, many Benfica fans were unable to travel to the Netherlands and could only watch the game from bars or their homes.

When Gaio's powerful shot found the back of the net, it was as if the bars, living rooms, and squares of Portugal had been instantly silenced.

In Lisbon's Luz del Luís bar, a middle-aged man wearing an old Benfica jersey slammed his beer mug on the table, splashing the golden liquid everywhere.

He ran his hands through his hair, his voice trembling with tears: "I knew it! I knew it! That curse was real! It won't let us go!"

Others also felt resigned to their fate.

"Mr. Gutmann, we really know we were wrong! Please forgive us! The club should renew your contract; you deserve a big one!"

I'm going to lay flowers at Guttman's tombstone right now!
Who wants to go with me?!
Something must be done to break this curse!

Some people wanted to go together, but didn't want to miss the broadcast, so someone raised their glass and spilled the wine on the table and the floor.

"Respect to Mr. Gutmann!"

This action was even simpler, so many people followed suit.

The amber-colored liquor quickly spread across the table, soaking the remaining crumbs of snacks and forming winding streams that dripped from the edge of the table onto the floor, releasing a rich and bitter malty aroma.

However, some people dismiss this idea.

They don't believe in curses or anything like that; it's just the malicious talk of an old man who can't get a big contract!
Someone said, "It's purely a tactical issue! Jesus is such an idiot! Knowing that the opponent has a counter-attacking monster like Gaio, he still dared to raise the defensive line so high? Foolish!"
And what are our strikers doing?
Cardozo can only stand still. He gets clinched by their defenders and shows no resistance whatsoever. Is he that soft?
Look at their Gaio, that's what a marksman should be!

now,

On Portuguese social media, there were also many comments that mixed despair, anger, superstition, and a glimmer of hope.

"It's been almost half a century, and every final is like a recurring nightmare. We're not playing against our opponents; we're playing against fate."

"It's over. It's the same script again. We can never win the final. That's just Benfica's fate."

Congratulations Bastia, you have a god who can decide the game.

And we only have demons we can't shake off.

"I turned off the TV, my heart can't take it. I hope when I wake up tomorrow it was just a nightmare."

The name Gutmann and the word "curse" appear with alarming frequency.

For countless Benfica fans who couldn't be there in person, this night was once again filled with a familiar, deep-seated fear of the final.

After celebrating in Bastia, they walked towards the center circle.

The commentator, still recovering from his passionate shouts, exclaimed again, "This goal almost sealed two completely different fates."

For Bastia, a 2-0 scoreline in a European final means that one of their hands has already touched the cold, hard trophy.

The team's morale will be boosted to an unprecedented level, their defense will be more resilient due to the lead, and their counterattacks will be more lethal with Gaio on the team.

For Benfica, this was undoubtedly a devastating blow that shattered their soul!

Their relentless high press failed to produce a goal; instead, they were twice pierced through the heart by the opponent's precise attacks.

The shadow of the 'Gutmann curse' will now loom over the hearts of every player like a real nightmare.

Their tactical system is at risk of collapse—continuing the onslaught could result in an even more fatal third goal;
Choosing to be conservative is tantamount to surrendering in advance, which is an extremely cruel dilemma.

And the mastermind behind all of this is Jan Gaio!
How should we define him?

Perhaps, he is the perfect combination of angel and devil!

In the eyes of the Bastia, he was a savior clad in a blue robe, a god who descended upon Amsterdam!

He rescued the team from a passive defensive posture in the most incredible way, paving the way for the championship with two golden goals.

He is the embodiment of Corsica's century-old football dream.

But in the eyes of the Benfica people, he was undoubtedly a devil from hell, a nightmare created specifically to end their hopes!
He was ruthless, efficient, and merciless, tearing apart their defenses time and time again in the most cruel way, trampling their pride underfoot.

He made all the terrifying legends about the 'curse' feel incredibly real.

He is both an angel who creates miracles and a devil who brings despair.

This is the charm of football, and also the ultimate portrayal of Gaio – he used his exceptional individual skills to sway the balance of the entire final, and defined the contrasting heartbeats of the two sets of fans at that moment.”

In the stands, the French legends smiled.

Deschamps, in particular, had a very bright smile.

Others simply saw that Gaio had a sense of pride in being French, and shared in his honor.

But he is different.

Gaio was his top lieutenant.

The stronger this core player is, the greater their chances of winning the World Cup next year!

This will really have a real impact on him.

There were two other people also watching Gaio.

Legerella, and Platini.

One is the president of the French Football Federation, and the other is the president of UEFA.

Le Guerra said, "It's a pity that such a player doesn't want to stay in France. It would be great if he were at PSG; he would bring more to French football."

Platini shook his head. "Young people always want to go out and explore, which is a good thing."

He also transferred to Juventus early on, so he understands Gaio's situation.

Ligue 1 is indeed too uncompetitive.

To be honest, even with the investment from PSG, Platini doesn't think he'll see results in the short term.

However, he hopes that Gaião can transfer to a team that has a Champions League spot.

This will definitely generate a lot of buzz for the Champions League next season!

He was also quite certain that Gaio would transfer to a team that had the Champions League, after all, as a young man, who wouldn't want to be on a bigger stage?

Having tasted the flavor of the Europa League final, or even the Europa League title, they naturally yearn to go further and strive for the Champions League.

When Legerella heard Platini say that, he didn't know what to say. It was just a pity that Ligue 1 lost a gimmick.

right now,

He can only hope that Gaio can bring a new hope to the French team at next year's World Cup.

On the other hand, the Portuguese legends were relatively helpless.

The players, especially those who had experienced Benfica's previous defeats in European finals, were particularly distressed.

They didn't believe in the curse, and at this moment, their materialistic beliefs began to waver slightly.

The game continues on the court.

Benfica players are currently experiencing significant fluctuations in mentality.

The offensive wasn't particularly decisive either.

Instead, they started to slow down the pace, trying to hold onto the score.

but,

This also gave Bastia an opportunity to attack.

In the 42nd minute, Rothen combined with De Bruyne on the wing to bring the ball forward.

Then I saw Gaio.

The ball was passed over.

Gaio turned his back to receive the ball, but Rodrigo from behind stuck to him tightly, his arm secretly wrapping around him, trying to interfere with his receiving the ball with subtle movements.

Gaio sensed the other person's subtle movements.

He snorted inwardly.

To be honest, I sometimes don't really enjoy playing against South American players.

Gaio feigned to protect the ball, his right elbow seemingly unintentionally deflecting the opponent's entangled arm, while his left foot precisely stepped on the ball.

Rodrigo pushed hard, but Gaio cleverly countered with a push, instantly deflecting the force and pulling the ball to the side, causing Rodrigo to stumble and almost fall.

Gaio immediately turned and advanced.

Enraged, Rodrigo got up and viciously rammed Gaio's shoulder from the side, causing Gaio to fall to the ground.

drop!
Keppers called a foul on Rodrigo.

Rodrigo waved his hand and began grumbling about the referee in Portuguese.

Gaio merely glanced at him coldly, too lazy to even argue, and turned to kick off the attack.

At that moment, Bastia veteran Rothen charged over.

He shoved Rodrigo aside forcefully, his chest slamming into the man's face, and roared in French-accented English, "Get away from him! It's time to stop your dirty tricks!"

Rodrigo was pushed back two steps and angrily tried to rush forward to argue.

But he was immediately stopped by his teammate Enzo Perez, who arrived at the scene.

Rothen showed no sign of backing down. His tattooed arms were taut, and his eyes were fixed fiercely on his opponent, as if he were about to explode at any moment.

Shhh!
In the stands, Bastia fans erupted in boos, as did Benfica fans, who were already in a bad mood and wanted to vent their frustrations.

They instantly confronted the Bastia fans.

Referee Keppers quickly intervened and issued a stern warning to both teams.

Before leaving, Rothen tapped his temple hard with his finger and gave Rodrigo a warning look.

Gaio and Rothen high-fived, and Rothen smiled at him.

Gaio glanced at the somewhat agitated Benfica players; this little incident was a manifestation of the Benfica players' gradually losing their composure.

The more this happened, the calmer Gaio remained.

He knew he couldn't afford to panic; there was still a chance in this game!

The game continues.

However, after Bastia was fully acquired by Benfica, there haven't been many good opportunities for them yet.

After two minutes of added time, Keppers blew the whistle to end the first half!

The players from both sides returned to the locker room with vastly different feelings.

Back in the locker room, Jesus looked grave. His first action was to pull over the tactical board and coldly declare to everyone, "In the second half, we must score! We need to score!!"

Jesus has made his decision.

Keep the attack going!

put all one's eggs in one basket!
(End of this chapter)