The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 337 Nightmare Record
Matic's red card completely shattered the last remaining psychological defenses of the Benfica players on the field.

The Benfica players' experience has ceased to be a "match," but rather an open and slow ordeal.

Their bodies are still on the field, but their spirits have already accepted the cruel end.

Lost.

They lost.

The red card did not ignite their fighting spirit; instead, it became the last straw that broke the camel's back, sending them prematurely to the grave of defeat.

But this is far from the end.

The game is still far off. What they need to think about now is no longer how to turn the tide and win, but how to withstand Bastia's attack when they are down to 10 men.

To at least minimize the team's losses and prevent them from being branded as humiliated in the Europa League final.

Bang!
Bastia launched their attack, and with an extra player, their offensive became increasingly relaxed.

It is constantly being pulled and passed on.

He constantly shifted the positions of Benfica's players, and Gaio also kept changing his own position; off-the-ball movement was one of his strengths.

Time keeps passing.

Bastia wasn't in a hurry. When Benfica pressed, Bastia would pass the ball back, but Benfica was hesitant to press forward too aggressively.

Just when everyone thought Bastia would waste time by constantly passing the ball around.

71 minutes.

Gaião received the ball with his back to goal on the right edge of the penalty area, and Benfica's full-back Melgarejo and midfielder Rodrygo immediately closed him down. They were now holding on by sheer willpower.

Gaio didn't go head-to-head with them, as that wasn't his forte. He gently flicked the ball to the right with the toe of his right foot, seemingly preparing to turn and make a strong run to the right.

Rodrigo immediately stretched out his leg to block the attack.

In a flash, Gaio used the instep of his foot to sharply twist the ball back, his whole body twisting as he rushed past from the right side after turning around. Then, facing Melgarejo, he deftly dribbled past him through the gap between the two who were about to close in!

Seeing this, center-back Luisão had no choice but to frantically cover and dive to block the shooting angle!
Just when everyone thought Gaio was going to force a shot, he delivered a low cross with the outside of his left foot.

The football precisely bypassed Luisão's outstretched leg and rolled towards the penalty spot!

Lukaku followed up in the middle, but instead of touching the ball, he deliberately let it slip under Garay's close marking. This seemingly clumsy slip instantly fooled all the defenders!
The ball rolled toward the open space at the far post of the six-yard box.

De Bruyne surged forward from the back like a ghost, and without making any adjustments, he launched a low, flying tackle!

The football hits the net!

The score has been changed to 4-0!

The fluid and skillful attack, coupled with a goal that perfectly showcased the understanding and lethality of Bastia's attacking trident, instantly reignited the excitement of Bastia fans.

In fact, they have never stopped working at this moment.

They're already celebrating their championship!
The team's first European championship trophy!
At this moment, the Amsterdam Arena was caught in a vortex of two extreme, tearing emotions.

The Bastia stands were completely enveloped in blissful chaos.

Instead of celebrating in the stands, the fans were stomping and jumping wildly on the seats and in the stands, causing the entire stadium to shake violently.

The Benfica stands instantly plunged into a deathly silence.

The deep red-clad crowd seemed to freeze instantly; some slumped in their seats, their eyes vacant, and the only sound was the occasional, suppressed sobs.

The commentator couldn't help but sigh, "Benfica's century-long dream of winning the European Championship will require another effort."

Then he changed his tone, "4-0, I can say the result is over, the champion has been crowned, Bastia has created one of the greatest underdog miracles in football history! They have also equaled the record for the biggest score in a Europa League final since its rebranding!"

"This is a night beyond words! Look at this! Bastia fans are celebrating wildly, while Benfica fans are heartbroken! This is the ultimate emotion in football!"

"From Gaião's hat-trick to De Bruyne's decisive strike, every attack from Bastia was like a precise scalpel, completely dissecting Benfica's defense. They deserved this epic victory!"

"Congratulations to Bastia! Congratulations to Hagi Bejic! And congratulations even more to Jan Gaio—this young super striker, who has etched his name into the hall of legend of European football with a hat-trick and an assist!"

"The story of Benfica is heartbreaking. Tonight, all the glory, all the praise, all the history belong to Bastia!"

This belongs to this incredible team!

On the field,

The Bastia players relaxed at this moment; they never expected the final to be so easy.

For them, the toughest opponents are actually Chelsea and Tottenham.

The teammates hugged each other.

De Bruyne patted Gaio on the shoulder, "Good pass," and then praised Lukaku as well, "That pass through the middle was very good. You can learn from it more often. In crucial moments, it can completely change the situation on the field."

As Lukaku straightened his dreadlocks, he nodded with a sheepish grin, keeping De Bruyne's words in mind.

Gaio waved to the stands with a smile, even raising his hands repeatedly to signal them to make the cheers louder and the celebration more intense.

Given the current score and the timing, Bastia can absolutely celebrate to their heart's content!

"Bastia is the champion!"

"we are the champion!"

"Geo!"

The fans did not disappoint Gaio. Even though they had been chanting all game and their voices were a little hoarse, they continued to cheer with all their might.

This is the first time in the team's 100-year history!
They are the European champions!
Hagi Bejic, standing on the sidelines, fell silent due to his intense emotions. He looked at the players on the field, at the score, and at the cheering Bastia fans, and felt a deep sense of awe.

"They actually did it!"

His gaze was fixed on Gaio—the young man who tirelessly chased back to the halfway line to steal the ball and then finished the attack with a tearing pass that ripped through the defense; the young man who shattered Benfica's hopes with a hat-trick; the young man whose very being was brimming with talent.
Hagi Begic recalled his surprise when he returned from prison and scored a goal after dribbling past several players in his first team warm-up match. He also remembered that after Gaio had only played a few games, Hagi Begic told Gaio, "For the championship." At that time, their dream was to win the French Cup. But who knew that a season later, they would become European champions!

The Europa League champion is also the European champion!

A surge of hot tears finally welled up in his eyes, but he quickly tilted his head back, took a deep breath, and forced the tears back.

He turned around, no longer looking at the field, but walked to the bench, picked up a bottle of water, unscrewed it, and calmly took a sip.

It was as if all of this had been planned all along.

drop!
Keppers blew his whistle again, and Benfica's attacking hot zone for this match was basically in the center circle.

Because there are many tee shots.

Even under immense psychological pressure, Benfica players mechanically continued their attacking play. However,
Their body language was a testament to their exhaustion, both physical and mental, as their continuous attacks were repeatedly blocked.

The attack was thwarted.

Cardozo passed the ball back.

Benfica center-back Garay received a back pass in midfield. Facing Lukaku's pressing, he hastily launched a long ball forward, attempting to temporarily relieve the pressure.

However, that kind of fatigue can make the body unable to keep up with the brain.

That pass was miskicked!
The ball flew towards Benfica's left flank, and his teammates rushed over to try and catch it, but just as the ball was about to hit the ground, a blue figure darted out even faster.

Gaio!

He astutely predicted the ball's trajectory, intercepted it a step ahead, and without even waiting for it to hit the ground, he used the outside of his right foot to flick it forward!
The ball was precisely delivered into the open space ahead, and Gaio instantly started his run, dribbling the ball at breakneck speed.

His acceleration left the already demoralized Benfica forwards with no time to react and unable to catch up with him.

Gaio dribbled the ball to the right side of midfield, facing the retreating Benfica defense, which he had already clearly observed during his sprint.

So after drawing most of the opponent's defensive attention, he didn't hesitate at all and sent a low diagonal pass with his right foot!
The football, as if guided by precision, narrowly bypassed the toes of the last center-back, Luisão, tore through the entire defensive line, and rolled towards the huge gap on the left side of the penalty area!

Even as Gaio was advancing, Lukaku had already anticipated this and started his sprint.

The bull-like charge finally came in handy at this moment. Lukaku perfectly beat the offside trap and sprinted at full speed. Benfica's defenders simply couldn't keep up with him. He shook off all the defenders and easily received this wonderful pass on the left side of the penalty area!

Single sword!

Face the goalkeeper!

Facing a goalkeeper named Morais who had abandoned his goal and was already desperate, Lukaku calmly flicked the ball to his right front, then cut back, shifting Morais's weight to him, and easily pushed the ball into the empty net with his left foot.

The football slid smoothly into the net without any obstruction.

5-0!

This goal, like a cruel final whistle, added another layer of darkness to Benfica's nightmarish night.

The glaring numbers on the scoreboard heralded both an epic victory and a complete rout.

Lukaku excitedly rushed towards the stands.

He scored a goal in the Europa League!
He shouted, still spreading his arms wide towards the stands, then vigorously patted the team badge on his chest.

He was not given much playing time at Chelsea, but his career took another step forward at Bastia!
He celebrated excitedly with his teammates and waved to the enthusiastic Bastia fans in the stands.

And on the other side,
Benfica's crimson stands fell into a terrible, collective silence.

No one cried, no one roared, only deathly silence remained, only silent tears flowed.

Some fans began to leave early, their heads down, as if they were avoiding the crushing defeat, or as if they were attending a funeral they couldn't bear to recall.

now,

The Benfica players on the field seemed to have turned into ten pale stone statues.

Goalkeeper Morais did not get up from the ground. Instead, he rolled over and lay on his back on the grass, covering his eyes with his arms to avoid the blinding light from the stadium lights.

Center-back Luisão stood with his hands on his hips, head bowed low, his chest heaving violently as if he were taking his last breath.

Captain Enzo Perez stood rooted to the spot, his gaze completely unfocused, staring blankly at the blue area that was celebrating wildly, as if he couldn't comprehend what was happening before his eyes.

No one communicated, no one tried to retrieve the ball from the net; the team's spirit had been completely drained, leaving only an empty shell numbly executing the game's procedures.

Jesus, who was sitting on the coaching bench, loosened his clenched fists and let his arms hang down at his sides.

This once passionate leader now seemed to have all his energy drained away in an instant, turning into a shell completely crushed by the enormous defeat.

The assistant coach stepped forward to try to speak, but he just waved his hand weakly and didn't even look up.

The substitutes completely covered their heads with towels or jerseys, unwilling to witness the horrific scene on the field any longer.

The club's senior management looked ashen-faced in the VIP section. Some got up early to leave, loosening their ties, leaving behind only an awkward and suffocating silence.

At that moment, the entire world of Benfica's camp lost its sound and color.

This is not sadness, nor anger, but an absolute nothingness after being utterly crushed, where even pain is imperceptible.

The 5-0 scoreline, like a giant tombstone, collapsed with a crash, burying them completely.

After reviewing the goal, the commentator exclaimed, "Bastia's 5-0 scoreline officially breaks the record for the biggest score in a Europa League final since its format change!"

"The previous record dates back to the 2005/06 season – coincidentally, that 4-0 thrashing also took place in the Netherlands, at the Philips Stadium in Eindhoven, where Sevilla thrashed Middlesbrough from England by four goals."

"However, tonight Bastia raised the bar on this 'list of shame' from 4-0 to a staggering 5-0, and Benfica—the Portuguese giants with a glorious history—unfortunately became the backdrop for this new record!"

"For Benfica, this was not just losing a final, but also experiencing the darkest and most painful night in the club's European history in a way that would be nailed to the pillar of historical shame. The shadow of the 'Gutmann curse' has never been so real and heavy. It is no longer a vague legend, but has turned into a bloody 5-0 on the scoreboard, into the opponent's wild celebration, and into the silent tears of their own fans."

“许多年后，当人们提及欧联杯决赛的历史，2006年塞维利亚的4-0与2013年巴斯蒂亚的5-0，将成为衡量决赛惨案的两把标尺。

Benfica's name will unfortunately and permanently be linked with the latter.

Despite the immense pain, Jesus stood up and began making substitutions.

He substituted two attacking players with two defensive players.

At the same time, he gestured to the players: counter-attack.

but,

At this moment, the Benfica players were well aware that Jesus had been intimidated by Bastia's counter-attacks.

They will be punished if they attack.

again and again.

Jesus finally got scared.

It was called a counter-attacking game, but in reality it was just pure defense, holding onto the score.

It's quite ironic, really.

They actually managed to hold onto a 5-0 scoreline, a crushing defeat.

After making this decision, Jesus returned to the coaching bench, expressionless, and quietly waited for the game to end.

(End of this chapter)