Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 257 Lightning Counterattack
"Athena's Glory has finally gained a chance to fight back!"

In the third round of the Europa League group stage, Atlético Amsterdam will face Radiance Athens away from home.

The match has been going on for 31 minutes, and the current score is Amsterdam Athletic 1-0 Athens Glory.

In the 18th minute, Atlético Amsterdam capitalized on a set-piece opportunity. Wei Lai's free kick disrupted Athens Glory's penalty area, and Felix headed the ball across, assisting Mussar for a goal.

Despite playing away from home, Atlético Amsterdam adopted an aggressive attacking approach, which caused Athens Glory considerable trouble.

Now that they've finally gotten a chance to fight back, they're charging forward with all their might.

"Wei has caught up with Jubelai and is constantly interfering with him!"

While following Jubelai, Wei Lai continued to apply pressure with his arms and body.

Of course, defense can't be done by him alone!

"I am coming!"

Reyesa suddenly appeared from the side and made a vicious tackle.

The tackle was quick and precise, sending the ball directly to the wing-back, Lent.

The moment Lunt received the ball, Wei Lai also turned around sharply, and not only Wei Lai, but everyone else did the same.

The entire Amsterdam team instantly shifted from a defensive to an offensive posture.

"Shove it over!"

Wei Lai roared.

Rent passed the ball directly diagonally forward.

Musar dropped back a bit later, which allowed him to become a pivot point in midfield.

With someone behind him, he couldn't stop the ball or get away from it, so he passed it straight back to Wei Lai.

"Get under control!"

As soon as Musar finished shouting, he saw Wei Lai's eyes fixed on the front.

Without a doubt, this guy never intended to control the ball; instead, he launched a counter-attack.

While you are sick, I will kill you!
Wei Lai met the ball with a flexed knee and a twisted ankle, delivering a sharp, instep pass.

However, compared to before, this pass is now more powerful and faster.

Athens Glory players all headed towards Musar, intending to make a tackle at that point or force Atlético Amsterdam to slow down their counter-attacks.

Who would have thought that Wei Lai would accelerate again!

A through ball slipped through the dense crowd, piercing the entire midfield and defense, landing directly behind Athens Glory's left-back.

And there, Konrad Lehmann had already started.

"Wei! A penetrating through ball! He's ignited the Amsterdam Athletic's counter-attack!"

Konrad Lechmann sprinted forward, charging all the way into the penalty area.

After the opposing defender arrived, he suddenly moved laterally, feigning a shot. After drawing the opposing full-back over, he suddenly changed his footwork and flicked the ball with his heel.

He continued to flick the ball behind him, where Musar had already reached the left side of the six-yard box and delicately chipped the ball to the far post.

Dennis Zilburne surged forward, and with a flick of his foot, the ball went into the net!

"Goal!! A lightning-fast counter-attack! Starting with the interception, a total of five passes pierced through Athens Glory's defense!"

Van Gaal stared at the slow-motion replay on the big screen.

"When Musar passed the ball back, everyone thought Wei would stop and slow down, but Wei chose to speed up instead!"

"A low cut and a penetrating through ball ignited the entire counter-attack!"

"After Konrad Lechmann made a forward run, he flicked the ball with his heel to Mussar, who then chipped it to the far post, where Denis Chilburn followed up with a shot. The whole process was smooth and swift. This is textbook counter-attacking rhythm, and this is Atlético Amsterdam's lightning-fast counter-attacking ability!"

"In the 32nd minute, Atlético Amsterdam took a 2-0 lead against Radiant Athens away from home, and they are just one win away from their third victory in the Europa League group stage!"

"A complete transformation!" Van Gaal exclaimed. "Unbelievable! Is this still the same Amsterdam team from a few seasons ago, reckless and inconsistent? They might even be good enough to play in the Champions League now!"

At the Sanctuary Stadium, in the corner area, Amsterdam players celebrate excitedly.

Dennis Zilburne couldn't contain his excitement and celebrated with a knee slide after scoring a goal.

That counterattack was so satisfying!

Their usual tactical positioning training was fully utilized this time.

Hey! I've been watching you! I've been watching you!

Konrad Lehmann excitedly hugged Wei Lai.

He stared intently at Wei Lai before Wei Lai even touched the ball.

He had a feeling that their Chinese midfielder wasn't the type to dawdle; he was going to deliver a very beautiful pass.

Just as he had predicted, the penetrating through ball ignited the entire counter-attack.

The moment Wei Lai kicked the ball, Konrad Lehmann had already started his run.

He reacted faster than anyone else!

"Hahaha!"

Wei Lai also laughed excitedly.

It wasn't just that this counter-attack was satisfying, but also that he put theory into practice.

That's right!

As the Wanderers' coach has said, you don't necessarily have to create opportunities yourself; passing the ball to your teammates can also create opportunities.

This through ball showed that Konrad Lechmann had sensed the opportunity for a counter-attack, and that he trusted the guy's speed and explosiveness to catch up.

And indeed, they successfully launched a brilliant counterattack.

"So beautiful! So decisive!"

Pechamp couldn't help but sigh.

Whether it was Wei Lai's through ball or Konrad Lechmann's backheel flick, both were very beautiful.

They gave the Radiant Athenians no chance to rebuild their defenses, breaking through them in one fell swoop.

Such a sharp and swift counterattack is something no one can withstand!

Morton nodded.

While the counterattack was excellent, he was even more pleased with the previous coordinated defensive efforts.

Wei chased after Reyes and made a steal, but Lund was also in a crucial position. Even if Reyes failed to steal the ball, the opponent would still crash into Lund.

This is the key to coordinated defense: multiple players working together to double-team.

In the second half, Atlético Amsterdam's attack remained fiery.

Since the start of this season, Atlético Amsterdam's form has been steadily improving.

Despite some defensive issues, adjustments are being made, and overall the outlook remains very optimistic.

This has fueled fans' anticipation for this season and even the next.

boom!
Wei Lai jumped and stopped the ball with his chest. While the ball was still in the air, Wei Lai quickly turned his head twice to observe it.

As the opposing player charged towards him, he twisted his waist and flicked his foot, sending the ball directly into his own half, then wiggled his hips and ran away.

I'm not playing with you guys anymore!

"It really is."

Van Gaal couldn't help but shake his head and sigh.

He didn't even know what to say.

Wei Lai's every touch of the ball was unexpected, yet perfectly reasonable.

This time, he chose to dunk and pass the ball back, which slowed down the pace and relieved his teammates.

Most importantly, Athens Brilliance had just been holding back, eager to press and steal the ball.

All the energy they had mustered was completely wiped out by Wei Lai's spike.

They wanted to confront him head-on, but Wei Lai immediately started dodging the question, which made things very difficult for them.

"This brat!"

Musar couldn't help but laugh out loud.

Wei Lai's style is really hard to judge.

It seems to be a mix of many styles, which is extremely contradictory.

While he can be described as steady, when he chooses to attack, he is more aggressive than anyone else.

You could call him radical, but this guy is really just trying to get by!

Regardless of his style, he can contribute to the team and bring them victories, and that's enough.

At 65 minutes, the whistle blew.

Wei Lai turned his head and saw that he had been substituted off the field.

Wei Lai was substituted off, and Hendrick came on as a substitute.

Shh~~~~~~~~~~~! !
A deafening chorus of boos erupted from the crowd.

Wei Lai couldn't help but smile at this.

Boos are sometimes not a form of mockery, but rather a form of affirmation.

The fact that these guys boo themselves means they've really caused the other person a lot of trouble.

"Good job!"

After the high-five, Hendrick patted Wei Lai on the head again before running onto the field.

Wei Lai then took a seat on the bench.

"You were substituted in this match because..."

Before Peschan could explain, Wei Lai laughed and said, "I know, we still have to play in the league!"

Pessan nodded and smiled, "That's right! Keep it up, you did a great job!"

Wei Lai sat on the bench, but he wasn't doing nothing; he was observing his teammates.

Observe your teammates' characteristics, what kind of passes they like, and what decisions they make from what positions.

In which areas are they more threatening, etc.

They were observing not only their opponents, but also their teammates.

Opportunities don't necessarily have to be created by yourself; passing the ball to a teammate's preferred position can also create opportunities.

All of this requires Wei to understand the characteristics of his teammates.

"Lehmann still prefers to move down the wing, not necessarily to penetrate the ball, but to create one-on-one situations for him as much as possible."

"Robinson has a keen sense for making forward runs; we overlooked that before. We can try giving him more penetrating passes and see how that works!"

"Felix likes to pass the ball at his feet, so don't give him any lead time, or he'll easily miss it!"

"Danny likes to overlap on the flanks, but in situations like this, I need to drop back to cover for him!"

"Musar doesn't like receiving the ball up front, or rather, he's more of a threat from the back than up front."

"Hendrick's long-range shots are very threatening; we can try to combine with him more often."

"Uh, Kakabanja's header, Lund's long pass, these can all be utilized!" Observing the game from different perspectives, the scenery you see is also different.

Previously, Wei Lai focused on his opponents, seeing only various spaces or guiding his teammates to create spaces.

However, he overlooked the abilities of his teammates. His teammates are also very strong, and they can create space on their own. Combining these factors can further enhance his and the team's overall capabilities.

"Therefore, we still need to practice more together. Only when our understanding improves can we play well together."

Wei muttered to himself.

Suddenly, Diego Ruma, who was standing nearby, gave a casual reminder.

My strength lies in breakthroughs!

Wei Lai turned his head; "I know!"

Diego Ruma nodded: "I'm afraid you've forgotten! I'm good at both large and small space breakthroughs."

Finally, the match ended.

Atlético Amsterdam defeated Radiant Athens 2-0, securing their third consecutive victory in the group stage.

Europa League group standings.

Amsterdam Sporting Club, 3-0-0, 9 points.

Brighton, 2-0-1, 6 points.

Athens Glory, 0-1-2, 1 point.

Marseille, 0-1-2, 1 point.

Atletico Amsterdam are in a very good position in the Europa League.

If they can secure just one more victory, they will advance to the Europa League knockout stage.

Moreover, their next match is a home game against Radiant Athens.

To be honest, Athens Glory's ability is not that strong, at least not as good as Atlético Amsterdam, but they are confident they can win the game.

If we win away, there's no reason we can't win at home!
The next day, Wei Lai rode his electric bike to the training base early in the morning.

But he didn't come here for training; he came to the youth training base.

Zhao Xiaotang led the Willys Football School U10 team over to play a match.

Wei Lai was quite familiar with the roads inside the base. As he arrived at the youth training base, he immediately saw orange jerseys being used for training on the left side of the field.

“Every movement doesn’t have to be fast, but it must be standard. Compared to quantity, training quality is the key. If you slack off now, you’ll have to bear the consequences in the future.”

Zhao Xiaotang stood to the side, a whistle hanging around her neck, giving stern instructions.

Wei Lai walked into the stadium from the corner, and he was recognized as soon as he entered.

"Oh! Our Crown Prince is here!"

"Wei Lai! Long time no see!"

"How did you come?"

Zhao Xiaotang's coaching staff immediately gathered around.

They laughed and patted Wei Lai on the shoulder, their faces full of pride.

This is their masterpiece.

At the same time, they also noticed that as Wei Lai entered the field, the youth training players and coaches around him, and even the youth training players from the Netherlands, were all looking at Wei Lai.

Wei Lai responded to each of them, feeling extremely happy.

It feels like seeing my family again!

Coach Zhao!

Zhao Xiaotang hugged Wei Lai tightly; "Good lad!"

He patted Wei Lai hard on the back, then pulled away and stared at him intently, making Wei Lai a little embarrassed.

“Awesome!”

Zhao Xiaotang gave a thumbs up.

Wei Lai laughed and said, "Not bad!"

The others egged them on.

"Not bad? Absolutely amazing."

"Two goals and six assists in the Eredivisie and the Europa League, he's absolutely shone!"

"I always said Xiao Lai should have gone abroad to play football; he's always had a very European style of play since he was a kid!"

"You're exaggerating. He only joined the top team at 15, he's been accumulating experience and talent for a long time!"

"That's European style too, maybe we're blind to see it!"

"Fuck you!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh and tease each other; some things, when talked about now, are truly worth remembering.

Wei Lai looked at Zhao Xiaotang and asked, "What are the plans for lunch?"

"Arrangements?" Zhao Xiaotang shook her head: "I'll go back after training. The competition starts tomorrow!"

Wei Lai nodded; "I'll treat everyone to lunch!"

Zhao Xiaotang hesitated.

But then the others started egging them on.

"Okay! I have to eat the meal the big star is treating me to!"

"Eat, eat, eat! The students are treating me to dinner, I have to go!"

Seeing everyone's enthusiasm, and having not seen Wei Lai for a long time, he also wanted to say something.

Zhao Xiaotang nodded and said, "Then let's just have something simple to eat."

Wei Lai nodded; "Let's go to my place, we'll have barbecue!"

Wei Lai brought the entire team of more than 20 people directly to his villa and had arranged for a barbecue chef in advance.

This is the most convenient large-scale party meal that Wei Lai has encountered so far.

"Wow, that's a big house! It looks a bit like a sports star's!"

"They've really won! That's great!"

Two long tables were set up directly in the courtyard; this was a service provided by the barbecue restaurant, so it was very convenient.

Zhao Xiaotang smiled and looked at Wei Lai.

"Come on! You start the show!"

Wei Lai raised his drink and stood up under everyone's gaze.

"First of all, I would like to thank all the coaches for their guidance. Training is a very dull and tedious thing, but with your encouragement, I have been able to grow healthily. I also thank you for protecting me. I know that there are still some dirty things in the field of football, but you have all tried your best to protect me and let me grow in a healthy and positive environment!"

After saying this, Wei Lai stepped back slightly and bowed deeply.

This bow was done willingly.

Whether in their past lives or in this life, Zhao Xiaotang and other youth training coaches truly care about the young players.

Seeing Wei Lai bow, some of the coaches suddenly had tears in their eyes.

I'm so relieved and happy!
Zhao Xiaotang looked at Wei Lai, her expression somewhat dazed.

The boy who had just been promoted from a Class C team to a Class B team had, in just two years, gradually broken out of the realm of cognition.

In his memory, Wei Lai was still that little guy who did his best in every defensive play at the Future Star Cup.

Now he has become a key player in the starting lineup for Dutch giants Atlético Amsterdam!
call!
Zhao Xiaotang raised her glass and downed it in one gulp.

"Dry!"

After everyone finished drinking, Wei Lai also sat down.

But soon a young player raised his hand.

This is a little guy with a buzz cut, a round face, and big, bright eyes.

"Brother Wei Lai, what's it like playing in the Dutch Eredivisie?"

Upon hearing this, all the little ones turned to look at Wei Lai.

Wei Lai smiled and said, "What does it feel like? I can't really describe it, but I hope you guys can experience this feeling too. Which teams do you like?"

The little ones chattered excitedly:
"I love Madrid!"

"I love Atlético Barcelona!"

"Merseyside Reds! My dad and I both love them!"

"I love Bain Sport!"

"Milan FC! I love Rafael!"

"I also like Rafael, but I want to go to Madrid!"

Looking at those innocent and carefree faces, Wei Lai's lips curled into a smile.

"Then you'd better train hard! I look forward to competing against you all in European competitions in the future!"

"Okay~~~!"

The little ones shouted in unison, their eyes shining brightly.

The coaches smiled and did not interrupt.

Wei Lai is a benchmark and an example.

His words can provide great motivation for these young players.

"How is Coach Chen's health?" Wei Lai turned his head and asked.

"You're in great shape!" Zhao Xiaotang shook her head and smiled wryly. "I don't understand. At your age, where do you get so much energy? You can run, jump, drink, and smoke!"

Ha ha ha ha! !
Everyone couldn't help but laugh.

"Where's Coach Zhang?" Wei Lai continued to ask.

Zhao Xiaotang said, "Coach Zhang Zhenting is leaving."

Wei Lai exclaimed in surprise, "So fast?"

"What? So fast?" Zhao Xiaotang asked in confusion.

Wei Lai waved his hand awkwardly.

"It's alright, please continue."

Zhao Xiaotang: "He's going to join the Football Association, mainly to manage youth training. Actually, Chairman Wang approached him several times, but it didn't work out. I don't know how he was persuaded this time. He'll probably leave after this season ends."

Wei Lai continued to probe, "What about the new coach?"

Zhao Xiaotang: "We're still looking, but I heard we need to hire from abroad, I think it's from Germany."

That’s right!
Heinze, the coach who won the European championship!

Zhao Xiaotang turned her head; "Why are you asking this?"

Wei Lai laughed and said, "It's nothing, I was just asking. Come on! Let me toast you again!"

(End of this chapter)