Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

149 – The Unstoppable Juzitae

149

Juzitae, who had scored the equalizing goal, jogged along the line while looking at the stands.

It was reminiscent of the casual stroll ceremony that Park Ji-sung had shown at the Saitama Stadium in Japan. Or, it could be called a jogging ceremony, but it was a special gesture that didn’t have any flashy moves.

Compared to Di Maria’s gladiator ceremony or Ronaldo’s siu ceremony, which were more stylish, or even Lingard’s arrogant ceremony, which was as flashy as a world-class dancer, Juzitae’s casual stroll ceremony seemed ordinary.

In reality, there were no special gestures either.

But, if you experienced it, you’d know.

There’s no ceremony that’s as infuriating as this.

The Italians gathered at the Juventus Stadium realized it bitterly today.

“Kill him!! Kill that guy!!”

“You Asian monkey!!”

“I’ll end your player career!!”

Juzitae just jogged while looking at the stands, but the Italian fans were going crazy.

Hmm… Is this the power of gentleness that overcomes strength? Of course, it’s nonsense.

“Juzitae, you were perfect!! You did it just like in practice!!”

“Honestly, I didn’t think you’d succeed, but you really did it! You’re an amazing guy!!”

“But… why is the atmosphere like this? Even though you scored a goal, isn’t it a bit too much?”

“That’s right. Juzitae didn’t even do a mocking ceremony. He just simply jogged, but isn’t it a bit too much?”

Yeah, it’s a bit too much.

This is just provocative.

The still innocent Barcelona players were only frowning at the ridiculous Italian fans.

* * *

The game ignited in just 20 minutes with two goals, and the contest was on fire.

Generally, a 3-back formation is known for being defensive, and it’s true that a 3-back-based tactic tends to be more defensive. However, in modern football, the starting formation isn’t as crucial as the operational strategy displayed during the game.

Juventus, with five midfielders, adopted a clearly defensive tactic, but after conceding a goal, they suddenly shifted to a fierce attacking mode.

“Juventus is taking the initiative!”

“Chiro Vigato’s performance, who was once called the last libero, is incredible. And the form of Angel Ferreira and Antonio Caligaris on the left and right is also impressive.”

The libero position, once glorified by Franz Beckenbauer, has been reborn in modern football as a more restricted, modern ball-playing defender. However, in Italy, the land of tactics, there are still attempts to revive the libero.

And Chiro Vigato was the last libero before Juzi’s emergence.

Of course, he didn’t have the same impact as Juzi, but his fierce performance earned him the title of the last libero.

“The Juventus midfield is quite compact. Pietro Lorel and Paulo Tardelli are doing a great job on the sides!”

With Chiro Vigato at the center, Juventus launched a strong midfield battle against Barcelona. The essence of Tiki-Taka isn’t passing; it’s about space and pressure.

During Pep Guardiola’s era, people focused on Barcelona’s flashy passing, but the players were actually dedicated to defensive training, especially organized pressure.

Pep Guardiola later revealed that 80-90% of Barcelona’s team training was focused on defense, which is the foundation of Barcelona’s football – understanding space and pressure.

And now, Barcelona’s current squad may not have the same average quality as before, but their core defensive players have surpassed their predecessors.

“Diego, follow him! Alexis, cover the empty space! Hey, captain, what are you doing? Tell them to push up front! Arnau, don’t worry about the back; I’ve got it. Just block the front and right routes!”

Unlike Pep Guardiola’s Barcelona, which was centered around Messi’s attacking, the current Barcelona is built around Juzi’s defensive prowess.

Although their attacking power may be lacking compared to before, their defensive capabilities have surpassed even the best Barcelona teams. This is evident in the statistics.

This season, Barcelona has been the team with the fewest conceded goals, and their passing numbers, passing success rate, and possession rate in the back are all top-notch in La Liga.

Of course, this could be misinterpreted as boring football, but Barcelona fans wouldn’t be so enthusiastic about Juzi if that were the case.

Juzi’s strength isn’t just about defensive skills and stability; his greatest asset is his overwhelming progressive ability.

“Juventus is pressuring hard, but Barcelona’s defense is solid. The ball is circulating in the midfield… Ah, Diego Almeida’s tackle! The ball bounced off – Juzi, when did you get here?! Sergio Daviz’s tackle… He dodged it with a light turn, and Romelu Olvio’s pressure neutralized the attack!”

“Juzi’s pressure-breaking skills are art. He’s making difficult plays look easy, just like Zidane in his prime. His technique is truly elegant!”

“Juzi, push the ball forward and send a long pass! He’s switching to the other side!”

Juzi, who gained possession of the second ball, effortlessly broke through Juventus’s compact press and sent an accurate pass to the wide open opposite side.

The recipient, Mark Guigu, was left with ample time to receive the pass and assess the situation.

“What’s going on over there… It’s like a mess.”

As Juzi sprinted away, the Juventus players, who had been pressuring him, were left stunned, like fans chasing after their favorite idol.

But on the other side, where the ball was, it was empty.

Mark Guigu, with his overwhelming presence, made the play much easier, connecting with Alexis Olmedo’s 2:1 pass and easily breaking into Juventus’s final third, leading to a mid-range shot.

The distance was considerable, but for a pro like Mark Guigu, it was more than enough to shoot with ease.

“Mark Guigu~! He scores the team’s second goal!”

“The Juventus players were too focused on Juzi, and the goal came from the opposite side!”

Twenty-nine minutes into the first half.

Barcelona finally took the lead, and it remained that way until the end of the game.

“The first half ends 2:1, with Barcelona in the lead.”

“Juventus had a good start, scoring the first goal, but after conceding, they pushed hard, only to be outmaneuvered by Barcelona’s attacks.”

“Franco Botta’s incredible save was the only thing that prevented Juventus from conceding 1-2 more goals in the first half. Juventus still looks strong, but they need a special plan to counter Juzi…”

“As soon as the second half began, Juventus made two substitutions. Coach Giuseppe Pochio has made his move.”

Despite taking the initiative, Juventus faced crisis after crisis, trying to turn the tables in the second half, but…

“Rodrigo Silvio has a great chance! Shoot— Ah, it’s blocked by Joo Ji-tae’s foot!!”

“This is a huge disappointment for Juventus! They had a great opportunity from the start, but Joo Ji-tae blocked it. This player is incredibly fast, not just in terms of speed, but also in his reaction time!!”

“Ah, Barcelona’s possession rate has increased to 7:3. In the 19th minute of the second half, Barcelona is leading the game.”

After Joo Ji-tae’s decisive block, their offense became extremely weak, ultimately ending in a 4:1 defeat.

The Italian fans, who were furious, protested violently, and the post-match interview was delayed. Joo Ji-tae, who was chosen as the MVP, stepped forward.

“My thoughts on today’s game are… well, it’s difficult to win against Italy, isn’t it? Do I need to apologize to the Italians?… Next question, please.”

Joo Ji-tae tried to repair his relationship with Italy through this interview.

“Juventus is a strong team. We won the first leg with a three-goal difference, but there’s still the second leg. We can’t be complacent. They’re a team with strength, so I’m sorry, but why do you keep asking me to apologize?”

It all started with Juventus.

Well, half of Italy is a Juventus fan, and the other half is an extreme anti-fan, but…

“I didn’t have any intention of disrespecting Juventus throughout the interview. They’re a team with a great history and tradition, so I respect them. I was a Juventus fan when I was young, and they’re impressive. When they were demoted due to Calciopoli, the players stayed, saying ‘A gentleman doesn’t abandon a lady.’ Isn’t that impressive?”

So, this wasn’t a mistake.

“Do I need to apologize for mentioning Calciopoli? I didn’t intentionally bring it up. I love Juventus, so I wouldn’t have mentioned it on purpose.”

Those who stir up controversy in football interviews are really annoying.