Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

177 – Football Classroom

177

The tumultuous preseason had finally passed, and the 35/36 season was about to begin.

Barcelona’s executives, who had gone through a war-like transfer market, gathered at Camp Nou for the opening game.

“Your face looks terrible. Are you okay?”

“What, are you not going to die? I heard you suffered a lot from being in contact with the banking authority.”

“It’s not like I’ve been rejected just once or twice. I’ve been rejected so many times that I’ve become numb to it.”

“You did suffer a lot.”

“That’s right, but in the end, it’s come to this. The players have all been sold, and the already insufficient staff have been reduced even further. It’s fortunate that the main player is still being kept.”

It’s not like the big clubs are just sitting still, waiting for the Barcelona ‘President’s Crazy’ event.

From teams with a rich owner who can splurge money like it’s going out of style, to EPL teams that can’t help but throw money around, to the hated Real Madrid, and even Saudi Arabia.

They’re waving their cash around, betting 1-2 billion euros at once, and the Barcelona board is almost tempted to give in to the offer.

No matter how much the team’s core player earns, 2 billion euros is just too much to resist. And it’s not like it’s a loan; it’s a lump sum of 2 billion euros that can be used in any way.

The Barcelona board, who were salivating at the prospect of getting their hands on that money, finally rejected the offer due to the decisive protests that broke out across Catalonia.

The protests, which almost reached the level of a riot, surrounded the stadium, and the board thought, “If we sell our main player, someone might really die.”

The current board, who didn’t inherit the boldness of their predecessors who sold even Lionel Messi, managed to keep their main player, and the result was quite successful.

“It’s only been a year since the player joined the team… and just one interview has calmed down the protests. It seems like their influence is greater than I thought.”

“Well, at least the fans have calmed down, so that’s a relief.”

“The referee is blowing his whistle. Is it finally starting?”

Despite the chaos, the fans were chanting loudly, as if nothing had happened, at the home opening game at Camp Nou’s 10,000-seat stadium.

* * *

Barcelona’s opening game opponent was Getafe CF, who had been struggling in the lower ranks of the league last season.

Getafe, who had sold their ace player for a hefty sum and used that money to recruit new players, were still evaluated as a lower-ranked team in the league.

And Barcelona, who were facing off against this lower-ranked team, were currently receiving real-time tutoring from their coach.

“No, Leo! I told you to open up your body when receiving the ball! You have to trap the ball and open up your body! That way, you’ll have more passing options, and you won’t just be doing back passes!”

“Hey! Hey, Rodrigo! Pass it quickly and make a run! Secure the space! You haven’t developed at all since the youth World Cup, what’s going on?”

Barcelona’s squad had changed significantly, with many veterans and starters leaving, and young players also departing.

Five players in the best 11 had changed, and two of them were new recruits.

Moreover, in Barcelona’s tactical system, which emphasizes teamwork, it’s not easy for players who have come from other teams to adapt, especially when half of the starting lineup has changed.

It’s not like the players Barcelona recruited were top-class players with excellent football intelligence. They were players who were good value for their price, but it’s difficult to expect high-level football intelligence from them.

So, the coach had to take on a babysitting role during preseason training, and it’s not like the players’ abilities would develop quickly.

That’s why the ‘Coach’s Football Class’ continued from preseason into the opening game.

“Rodrigo! Move in! Quickly cut in and form a triangle! Iker! You need to call more aggressively!”

Especially, the coach’s focus was on Argentine recruit Rodrigo Silvio.

Rodrigo Silvio was the same player who had been crushed by the coach during the youth World Cup. He had played in the Bundesliga through the youth World Cup, but now he was playing for Juventus, and it seemed like he had finally made it to the top.

But later, I found out that he had actually joined Juventus Next Gen, the youth team, not the main team, and had suffered the humiliation of being crushed during the youth World Cup.

Anyway, he had worked hard and finally made it to the main team.

But what’s the point?

He had met the coach again during last year’s Champions League and had been crushed once more.

The player who had felt like he had hit a wall that he couldn’t overcome had decided to join the coach instead.

Coincidentally, his contract with Juventus was about to expire, and his transfer fee would be low, so he wasn’t a bad player. Moreover, he was a multi-player who could play as a central attacker or a winger.

So, Rodrigo Silvio, who had joined Barcelona and was dreaming of a rosy future—

“Hey! Get your body ready! Stick together and fight!!”

“That’s right. The coach’s words are correct.”

While receiving all sorts of criticism, I was still happily playing.

Of course, it was a hassle to be the captain, but it was worth it.

“Diego, cover! Let’s go up more aggressively, trusting in Julieta behind us!”

It was the first game as captain in Barcelona, and what’s more, it was the home opener.

Although Barcelona was weak, it wasn’t to the extent of losing to a lower-ranked team, so Julieta’s soccer lesson, which debuted this season, could successfully conclude.

[Barcelona, who received countless worries in the transfer market, achieves a perfect 4:0 victory at Camp Nou!]

[It was a great performance that left Hetafe powerless throughout the game.]

With a good start, Barcelona’s next opponent in the 2nd round was the strong AT Madrid.

[Ah, Barcelona, it’s really unfortunate. In the game against Atletico Madrid at Cívitas Metropolitano, they concede a goal in the late stages of the second half and end up with a 1:1 draw.]

[It was a perfect mid-range shot by David Martinez that went into the corner of the goal, something even a god couldn’t stop.]

Although they recorded an unfortunate 1:1 draw after conceding a goal in the late stages of the second half, they showed a strong performance throughout the game, giving fans hope that “maybe we’re strong after all!”

However, Barcelona fans’ hopes stopped there.

[The score remains 0:0 after 30 minutes, and Barcelona is regretful of the missed opportunities in the first half.]

[Iker Rodriguez, who missed two crucial chances, is substituted, and Hector Santiago comes in.]

[It’s the 48th minute of the second half, and there’s almost no time left. Is this the last free kick? The kicker is Barcelona’s new captain, Julieta.]

[Julieta, who showed an overwhelming presence throughout the game, impressing with both defense and build-up, would be extremely disappointed if it ends in a draw. Julieta shoots! Goal! Goal!! A dramatic free kick goal by Julieta just before the game ends!!]

Either barely winning with Julieta’s free kick goal after missing several scoring chances due to the attackers’ slump,

[The game ends with Fernando Alvarez’s goal and Julieta’s header. It was an intense El Clásico-style victory.]

[Real Madrid’s coach, Bruno Casoara, prepared well, didn’t he? The strategy of passing the ball to Fernando Alvarez instead of Julieta shone brightly.]

Or barely managing to draw thanks to Julieta’s solo performance from defense to scoring,

[What’s going on!! This can’t be!! Barcelona is sinking!!]

[Despite giving some of the main players, including Julieta, a break, the performance was too terrible! Barcelona loses 1:2 to Celtic in the 2nd Champions League group stage game!]

They even suffered a crushing defeat to a weaker team in the Champions League group stage.

The rollercoaster-like performance throughout the first half of the season frustrated fans, and amidst all this, Julieta and a few other players were the ones who held the team together.

Especially Julieta, who recorded an astonishing 11 goals before the first half of the season ended, becoming the team’s savior in times of crisis. The numbers included 3 free kick goals and 2 penalty kick goals, an unbelievable scoring ability for a center back.

Moreover, even when the team was struggling, Julieta showed a solid defense and midfield control, proving why he’s considered one of the world’s top players.

And on November 1st,

The 80th Ballon d’Or award ceremony was held at the Théâtre du Châtelet in Paris, France.