September 22nd.
Valdebebas First Team Training Ground.
Intense training had been underway since the morning in preparation for La Liga Round 4, which was just two days away.
After finishing his minimum required classes, Ho-young made it to the training center without being too late.
The first to greet his arrival was Sergio Ramos, who had just stepped out of the building after lunch.
"Hey, student!"
Despite his golden Terius-style hair, Ramos was full of mischief. Lately, he had developed a new hobby.
"Not too late today, huh? I guess your homeroom teacher let you out early?"
His new pastime was teasing Ho-young about still being a student.
He meant no harm.
He just found it amusing and endearing to imagine Ho-young walking to school every morning with a backpack.
And Ho-young accepted his jokes with a smile.
"I was on blackboard duty, but when I told the teacher I had football training, she let me off. In exchange, I have to bring back your autograph."
"Oh, nice. What a generous teacher. Is she pretty?"
"Not as handsome as you, Ramos."
"Smartass. So what did you learn at school today? Addition? Subtraction? No way... multiplication? Division's probably still too much for you!"
"Absolute values."
"No idea what that is, but it sounds like some serious crap."
"So you're one of those guys who gave up on math, huh?"
"Not really. Never tried it in the first place, so I couldn't have given up."
"Damn. If there were a Logica d'Or award, you'd win it hands down."
"Haha."
That was Ramos.
Ruthless and fierce on the pitch, but warm and loyal on the training ground.
Above all, Ho-young clicked well with him.
"Anyway, it must be tough juggling school and football. Did you at least enjoy your school lunch?"
"Lucci handles all my meals separately with a club-assigned diet plan. What about you?"
"I just eat whatever I feel like. Runway-style meals are my thing."
"That's a brag, isn't it?"
"If you're jealous, you lose. Anyway, hurry up. The boss has been waiting for you."
"For me?"
Valdebebas Second Training Ground bench.
Manager Bernd Schuster was pacing back and forth in place.
His mind was just as tangled as his steps.
'Zidane's form is declining faster than I expected.'
It was inevitable.
The body couldn't keep up with the mind at his age.
So he had dropped him deeper into midfield and used Van der Vaart to fill the gap in the attacking line.
But Van der Vaart alone couldn't fully replace Zidane's presence.
For now, Zidane was still contributing to the build-up from the back, so things were manageable. But over time, the problem would become more apparent.
At least the team was performing well in the early season.
They were cruising along.
Gonzalo Higuaín, in particular, had emerged as a surprising dark horse.
After scoring in the Champions League opener, he had played in the away match against Racing Santander yesterday and showed solid movement.
As a result, the team defeated Racing 3-1 and secured their third consecutive league win.
'It might be worth trying Higuaín and Ho-young together.'
There was potential.
If Ho-young continued to perform well, the tactical variations would increase.
That could be one way to fill Zidane's void.
'Alright, that's one thing settled...'
Schuster shook off the thought and focused on the match just two days away.
What mattered most was the present.
To win the league, every match had to be taken seriously.
Though the team's perfect record had created a positive atmosphere, there was no room for complacency.
As the results improved, the expectations of the fans and the board grew.
The coaching staff and players felt the pressure mounting.
Real Madrid's top brass were notoriously fickle, to the point that even Schuster, no stranger to impulsiveness, had to tread carefully.
They had little to no patience.
Even a slight dip in performance could lead to immediate dismissal.
Winning at least one of La Liga, the Copa del Rey, or the Champions League was essential for job security.
That was why Schuster could not afford to let his guard down for even a second.
The reason he had called Ho-young in today was also related to that.
"The next opponent. You faced them twice last season in the Segunda, right?"
"Yes."
Their opponent for Round 4, to be played at home, was Sporting Gijón.
They had been promoted from the Segunda División last season, and Ho-young had played against them twice.
"You must know their defenders well, then. Though on the flip side, they also know you well."
"Yes."
"But they probably don't know the current you very well. You've continued to evolve. So I'm thinking of giving you a big opportunity in this match."
"Thank you for trusting me."
"Good. Let me ask you something. What kind of team was Sporting Gijón last season? Aside from Callejón, Tebar, and Miguel, you're the only one who's faced them. I've already spoken to those three."
It was a manager's basic duty.
Beyond coaching meetings, sometimes you had to listen to the players, especially those with tactical insight.
Hearing from someone with experience was always valuable.
That's why Schuster was seeking Ho-young's opinion, and Ho-young gladly offered his thoughts.
"Sporting Gijón is an extremely aggressive team. That's their biggest weapon."
"That's common knowledge. Others have said the same."
"They're intense. Their supporter group, the Sportinguistas, might be the most passionate fanbase in Spanish football. Their youth system is solid too, giving the squad a strong foundation. And since Manuel Preciado is such an offensively inclined manager, combined with the squad's high level of organization, I think the best way to deal with them is to shut down the central areas and apply high pressing."
"Is that your personal opinion?"
"Something I discussed with Coach Mandía. We lost last time, but this time I really want to win."
"I see."
Schuster's mustache twitched upward.
He was glad he took the time to talk to Ho-young.
"What else did you notice during the match?"
"Hmm... they don't seem to care much even when they concede. In fact, the more goals they let in, the stronger they become. Especially when they're in trouble, they play the most explosive attacking football. They never hold back, whether they're home or away. They consider it an honor to finish dead last in the 'Fair Play Award.' That says it all."
"I was planning to exploit that and focus on set-pieces during training. What do you think?"
"I think that's a good idea. In away games involving Sporting Gijón, it's not unusual to get more than ten free kicks. Drawing fouls could definitely work in our favor."
"A solid point."
Schuster looked satisfied.
Most of what Ho-young said had already been covered in coaching meetings, but hearing it directly from a player made a difference.
It helped ease his concerns in forming the match strategy.
"Alright. Go on. Afternoon training starts in 15 minutes."
"Yes, sir."
"Oh, and one more thing."
"Yes?"
"For the next match, make sure you've got your mindset ready before kickoff."
Gulp.
Understanding the implication, Ho-young responded with determined eyes.
"I won't disappoint you."
It was only a ten-minute conversation, but it was highly meaningful for Ho-young.
'There's a lot to gain.'
It was a golden opportunity to score directly from a free kick.
In other words, a perfect chance to acquire Roberto Carlos's Spinning Kick talent.
Though in truth, he was even more eager to acquire Explosive Kicking Power (S+3), so he aimed to pursue the Spinning Kick first.
On top of that, it had the potential to combine with his Precise and Quick Kicks talent.
That was why, the moment his talk with Schuster ended, he went straight to Roberto Carlos.
"You want me to teach you the Spinning Kick?"
"Yes. I want to try that famous free kick you scored against France in the '97 Pre-World Cup."
"Ah, the UFO kick? Anyone with strong legs can hit a Spinning Kick, but the UFO kick? I can't teach that."
"Why not?"
"Because I didn't intend to do it."
In other words, it was a fluke.
As a football fanatic, Ho-young had read that in a magazine before.
Still, he believed a shot like that required at least a minimum level of talent.
Like Carlos, for instance.
Ho-young asked,
"Do you still remember that moment?"
"Of course. That was the first time I ever told myself, 'Damn, that really curved.' Even Zizou came up to me afterward and said it was unbelievable. I don't think a goal like that could ever be scored again. It wasn't just skill. A lot of external factors aligned perfectly too."
So even with talent, it couldn't be replicated at will?
Just as his hope started to deflate, Carlos continued, as if telling him not to give up.
"Still, a Spinning Kick is something you can use anytime. It might not curve like a UFO kick, but if you put your mind to it, you can hit something close."
In short, even if he couldn't replicate the UFO kick, he could at least achieve something similar.
"Back in my prime, I practiced free kicks over 200 times a day. A Spinning Kick is simple, really. As long as you have strong power and the right kick feel, you just need to strike it cleanly. But the important part is whether you can get it on target."
"Exactly. No matter how hard you hit it, it's meaningless if it misses."
That's where the Spinning Kick of the Cannon Shooter came in.
Carlos's unique kick feel.
"Well, if you really want to learn it, I don't mind teaching you."
"Then I'd be very grateful."
"Alright."
Carlos accepted gladly and continued.
"You already know how to curve the ball, right? That's a basic skill anyone can do."
"Yes."
"Then I'll give you one piece of advice. But there's a prerequisite."
"What is it?"
"Solid thighs. And powerful kicking strength."
At those words, a smile crept across Ho-young's face.
If there was one thing he could confidently boast about, it was his thighs.
Wednesday, September 24th.
As night fell on Madrid, the stands of the Santiago Bernabéu filled with heat and anticipation.
Even though kickoff was at 10 p.m., over 70,000 fans had come to the stadium.
But the most surprising part was that Sporting Gijón's away supporters numbered around 4,000.
Considering it was a five-hour journey, it was an impressive turnout.
"Heh heh. I'm hyped. I wonder who'll start for Madrid?"
"Probably Van Nistelrooy and Raúl?"
"Ugh… We've got no chance, then."
"As long as we score some goals, who cares if we lose!"
Sportinguistas.
Sporting Gijón's supporters, who preferred one win over four draws.
They were already on a three-game losing streak, so they didn't mind another loss.
Just three days earlier, they had suffered a heavy 2-6 defeat to Barcelona in Round 3.
And tonight's opponent was Real Madrid. Hoping for a win would be asking for a miracle.
Soon, the lineups were announced as players' names echoed through the stadium.
Real Madrid, the home team, were called first. Starting with Casillas, followed by Ramos, Carlos, Pepe, Cannavaro, and so on, in numerical order.
After Fernando Gago at number 8, a familiar Asian face appeared in giant size on the jumbotron.
[Numero 10. Ho-young Woo!]
"Uwoooooaaaahhh!"
It wasn't a bench appearance, but a full starting lineup.
The stadium erupted in chaos at the unexpected news.
Amazingly, even the away fans cheered.
"Ooooh. Maybe we've got a shot tonight?"
"But Ho-young is good, though."
"Come on. He's still just a rookie with only two La Liga matches. He's no Van Nistelrooy."
To top it off, Ho-young was starting as the lone striker.
The fans, seeing that Van Nistelrooy was absent, looked ready to storm the pitch and dance in celebration.
No doubt, it was shaping up to be a lucky day.
(To be continued.)