"Then what are your thoughts on the matter?"
At Cannavaro's words, Schuster asked in return.
Knowing full well that Cannavaro's bright and upright personality made him a natural leader, there was nothing to lose by hearing him out.
"Today, Coach Bruno assigned me to train with Higuaín and Ho-young. I believe the session was tailored with the idea of using him as a joker late in the match. After all, defenders tend to slow down and lose sharpness as the game progresses."
"That's true. But it wasn't a training session meant to accuse you of slowing down either."
"Hahaha."
At Schuster's joke, the table filled with light chuckles.
Cannavaro smiled as well and continued.
"Haha, boss. What I mean is about the training itself. Didn't Coach Bruno say anything?"
"Hey, Canna! Are you doubting me now? I reported everything about Ho-young's training to the manager. I told him he looked much better than Higuaín."
"But I get the feeling my observations didn't make it into your report."
"Hmm?"
No matter how seasoned a first-team technical coach might be, it was impossible to surpass the instincts of an active Ballon d'Or winner.
What Bruno missed, Cannavaro had picked up completely.
It also proved that Cannavaro had potential as a coach.
"I could feel it. Ho-young can be the key to breaking down Juventus's wall."
"That's why we plan to use him as a joker. And if not, we'll leave him out."
"I think you're missing the point. The player Ho-young should be competing against isn't Higuaín. It's Van Nistelrooy or Saviola."
"!"
In other words, Cannavaro was saying that Ho-young should start against Juventus.
He added further.
"Van Nistelrooy is a pure finisher, but he can't cope with Giorgio's pace and anticipation. The same goes for Saviola."
"So you're saying we should start Ho-young up front and go toe-to-toe from the beginning? But he just expended an enormous amount of energy 30 hours ago against Atlético Madrid."
"Then how about starting him for just the first 45 minutes?"
"Hmm."
Cannavaro didn't back down.
He firmly believed that Ho-young needed to start.
"Regardless of anything else, his skill set is the most suitable to counter Giorgio. I tutored Giorgio for a year. I know him better than anyone."
"You speak with such confidence. You really believe that?"
"Absolutely."
"Haha. Alright. I'll consider it."
October 21, 2008.
The eyes of the football world turned to Turin, Italy.
Juventus versus Real Madrid.
This was the Champions League, a competition with hundreds of millions of viewers around the globe.
A match between the giants of Italy and Spain drew immense attention.
In particular, Ho-young, who had just recorded a hat trick in La Liga against Atlético Madrid, was drawing widespread media interest. Most reporters speculated that he would appear as a second-half substitute.
[The clash between La Liga's top-scoring Real Madrid and Italy's least-conceding Juventus promises to be a thrilling affair. If the match against Atlético was simply a contest between sword and shield, then this encounter is a paradox—an unstoppable spear versus an impenetrable shield. While home advantage favors Juventus, it's hard to predict the outcome. As a side note, Ho-young, currently in explosive form, is expected to be deployed in the second half as an energizer.]
However, one hour before kickoff...
Ho-young's face and name lit up the giant screen inside the Stadio Olimpico Grande Torino.
Wooooaaaahhhhh!
Starting lineup.
Upon hearing the news, a small but vocal group of traveling Real Madrid fans, the Madridistas, erupted.
"Yeah, that's what I'm talking about! Of course he's starting!"
"Strike while the iron's hot. You gotta use him when he's in form!"
"Damn! If he pulls something off today, I can die happy!"
"Yeah, but that guy's the problem."
Their eyes turned toward the player warming up on the field.
With a fierce expression and a distinct shaved head, his presence was intimidating.
If he had tattoos, you'd think he was Russian mafia.
It was Giorgio Chiellini, who was rapidly emerging as one of the world's top defenders.
Often compared to Manchester United's Vidic, he was hailed as Cannavaro's successor and the savior of the Azzurri backline.
Cannavaro himself thought of Chiellini as his true heir.
"He just looks like a pain in the ass."
"Why?"
"You didn't see his pre-match interview during lunch?"
At the pre-match press conference earlier in the day, Chiellini was asked about Ho-young and responded like this:
"Ho-young has never faced a big club in his life. Understandable, given how recently he came onto the scene. Hahaha. Still, if he plays, I'd be glad. I believe his potential is world-class, but does he have the nerve to perform in a big match? I saw him get dominated by Liverpool's Mascherano. If they choose him over Van Nistelrooy, Raúl, or Robben, I'll welcome it."
Now, seeing Ho-young in the starting lineup, Chiellini's eyes widened in disbelief.
'These bastards?'
Then, pounding his chest hard, he began to boil with rage.
"They think I'm easy?!"
Starting Ho-young, who had no big-match experience, was a sign of underestimating him—or at least, that's how Chiellini took it.
Whether it was true or not didn't matter. His pride was wounded.
And he roared.
"Fine, let's see what you've got. I'll show you what Juventus's defense is all about!"
The tension began to rise even before kickoff.
The match kicked off at 20:45.
The roar of 25,000 spectators shook the stadium.
[Alessandro Del Piero passes to Amauri. Juventus, attacking from the left, get us underway.]
[The battle between the immovable shield and the unstoppable spear has begun. It's a clash of styles—Italy's emphasis on space versus Spain's technical mastery.]
Juventus came out in their usual flat 4-4-2 formation.
Up front, they started Del Piero and Amauri. In midfield were Salihamidžić, Sissoko, Marchisio, and Nedvěd. In defense, the quick-footed Chiellini and Legrottaglie were paired centrally, facing off against Real Madrid.
The goal was guarded by Manninger instead of Buffon.
[Meanwhile, Real Madrid began in a 4-2-3-1 formation but switched to a 4-3-3 just five minutes in. Raúl, Van Nistelrooy, and Ho-young are operating as a front three. The midfield is composed of Sneijder, Diarra, and Zidane.]
[That's right. This is a terrifying attacking setup. This is the first time this front three has been used this season. We might be in for a spectacular attacking display.]
But Juventus were not about to sit back and take it.
When Ho-young lined up on the right flank, Chiellini shifted to left-back to mark him directly.
[Ball sent into the left-side channel! Chiellini is tracking back!]
[Chiellini is quick and smart. He's not giving Ho-young any space.]
Although Real Madrid had the advantage in formation with the 4-3-3, the actual flow of the game was leaning toward Juventus.
That was due to the relentless work rate of Nedvěd, who was controlling the midfield.
[Pavel Nedvěd]
[Possessed Talents: Embodiment of Hard Work (T), Perfectly Balanced Two-Footedness Through Effort (SU), Astonishing Stamina (S+3), Devastating Mid-Range Shot (S+3), Fantastic Dribbling (S), (More...)]
(A talent may be coveted upon meeting all conditions.)
(To covet a Title (T), partial sensory adaptation is possible. However, you must be over 18.)
(S-rank and above talents require hidden conditions to be unlocked.)
(Condition 1: Win the match)
(Condition 2: Be selected as Man of the Match)
(Condition 3: Score with the non-dominant foot)
(Condition 4: Cover more than 9 km during the match)
(Hidden Condition: Unlockable after acquiring at least one talent)
The man known as the Heart of Two in world football.
The greatest two-footer in human history.
He had achieved all of it through sheer hard work.
Ho-young couldn't believe what he was seeing.
'Is he really 36?'
Most players first experience physical decline with age, then technical skills, and finally mentality.
But Nedvěd was still going strong.
'If he still has S-grade stamina, then back in his prime, he must have been SS or even SSS.'
It hit Ho-young.
This was why the Champions League was called the "War of the Stars."
Not just Nedvěd, but players like Del Piero and Amauri, all looked like legends moving across the pitch.
But that didn't mean he should feel intimidated.
He had already stood face-to-face with Zidane, Ronaldo, and Messi.
It was time to get used to it.
'I can't shrink back.'
And with boldness in his heart, there was no room left for hesitation.
He had grown.
And he was ready to unleash everything he had gained through that growth.
[Zidane finds Ho-young with a pass. Sissoko immediately presses!]
Juventus refused to give Ho-young space.
Their pressing began with Sissoko's pressure from the front.
But.
Tap.
"Damn it!"
Using dazzling footwork and explosive agility, Ho-young shielded the ball and maintained possession.
For the first time, Juventus were caught off guard.
[Ho-young! His ball-keeping has improved significantly!]
[And that's not all. This is a different side of him from what we've seen this season. He's moving slowly, yet sharply. Controlling the tempo.]
Zidane built up the play from the back to midfield, and Ho-young took that flow and elevated it with sharp playmaking.
By holding onto the ball longer, he increased possession, exchanging passes with the midfield and controlling the rhythm.
His movements were sharp yet fluid.
Van Nistelrooy shielded defenders and opened space up front. On the left, Raúl stretched the defense by exploiting the wide channels.
With the pace increasing, Juventus's midfield started to shake.
Nedvěd held firm, but Marchisio and Sissoko struggled.
They didn't yet have the experience or know-how to manage this level of pressure.
And then.
Smack!
As if shattering reinforced glass, Ho-young burst through the midfield press.
A sudden surge powered by raw acceleration.
Juventus's defense hesitated, even though they saw it coming.
Just one moment.
After enduring 20 minutes of suppression, Ho-young threw everything into this attack as if his life depended on it.
However.
'The ball stops here.'
Chiellini appeared in front of Ho-young, brimming with confidence.
'This is the perfect situation to defend.'
Ho-young was strong.
His speed and dribbling were phenomenal, and his decision-making was sharp. If you lost focus for even a moment, you'd be beaten even if you saw it coming.
He had many tools, and they were all top class.
But there was a way.
Chiellini once heard this from his mentor, Cannavaro:
—I realized it when I faced Ronaldo of Brazil. When you can't stop a player no matter what you do, just focus on one thing. Keep it simple. Target a specific space.
'Space.'
Cannavaro's tactic was to focus on space.
So Chiellini lowered his center of gravity and blocked both sides.
'Got him.'
There was nowhere else to go.
Or so he thought.
Tap.
'What?'
[Ho-young cuts the ball 90 degrees to the right!]
[It looks like he's given up on this route and is switching it up. He'll need help from teammates now. Van Nistelrooy should close the distance a bit. Ho-young looks completely isolated right now.]
As the commentary suggested, Ho-young had retreated.
Chiellini assumed he had won and stood firm.
'Idiot. He's panicking.'
He smirked and held his position.
Ho-young's move could've been a feint, so Chiellini focused on maintaining defensive structure.
Then it happened.
Tap, tap, smack!
"...?!"
One step back, two steps forward.
Ho-young, who had just pulled back, suddenly cut into the penalty area.
It happened so fast, it was almost imperceptible.
Straight drive, 45-degree left cut, another drive.
The three distinct moves flowed together like one fluid motion.
A dribble blending power and speed.
'You've got to be kidding me.'
Even seeing it happen in front of him, Chiellini couldn't believe it.
But by the time he processed it, Ho-young was already past him.
And it didn't stop there.
The moment he caught a glimpse of the shooting angle, Ho-young's left foot fired.
Chiellini knew it instinctively.
'I'm screwed.'
Thud!
Bingo.
As expected of a defender with high anticipation, he accurately predicted what was about to happen.
[Goooooal! Ho-young's left-footed shot slots perfectly into the bottom-left corner of the goal!]
"Whooo!"
Ho-young ran toward the fans.
Chiellini stood stunned, letting out a string of curses.
And he wasn't the only one feeling that way.
Sitting nervously on the bench, another young man was stuck between disbelief and panic.
"This has to be a dream..."
Sebastian Giovinco.
Once one of the world's most promising talents, Ho-young had become his lingering trauma.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)