I AM the Football Star

Perotti received a red card and was sent off.

For the next seventy minutes, Florence will have to face the match with ten players.

Having taken the lead in this match, but never considered reversing the game against San Remo in the two-legged knockout tie of the Champions League, at this moment... harbored a bold idea.

Reversal!

Even if the opponent is Florence!

Even if the opponent is the Serie A leader!

San Remo has always held a gene of defying authority and fearing no giants.

They have had many comebacks.

And this time, they can certainly do it again.

This idea surfaced in the minds of all the San Remo players.

But Sotu signaled to everyone with a downward motion of his hand.

Morici understood the gesture immediately.

Experienced spectators know that many teams, when a player is sent off, are often not only not at a disadvantage in the first ten minutes afterwards, but often occupy the upper hand.

This seems abnormal but is actually normal.

If a player gets sent off, feeling unfairly treated, won’t they be indignant?

In extreme anger, a person can slide tackle through a steel plate or dodge a bullet... though exaggerated, it explains the point well.

At this time, the player’s combat power will explode.

Moreover, since everyone knows we are one player down, everyone requires themselves to run a bit more, thus forming a pattern of active running and pressing the opponents across the whole field.

Naturally, there is an advantage on the field.

Sotu understands this well, so he steadies the San Remo players.

Don’t rush, let Florence push for a while.

After their energy subsides, that’s when San Remo launches its real counterattack.

From a physical standpoint, now Florence’s players can still run, so large-scale attacks won’t have much opportunity.

But in the second half, the dilemma of having ten players will gradually become apparent.

This is a tactical battle.

San Remo is trailing four to three, and considering Purple Lily’s three away goals, even if San Remo scores another goal, they won’t lead.

Meaning they need two more goals.

Sotu plans to use the upcoming time to exhaust Florence’s stamina, and then in the final moments, strive for those two goals.

There is risk.

Some head coaches choose to attack aggressively now.

The underlying logic is that the probability of scoring two goals in seventy minutes is significantly higher than in twenty or thirty minutes.

That’s not incorrect.

But this judgment is rather rigid, without considering the influence of factors like stamina, time, and willpower on the game situation.

Or... dare not bet on these variables.

But such a result often leads to ten-man teams cooling down quickly and starting to form a bus defense.

Serie A teams’ bus defense for seventy minutes is a routine operation, differing significantly from other leagues where teams are unable to hold.

The current Serie A remains the most defensively strong and stable among the five major leagues.

Bang!

Lu Yang’s free kick shot was blocked by the wall; he didn’t capitalize on the free kick Bai Zhami earned with his injury.

However, after the ball bounced, Morici received it and made a big return pass to Bernulin in the backfield.

Bernulin immediately understood Morici’s intention, let Naji run into a receiving position, and wasn’t eager to release the ball, but rather drew Florence out.

Florence’s players were full of anger, they immediately started crazed pressing.

But with San Remo having one more player, passing wasn’t difficult.

Don’t forget, Lu Yang and other forwards frequently retreated.

San Remo was not short on manpower.

In the fortieth minute of the whole match, boos circulated around Frankie Stadium.

Because San Remo was playing passively again!

With eleven players on the field and trailing by a big score, San Remo wasn’t initiating attacks.

This attitude was incredibly frustrating.

Has San Remo really not considered the issue of Champions League advancement?

Are they really satisfied with this two-to-one score?

As long as they aren’t wiped out, they count as successful?

That... seems too lacking in ambition, doesn’t it?

The boos from the Frankie Stadium fans didn’t change anything.

Under the ball control of San Remo players, the first half ended.

As the players left the field, many Florence players had their hair wet with sweat and moved relatively heavily.

Those familiar with the progress of the match know this feels like a state players reach around seventy minutes.

...

The second half commenced.

Florence’s players might have received directions from the head coach, and weren’t eager to strike proactively.

But San Remo was annoyingly skilled at fishing!

Simply ask, when Lu Yang receives the ball in the flank area, do you go out to defend?

Who can forget that astonishing forty-three-meter long shot from the first half?

Alright, since you went to defend, do you want to also attempt a challenge, make a gesture?

You don’t want to make a gesture?

Alright, then as soon as they return the ball to Lu Yang, won’t you need to sprint back?

You go up to challenge, as soon as Lu Yang pushes up, wouldn’t it require other teammates to help cover?

Thus, it results in being pulled out.

So, although focusing mainly on a bus defense, the physical consumption of Florence’s players was noticeably increasing.

The most hateful part is that, aside from Naji and Talista not often participating in regular ball control.

San Remo, excluding the goalkeeper, was engaging all eight players in midfield ball control.

Lu Yang, Fernandez, Camihong, Canyes, these non-midfield players were all passing in the midfield.

And they genuinely didn’t mess around.

Playing neatly, like a game of passing circles.

Ultimately, even Frankie Stadium’s crowd was tired of booing.

Yet San Remo persisted in this passive playing style.

In the sixty-eighth minute, San Remo played the substitution card.

No. nineteen Delarre replaced No. five Lam.

An attacking midfielder replaced a defensive midfielder.

Kaint moved into the defensive midfielder position.

After nearly forty minutes of wear and tear, San Remo seemed finally ready to stir.

Florence, on the other side, was well-prepared.

Florence’s head coach also ordered substitute players to start warming up, preparing to respond.

”Okay, Oreola kicks off, passes to Naji.”

”Naji kicked the ball to Bernulin, Bernulin observed briefly, passes to Kaint.”

”Kaint released the ball to Morici. Canyes began to charge up, Morici released the ball to Lu Yang. Lu Yang released the ball in one sweep, a direct pass forward!”

”Canyes is too fast, he... he once again heels the ball directly back to Lu Yang.”

”Lu Yang’s big pass... Camihong catches the ball... a quick release, another quick release, possibly due to the extended touches before, the players on San Remo’s side seemed to have a good feel for the ball, continuously passing with quick release over ten times now!”

”Fernandez reached the edge of the large penalty area, Delarre released the ball to him, he wall-passed, and Delarre surged in! Florence’s goalkeeper makes a move!”

”Delarre shoots... a horizontal pass!”

”Morici nudges it into the open goal!”

”My Heavens! A goal! San Remo scored! This is the most normal goal of the day, but it’s entirely San Remo passing the ball into Florence’s goal!”

”If I recall correctly, wasn’t this pass participated by the entire San Remo team?”

”Towards the end, San Remo’s continuous quick passes made Florence’s midfield and wing backs visibly unable to run. Their substitutes are on the sidelines, but due to no dead ball, changes can’t be made.”

”Florence’s head coach was just one step slower than Bisotu, but this step allowed San Remo to pass over twenty times and eventually score!”

”The statistics have been finalized! No one would have believed it; this is a pinnacle of beautiful football! All eleven players from San Remo participated, with a total of twenty-three quick passes ending in a goal!”

”During this period, Florence players never touched the ball, nor did the football excessively linger under San Remo players’ feet; it was all quick passes!”

”Perfect! Flawless! Three to one! San Remo made a comeback! It’s now four to four, and since both sides have three away goals, San Remo and Florence are on a level playing field!”

”Champions League! San Remo seems to have more hope! Can they possibly defeat the Serie A giant Florence and advance to the Champions League quarterfinals? Is it possible?”

”Oh! Florence is somewhat passive because this is their home ground. Once San Remo scores another goal, Florence needs another goal to regain their advantage.”

”Everyone, forgive San Remo’s previous boredom, as now, the truly fierce competition is just beginning!”

”With twenty minutes left of the match, heroes need to step up for both sides!”

”What’s next, will Carrel respond first, or will Lu Yang build on the victory?”