I AM the Football Star

”Can you really let go?” Rosmei proactively invited Gudiola to Camp Nou.

Both of them stood on the pitch, full of emotions.

Gudiola was once a Bar?a player, deeply passionate about this place.

”This is not the Bar?a I want to create. This Bar?a doesn’t have my imprint,” Gudiola spoke, ”Extreme possession play can absolutely succeed. I believe that Bar?a will eventually win the Champions League.”

”But it has nothing to do with me. It’s the merit of La Masia, it’s Mateo’s credit, it’s the local Bar?a team’s achievement, it’s the executives’ responsibility... As for the head coach, you could just tie a dog there.”

Gudiola looked at Rosmei: ”And I... I cannot be a dog!”

This is why Gudiola struggles to attract personnel and can’t keep those he wants.

He lacks control over the team.

The players respect him, but only because he was once their predecessor.

Of course, the tactics are certainly devised by Gudiola.

But extreme possession play is already imprinted on these players; they would continue to do so even without Gudiola.

The concept of a ”dog-tied coach” is not just mocking, but truly reflects Bar?a’s future.

The future of extreme possession play is indeed terrifying!

But that future is yet to come.

Bar?a is about two or three years away from reaching that level.

Gudiola doesn’t want to waste his youth on a meaningless pursuit.

In fact, he has his own interpretation of extreme possession play.

He doesn’t fully agree with Bar?a’s tactics.

He believes that quick passing and shooting, like Morici’s style, can be integrated into Bar?a’s tactical system.

He also has more aggressive views on using full-backs, which cannot be realized at Bar?a.

He has no reason to stay.

Morici is just a catalyst; if Gudiola doesn’t leave this year, he would next year.

Rosmei was silent for a long time, then took out a piece of paper from his pocket and handed it over.

Gudiola looked and saw it was a plane ticket.

To China!

”This...” Gudiola was stunned.

Rosmei pointed to the distant stadium box and said, ”Remember when we watched the Champions League final there this year?”

”No one doubts his ability. I can guarantee, he’s the most incredible player I’ve ever seen in my life!”

”Five goals in the Champions League final!”

”The divine-level performance of scoring five goals in nine minutes!”

”The god descending to Bernabéu to reverse Real Madrid!”

”I have no doubt he will become the most powerful football player on this planet in the future!”

Indeed.

The person Rosmei was talking about was Lu Yang.

But Rosmei shook his head in the next moment: ”But he doesn’t fit with Bar?a—I know, you know, everyone knows!”

”Style! Playstyle! Genes! Physical quality! Mateo! These are just excuses.”

”I believe we’ve all seen his desire for football in his eyes!”

”He is an opportunist, a challenger, an adventurer! He’s willing to climb peaks, fearless of challenges and obstacles! He won’t pass the ball endlessly until the game ends.”

”Sometimes, even with a one-in-ten-thousand chance, he won’t give up!”

”Extreme possession play is the perfect blend of technique, discipline, movement, football intelligence, and all things rational.”

”And Lu Yang is the embodiment of adventure, passion, innocence, adolescence, opportunism, and all things emotional.”

”He wouldn’t be happy at Barcelona, and Barcelona wouldn’t be happy with him.”

”Our union with Lu Yang is destined to be a painful experience. Someone inevitably has to lower their proud head, to submit to the other.”

Gudiola trembled.

Because he guessed Rosmei’s meaning.

”Mateo...” Gudiola shook his head, ”Mateo won’t share his throne! Especially not with Moreira’s previous example! Barcelona can only have one leader!”

”You all bet everything on Mateo. Even if you agree, others won’t agree to anyone standing in the same position as Mateo!”

”And Lu... is also a born leader. He won’t surrender to anyone!”

Rosmei sighed, ”Mateo will always be the unique leader of Barcelona. But...”

”But... now Barcelona needs to let go of its pride, to temporarily... invite someone strong enough to help Bar?a through the hardships before its success!”

”If Lu Yang truly has such ability, then it’s not Mateo who’s bowing, it’s the entire Bar?a that’s bowing. It’s me, the president of Bar?a, who’s bowing!”

”Mateo will always wear his crown, Bar?a will never submit. But... someone needs to kneel! To make that gesture!”

Gudiola’s hand trembled as he held the plane ticket: ”You will become an eternal sinner in Barcelona’s history!”

Rosmei smiled bitterly: ”But only this way, two or three years later, that Bar?a perfected with extreme possession play will have the chance to sweep across Europe! I’m willing to do this! I don’t want to see Bar?a’s all-or-nothing end in failure.”

”We must succeed to catch up with Real Madrid, we have no other path to take. We’ve already wasted too much time on this road, you understand!”

”Go talk, we can meet all his demands! Anything!”

Gudiola could discern which of Rosmei’s emotions were genuine.

He doesn’t want to be impeached.

But at the same time, he genuinely doesn’t want Bar?a’s extreme possession play to be destroyed at the last moment before dawn.

Bar?a needs to sign a super influential star to alleviate dissatisfaction with Moreira’s departure.