Chapter 840: Preparation

Except for the dim glow of the screen, much of the room was shrouded in darkness. The players were gathered before the screen, and despite their collective breath, the temperature of the room was rather cold.

Perhaps it had something to do with the weather outside.

The rain that began at noon persisted. However, it was more like drizzle now. The droplets of rain streaked long over the window. However, the attention of the people inside was focused on the glowing screen before them.

Just before the screen stood a bald individual with a remote in his hands. The light from the screen fell on his bald head and reflected as if it weren’t his head but a mirror.

His expression appeared somewhat stiff. If someone was meeting him for the first time, that person would have questioned him if he was mad at something. However, those who knew him had gotten used to his expression.

These players gathered in the room were no different.

"Can you see it?" Enzo’s voice echoed as the screen froze.

Their attention snapped to him.

"Look at this. Every time he receives the ball, he takes a mental snapshot of the pitch. Two seconds. Three. He’s not just looking for a pass. He’s mapping the next three moves."

He clicked the remote again, and the screen froze at another frame.

"When he drops deep, he’s not retreating. He’s luring. He wants you to follow him, to leave space behind. Then he plays the pass that kills you."

He turned to face the room.

"So we don’t follow. We don’t engage. Instead, we suffocate."

He pointed at Deneuve.

"That’s where you come to Lucien. You’re his shadow. Wherever he goes, you go. But you don’t dive in. You don’t tackle. You just... exist. In his space. In his mind."

Lucien nodded. Though he wanted to protest, he specialized in offense. Hence, utilizing him as Hiro’s marker didn’t make sense to him.

However, he still had unfinished business left with Hiro. Hence, he didn’t dare to speak about his concerns.

The coach was the one who decided the tactics, and he understood that he was just another chess piece on the field.

Though the young Lucien couldn’t voice his concern, the same couldn’t be said about Enzo.

"What if he drops deep?" Enzo asked.

"You follow. But we’ll have a second line. Enzo, you’ll track back. Haaland, you’ll press from the front. We’ll make it impossible for him to breathe."

Maresca clicked the remote again. A diagram appeared, a web of blue arrows, all pointing toward one player.

"This isn’t about beating Atlético. This is about proving that we are the best team in Europe. That Hiro Takahashi is not unstoppable."

He paused.

It sounded rather ridiculous to focus their entire attention on one player. However, that’s what was required to beat the other team.

Even Haaland, the unstoppable titan, didn’t question the coach’s concern.

That’s how lethal Hiro was after all.

"Do you understand?"

"Yes, Coach!"

Before long, the session was over, and the squad had dispersed. However, there was one individual in particular who remained.

He sat alone in the video room, the screen still glowing, the footage still playing. But he wasn’t watching Hiro’s goals. He wasn’t watching the assists or the dribbles or the finishes.

Instead, he was watching Hiro’s decision-making.

What does he do when he’s pressed?

What does he do when he’s frustrated?

What does he do when the game isn’t going his way?

He paused on a frame. There, in the frame, Hiro was surrounded by three defenders. However, his expression was rather calm, and as for his pupils, they were rolling without pause.

He doesn’t panic. He waits.

Another frame where Hiro played a pass backward, resetting the attack.

He’s patient. Too patient.

Then another frame where Hiro was taking a shot from outside the box, catching the keeper off guard.

He’s unpredictable.

Lucien leaned forward, his eyes narrowing.

But everyone has a pattern. Everyone has a weakness.

He studied the footage for hours, pausing, rewinding, and analyzing. He noted the moments when Hiro hesitated. The moments when he chose the safe pass over the risky one. The moments when he relied on instinct instead of calculation.

There wasn’t a need for him to research this deeply on a single individual. But he liked to be prepared. Hence, he didn’t dare slack off when doing his homework.

However, as he continued with his research, a thought came across his mind.

I hate to admit it, but the record at which he’s growing is just incredible, He thought. Who knew there would come a day when I’d be looking this deep.

Looking back a couple of years ago, despite Hiro’s visible talents, he wouldn’t be considered this huge.

However, right now, he had grown into someone who required the attention of the entire club.

Hence, Lucien couldn’t help but find it rather ironic.

**** ****

The next morning, the training ground was alive again.

But this time, the focus was on Haaland.

The Norwegian stood at the edge of the box, a ball at his feet, his eyes fixed on the goal. Donnarumma stood between the posts, his massive frame filling the net.

Though the team was focused on their opponent, he was focused on himself.

Instead of looking for flaws in your opponents, he believed it was better to sharpen your advantages.

Perhaps it has something to do with the players he idolized while growing up, but he liked to focus on himself.

Just as he prepared to unleash his shot, he glanced at the post ahead of him. His opponent for the moment was his teammate, the person the people around labelled as the wall.

Despite facing him on an almost regular basis, he couldn’t help but be amazed at how domineering his presence was when he placed himself between the posts.

He seemed like an entirely different person when he took those gloves off. But whenever he wore those gloves, he transformed into a different being.