The sun is hot again today.
And I'm standing under that sun once more.
"Hoo-"
My second starting appearance... though that's what it is.
Standing on the field like this, waiting for the whistle—I couldn't hide my nervousness.
It's partly because I tend to get nervous a lot by nature... but today there were a few additional reasons.
First of all, this was an away game.
Empoli isn't far from Florence, but still, an away game is an away game.
Yesterday, I had taken the bus with the team to this city and spent the night here. It wasn't that long, but being alone in an unfamiliar city wasn't exactly comfortable. Every time I tossed and turned, I thought of home.
Actually... it was kind of strange.
I had never once thought of Florence as my 'home.' I just considered it a city I happened to be living in for a while. It's not like I've lived in Florence that long.
But coming to an actual away game like this, something did feel different. I guess I had grown attached after all. Maybe I started developing that attachment after Ji-woo arrived.
Anyway, that was the first reason.
But honestly, the second reason is bigger than that.
What it was—I had been given a fairly important role in today's match.
Today's opponent, Empoli FC, was a team in the lower half of the group. Like Sassuolo last time, a team that was objectively weaker than us on paper.
So the match would likely be played at our pace, with the opponent looking for the occasional counter-attack.
In matches like these, 'not rushing' was key—that's what the Manager said.
We'd have more chances anyway, and counter-attacks were the only thing the opponent could threaten with.
So there was no need to hurry. Take it slow, and even when attacking, try to make each attempt as well-constructed as possible—that was the idea.
Hmm.
Up to that point, I was nodding along.
'Prioritize quality over quantity in attack, minimizing mistakes is what matters'—that's how I understood it, roughly sketching out the picture in my mind.
But then the Manager pointed at me and said:
"Today, Ji-an sits in the driver's seat. When he hits the accelerator, speed up. When he hits the brakes, slow down. Match his tempo. Ji-an also presses the attack's ignition button. Everyone got it?"
"Yes-!"
At first I was so surprised I didn't quite understand, but thinking about it carefully, he was telling me to lead this game. Telling the others to match my tempo meant that he was asking me to control the tempo of the match.
For a moment I felt a little—no, a lot of pressure.
Was it really okay for me to take on such an important role? No matter how weak the opponent was, and even if I did my part in the last match... this still felt like too big a responsibility.
Who am I to lead these kids.
"Hoo-"
But I decided to give it a try.
Because I've decided not to run away anymore.
Training with Coach Luca all week made me realize something clearly. When you overcome your limits, there's a joy that can only be tasted in that moment.
And that joy was addictive.
The urge to feel it again pushed aside the pressure.
Like Coach Luca said, I was going to believe in myself more and approach today's match.
I will lead this match.
"Piiiii-!"
The match begins with the opponent's kickoff.
At the same time, I push forward.
As I advance, I can feel our midfielders matching my pace, following me up.
Our goal today is perfect victory—maintaining as much possession as possible while not giving the opponent any chances.
Attack carefully, but defend and press aggressively—that's the baseline for how we run this game.
"Box them in!"
"Push! Stay on them!"
As we surge forward with momentum, the opponents are clearly rattled.
This was different from the Napoli match. Those kids had shown the will to play out of our press with passes.
But this lot didn't seem to have that kind of composure.
-Pweeeeeng!
Just look at this irresponsible long pass.
"I've got it!"
The ball drops into our half, but since it wasn't an intentional pass, it doesn't connect to any of their attackers. having easily won the ball back, we start circulating it slowly from the back, beginning our exploratory phase.
"...."
As I return from the high press position back to near the half line, I look around. I can feel the opposing players pulling back like an ebbing tide.
Just as I thought—rather than pressing, they're retreating to defend solidly.
"Hey."
I drop below the half line and receive a pass.
Nobody's pressing me directly, but I exchange a few light passes with nearby teammates to establish the tempo.
-Paang-
-Paang-
While doing that, I work through how to break down an opponent sitting this deep in full defensive mode.
An opponent that's already completely set up and waiting.
So bland attacking won't create any gaps.
To create gaps... two methods come to mind.
One is to push the ball to one side, draw their defense in that direction, then quickly switch play to attack from the opposite flank.
The other is to create a crack through a dribbling breakthrough.
Which is better?
The answer came easily.
If I succeed with the second method first, the first method becomes much easier.
So obviously, second method first.
Having finished my calculation, I turned on the ignition and placed my foot on the accelerator.
-Paang-
-Paang-
I loosened up, passing the ball slowly back and forth, and when I felt the opponent loosening up with that rhythm too—
-Tatat!
I spun quickly toward the front.
Instantly my entire forward view opened up, and I could feel everyone ahead of me watching.
I lowered my head slightly to avoid their gazes.
And focused on just one person in front of me..
If I beat just one defender, our team state will becomes much more comfortable.
-Tatatat!
I set my angle to the right and drove diagonally forward.
The defender gets pulled out in that direction too,
-Tat!
But in an instant, I stamped my left foot down as if to change direction and flicked my upper body. The opponent flinched at the movement.
In that brief gap,
-Paang!
I accelerated again and drove straight through on the right. Nothing fancy, nothing flashy... but nothing is more efficient than simplicity.
-Tatatat!
I dragged the ball out far enough that he couldn't even think about catching up. Then, once I'd secured enough distance, I slowed down again, surveyed my teammates' positions, and waited. Until one more defender came to mark me.
What if no one comes? Do I just keep going?
-Tatat!
Yeah. You'd better come.
The opposing defensive midfielder couldn't just watch anymore and stepped up.
Which means his original position is now empty.
Into that space, our right winger Makeda makes his run.
-Paang!
I thread a forward pass to Makeda, then immediately sprint toward the right.
Meanwhile, Makeda holds the ball.
Once I'm in position, he gives me the return pass.
-Paang!
I receive the ball with the touch line at my back.
Then I brace for a 1v1 against their fullback... but I see the defensive midfielder I'd left behind coming in from the left to double-team me.
-Paang!
I pass it back to our fullback supporting behind me, forcing that guy to retreat,
-Paang!
Then receive the return pass again.
Now it's really 1v1.
Before it becomes 1v2 again, I charge at the defender. All those countless scene with Coach Luca they were all for this moment.
I believe in myself and push forward boldly.
-Tuk, tuk-
I tap the ball with my right instep, showing him my rhythm,
-Shik-
Then swing my left leg with a slight off-beat.
A step over—a feint with upper body movement added.
This dribble that I refined with Coach Luca can this guy hold up against it?
-Hesitation!
That's right. No way you defend better than him.
Get out of my way.
-Tatatat!
The moment his balance breaks, I knock it to the right and burst past. I've penetrated all the way inside the box in an instant.
I keep driving forward... but the angle looks too tight for a shot
I glance toward the center.
Center forward Enzo is charging toward the goal.
The keeper is sticking to the near side, but I can see he's in an awkward position, clearly conscious of the cross.
This is...
I'm shooting.
-Pweeeeeeng!
With my instep, as hard as I can.
I struck it aiming to hit the near post.
A satisfying sensation running from my right foot up through my leg.
-Shwoooooooong-
Watching the shot rocket toward the goal, I see the keeper caught wrong-footed beyond it.
No matter how I look at it, he's too late.
-Thwack!!
The goal net shakes violently.
That was my repayment to Coach Luca.
*
Director Paolo has a bad back.
So when he sits in the stands, he always crosses his legs. Today was no different.
At least until the match started.
"...."
But now.
Director Paolo wasn't crossing his legs.
His back had also lifted away from the seat rest.
He was leaning forward, scribbling something intently in the notebook he always carried with him, eyes fixed on the match. His posture looked like he might be sucked right into the pitch.
-Thwack!!
"Woooaaaaah-!"
"SÌÌÌÌÌÌ-!"
The sound of the net shaking. At the same time, the kids' cheers erupted.
It was a goal. A goal. A Fiorentina goal.
"...."
Director Paolo looked down at his wristwatch.
Let's see...
30 minutes.
Thirty minutes had passed since the match started.
And that was the third goal.
Yes. The net had already shaken twice before.
And at the center of all of them had always been that kid.
"Ji-an Lee..."
The first goal was Ji-an Lee from start to finish. He had picked up the ball from the half line and moved forward, created space through fluid passing play, then opened up the chance with a bold dribbling breakthrough and finished it himself.
The second goal showcased his vision.
The process of getting near the box was similar to the first goal, but this time he cut inside toward the center.
Then he looked to the opposite side. He had used the defenders collapsing on him to slip in a lob pass.
It was remarkable vision, and the quality of that pass was also top-class.
And just now, the third goal.
This one... was beautiful.
The opponent, already helpless after two goals, could do nothing but retreat further.
In front of them, Ji-an Lee traced a grand arc for all to see.
A long-range shot, that is. The beautiful trajectory of the long-range shot curved right into the corner of the goal.
In just 30 minutes.
Ji-an Lee was making the Empoli kids lose their will to fight.
"Nngh...."
Director Paolo groaned as he leaned back against his seat. Whether it was from the heat or something else, he felt slightly dazed. Thanks to that, he'd even forgotten about his back pain.
...He wanted to drink a glass of cold water and collect himself.
"Whew..."
Director Paolo wiped the sweat from his forehead and pulled over the bag sitting next to him.
Rummaging through it, he pulled out a somewhat worn notebook.
Opening it, he squinted and began searching for something.
"Let's see... Fede... Fede..."
His hand, scanning past the densely written pages, stopped at one page.
"...Here it is. Federico Chiesa."
Federico Chiesa.
A Fiorentina youth product, currently playing for Juventus—a rising star of Italian football.
Director Paolo's notebook contained the complete record of Chiesa's salary negotiations.
-2015: Weekly wage 192 euros.
-2016: Weekly wage 2,385 euros.
-2017: Weekly wage 13,865 euros.
-2018: Weekly wage 60,538 euros.
As he read through those records, something Manager Tony had said surfaced in Director Paolo's mind.
"Today's the cheapest."
Puhuh- Director Paolo let out a hearty chuckle and hurriedly started making a phone call somewhere.
It seemed like he was going to need more funds.