Capítulo 306: hero
When Aldridge was preparing for the second leg of the Champions League round of 16, he also considered how to respond if Juventus scored.
The first step would be to switch from a 4-2-3-1 formation to a more aggressive 4-3-3. If that didn't yield immediate results, he would then modify the formation to a 4-2-2-2 to strengthen the attacking play down the middle, with the flanks tasked with supplying the firepower.
Aldrich's pre-planned strategies fell flat; Juventus showed no fear of Millwall's crosses. By compressing the central space, Millwall's five-player offensive formation in the midfield was trapped under layers of defense in that narrow area.
At this time, surprising tactics are needed - rather than random substitutions to change the situation of the game. The most skilled of Millwall's substitutes is Ronaldinho, but Aldridge doesn't think playing him would be more effective than what's available on the field, especially because of the team's chemistry at this point. Reaction is crucial.
Ronaldinho had not yet forged that kind of unspoken understanding with the starting lineup.
There was only one minute of injury time left, and the Juventus fans in the Alpi Stadium stands were nervous. As the final moment approaches, Millwall's army pushes forward with all its strength, and the Lions have begun to go crazy!
Juventus' substitutes stood nervously on the sidelines. It seemed Lippi intended to use a substitution to waste some time. If they managed to execute this switch, Juventus would regain their rhythm, dramatically shifting the match dynamics. Millwall's relentless assault could result in an effective standoff where Juventus' stout defense would tighten up, and then the game would effectively be over.
"The match is about to enter injury time. Millwall continues their tireless offensive efforts. Schneider advances along the flank, but it seems Juventus is unconcerned about this German youngster's threat on the wing. A cross? Challenging the defensive line of the Serie A champions won't be a test for them."
Schneider brought the ball to approximately thirty-five yards from the baseline, facing off against Pesotto, who had comfortably contained him today. Unless Schneider avoided a one-on-one with Pesotto and crossed instead, his chances of successfully pushing through were slim.
Pesotto lowered his center of gravity and moved in to defend, showing no fear of Schneider trying to get past him. Even if Schneider succeeded, so what? The closer he gets to the baseline, the fewer options he has. With the understanding and connection he has with his teammates, switching positions to cover can easily neutralize the opposing attack.
Yet Schneider made an unexpected move: he clipped the ball inward, cutting inside!
In the center, Deschamps and Conte noticed the situation and reflexively rushed forward to block. Schneider made a quick stop, changed direction, and successfully got past Conte. However, his running space had become extremely tight. A through ball he attempted was intercepted by Deschamps, and the ball deflected forward into the center. Zidane, ready to receive, was positioned with his back to the play. It looked like Millwall's attack had once again fizzled out, and the Juventus fans let out a huge sigh of relief.
Lippi, observing from the sidelines, felt a rush of apprehension.
He secretly hoped Zidane would kick the ball out of play, allowing Juventus to make their substitution. He moved to give instructions to the substitutes.
The signs of Millwall's full-back cutting inside filled Lippi with unease.
In conventional tactics, this was undoubtedly a grave mistake!
Certain teams could only utilize wingers, as allowing wingers to cut inside or burst into the box could be quite risky. While attacking might prove effective, failure to secure the attack would leave the space behind the winger wide open for a counterattack.
The danger of wingers cutting inside puts pressure on their own defenses, causing many teams to avoid using them tactically, let alone attacking full-backs. Full-backs charging up and down the flank to support the attack also carries great risks. If they cut inside and lose possession, the defense on that side becomes completely vulnerable!
On the flip side, if a full-back's cut inside is successful, it would tear apart Juventus's defensive line, where Millwall would have a numerical advantage in attack over Juventus's defenses. This would mean Juventus's full-backs would be left to fend for themselves out wide.
Executing such an attack requires high-level precision with ball control, coordinated movement, timing, and quick, accurate passing.
Schneider suddenly cut inside to get past Conte, but he failed to deliver a meaningful pass in the end. Still, that was enough to catch Lippi's attention!
Zidane turned and prepared to receive the ball. His keen awareness allowed him to discover the large space behind him, which was Schneider's defense zone. If Juventus can launch a counterattack now, it will definitely evolve into a fierce attack to end the game!
However, before Zidane could even touch the ball, the elusive Makélélé darted in from behind and snatched it away. Zidane quickly attempted to recover the ball, but Makélélé played it forward immediately to the left flank.
Capdevila surged forward, opting for an inside route. Juventus' midfield had just faltered against Schneider; in less than five seconds, Millwall stole the ball back and launched another attack, now more threatening than before!
Capdevila drew Davis's defense but didn't choose to take him on. He passed the ball to Larsson, who was coming back to support. Capdevila then charged forward like a winger into the opponent's flank.
Schneider mirrored this behavior on the other side; both full-backs pierced into the center, while Trezeguet also turned to make a run, prompting panic among Juventus's defenders.
Deschamps rushed to pressure Larsson. Larsson kept the ball at his feet. As Deschamps moved, Larsson laid the ball off to Nedved, who charged forward aggressively, on the verge of breaking through Juventus's final defense. In a flash, Ferrara lunged in to intercept Nedved, even deciding to take him down outside the box!
But then, Nedved pulled off a surprising move—he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks and nudged the ball sideways. Ballack, quick as a flash, darted past Conte and broke through the entire Juventus defense, making a beeline for the goal!
Everyone in the Alpi Stadium was on edge, their nerves frayed as they strained to see what would happen next!
Trezeguet pulled to the side, his face contorted as he shouted for Ballack to pass the ball!
Nedved slipped around to the far post, ready to pounce, while Larsson, positioned just behind Trezeguet on the right, was also poised to receive a return pass from Ballack for a shot on goal.
Juventus's four defenders squeezed into the center, the three midfielders and three attackers all charging toward the goal!
It was a moment of life and death!
Ballack lifted his leg, deciding to take the shot himself.
He wanted to be the hero!
At that moment, he remained calm and did not choose to shoot hard for fear that the ball would fly out of the door frame. Instead, he chose a precise shot from the far corner!
Aldrich couldn't dare to blink; he didn't know it, but his clenched fists trembled, his nails digging into his palms.
A gasp echoed throughout the stadium!
Ballack's shot was blocked! Although Peruzzi may have been a little heavier, he landed quickly and made a one-handed sideways save to knock the ball out!
As the Juventus supporters breathed a sigh of relief, the ball landed just inside the edge of the box, and suddenly a figure swooped in, striking it on the volley!
The ball shot toward the bottom right corner of the net like a shooting star, still going to the side where Peruzzi had just landed, slipping right past Deschamps and through the legs of Montero before spinning endlessly in the net, gradually slowing to a stop.
"Pirlo! Pirlo! Pirlo has saved Millwall! He's snatched victory from Juventus! A last-minute goal! A last-minute goal! A last-minute goal! Millwall has come back from the dead; there's only one ticket to heaven. Just as Juventus was about to open the gates of paradise, Pirlo kicked them straight down to hell! He's leading Millwall in the countdown right now; once the final whistle blows, they'll joyfully fling open the gates, bathing in light and glory!"
Throughout the entire match, for 90 minutes, Pirlo posed zero threat to Juventus's goal, and in this moment, maybe he should thank his slower speed. He didn't charge forward as quickly as his teammates, and he was slower than the Juventus defenders, allowing them to rush past him in defense. It was only when Peruzzi deflected Ballack's shot that he finally found himself at the edge of the box.
Because he didn't rush ahead, he found himself perfectly positioned to catch the ball's drop point. With a calm mindset and excellent technique, he slotted the ball into Juventus's net.
After scoring, Pirlo raced like a wildcat, roaring as he sprinted toward the Millwall bench, with all his teammates hot on his heels.
The substitutes erupted in celebration, with coaches and players pouring onto the pitch. When Aldrich saw the goal and the referee point to the center circle confirming its validity, he lost control, an expression of twisted joy spreading across his face as he dashed onto the field to find Pirlo. He took a few steps forward, then leaped into the air, wildly pumping his fists, his body trembling with excitement—pure adrenaline surging through him.
When Pirlo and Aldrich reunited, they embraced each other's faces with their hands, both letting out primal roars as they released their pent-up passion.
The players flooding in from all sides surrounded them, hugging tighter and tighter until they formed a large circle.
The Alpi Stadium fell into an eerie silence, with fans in the stands burying their heads in their hands, struggling to accept the cruel last-minute defeat.
Juventus's players were even less able to accept it, with Peruzzi pounding the ground, roaring in frustration.
Lippi stood on the sidelines with a blank expression, canceling his planned substitution, which was intended to bring on a defensive player, pulling one of the star strikers from the front line.
Now, Juventus desperately needed a goal. Even if they did manage to score, they would have to go into extra time, meaning he couldn't replace any attacking players.
Once Millwall's celebration subsided, Aldrich quickly pulled on substitute jerseys for Materazzi and Gattuso, immediately assigning tasks for them upon entering the game. He pointed at them, signaling to the sideline for Jensen, who immediately understood: it was time to substitute!
Before retreating to the sidelines, Aldrich kept reminding each player about positional changes on the field. There was just one minute left in stoppage time, maybe even another minute added, but Millwall had to shift their formation.
Playing a 4-2-2-2 wasn't going to cut it.
As Juventus set up their formation for the kickoff, Millwall made their final two substitutions.
Materazzi came on for Trezeguet.
Gattuso replaced Pirlo.
After Materazzi entered the game, he took on the role of a bulldozer, while Millwall's defense withdrew, tightening up the backline.
The defensive barrier consisted of Gattuso, Makelele, Ballack, and Nedved.
Only Larsson remained in the center, bearing the responsibility of being the main striker.
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