Capítulo 20: Chapter 20: Intra-Team Training Match, Sword Unsheathed!
-----------
This high quality machine translation is powered by: https:// geriatrictranslations.com/
Special Permission was given to upload the novel on WebNovel.
Geriatric Translations can be supported on patreon (https://www. patreon.com/geriatricvibes) where additional chapters can be enjoyed.
You can also join the Geriatric Translations Community on Discord to connect with other readers: https:// discord.gg/NSWvfN7vua
-----------
After the signing ceremony, Maël and the others arrived at the Team Photography Studio to put on the New Team Uniform for the new season's photoshoot.
It was a moment filled with laughter and joy. Some posed with their hands on their hips, looking serious, while others raised a fist, mimicking an explosive roar. Sometimes, they even had to act out dribbling past opponents or taking shots.
"Hahaha" Even though the photographer reminded them multiple times, laughter still echoed throughout the room.
It was like brothers who had spent their days together, called up by a teacher to answer questions. They could maintain a serious demeanor at first, but a single glance at each other would make them burst out laughing.
By the time they finished, it was already one in the afternoon.
Under Johansson's lead, they headed to the Team Cafeteria for their first meal on the company's dime.
Then, they went home to prepare, waiting for the intra-team training match in the afternoon.
3:00 PM, Sheffield First Team Training Ground.
Players gradually approached in their jerseys. Some walked with a few friends, laughing and joking, while others came alone, seeking companionship among others who were also by themselves.
The tense atmosphere began to spread. Everyone knew what this training match meant for the new season.
Maël and Gilbert arrived together. Seeing that the training hadn't started yet, they took a soccer ball and began basic passing drills to warm up.
It didn't take long for a tall, slightly overweight man with white hair to arrive with a tactical board.
Behind him were several assistant coaches, including Gary Speed in formal attire.
Maël knew this must be the team's head coach, Mr. Kevin.
"BEEP!"
Kevin blew the whistle, signaling everyone to gather around him. He then began fiddling with the tactical board.
Once everyone was close, he put down the board and said, "There are many new faces in the team. Let me introduce myself. I'm Kevin Blackwell, the head coach.
"Maybe you're not familiar with me yet, but we have a long time to get to know each other."
As he spoke, Maël observed Gary Speed's expression, finding it as calm as when they first met.
"Alright, I've done my research on all of you."
Kevin picked up the tactical board again, "You all know what we're doing today. Here's the team allocation."
He was straightforward and to the point, with little unnecessary talk: "Formation 3-4-3. Red Team: Goalkeeper Aksar, Defenders Andy Taylor, Lorton. Midfielders Gilbert, Quinn."
The Red Team was quickly assigned. Maël didn't hear his name, so he assumed he was on the Yellow Team.
"Good luck."
As they parted ways, Gilbert smiled at him and clenched his fist, "Don't do that step-over on me again."
Maël smiled in return, "I'll get you with that step-over eventually."
Thinking of his rapid improvement, Gilbert raised an eyebrow and nodded, "I believe you, but not today."
"Yellow Team."
Kevin's voice continued, hoarse yet loud, "Goalkeeper Robert, Defenders Calvey, Chris Morgan. Midfielders Janu Hans, Montgomery. Forwards Maël, Evans, Ward!"
After naming everyone, two players were left out and sat on the bench to wait.
Kevin put away the tactical board and waved his hand, "Each team organize your own warm-up. We start in fifteen minutes."
Maël put on the yellow training vest and joined the Yellow Team on their half of the field. He ran and stretched with his teammates, passing and shooting.
Throughout the process, there was only communication on the field; no one spoke privately.
With so many new faces, it felt more like a tryout than a preseason training match for a professional team.
Maël observed his new teammates. They mostly fit his preconceived notions of the Championship League—strong and robust, with few agile players.
Their playing style was likely to be more direct, focusing on long balls and aerial play, with little emphasis on possession in the back.
He took a deep breath, adjusting his state during the warm-up, hoping to get a good opportunity.
"BEEP BEEP!"
When Kevin blew the whistle twice, everyone finished their warm-up and jogged to their positions, waiting for the match to start.
Maël was assigned the Left Winger position today, his strongest role. It seemed Johansson had discussed with the club to place him here.
He continued to regulate his breathing, hoping to make a good first impression on the coaching staff and his teammates.
"BEEP!"
Finally, Kevin blew the whistle to start the match.
The Red Team striker kicked off from the center circle. Gilbert, in the center, received the ball, turned, and passed it to the Wing Midfielder.
Both teams quickly moved into formation. Defenders converged on the ball carrier, compressing space and limiting passing options.
The attacking team tried to stretch the field, creating space for receiving the ball.
The battle was ongoing, and any slight mistake could be exploited for a decisive blow. The higher the level of play, the higher the cost of errors.
"PONG!"
Maël had just run a few steps when he saw the opposing Wing Midfielder launch a long pass behind him.
He quickly turned his gaze to his own Wing Midfielder nearby, only to see him head the ball back to Maël's position.
Maël burst forward, trying to control the ball before the opponent behind him.
"SWISH!" But he didn't expect the opponent to slide tackle from behind, clearing the ball out of bounds and knocking him to the ground.
Since the tackle did touch the ball, head coach Kevin didn't blow the whistle, considering it normal contact in the Championship League.
"Are you okay, kid?"
A clear voice came from above. Maël looked up to see the opponent midfielder who had tackled him extending a hand, "Get up."
His eyes showed no malice, as if he didn't think anything of it.
Maël took the hand and got back up, running back to his position.
Is this the pace of the Championship League?
He swallowed, his adrenaline surging, giving him a surge of strength, a primal desire for battle.
"PONG!"
After the throw-in, the ball quickly moved from the left flank to the right, then a long pass was sent to Maël's side.
As expected, Maël didn't win the header, and the ball went out of bounds.
He waved to his teammates in apology, then turned to eye the opposing Wing Midfielder preparing the throw-in, his attitude eager.
The opposing Wing Midfielder noticed this and deliberately chose a position away from Maël for the throw-in.
"Mine!"
Suddenly, the Yellow Team striker Evans burst forward from the center, stealing the ball from the Red Team midfielder and controlling it on the wing.
Maël reacted quickly, sprinting to the central position Evans had just vacated.
There, due to Evans' run, a gap had opened up.
"Here!"
As soon as he reached the spot, he shouted, and Evans' precise pass arrived at his feet.
He glanced at the goal and dribbled the ball to the right.
This is it!
"PONG!!"
All the tension and excitement transformed into power, channeled into the ball before him.
Maël gritted his teeth and unleashed a powerful shot, the ball whizzing towards the near post.
"Don't..." Gilbert, the Red Team midfielder, tried to warn his teammates not to give Maël an open shot, but by the time he spoke, Maël had already taken the shot.
The angle wasn't particularly tricky, but the sheer power was overwhelming, and the goalkeeper, caught off guard, was unable to react.
"SWISH!" The ball hit the net with a crisp, satisfying sound.
1-0!
Yellow Team in the lead!
"Oh!" Most of the Yellow Team players reacted quickly, spreading their arms in amazement and rushing towards Maël to celebrate.
REFLEXIONES DE LOS CREADORES 
Geriatric_Vibes
Geriatric_Vibes TL Note - Read full translation on geriatrictranslations .com
Estado de energía semanal
-- Ranking de
Poder 
-- Piedra de
Poder