The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 273: You can always count on Makelele!

Chapter 273: You can always count on Makelele!?

Schneider suddenly stood up with a determined look, proclaiming loudly, "Boss, we will definitely win this match today!"

"Yeah! We've been holding back our anger!"

"Let Barcelona know who the real powerhouse is!"

"Let's take down Barcelona! We beat them six months ago, and today we will show them who's boss!"

"Right, let's topple Barcelona!"

...

Aldrich remained silent, yet the atmosphere in the locker room was charged with excitement.

The players spent three whole minutes chanting slogans and expressing their determination before suddenly quieting down. They noticed Aldrich standing there calmly, unfazed by their enthusiasm.

"Boss, are you all right?"

Southgate asked worriedly, thinking Aldrich might be emotionally affected.

Aldrich closed his eyes, chuckled softly, then sighed, "I'm pleased to see such strong fighting spirit in you. However, I don't think this state of mind is a good omen."

The players exchanged bewildered glances.

Is having fighting spirit a bad thing?

Aldrich continued softly, "Sit down. I don't believe that the angrier or more pumped-up a team is on the pitch, the more likely they are to win. It's normal for Barcelona to look down on us. All the top clubs in Europe will underestimate us. Some hide their contempt, while others express it openly. I was angry when I first heard Van Gaal's comments. But after calming down, I realized that even if it's a psychological tactic from the opponent, it can work to our advantage. Remember this: on the UEFA Champions League stage, teams that appear to be very arrogant often end up suffering greatly. Why have Italian teams consistently reached the Champions League finals in recent years? Because they are low-key and pragmatic. While their tactics may be criticized as conservative, no one can question the excellent results achieved by Italian teams."

The players gradually calmed down; they weren't foolish, after all. Upon reflection, they began to see Aldrich's point about Van Gaal possibly engaging in psychological warfare.

"Nearly took the bait! Right, we're the top team now. Barcelona is the one gambling everything; we shouldn't be rushing," Southgate remarked, scratching his head while the other players nodded in agreement.

Mindset is a crucial factor in how a team performs. The players realized that if they charged on the field like they were moments ago, they might just end up getting torn apart by their opponents. To be fair, the final match six months ago was hard-fought for Millwall. The final score of 4:1 wasn't as straightforward, as Barcelona was all-out attacking and left their defense vulnerable.

Seeing the players reflect, Aldrich smiled with satisfaction, "Now is not the time for self-blame or contemplation. This is also an experience for you to digest after the match. A strong mindset won't be swayed by outside factors, especially not by the opponent. The more distractions you face from the opponent, the less you should let them succeed. Everyone knows how to play today's match; I now only want to ask you one question: Do you have the confidence to win?"

"Of course!"

The entire Millwall team shouted in unison, united in purpose.

Aldrich turned and walked out of the locker room.

This wasn't Aldrich's first visit to Camp Nou; he had been here years ago to watch a match, and the resounding cheers of "Bar?a, Bar?a!" from the fans still echoed vividly in his memory.

However, when he appeared on the sidelines, he was met with boos from the nearby stands.

When the announcer introduced him, the boos grew louder.

It was normal; he was not welcome here.

If Millwall had lost to Barcelona six months ago, their fans wouldn't have welcome Barcelona either when they visited London.

Though this mentality isn't exactly optimistic or positive, from a neutral fan's perspective, the losing side should welcome the victors. It would provide a chance to redeem themselves in a fair rematch.

Aldrich didn't shake hands with Van Gaal, who was sitting on the bench. Robson had been fired in the summer, and Mourinho had stayed, but now his role within the team had diminished significantly. Someone as controlling as Van Gaal wouldn't allow anyone else, especially someone titled as "translator," to interfere with team matters.

Millwall's young manager stood at the sidelines, dressed in a stylish black Armani coat.

"The focal point of Group C's third round of the UEFA Champions League is about to take place at Camp Nou. Barcelona, currently struggling for survival, will face England's Millwall. After two matches, Barcelona has secured only one point, but their fate lies in their own hands. If they defeat Millwall in both matches, they still have a hopeful chance of progression."

Aldrich watched both teams' starting players. He would get a clearer picture of their formations once the match started.

Millwall set up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, with only Trezeguet absent due to injury; the rest of the lineup was intact. Ruud van Nistelrooy replaced Trezeguet as the starting forward, with Larsson, Nedved, and Shevchenko behind him. The double pivot was composed of Makelele and Ballack, while Schneider, Elghra, Southgate, and Zambrotta made up the defense. The goalkeeper, Butt, had experienced ups and downs in recent Premier League matches, but had made a solid recovery in the last two games, offering a bit of reassurance.

Barcelona's starting formation appeared to be a 4-5-1, but could easily switch to 4-4-2, 4-2-4, or 4-3-3.

Goalkeeper: Baía.

Defenders: Reiziger, Kouto, Abelardo, Sergi.

Midfielders: Guardiola, Geovanni, Rivaldo, Figo, Enrique.

Forward: Anderson.

Aldrich hadn't spoken a word, although he had already established a rivalry with Van Gaal after their first distant glance today. Yet it was undeniable that Van Gaal was a renowned manager and a significant figure in Dutch football history.

Barcelona was a great club, and the war between clubs like Millwall and Barcelona was entirely normal.

In the eyes of famous coaches, they don't get hung up on formations. They wouldn't overthink the opponent's starting lineup or try to decode their strategies based on it.

An Italian coach could set up a seemingly balanced aggressive formation like 4-4-2 or 4-3-3, but in practice, their four midfielders could easily devote more than 70% of their energy to defending. Who could still claim that such a 4-4-2 was balanced?

Today's starting formation for Barcelona was the same; the key lay in how the players moved on the field.

Rivaldo would clearly be a focal point; his movement would determine changes in the formation. If he pushed forward, the setup could shift to 4-4-2, or 4-2-3-1, or even 4-1-4-1.

Ignoring Rivaldo simply because he's starting behind two wingers and a forward would be an irreversible mistake.

He's an invisible killer!

In the next two World Cups over the next five years, though the spotlight would be on Ronaldo, who starred for Brazil, Rivaldo, who scored just one goal less than Ronaldo in both tournaments, was undeniably as precious as gold.

As the game kicked off, Millwall received the ball first. Van Nistelrooy initiated the play, passing it back to Larsson. The formation didn't push forward; Millwall executed a straightforward long ball. Shevchenko, receiving the ball on the flank, attempted a breakthrough but was stopped by Sergi. Barcelona counterattacked!

Guardiola, Geovanni, and Figo, after a series of three passes, set the ball at Rivaldo's feet.

Aldrich stood on the sidelines, his expression steady. Rivaldo took possession and advanced rapidly, successfully dodging Makelele.

Yet, in a split second, the Frenchman pivoted and lunged into a tackle, skillfully sweeping the ball away as Rivaldo fell hard to the ground.

Barcelona players looked toward the referee, pleading for a foul, but the referee waved them off.

You can always count on Makelele!

Even if his initial interception fails, he won't be easily passed. If he is breached, he quickly returns and covers - his defensive value is absolutely irreplaceable.

Millwall shifted from defense to counterattack, and Zambrotta quickly passed the ball to the advancing Larsson, who shielded it against Guardiola. After a fake pass to confound his opponent, he tried to break free, but Reiziger intervened and thwarted the attempt.

The teams fought evenly in the opening moments, with a fast-paced rhythm.

Guardiola remained the hub for transitions between offense and defense, yet he was investing too much energy in defense, hindering his attacking talents from shining through.

Pelé personally sponsored a Brazilian player to come to Europe, named Geovanni, who had been moved from forward to midfield. Van Gaal likely valued his ball control skills.

With the free-roaming Rivaldo up front, and Figo and Enrique capable of playing both wide and central roles, the threat from Barcelona's attacking system was substantial—a period referred to as a "spiral system."

Ideally, Van Gaal aimed for Barcelona to play the most beautiful attacking football. The spiral push during the attacking sequence was designed to shred opponents' defenses layer by layer, resulting in multi-dimensional pressure.

However, executing this strategy required world-class players. Today, they just happened to come up against a Millwall side with notably strong defensive intensity, and they were clearly struggling to dominate the match.

Figo tried to break through Schneider but was denied as the latter kicked the ball out of play.

Six months later, Schneider had matured considerably at the right-back position; he could cautiously keep up with Figo's rhythm.Though he didn't manage to intercept the ball, simply disrupting the play was sufficient to hinder the opponent's offense and slow down their tempo.

In a combination with teammates in the middle and front, Rivaldo received a return pass from Enrique. Just as Makelele pounced, he successfully blocked the ball, and amid their tussle, Makelele came out on top, regaining control.

Barcelona quickly realized: they were still facing the same Lions from six months ago!

They had no absolute advantage in one-on-one situations, and their offensive numbers were outmatched by Millwall's defense, making it hard to break down their lines even with small passes.

Millwall also didn't push forward for counterattacks, relying instead on individual skill.

Neither team possessed any superstar players capable of dismantling the opposition's entire defense. Even back in the previous match, Ronaldo had only managed one goal while failing to make any significant impact.

This match might not be thrilling, but Aldrich found it far more important for the team!

It would test their patience, tactical awareness, mindset, and willpower—qualities more valuable than mere reckless attacking.

Ten minutes into the match, neither side had registered a shot on goal. Both teams concentrated on gaining control of the midfield.

Aldrich glanced at the Barcelona bench, noticing Van Gaal watching expressionlessly. He still seemed full of confidence.

"Go on, Van Gaal, bring out those strategies!"

Currently, Barcelona wasn't showcasing their true capabilities!