Greatest Of All Legends

Chapter 520: A Tough Game in Verona I

Chapter 520: A Tough Game in Verona I

**27th February 2021**

The Uventus players had flown to Verona the previous evening in preparation for the next match of their league campaign against Hellas Verona away from home.

They were only three points behind the league leaders, and they hoped to continue narrowing that gap in this match.

They arrived at Hellas Verona’s home stadium for the game and quickly underwent a tactical meeting, during which the manager finalized the starting line-up.

Unlike the previous match, Jason found himself not part of the starting line up and he would be on the bench when the kick-off whistle was blown.

With the referee’s whistle blasting loudly, the game kicked off and the ball soon started moving rapidly across the pitch with both teams trying hard to send it into the back of their opponent’s goal.

Just as Uventus was trying to get to the top of the table with the three points to be taken from this game, the Hellas Verona team was also doing their best to advance further up the table from a mid table position.

There was still enough time to settle into a top spot or even qualify for an Intercontinental championship, and the Hellas Verona team fancied their chances.

They were not going to be an easy nut to crack, that was for sure, and the Uventus team soon found that out as they were repelled time and time again despite their efforts.

The Hellas Verona not only stuck with defending and warding off the Uventus attacks but also sent the ball forward a lot, trying to score as well, thereby keeping the Uventus players on their toes.

As the match continued, shots were taken, and goal-scoring attempts were continuously made on both sides of the pitch.

Some of the attempts were shut down before things ever became dangerous and some were able to get past the defense line, but were not able to get into the back of the net.

By the time the referee was finally blowing his whistle to end the final half, the scoreboard remained unchanged from how it was when the game had just begun.

The players trudged off the field tiredly, breathing heavily as a result of their strenuous exercise in the first half, and they headed to their respective locker rooms, ready for a tactical meeting on how they would be cracking their opponents in the next half of the game.

In the Uventus locker room, Pirlo motivated his players with his words and using the magnetic board, he showed his players the flaws he noticed in the opposition defence that could be taken advantage of.

After showing the players what he expected of them, he was ready to send them back out for the second half.

In the second half of the game, something similar was happening.

The Hellas Verona manager didn’t cower in the slightest at the Uventus team’s reputation and impressive form prior to this game.

That his players had been able to hold them to a draw at the halfway point of the game had also emboldened him and now his ambitions were growing wilder.

However, he also knew that things could easily go wrong if they got a little too comfortable.

“What I want from you guys in the next half is more effort,” he began, nodding to them and turning to face the board.

“Right now, the main man on the opponents’ team is Ronaldo, which is lucky for us because now that he’s playing as a striker, he doesn’t have the freedom to cause havoc on the flanks, and if he does that, then the center will be weaker,”

“Morata will be easier to manage if that should happen, and he knows that, so he can only stay in the center and wait for help from his teammates… however, don’t think that anything cannot happen at any time,”

“You must keep a watch on him wherever he goes and you can be as rough as you want as long as you don’t bring him down inside or near the penalty box,” the manager instructed, gesturing to the board at times and using hand movements to explain what he wanted.Nôv(el)B\\jnn

“Another lucky factor so far is that they’ve not brought that kid on… but I know that they will, and that will be very dangerous for us because by the time he will be coming on, he will be full of energy while you guys will already be tired and unable to chase him much,”

“But, this is what you will do when he comes on,” the manager said and arranged something on the board.

One white magnetic piece that signified was put on the left flank and then the manager put one black magnetic piece directly on his right as well as another one that was a bit further forward of the first black magnetic piece.

Then he pulled a third black piece nearer and put it behind the white piece, but he still kept his hand on the third black piece.

“Assuming he was on the left flank, he will want to cut into the penalty box either to take a shot or to find a teammate, and what I want you guys to do is to make cutting in absolutely impossible,”

“But a three-man marking for one kid, coach? Isn’t that going to weaken other areas of the team?” The Hellas Verona team captain asked in confusion as he saw no need in there being that many people just watching one player’s actions.

“It wouldn’t because this tactic will only come into play whenever he is on the ball. That means, you guys must always be able to ready to react appropriately when he gets the ball,”

“For example, once he gets the ball, the nearest two will first take this position to block him from cutting in or beating you guys with pace, employ zonal marking and don’t get too close,”

“Then the third person will get closer and hassle him, making sure to prevent him from being able to cut back,”

“That way, we keep any unknown variables from happening and changing the game around,”

“You guys must keep the game as stable as possible and kill any momentum from building up,”