Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

180 – Stroll

180

The 35/36 season Champions League final was held in Milan, Italy.

Milan, the home of AC Milan and Inter, was a city that boasted a UEFA Category 4 stadium, the Stadio Giuseppe Meazza, which was also known as the Stadio Olimpico due to UEFA sponsorship policies.

It wasn’t just Barcelona and Manchester City supporters who filled the stadium; a third force, seemingly uninterested in either team, began to seep into the stands.

“Is this the Asian’s game today?”

“Damn monkey. I’ll show you hell.”

“The archenemy of all Italians…!”

The Italian spectators, burning with hatred towards Juzi.

The supposedly neutral Champions League final venue had become a hellish away game for Barcelona.

* * *

＜ 35/36 UEFA Champions League Final ＞

Barcelona: Manchester City

Stadio Olimpico

[Barcelona 4-1-2-3]

FW: Rodrigo Silvio / Iker Rodriguez / Mark Guigu

CM: Arnau Pradas / Leo Martinez

DM: Diego Almeida

DF: Alexis Olmedo / Joo Jitae / Max Moreno / Julian Papon

GK: Hector Port

[Manchester City 4-4-2]

FW: Martin Gestad / Nuredin Gaye

MF: Jack Garbett / Luis Garcia / Oliver Negredo / Andre Nielsen

DF: William Moupey / Rudy Dawning / Brad Duff / Chris Hooper

GK: Stefan Navas

The two teams, who faced off in the Champions League quarterfinals last year, met again in the final after a year.

It was a clear mismatch between the Champions League winner, who had achieved a quadruple, and the team that had failed to win a single title. Considering the team’s strength, it was a natural prediction.

Barcelona, who had made many changes to their roster.

On the other hand, Manchester City had maintained a similar roster to last year.

While it was natural for Barcelona to sell players due to financial difficulties, Manchester City was unexpected. Wasn’t Manchester City the club notorious for its lavish spending?

Considering their history and tradition, they may not be on the same level as Real Madrid, but in terms of recent performance, Manchester City could be considered Real Madrid’s true rival.

Given that they had failed to win a title last year, it was expected that they would make a big splash in the transfer market. However, Manchester City ended the transfer window quietly, disposing of unnecessary players and recruiting only a few bench members.

The situation was bizarre, with the quadruple-winning team being dismantled and the team that had failed to win a title maintaining their roster.

Both teams had made a lot of noise in the transfer market, but as long as the results were good, it didn’t matter.

In that sense, both teams could be said to have had a successful season.

After all, they had made it to the Champions League final, the most important stage.

And it seemed likely that Manchester City would win their sixth Champions League title.

[The one-sided cheering is unfolding at Stadio Olimpico, like Manchester City’s home stadium.]

[Ha ha. It seems Manchester City is very popular in Italy as well. Perhaps it’s because Manchester City’s midfielder, Luis Garcia, is an Italian national team player? So, it seems like the locals are cheering for Manchester City.]

Of course not.

Luis Garcia being an Italian national team player wasn’t enough to earn them support. The Italians weren’t that easy to please.

The Italians, who had a passionate love for their domestic league, wouldn’t even select the La Liga top scorer as a national team player if they didn’t play in Serie A.

The reason they were cheering for the English team, not their own, was very simple.

“Break the Asian’s leg!!”

“Show that monkey’s kid hell!!”

It was a deep-seated grudge against Joo Jitae.

In fact, it wasn’t even a grudge. They had just lost to Korea in the World Cup and suffered a bit of teasing.

But for the Italians, this was enough to be considered a great insult.

How dare an Asian team like that defeat the proud Azzurri twice in the World Cup? And that too, in a (from the Italian perspective) cowardly and violent manner?

This alone was enough to spark hatred, and that Asian monkey representative was talking nonsense.

After the shocking elimination and the subsequent nationwide violent protests, Italy was in agony, treating Juventus like a sworn enemy.

[Uh… what’s going on? Hongyeom is… Ah, yes, it’s already been 15 minutes into the first half. Haha, the game is really intense.]

The commentators, who knew the situation, were trying to downplay the situation.

[Initially, Manchester City was expected to dominate, and the game was indeed going in one direction. However, Barcelona’s defense was solid, and no decisive moment had arisen.]

[Barcelona’s defense was renowned for being solid. With Juzita at the center, Max Moreno and Joel Cabreara were in sync, and despite their average age of 21, they were considered one of the top center-back combinations in Europe.]

The biggest reason Barcelona was able to reach the Champions League final was their solid defense.

In reality, Barcelona had the fewest goals conceded in the Champions League last season, and this season as well.

On the other hand, Manchester City was the top-scoring team in the Champions League this season.

It was a battle between a team that could pierce through anything and a team that could block anything.

Barcelona, which was receiving criticism from all Italians, was like a country that was rising to the challenge, using a catenaccio to tightly lock down Manchester City.

[Oliver Negredo. He easily shook off Iker Rodriguez’s pressure and made a deep pass. He got the ball on the side, and Leo Martinez tried to block it, but… Luis Garcia and 2:1 pass, and it’s through! Jet Gaibei cross!!]

[Juzita headed it away. Diego Almeida. He passed it, and it’s through!! Nuredin Gaye shot!! Juzita!! Juzita jumped again to block it!! Hector Fort took the high-flying ball, and Barcelona overcame the danger.]

The voices of the Barcelona supporters, cheering for Juzita’s impressive performance, were drowned out by the jeers of the Italian crowd.

“You’ve got too many enemies, friend.”

“When you’re too good, you get jealous.”

Martin Gestad, the Manchester City attacker, chuckled at Juzita’s reaction.

“What’s wrong with being young?”

“You’re the best, so what’s the problem?”

“I don’t care about what you say. Let’s see what happens after the game.”

“Will it be the same as last year?”

“Ha, really.”

Juzita let out a deep sigh as he watched Martin Gestad walk away, shaking his head.

“Tiring.”

Jeers? That didn’t bother him.

Pressure? He didn’t feel any.

Physical exhaustion? That was a bit of an issue.

But for Juzita, those things were just minor annoyances.

“What should I say to make the Italian fans more excited? It’s tiring to come up with a repertoire.”

A superstar was originally someone who could drive both fans and haters crazy.

* * *

The game, which had been going in a similar direction, took a turn at the 34th minute of the first half.

[Andre Nielsen is pushing forward! Alexis Olmedo is blocking! Ah, Oliver Negredo’s sudden overlap! There’s no marker!! Andre Nielsen’s pass! Oliver Negredo! Again, Andre Nielsen! They’re exchanging one-twos, pushing forward on Barcelona’s side!]

With Oliver Negredo’s sudden overlap in the center, Barcelona’s defense was breached, and Manchester City’s players poured in, causing chaos in Barcelona’s camp.

“Mark him! Get him!!”

Despite Juzita’s shouts, the ball was quickly passed around, and when it reached the penalty box,

[Juzita ran, but— Luis Garcia received it, and with a one-touch pass, Nuredin Gaye shot!! Goal!! Manchester City’s opening goal!!]

[The fantastic combination finally brought a goal to Manchester City!!]

It ultimately led to a goal.

The Manchester City players celebrated, and the crowd erupted in cheers.

However, the cheers didn’t last long.

The restarted game was nearing the end of the additional 3-minute overtime.

[With only 3 minutes of additional time left, it seems like the first half is going to end like this? But then Barcelona launches a counterattack — what? Joo Ji-tae is taking the ball and making a run!]

[Is he going to try a dribble? Joo Ji-tae is pushing the ball forward, reaching the halfway line, and taking on the Manchester City players. Even Joo Ji-tae can’t break through like this what?! Joo Ji-tae is shooting!]

Just as the referee was about to blow the whistle to signal the end of the first half, Joo Ji-tae suddenly shot the ball from the halfway line.

The ball flew at an incredible speed, accompanied by the sound of the leather ripping, and headed straight for the goal. Manchester City’s goalkeeper, Stefan Navas, who was leisurely strolling outside the penalty area, frantically turned around and jumped, but it was a futile attempt.

[Go… goal! Goal! Goal! Oh my god, Joo Ji-tae’s super wonder goal!!!]

[What is this?! Now he’s scoring a goal from the halfway line!]

The stadium fell silent.

Even the Barcelona players, as well as the referee, were stunned, while Joo Ji-tae calmly celebrated, gazing at the stands.

[Joo Ji-tae! He’s looking at the stands and smiling calmly!!]

It was an Italian-style stroll celebration.