Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 228

Real Madrid.

Its official name is Real Madrid Club de Futbol, which translates to Real Madrid Football Club.

Founded in 1902 in Madrid, the capital of Spain, the team traditionally wears white uniforms, earning them one of their many nicknames: Los Blancos, or ‘the Whites.’

In 1920, King Alfonso VIII of Spain bestowed the title ‘Real,’ meaning ‘royal,’ upon the club, officially associating them with the Spanish monarchy.

Notably, Real Madrid was a dominant force in Spain and Europe throughout the 1950s and 1960s.

Led by Alfredo Di Stéfano and Ferenc Puskás, they dominated the European Cup (the precursor to the Champions League), winning it five consecutive times. They also won the Spanish top-flight league 12 times in 16 seasons, achieving unparalleled success.

While fans may fiercely debate which club is the best in the world, if you were to ask, ‘Which team is the greatest after the one you support?’ most would likely name Real Madrid.

They were named the Best Club of the 20th Century by FIFA and the Best European Club of the 20th Century by IFFHS [International Federation of Football History & Statistics].

In the 21st century, Real Madrid continued to acquire star players, known as Galácticos [a team composed of world-class, high-profile players], winning eight league titles and five Champions League titles.

Above all, under the leadership of Zinedine Zidane, who had achieved legendary status as both a player and a manager, their three consecutive Champions League titles from the 2015/16 season to the 2017/18 season were considered an extraordinary achievement, given that no other club had even managed back-to-back wins in the 21st century.

Florentino Pérez, who initiated the so-called Galáctico era during his tenure from 2000 to 2006, returned in 2009 to begin Galáctico era 2.0.

However, as time passed, Galáctico 2.0 also shifted its policy from simply acquiring players based on their name recognition and who were slightly past their prime, to a more flexible approach focused on promising talent.

Vinícius Júnior and Rodrygo, young forwards aged 24 and 23, respectively, are expected to lead both flanks of the next Brazilian national team.

The ‘Platinum Midfield,’ an affectionate nickname given to the young and energetic midfielders Federico Valverde (26), Aurélien Tchouaméni (24), and Eduardo Camavinga (22), who succeeded the golden midfield consisting of Luka Modrić, Toni Kroos, and Casemiro.

Compared to the young and vibrant attack and midfield, the defense was anchored by seasoned players.

The central defense featured veteran defender Antonio Rüdiger, who came from Chelsea, and Éder Militão, a young player who joined Real Madrid after playing for FC Porto.

On the right flank was Daniel Carvajal, who returned triumphantly from Bayer Leverkusen after developing his skills in Real Madrid’s youth system.

Ferland Mendy, a member of the French national team who protects the left flank, was the only potential weak point, but the arrival of veteran David Alaba, who had played for Bayern Munich, perfectly compensated for this.

Of course, with the undisputed starting goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois, the average age of the squad was 30.6 years. With the exception of Éder Militão, who was now 26, a generational change was gradually needed, but they were still supporting the team’s pursuit of the Champions League title with their solid defense.

But among these stars, the brightest was Karim Adeyemi, the star player of the German national team, whom they had decisively signed from Burnley for a buyout clause of £73 million.

The young forward, who pushed Lautaro Martínez, the anticipated star of the Argentine national team who had been signed alongside him, to the bench before the season even started, literally exploded onto the scene and took the Primera Liga [Spanish top-flight league] and Champions League by storm.

Acceleration and speed that instantly outpace most players.

Ball skills that easily shrug off one or two defenders.

Excellent goal-scoring ability and tactical understanding honed at Burnley.

And above all, selflessness for the team’s victory.

The league’s best striker also plays as the team’s first defender.

Although Real Madrid’s players finished second in the Primera Liga this season to Barcelona, who are once again enjoying a period of dominance under the leadership of coach Xavi Hernández, they were determined to bring the Champions League trophy back to Madrid.

Above all, the legendary club had a legendary manager to match.

Carlo Ancelotti.

As a player, he was considered the best Italian midfielder of his time, boasting a brilliant career that included winning Serie A [Italian top-flight league] and the Champions League with AS Roma and AC Milan.

And after an unfortunate injury cut his playing career short, he built an even more brilliant career as a manager.

Juventus, AC Milan, Chelsea, Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Bayern Munich.

The only manager to have won the league title in all of Europe’s top five leagues—Italian Serie A, English Premier League, French Ligue 1, Spanish Primera Liga, and German Bundesliga [German top-flight league]—he was one of the few managers to have won the European Champions League as both a player and a manager.

Five league titles and three Champions League titles as a manager.

Finally returning to Real Madrid to spend the twilight of his managerial career, he had announced his retirement after the European Champions League final.

Questions poured in at the press conference for the veteran manager, who was facing his last game of his career.

[…What are your thoughts on facing …ri?]

[…Burnley has shown truly outstanding performance after overcoming their sluggish start to the season. I know it well, but winning the English Premier League is no ordinary feat. They achieved a dramatic victory on the final day and have now advanced to the Champions League final, so they are a truly respectable opponent.]

A skillful and sophisticated answer to the reporter’s question.

As the questioning reporter sat down, the next reporter rose from their seat.

[…David O’Leary from TSPN. Who do you think is the most important player to watch out for in the final?]

[…Hmm…]

The white-haired veteran closed his eyes as if thinking for a moment, then opened them.

[…Burnley is a team with a well-balanced offense and defense. All the players are excellent, but if I had to pick one…]

[…If you had to?]

The veteran manager, using a small technique to focus people’s attention on himself, smiled and continued his explanation.

[…First, I would pick Burnley’s central strikers, Benjamin Šeško and Lorenzo Lucca. They are really wonderful strikers, and I especially hope that Lorenzo Lucca will continue to play for my country for a long time to come. Of course, not in the final.]

A low chuckle rippled through the press conference in response to the veteran’s joke.

Monsters who each scored 32 goals this season.

Luckily, Burnley hasn’t found a way to make the two coexist effectively on the field; otherwise, they would inspire despair in every team facing them.

Well, they are already inspiring despair, though.

[…And then there’s Burnley’s captain, Nicolas Seiwald. Ah, this guy is really amazing. His activity and defensive ability, and above all, his passion. David…]

Carlo Ancelotti gestured slightly to his chief coach and son, David Ancelotti, who was sitting next to him.

[…We always tell our midfielders, ‘Run like Nicolas Seiwald when defending!’ We often show them video clips, too.]

Is this a compliment or a provocation?

And if it’s a provocation, who is it directed at?

He’s praising the opposing player too openly and seemingly putting down his own players, isn’t he?

As the reporters tilted their heads, Carlo Ancelotti continued.

[…But above all, the person we need to watch out for the most is manager Hyungmin Kim.]

Ah, this is the real deal.

As the reporters’ fingers moved busily on their laptops, Carlo Ancelotti nodded seriously.

[…Manager Hyungmin Kim is a master who led Burnley, once considered the weakest team in the Premier League, to the championship. Many players at Burnley have shed their labels as promising prospects and risen to the ranks of the elite under his leadership. Even Karim Adeyemi, who is now at Real Madrid, reached his full potential at Burnley.]

The veteran seemed a little parched, picked up the water bottle on the table, and took a sip.

[…If I had to pick the most threatening presence at Burnley, it would definitely be manager Hyungmin Kim.]

Beep!

The veteran’s face, which had filled the TV screen, disappeared, and a black silence settled in its place.

Hyungmin, who had picked up the remote control and turned off the interview, looked around with a disgruntled expression.

“Hmm… I don’t think there will be any tactical talk at the press conference?”

Carolina shrugged at Hyungmin’s words.

“Even though he looks like such a nice old man, he’s more like a sly fox. Of course, he wouldn’t reveal the strategies he’s planning in such a public setting.”

Carolina muttered as she looked down at the tactical board placed on the conference room table.

“Well, the cards are pretty obvious, though.”

Carlo Ancelotti is a master manager, but conversely, there are those who criticize him.

And what his critics consistently say is that ‘Carlo Ancelotti has no distinct tactical style.’

He is excellent at motivating players, but that’s about it.

If he has good players, he wins championships, but he can’t win championships leading mediocre players.

Of course, it’s hard to say that he achieved outstanding results when he led Napoli or Everton, but Hyungmin’s thoughts were a little different.

Carlo Ancelotti’s tactical style is not that he has no tactical style, but that he creates tactics tailored to the players he has.

“Look. With the current Real Madrid lineup, the defense is solid but not physically outstanding, while the midfield is completely young and can stir things up, right?”

Hyungmin adjusted Real Madrid’s formation as a whole on the tactical board.

“So, they’ll drop the back four to defend solidly, engage in a 3-on-3 battle in the midfield to take control, and then have fast and skilled attackers finish it off.”

“Hmm… It’s true that it would be a huge headache if guys like Karim were to penetrate our back line.”

Taejin, who was standing next to him with his arms crossed, nodded in agreement.

Carlo Ancelotti doesn’t push the players he has too hard.

The defenders are old and slow?

Then he just needs to avoid creating situations where the defenders have to push forward.

The midfield is energetic and combative?

Great, then they can make up for the lack of movement from the defenders with their activity in the midfield.

Carlo Ancelotti’s style is to create the optimal combination by offsetting the team’s strengths and weaknesses, as if stacking them up one by one.

Moreover, since Real Madrid has the best players in the world in each position, it’s easy to offset weaknesses with outstanding strengths.

And it’s inaccurate to say that Carlo Ancelotti has no tactical style, considering tactics such as the 4-3-2-1 Christmas tree formation that he adopted during his AC Milan days to accommodate as many as five central midfielders: Kaká, Andrea Pirlo, Gennaro Gattuso, Clarence Seedorf, and Massimo Ambrosini.

“So, what do we want to do?”

At Carolina’s question, Hyungmin began to move the markers of Burnley’s players on the tactical board.

“Since they’ll be retreating like this and preparing to counter us, let’s take control of the midfield step by step without rushing.”

With the combination of Nicolas Seiwald, Patrick de Paula, and Tommaso Pobega, I am confident that we can win the midfield battle against any team in the world.

“And let’s push up from the flanks and press from the front.”

Amar Dedić is deployed on the right flank, and Luca Pellegrini is deployed on the left flank, and they go all the way up.

Guga, who played in the Premier League final, has not yet fully recovered from a minor injury, and the offensive Amar Dedić is a better choice than the defensive Óscar Mingueza.

“Then we’ll put Anselmo and Anel in central defense… What are we going to do about the attack?”

No matter what anyone says, Burnley’s starting central defender combination is Anselmo García MacNulty and Anel Ahmedhodžić.

With those two markers placed in the center, Hyungmin fiddled with the markers indicating the attackers.

“Hmm…”

The central strikers are Benjamin Šeško and Lorenzo Lucca.

The side attackers are Dwight McNeil and Adam Hložek, Kine Lewis-Potter and Emmanuele Vignato, and André Anderson.

Compared to worrying about not even being able to form a starting lineup at the beginning of the season, we now have an abundance of attacking resources.

“First of all, the attack…”