Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 209

209: San Siro

“Alright, everyone, I know you’re all aware, but I’ll explain it one more time.”

From far away, the Rossoneri’s [AC Milan’s nickname, derived from their red and black striped jerseys] roaring cheers faintly penetrated the thick walls, but Burnley’s players sat around in the locker room, all eyes focused on the manager standing in front of the tactical board.

Silence was a characteristic of Burnley’s locker room during the manager’s final briefing.

Hyungmin looked around at the players paying attention to him and nodded.

“AC Milan’s danger lies in their tactical flexibility between offense and defense.”

AC Milan’s markers on the tactical board began to shift from a 4-2-3-1 formation.

“First, similar to us, both fullbacks tend to move forward aggressively.”

The markers for Theo Hernandez on the left and Davide Calabria on the right moved forward.

“Conversely, the center is fortified by two central defenders and two midfielders forming a solid square, or they move to the sides to support the defense.”

Central defenders Fikayo Tomori and Pierre Kalulu, and central midfielders Ismael Bennacer and Sandro Tonali.

Hyungmin tapped Sandro Tonali’s marker.

“All players have above-average passing abilities, but special attention should be paid to Sandro Tonali. You’ve all heard him called the next Pirlo, but according to the coaching staff’s analysis, it’s more accurate to say he combines Pirlo’s passing ability with Gattuso’s defensive prowess.”

Andrea Pirlo, a legend of AC Milan and Juventus, known as a pass master with elegant yet lethal passes.

Gennaro Gattuso, a legend of AC Milan known as the ‘Bulldog’ for his combative defending.

In the end, Sandro Tonali is an all-around midfielder who defends well, has great stamina, and has fantastic passing.

As Burnley’s players quietly murmured at the manager’s repeated warnings, Hyungmin moved on to the attack.

“Next, the attacking midfielder is Daniele Maldini. This guy is sharp at spotting and delivering passes into empty spaces, so you can’t give him too many openings. But he’s not weak in physical battles either, so don’t challenge him rashly.”

If his grandfather and father became legendary defenders with their exceptional vision and game sense, the son leads the attack with the same vision and game sense.

“Well… even I think if Paolo Maldini was blocking me when I was kicking a ball at home as a kid, my attacking skills would have improved a lot…”

Taejin laughed from the side, easing the slightly heavy atmosphere.

Most of the players laughed, while Mika Marmol wore a dreamy expression, seemingly envious.

“On the left is Rafael Leão, and on the right is Alexis Saelemaekers.”

Hyungmin explained, tapping the markers.

“He’s incredibly fast and has great finishing, and he’s technically gifted and also fast.”

Rafael Leão, currently the leading candidate for top scorer in Serie A [Italy’s top professional football league].

Alexis Saelemaekers, currently leading Serie A in assists.

They are sharp wingers who can cut inside and finish if you’re not careful.

“And the central striker changes depending on the attacking style. Divock Origi starts when we need to defend firmly and counterattack, and Olivier Giroud starts when we need to overwhelm the opponent.”

Divock Origi, a Liverpool legend.

The player, notorious for his extreme inconsistency but loved and hated by fans for scoring crucial goals in important games, had settled in well after moving to AC Milan.

Famous for his speed and finishing ability, he is actually 189cm tall and has excellent aerial ability.

Conversely, Olivier Giroud has moved around to various teams despite showing excellent skills in the French national team, even joining the Century Club [players with 100 or more international caps].

He is one of the few players to have played for both London rivals, Chelsea and Arsenal, and he was spending the twilight of his career at AC Milan as a replacement for the retired Zlatan Ibrahimović.

“However, Olivier Giroud is not physically suited to play a full 90 minutes, so Divock Origi will start today and be substituted in the second half if needed. Anyway…”

Having finished explaining the expected starting lineup for today, Hyungmin began to explain the tactics, moving the formation.

“…In attacking situations, the central defenders and central midfielders form a solid square in the middle, and the fullbacks push up. If the build-up starts from the back, it’s most likely to go through Sandro Tonali and then to Daniele Maldini, but we can’t rely on that alone because their defense can all make long passes.”

This means that they can launch a counterattack at any time with a single long pass during the build-up.

“Daniele Maldini moves from side to side to reconnect or switch the attack if it’s blocked, and Rafael Leão on the left and Alexis Saelemaekers on the right penetrate the center or link up with the fullbacks coming up from behind.”

The marker in the attacking midfielder position moved from side to side, forming a triangle with the wingers and fullbacks.

“However, Rafael Leão tends to penetrate more towards the center, while Alexis Saelemaekers tends to draw defenders to himself and then switch to a pass or cross, or directly break through.”

Oscar Mingueza and Amar Dedić, who will be in charge of Burnley’s side defense today, nodded.

“Then, in response to the movements of the left and right wingers, the central striker can either drop back to draw the central defenders, or push forward to press the goalkeeper.”

As a Liverpool alumnus famous for his intense pressing, Divock Origi also possesses top-notch pressing ability and stamina.

Olivier Giroud was never fast, and his stamina has decreased with age, but he is a difficult opponent due to his excellent aerial ability and positioning from experience.

“In the end, AC Milan’s wingers retreat to defend in defensive situations, and when they win the ball, they immediately launch a counterattack through both sides. In that case…?”

“…The attacking midfielder will be burdened more than expected.”

Patrik Dě Paula, who is scheduled to start in the defensive midfielder position in today’s game, said.

“That’s right. The central striker stays in position at the front, and the wingers and fullbacks take turns attacking to manage their stamina, but the attacking midfielder, who has to create the link between the attack, has to move constantly.”

It would be great if a counterattack could follow in one shot, but the opposing team’s defense is not idle.

Additional support must be attached to the counterattack, and the attacking midfielder can join the fastest in terms of position.

In the end, due to the team’s structure, the attacking midfielder must be dedicated and creative, good at attacking, and actively involved in defense.

The reason why the attacking midfielder position is declining in modern football is because there are few players who have all these advantages.

However, it is a perfect position for Daniele Maldini of the Maldini family, a prestigious football family who has been playing as a first-team player for AC Milan for three generations.

You can’t find the pride or selfishness that young and creative attacking midfielders generally have.

Thorough dedication to the team and obsession with victory.

Perhaps after losing the game, he will have the burden of having to listen for hours to “In my day…” spoken alternately by his grandfather and father while receiving all kinds of glares from all family members at the next family meal.

“If we can cut this off well, we can continue to attack while pressing without worrying about AC Milan’s counterattack.”

A bold tactic to come out aggressively in enemy territory.

The players who understood the manager’s intentions nodded in unison.

Hyungmin looked around at the players and nodded to Tommaso Pobega, who was wearing the captain’s armband instead of Nicolas Seiwald, who was starting on the bench today.

Tommaso Pobega, who stood up with a slightly awkward expression, soon looked around with a solemn expression.

“For ever and ever! Who are we?”

“We are Burnley!”

***

“Yo, Tommaso!”

Outside, the cheers and chants of the home fans were raging fiercely, but the tunnel was still a bit quiet.

Tommaso Pobega turned around at the voice calling him as he stood in line in the tunnel waiting to enter.

“Daniele!”

Tommaso Pobega firmly grasped the hand that the legend’s grandson and legend’s son extended to his old colleague.

“Long time no see! How have you been?”

A colleague who spent his youth team and under-19 team days with him.

And then, thanks to the thick first-team roster, they had been less in contact as they went on loan, but Tommaso Pobega, who came from the AC Milan youth academy, could be said to be the person he knew best in AC Milan’s first team right now.

“It’s nice to meet you like this, isn’t it?”

Tommaso Pobega shook his head and smiled at Daniele Maldini’s words.

“I know. I never thought I’d be facing you like this.”

He always thought he would be wearing that red and black striped uniform and standing on the home team side, but he never thought he would be wearing a claret uniform and waiting for the start of the game on the away team side.

Daniele Maldini tapped the armband on Tommaso Pobega’s arm, who was lost in thought for a moment.

“I’m glad you seem to be adapting well to Burnley too!”

“Ah, thank you.”

He seemed to want to say something more, but Daniele Maldini smiled regretfully as the referees approached.

“Let’s talk again later. Today’s game… well… don’t play too well! Hahaha.”

“Yeah, same to you. Let’s talk after the game.”

As Daniele Maldini rejoined the line of red and black striped uniforms, Tommaso Pobega awkwardly touched the armband on his arm.

He is now 25 years old.

He was from AC Milan’s youth team, but in the end, he failed to break through the thick first-team roster and was loaned out, but Burnley, who noticed his talent, snatched him up.

He played as a key player in Burnley, who joined on loan last season, and lifted the Europa League and Carabao Cup, confirming a complete transfer.

However, this season, he was in a fierce battle for a starting position with Patrik Dě Paula, who had newly joined, and he thought he had been pushed out in the end….

Before today’s game started, captain Nicolas Seiwald suddenly called him out.

“Hey, you wear this in today’s game.”

“…Me?”

What was handed to him was a bright yellow captain’s armband.

He had worn it a few times in the youth team when he was young, but since then, it had become something that had nothing to do with him as he went on loan.

It was something that should have become even more irrelevant to him now that he had been pushed out of the starting lineup was now being held in his hand.

“Me? Why me?”

“The kids listen to you well.”

Tommaso Pobega, who was making a bewildered expression, looked at Nicolas Seiwald.

“Are you allowed to decide on your own without talking to the manager?”

“Of course I talked to the manager. Actually…”

Nicolas Seiwald looked around and whispered as if telling a secret.

“…The kids voted while you were gone.”

“…Vote?”

“Of course. There can’t be a player vote in appointing the captaincy.”

Hyungmin’s laissez-faire policy of letting the players appoint the captaincy on their own.

The Austrian-born role model smiled brightly at Tommaso Pobega, who was making a dumbfounded expression at the news that a player vote had even been held to match it.

“Congratulations, vice-captain. Now help me out a bit. I thought I was going to die doing the captaincy alone since James left…”

Nicolas Seiwald kept muttering something next to him, but Tommaso Pobega looked down at the armband in his hand.

The touch was soft and heavy.