Became The Premier League’S Youngest Manager [EN]: Chapter 217

“Waaaaah!!!”

The roars of both teams’ fans filled Andrils Moor.

For the first time in the club’s history, they had reached the Champions League semi-finals.

Burnley’s best performance in European competition was reaching the quarter-finals of the European Cup, the predecessor to the Champions League, in the 1960/61 season after winning the First Division in the 1959/60 season.

Although they had rewritten the club’s history, the young Burnley manager, standing in the home team’s technical area and watching the game, revealed his nervousness by alternately folding and unfolding his arms.

“Hey, get a grip. What are we supposed to do if even the manager is nervous?”

The head coach, approaching from the side, chided the manager, but Hyungmin shrugged.

“Being nervous is just being nervous. And they’re really formidable.”

“We already knew they were formidable.”

Barcelona.

The official name is Football Club Barcelona.

Located in Barcelona, the capital of Catalonia, Spain, this football club is more than just a football club, as their motto *Mes que un club* suggests.

*Mes que un club*, meaning “More than a club.”

A symbol and source of comfort for the people of Catalonia, who have continuously clashed with the Spanish central government while striving to protect their unique culture and language.

Especially after the president of Barcelona was assassinated by Falangists [members of the Spanish fascist movement] who supported the dictatorship during the Spanish Civil War after World War I, Barcelona became the very symbol of Catalan identity.

Afterward, Barcelona was continuously suppressed by the Spanish dictator Francisco Franco, but they steadily achieved results and symbolized Catalan identity. In 1988, Johan Cruyff, who had played as a player, took over as manager, marking a new turning point.

Combining graduates from Barcelona’s youth academy, La Masia [Barcelona’s youth academy], which was entering its 10th year under the leadership of Johan Cruyff, with top-level players collected from around the world, Barcelona won four consecutive Primera Liga [Spanish First Division] titles from the 1991/92 season to the 1993/94 season.

By spreading the concept of Total Football from Ajax and the Netherlands to Barcelona, Johan Cruyff added a concept that emphasized passing and possession, which became the identity of Barcelona-style football.

After that, they experienced numerous ups and downs after the golden age symbolized by manager Pep Guardiola and his resignation, but with Xavi Hernandez, a legend from La Masia who was coached by Pep Guardiola, taking over as manager, they were regaining their former status.

Xavi Hernandez, who took over the team in the middle of the 2021/22 season when it was in crisis, led the team to second place for two consecutive seasons, buying Barcelona, which was in a serious financial crisis, the time it desperately needed.

And now, the 2023/24 season.

With the Primera Liga title almost certain, they were advancing towards their first Champions League title since the 2014/15 season, when the manager himself lifted the trophy as a player.

And no matter how much they soared, a small club located in the rural northwest of England could not be an obstacle to Barcelona’s advance.

“It’s quite devastating.”

Hyungmin sighed as he looked at the data Carolina handed him.

The indicators received by squeezing the analysis team during halftime were displayed.

Burnley’s overwhelming disadvantage.

Incredibly, even after giving up some midfield control to Burnley, Barcelona maintained a higher possession rate than Burnley, continuously pouring attacks while passing the ball to the flanks and sides.

“It seems like they know us well and have prepared for us.”

How many players would it take to gain an advantage in midfield against Burnley’s Nicolas Seiwald and Patrick De Paula?

Faced with a question that couldn’t be answered even with the introduction of three or four decent combative midfielders, Barcelona’s Xavi Hernandez simply decided to concede the midfield.

The most combative midfielder currently in Barcelona’s possession is Nico Gonzalez, who played for Burnley for one and a half seasons.

While putting him in the defensive midfielder position to wage a minimal midfield battle, Barcelona’s proud midfield duo Gabi and Pedri moved to the left and right flanks, respectively, attacking both sides of Burnley alternately with the fullbacks surging forward.

The left fullback Alejandro Balde and the left winger Ansu Fati together with Gabi.

The right fullback Hector Bellerin and the right winger Ousmane Dembele together with Pedri.

When they broke through by creating a 3-on-2 situation on the flanks, veteran striker Robert Lewandowski, who was in charge of Barcelona’s central attack, created opportunities or finished them himself.

With huge wheels turning on both flanks and pressing down on the center, Burnley conceded goals to Robert Lewandowski and Ansu Fati in the first half alone.

Watching Burnley, who had been pushed into a defensive position to an extent rarely seen in the past three seasons, Carolina whistled.

“That’s pretty powerful, isn’t it?”

“Hey, we’re the ones getting beaten by that,” Hyungmin replied with a pained expression.

Oscar Mingueza on the right defense and Kin Lewis-Potter who came down to support him.

Amar Dedic on the left defense and Jamal Lewis who came down to support him.

Jamal Lewis, who is a defender, was somehow blocking Ousmane Dembele and Hector Bellerin on the left flank, but Oscar Mingueza was having a hard time against Ansu Fati, who was a junior at La Masia, on the right.

Watching the frustrating game situation, Hyungmin glanced at the bench over his shoulder.

The reserve players were watching the game with serious expressions, but the aftermath of the Manchester City game just three days ago had not yet subsided.

As they reached the end of the fiercely run season, the speed at which fatigue was recovering was slowing down.

“What are you going to do?”

“There are five substitutions in the Champions League, right?”

Carolina’s eyes lit up at Hyungmin’s question.

“You’re going to overhaul it completely? Are you sure?”

“The tactics we thought of are already gone anyway. Then it wouldn’t be bad to throw a new number in the remaining time.”

Carolina shrugged at the manager’s words, which were half a radical attempt and half resignation.

“Well…”

“…Don’t say it’s because I’m the manager.”

Hyungmin smiled as he turned to look at his friend and head coach.

“Ah, when you become a manager later, I really want to be your head coach and say that to you.”

“Hmm, I don’t think that will be possible. Unlike you, I can’t have someone more capable than me as my head coach.”

“Hmm… Huh?!”

While Hyungmin was making a face with his head twisted at Carolina’s answer, which contained some dual meaning and contradictory remarks, Carolina smiled.

“Well, even if it doesn’t work out, it will be fun. Wouldn’t we be the first to substitute five players at once in the Champions League?”

“There might be some if you look up the data,” Hyungmin replied leisurely.

“Uwaaaa!!!”

Suddenly, the cheers of the away fans echoed in the stadium.

Gabi, who exchanged triangular passes with Ansu Fati and Alejandro Balde, finished the sharp attack created by the three La Masia players with a wonderful long-range shot, making the score 3-0.

As the Barcelona players cheered behind the young midfielder running towards the cheering away fans, Hyungmin, who turned his bitter eyes away from the stadium, looked at Carolina.

“Let’s hurry. It looks like it will be less fun if we wait any longer.”

“Okay.”

***

“We’re just a little town!”

“On the edge of Lanchashire!”

“We’ve come to Europe!”

“And we’ll go all the way!”

Although they were losing 3-0, the home fans were fiercely singing a new cheer created by the official supporters to commemorate the club’s best-ever advance to the Champions League semi-finals.

Previously, three midfielders and the right winger were successively substituted.

Following Nicolas Seiwald, Patrick De Paula, and Sebastian Szymanski, right winger Kin Lewis-Potter was replaced by Tommaso Pobega, Luka Sukic, Christian Medina, and Adam Hlozek in order.

The fans, who initially did not understand the manager’s substitution order to remove the captain, realized that it was a signal of a sweeping tactical change and encouraged the players by singing the cheer even more fiercely.

As the fierce home team cheer echoed in Andrils Moor, Benjamin Sesko, who was waiting for the final substitution, looked around.

“Go and score a goal!!”

“Show them the hot taste of Burnley, Benny Boy!!”

The home fans sitting near the sidelines shouted and cheered him on.

Lorenzo Lucca, who had been desperately running around in the front line for over 70 minutes to somehow create opportunities, ran towards him with an expression mixed with fatigue and regret.

“Lorenzo!”

“Benjamin!”

As they exchanged high-fives, Lorenzo Lucca, who was passing by Benjamin Sesko, who was about to run onto the field, lowered his head and whispered in his ear so that it wouldn’t show.

“Number 23 looks like his right leg is slightly uncomfortable. But if you push him too hard, they’ll substitute him right away, so you can only use it once. He won’t be able to keep up if you change direction suddenly.”

“…Okay.”

Benjamin Sesko, holding the valuable hint, ran onto the field and looked ahead.

Ronald Araujo and Jules Kounde are the ones who make up Barcelona’s central defense today.

Ronald Araujo is wearing number 4, so number 23 is Jules Kounde.

The young defender, who has risen to become the starting central defender for the French national team, is only 178 centimeters tall, but he is fast and has good jumping ability, so he rarely loses aerial duels.

Burnley has not been able to properly utilize Lorenzo Lucca’s aerial ability in this game, where the flanks have been suppressed overall, but what if they bet on speed as Lorenzo Lucca said?

With that in mind, Tommaso Pobega’s cry was heard from behind Benjamin Sesko as he headed forward.

“For ever and ever! Who are we?”

The young Italian midfielder, who wore the captain’s armband instead of Nicolas Seiwald, who was substituted, was scolding his teammates who were cornered 3-0.

Benjamin Sesko, who was running, answered the vice-captain’s call loudly with his teammates.

“We are Burnley!”

This is our home.

Then from now on, I’ll show you why this place is the impregnable fortress, Andrils Moor.