< Community Shield >
With Johan’s goal, created by toying with the league’s best full-back, the score was tied 2-2.
After that, the game continued with a fierce flow reminiscent of the previous FA Cup final.
“Seriously, what’s with them?”
“Was the Community Shield always like this?”
“Is this something to go this far for?”
Even the spectators watching the game burst into laughter.
The Community Shield is really a tournament that can be seen as a friendly match.
If you consider the weight of the trophy, it can’t even be compared to the League Cup.
The fans know that too, so they came to the stadium today with light hearts, but.
Suddenly, a fierce game is unfolding, so they can’t help but laugh.
However, in any case, it’s a match between the league champion and the FA Cup champion from last season.
Seeing both teams playing with all their might, the spectators couldn’t help but get absorbed.
Yeah.
A fierce game like this makes you realize the season has started.
After that, both teams exchanged one more goal each.
Granah and Johan each scored multi-goals.
Both teams showed an even stronger performance than last season, filming a preview that this season will be an even fiercer battle.
“Beep, beep, beep!”
And in that state, the whistle blew.
3-3, the game ended as it was.
<90 minutes passed quickly. The heat of the stadium is no less than the Champions League final.>
The victory will be decided by a penalty shootout.
Both teams gather in front of their benches to decide the kicking order.
“I’ll take the lead. Number 1.”
“Then I’ll kick second.”
“Bailey, you kick third. You need to experience this.”
“Who’s fourth? Nathan, you kick.”
West Ham decided the order quite quickly.
Capello is number 1.
Gordon is 2nd, Bailey is 3rd, and Nathan is 4th.
The last kicker wasn’t even decided.
Because everyone was leaving it to Johan anyway.
There’s no one more reliable than Johan as the last kicker.
Manchester City was starting with a slight advantage.
Through the coin toss, they chose the goal where Manchester City fans were stationed, and they also got to kick first.
It’s not a big difference, but it’s still more comfortable to kick first in a penalty shootout.
As long as you don’t miss.
The 1st and 2nd kickers were successful for both teams.
After that, the third kickers head to the goal.
Bailey puts the ball on the penalty mark, walks back, and takes a deep breath.
Bailey was thinking the same thing.
The biggest shock Bailey received because of Johan was when he first had a 1-on-1 match against him.
The next was the Liverpool game.
The season before last.
It was probably less than a month after his debut.
In that game, Johan scored an important penalty kick in the late second half, making a strong impression on the fans.
He wanted to do that too.
The emergence of a monster prospect no less than him.
He wanted to say that West Ham’s future is here too.
After successfully kicking, Bailey takes a deep breath and clenches his fist.
‘I can’t fail while he’s watching.’
Bailey smiled, feeling relieved.
Following that, all the 4th kickers also succeeded.
Now all that’s left are the 5th kickers.
Manchester City’s 5th kicker is the striker signed instead of Johan, Stefan Granah.
In this moment, when the strikers coincidentally took on the 5th kicker.
Granah thought.
‘This is an opportunity.’
Granah is thinking the same thing as Bailey.
The opponent he is conscious of is also the same, Johan.
In a way, Granah is also in a pitiful situation.
Because only a minority of Manchester City fans were happy about his signing.
All they wanted was Johan.
He was just a substitute.
However, Granah was not a player who deserved to be treated like that.
So Granah wanted to change the minds of those fans.
But ironically, that thought became poison.
Granah’s shot soars high.
Granah lowered his head and returned to his place, and Johan brushed past him.
Sorry to Granah, but it couldn’t be helped.
Johan, who stepped up as the last kicker, showed why Manchester City fans wanted Johan so much.
Johan finished the game cleanly with a kick to the left corner.
It was a good start to this season.
—
West Ham, who defeated Manchester City and won the Community Shield, finished their preparations for the opening game in a good mood.
The atmosphere at the West Ham training ground ahead of the opening game is better than ever.
“Whew. Everyone worked hard today.”
“The captain worked hard too.”
The players who returned after training chatted for a while in the locker room.
The topic that came up.
It was still about the Champions League.
“We’re going to the Champions League.”
“Did you ever imagine that?”
“I still can’t believe it. We’re going to hear that Champions League song that we only heard on TV at the stadium?”
“I get nervous just thinking about it.”
Champions League.
It’s a stage that excites players just by hearing the name.
A dream stage for football players playing in Europe.
Perhaps, it’s a stage as big as the World Cup for them.
In fact, the Champions League was just a pie in the sky while playing for West Ham.
It was no different from other football fans.
Just watching it on TV.
As long as the Big 6 teams were firmly in the league, even aiming for the Champions League was difficult.
The only thing they could even think of aiming for was the Europa League.
But now, they’re going to the Champions League, which they couldn’t even dream of.
It’s an exciting and nerve-wracking thing.
The players seemed to be looking forward to the Champions League group stage in September more than the opening game just around the corner.
“Kane. Tell us about it. You’ve played in the Champions League before.”
“Yeah, that’s right. You even played in the final. Although you were the runner-up.”
“Hey, hey. Why do you have to bring up the runner-up part.”
“Oh, sorry. Anyway, how is it? Is it definitely different?”
Kane stroked his chin at his teammates’ questions.
“It’s definitely different.”
“Specifically, what’s different?”
“Well. It’s hard to put into words. There’s an atmosphere unique to the Champions League. Only Bellamy here can relate to what I’m saying.”
“What is it? Are Kane and I the only ones who have played in the Champions League here?”
Bellamy looked around at his teammates and chuckled.
Everyone got angry at that laugh.
“You’re showing off just because you’ve played a few times.”
“You’re still the same in that you haven’t won the Champions League, so what.”
“Still, there’s a world of difference between playing and not playing, you guys. Have you guys played at Camp Nou [Barcelona’s stadium]? Have you played at the Bernabeu [Real Madrid’s stadium]?”
“…That’s a bit envious.”
Everyone’s eyes sparkle as they listen to Bellamy’s story.
Football players definitely have a pure side.
“Then, what would it feel like to win the Champions League?”
“Well, wouldn’t it feel similar to winning the Euros [European Championship]? Ah, sorry. Everyone here wouldn’t know what that feels like if I said that. Because only Johan and I have felt that feeling here. Haha!”
Bellamy laughed, putting his arm around Johan’s shoulder.
“Hey, Johan.”
“Yes.”
“Ah, Sir Johan. Sir, please explain. How did it feel when you won the Euros?”
“I was happy.”
“Then, winning the Champions League would be the same?”
“Hmm… I don’t know.”
“Not really?”
Johan shrugged his shoulders.
Come to think of it, while everyone was shining their eyes at the Champions League story, Johan was the only one who didn’t look interested at all.
That’s because Johan isn’t even interested in the Ballon d’Or [annual football award].
He wants to win the league because his retirement depends on it, but there’s nothing for the Champions League.
Even if he wins, there’s nothing to gain.
“Hey, you can’t be like that. It’s the Champions League that we advanced to thanks to you.”
“Yeah. Take responsibility until the end.”
“I don’t know. I’m just going to focus on the league games.”
Johan grabs his toiletries and heads to the shower room.
Looking at Johan like that, his teammates scratched their heads.
“Hey. This is a big problem?”
“This is a problem we didn’t even think about. When you think about it, there’s no reason for that guy to play hard in the Champions League.”
“No, how can that be? You have to play hard no matter what. It’s the dream stage…”
“That’s for us. He’s the kind of guy who would quit tomorrow if he could.”
“I forgot for a second.”
What should we do?
If Johan puts his mind to it, it might not be impossible to reach the Champions League final.
If he doesn’t give it his all, it wouldn’t be strange to be eliminated in the group stage.
“He can’t be like that.”
“Is there any way?”
The West Ham players fell into an unexpected dilemma.
If Johan is like that, is it over?
—
“Motivation?”
“Yes. He’ll work hard on his own without us saying anything about the league, but from his point of view, there’s no reason for him to work hard in the Champions League.”
“What other reason does a professional player need besides victory?”
“Johan is Johan. It’s a miracle as it is…”
“Tsk.”
In the car heading home from the airport.
Johan’s grandfather, Ban Gil-yung, who had just arrived in London, clicked his tongue at Ban Seok-ho’s story.
Ban Gil-yung visited London to see Johan’s face after a successful year last season.
Ban Seok-ho told Ban Gil-yung that he had a concern.
The Champions League.
Of course, Ban Seok-ho also wants to see West Ham win the league, but he also wants to see Johan play in the Champions League even more.
It’s a natural thing.
What kind of place is the Champions League?
The best stage in European football.
Ban Seok-ho’s desire is to see Johan lift all the trophies and create a perfect career.
However, from Johan’s point of view, there is actually no reason to play hard in the Champions League.
Johan is a guy who doesn’t even care about the Ballon d’Or.
There’s no way he’d be interested in the Champions League trophy.
League victory was tied to his desired retirement more than anything else, and the Euros were tied to a knighthood.
He only played in the FA Cup final, and the opponent was Manchester City, so that was enough.
Only the Champions League doesn’t have a specific purpose to overcome that difficult path.
Ban Seok-ho thought that if he just made up his mind, it wouldn’t be impossible for West Ham to win the Champions League.
So Ban Seok-ho asked Ban Gil-yung.
Because Johan had learned something thanks to his grandfather last summer.
He listens to his grandfather well.
Ban Seok-ho is still like that, so what.
“If you win the league, you’ll retire. Does that thought still seem to be the same now?”
“Yes. It’s to the point where I can’t even tell him to think again.”
“Then, how likely do you think it is that we’ll win this season?”
“Hmm… I don’t know. Compared to last season… I think there’s definitely a possibility.”
“Really?”
Ban Gil-yung thought for a moment and then nodded.
He seemed to have something to say to Johan.
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