Villarreal on the left, Real Madrid on the right.
Piiik—
With the sound of the referee's whistle, Round 36 began, a match that would decide the fate of both teams.
Given its importance, Villarreal had paid close attention to their tactical setup. They came out with a counter-attacking strategy based on a 4-4-2 formation, emphasizing pressing.
The key concepts were pressing, speed, and commitment.
At first glance, it didn't seem all that different from a conventional 4-4-2.
However, Villarreal had prepared a unique twist.
They added three elements: distribution, spacing, and balance.
These were aimed specifically at countering Ho-young's recent space-utilization strategies. It was a highly complex and nuanced approach.
For any youth player with low tactical awareness, executing such a tactic properly would have been difficult.
But these players weren't average youth players.
They had trained rigorously for this very match, pushing their team chemistry and structure to the maximum.
Villarreal's coach, Morientes, was confident they could get a good result today.
Renowned in the youth leagues as a tactician, Morientes had taken charge late last year and had led Villarreal with great success.
A team that had finished 7th now stood in 4th place under his leadership. He had also led their Juvenil team to the Copa del Rey final.
If we just disturb the space, we'll have a shot.
Just as Morientes predicted, the outcome of the match hinged on that.
Whether they could shut down Ho-young's play or not.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid started with a 4-2-3-1 formation, placing Ho-young in the attacking midfielder role to control the flow of the game.
However, just 20 minutes into the first half, they shifted to a 4-4-1-1 formation.
It was a decision made by the Real Madrid coach to prioritize defensive stability and manage the game safely.
After all, a draw was all they needed.
Rather than overexert themselves, it made more sense to conserve energy for next week's Copa del Rey final.
Still, Ho-young's position remained unchanged as the central attacking midfielder.
Not only responsible for offensive playmaking, the overall tempo and direction of the match rested on his shoulders.
Most of the passes were funneled through Ho-young, showing just how much the team relied on him.
As the heartbeat and brain of the team, Ho-young calmly steered the game in a positive direction.
Maestro's Build-up.
Truthfully, he still had a lot to learn.
Although he had fully acquired the talent two months ago, it wasn't a skill one could master easily.
Much like how not everyone can understand a Picasso painting.
Zidane's talent, once called Art Football itself, was truly an art form.
Still, after two months, Ho-young had learned to wield it quite well.
Thanks to his excellent football intelligence and tactical understanding.
He had also gained a better eye for reading tactics.
With accumulated experience now backed by skill, it generated incredible synergy.
By observing the opponent's movements, he could roughly figure out what they were trying to do.
It felt strange, but his mind naturally clicked into gear.
They're maintaining tight spacing and applying zonal pressing… this means they're trying to prevent any space from opening up.
This wasn't just basic pressing.
Just as Ho-young deduced, Villarreal's players were executing a structured and well-planned press.
It showed how much time they had spent working on their organization.
In that case…
Ho-young's eyes and mind moved non-stop.
Like solving a puzzle, he became a manager on the pitch, searching for the answer.
This was the first and foremost responsibility of a classic playmaker.
Not long after.
Tap.
A pass from deep came up to Ho-young.
And he found the answer.
"Rotate!"
Ho-young's voice rang across the pitch.
Operation Triangle.
It was a specific strategy they had rehearsed countless times in training, a variation play designed to break down precise tactical setups.
Slowly, it began to shine.
Real Madrid's back four loitered near the penalty area, drawing Villarreal's forwards in deep.
At the same time, both fullbacks advanced, pushing Villarreal's wide midfielders outside the halfway line.
Perfect.
Before they realized it, a large space had opened up in the center.
Thanks to this, Real Madrid's central midfielders could finally function properly.
What they gained was solid defensive structure and the initiative to strike at any time.
The ideal scenario was unfolding.
As this situation persisted throughout the first half, cracks began to appear among Villarreal's players.
"What are you doing?! If both strikers push forward, what happens to the center?"
"Did I know this would happen? We trained like this!"
"You're supposed to adapt to the situation!"
"How the hell do I do that?!"
Even they couldn't make sense of what was happening.
They were just doing what the coach had told them, but somehow, things had turned out like this.
It was pointless to argue over whose fault it was.
If there was anything to blame, it was their insufficient football IQ and poor awareness.
Tactics certainly had a big impact on the game, but equally influential was the playmaker.
The conductor on the pitch.
Zidane's unparalleled build-up ability was beginning to gather force, like small whirlwinds forming a massive typhoon.
Finally, in the 35th minute of the first half.
That typhoon revealed its form on Real Madrid's left wing.
"He's going up! Someone cover the back!"
Tap, tap, taak.
A triangle formed by the fullback, winger, and central midfielder continuously rotated positions to escape the press.
Villarreal's meticulously planned press began to unravel, and their team balance broke down.
Almost there.
Ho-young's eyes gleamed.
Having orchestrated the flow like a watercolor painting, he delivered the finishing blow.
The final stroke.
Having lingered around the second line, Ho-young suddenly made a run toward the box.
Everything developed in an instant.
Yet there was no chaos.
Like a well-oiled machine, every piece fell into place.
Left-back Marcos Alonso slipped a short pass to Ho-young.
Tap.
With a clean first touch, Ho-young received the ball with his back to goal, then spun halfway around.
A Marseille Turn.
Then, he sent a perfectly weighted through ball back to Marcos.
"Again!"
The return pass came back to Ho-young just five steps later.
Thwack!
Inside the penalty box.
A low cross from Marcos met Ho-young's foot.
A fiery strike from his right boot sent the ball straight into the net.
Swish!
"Siuuuu!!"
With more passion than ever, Ho-young celebrated.
A thrilling sensation ran down his spine and spread through his entire body.
His forehead tingled with emotion.
A wave of fulfillment exploded.
Perhaps this was how architects felt.
Laying the foundation, raising the pillars, stacking everything layer by layer to complete a building.
Ho-young's unseen efforts had stacked and stacked, finally bearing fruit in the form of a goal.
"Graaaah!"
A primal roar burst from him.
It was a flawless goal, even by his own standards, and he couldn't contain his excitement.
It worked!
This moment meant a lot.
As a shadow striker who often relied on bursts and break-ins, Ho-young had naturally accumulated a lot of physical strain every match.
Reckless movement day after day would eventually wear down the body.
With at least 20 more years of football ahead of him, he needed to find a way to prolong his career.
Today's play was the solution.
It felt like he had finally mastered the new weapon he had acquired months ago.
This would become a huge asset in the professional world.
"Whoooaaaa!"
The confidence that burst from his vocal cords was just a bonus.
Today, Ho-young had experienced yet another brand of football. A new kind of football.
Meanwhile, in the Villarreal camp, only frustration and helplessness remained.
"How did that get through?"
"The third line collapsed. We lost track of Ho-young's run."
"How did it collapse though?"
"They were switching positions earlier. That messed with our focus, and it spread all the way back. Stop asking obvious stuff, it's annoying."
"Yeah, we all saw that. What I'm asking is, why did that situation even happen in the first place? We were maintaining our spacing and closing down the zones, so why was the center wide open?"
"Because our forwards opened it up."
"Why?"
"Well..."
No one could answer.
Questions led to more questions, but no answers came.
"This is ridiculous."
It really was absurd.
From their perspective, there hadn't been any major danger leading up to the goal.
Real Madrid's players had made some messy movements and exchanged a few passes.
Then suddenly, they conceded.
It felt like being pickpocketed in broad daylight.
When the first half ended, a loud reaction erupted from the away fans.
"I told him to tutor the kid…"
Florentino Pérez muttered, scratching his nose.
"And he created a carbon copy."
Watching Ho-young play for the first time in a while, Pérez chuckled and continued.
"I'm a huge fan of Zidane. I've watched hundreds of his matches over the years. And now I see glimpses of him in that kid."
Indeed, Ho-young's play style bore traces of Zidane.
Specifically, Zidane's unique build-up.
While modern build-up is team-oriented, Zidane's style involved taking full control and leading the entire team.
That's why his position was often referred to not as midfielder, but free-role.
Unprecedented.
Not just in modern football, but across the history of the sport, no one had played like that.
That was why Zidane was considered one of the greatest of his era.
And now, Ho-young was showing signs of the same.
"Maybe I'm just old and losing my touch. Surely I'm not the only one seeing this."
"I see it every day. That's the joy of being his agent."
"Haha. What a transformation. Last year, all I saw was a kid who just ran and shot."
"It's not a transformation. It's evolution."
"Evolution, huh."
Pérez, intrigued, turned fully toward Lucci.
Then Lucci said,
"That's Ho-young's specialty. So it's time to give him more."
"More of what?"
"Haha. A new teacher, of course."
"Haha! I've actually already been thinking about that."
There were plenty of players at Real Madrid who could help Ho-young.
The first team was stacked.
But Pérez had something slightly different in mind.
"What about giving him his pro debut?"
During last year's transfer talks, Pérez had proposed promoting Ho-young to Real Madrid C by 2008.
That timeline might just get moved up by a year.
The second half began and followed a similar flow to the first.
With Ho-young's opening goal, Real Madrid took control, maintaining balance between defense and attack.
Soon came the second goal, and the main players were subbed off to save energy.
But Ho-young remained on the field.
He wanted to feel that match rhythm just a little longer. And more importantly, he still had plenty of stamina left, so he had asked to stay on.
In truth, Ho-young hadn't covered a huge distance.
He wasn't running more. He was showing more with less.
Real Madrid then scored a third goal, sealing a complete victory.
Champions.
It was Ho-young's fifth career youth trophy.
The roars of the future Blancos filled the pitch.
The 2006–07 season was coming to a close.
At that moment, in the home stands, a wave of admiration rose.
They were Villarreal officials.
Among them, a man in a yellow jersey with short, spiky grass-colored hair stood up and gave a round of applause.
It wasn't about the fact that his team lost.
He was simply grateful, as a spectator, to have witnessed such an unexpectedly high-quality match.
His eyes, filled with heat, remained fixed on Ho-young.
It was a while before he finally spoke.
"Damn it. Who the hell is that freakin' genius?"
The man walked forward, as if drawn by some unseen force.
Ho-young was pulling him in.
(To be continued.)
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◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)