The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 220 Four Bouquets of Flowers
Haji Begitch naturally wouldn't answer such a question.

He also directly retorted, "I feel that asking me such a question in public shows a lack of respect for my players. This is not only the reason I refuse to answer the question, but I also feel that you, as the reporter asking the question, lack the most basic professionalism."

Without even looking at her, he said, "Next."

Immediately, a new reporter raised their hand to proceed to the next question session.

Subsequent questions did not touch upon this matter again.

It's mostly about Gaio.

This includes Gai's performance this season, the tactical arrangements for this game, and the possibility of Gai's transfer after the season ends.

Haji Begichi answered all of them flawlessly.

the other side.

Diego Simeone was also answering questions about Gaio.

“I know how talented he is. To be honest, we are also considering whether the team needs to bring in a new attacker to increase our roster depth, and Gaio is a priority option we are considering.”

“Because we know where Gaio’s talent lies, we will be more careful. Atletico Madrid has its own spirit. My players are willing to run and they are willing to give their all for victory, and this game is no exception.”

When discussing Atlético Madrid's own situation, Simeone became less talkative.

"Costa is in good form and will start. Koke is still young, but he's full of talent and is the kind of player Atletico Madrid needs."

Reporters also asked about Courtois and De Bruyne.

Simone simply said, "I don't know."

These pre-match interviews further amplified the already high level of interest in this Europa League match.

Everyone wants to see if the dark horse of Ligue 1 can defeat the old La Liga powerhouse that is on the road to resurgence.

The next day.

The entire Bastia team traveled by bus to the Calderon Stadium.

This is Gaio's second visit here in a short period of time.

but,

The Calderón Stadium is only truly Calderón when it hosts Atlético Madrid!

Gaio actually knows Atletico Madrid fairly well.

In his previous life, when he went to Spain to watch football, his first choice was the Calderón Stadium, not the Bernabéu or the Camp Nou.

The Bernabéu is like aristocracy.

Camp Nou is like a genius.

Only Calderon seemed like an ordinary person.

It is the daily grind of training, with sweat soaking through training clothes; it is ordinary people running desperately on the field, one after another, to earn a chance to write a legend.

At that time, Gaio took the subway to the Pyramid station near the stadium and even took out his phone to take a picture with the stadium.

Years later, the Madrid government built a metro station named after the Calderón stadium.

The Calderón Stadium was built along the banks of the Manzanares River. Due to a lack of funding, it could not be constructed according to the original plan. Therefore, the team opted for a main stand that is right next to the riverbank, with a tunnel road underneath the stands.

By a twist of fate, this has become a unique stadium design in Spain.

The original Calderón Stadium was called the Manzanares Stadium. It was officially opened on October 2, 1966, during the fourth round of La Liga.

In that match, Atletico Madrid legend Aragonés scored a goal for his team, resulting in a 1-1 draw against visiting Valencia.

Ask any elderly football fan on the street, and they'll be happy to recount these histories for you.

For young people, it's history; for the elderly, it's the traces of their lives.

The match Gaio watched ended in a dull 0-0 draw for Atletico Madrid.

But the fans' chants and shouts resonated on every inch of the pavement beneath their feet. The Calderón Stadium infuses the community with soul, completely enlivening this land.

This land nurtures the vast majority of the most ordinary working class.

Elegance has never been the impression they give to the outside world.

It is their unwavering commitment to the team motto "Coraje y corazón" (Passion and Courage) that embodies their passion and courage.

Simeone's teams have never been easy to beat.

Tonight is going to be a tough battle.

Gaio looked at the crowds of people in red and white on the street and felt a little nervous and stressed.

Atletico Madrid was the first truly top-tier club he faced.

Paris doesn't count.

In the match against Bastia, Ancelotti didn't understand PSG's strengths and failed to perform to his full potential.

This is a real test!

Gaio turned his head and saw De Bruyne, sitting next to him, also staring blankly at the crowd.

"Afraid?"

Gaio nudged De Bruyne with his elbow.

De Bruyne snapped out of his daze, a smile playing on his lips. "Why do you think I'm afraid? Are you afraid?"

Gaio smiled but did not answer.

The two turned to look at the Atlético Madrid fans outside the car window again. Some were waving Atlético Madrid flags and singing cheering songs while wearing jerseys, their enthusiasm and passion were boundless.

Of course, there are also ordinary people like you and me who buy a few bags of potato chips, bring plastic cups filled with beer, and bring their families to the stadium; or sit in front of the TV to cheer for their teams.

Everyone has their own way of cheering and encouraging others.

The same goes for Bastia.

The entire city of Bastia combined probably wouldn't fill the Calderon Stadium.

However, this does not affect their confidence in tonight's game.

street.

Modoso, with several hundred Bastia fans waving Bastia Moorish flags, fought like besieged soldiers making a final counterattack.

"Fight, Bastia!"

"Fight, Bastia!!"

The sounds of Corsican could be heard echoing through the streets of Madrid, Spain.

Atletico Madrid gave Bastia 2,000 tickets for this match.

However, only seven or eight hundred people were able to come to the scene.

Bastia is not a wealthy city, and its residents, like the most ordinary Atlético Madrid fans, are living life to the fullest.

If they were only in France, they could afford that money. But when they were going to a more distant place like Spain...

All they could do was sit in front of the TV and cheer for their team.

In this world, not everyone can easily shell out several thousand euros and spend at least two or three days just to watch a game.

Passion and life are not always aligned.
"Stay calm! You absolutely must stay calm! My biggest concern in this match is the defense. Don't worry about your energy; with three spots available, at least two should be in defense. Do you understand what I mean?!"

In the locker room.

Hagi Bejic repeatedly emphasized the importance of defense. He wasn't a particularly talented head coach, nor did he have many brilliant tactics.

But what he has is the tenacious defense that has been a constant throughout his football career, from player to coach!

After emphasizing it again and again, Haji Begic stretched out his hand in the center of the locker room.

The players all came over and offered their hands.

"3, 2, 1"

"Fight, Bastia!!"

Everyone shouted with all their might, trying to let out all the pent-up emotions in their hearts.

Gaio will be nervous.

Every other player will be nervous too.

This is the first time Gaio has faced a top European team, and it's also the first time for most of the Bastia players.

Haji Begichi gave everyone a high-five to cheer them on.

When he saw Gaio, he hugged him tightly. He had so much to say, but in the end, only one word came out: "Go for it!"

"Ah."

Gaio nodded.

Like soldiers heading to battle, they marched resolutely towards the front lines with their teammates.

Gaio adjusted the captain's armband on his arm.

He walked silently toward the players' tunnel.

The referee was already waiting at the door, and the Atletico Madrid players were also arriving in a scattered manner.

Gaio walked to the front of Bastia.

Hear the roar coming from the Calderon Stadium!

The sound waves converged, like ocean waves surging into a narrow passage, constantly pushing their way in.

All the information was compressed together, making it difficult to hear the specific sounds.

But what you can feel is the shock.

boom!
Boom boom! !
Gaio glanced at Atletico Madrid's player lineup out of the corner of his eye; the starting lineup for this match had already been decided.

Diego Costa, Koke, Raúl García, Courtois.
Gaio took a deep breath.

His gaze was fixed on the ball of light at the entrance of the passage.

"Walk."

When the time came, the referee waved his hand and led the way into the ball of light.

Gaio went outside.

The moment I entered the stadium, it was like emerging from the water; instantly, the roaring sounds took on a concrete form.

"Atletico Madrid!"

"Win against them! Take them down!"

"Go back to your home, you Frenchman!"

Atletico Madrid fans deserve to sing and be thrilled this season, except for the 1-1 draw against Levante in the first round of the league.

So far, they've won every game!

This is why everyone in Bastia felt the pressure; Atletico Madrid is a truly strong team.

Gaio tapped his toes on the sideline and then glanced at the corner of the field as he entered.

From a distance, he could see a bouquet of flowers in the corner.

There is a bunch in each of the four corners.

This is a unique kind of romance belonging to Atlético Madrid.

This habit began one afternoon many years ago.

Atletico Madrid will host Athletic Bilbao.

Before the match, Margarita, a young and die-hard Atlético Madrid fan, was having a drink at an Atlético Madrid fan bar near the stadium when she saw a flower seller walk by.

She bought four bouquets of flowers.

He also told his friends, "We'll score four goals against Athletic Bilbao today."

Sometimes, that's how stories begin.

In that match, Atletico Madrid really did score four goals against Athletic Bilbao.

Every time a goal was scored, Margarita would throw a bouquet of flowers onto the pitch.

Because two of these four balls came from corner kicks.

then,

Before each match, Margarita would place a bouquet of flowers in the corner flag area of ​​the stadium.

For decades, it has remained unchanged.

This became Atlético Madrid's trademark.

As Gaio shook hands with the team in the lineup, he was still thinking about this: "Atletico Madrid won't score four goals against Bastia, will they?"

Actually, when the first batch was released.

Gaio could sense that Simone didn't value Bastia that much.

After all, their star striker Falcao is still on the bench.

soon.

The pre-match ceremony has concluded.

The players walked towards the center circle.

The game is about to begin.

(End of this chapter)