The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 279 First-Person Perspective

Bastia at the end of February has a relatively comfortable climate compared to other parts of France.

While preparing for their next league match against Nice at Bastia's home ground.

Gaio took some time to meet with Pierre and his older brother René, mainly to discuss the new website.

René sat in a café on the seaside promenade, watching the Mediterranean waves crash against the shore. He felt that his life was just like that, never able to find peace again.

Pierre, René's father, had already told him a great deal about Gaio's idea for the website.

René felt that his peaceful life had finally been disrupted, like a storm brewing on the ocean.

"Of course, I'd love to. Everything Yang said is incredibly appealing. I know very well that Yang has an innate, top-tier influence. Just imagine, if in the future Yang and his teammates and friends could publish information about transfers, injuries, and so on on our website as soon as possible, how much traffic would that bring us! And in today's online world, traffic equals money! We could get a lot of advertising investment from various companies."

Gaio listened to what René said and nodded. At least his brother was definitely not a backward guy. It was clear that he was actively embracing the coming information age.

He just lacks an opportunity.

And now,
He is willing to give his family this opportunity.

Gaio said, "Okay, then you should hurry up and get this done. Try to get the website up and running within a month, and test it yourself to make sure there are no problems. Maybe in May or June, we'll need to officially launch it."

Regarding the money, we'll register a company, which will serve as our family business. This might just be the beginning; we can expand into other businesses later. I'll inject some seed capital, but I'll need your help.

René nodded, his eyes burning with desire; he wanted to make a big splash!
As the older brother, he sometimes felt a little envious when he saw Gaio's dazzling moments.

Although he can't play football, he can still prove his worth to his family.

This website was the catalyst.

"I'll do my best! I've already decided to quit my job and dedicate myself to helping you with this!"

Gaio smiled. "No, brother, this isn't about helping me, it's about all of us! This is our family's business."

Pierre laughed too, "Yes, let's not be too particular about each other. Doing our jobs well is the greatest help we can give our families."

Gaio then said, “Don’t worry, this website will definitely succeed. Don’t put too much pressure on yourselves. Its novelty lies in absolute control and authenticity.”

Imagine this: when a player stands in front of the penalty spot, his hands are shaking, his stomach is churning, and a thousand thoughts are flashing through his mind—the faces of his family, the coach's instructions, the regret of missing the last penalty kick. These things won't be broadcast on television, and reporters are even less likely to know.

But now, he can pick up a pen—or face the camera, right here on our platform—and express his fear, determination, and even vulnerability in his own words, entirely under his own control.

This website will become the center of the storm.

Imagine the next transfer window opening, instead of reporters waiting anxiously at the door, speculating about where they're going, the players themselves will announce their destination directly on our platform.

Just like kicking off from the center circle at Camp Nou, the Bernabéu, or Old Trafford, the whole world is listening!

Fans will go crazy, the media will chase after us, and all the attention will come to us.

This exclusivity, this influence and attention—that's the value!

Gaio's words ignited the passion of both Pierre and René; it seemed like a project with a promising future.

However, René still asked, "It is indeed an exciting future, but I have a little concern: why don't others replicate our model? And are the players really willing to share this? They are used to letting their agents or press officers do the talking."

Gaio looked at René and said, “You asked a good question, but it’s easy to copy a website, but it’s impossible to copy trust.”

We are the first, and we will establish a reputation, a purity, like the crest of the top clubs, symbolizing 'only the true voices of the players are here'.

Think about it, why are some brands so valuable? Because they were the first to define a certain field.

We are the ones defining 'player authentic narratives' in the sports world.

As for the players, do you know the locker room as well as I do? Do you know the players as well?

Hahaha.

They both laughed. Yes, that was their biggest advantage!

With a top star like Gayao on the team, how could they possibly lack fame?
Gaio glanced at the time. "Okay, I have to train in an hour. That's all for now. I'll transfer the money to Pierre as soon as possible."

He looked at Pierre and said, "Let's put the transfer on hold for now. I need to think carefully about which team would be a better fit for me. Let's get back to work on the website."

After a pause, Gaio said, "I will be the first to post information about my transfer on this website. I will write the first letter."

"it is good!"

Pierre and René both nodded.

René continued, "So, what's the name of our website?"

Without hesitation, Gaio replied, "First-person perspective."

Pierre and René's eyes lit up when they heard the name. What a great name!

It fits the website's positioning perfectly.

After giving the two players some more instructions, Gaio rushed back to the Bastia training base. After resting for two days, the team was about to begin formal training.

Tomorrow night they will be playing Nice at home.

Although we are currently leading PSG by ten points in the league, the pressure is still immense, and the best outcome would be to keep winning.

During training.

During a conversation with De Bruyne, Gaio asked, "Would you be interested in writing a handwritten letter?"

De Bruyne frowned. "A handwritten letter?"

“Yes, just like I wrote in the newspaper back then, except now I’m posting it online,” Gaio explained.

De Bruyne pondered for a moment, "But I don't know what to write."

Gaio shrugged. "When you want to write it, come to me, and I'll publish it and give you the maximum payment."

De Bruyne smiled. "What? Did you sign a cooperation agreement with some media outlet? If that's what you requested, I don't need the money."

Gaião put his arm around De Bruyne and said, "Let's go, let's get back to training. Tomorrow night's game is at home again, we have to win!"

"Okay." The next day was a Ligue 1 match day.

The Cesarri Stadium, as always, remains the most vibrant and exciting area in all of Bastia.

The final result of this match matched the deepest desires of the Bastia fans.

They won!

In a 3-1 home victory against Nice, Gaio, who came on as a substitute in the second half, scored twice, helping the team secure the win.

Simultaneously,

He also scored his first ever 40th goal in a top-flight league!

When he scored his second goal, the entire Bastia crowd chanted his name.

This is a legendary statistic, this is a legendary name!

They all belong to Bastia!
Van Dijk's handball in the penalty area at the last moment, which resulted in a penalty, was not a major issue.

In a post-match interview, Hagi Begic shrugged and said, "I originally wanted to give Gaio a rest, but when we were unable to widen the score gap, he was eager to play. Gaio is a warrior at heart, a warrior who pursues victory."

Gaio's attempt to rest failed.

Finally, they got a full rest during the away game against Troyes at the end of the month.

Troyes are currently in the relegation zone, and their strength is far inferior to Bastia's.

With Gaião, De Bruyne, and Lukaku all rested, Bastia secured a 2-0 victory.

On the contrary, PSG suffered a shock defeat in the away game against Sochaux in the 26th round, losing 2-3!
This means that the gap between PSG and Bastia has now widened to 13 points!
After the loss widened the gap to a staggering 13 points, Ancelotti partly attributed the defeat to "the players being too tired; we played six games in February, with international breaks in between."

These words immediately caused a huge reaction on the island of Corsica!
Bastia media accurately dug up an "old story" from less than half a month ago—

[Is Ancelotti now complaining that "six games in February plus national team matches" led to fatigue and losses?]
So:

In the same grueling February, who rejected the reasonable request for postponement from an opponent who was also overwhelmed by the schedule?

Who was it that refused to postpone their game and was completely defeated by this "tired team" on their home turf in the same month?
And who is it that, after enjoying the "complete schedule", complains of being "too tired" when faced with a dense schedule?
When Paris refused to postpone the match, they touted it as a "professional response and a way to maintain their image." Now that they themselves are facing a packed schedule, they're resorting to the "fatigue-induced defeat" argument! This double standard is a perfect irony for Paris's inability to compete for the title!

Bastia, despite facing an even more extreme multi-front campaign and the strain of travel, including the Europa League, the league, and consecutive away games, managed to defeat Paris Saint-Germain without making excuses!

Now, Paris's only complaint about the 'six matches in February plus national team games' schedule has become a reason to lose to a relegation-threatened team?

This may not be a problem with the schedule, but rather a world of difference in the resilience and mentality of the teams!
The most direct manifestation of this difference in mentality is that insurmountable gap of 13 points!
The standings are silent, yet they tell a whole story.

The bitter fruit of refusing an extension has ultimately been rewarded in Paris's own points deficit.

In response to these reports, fans of other French teams, disgusted by Paris Saint-Germain's money-driven football, echoed these sentiments.

"Ancelotti complaining about six games in February? Hilarious! Look at Bastia's schedule in February: two crucial Europa League knockout matches plus an away game against your Paris! They also have six games, don't they? What did they say? They kicked you down! That's football! Not about checkbooks!"

"When Paris refused to postpone, they must have thought Bastia was a 'minor problem.' But look at them now! That 'minor problem' has become an insurmountable obstacle on their road to the title! There are still twelve rounds left, and they're 13 points behind! Hahaha, that's great!"

"Support Bastia! This is what French football should be like! Passion, unity, and never giving up! Not by poaching stars from other teams to build a 'super fleet' without a foundation! They can buy stars with money, but they can't buy a team with real cohesion and fighting spirit. Look at Bastia, look at their Gaio, Kanté, and Van Dijk, that's real football!"

Many media outlets have even compared Bastia to last season's Montpellier.

They said, "PSG's championship dream will always be shattered by a dark horse team that has never won the Ligue 1 title!"

but,

Faced with these comments, some people within Bastia may have become arrogant, but high-ranking officials like Haji Begic and Chatham are very realistic.

Who doesn't want to win the championship?
but--

"The pressure of competing on two fronts is like a Damocles' sword hanging over our heads. Every match in the Europa League is a tough battle, and every point in the league is crucial. Our squad depth is limited, that's a reality."

This means less room for rotation, greater strain on each player, and the ever-present threat of injury.

Every match from now on will be the ultimate test of our physical limits and mental resilience.

A slight misstep could cause a huge advantage to vanish in just a few rounds.

however,
I'm telling you this not to create panic, but to ignite the clarity and fighting spirit within us!

Throughout our journey, when have we not been looked down upon?

Which tough battle wasn't won under pressure? From Paris to London, from skepticism to amazement, what did we rely on?
It is the absolute desire for victory, the reward for everyone's all-out effort!

Chatham addressed the players ahead of preparations for their first match in March – the Corsican derby.

Haji Begitch chimed in, "Everyone needs to get plenty of rest. Your health is our guarantee to go all the way. There are only three months left. Whether we can make history depends on these last three months."

Gaio nodded repeatedly as he listened.

He is also very worried about the team's injury problems, mainly in the defense.

The pressure is really immense.

Fortunately, the current Corsican derby is no longer a real threat to Bastia.

Ajaccio has had a poor season and is on the verge of relegation.

Playing at home in Thesari, Hagi Bejic boldly launched a super rotation this time!

Only Gaio, De Bruyne, and Lukaku, the key players, were used in the game. These were the players who were rested in the previous game. The rest of the players were basically the main rotation players.

Thanks to Gaio's two solo runs in the first half, the team managed to win 2-1 at low cost, narrowly avoiding a close call.

After the game.

In an interview, Hagi Begic said, "I've failed before, so I know that sometimes failure happens when you feel like you're about to win. We're not thinking about the distant future right now; we're focused on every game."

"Now, we need to prepare for the match in Italy in three days."

(End of this chapter)