The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 288 Roman is unhappy
Roman Abramovich was not sitting behind his enormous desk, a symbol of power.

He stood in front of the floor-to-ceiling window, his back to the door. His figure appeared somewhat thin in the hazy London light, yet he possessed a quiet, unsettling power.

Outside the window, the massive silhouette of Stamford Bridge stands silently under the clouds, the most striking emblem of his vast empire.

Ilion unconsciously slowed his steps as he walked to the center of the room.

This is no ordinary office; it is the true power center of Chelsea Football Club, a fortress built by capital, will, and near-dictatorial control.

Abu slowly turned around.

His movements were not fast, but they carried an undeniable composure.

Ilion had seen that face countless times, in the news, and in team meetings.

But never before have I been so close, in such a private and stressful environment.

Time has etched its marks on his face, but his eyes hold only unfathomable scrutiny and an indifference that seems to judge everything.

Ilion recalled the legends surrounding this Russian oligarch: the battles in the Siberian oil fields, the power struggles deep within the Kremlin, the yacht empire protected by a private army…

These distant stories, now frozen in the gaze of these eyes, become incredibly real.

At Chelsea, his will is the law.

Those once high-spirited and renowned coaches in the football world—Mourinho, Ancelotti, Di Matteo—their arrivals sparked jubilation, but their departures often resulted only in a cold dismissal notice.

Abramovich's likes and dislikes can instantly determine the fate of a world-class coach at Stamford Bridge.

There is no explanation, no reason needed, only the result.

"Roman is unhappy"—that statement alone is enough to send chills down the spine of any Blues employee.

The expensive signings of Shevchenko and Torres failed to meet expectations and were quickly labeled as "flops," either sideied or sold off. No matter how big a star they were, those who did not meet his "aesthetic" or were no longer needed were ruthlessly purged.

In his eyes, players are more like chess pieces on a chessboard, their value lying in whether their immediate combat effectiveness matches his strategic needs.

He can spend hundreds of millions of dollars on his favorite players, but he can also show chilling ruthlessness to veteran players.

Chelsea's rise is the most direct manifestation of Abramovich's personal will and the power of capital.

Every tree and blade of grass on Stamford Bridge bears the deep imprint of Roman Abramovich.

Here, no "tradition" can supersede his will.

"sit."

Abu gave a slight smile, but it didn't make him seem approachable.

Ilion sat in his chair, having already noticed that the Europa League was being broadcast live on the huge television screen in the corner of the office.

Bastia will host Inter Milan.

Illion realized almost instantly that this wasn't a question about youth training; it was clearly a question for Gaio.

Ilion felt a little uneasy.

There are many people at Chelsea pushing to re-sign Gaio, and some of these rumors were even spread by Ilion himself, which were then reported by the media and made to seem plausible.

So he was uneasy.

Who knows what Abu will think?

bang bang.

"Enter."

After Ilion, Granovskaya and Ron Gurley also entered the office.

They greeted Ilion.

at this time,

The TV camera happened to focus on the players' tunnel, lingering on Gaio the longest.

The English commentator on TV was saying, "They are phenomenal players. They defeated Tottenham in London and eventually eliminated them. In the first leg at the San Siro, they beat Inter Milan 3-1, with Gaio scoring a hat-trick. Before this match, Bastia made significant rotations in their weekend league game, allowing Gaio to rest fully. He remains Bastia's top striker in this match."

Abu remained silent.

Gourly and Granovskaia were still talking quietly about work, and Ilion, who was a little closer, could hear that it was probably about Torres' transfer.

On TV.

As the players entered the field, the commentators' voices were drowned out by the roar of the Bastia fans in the background.

The camera pans across.

A striking expanse of blue, with many banners faintly visible. Although the specific sentences are illegible, the name Gaio is clearly visible.

and,

As the opening ceremony proceeded, a giant tifo appeared in the Bastia's die-hard fans' stands.

Ilion appeared somewhat shocked.

The image above shows Gaio's back as he celebrates, with a blurred trophy pattern on the background.

Above Gaio's head, in his silhouette, is a crown, and below the entire tifo, in large Corsican script, are the words: "U TEMPEST INCULCA U SO NOME, A STORIA APPARTENE U NOSTRU R!"

The general meaning is: the storm has etched its name, and history belongs to our king!

The camera focused on this tifo for about twenty seconds.

Abu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke, his tone very calm, as if he were asking about something trivial.

"Albert, what do you think of Gaio?"

Ilion had already anticipated how he would answer if Abu asked him.

Is it about figuring out Abu's intentions, or about speaking one's true feelings?

He hesitated.

But at this moment, he became resolute. Without the slightest hesitation, Ilion replied, "Mr. Roman, my opinion of him has not changed. I strongly advocated bringing him to Chelsea because I valued his unparalleled talent."

Now, he is the true game-changer. In his two seasons at Bastia, he has transformed from a 'talented player' to a 'decisive game-changer'.

He not only possesses the absolute speed to tear apart defenses, but also demonstrates top-notch decision-making, passing vision, and finishing efficiency under pressure.

The fact that the French team gave him the number 10 jersey, and that Deschamps and Zidane publicly supported him, is the highest endorsement of his ability as a modern attacking core.

In the market, offensive core players of this caliber, who haven't yet reached the peak of their individual careers, are an extremely scarce resource.

Ilion had gone over these words in his mind many times before he blurted them out.

Abu's expression remained unchanged as he watched the television, listened to Ilion's words, and tapped his fingers lightly on the table.

Gurli and Granovskaya both stopped talking and started watching television.

Granovskaia went from being Abramovich's personal assistant in Russia to becoming one of Chelsea's key figures.

Granovskaia is now known as "No Sister" because her agent once commented that "if Marina says 'No,' then it means 'No.'"

No's biggest deal at Chelsea was probably in 2011, when she orchestrated the departure of then-rising Spanish striker Fernando Torres from Liverpool to Chelsea. Although the results of this signing don't seem entirely satisfactory now, it certainly caused quite a stir at the time.

but,

Granovskaya, who is known for her absolute authority in the outside world, becomes as docile as a lamb in front of Abramovich.

Abu made no comment on Ilyon's words.

He glanced at him, signaling him to continue. Without hesitation, Elion continued, "His value extends far beyond the court. Gaio's story could become a powerful marketing point; he's a hot topic with enormous commercial potential."

Signing him means more than just signing a top player; it means signing a super IP that can significantly enhance the club's global influence, commercial sponsorship appeal, and brand narrative depth.

Abu still hasn't made a statement.

Granovskaya added, "So you leaked some information to the media, hoping we would re-sign him?"

Her tone was gentle. In front of Abramovich, she was not the decisive and powerful woman in the football world, but just a personal assistant.

Ilion did not hide anything and immediately admitted, "I did express the club's continued attention to Gaio's talent and my satisfaction with his growth, which reflected some of the true sentiments in the media reports."

If this causes unnecessary speculation or confusion, I take responsibility for it.

But my starting point has always been based on my assessment of the club's long-term interests. A player like Gaio is a top asset with enormous potential, and he deserves your reassessment.

Ilion said, looking at Abu.

Abu continued what he was doing, and he made no comment, only waving his hand.

Gurley clearly had something else to do and didn't move.

Granovskaya then gestured to Ilion to follow her.

After leaving the office, Ilion felt the pressure suddenly disappear.

I feel really uncomfortable around Abu.

Granovskaya didn't say much, just shrugged and told Ilion, "Roman isn't happy about this. Well, you still have work to do in Belgium, watch the game tonight before you go."

Granovskaya finished speaking and left.

A decisive and efficient woman.

As her personal assistant, she took meticulous care of every aspect of Abu's life.

Even when Abu gives gifts to others, she picks them out and buys them from the street.

Ilion sighed softly as he walked through the passage.

He didn't really know Abramovich's attitude. If he wasn't interested in Gaio, he certainly wouldn't have called him over, much less watch Gaio's games.

But if he was interested, why didn't he show any interest?

They didn't even let him have another chance to get close to Gaio.

In fact.

Regarding Gaião's return to Chelsea, Ilion used to think that Chelsea didn't have a place for Gaião, but now at Chelsea, Gaião is fully capable of being a starter.

But the only obstacle is the past.

If Gai had only attacked his Russian teammate, that would have been fine, but the problem is that Gai also verbally abused Abramovich at the time.

A top tycoon with a net worth of tens of billions of euros, do they care about their reputation?

However, on the other hand, Gaio probably won't back down either. It's Chelsea that needs Gaio now, not the other way around.

trouble.

For the first time, Ilion realized that a player's transfer could be so complicated. He had originally planned to leak information through the media and try to pull some strings.

However, after being warned by Granovskaia, Ilion decided that he would not get involved in this matter.

Gaio is no longer the child who needed his help.

Thinking of this,

A smile appeared on Ilion's face. He had seen Gaio's talent years ago, and after many twists and turns, he finally saw the day when that talent would come true.

Ilion suddenly slapped his forehead and quickly ran back to his office.

The match in Bastia has already begun!

We can't delay any longer!

When Elion hurriedly returned to his office, turned on his computer, and started the live stream.

I glanced at the score.

relieved.

"Fortunately, I didn't miss the chance to score."

At this point, 18 minutes had passed in the match, and the score remained 0-0.

If the score remains the same, Inter Milan will be eliminated.

On the field.

After their attacks were repeatedly thwarted, Inter Milan continued to organize their offensive efforts and intensify their attacks.

They have nowhere to retreat.

Stramaccioni looked at the situation on the field with a furrowed brow. He just couldn't understand how the defense of this Ligue 1 team could be so strong.

Inter Milan can even beat Italian teams, so why is it so difficult for them against Bastia?
Haji Begichi, standing not far from him, also looked somewhat grave.

Because Inter Milan's attacking determination was very strong this time.

Hopefully, the defense can hold.

In addition,

Hagibejic focused more on the offensive end, understanding that Bastia's key to victory lay in their attack.

Only by exerting force on the offensive end can the pressure on the defensive end be relieved.

In the past 20 minutes, Bastia has only had three counter-attack opportunities.

None of them were able to win.

But the charm of the counter-attacking tactic lies in the fact that if you let me score even once, it will be a fatal blow!
The two sides remain deadlocked.

The Italian commentators couldn't help but worry for Inter Milan, saying, "Bastia's defense has been tested by Tottenham and PSG. Even Ibrahimovic didn't get much of an advantage against Bastia's young Van Dijk. I think both Cassano and Palacio might need to change their strategy. Instead of going for physical battles, they should try to move Bastia's defense around through movement."

"If Inter Milan wants to take advantage of Bastia's declining physical condition to launch a bigger attack, I think it's a bit unrealistic. Bastia rested all their key players in the last game, while Inter Milan lost to Bologna even with almost their full-strength lineup. The two sides' physical reserves are inherently different."

"In addition, Inter Milan also seems to have to be wary of Bastia's counter-attacks. If Bastia scores again, it will be devastating for Inter Milan."

Gaio looks like he hasn't touched a ball in ages, but I'm sure his hat-trick at the San Siro shouldn't be overlooked!

On the field.

Kovacic kept marking Gaio closely, whether Gaio had the ball or not, never leaving his side.

This also affected Inter's attack, as Kovacic is crucial in the midfield against Inter's offensive efforts.

This is Gaio's restraining power.

but,

The biggest difference between offensive and defensive players is that one is proactive, while the other is always passive.

24 minutes.

After being silent for more than twenty minutes, Gaio suddenly accelerated!
(End of this chapter)