The road to godhood starting from Ligue 1

Chapter 303 Yet another Chelsea disappointment

Reporters had varying interpretations of Ancelotti's remarks.

Some people thought he was right.

Some people think he might be implying something.
Others think it's simply because he's never played before, and he shouldn't be making excuses.

And the other side.

After the match, Hagi Bejic said, "Yes, we lost the league 1-2, which was expected."

We made a large-scale rotation, giving all the key players who had just returned from high-intensity matches with the national team, including Gaião, De Bruyne, and Kante, a rest.

This decision is based on player health, especially protecting key players like Gai, and is a necessary one to cope with the tight schedule.

Although we lost, the standings are still in control; we remain 11 points ahead of Paris.

Considering that Paris also failed to win this round, this result is acceptable.

With eight rounds remaining in the league, the 11-point lead provides crucial room for adjustment.

Resting key players is to avoid the risk of injury and ensure they are in top form for the most crucial stretch of the season – whether it's the league title race or the upcoming Europa League quarter-final against Basel.

At the same time, this also provides valuable practical opportunities for young players and substitutes.

Players like Vançon and Klose got valuable experience today; our goal came from Klose's assist. This experience is crucial for the team's long-term development.

Later, a reporter also mentioned Ancelotti's "Champions League priority" theory, arguing that the Champions League has more prestige.

Haji Begichi shrugged and replied.

“I understand Ancelotti’s decision to focus on the Champions League. Paris has top-notch squad depth and can pursue the highest honors on multiple fronts. But Bastia’s resource allocation and strategic focus are different.”

Winning the Ligue 1 title is of irreplaceable historical significance for our club, our fans, and the entire island of Corsica!

This is our primary goal.

Meanwhile, the Europa League is also an important battleground, and we will go all out against Basel next week.

Our strategy is clear: while ensuring our lead in the league, we will go all out to qualify for the Europa League!

Today's rotation was based on this principle – to give key players, especially Gaião, a break after a busy schedule, so they can be in top form for the crucial Europa League match and the league push.

Our initial 12-point lead gave us the confidence to implement a rotation system.

After tonight, 11 points is still a huge advantage, but the league is not over yet, and the Europa League knockout stage is even tougher.

We will not let our guard down.

In every upcoming match, whether it's the league or the Europa League, we will make the most advantageous overall strategy based on the opponents and the players' form, striving to go further in both competitions.

Our key players, especially Gaião, will be back in top form after a rest. We are confident that with the team's focus, wisdom, and hard work, we can make history – bring the Ligue 1 title back to Corsica and go even further in the Europa League!
Paris can focus on the Champions League.

And Bastia, under Gaio's leadership, is making history with every step forward!

There's absolutely nothing wrong with what Haji Begitch said.

In private, he complained to the players that being a coach nowadays requires excellent oratory skills, otherwise you simply can't handle the media's barrage of questions, and you don't know how they will take things out of context.

When talking about these things, Hagi Begic couldn't help but reminisce about the days when he simply needed to play football.

only,
In that era, there was no income like we have now.

Gaio ignored the outside disturbances.

It's now April, and the season is nearing its end.

Eight rounds of league matches.

If you include the final, there are still 5 rounds of matches left in the Europa League.

Gaio is intensifying his training.

During his extra training session, he also checked his current attributes—

Jan Gaio, November 29, 1994

Age: 18
Height: 184cm Weight: 73kg
盘带（+1）：90（95）；传球：82（85）

射门（+1）：86（88）；头球：44（63）

速度（+1）：75（76）；力量：74（77）

弹跳：60（72）；体能（+1）：83（85）

Defense: 33 (40); Steals: 25 (33)

柔韧（+1）：69（70）；球感：91（95）

Hidden attributes:
Injuries: 65

All attributes have changed to some extent. In terms of offense, the main improvements are in dribbling, shooting, passing, speed, and strength.

All attributes increased slightly.

However, it's getting slower and slower.

To Gaio's surprise, his ball control also improved, which he guessed was due to the enhanced attributes.

Perception of the goal.

It can probably be considered a branch of ball control – after all, you know where to kick the ball.

Or, to put it another way, a sense of space.

The hidden attribute, Injury, has also increased slightly. Gaio cannot directly improve this attribute; he can only slightly boost it through other attributes.

Gaio took a closer look at the speed, which was currently nearing its maximum.

However, he needs to wait until he has enough winning points to open the chests before checking how many winning points he has left and then increasing his speed limit.

He gained a little weight because he built muscle by strengthening his leg muscles and increasing his core strength during bursts of speed training.

but,

Gaio is very restrained in his muscle gain.

Because once it truly transforms into a power-type wing tank, its agility, flexibility, and speed will all be greatly reduced.

For him, this was a losing proposition.

Are there players with explosive physical strength, amazing dribbling and speed?

Have.

Ronaldinho.

But Ronaldinho is a naturally gifted player, so Gaio can only steadily improve and take it slow.

At the Bastia training base, the Mediterranean waves crash against the shore day after day.

Time slips away unnoticed.

Bastia will host Basel in the first leg of their match.

There's been a lot of news in European football these past few days.

The Champions League consistently ranks among the top in terms of viewership.

Bayern Munich defeated Juventus 2-0 at home, while Real Madrid beat Galatasaray 3-0.

Malaga, the dark horse of La Liga, led by Isco, held Klopp's youthful Borussia Dortmund to a 0-0 draw at home, with Lewandowski missing several good chances.

However, the last match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona was a very exciting one.

It was a real treat for the fans.

Paris Saint-Germain drew 2-2 with Barcelona at home.

Ibrahimovic and Matuidi scored, while Messi opened the scoring on the other side, and Xavi converted a penalty.

The suspense between the two sides will be left for the next round.

In France, the media has been quite critical of Ancelotti's failure to defeat Barcelona at home.

This is especially true when combined with Ancelotti's previous comments about the "value of the Champions League".

Many Paris Saint-Germain fans are worried that the team will once again end the season empty-handed.

Amidst these news reports and various commentaries on the Champions League, several French media outlets suddenly began discussing the Ballon d'Or.

Let's take a closer look at Gaio's statistics across various competitions.

10 goals and 2 assists in World Cup qualifiers;
46 goals and 17 assists in Ligue 1;
15 goals and 1 assist in the Europa League.
Both at the club and national team levels, they have demonstrated extremely consistent attacking statistics.

of course.

If we say that Gaio is a top-tier genius and an absolute future superstar, perhaps no one would disagree.

However, when he was linked to this year's Golden Globe Awards, it still drew some criticism.

The biggest problem is that Gaio doesn't have any outstanding honors.

How much is the French Ligue 1 title worth?

No matter how many goals are scored in Ligue 1, it still feels like nothing special.

but,

Despite the many criticisms, the connection between Gaio and the Golden Globe, two originally parallel concepts, is undeniable.

When people start to consider whether Gaio deserves the Golden Globe Award.

The purpose of these news reports has already been achieved.

Before Bastia prepared for their match against Basel, Gaio overheard his teammates discussing these newspapers.

He just smiled and said, "It's still early."

He knew perfectly well that this was just a publicity stunt.

To promote French football.

France needs a leader right now, so both French football legends like Zidane and the French media are willing to "add fuel to the fire."

That's it.

If Gaio really wants to win the Ballon d'Or, he needs at least a major tournament title as a foundation.

Many fans share this view.

Some Bastia fans are even fantasizing that if Gaio could stay at Bastia, they might be able to compete for the Champions League.

However, such comments were naturally refuted by real fans.

Bastia has no money.

Before the game.

Basel's current head coach, Murat Jakin, said, "Basel's goal has always been the Europa League title, and we hope to make history for Basel."

Basel has never won any European competition honors in its history.

in addition,

Yakin was also asked by reporters about his views on UEFA's upcoming reforms to the Europa League.

According to The Sun, UEFA is preparing to implement a new policy: the Europa League winners and runners-up could directly qualify for the Champions League.

In recent years, the Europa League has been unpopular with top European teams, and UEFA President Platini hopes to increase its influence.

According to The Sun, a new policy is being proposed within UEFA that would allow the Europa League winners and runners-up to directly qualify for the next season's Champions League. For example, if two of Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Newcastle United reach the final this season, the Premier League would receive five Champions League spots in the following season, plus the top three teams from the Premier League.

However, this does not include the fourth-placed team in the Premier League. If they can advance to the Champions League group stage through the play-offs, it means that the Premier League could potentially have a maximum of six spots in the Champions League group stage.

Of course, all of this is contingent on UEFA's new policy being approved.

The report also revealed that under the new policy, even the top three teams in the Premier League will not be eligible to directly participate in the group stage.

The new policy is still in the proposal stage. If it is to be implemented, Platini will have to face pressure from leagues in smaller countries, because if so, the Champions League journey for smaller teams will inevitably become more difficult.

Meanwhile, major European leagues are also concerned about this new policy, as it would devalue high rankings and positions within their own leagues.

Basel will be affected by such reforms.

However, Yakin was very clever. "This is not my job. UEFA will evaluate it. All I can do is lead the team to victory, that's all."

At just 38 years old, Járkin is considered a legendary player for Basel and a regular member of the Swiss national team.

and,

Because of his good physique and handsome looks, he also works as a fashion model in his spare time and often appears on the runway.

As for the Basel team...

Like most European teams, a team's history becomes epic when it's long enough.

Basel's football story is equally dramatic.

After the initial glimmer of hope in 1893 and the decades-long wait before finally tasting the championship, the team ushered in its golden age in the 1960s and 70s, with seven league titles solidifying its dominant position at the time.

however,
The dark abyss of the 1980s came unexpectedly, and the pain of relegation in 1988 was unforgettable. It wasn't until 1994 that they won the second division championship and were promoted back to the national first division.

After two decades of stagnation, hope was rekindled by the brilliance of St. Jakob Park, which propelled the team to domestic dominance.

At the same time, they have become regulars in European competitions.

They also became the second Swiss team in history to participate in the Champions League group stage, advancing to the knockout stage multiple times.

but,

That's all it goes on to.

When Basel faced top European teams in the knockout stage, they were basically easy prey; there was no way around it, the gap in strength was quite obvious.

Especially last season.

They faced Bayern Munich in the Champions League Round of 16. As is well known, Germany, from the national team to the clubs, has never been one to back down.

then.

Basel thought they had a chance to advance after winning 2-0 against Bayern at home, but they were thrashed when they went to Bayern's home ground.

I was given seven doses!
Still a clean sheet.

Bayern Munich is still very enthusiastic, always treating people to 7 Up or Lafite.

This season, they failed to advance from the Champions League play-offs and were forced to enter the Europa League.

But the strength they have shown definitely places them in the top tier of the Europa League.

Many people think that Bastia drew a relatively weak team.

In fact, Basel also felt that they had drawn a relatively weaker opponent.

Fortunately, Haji Begitch remained relatively calm throughout.

When the draw results came out, I calmly told the players to take this opponent seriously.

Because Basel is really strong.

After taking over from interim coach Heiko Vogel in October 2012, Yakin led Basel from the Champions League qualifiers to the Europa League, eventually reaching the quarterfinals.

It was definitely not due to luck.

Gaião was well aware of this, after all, this Basel team had quite a few familiar faces.

4 month 4 number.

When the evening wind blew through the Cesarian stadium, it brought not coolness and tranquility tonight.

Instead, it was noisy and frenzied!
The stadium, with over 20,000 seats filled to capacity, was packed with Bastia fans who were cheering wildly, hoping that Bastia's Europa League campaign would go even further.

And firstly,
They must defeat the opponent before them.

8:45 PM.

The players from both sides waited in the players' tunnel, ready to enter the field.

Gaio saw a young, inexperienced Salah who hadn't yet grown his signature afro.

The future pharaoh was full of ambition at this time.

He glanced at De Bruyne, Lukaku, and himself, and couldn't help but sigh, "Another disappointment for Chelsea."

(End of this chapter)