Master Tutoring Class

Chapter 274 Second Half of the Season
As the saying goes, dumplings before boarding and noodles upon disembarking.

Early in the morning, Aunt Yang Lijuan made dumplings for Wei Lai.

Today marks Wei Lai's return to the Netherlands. He has been in the town of Dworsham for almost three weeks and it's time for him to go back and prepare for the second half of the season.

"I've left my luggage at the door!"

He Chaoyue took Wei Lai's suitcase down and placed it at the door so she could carry it out later.

The steaming dumplings were ready. Aunt Yang Lijuan specially made dumplings with three kinds of seafood filling for Wei Lai. One bite, and the taste of shrimp mixed with soy sauce and vinegar gave him a feeling of returning to his hometown.

"It's delicious!"

Wei Lai smiled and praised.

"Eat more!" Aunt Yang Lijuan smiled and pushed the dumplings toward Wei Lai.

He Feng said, "I'll take you there in a bit, you don't need to take the train!"

Transportation to the town of Dusang is still inconvenient; there is only one direct train a day, and it runs in the afternoon.

"Thank you for your help, Uncle!"

Wei Lai nodded.

He Feng looked at Wei Lai; "The second half of the Europa League season is going to be tough, right?"

Wei Lai nodded and stuffed a dumpling into his mouth.

"The overall quality will definitely rise. The knockout stage is almost entirely composed of teams from the top five leagues, and even some powerhouses, so the difficulty will likely increase significantly."

"Another issue is the lack of depth on the bench. With the league, the Europa League, and the Dutch Cup all competing, if we don't make choices, we may face a collapse on all three fronts."

Wei Lai stuffed another dumpling into his mouth.

"Therefore, the second half of the season will be very difficult, not only in terms of performance, but also in terms of maintaining physical fitness and form!"

He Feng nodded: "A protracted war on multiple fronts! You don't have any backup plans?"

Wei Lai grinned.

Atletico Amsterdam doesn't have a backup lineup; they practically rely on one team to win every game. Once they make a name for themselves, they sell them all at once, and then the cycle begins anew.

"Without a backup lineup, we can only rely on our main lineup to carry the team in crucial matches. If things go smoothly in the Europa League, we might give up the Dutch Cup and focus on the league and the Europa League, but it depends on the specific circumstances."

Wei Lai has enough physical reserves, and he feels he can still hold on.

At least for now, it doesn't feel too weak.

But Mussar, Felix, and Kakabania clearly started to feel the strain around Christmas.

In the second half of the season, they will most likely rotate their players to ensure they get playing time in key matches.

Of course, Wei Lai may also be one of those who will be rotated out.

After all, Coach Morton didn't dare to use Wei Lai too heavily.

Young people can easily ruin their training if they encounter too much pressure!

Atletico Amsterdam's main strength currently lies with its core players such as Konrad Lechmann, Dennis Zilburne, Reyesa, and Robinson.

Wei Lai is too young, and Musar is too old.

We can't possibly use them like donkeys!
After dinner, He Feng drove Wei Lai to the airport.

He Chaoyue did not see him off; he wanted to stay and continue training to prepare for the second half of the season.

He Feng is a man of few words, which is almost exactly the same as He Chaoyue's personality.

Throughout the journey, Wei Lai would occasionally strike up a conversation, while He Feng rarely took the initiative to speak.

At 10:00 AM, Wei Lai arrived at Valencia Airport.

"Thank you uncle!"

Wei Lai bowed politely to express his gratitude.

During this period of care and overnight stay, Wei Lai ate and slept well, all thanks to the care of He Feng and his wife.

He Feng took a stack of lunch boxes out of the trunk.

"My wife prepared stewed potatoes; just stuff them into the suitcase for checked baggage!"

The food container is wrapped tightly, so there will be no leakage problem.

Wei Lai thanked Aunt Yang Lijuan again before waving goodbye to He Feng and leaving.

Watching Wei Lai's departing figure, He Feng sighed and remarked with emotion;

"so good!"

Once upon a time, he too harbored dreams and raced across the green field.

However, those damn injuries ruined everything.

"Please don't get hurt!" He Feng murmured, and only after he could no longer see Wei Lai's back did he turn around and drive away.

Wei completed the luggage check-in and went through security with his passport.

The timing was perfect; by the time he arrived, almost all the passengers had already boarded the plane.

Wei Lai quickly ran over and entered the cabin through the connecting corridor.

Mendy booked the ticket for him; it was an economy class ticket, but Mendy used Roy's brokerage firm's gold card to help Wei upgrade to a higher class.

Therefore, he can travel in first class on this trip.

The first class cabin is located at the very front of the plane, with a total of eight seats, arranged in pairs.

Since it wasn't a long-haul international flight, the first-class cabin wasn't particularly luxurious.

"Sir, this is your seat!"

Wei Lai had a window seat. Guided by the flight attendant, Wei Lai patted the passenger sitting near the aisle.

Well.
The other person grunted, their face obscured by a baseball cap, as if they had just woken up.

When the other person took off the baseball cap, Wei Lai raised an eyebrow slightly.

Wow! What a coincidence!

Alonso was also somewhat stunned.

"It's like a persistent ghost!"

Wei Lai successfully sat down in his seat and turned to look at Alonso.

"Shouldn't you be going to Eindhoven? Why are you taking a flight to Amsterdam?"

Alonso remained silent.

Wei Lai: "Hey! You wouldn't be so petty, would you? It's just an amateur match we lost!"

Alonso turned his head and glared.

"For you, it's an amateur competition; for me, it's an honor for my hometown!"

Wei Lai blinked: "Okay, then should I apologize? Apologize for winning?"

Alonso pursed his lips; "Has anyone ever told you that you're really annoying?"

Wei Lai shrugged: "I'm quite popular!"

Alonso sneered, "Bullshit!"

Swish!
A tissue was handed over, and the flight attendant gave Wei Lai a flirtatious look.

"Wei, could you sign this for me?"

Wei Lai took the tissue and gave Alonso a big smile.

"Thank you!"

The flight attendant took out one of the papers, but left the paper underneath in Wei Lai's hand.

Wei Lai looked down and saw a string of numbers written on it.

When he looked up again, the flight attendant winked at him and made a phone call gesture.

'Call me!'

Wei Lai paused for a moment, then suddenly turned to Alonso and handed him the paper.

"Do you want it?"

"roll!"

"Actually, we are quite destined to meet. Do you know what destiny is? It's that feeling of fate intertwined."

“When I went to Spain to play in youth training matches, I saw the news that you were playing for Valencia, which is a La Liga powerhouse! And you were only 17 years old at the time, which is unbelievable!”

Wei Lai chattered on and on.

But Alonso's expression grew increasingly gloomy.

"Now, they don't need me anymore!"

Wei glanced at Alonso: "Actually, you've trapped yourself. I understand your determination to return to Valencia, but you're a PSV Eindhoven player now. Even on loan, you're still wearing the PSV Eindhoven jersey. Have you really tried to integrate into the team?"

Alonso turned his head and frowned, "What exactly are you trying to say?"

pat!

Wei Lai capped his pen, turned his head and laughed, "Alright, that's enough!"

He reclined his chair, put on his headphones, and closed his eyes to rest, completely unlike his previous talkative self.

Alonso felt something was off, until he looked down.

He saw a name written on the white brand tag on his golf bag.

【Wei.L】!
Alonso: "Such a petty jerk!"

Arriving in Amsterdam in the afternoon, Alonso left without looking back.

Wei Lai arrived at the roundabout and collected his luggage.

When he walked out of the airport, Mendy was already waiting at the exit.

"You came out quite early."

Wei Lai shrugged: "The luggage came out quickly!"

Mendy led Wei Lai to the villa by car.

Wei Lai dialed Wohein's number from inside the car.

"Time to get to work. I need you guys to design a training program to boost my physical abilities in half a month!"

During his nearly two-week stay in Dusang, Wei Lai not only trained but also expended a great deal of energy.

With the team about to enter the winter break for pre-season training, Wei Lai's private coaching team naturally needs to work.

Upon arriving at the villa, Wei Lai heard a series of muffled thumping sounds.

Upon entering the courtyard, he saw Diego Ruma training intensely, sweating profusely.

"You're back?"

Diego Ruma wiped the sweat from his brow and looked at Wei Lai, asking, "Want me to pass you the ball later?"

Wei Lai shook his head; "I need to go to the sports center."

Since Wei Lai didn't have the necessary testing equipment at home, he needed to go to the sports center for a retest. Those devices were incredibly expensive, and could only be used twice a year, so Wei Lai felt it wasn't worth it and didn't buy them.

Perhaps he'll consider buying it when he earns more.

In the afternoon, Wei Lai arrived at the sports center on his electric scooter.

Wohein's team helped Wei Lai conduct a detailed examination.

"My body fat has increased significantly!"

"No need for testing," Wohein said, gripping Wei Lai's soft waist and abdomen, frowning. "How much high-calorie food have you eaten?"

Wei Lai was a little embarrassed; he did look like he had gained weight.

But the main problem is that I just can't resist the cravings. Every time I say it's the last meal, there's always another one.

"Your diet needs to be adjusted; let's start strength training tomorrow!"

Wei Lai: "I do strength training."

In Dusang, Wei Lai pushes his broken cart several times a day.

"not enough!"

Wohin shook his head.

Based on his experience, Wei Lai needs to undergo a week of quantitative strength training, combined with a proper diet and appropriate aerobic exercise, to first reduce body fat, and then engage in cardio training.

“Two weeks isn’t enough!” Wohen shook his head; “It will take at least three weeks!”

Wei Lai grinned; "Three weeks! The league has already started!"

"That's the consequence of gluttony!" Wohyn said.

Wei Lai shook his head helplessly, but now he could only accept it and throw himself into training.

Three days later, Atlético Amsterdam issued a call to action.

After the first team assembled, the coaching staff required all players to undergo physical examinations.

A series of tests took up almost the entire morning, and physical training was conducted in the afternoon.

The next day, the coaching staff stood at the front. Their expressions were all calm, but the calmer they were, the more unsettling it became.

Wei Lai, in particular, looked at the coaching staff with some trepidation.

"Those whose names are called, please step forward!"

Pechamp's voice was like the echo of death, and the paper contained a 'death list'.

"Shutak!"

Starting center-back Shutak took a step forward with a dejected look on his face.

"Roland!"

Substitute left-back Rolande also stepped forward, his expression mirroring that of the former.

"Deco!"

"Hasto!"

"Robinson!"

Wei Lai's heart pounded, afraid of his own name being called.

He quietly raised his head, and Pei Shang turned to look at Wei Lai, who immediately lowered his head, narrowly avoiding the other's gaze.

Pessan glared at him fiercely.

Snapped!
Peschan closed the list and said coldly:

"The above five players will begin individual training this afternoon until their physical indicators return to their previous values. Otherwise, they will not be able to train with their other first-team teammates!"

Pessan pulled out a cardboard box from the side and took out an oxygen barrier mask.

"How much did you eat? How much did you drink?" Pessan demanded fiercely, "Spit it all out!"

He suddenly turned his head and glared fiercely at Wei Lai.

“There are also a few players who barely passed the physical test, but their scores dropped significantly. You were lucky this time, barely making the passing mark.”

Wei Lai lowered his head, staring at his toes, his toes constantly tapping inside his sneakers.

"Don't let me catch you!"

puff!
Conrad Lehmann, who was standing to the side, couldn't hold back any longer. He suddenly turned his head and his shoulder twitched in pain.

"Don't laugh!"

Wei Lai whispered, "Is he still watching me?"

Felix couldn't help but chuckle; "Don't look up, if you make eye contact, you're finished!"

Finally, Pei Shang led the five unlucky guys away, and Wei Lai breathed a long sigh of relief.

"That was terrifying!"

Lehman walked over and asked curiously, "What did you do during your vacation?"

"Eat!" Wei Lailie grinned; "But I trained too, I just ate a bit too much!"

“It’s okay!” Felix smiled and patted Wei Lai on the shoulder. “It’s not a bad habit. In fact, professional players all have their own ways of relieving stress. You’re just eating. Compared to other people’s habits, this is much better.”

Wei Lai sniffed.

I'm just craving it!
clap clap!

Mr. Morton clapped his hands: "Alright, let's begin tactical training, starting with set pieces!"

In yesterday's tactical lesson, Mr. Morton specifically emphasized set-piece and corner kick tactics.

Although Atlético Amsterdam has some set-piece tactics, they are not sharp enough, and the coaching staff plans to strengthen them.

Currently, Amsterdam's overall height is quite good.

Felix, 188 cm tall!

Konrad Lehmann, 181 cm tall!

Reyesa, 184 cm tall!

Kakabania, 191 cm tall!

Felix, Reyessa, and Caccabanja are the main contenders for the header.

The rest of the people were responsible for only one task.

'Attack the goalkeeper!'
Wei Lai carried the ball to the left corner flag, where his teammates were already in position.

Wei Lai needs to take a corner kick with inward spin, and the ball needs to land precisely at the far post.

At this point, teammates will rush into the penalty area to disrupt and attack the goalkeeper as much as possible. Meanwhile, one or two players will be left at the far post to head the ball into the central chaos area, where teammates in the middle will then head the ball towards the goal.

The general tactics are simple, but there are many details involved.

For example, according to Wei Lai's judgment, he would choose three landing points: front, middle, and back, to carry out different tactical positioning.

But the core concept remains the same: attack the goalkeeper!
Wei Lai raised his left hand.

This means "after the point"!
The teammates understood immediately.

boom!
A high-quality corner kick was taken, the ball high and floaty, and the teammates rushed into the penalty area, causing them to fall flat on their faces.

At the far post, Robinson leaped and headed the ball back into the penalty area.

But the defending team cleared the ball first.

"Wei! Don't aim for too wide an arc; keep the ball as close to the goal as possible!"

"After everyone else judges the landing point, they should immediately create space to give their teammates a favorable heading opportunity," said Mr. Morton in a loud voice. "Let's do it again!"

boom! boom! boom!
Wei Lai kept taking free throws, and his teammates kept attacking and contesting.

With each round of pressure, it became clear that the defending side was struggling and feeling uncomfortable.

In particular, goalkeeper Rutte was completely unable to make a judgment.

Despite his teammates' best efforts to create space for him, he still found himself in a chaotic mess.

boom!
This time, Reyesa won the header at the far post and gently headed the ball towards the center.

Felix took a step forward, leaned forward, and used his waist and abdomen to smash his head down.

The ball hit his forehead, slammed heavily to the ground, and bounced into the net.

"Pretty!"

Old Mr. Morton clapped his hands; "Again!"

Wei Lai switched sides and continued to lob the ball towards the penalty area.

As the ball lands at different points, the offensive players' movements also change.

Sometimes it's a shot from the near post!

Sometimes it's like a sudden, unexpected turn of events in the middle of the road!

Sometimes it's a header at the far post that hits the opposite corner!
The variations are numerous, and different offensive methods are chosen depending on the situation.

All of this depends on Wei Lai's precise crossing technique.

"Alright, that concludes today's tactical training. The strength and conditioning coach will lead you in stretching in a bit." Old Master Morton turned to Wei Lai; "Wei!"

Wei Lai: "Sir?"

Old Master Morton stared at Wei Lai without saying a word.

Morton: "."

Wei Lai: "I'll go check out the court next door!"

Wei Lai 'voluntarily' joined Peshang's individual training sessions.

The entire recovery training period lasted a little over two weeks, and no warm-up matches were scheduled during that time.

The 2027/2028 Eredivisie season will resume on January 13th.

Round 17, Deventer Eagles vs. Atlético Amsterdam.

Atlético Amsterdam remained unbeaten throughout the first half of the season, in the league, the Europa League, and the Dutch Cup.

This should have been big news, renowned throughout Europe.

However, another, even more ferocious team unleashed a red frenzy.

In 20 rounds of the Premier League, Liverpool, the Merseyside Reds, achieved a record of 15 wins, 5 losses, and 0 losses.

They advanced to the next round of the Champions League group stage with a perfect record of six wins!

They won the first round of the FA Cup and advanced.

EFL Cup final with four wins out of four!
In just half a season, they achieved an unbeaten record of 31 rounds, a terrifying performance that has caused a sensation throughout Europe.

Dutch maverick Eric van Garner even boasted that he would take over all of Europe. This maverick is always so arrogant and always provides the media with all sorts of material.

But compared to its flamboyant personality, its tactical system is as rigorous as a machine!
In half a season, they scored 49 goals and conceded 11.

With a near 5:1 ratio of terror, a bloodthirsty red wave is being created, a wave that is fiercely sweeping across Europe, engulfing everything and laying the foundation for the throne!
(End of this chapter)