My Ultimate Gacha System

46' - 51' |

The referee's whistle cut through the Gewiss Stadium noise, sharp and clean, and Cremonese kicked off with the desperation of a team that had nothing left to lose.

Dessers tapped it back to Castagnetti, and immediately both wing-backs pushed fifteen yards higher up the pitch, their positioning aggressive for the first time all match because three-nil down meant tactical discipline could be abandoned in favor of hope, and Alvini had clearly told them to take risks in the dressing room.

Castagnetti's first pass went sideways to Pickel, who drove forward with the ball at his feet before launching it long toward Tsadjout, but Tolói read it perfectly and headed the clearance straight back down the middle with power that sent the ball sixty yards.

It dropped near the center circle where Demien was waiting.

Completely unmarked.

For the first time all match, no grey shirt within ten yards, and the space opened around him like someone had cleared a stage because Cremonese's aggressive push had left gaps they couldn't afford to leave, and Demien's first touch cushioned the ball dead before his head lifted to scan.

Commentary

"Second half underway, and Cremonese have pushed both wing-backs much higher. Risky approach when you're three-nil down, Marco."

"They have to gamble, Luca. If they sit deep again, Atalanta will just pick them apart for another forty-five minutes. At least this way they might create something going forward."

"But look at the space it's giving Walter in midfield—he's got all day on the ball here."

Demien turned smoothly, his body opening toward the left touchline, and he could see Zortea pushed high on Cremonese's right flank, at least twenty yards from where he should be defending, and the forty-yard diagonal pass left his right boot with perfect weight and trajectory.

The ball curved through the September air and dropped onto the left touchline near Atalanta's attacking third, and Zortea had to sprint back toward his own corner flag to prevent Mæhle from collecting it in dangerous space, his legs pumping desperately as he scrambled to recover.

48' |

Three touches later the pattern repeated.

Zortea's clearance went straight back to Atalanta, De Roon collecting it near halfway before playing it square to Demien who had dropped again to receive, and once more the space around him was ridiculous because Cremonese's midfield couldn't press without leaving their defense exposed and couldn't sit deep without allowing Atalanta complete freedom.

This time Demien's diagonal went right, forty-five yards with curve, and Lochoshvili had to scramble across from his center-back position to cover Hateboer's overlapping run down the right flank, the Georgian defender's positioning completely compromised by his team's desperate tactical shift.

Touchline

Gasperini watched with arms crossed and a satisfied expression, because this was exactly what he'd wanted—Cremonese forced to open up, leaving space that Atalanta could exploit at will, and his players were executing the game plan perfectly without him needing to shout instructions every thirty seconds.

49' |

Atalanta circulated possession in wide patient arcs, the ball moving from Tolói to Scalvini to Djimsiti before coming back through midfield to Demien, who touched it twice—once to control from De Roon, once to play it forward to Malinovskyi—both simple, both effective, both keeping Cremonese chasing shadows.

The Ukrainian winger tried to cut inside but Valeri made a good sliding tackle, the ball spinning out for an Atalanta throw that Hateboer collected quickly before recycling back to Scalvini.

The possession counter on the big screen climbed to eighty-one percent, and the match had the feel of a training exercise now, Atalanta in complete control while Cremonese ran and ran without ever getting close to the ball.

50' |

Mæhle overlapped down the left and whipped a low cross toward the near post, but Bianchetti read it well and cleared for a corner that Djimsiti headed wide, and the chance was gone but the pressure continued building because Atalanta were content to probe and probe until the inevitable breakthrough came.

51' |

Gasperini turned toward the bench and called out a name.

"LUIS! Get ready!"

Muriel stood immediately, pulling off his warm-up jacket and beginning his stretching routine, and the substitution board was already being prepared as the fourth official checked his boots and shin guards.

Højlund would come off, the young Danish striker having worked hard for sixty-five minutes and earned his rest, and Muriel's pace and movement would provide a different dimension for the final forty minutes.

52' |

The goal came from simplicity and precision.

Scalvini intercepted Pickel's attempted pass near halfway, the young defender's positioning perfect as he read the passing lane and stepped in front to collect the ball cleanly, and his first touch took him forward two yards before he played it wide to Hateboer on the right flank.

The Dutch wing-back's control was instant, one touch to steady before he knocked it first-time down the line with pace, and the ball flew thirty yards toward where Demien had drifted wide to the right touchline with his back to goal.

Meïté and Lochoshvili both slid in together, their tackles desperate and coordinated as they tried to sandwich Demien between them, but they'd committed too early and too hard, and what happened next was pure technique.

Demien dropped his shoulder once—subtle but effective—his body weight shifting left while his feet prepared to go right, and both defenders bit on the feint, their momentum carrying them toward where they thought he was going.

Then La Croqueta Chain (Epic) activated.

Left foot dragged the ball right, escaping Meïté's slide.

Right foot immediately dragged it back left, evading Lochoshvili's outstretched leg.

Left foot again, a third touch that took him completely clear as both defenders went to ground with nothing but grass to show for their efforts.

The space opened ahead, five yards of freedom before Vásquez could close, and Demien took one touch inside with his right foot to steady himself, his body angling toward the six-yard box where he could see Muriel's run developing.

Second touch—low driven cross with the inside of his right boot, whipped across the six-yard box with pace and precision, the ball staying eighteen inches off the ground as it flew through the corridor between goalkeeper and defenders.

Muriel had started his run from the penalty spot, his timing perfect as he read Demien's body shape before the cross was even struck, and he stuck out his right foot to redirect it past Carnesecchi at the near post, the contact minimal but the placement clinical.

4-0.

Demien's POV

「Assist #3 registered | Post-match rewards enhanced」

「Current match involvements: 1 goal, 3 assists」

「Match rating projection: 9.4」

The panel appeared for one second and vanished.

Commentary

"SCALVINI INTERCEPTS... HATEBOER DOWN THE LINE... WALTER WITH TWO DEFENDERS ON HIM—LA CROQUETA! BOTH GO TO GROUND! CROSS COMES IN—MURIEL! FOUR-NIL ATALANTA!"

"THAT'S RIDICULOUS SKILL FROM WALTER! The La Croqueta to beat both defenders, Marco—left, right, left—they had no chance! And the cross was inch-perfect for Muriel's run. This kid is putting on an absolute clinic!"

Curva Nord

The celebration was somehow both massive and relaxed, twenty-three thousand people rising to applaud rather than explode because four-nil felt inevitable, felt deserved, felt like watching an exhibition rather than a competitive match, and the chant that rose was appreciative rather than frenzied.

"OLÉ! OLÉ-OLÉ-OLÉ!"

Scattered voices, not unified yet, but building slowly as the reality of the scoreline settled in—this was dominance, this was a statement, this was Atalanta at their absolute best.

Muriel sprinted toward the corner flag with both arms raised, his celebration understated because he'd only been on the pitch for ninety seconds, and Demien jogged after him with Hateboer beside him, both players clapping once before the Colombian striker pulled them into a quick embrace.

When they separated, Muriel pointed at Demien with both hands—that pass—and Demien just shrugged with a small smile before jogging back toward his position because the match was won and there was no need for elaborate celebrations.

Touchline

Gasperini's expression never changed, his arms still crossed as he watched the goal with the detachment of someone who'd seen this pattern a thousand times, and when his assistant turned to him with raised eyebrows, the manager just nodded once.

"Walter's in complete control," the assistant said quietly. "Should we consider taking him off? Save his legs?"

"Soon," Gasperini replied.

53' - 64' |

The next twelve minutes passed in a haze of Atalanta possession, the ball circulating in patterns so familiar they looked choreographed, and Cremonese barely touched it as their players' legs grew heavier and their defensive shape collapsed further with each passing minute.

Fifty-fifth minute: Demien received from De Roon and immediately switched play to Mæhle on the left, the forty-yard pass dropping perfectly onto the Danish wing-back's foot, and Mæhle crossed toward Muriel but Bianchetti headed clear.

Sixty-first minute: Lookman received on the left wing and beat Zortea with a sharp turn before crossing low, but Vásquez slid in to clear before Muriel could connect, the ball spinning out for a corner that Djimsiti headed wide again.

Commentary

"Atalanta in complete cruise control here, Luca. Sixty-three percent possession, and Cremonese look absolutely exhausted. This could have been six or seven by now."

"It's men against boys, Marco. Every time Cremonese win the ball back, they just hoof it forward and hope, and Atalanta's defenders are winning every duel. Walter's barely broken a sweat—he's dictating the tempo exactly how he wants it."

64' |

The fourth official raised his board near the touchline, showing number 44 coming off and number 88 coming on, and Koopmeiners saw it immediately and began jogging toward the sideline.

65' | First Substitution

Gasperini waved Koopmeiners off with one hand, and the Dutchman raised his arm to acknowledge the applause from the Gewiss Stadium as he jogged toward the touchline, his work done for the day with one assist and a solid defensive performance that had kept Cremonese quiet.

Pasalic jogged on wearing fresh legs and eager energy, and he slotted straight into the double pivot beside De Roon, his positioning natural as he'd played there dozens of times before.

Commentary

"First change for Atalanta—Koopmeiners off, Pasalic on. Sensible rotation from Gasperini with the match already won. Interesting that Walter stays on the pitch though."

"Perhaps they want him to get the full ninety, build his match fitness. He's only eighteen, still developing physically, and these kinds of matches where you can control the tempo are perfect for building endurance without excessive stress."

Demien fist-bumped Pasalic as the Croatian midfielder jogged past, no words exchanged because none were needed, and he reset his position in the center circle while Cremonese prepared to restart.

The mission objectives were long since completed, the match was won, and now it was just about seeing out the final twenty-five minutes without incident.

66' - 69' |

Sixty-seventh minute: Demien received from Pasalic near the center circle, his first touch cushioning the ball as he scanned forward, and he could see Hateboer making an overlapping run down the right flank while Lookman was checking back toward the ball on the left.

He chose the simpler option because forcing passes when four-nil up made no tactical sense, playing it immediately to Hateboer with his right foot, the pass firm and accurate across fifteen yards.

The Dutch wing-back continued his forward momentum without breaking stride, driving toward the byline before whipping a cross toward the near post, but Bianchetti read it well and headed clear for a corner.

Djimsiti attacked the delivery but his header sailed wide of the far post, and the chance was gone.

70' | Second Substitution

The board went up again—number 11 off, number 7 on—and Lookman saw it immediately.

Gasperini waved him toward the sideline, and the Nigerian winger jogged off to massive applause from the Gewiss Stadium, his two assists and overall performance earning recognition from home support who appreciated quality when they saw it.

Boga jogged on to replace him, slotting into the left wing position with fresh legs and the kind of pace that could hurt tired defenders in the final twenty minutes.

Touchline

Gasperini turned toward the bench and called out.

"ALEKSEY! Start warming up!"

Miranchuk stood immediately, pulling off his jacket and beginning his stretching routine along the touchline, and the fourth official was already preparing the substitution board for when the manager decided the time was right.