Chapter 70: Vs PSG (1)
["Good morning, good afternoon, good evening. Wherever you are in the world, whatever time-zone you're operating with, welcome to a clash of two titans here in the French top division. The current champions going up against a side that have been on the better side of the history books. They're not as dominant as they were in the past but they are still a force to be reckoned with in the Ligue Un and a surge in form in their last few games gives this match one more reason to be a mouthwatering fixture. Live from the Parc de Princes, Paris Saint Germain versus AS Monaco"]
["And the starting lineups are in for the two sides. Paris Saint Germain look to be using the same lineup that they did last week, no changes to it, while Monaco after heavily rotating in the cup game against Paris FC have made several changes"] The co-commentator said.
["The two sides have already met earlier this year, in the finals of the Trophee des Champions. Ousmane Dembele with a ninety second minute winner to snatch the trophy and break the hearts of the Monaco fans and so many Monaco players. Now Monaco have a chance for revenge. Albeit it won't be an easy feat to accomplish"]
["It certainly won't be. Paris Saint Germain have been in devilish form since the new year rolled about. They've won their two games in Europe to narrowly send themselves into the playoff places in the Champions League where they will face another team in the Ligue Un this coming Wednesday, and they have been anything but kind to the teams that they've faced domestically. Monaco themselves are a testament to this with the loss that was mentioned earlier"]
[Team: Paris Saint Germain (PSG)]
[Formation: 4-3-3]
[Goalkeeper: Gianluigi Donarumma]
[Right Back: Achraf Hakimi]
[Center Back: Marquinhos]
[Center Back: Willaim Pacho]
[Left Back: Nuno Mendes]
[Central Midfielder: Fabian Ruiz]
[Central Mideiflder: Joao Neves]
[Central Midfielder: Vitinha]
[Right Winger: Desire Doue]
[Center Forward: Ousmane Dembele]
[Left Winger: Bradley Barcola]
[Team: AS Monaco]
[Formation: 4-4-1-1]
[Goalkeeper: Phillip Kohn]
[Right Back: Vanderson]
[Center Back: Mohammed Salisu]
[Center Back: Thilo Kehrer]
[Left Back: Carlos Henrique]
[Right Midfielder: Maghnes Akliouche]
[Defensive Midfielder: Dennis Zakaria]
[Defensive Midfielder: Lamine Camara]
[Left Midfielder: Eliesse Ben Seghir]
[Attacking Midfielder: Aleksandr Golovin]
[Striker: Folarin Balogun]
The commentators started talking as the two teams emerged from the tunnel and spread themselves across the field. The commentator's praise for either of the two teams seemed to heighten the tension in the air as the players shook the hands of each other then went to their side of the pitch to start the match.
Monaco couldn't have been dealt a worst hand, as their side of the pitch was in the end that had majority of the opposition's fans, and they weren't shy to let the players know their opinions of them.
"You're so fucking shite"
"You're so fucking shiiite"
"A-S Monaco, you're so fucking shite". The Paris Saint Germain fans started singing passionately as soon as the Monaco players walked over to their half.
The Monaco players knew better than to let themselves be affected by the singing of the crowd. They huddled and waited for their captain to return from the pre match formalities before having a small pre match talk and then spreading out to their respective positions.
Marquinhos won the coin toss between the two captains and opted for his team to start the game. Ousmane Dembele stood over the ball and waited for the referee's whistle, kicking the ball deep into his own half once it came.
["The referee's blown his whistle and we've kicked off, Paris Saint Germain versus AS Monaco, here we go"]
Paris Saint Germain started the match on the front foot, immediately abandoning any fancy possession concept and launched the ball over the top to the left flank where PSG's new signing, Kvicha Kvaratskhelia received the ball, bringing it under control with his first touch.
As soon as he brought the ball to ground, he started driving the ball relentlessly towards Vanderson. His body orientation shifted a couple of times as he teased cutting into the penalty box and going out wide to cross it into the box.
After a few moments of teasing, Kvaratskhelia took a sharp turn into the penalty box, causing Vanderson to follow his movement and leaving a lot of space out wide. Seeing this, Kvaratskhelia played a pass out wide to Nuno Mendes who was making an overlapping run outwide.
The pass didn't make it to the intended target though. Akliouche who was the starting right winger for the match made a slide tackle that intercepted the pass and then cleared it out of the danger area, causing a throwing for PSG deep in their half.
"Nice one man". Vanderson went over and clapped Akliouche on the shoulder. At that moment, he realized why Adi Hutter emphasized on protecting the width and using the wingers as extra defenders while using the center as an outlet. If he was left along, Kvaratskhelia was either going to shoot or he could've passed to Nuno Mendes who could've whipped a dangerous cross into the box or cause problems himself, everyone knew he was capable of that.
Nuno Mendes had to retreat to his team's defensive third to take the throwing and the match continued.
After that scare in the beginning of the match, PSG didn't get another opportunity to attack like they got when the match started.
Monaco sat back and defended like their lives depended on it, frustrating quite a lot of the players and fans present. For the players, they didn't like Monaco's cowardly approach and thought that they should've been brave even just a little bit and come out to press them instead of camping inside their penalty box.
For the fans, it was the fact that Monaco's low block approach made the match boring for them to watch. They were basically seeing the Paris Saint Germain players pass the ball around leisurely while looking for a way to carve an opening in Monaco's defense.
Eventually, the chance that PSG were looking for finally came. It started from Joao Neves. The young midfielder recieved the ball on the half turn and managed to manipulate it away from Folarin Balogun who applied a bit of pressure behind him.
After getting past the striker, he drove the ball forward freely, only passing it to the side to his midfield partner Vitinha once he was faced with Aleksandr Golovin. Vitinha continued advancing with the ball while scanning the field simultaneously, looking for a free passing lane. When he got close enough to Monaco's penalty box that he would be met by a double press from their midfield pivot, he slipped a through ball in behind to the right flank, where Desire Doue was waiting.
Desire Doue got the ball under control, taking it in his stride with his left foot before moving it over to his right foot. He started driving towards the inside, but gave up and passed back to Achraf Hakimi once he was faced with a Ben Seghir and Carlos Henrique double team.
As soon as the ball got to Hakimi, the double team rushed towards him, looking to dispossess him quickly and go on a counter, Monaco's main objective for the match.
Hakimi teased a cross, then instead of kicking the ball pushed it forward and passed it to Desire Doue who now had a bit of space on his hand since the two players double teaming him had rushed out to deal with Hakimi.
Doue got the ball on his left foot and cut into the box, finding himself in a bit of a one on one situation with Thilo Kehrer. He did a stepover and cut in the box, taking a touch on the ball with his left foot, pushing it further a bit before letting a shot rip.
Since Desire Doue used his left leg to hit the ball, the shot he took wasn't as accurate as he'd have wanted it to be. The low shot curled around the defenders and just when the ball looked like it was going to go wide. Kvaratskhelia exploded from the back post and got a leg to it, redirecting the ball's trajectory and sending it into the back of the net.
There was simply nothing anyone could do. Phillip Kohn had already started diving towards the ball. He had a look of dismay when Kvaratskhelia's side foot got to the ball and kicked it in the opposite direction. He immediately prayed that one of his team's defenders would be able to block the shot but the sound of the ball hitting the back of the net that he heard a moment later let him know that God ignored his hurried prayer.
Kvaratskhelia scored. Paris Saint Germain scored. The score line was one goal to nothing in favor of PSG at the Parc de Princes.
A/N:
Remember:
70 Powerstones = 1 bonus chapter
15 gifts of any kind = 1 bonus chapter
5 golden tickets = 1 bonus chapter
10 reviews = 1 bonus chapter
A super gift (Magic castle etc...) = 5 bonus chapters.
NOVEL NEXT