Weird Defender Joo Ji-Tae

134 – Ambush

134

Max Moreno Martin had been living a dream-like life lately.

After being transferred to La Masia’s lowest category, Prebenjamin, as a young player from Aquahotel, he steadily climbed the “Barcelona ladder” through Benjamin, Alevin, Infantil, Cadete, and finally made it to the 1st team roster.

Barcelona fans, who took great pride in the La Masia system, enthusiastically welcomed the debut of “pure-blood youth” who had gone through all the youth stages, even though he wasn’t born in Catalonia.

Max Moreno was able to successfully settle into the 1st team with his friend Joel Cabrer, who had been together since their Aquahotel days.

It wasn’t like he had secured a starting position, but he had made his debut in the opening game and occasionally played as a substitute, which was enough for a 20-year-old player who had just made it to the 1st team roster.

It was a happy moment to have his name on the 1st team roster, and to have successfully settled into the team, but what really made Max Moreno happy was meeting a player of the same age.

A player who was already being mentioned as one of the world’s best at the age of 20, with incredible skills and diverse abilities, playing in the same position.

It was Joo Ji-tae.

Joo Ji-tae was truly a great player, beyond anyone Max had ever seen.

It wasn’t just about his skills as a player; it was about the direction he provided.

Even the Barcelona coaches who had been with him throughout his life didn’t know his true direction and style, but Joo Ji-tae grasped it in an instant.

“Hey, Max. You don’t need to be so aggressive in your competition. You’re not that type of player. When you’re in a tight spot, use the referee and your hands. At 20 years old, we’re still a weapon. Even the strictest referees will be lenient towards young players. You don’t need to be honest. When competing, use your elbow to nudge their ribcage like this. Does it hurt? If you do this, everyone will love it.”

“A safe pass is good, but you don’t need to stick to it. Your long pass is the best… Ah, no? Ah, you’re the long pass master. Try it once… Just for a moment, remember it. So… take a bigger stride and swing your arm wider. That’s it, like that!”

Coaches always ordered him to be aggressive, thinking he had a good physical condition, and requested safe short passes due to his relatively low technique.

But Joo Ji-tae was different.

He taught Max the playing style that suited him, along with detailed elements, in just a few training sessions.

This wasn’t just about exceptional skills or overflowing talent.

Informing a player of their playing direction and corresponding methods was truly a difficult task.

But Joo Ji-tae could do it.

Even without seeing it several times.

It was as if he knew his own future growth, with unwavering confidence in his advice, which rapidly grew Max Moreno, as well as his friend Joel Cabrer, and even players in different positions like Destiny Cosio, Leo Martinez, and Pode Diallo!

Was it the mystery of the East?

One day, Max couldn’t help but ask Joo Ji-tae.

“Joo, how do you catch the parts where I feel lacking so well? When I do as you say, the game feels much more comfortable and enjoyable. How did you figure it out?”

“Ah, that?”

With a serious question, Joo Ji-tae smiled slyly and replied jokingly.

“I’m a genius, after all.”

Genius.

From that day on, Joo Ji-tae became Max Moreno’s role model and teacher.

It was… unusual.

A role model, a player he revered.

And now…

The player he revered was exuding an overwhelming presence on the ground.

“Slowly, slowly! No need to rush! Stay calm! Hey, Arnau! This way!”

The clear instructions echoed through the thunderous applause of the audience.

Joo Ji-tae was already going head-to-head with Fernando Alvarez, the ace of Real Madrid, without backing down.

Max Moreno, who was watching the intense battle between the world’s top players from the bench, could finally see the ground clearly after Joo Ji-tae managed to take the ball away from Fernando Alvarez.

“Joo has Fernando Alvarez on him, and Madu has Ito Kasora on him… what? Even Francisco Gento?”

It made sense that Ito Kasora, a member of Real Madrid’s three-top, was marking him.

Originally, the center-back should be pressured by the forward, but if Francisco Gento, a midfielder, was also marking, where would the gap be?

“What’s going on? Why isn’t the number advantage working… The fullback came inside, so what about the side?”

Two center-backs, Joo Ji-tae and Madu Murcia, were facing two forwards and one midfielder, yet Real Madrid wasn’t being pushed back at all.

That’s because they had narrowed the distance between their lines and made the fullbacks participate in the midfield battle like midfielders.

This way, they wouldn’t lose the numerical advantage in the midfield, but they would give up the side.

Joo Ji-tae realized that the side was open and immediately sent a long pass.

As Jose Marquez caught the ball freely on the side, he made a run, but Real Madrid had a solid defensive block in the center.

Jose Marquez’s attempt to break through from the inside failed, and his last-ditch effort to send a cross was futile.

“Our attack line is solo, so the cross isn’t effective, but since they left the side open, opportunities will continue to arise.”

Max Moreno thought that this game might be easier than expected.

So, he comfortably watched the game, and Joo Ji-tae, who had won the battle against Fernando Alvarez, sent the ball to Madu Murcia on the side after taking it away with a tackle.

“No way!!”

As Madu Murcia caught the ball that Joo Ji-tae had tackled away, he was about to send a long pass to the side under pressure from two players.

Joo Ji-tae, who had fallen to the ground after the tackle, quickly got up, ignoring his dirty uniform, and shouted.

But the ball had already left Madu Murcia’s feet.

“Why?”

Max Moreno’s question was brief.

It was the moment when Jose Marquez caught the ball in the empty Real Madrid side.

“Danger!!”

Michal Zuck, Real Madrid’s last side attacker, who had not been actively participating in the pressure, suddenly sprinted, and at the same time, midfielder Federico Munoz and side defender Andrejinho blocked the remaining space.

Jose Marquez, surrounded by three players, lost the ball, and a counterattack ensued.

Max Moreno recalled a tactic at that moment.

“AT Madrid…?”

* * *

It was when the game reached halftime that he realized the opponent’s strategy.

Joo Ji-tae had initially suspected something was off about the opponent’s extreme tactics.

There must be something fishy… and so on.

But such suspicions were overshadowed by the name “Real Madrid”.

“They’re using Barcelona’s weakness in aerial battles. They’re confident they won’t lose in a midfield battle.”

They were confident they wouldn’t concede even if they gave up the side.

And that was because the opponent was Real Madrid, a team that could easily break through Barcelona’s midfield line, no matter how strong it was.

So, even Joo Ji-tae was late to realize the opponent’s trap.

After barely blocking Fernando Alvarez’s attack with a tackle, Madu Murcia caught the ball that was sent back and was about to send a long pass to the empty opponent’s side under pressure.

Joo Ji-tae could see the last attacker of Real Madrid, Michal Žuk, who had been participating in the pressure with an unusual lack of enthusiasm, suddenly dash towards his own team’s goal.

It was quite a ridiculous reverse run, but Joo Ji-tae couldn’t laugh.

At that moment, something flashed through his mind.

“Is this… Simeone’s tactic?”

The team that had been pretending to give up on the flanks and luring them in with a trap, using AT Madrid’s counter-attack tactic.

“This is a trap.”

Why did they have to deploy the midfielder to pressure the center back, even though the attacker could have done it?

And why did they have to leave one flank attacker, Michal Žuk, so passive in the pressure?

It was to avoid being pushed back in the midfield battle, but why did they have to narrow the distance and deploy the flank defender to the midfield battle, leaving the flank open?

And even though Fernando Alvarez’s physical abilities were exceptional, why did they have to mark him tightly, even though he was just an attacker who couldn’t be pressured?

In the end, it was just one thing.

“I… can’t stop it.”

As soon as Joo Ji-tae saw Real Madrid’s long pass coming, he had a hunch.

He couldn’t avoid conceding a goal.