Midway through the first half.
'If that's how they want to play...'
Dragged along without a single goal until 0-2, Juan Roman had to find a solution no matter what.
It was a match they absolutely needed to earn points from.
Whether a win or a draw, Celta Vigo had to walk away with something from this game to realistically aim for promotion.
For the 07/08 season, the promotion tickets would be given directly to the top three without a separate playoff.
Which meant they had to finish within the top three no matter what. Considering the current league standings, Celta Vigo still had a good shot.
Even if they lost, they had to at least salvage a point with a draw.
Juan, deep in thought, tilted his head.
It was not an easy fight.
They had taken a psychological blow early on, but he still thought it would be a manageable game.
However, once the match began, he quickly realized things were not going to plan.
His tactic was to score three goals even if they conceded two, but with 25 minutes gone, they had yet to score a single goal.
It was hard to believe, especially considering how thoroughly they had prepared for this game.
And rightly so. Celta Vigo's attacking line was more than capable of overpowering Castilla's defenders.
Thirty-year-old Javi Guerrero and the Bulgarian ace striker Vladimir Manchev were among the top attacking duos in the league.
And then there was Diego Costa, on loan from Atlético Madrid. A rising star still in development, but enjoying a breakout season amid the surge of young talents.
But today, their attack simply wasn't connecting.
Was it because the opponent's defense was doing an excellent job?
That wasn't it either.
'This isn't a player issue.'
Juan believed it was a tactical problem.
Modern football is akin to territorial warfare, where securing key zones determines victory or defeat.
And right now, Celta Vigo had lost a crucial zone.
Namely, the space between both flanks and the central corridor.
Most goal-scoring chances are created in that area.
In simple terms, a strategic stronghold.
A position that allows movement centrally or a retreat to the flanks at any moment.
That area was currently being dominated by Castilla, who were using a two-top of Ho-young and Callejón.
Especially the player managing space tirelessly in the front line.
'Ho-young.'
Once again, it was Ho-young.
His position was technically that of a striker, but in reality, he was fulfilling a much larger role.
They had assumed he was merely a poacher, but that turned out to be a smokescreen.
'A double-layered trap, huh.'
Ho-young and Callejón closed their spacing to dominate that area, supported by the overlapping fullbacks on both flanks.
That was the tactic Castilla had brought to the table.
A pragmatic yet tactically nuanced approach.
'This isn't Mandía's style. Where did he get the idea from?'
From what Juan remembered, Mandía didn't have that high of a tactical understanding.
He wasn't particularly intelligent in football theory, nor was he exceptionally gifted.
His strengths were his football sense and his open-mindedness.
Unlike some managers obsessed with their own football philosophy who ignore others, Mandía was the opposite.
Back when he was a tactical coach for the Juvenil team, he would actively incorporate the captain's suggestions.
This stemmed from his belief that intellectual development was just as important as technical growth for a footballer.
That was why Juan couldn't understand it.
How could someone whose only strength was that bring such an unconventional tactic?
'Hmph. He must have hired a decent tactical coach.'
Whoosh.
Thinking that, Juan shifted his gaze back to the pitch.
Castilla's players were executing mechanical football as precise as a ruler while reaping the benefits.
Juan fell into deep thought.
'We have to disrupt them. Even if the midfield gets shaky... we have to jump into the fight.'
To gain one, you must sacrifice another.
So he responded with a countermeasure.
Juan Roman raised three fingers with his left hand and twisted his wrist.
Soon after, the players' movements began to shift.
Most notably, Diego Costa in the central striker position.
His movement became notably aggressive.
A signal that a brawl was imminent.
[Celta Vigo is adjusting their 4-3-3 formation. The wingers are collapsing toward the center, while the midfield is widening its gaps.]
Javi Guerrero and Vladimir Manchev narrowed their distance, focusing more power into the center.
It was a move to reclaim the stronghold.
[It's a clear statement that they won't back down in the fight for territory. They're going all in across the pitch.]
[But this will leave holes in midfield. If central midfielder Jorge Larena can't cover the flanks, it could lead to an irreparable breach.]
[That's true, but so far, it still seems manageable. Larena's stamina is exceptional, and his condition looks solid. If he can keep this up, they could shift the momentum.]
Jorge Larena.
At 25, he was the engine of Celta Vigo's midfield, boasting ironclad stamina.
With his tremendous work rate, he was covering the midfield and breathing life into Celta Vigo's tactics.
And that, in turn, was enhancing Diego Costa's movement.
Thud!
Planting himself in the center, Costa bulldozed Castilla's central defenders with physical battles.
Standing at 188cm, he overwhelmed both Mateos and Sergio.
Costa wasn't exactly known for mental stability, especially during matches.
There were even claims that he enjoyed fighting with defenders.
And sure enough, he was relishing this moment.
Like a raging bull in a bullring, blood dripping, yet smiling.
This was the kind of football he loved.
In the end, Costa prevailed.
Winning the crucial space against Mateos and Sergio, he began to secure various advantages.
Juan Roman's herding strategy had worked.
And it soon paid off.
Costa burst into the space behind the defenders and created a one-on-one chance.
A situation almost identical to Ho-young's earlier goal.
Goalkeeper Adán did his best, but Costa's finishing was top-tier.
Thud!
After completely shaking off the defenders, Costa roared like a lion as he scored.
"Pathetic fools!"
It wasn't exactly the line you'd expect from a team trailing 2-1, but Costa was as bold as ever.
A celebration worthy of a real alpha male.
He then twisted his face into a strange expression and mocked Mateos and Sergio.
"Dry lips, huh? Better stay on your toes. This is just the beginning."
With a coarse laugh, he jogged back to the halfway line.
The guy was completely unhinged.
Yes.
Diego Costa had always been a madman.
Born with a wild nature, and he trained that madness even further.
Though it hadn't fully bloomed yet, his abilities were rapidly growing, and so was the intensity of that madness.
There's a reason why, in the future, he'd be called a villain and a thug on the pitch.
But that didn't mean he was all flaws.
On the contrary, he was an incredibly valuable attacking asset for his team.
Occasionally troublesome, but undeniably skilled and full of potential.
He was also extremely gifted.
The fact that he had only been playing football seriously for three years said everything.
And sure enough, he proved it again by scoring another goal soon after.
[Diego Costa! Another goal with a penetrating run! As expected, it's a clash of swords out there. Possibly the most exciting match of the week.]
[Both teams are playing at peak form. With that, Diego Costa nets his 18th goal of the season and is now pushing into third place in the scoring rankings.]
Juan Roman's counter-strategy had hit its mark.
As the first half neared its end.
Although Jorge Larena's stamina started to dip, a fantastic save from Pinto helped them avoid disaster.
The first half ended in a 2-2 draw.
After a 15-minute halftime break.
The second half played out similarly.
The main difference was that as the midfielders' stamina drained, the pace of the game slowed.
It made sense. These weren't Claude Makélélé or Gennaro Gattuso.
They weren't even in the first division.
It was unrealistic to expect them to sustain such a demanding tactic for 90 minutes.
Eventually, the once-explosive match began to lose momentum.
That became even more evident as the match approached the midway point, with Ho-young dropping into an attacking midfielder role to regain control.
Celta Vigo's momentum began to fade from that point on.
"Damn it."
With the possession gap widening to 60-40, Diego Costa, sensing danger, started yelling.
"Hey! Larena! Stop crawling and start running! You planning to lose like this?!"
You could almost mistake him for the captain. That's how passionate Costa was.
His desire to win.
He absolutely refused to lose.
'I'm not losing to that little brat.'
His pride wouldn't allow it.
It wasn't racism.
Whether it was Ho-young, Bojan, or even Messi.
Costa didn't care who the opponent was.
He was born to win.
There was no such word as 'defeat' in his vocabulary.
Even if his team lost, he had to win individually.
"Huff."
The youngest on the team, Costa exhaled heavily, burning with unmatched competitive spirit.
'You'd better be ready.'
Not long after.
Tweet!
[Referee Mario rushes in and issues a yellow card to Diego Costa!]
[It's the right call. Even if this is a home game, an elbow to the chest warrants a yellow. A red card wouldn't have been surprising either.]
[Seems like referee Mario judged it to be unintentional.]
In the 76th minute.
As Castilla's Tébar was about to distribute a forward pass, Costa, who had dropped deep to press, struck him with an elbow.
It happened during a ball contest, but it was hard to claim there was no intent at all.
Hence, referee Mario showed the yellow card.
As a result, Castilla was awarded a free kick from 35 meters out.
And the kicker was...
[Ah, Castilla is making a substitution while the game is paused. Left midfielder Gorka is coming off, and replacing him is...]
The player entering had a youthful face and blond hair.
But his physique was comparable to Costa's.
His name soon flashed on the scoreboard.
[IN 17. Marcos Alonso]
Number 17.
Seventeen-year-old Marcos Alonso.
Today marked his Segunda División debut.
Although he had already played in the fourth division with Real Madrid C, this was a different level entirely.
[A bold move by Coach Mandía. A significant moment for young Marcos.]
[Indeed. It looks like the reason he's been subbed on is to take the free kick. Marcos recorded two assists last month in the fourth division from set-piece situations.]
Marcos Alonso.
His left-footed kicks were already considered top-tier even at the second division level.
That was why he had been called upon to take the free kick immediately after stepping onto the pitch.
[But he seems quite nervous.]
[Understandably so. He must feel a lot of pressure. His senior teammates will need to encourage him.]
With his league debut came a heavy responsibility. Marcos blew into his hands.
Though it wasn't particularly cold, his hands were red and trembling.
Seeing this, Ho-young ran over to him.
"Marcos!"
"Ho-young."
"For that far post the coach mentioned, aim wider than usual with more curl. Celta Vigo's marking Callejón tightly. Their players are too tall, it's a problem."
"You mean to bait them in the middle?"
"Exactly. We need to open up as many options as possible. Miguel and I will act as decoys on either side."
"Got it."
As Marcos nodded stiffly, Ho-young took off his gloves and handed them over.
"You didn't expect to play today? You should always be ready."
"Thanks, Ho-young."
"Have confidence. You nailed it every time in training. Even if it goes off target, don't worry. I'll find a way to score the winner before the match ends. So don't feel pressured."
"Yeah. Thanks."
Marcos gave a slight nod and winked his right eye.
He then planted his standing foot and prepared for the kick, while Ho-young moved to the edge of the penalty area.
That's when Diego Costa approached, wearing a fierce expression.
The match had reached its peak.
(To be continued.)