The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 216: Larsson's Golden Strike

It wasn't until the 29th minute of the first half that Ronaldo finally got a very reluctant shot opportunity. Enrique walked to the center, received Figo's cross, and immediately passed it to Ronaldo.

With his back to the goal, Ronaldo skillfully dragged the ball sideways to evade Southgate's close marking. Just as he was about to turn, Helguera appeared in front of him, forcing Ronaldo to continue dribbling to the right. This shift narrowed his shooting angle significantly.

Southgate retreated to position himself behind Helguera , reinforcing their double defensive line. Ronaldo pressed on toward the baseline and suddenly took a shot from mid-path.

Due to the tight angle, Butt confidently closed off the near post, blocking Ronaldo's low shot with his foot.

The Millwall fans were on edge, sweating nervously over the defensive play, but Aldrich nodded approvingly.

Ronaldo was a significant threat on the ball, and defenders had to resist the urge to rush in; otherwise, it would just give him an opportunity to dribble past them cleanly. The only way to contain this alien talent was through fouls.

After being sidestepped, Southgate didn't chase Ronaldo. Instead, he understood that Helguera would likely appear in front of him, so he opted to fall back and continue his defense, not allowing Ronaldo any space after breaking through.

Ronaldo was forced to utilize his speed to break to the outside, thus reducing his shot threat significantly.

Millwall's defensive line had clearly put in significant effort to neutralize Ronaldo.

Particularly this season, Ronaldo hadn't showcased much dribbling skill, especially his signature pendulum move. Instead, he leaned more on explosiveness, speed, and agile direction changes to overpower his opponents.

On receiving the ball, he would dash forward like a bolt of lightning, making it clear to all challengers, "I'm simply faster than you!"

His technical skills only reached the next level after stepping into Serie A and facing elite defenses. The reason is simple - when he first arrived in Italy, defenders didn't think highly of him, allowing him to charge forward and tease them. However, those Serie A defenders learned quickly. With Italy's famous chain defense in place, Ronaldo's reliance on pace began to decline. Coupled with injuries, the "alien" has been forced to adopt another deception-focused approach to the ball: waiting for his opponents to make the first move, then slipping past them gracefully. His stillness and sudden movements while dribbling made him the recognized "textbook dribbler", a title he certainly earned.

Now, when Ronaldo got the ball, he moved like an F1 racecar, making it nearly impossible for defenders to intercept him directly.

However, while they couldn't stop him, they could guide him off-target.

Southgate and Helguera were patient and chose not to rush recklessly. Instead, they used their positioning and coverage to force Ronaldo away from the main shooting area. While they're not always perfect - like when Ronaldo suddenly stops to shoot - their goal is to give the goalkeeper some time to prepare for the save. This is part of what a defender should do.

Barcelona's attack struggled immensely, reminiscent of their first-leg match against Real Madrid in the Spanish derby.

As the defense moved further forward, Barcelona's attack began to receive more support. Four minutes later Ronaldo proved it when he had the ball again. In the first 20 minutes, he only touched the ball 3 times and did not take a shot, but as the defender advanced, he completed two shots in 5 minutes.

However, the second shot went wide and, like before, he shot from a bad angle.

Two minutes later, Ronaldo pushed for a breakthrough down the middle, but this time Southgate was ready, letting the ball roll past him while he positioned himself to stop Ronaldo's advance with his body. At the same moment, Elgera charged in from behind and cut off the ball, rendering Ronaldo's attempt fruitless.

After winning the ball, Helguera took a lateral step and slanted a pass to the wing.

Figo stretched his leg to intercept but came up half a meter short. Just behind him, Schneider sprinted in, receiving the ball and taking a step forward before passing it back toward the center.

Nedved retreated under Guardiola's pressure and, as the ball rolled toward him, made a back pass. Pirlo, moving up, struck a straight ball.

The pass was so precise that it sliced right through Barcelona's entire defense, rolling perfectly between Kuto and Frel. Just two meters ahead, Popescu was almost in reach of the ball, while both Kuto and Frel were about three meters off, unable to connect.

And there, on the ball's trajectory, Larsson sliced through Barcelona's heart like a dagger.

Previously, Barcelona had pushed their defense up, but they hadn't yet retracted it. As Larsson received the ball, he confidently led it forward—one-on-one with the goalkeeper!

The fans in the stands focused intently on Larsson's figure.

Henrik, become our hero!

Aldrich was glued to the sideline, watching as Larsson stormed into the box alone.

Aldrich's heart was beating hard and his mouth was dry. The tie tightened around his neck like a noose, suffocating him.

Meanwhile, Robson frowned. He didn't have time to lament Millwall's counterattack speed. He silently wished Bayer could make a world-class save and not disappoint everyone's expectations!

This time, Bayer chose to rush out, fully aware he was facing one of Europe's in-form strikers. Though he lacked Ronaldo's shock-and-awe power, Larsson was the king of efficiency—a goal machine without doubt!

Larsson moved quickly, unhesitant when it came to shooting, calm to an unbelievable degree.

This time, he assessed Bayer's position, noticing the keeper running toward him. Larsson decisively took his shot.

With twenty-five yards to the goal, Larsson swung his leg to strike.

The ball shot up from his foot, spinning fiercely as it soared into the sky.

It was clearly a curling shot, but it looked a bit worrying, as if it might fly too high.

Larsson was confident in his shot. Bayer was powerless to stop it. The ball sailed over his head and to his upper left; jumping wouldn't matter—he could never reach it.

Watching the trajectory of his shot, Larsson's gaze hardened, and his fists tightened.

Almost 26, Larsson lived a low-key life off the pitch, never stirring up controversy with media and often compared to Ronaldo, discussing who was superior. This seemed the fate of top strikers—constant comparisons, comparisons, comparisons... with Shearer, Fowler, and all the greats on the scoring list.

Five years older than Ronaldo, he had no intention of competing with anyone, focusing solely on what he could do: scoring.

But since the boss insisted that he was the superior player...

Alright then, boss. I'll show you just how good I am!

The ball soared through the air, arcing like a rainbow before slamming into the top corner of the goal.

"What a fantastic goal! A dazzling rainbow rises in the Rotterdam sky. One end belongs to Larsson's right foot, the other to Barcelona's net! Millwall draws first blood with Larsson—unbelievable Larsson! Watching him score is pure joy—clean and decisive!"

Aldrich closed his eyes, roaring in joy, fists shaking in front of him!

Millwall's coaching staff ran out, embracing each other in celebration of the goal.

After scoring, Larsson's expression transformed from deeply furrowed hope to reckless laughter. He ran toward the sidelines with arms wide open, like a whirlwind. Nearby Millwall fans surged in waves, holding up signs caught in the TV cameras, which showed close-ups for a few seconds.

"We may not have aliens, but we have the king of the earth: Larsson!"

As teammates embraced Larsson in celebration, surrounding fans initially clenched their fists, cheering the player's name, but soon after, they began to bow to him.

This was his 50th goal of the season across all competitions!

Schneider even knelt on one knee, making a shoe-cleaning gesture for Larsson.

"Even with the first half yet to end, Millwall's football has utterly conquered the fans. I mean neutral fans—except for Barcelona supporters, no one was expressionless; everyone else rose to applaud. We witnessed Millwall's rapid passing rate, their attack diversifying brilliantly. They played like holding a remote control—exactly maneuvering the ball back and forth. In the recent goal, Schneider, Nedved, Pirlo, and Larsson— even with Helguera's involvement, Millwall utilized only five players, four passes, and one shot to score! While the goal itself looked good standing alone, witnessing the full process was the ultimate enjoyment!"

After Barcelona conceded, Mourinho turned to Robson and said, "That was just like the goal we conceded in the first match against Real Madrid this season."

Rapid transitions had them breaking through the midfield, a succinct and fluid play leading to a decisive pass, with the forward scoring swiftly and unexpectedly.

Robson could only shake his head in resignation. "It truly is just like that."

"The forwards ahead should retreat. Ronaldo can't receive the ball near the box—let him drop back to the midfield. If he still can't get it, drop back a bit further. All forward players should do likewise."

Robson didn't respond, still shaking his head.

Mourinho offered more suggestions and viewpoints.

"Millwall's stronger aspect lies in their attacking midfielder; that Czech player. Look at his contributions defensively. When the ball is in our half, he's tightly marking Guardiola. If the ball shifts forward, he's capable of retreating to defend near the box, while our attacking midfielder, Delapena—where is he on defense?"

Mourinho merely pinpointed the tip of the iceberg regarding Barcelona's defensive shortcomings. He dared not mention Ronaldo and Figo; comparing them, regardless of whether it was Larsson, Shevchenko, or Trezeguet, each could at least fall back into the defensive half, which was the minimum!

In contrast, in Barcelona's 4-2-3-1 setup, only Enrique displayed an assertive defending attitude; the rest were lacking. A simple defensive rating comparison with Millwall would reveal a stark disparity.

This couldn't be changed overnight; La Liga teams emphasized midfield control. If they lost that grip, they risked collapse. Although top teams rarely fell apart, they had become accustomed to dominating more than 70% of the game, naturally leading to some defensive laxity.

Robson turned to the incessantly talking Mourinho and said, "Jose, you must understand—coaching a special club like Barcelona or Real Madrid entails more than just winning; it's about winning beautifully."

Mourinho opened his mouth but ultimately chose silence.

"Rome wasn't built in a day," and no team is perfect. Even if the coach identifies issues, that doesn't guarantee they'll be fixed. Sometimes it's not about the coach's ability but rather the tangled web of factors that complicate things.

With Millwall having scored, their confidence surged, and they became more focused and determined. They were set on leaving the Netherlands without regrets after the match!