Millossobek's Master League Written Stories!

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:RSCARF: Reggina Europa League Preview!! (Forza Amaranto!!!!) :RSCARF:
The Amaranth play a European Cup for the first time in their history!!

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These are amazingly exciting times for our dear Reggina under the tutelage of "Il Divin Codino". What a run it has been! It only took two seasons for Roberto Baggio to lead the Amaranth to Serie A after an 11 year absence, and in their first season back in first division, we have performed a feat that few even thought possible, we finished 7th in Serie A and qualified for a European Cup for the first time in our history, spanning over 100 years! The humble Southern Italian side, based in Reggio Calabria, have risen from the depths and have taken Italian football by storm, under the leadership of Baggio, Gianluca Lapadula "Il Capitano Eterno", and a squad whose core has for the most part remained stable in the last 3 seasons (going into our fourth)!!

It's been a remarkable turn of events for us in the past 3 seasons, and we are coming into the Europa League on a really good streak, having won our first three matches in Serie A to start our fourth season! Two tough away wins against Udinese (0-1) and a very passionate match against SPAL (1-2) gave way to our home debut, where we were able to beat Sampdoria (2-1)!! 3 Matches. 9 out of a possible 9 points, and we couldn't be in better form going into our first Europa League Matchup!! Here is a great strike by our Korean midfielder veteran Lee Chang-Min to punctuate the win at home vs Sampdoria!!

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Even though Season 4 is still very young, this 3-game winning streak has served us well coming into our first ever European fixture! The draws have been made, the Reggio Calabria papers and web portals are really buzzing all over the city as the Sports page has essentially become the Front page for the time being! Take a look at the latest edition of "La Gazzetta Di Reggio", which details all the important stories regarding our qualification! Some of the headlines read as follows: "Expereience and Youth, will the eternal Captain Lapadula start over our youthful promise Russo?" "An entire city celebrates!", "FC Utrecht, a strong adversary", and a "strong start to Serie A"! As you guys can see, our team has captured the imagination of the entire city, as everyone, young and old, downtown and uptown, from the docks or from the inner city, has taken this team to heart and the papers and journals have gone into a complete Italian-style media frenzy!

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Which leads me to the nitty-gritty of the matter. Our Europa League Group Stage. We will be matching up against 3 sides with extensive European Experience!

- First up, and leading the group. is Bayer 04 Leverkusen! Even though Leverkusen has never won the Bundesliga, they have finished runners up an astonishing 5 times! In terms of international experience, they have won the UEFA Cup once in 1998 in a historic comeback against Espanyol. In addition, Leverkusen finished runners-up in the Champions League once in 2002 to a historic Real Madrid side, and have also won a DFB-Pokal Cup (with once again, 4 runner up finishes!). They have had a lot of international experience and very good results and have to be considered the favorites in the group.

- LOSC Lille have won Ligue 1 three times! (4 times in rl, 3 times in the ML Universe). Even though their glory years came mainly in the 50's, they did manage to win an international champioship, the 2004 UEFA Intertoto Club! They are definitely a club on the rise, having competed in the Europa League on 8 occasions and in the Champions League 8 times as well!

- And rounding off the group is FC Utrecht. The Dutch side has had 15 Europa League appearances, even though this is only the third time they have reached the group stage of the Europa League (the previous two times being the 2004-05 UEFA Cup and the 2010-11 Europa League). Despite the fact that they have not crowned themselves Dutch Champions in over 60 years, Utrecht has won its fair share of local cups and will be fighting to prove that their third Group Stage Appearance is not a fluke!

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And finally, there's us. Our first international competition ever! (in which we will be debuting with Brand-New Kits, soon to be unvelied!) It is clear that we have as much to prove as anyone else in the Cup, as the other teams in the group clearly view us as the weak link, without much chances of qualifying to the next stage. But if there's something that our dear Amaranth has proven time and time again, is that under the leadership of Baggio and Lapadula, we have been defying the odds since day 1. We have reinforced ourselves with some nice players in the offseason, Center Back Veselinofic and DMF Bilogrevic (A Serbian-Croatian combination!), as well as 17-year old Brazilian Renatinho on the wing and Filippo Melegoni from Genoa!

One of the most interesting subplots (as detailed in "La Gazzetta") in our first European League will be, what will Baggio decide to do with Lapadula? Now 33, Lapadula is rated 71 and is clearly not the same physical specimen he was almost 4 years ago, when I started the ML campaign. On the other hand, perhaps my main protege from my youth system, Cesare Russo (21), has been emerging as Gianluca's backup for a long time now.. and has just overtaken Lapadula in the overall rankings! (72). It is abundantly clear that I have a huge decision to make, not only in my upcoming back against UTRECHT, but in the Europa League campaign in the long run! Following up are some interesting quotes:

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Roberto Baggio: "If there's something that I've tried to instill in my players from day one.. Is that ego is the enemy of clarity.. I've attempted to influse our dear team with this mentality, and the players have responded in kind, seeing themselves as part of a big whole as opposed to individualities. I think that's been our biggest accomplishment! Yes, without a doubt I will make the best decision for our team, but many things have to be taken into consideration here..... Not only numbers or matchups, strategies or form, but also perhaps something more difficult to objectively define, which is the feeling of the game. I will do my best to read the moments of the match. But for now, I think enough philosophy. Let's just enjoy our first European League participation, as this one is dedicated to our fans, to the players!!!

Gianluca Lapadula: "I've been watching Cesare's progress steadily for over 3 years now, and all I can say right now is that I'm proud of how far he has come. I know that some members of the media, perhaps here and elsewhere, have tried to create some kind of story about who will start, who will come off the bench. And I can assure you.. This is not something that keeps me up at night at all. Of course I want to play, but I'll be happy with whatever Roberto decides. In the end, what matters most is the win, to start off on the right foot, and whether I start or finish.... That is entirely secondary to who wins. A Captain must think of the team first, I have left my ego at the door a long time ago!! I am 33 years old now, going on 34, and I know that I won't be around football forever.. I'm just trying to enjoy whatever I can and lead my team emotionally, on and off the pitch.. I really think the main story here is that we qualified.. Europe, here we come!!"

Russo got a bit emotional in his press conference:

Cesare Russo: "I've been grateful to being under manager Baggio's and Lapadula's tutelage these last 3 or 4 years.. It is really an honor to learn with such incredible professionals. Gianluca, especially, took me under his wing and has guided me at every step of the way... And for now for him to say that he doesn't care who starts or who gets to play... That just makes me incredibly emotional....... (long emotional pause).. you guys can't understand the respect I have for his humble personality and leadership, and I can't believe I am now fulfilling a childhood dream of playing European Cup Football. I don't now if I will start or how much I will play, but all I know is that win-lose-or-draw, getting to play with this group of teammates, with so much heart and humility, it's like we've all already won."

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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I don't now if I will start or how much I will play, but all I know is that win-lose-or-draw, getting to play with this group of teammates, with so much heart and humility, it's like we've all already won."
:APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD:
STRENGTH AND HONOR Bro!!!!!
EL group is affordable, you can do it!!!!
:ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK:
 
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Hey bros, an update is coming up soon, with all the details of the great Europa League.. But I just wanted to post this here.
Gianluca Lapadula has announced his retirement from Reggina after this season..
It's a bittersweet feeling, "Il Capitano Eterno", the Emblem and Symbol of Reggina, will be hanging up his boots.
But not before this happened. An absolutely Historic Performance against Fiorentina in a beautiful Reggio night in the Calcio..
Il Capitano has more to give us before his football journey goes off into the sunset.. This story is not over!!!!



:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
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GIANLUCA'S LAST STAND!!
Lapadula looks to end his Reggina Career in Legendary Fashion!!
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Football can give you lots of surprises. Small market teams winning championships, huge and historical teams can get relegated, previously unheralded nations have gone on deep Cup runs. And even, at times, a club's biggest idol can surprise you with a relatively early retirement, when he seemingly has more years left in his footballing career. This has been the case with Reggina's emblem, Gianluca Lapadula, who has announced that he will be hanging up his boots at the age of 34! Even though he had not been the goalscoring machine he had been in seasons past, the Amaranth's supporters and the media did not expect this sudden announcement, and suddenly, Reggina's season and especially our Europa League campaign have taken a completely new tenor and the storyline has taken a very dramatic twist, albeit one that we are truly committed with!

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Even though the feeling is tinged with a huge hint of sadness behind these news, the Amaranth's fans and teammates have reacted to this announcement in a very unexpected yet sweet way.. We have totally rallied around Gianluca, completely respecting his decision and understanding that it is a completely personal choice. It has been an incredible run in these last 4 years.. Lapadula and Baggio rallying and leading the team from the depths of Serie B (literally! We were the weakest team in Serie B when our story started), to Serie A and our first European Cup participation! And the fact that Gianluca has been the on-field leader of the group (which has retained most of its core players while rotating others), has given the players and the fans a huge feeling of gratitude and love with our biggest idol and emblem: Gianluca has to be the biggest legend and icon in Reggina's History!! :RSCARF:

And what better way to give him the best farewell possible than a deep run in the Europa League, and why not, even a trophy?? A story which had been dramatic even before this announcement suddenly took an even more epic feel to it.. Let's do it for Gianluca has become a rallying cry everywhere in Reggio, the entire organization, the fans, teammates and Baggio have taken this phrase as nothing less than a rallying cry, a story that deserves a storybook ending for a historic career!! It is absolutely clear where the Amaranth's priorities lie for this season: The Europa League. Even though staying in Serie A and having a good performance in the top flight of the Italian League is definitely important as this is crucial for the club's long-term success, the fact of Lapadula's retirement coupled with our first international Cup appearance has given the European competition a 180 degree turn in terms of importance, feeling, a sense of history and beautiful footballing destiny.

If you guys remember, our group was made up of Reggina and 3 very tough teams: Utrecht, LOSC Lille and Bayer Leverkusen. With ton of international experience, these three teams were all seen as strong candidates to advance to the next phase. Perhaps the strongest team was the German side, Leverkusen, as they are 5-time Bundesliga runners up and had a very strong international presence in the past, finishing runners-up of the Champions League once! But our group started off against FC Utrecht, who have had 15 Europe League appearances in the past!!


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Our first ever European Cup match was in the Netherlands, in legendary Ajax Stadium (used by Utrecht for this encounter).. Here is the complete match posted above.. The Dutch crowd was pumped and the team was confident facing little-known Reggina in the opening game of the group stage! And things would not start off well for us. In minute 29, Boussaid received a beautiful through pass by Sylla to score the opening goal for Utrecht! Before the half our mark had passed, and we were down 1-0! The first half ended with 3 shots for Utrecht and only 1 for Reggina, their defense were doing their job! However, the tide would definitely change in the second half, as The Amaranth went on full attack and attempted to score an ever-important equalizer! And after much trying, the equalizer would finally come in minute 85, as a pinpoint cross from Bellanova found Russo's boot and the young Italian striker of the future (Gianluca's protege) booted the goal to the corner with a beautiful finish! As the final whistle blew, we had been able to salvage an important away point against a difficult team and a hostile crowd! Final Score, Utrecht 1, Reggina 1!

Our next European match was against LOSC Lille in Stadio Oreste Granillo and this was an epic encounter! Along with Baggio and Lapadula, let's not forget another mainstay player who has been in our story from the very start: Our own Tunisian magician Youssef El-Sherif. Our Tunisian sensation really woke up in this match, scoring two goals and delighting the local crowd with his street-magic! Youssef has been there from the very beginning, and the chemistry that he has built up with Lapadula, Lee Chang-Min, Baluta and the other mainstays has been nothing short of remarkable.. Two very nice goals full of magic were enough to withstand a late charge from the French side, as we were able to prevail 2-1, and picked up 3 really valuable points in the group stage!


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Our third matchday in the groupstage was perhaps our toughest test yet. The Amaranth traveled to Leverkusen, North-Rhine Westphalia to take on the rightful group favorites, Bayer! The Germans clearly showed their superior physicality and strength in this encounter, and closed down our attackers (Baggio gave Russo the start in the first half, and brought Lapadula in the second half, but it wasn't enough to break the deadlock).. An early goal by the Germans gave them a 1-0 advantage, which they were able to hold on for the rest of the match, while Reggina was not really able to get anything going in this match! 1-0 for Leverkusen was the final result, and the first half of the group stage was over. Even though we were barely holding on to second place thanks to some fortunate results, Baggio knew that he had to get our squad ready for the second half of the group stage!

And respond we did! Fixture 4 of the group stage matched us up once again against Leverkusen, this time in Reggio, and the Amaranth responded with a great performance! And this time, it was Gianluca's turn! In a truly memorable performance, this was definitely Lapadula's night, as he scored a brace to single-handedly give Reggina the win! The first goal was created by a great play by El-Sherif, receiving a pass after a creative dribbling play by the Tunisian and calmly finishing! The second goal however, was even more memorable, this beautiful header!! This brace was definitely a relief for Gianluca, as he had only scored a couple of goals in the league and broke a long scoring drought with this brace!! Stadio Oreste Granillo serenated the Peruvian-Italian legend with chants of "Gianluuucaa... Il Capitano Eteeeerno" after the match, as the final score read: Reggina 2, Bayer Leverkusen 0!!

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Game 5 of the group stage was against Utrecht in our stadium, and this was another positive result by the Amaranth! El-Sherif opened the score in the first half in another display of magic, curling the ball past the keeper after deftly moving past several Dutch defenders! Before the first half was over, however, Utrecht equalized, battling back and showing a lot of grit against a passionate Reggio crowd which was out in full force with banners and chants. A few nervy moments ensued as the Dutch side was close to scoring a second goal (we even got fortunate when one of Utrecht's strikers' shots hit the crossbar)! But in minute 77, our Colombian (and millossobek's compatriot) winger Angulo finished off a nice corner kick by Baluta to score the second goal! This 2-1 result, which was definitely well fought, brought us to the brink of qualifying to the next stage, as the standings looked as followed going into the final match: Reggina 10 points (+3 goal difference), LOSC Lille 8 points (+3 goal difference), Bayer Leverkusen 7 points (+0 goal difference), FC Utrecht 2 points (-6 goal difference)! Not mathematically qualified yet, but on the threshold of the second round!!

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And despite almost being qualified, Reggina would leave nothing to chance in our sixth and final match, on the road against LOSC Lille! The match started off nervously for us, with our Brazilian-Italian goalkeeper Enzo keeping out a Lille header that was surely going in the first minute, we responded in kind, having tons of good chances in the first half (our Brazilian winger, Felipe Saravia had a great first 25 minutes!) Unfortunately though, we suffered a defensive lapse in minute 24, as a beautiful 1-2 play between Ouattara and Weah finished off with the Liberian scoring the first goal for Lille, beating Enzo to the bottom right corner! As the first half drew to a close, Lille was leading 1-0 and had 8 shots to only 3 for Reggina, who after the first 15 minutes were unable to generate many chances.. This could be a bit troublesome, as Leverkusen was leading in their game against Utrecht and this result could leave us out of the Cup.. We played much better in the second half, creating many more chances than Lille, but the score was still 1-0 in favor of them with only 10 minutes left to go! But in minute 81. Lo and Behold! Russo!!!! (Who had come in as a substitute for Gianluca in the second half), scored a tip in after a Bellanova cross and a furious scramble in the box and we equalized!!!!!! This was a huge sigh of relief as this score effectively qualified us to the second round of the Europa League!! But we would not be done.. Snatching victory from the jaws of defeat, once again, in extra time.... (minute 92) It's Russo!!!!!!! With a fantastic, absolutely incredible goal (as baptized by my bro @Madmac79), scored the clincher with a heel/lob over the French keeper to seal the win!!!! Final result, LOSC 1, Reggina 2, as our win not only guaranteed qualification, but, as the final whistle sounded, gave us first place in the group!! What a late, clutch performance by Cesare Russo, Gianluca's protege!! (full match below), and we advance to the Round of 32 of the Europa League!! :RSCARF:


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Even though we are doing quite decently in Serie A at the moment (10th place, 27 matches played out of 38, 11 wins, 7 draws, and 9 losses, with some impressive wins against Juventus, Brescia, Fiorentina among others), it is clear that our priority is the Europa League! After Gianluca announced his retirement in midseason, our journey took on a new destination, and a new, epic narrative.... Even though for some of the biggest team in Europe, the Europa League might not be seen as a priority, for us it has definitely become our Champions League, our World Cup, everything.. With Baggio and every single player committed to going as far as they can go, with our first ever European Apperance going into the round of 32 (where we will be facing none other than Werder Bremen!!), and especially given our Capitano's upcoming retirement, the stakes can't be higher, the drama can't be more important, as this story has taken on epic proportions and career-defining dimensions!!

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Roberto Baggio: "A player's career can't ever come before his life, his privacy, his commitment to his own happiness. Gianluca has taken on the entirely personal decision to retire, and us, as a team and as a group of supporters and people who love Reggina, respect and support his decision 100%. I'd be lying if I said that this is not a bittersweet feeling for all of us.. Gianluca has been our captain for 4 years straight, the heart and soul of our team.. But we owe it to him, to our fans, and to ourselves to do the best we can in his last season. The Europa League is our greatest aspiration as a team, and we are completely focused on this goal.. We want to give Gianluca the best farewell we can and create a beautiful scenario where our fans are able to share this aspiration with us.. With humility and passion,, step by step.. We are making this our story."

Gianluca Lapadula: "I'm entirely at peace with my decision. When I wake up every morning, I know that I made the right choice. This is my final year as a professional footballer, and when it is over, I will think about the next phase of my life. But right now, every single day, every single hour, and every single second of every single minute, I am Captain of Reggina 1914, our dear Amaranth, and I owe it to myself, to our fans, to my manager, and to my teammates, to give it all I have. Every single ounce of my heart is with this team and our pursuit of the Europa League, as it is not only my own personal yearning, but also the yearning of every single one of my teammates and our supporters. This has already been the most beautiful year of my career, and no matter what happens from here on out... Reggina is in my heart forever."

Cesare Russo: "My Captain Gianluca. My Leader Roberto. My brothers in arms, my teammates, and our beautiful and committed fans: I owe everything in my career to you, and I will always be grateful for everything you have given me. I will continue to defend these Amaranth colors with all of my being, you guys have given me the best start of a career I could ever hope for."

Youssef El-Sherif: "LET'S WIN THIS FOR GIANLUCA!!!!"

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:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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@Holland Thanks bro for your always encouraging words!! Take a look at the video in my post called "Going for Qualification"! You will be able to see Russo's brace there, a great performance!! :RSCARF: :RSCARF:

FORZA AMARANTO!! Stay tuned for the continuation of our story!!
 
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"WE ARE IN THIS TOGETHER!!"
An Entire Team, an Entire City has Rallied Around Gianluca, as we have reached the
Semifinals of the Europa League!!

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What a run, what an amazing, unpredictable run!! In a story replete with footballing sentimentality, Il Amaranto has reached higher highs than anyone had previously thought possible. In Gianluca Lapadula's last season, an entire team, an entire city has followed our Captain's lead, and now we are honestly, sentimentally, and realistically within striking distance of our first European Cup Championship in our first ever appearance! Reggina 1914 has become the story of European Football, capturing not only the imagination of our Reggio and Italian faitfhul, but of an entire continent, as this story, full of romanticism, has captivated fans, supporters, journalists, and beyond.. In an era of hard-boiled cynicism, no less.. Reggina's story seems straight from an earlier, more innocent and more passionate era, when teams stayed together out of loyalty, when idols were made, not bought, when following a team was labour of love!!

When we left off in our last installment, we had won our Europa League group, in which we faced Bayer Leverkusen, LOSC Lille, and FC Utrecht, winning the group handily, and quite surprisingly, with 13 points! This set up a round-of-32 matchup against none other than the historic German Die Grün-Weißen, Die Werderaner, Werder Bremen!! One of @millossobek's favorite European teams as well, Werder had come prepared and started off in their home stadium, Weserstadion, on fire. The team raced off to a 2-0 lead by halftime, as their passionate crowd, wreathed in a cloud of green and white smoke, chanted them on incessantly. Things were not looking very good for us at all.. As the Germans were taller, stronger, and seemed more prepared and more focused to start the match..

However, everything would change in minute 60 of the match. A goal by one of our best young players, Gaetano Oristanio, with a nice flick off an El-Sherif pass, would give us our first goal to make it 2-1, and things seemed a bit more manageable (since we had been able to score an away goal).. But then in minute 77 and 90, goals by El-Sherif and once again, Oristanio would make it a remarkable comeback for us!! Werder seemed absolutely stunned at this turn of events, as they seemed to have broken off their concentration completely, and the Amaranth had taken full advantage by finding their offense which sparked and completely overwhelmed the German side in the last 30 minutes of the match!! The final whistle blew, and the score was.. Werder Bremen 2, Reggina 3!! :RSCARF:

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The return match was incredible. Absolutely incredible. Nobody expected this (especially since Gianluca was out of the game with a severe flu), but it really seemed like it was meant to be.. Werder's demoralizing loss at home in the first leg (conceding three goals in the last 30 minutes after a 2-0 lead), coupled with the fact that we rode our momentum and a huge burst of confidence due to our comeback, resulted in what was undoubtedly one of the most lopsided results in European Cup knockout football history. The Floodgates truly opened.. A Russo header in minute 25, Aleman off a corner 3 minutes later, a beautiful solo street-football control goal by Youssef El-Sherif (controlling it and then scoring the goal with the same foot, a truly wonderful goal!), then Russo at the halftime break.. Tudor Baluta at minute 59, then Oristanio only a few moments later. The young Italian youthful promise Oristanio once again at minute 78, and El-Sherif in almost the next play..... And it was over.. Final score: Reggina 8, Werder Bremen 1!!!!! Just a complete goal scoring festival for The Amaranth, a humiliating defeat for the Germans, and an overall historic night, a match for the ages in Stadio Oreste Granillo!

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Who would we be facing next? Our next challenge came in the form of Athletic de Bilbao!! The Spanish side, 8-time La Liga Champions, 23 time Copa del Rey winners, and 2-time Europa League winners (1977, 2012), were the favorites on paper. But don't tell that to our Reggina boys!! Playing at the San Mamés in Spain, we truly had a great performance against a hostile crowd.. And showed a lot of mettle and continued our goalscoring ways, scoring 5 away goals from a variety of players and situations!! One very bright spot was the play of one of our recent acquisitions, Othmar El-Kabir! The Dutch midfielder (with Moroccan blood) was great in the flanks, scoring two goals in the second half and extending our lead, giving us a lot more confidence!! Final score, Athletic Bilbao 2, Reggina 5, and we are on a roll going into the second leg!!

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And we definitely kept it rolling! 5 Away goals (and a 3-goal deficit) was a lot to overcome for the Spanish side, and in the end, in the second half of the round of 16, we prevailed with a very convincing win in Stadio Oreste Granillo!! An intersting note about these matches.. Baggio has decided to rotate Lapadula and Russo in the Center Forward position, but they are almost always playing in the same match, depending on tactics, form, and strategy!! Sometimes Gianluca starts, sometimes Cesare starts, but almost always one plays the first half and the other the second or vice versa!! It's been working out really well as in this match for example, as Russo scored in the first half and Lapadula came on for him in the second. Also quite noteworthy has been the play of El-Sherif and Oristanio, who also chipped in with creative goals in their secondary striker roles (both players are playing really well!) Final score: Reggina 4, Athletic de Bilbao 1, and we absolutely dominate our second straight matchup against a more experienced opponent!! We are through to the quarterfinals!!

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Our quarterfinal matchup would be much more well-fought and a much tougher challenge. We faced none other then Portuguese giant Sporting Clube de Portugal, 19 time League Champions, 17 time Portugal Cup Winners, and 1 time UEFA Cup Winners! For the third straight time, we were matched up against a team which dwarfed us in history.. This time opening at home, and perhaps for the first time in this competition, it seemed like we had met our match (or more).. The first leg in Reggio was a very cagey, frustrating affair for the Amaranth, as we could not get our offense together and rolling, and only managed 5 shots in the entire match, while conceding 9 (one of which was a Sporting goal!). The final score was Reggina 0, Sporting CP 1, and this was a disappointing performance.. Actually let me check that. More than disappointing, we actually tried our best, but kudos must be given to Sporting as their defense was absolutely suffocating and we couldn't really get anything together in the first leg!!

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Going back to Portugal, at the mythical Estado José Alvalade (named after Sporting's founder way back in the 19th century), things were looking difficult for us. In the first match, their defense had not given up many spaces, and their schemes and defensive strategies were really solid, shutting us down and stopping our defensive momentum!! But here is when things got really interesting.. Our Capitano, eternal Capitano Lapadula had an inspired match, finding very difficult holes in the Portuguese defense and assisting two goals, one a sneaky through ball in minute 21 to Ecuadorian winger Cristian Aleman (who is having a great Europa League, by the way!), and a nifty through ball to our Tunisian star and tournament top goalscorer El-Sherif to give us a 2 goal cushion going into the second half! (side note: Unfortunately El-Sherif will be missing 3 weeks with a injury sustained in this match, could be back for the 2nd leg of the semifinals).. We would concede a goal in the 2nd half, but in the end, we were able to hold on led by an inspired Gianluca Lapadula, proving that a striker doesn't need to score goals to be the best player on the pitch, and emotionally leading our team to none other than the Europa League semifinals!!!!!!! Final score, Sporting CP 1, Reggina 2, and this story just went from very interesting to an absolutely glorious Cup Run, no matter what happens!!


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And who will we be facing in the Europa League Semifinals? Get ready guys...... We will be facing none other than...... AC MILAN!!!!!! A True Italian matchup, North vs South, Large Team vs Smaller Team, History vs Romance, Tradition vs Sentimentality,.... Who will emerge victorious and go to the final of the Europa League?? Will Baggio find a winning formula without El-Sherif in the first match? Will the Amaranth and the whole city of Reggio's aspirations keep going under Il Divin Codino? Will Lapadula's fairy tale ending have an even more glorious epilogue? Stay tuned to find out!!

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Roberto Baggio: "What this team has been able to accomplish goes beyond my wildest aspirations. I would've never imagined, that in my first managerial experience, I would be living so many memorable moments.. Starting off at the bottom of Serie B, our struggle for promotion in our first season, moving up to Serie A in our second season, qualifying for the Europa League and now being in the semifinals... It has been an incredible journey, no matter what the destination is. When I took up managing Reggina, I never thought I could've gone this far in only 4 short years, and it's been truly a blessed one... In the end though, moreso than the victories or accomplishments, what I will take from this experience are the friendships I've made with the players, the connection I've made with the city, the everyday little things, the training sessions and the conversations that I've had with the team and the fans.. which make this life journey worth living."

Gianluca Lapadula: "No matter what happens from here on out.. It is an honor for me to close out my career like this. I couldn't ask for a better ending to what has been the most interesting and epic footballing year of my life. All I can do now is try my hardest for my teammates, for the fans, for my family, for Roberto and for myself. I will not promise a title. That is out of my control. But what I can promise you is this: I will play with joy and passion. I will transmit this joy and passion to my team. I will give every once of sweat out on the pitch, I will wrap my arms around this team and I will embrace it at every moment. We Are In This Together!!"

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:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
​
 
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OMG!!!!!!
:SHOCK: :SHOCK: :SHOCK: :SHOCK:
Russo's second back-heel goal is AWESOME BRO!!!
:DANCE::DANCE::DANCE::DANCE::DANCE::DANCE::DANCE::DANCE:
How did you do that!!!!
And then a beautiful smear of impressive victories especially against Werder, it seems that the boys are getting to know each other more and more, but the work you are doing in your team is what is making you have that extra leap in quality to get to the FINAL.. .......but now Milan, the red and black devils will be tough, but you can do it!!!!
:YES::YES::YES::YES::YES::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK::ROCK:
 
Great job bro.. and great narrative as always! An Europa League victory would be such a nice crowning to your path.. but even just the semis are a great achievment!

Let's go! :RSCARF: :RSCARF: :RSCARF:
 
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My friends, before I go into the Europa League Semifinals of my Beloved Amaranto
(Waiting for the right moment!! The expectation is building!!)
I have decided to play my third edition of The 3-Stars Cup, in PES 2019.
Another up-and-coming team will look to make history in the annals of football lore!
Stay tuned for a couple posts with the entire story!!

- millossobek
​
 
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⭐⭐⭐ Welcome to the Third Edition of the 3-Stars Cup!! ⭐⭐⭐
A PES 2019 Millossobek Cup Story!!
​
For my third edition of the 3-Stars Cup, I've decided to mix it up a little bit! If you guys remember correctly, in my first and second editions of the Cup, I played with my Dear Millonarios! (In the first one, played in PES 2018, I reached the quarterfinals against Peñarol, and in the second one in PES 2021, I reached the round of 16 in a somewhat disappointing performance against Shenzhen Kaisa!). In this one, I wanted to switch it up, and play with an Asian team, none other than the J-League's Shimizu S-Pulse!! :TU:

Just to refresh your memory: What is this Cup all about? The brainchild of MFE (Millossobek's Football Enterprises), the 3-Stars Cup showcases teams which have an average of 2 and a half to 3 stars in overall rating! In the first and second editions, Aston Villa was the favorite as they were the only team which had 3 and a half stars, and they won the first edition! And in a performance that will live on in Greek lore, Panathinaikos (with a 3-star team), was able to raise the trophy! I love the idea behind this Cup.. Showcasing middle teams to the world, in a trans-continental format!

So, what is the format? Very simple. We play a 32-team tournament, similar to the Champions League/Libertadores, in which the top two teams from each group advance to the next round, all the way to the final! All matches are home and away format, with the exception of the final, which will be played in a single venue! In this edition, I've changed a few things, and we are showcasing: 16 European teams (2 per group), 8 South American teams, 6 Asian teams, and making their debut in the 3-Stars Cup, 2 MLS teams!

Here are the participating countries for this edition: Italy (2 teams), Germany (2 teams), England (1 team), France (1 team), Switzerland (1 team), Spain (1 team), Greece (1 team), The Netherlands (1 team), Portugal (1 team), Turkey (1 team), Czech Republic (1 team), Sweden (1 team), Bulgaria (1 team), Croatia (1 team), Brazil (2 teams), Peru (2 teams), Chile (1 team), Colombia (1 team), Paraguay (1 team), Argentina (1 team), United States (2 teams), Japan (2 teams), China (2 teams), Korea (1 team), Qatar (1 team)! A truly international Cup, spanning 4 Confederations this time! Plenty of newcomers as well!

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As for my team, Shimizu S-Pulse, I've changed a few things up.. I improved them to raise their stats from a 2-star team to a 2 and a half star team, and even created 2 players from my imagination, which make part of a Brand New 4 Musketeers: Egyptian Center Forward Moustafa Boulos (age 31), a strong and physical player, not too quick but with a good eye for goal and great physicality is one of them. 24 year old talented attacking midfielder Kojiroh Inui is another created player from scratch, not too physical nor a scorer, but a deft and skilled playmaker with the ball on his feet, a gifted passer and dribbler! My musketeers are rounded off by real-life Hotaru Yamaguchi (28), a classic destroyer Defensive Midfielder and Team Captain who will be manning the first line of defense, and one of my favorite goalkeepers Kosuke Nakamura (23), who if you guys remember was also my starting goalkeeper in my Gunma United story! This group of 4 Musketeers will be looking to make a major impact in this Cup, and why not, even surprise some of the other teams and hope to go on a deep run!!

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Let's take a look at our Group 1!
- Leading the group is Nottingham Forest! Founded in 1865 and one of the oldest and most traditional teams in the world, Forest has won 1 First division title (in 1978) and several FA and Football League Cups! Their claim to fame, however, is their two European Cups (won consecutively in 1979 and 1980)! Even though they have not been as glamorous recently as in their storied past, Forest is a proud team that will no doubt look to leave its imprint as the sole English representative!
- SC Freiburg have been recently promoted to the Bundesliga in 2016, having spent most of their career in second division (although they did reach frist division in 1992 for the first time). Although they have not had much league success, they have won Bundesliga-2 several times, and are definitely an up-and-coming team, not only looking to stay in first division but also wanting to make some noise in their inaugural 3-Stars Cup! Like all German teams, they will be a handful with their physicality and strength!
- Sporting Cristal are the winningest team in Peru in the Professional Era (and third winningest if you count the amateur ranks as well)! Recently, they have been on an outstanding run, winning 4 titles in the 2010's and establishing themselves as the strongest Peruvian team at the moment! Captained by Uruguayan Jorge Cazulo, "Los Cerveceros", are sponsored by a large local beer company (appropriately called Cristal), and have the deepest pockets in the league. We cannot underestimate a team with a winning attitude!
- And finally, there's us, Shimizu S-Pulse! Hailing from the city of Shizuoka, we are an exciting and passionate team with a rowdy fanbase! The 'Pulse have not won the J-League, but its history includes winning the Emperor's Cup, The J-League Cup and the Japanese Cup a few tmes, as well as an Asian Cup Winners Cup back in 2000! We have boasted several legendary Japanese players in our history, such as Shinji Ono, Alex, and Shinji Okazaki! Fielding a much improved team now, and under the leadership of our Four Musketeers, we are looking to shock the world and bring the first ever 3-Stars Cup to Asia! Will Shimizu make Japan and Asia proud after European teams have taken the first two titles?? Let's hope so!! The field is tough and the road is long, but if there's something we all know about this competition, is that anything can happen!! Group stage coming up soon!! :)

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:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
​
 
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⭐⭐⭐ OH, THE DRAMA!! IT'S THE 3-STARS CUP!!⭐⭐⭐
SHIMIZU S-PULSE Ride Waves of Momentum to Qualify to the KNOCKOUT STAGE!!​

Sometimes you might ask yourselves: What is so special about the 3-Stars Cup? What is it that makes millossobek play it not once, nor twice, but three times? (And many more to come!) Well, my friends, there is no easy answer to this question. It is something perhaps intangible, difficult to put my finger on. Perhaps I find the whole idea behind it very true and uncynical, there is something that rings very authentic about the whole experience. In this footballing world of mega-multi-million dollar contracts and teams that win 10 leagues in a row, maybe I'm looking for something more. Something more akin to the football that I love, mid-level teams, obscure leagues, lesser-known cities that love their sporting heroes, and aspirations that go beyond the bright lights of huge broadcasts and enormous leagues with deep-pocketed owners. The 3-Stars Cup is a chance to recreate at least for me, a more pure and undiluted version of football, one where there is a more direct connection to the fans, where players seem more accessible, where the identities of the teams and the imagination of the players and the supporters are woven through in one single, inter-connecting fabric.. A chance to play out and experience football as it should be, at least in my mind and my heart, a reflection of everyday life and yet a chance to transcend it, a place where colors, plays, passions, and personality are a projection of all of us who love this beautiful game.

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Shimizu S-Pulse is a team with a strong identity. Founded in the late 90's, S-Pulse play joyful football full of young spirit and color, a football that aims to entertain and which connects the city of Shizuoka to the world. A team which, through their multiple iterations, has attempted to play a Japanese version of Jogo Bonito, a style which makes you fall in love with them. In the group stage, we were matched up against teams with differing yet no less strong personalities: An old, proud lion (Nottingham Forest), an up and comer with a whole city on their side (Freiburg), and a champion with a chip on their shoulder, eager to showcase the best of their country (Sporting Cristal). The stage was set for a great group stage, and boy did it deliver!

Our opening match was at home against Nottingham Forest. Shizuoka's crowd was pumped and their chants rose up to the skies as we welcomed our English counterparts to our grounds. On paper, the two teams couldn't be more different. Forest is a 19th century team, deep in tradition and a 2-time European Champion which had faded into much less relevance in the past few decades. But this didn't mean that they would come out meek or uninspired. Quite the contrary. This was a really tough match in which they truly showed their history and the weight of the colors.. Even though we had many more chances than them (14 shots to 7), they were the stronger team, and patiently dismantled our defense to race up to a 1-3 lead. A late goal by Mostafa Boulos, our Egyptian Star, in minute 88, made the score more respectable. But truth is, Forest got us with a flurry, making their chances count and calmly netting their chances. Final score, S-Pulse 2, Forest 3, and this was a rude wakeup call for us. A lesson that youth and flash would not be enough to carry us through as we left our grounds empty handed after the first match.

​

The second match of the group phase (included in full above), was against Peruvian Champions Sporting Cristal. Travelling all the way to Lima, Peru, our boys were faced with a stiff challenge. Facing a sea of sky-blue and the typical Passion of South American fans, the Japanese side knew that we were going to play against a completely different brand of football. And it definitely was. While Forest was a seasoned, European, mature team which high efficiency, Cristal was a side which reveled in possession football, "La Religión del Toque" (The religion of short passes). Despite this style, we were able to cut through their defense. A beautiful through pass from Oshima fed Usami for the opening goal in minute 8, and although we had to withstand several well placed attacks and chances by Cristal, we were able to net a second goal in minute 51, yet another pinpoint pass from our magician, Kojiroh Inui to feed Mostafa Boulos for the score..! In the end, although we conceded a goal by Lobatón, this great showcase of passing was enough to give us the victory. S-Pulse 2, Cristal 1, and we added much needed 3 points against our South American rivals, after losing our first game!

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Matches 3 and 4 were a true test. This was the turning point which would set us on course for qualification: Back to Back games against SC Freiburg (the first match in Germany, the second in Japan). Being that Forest was playing really well at this point and seemed like the frontrunner, it definitely seemed like the Germans were going to be direct competitors for qualification. Playing in Germany was always a tough proposition, made even tougher by Freiburg's physical, no-nonsense play. In a match that featured many fouls and not many chances, Freiburg was determined to impose their superior size and strength on us, and after a tough goalless first 40 minutes, scored the first goal off a corner kick header, a goal not created by beauty but by engineering as they went on to halftime leading 1-0. Things were looking grim as they were not giving us many chances, yet we came back with two great scores quite late in the game, with once again Usami and Mostafa adding 2 goals in the last 20 minutes to give us the win!! Not a beautiful win by any means, but one full of spirit as we finished off the first leg of the group phase with a golden away win. Final score, Freiburg 1, S-Pulse 2!

​

Our next match would be similar to the previous one but this one in Shizuoka! (Highlights included above). Once again after a tough and cagey first 60 minutes of the match, the chances of the match going nil-nil seemed high as they were effectively clamping down on our chances (although Freiburg was not creating many of their own). Yet in minute 65, our magician Kojiroh Inui, in one of those moments of brilliance, juked a beautiful dribble move to freeze the German defenders and finding a space for Usami to score! (our secondary striker who is looking more and more like a Fifth Musketeer, and has been our top goalscorer so far!) Even though Freiburg was using their Air-tactics (lots of crosses and headers) to try to equalize, once again, in minute 77: A moment of brilliance. A PERFECTLY placed free kick in the box from Inui and all Usami had to do was chip it in! Freiburg got a late goal to make it suspenseful, but when it was all said and done, the final score was: S-Pulse 2, Freiburg 1, as Inui's two moments of brilliance paired up with Usami's finishing beat the Germans! Two matches, two wins, and we are solidly in first place with 2 group fixtures to go!!

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Yet once again, we would run up against the Nottingham wall. Playing on a cold, dreary English afternoon, our qualifying ambitions came to an abrupt halt (or at least pause) when we went ahead to face Forest in their hallowed grounds!! Once again showcasing their clinical finishing, the English side raced to a 2-0 lead in the first 10 minutes, a knockout punch which threatened to put us down for the count! A third goal put the game almost out of reach in minute 42 in a clinical display of efficiency. It's not that we weren't having chances, it's just that we weren't converting, and the few chances that Forest had were all going in! The floodgates opened in the second half, as Usami briefly gave us a glimmer of home off a perfectlly placed Free Kick to make it 3-1 before the English side definitely put the game out of reach in minute 72, making it 4-1. A couple of late goals by Boulos were not enough though, as our opponents scored again in the twilight of the match to make it a final score of Forest 5, S-Pulse 3, and our chance at direct qualification would have to wait. An interesting tidbit about this match. We had 10 chances, they had 7, meaning that they scored off 5 of them! European efficiency for sure, and a very tough loss.

This would set the stage for the final match. And this is how the table was looking going into the final group stage fixture (S-Pulse vs Cristal, Freiburg vs Forest):

1. Forest: 10 points, +2 goal difference
2. S-Pulse: 9 Points, +0 goal difference
3. Freiburg: 7 Points, + 2 goal difference
4. Cristal: 3 Points, -6 goal difference.

​


As you guys could see, nothing was set in stone. Even though we had a mathematical advantage and depended on ourselves, a loss could have left us out of the Cup. Our fans seemed aware of this, as they came out in full force to support us on a clear, beautiful Japanese Summer Night in our last match of the group stage against the Peruvians (full match above!) Shizuoka Stadium was rockin', an absolute sea of orange waves as we were set to play against Cristal, who did not have any chance to qualify but were playing for pure pride. And they came out posssessed, playing much better than us in chaotic, frenetic, South American style football! Cristal was playing in a haphazard and disorderly fashion, and this took us off guard for a while (being that we had played 3 straight matches against European rivals, this Latin style chaos was definitely different), as Gomez scored off a Lobatón pass in minute 9! The match went on in chaotic fashion, with more flair and individuality than tactics, as the S-Pulse decided to try to beat Cristal at their own game, matching South American flair with a flair of their own! Many missed chances later, in minute 31, we were able to equalize as Usami found a beautiful bottom right hand corner goal for the score after an Oshima pass! Halftime score was 1-1!

Yet the second half would not be less chaotic or unpredictable, as Cristal's Inga almost scored in minute 48 (our keeper Nakamura was absolutely beaten, only the post, geometry, physics, and luck saved us!) as the rest of the second half went on in this disorderly, haywire fashion! Cristal was looking dangerous, as their pride was dictating the match moreso than their x's and o's, as Inga was having a great match and generating many chances! But lo-and-behold!! In minute 69, Mostafa chipped back a pass in the box finding Kojiroh Inui who shot it through goal, going through the legs of a Peruvian defender who slightly deflected it and..... GOAAAAAAAAAAAAAAL!!!!! GOAL GOAL GOAL!!!! A most unpredictable goal in a most unpredictable match by Kojiroh, aided a bit by the Cristal defender and we are up 2-1!!!! But the drama would not end, as both Mostafa AND Inga almost scored near the end. A crazy match, relentlessly turbulent, but in the end..... It's S-Pulse 2, Cristal 1, and we qualify to the knockout stage of the 3-Stars Cup!! Lady luck smiled on us, in a sense. Freiburg beat Forest in their match 1-0 but it was not enough to pull them through! After a heart-pumping finish, it was us who finished first in the group!! (Although anything could've happened depending on the results of the last match)!!

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Who will the S-Pulse be facing next? None other than the tough (and largely unknown by us) AL-SADD of Qatar who finished second in their group! When it was all said and done, out of the last 16 teams, we have: 11 Europeans, 4 Asians, 1 MLS Team..... And in the biggest surprise of the Cup so far: No South Americans!! Talk about unpredictable.. Even though the European teams seem to have the upper hand, anything's possible.. Yet who would've thought before the 3-Stars Cup started that the knockout stage would feature no South American teams? Quite remarkable if you ask me.. You see, that is the nature of this competition!!

Here are some quotes from the post-game interviews:
Kojiroh Inui: "If there's something that has to be said about this group phase, is that we had to face 3 distinctly different teams.. Each with their own set of challenges.. This last match against Cristal was really emotional and heart-thumping. Nothing was written or set in stone, and they came out with their own disruptive and anarchic style.. But we were able to pull through, win the group, and give our fans great joy and happiness. Now is the time to celebrate. Tomorrow we will start thinking about Al-Sadd."

Mostafa Boulos: "Who would've thought that I would come all the way to Japan to play the most exciting Cup of my life? I have played in bigger, more prestigious leagues, under bigger contracts and with more money on the line. But I've never had this much fun and I've never felt so connected to a team or to a tournament. I have found my footballing happiness late in my career, and I hope to help my team deliver our ultimate destiny, and the journey is a great one. Here's a message to all of our fans in my new home of Shizuoka, and to all my Egyptian friends and family back home: I Know We Can Win The 3-Stars Cup!!"

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Knockout phase coming up, my friends!!

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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millossobek said:
Lady luck smiled on us, in a sense. Freiburg beat Forest in their match 1-0 but it was not enough to pull them through! After a heart-pumping finish, it was us who finished first in the group!! (Although anything could've happened depending on the results of the last match)!!
Click to expand...
Beautiful ...... such an ending where the ranking can change depending on the other results, IT'S FANTASTIC !!!!
:APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD: :APPLAUD:
 
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⭐⭐⭐ The COMEBACK, The S-PULSE!! ⭐⭐⭐
Shimizu show Guts and Pride to Qualify to the Quarterfinals!!

​
"If you can't accept losing, you can't win!" This quote perfectly sums up The S-Pulse's ordeal in the Round of 16 of the 3-Stars Cup! Facing Al-Sadd (captained by an aging but still legendary Xavi Hernández), our team had their backs to the wall, and came through in flying colors when it mattered most, not only ensuring qualification to the quarterfinals, but doing so in daring style! Facing adversity and a hostile crowd, the Japanese side was a whirlwind of color, passion, and quality football, in a series that will long live on in the memories of their fans as perhaps the most historic comeback yet in their short yet exciting history!!


​
The first match was played in Shizuoka Stadium, on a beautiful Japanese afternoon. (Full match included above!) The scene outside the stadium was really something, with people wearing spirit masks of Ancient Japanese Gods, as a festival-like atmosphere reigned inside and outside the grounds! The S-Pulse's fans are known for their rowdiness and party-like personality, and this was displayed in full force as J-Rock style guitars and chants and dancing supporters were seen everywhere! The team came out inspired for a great show!! The first real chance of the match came in minute 8, as youngster Kojiroh Inui had a header which almost beat the Qatari keeper! The match kept going at a frenetic pace, with good chances coming both ways, as both teams were playing with great passion and personality! In minute 14, alas, Bounedjah found Khalid in the box and after some nice dribbling, Khalid netted in in the top right corner, beating Nakamura for Al-Sadd's first goal!

However, this would not mean at all that S-Pulse would give up. Quite the contrary. We went on a very good offensive streak, generating chances and pressuring Al-Sadd while we looked for the equalizer! We pushed forward on, with Boulos, Inui, and Usami, but a bit of naivete worked against us.. A defensive lapse by our Korean Center Back, Hwang Seok-Ho as he was dispossessed by Xavi led to a beautiful assist to Khalid in minute 26, as he scored his second goal of the match! The score was Shimizu 0 - Al Sadd 2, and things were not looking good for us as the Qatari side had scored two away goals!! Yet in minute 30, we got one back!! After a dangerous corner kick led to a powerful shot from Usami punched away from the Al-Sadd keeper led to a second consecutive corner kick, it was Usami once again who scored, this time with a header in between the keeper's hands!! The first half would end 1-2!! The second half would feature more high-intensity football from both sides, as we tried and tried to penetrate the tough Al-Sadd defense, who were playing a 5-3-2 formation! It was a tough proposition, as they were playing with 3 central midfielders, and despite some more clear chances at goal, we weren't able to find an opening through their well-positioned defense.. And as the final whistle blew.. The final score was Shimizu 1, Al-Sadd 2! Not the result we wanted at all, as we faced an uphill battle with two away goals against us and going into a surely hostile crowd in Qatar!!

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We knew that we surely faced an uphill battle going back to Qatar. And the atmosphere WAS definitely different! In stark contrast with the J-Rock flavored chanting of Shizuoka's stadium, the passionate Qatari crowd had their own style, blaring their chants through megaphones and with huge banners in Arabic showcasing their cultural figures! In a hot, muggy afternoon in Jassim bin Hamad stadium, we knew we were up against not only Xavi and 10 Warriors, but also tens of thousands of fans eager to see their side qualify to the quarterfinals! The stage was set.. Would the S-Pulse fold under pressure, or would we rise to the occasion and show our indomitable heart??


​
Spurred on by their crowd, things were almost over before they even started! In literally the first play of the game, a series of beautiful, incisive passes led to the first match hero Khalid to ALMOST score once again, as his shot just sailed high and wide over Nakamura! This was definitely a wake-up call. The Qataris were here to play, they were here to win, and this was going to be an undoubtedly epic battle! An important tidbit: Our Creative Attacking Midfielder, Kojiroh Inui, was not in best form, battling cramps and a stomach ache, but we still started him, albeit in a more central midfielder role, moving our top goalscorer Usami a bit back to Attacking Midfielder and using bench striker Kaneko in a secondary striker positon. And this tactical change bore fruit, as Inui fed Kaneko in the box in minute 16, and after a daring move in the box, Kaneko scored!! 0-1 Shimizu (2-2 global). We knew that this was a great momentum shifter, yet we knew that we needed at least one more goal as they had two away ones!!

And oh! Did we almost score the second one just before the first half ended!! In minute 42, Usami hit the post after Mostafa Boulos (who was really happy to be playing in the Middle East as his extended family from Egypt made the trip) held the ball up and fed him a beautiful ball which led to a great chance! Clank!!!! Hitting the post as the 2nd goal was within our reach!! The first half ended with a 0-1 score, and we knew we needed another one!!!!

Starting the second half, Shimizu decided to move their lines forward, sacrificing defense for a chance to stay alive in the Cup and.. Speaking of Boulos, in minute 50 after a great mazing run by Usami freed space, the pass went to our Egyptian Center Forward who pushed it in and GOAAAAAAAAAL!!!!!!!!!!! With his family going nuts in the stands, the Egyptian silenced the Qatari crowd as our persistence paid off..... And suddenly.... WE ARE IN THE LEAD!!!!! Al-Sadd 0, Shimizu 2 (global score, 2-3!!!!!) Our strategy immediately changed. We substituted Inui and Oshima, bringing in two more defensively minded midfielders (who did a great job containing an exhausted Xavi Hernandez, who couldn't get anything going in this match) as we moved our lines back to defend our lead!! We were denying chances, yet creating some more of our own and in minute 74..... The KO Punch!!!!! Kawai to Boulos to Usami who shot it powerfully down the middle and.. it's the Third Goal!!!!!! We then sustained our advantage to the end and as the final whistle blew, the final score was Al-Sadd 0, Shimizu 3 (2-4 global score)... And we are through to the quarterfinals!!!!!! Our away crowd (which was tucked in the nosebleed seats of the stadium) celebrated and cheered wildly in the Qatari afternoon, as the Al-Sadd fans gave our team a standing ovation and our players embraced their rivals and each other in a gesture of good will, good heart, friendship, and the spirit of the 3-Stars Cup!!

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When it is all said and done, here's the bottom line: Our story continues! Shimizu S-Pulse is the only remaining non-European team in the 3-Stars Cup!! We will be facing Spanish Valladolid in the quarterfinals, as they beat Turkish Kasimpasa in an epic penalty shootout (7-6 PK's!) We know that we are the underdogs in the rest of the Cup, as the sole representative of the non-UEFA footballing world, yet we are not playing with a chip on our shoulder. We are playing with joy, with respect for our opponents, and knowing that the journey is beautiful regardless of the destination! Our goal is to win the Cup, that's for sure, and raise the banner and the flag of Asian Football even higher at the global scale, and we have something to prove to the world.. But we're going to approach this entire endeavor for what it is: Our own World Cup, a chance to spread happiness to the football world. This is our mission, and we will continue to play our hearts out!!

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Mostafa Boulos: "I've said it before and I'll say it again: I'm having so much fun playing with the S-Pulse, I could play 10 more years with them until I'm 41 and beyond. Doing this in front of my family was a great honor, you wouldn't believe the feeling it is to come back close to my homeland and to win in this manner. This is a memory that I will treasure forever!! Egypt is my heart, but Shimizu is now my home, and I would like to thank all of our fans who have opened their arms to me, making me feel not only like a part of the city, but like a part of something greater, a True Footballing Story!!!!"

Takashi Usami: "It's so great that we were able to qualify to the quarterfinals, the happiness is immense. However, I'd like to say that the most beautiful part of this whole adventure so far has been the standing ovation that the Al-Sadd faithful gave us at the end of the match. If that's not the spirit of the 3-Stars Cup, I don't know what is.. We are showing the footballing world that small and medium teams from lesser known locations are also able to create epic narratives, and a huge part of that is the fans. We are all brothers in this world, we football fans and players, and win-lose-or-draw, being able to share this great experience is something that we all will cherish, no matter what happens from here on out..!! Valladolid, here we come!!!!"

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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⭐⭐⭐ Yet Another Quarterfinal Exit! ⭐⭐⭐
The S-Pulse end the "Rest of the World" hopes, falling to eventual Champs Valladolid!!
​
I will keep this one short, at least much shorter than my other entires, because I just finished a couple of very intense, but ultimately disappointing games in the latest edition of the 3-Stars Cup! The First match was particularly intense, played in Shizuoka Stadium, we withstood an early goal by Valladolid but eventually came back and scored three goals before the first half ended! (Usami with the great performance, scoring off a perfect free kick from Kojiroh Inui, and also putting in a very nice rebound goal, and Mostafa Boulos capitalizing with the header right at the halfway mark!) We added one more goal in the second half, once again courtesy of Usami (who went home with the match ball with the hat-trick) and things were looking really good for us, leading 4-1. Unforntuately, we conceded two more goals before the match ended (the third goal was a really nice play by Valladolid, a super sharp cross followed by a powerful volley), and the match concluded 4-3! Not the best of results, given the away goal rule, but we did have a slight advantage going into Spain for the return leg!

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However, it was not meant to be. In a tightly defensive match, in which we pretty much kept the lid on for most of the encounter, we were efficiently controlling Valladolid's attacks with some good defense, until a defensive lapse late in the second half (approximately minute 74) led to a goal by the Spanish side. Even though we pushed forward for the rest of the match, generating good chances, it was not meant to be, as the away goal rule in the end meant that we were out of the Cup, despite a 4-4 global score! Gotta say, this was a matter of the away goal rules, which I'm not a huge fan of, but gotta be fair I have benefitted from this rule in the past! (Anyone remember my AFC Champions League with Gunma United?) So when it's all said and done, you win some and you lose some!

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I guess you guys can understand why I'm not really waxing poetic like I usually do with this post, as this defeat was clearly disappointing! I guess especially disappointing was the fact that I was leading 4-1 in the first leg, and really looked like I could've cruised on to the semifinal. It wasn't really a question of lack of concentration or focus while playing, and no.. I'm not going to mention any scripting either. I'll just leave it at this: This is football, and these kind of things can happen! I will continue on in the future with more editions, that's for sure! The Romance and the Drama of the 3-Stars Cup will definitely be back! All that is left to say is congratulations to Valladolid (who edged Switzerland's Young Boys in the final 1-0, bringing the third consecutive title to Europe). Also congratulations to Shimizu S-Pulse, whose talent, excitement, sportsmanlike conduct, and overall jogo bonito brought joy and flair to the Cup! Their fans brought a party like atmosphere, the football was entertaining! I definitely enjoyed playing with my invented players Mostafa Boulos and Kojiroh Inui, the rest of my Musketeers GK Nakamura and DMF Yamaguchi and especially the star of the show, Takashi Usami, who finished the tournament as the top goalscorer! Flair, passion, and showmanship from the S-Pulse for sure!!

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I will end this story quoting the legendary Pelé: “The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” :) :TU:

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
​
 
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Way to go bro.. another great 3-stars cup! Sorry for the outcome, but Pes 2019 is a really cruel one.. no matter the mod or the difficulty level, his merciless soul finds a way out sooner or later.

Well, it doesn't matter, the format is excellent and the next time you'll surely reach higher.. besides, as you say, that's just how football is :TU: !
 
@Madmac79 Thanks bro!! Yeah, PES 2019 is an unforgiving one. :LOL: Definitely I think the hardest PES in the entire series, even though I played it in modded Top Player! But yeah, I really enjoyed this third edition of the Cup. I like the fact that we are creating a history now, with Aston Villa, Panathanaikos, and now Valladolid as champions! Who will the 4th Edition crown?? Only time will tell ;) But I do know this: As per your suggestion, the 4th Edition of the 3-Stars Cup will be played in a retro PES edition! (PES 2013 or earlier!).... Maybe you can try creating a 3-Stars Cup yourself as well sometime! ;)

@Holland Love your positive comments Sensei! I love the fact that you take some of the most important phrases out of my stories and highlight them as to what they mean to you. :) Thanks a lot for your encouraging words my friend!! There's way more to come!!

I have several stories already in my mind to be brought to you by MFE (Millossobek's Football Enterprises), PLUS I still have the EL semifinal of my dear Amaranto's story still to be played so more updates will be coming!! Thanks for reading friends and stay tuned!! :TU:
 
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millossobek said:
View attachment 211738
⭐⭐⭐ Yet Another Quarterfinal Exit! ⭐⭐⭐
The S-Pulse end the "Rest of the World" hopes, falling to eventual Champs Valladolid!!
​
I will keep this one short, at least much shorter than my other entires, because I just finished a couple of very intense, but ultimately disappointing games in the latest edition of the 3-Stars Cup! The First match was particularly intense, played in Shizuoka Stadium, we withstood an early goal by Valladolid but eventually came back and scored three goals before the first half ended! (Usami with the great performance, scoring off a perfect free kick from Kojiroh Inui, and also putting in a very nice rebound goal, and Mostafa Boulos capitalizing with the header right at the halfway mark!) We added one more goal in the second half, once again courtesy of Usami (who went home with the match ball with the hat-trick) and things were looking really good for us, leading 4-1. Unforntuately, we conceded two more goals before the match ended (the third goal was a really nice play by Valladolid, a super sharp cross followed by a powerful volley), and the match concluded 4-3! Not the best of results, given the away goal rule, but we did have a slight advantage going into Spain for the return leg!


However, it was not meant to be. In a tightly defensive match, in which we pretty much kept the lid on for most of the encounter, we were efficiently controlling Valladolid's attacks with some good defense, until a defensive lapse late in the second half (approximately minute 74) led to a goal by the Spanish side. Even though we pushed forward for the rest of the match, generating good chances, it was not meant to be, as the away goal rule in the end meant that we were out of the Cup, despite a 4-4 global score! Gotta say, this was a matter of the away goal rules, which I'm not a huge fan of, but gotta be fair I have benefitted from this rule in the past! (Anyone remember my AFC Champions League with Gunma United?) So when it's all said and done, you win some and you lose some!


I guess you guys can understand why I'm not really waxing poetic like I usually do with this post, as this defeat was clearly disappointing! I guess especially disappointing was the fact that I was leading 4-1 in the first leg, and really looked like I could've cruised on to the semifinal. It wasn't really a question of lack of concentration or focus while playing, and no.. I'm not going to mention any scripting either. I'll just leave it at this: This is football, and these kind of things can happen! I will continue on in the future with more editions, that's for sure! The Romance and the Drama of the 3-Stars Cup will definitely be back! All that is left to say is congratulations to Valladolid (who edged Switzerland's Young Boys in the final 1-0, bringing the third consecutive title to Europe). Also congratulations to Shimizu S-Pulse, whose talent, excitement, sportsmanlike conduct, and overall jogo bonito brought joy and flair to the Cup! Their fans brought a party like atmosphere, the football was entertaining! I definitely enjoyed playing with my invented players Mostafa Boulos and Kojiroh Inui, the rest of my Musketeers GK Nakamura and DMF Yamaguchi and especially the star of the show, Takashi Usami, who finished the tournament as the top goalscorer! Flair, passion, and showmanship from the S-Pulse for sure!!

View attachment 211751View attachment 211740
I will end this story quoting the legendary Pelé: “The more difficult the victory, the greater the happiness in winning.” :) :TU:

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
​
Click to expand...
That's pure PES 2019 core. A goal massacre, no matter the difficulty or the mods, unfortunatelly.
 
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A LEGACY CEMENTED!!!!
The Amaranto fall to Milan in the Europa League Semis, but Make their Own History!!!!
​
Who is Reggina 1914? Who are the Amaranto? This question could take on many different answers.. We are a team. A football team from the South of Italy. Harbinger ofthe hopes of tens of thousands of fans from the city of Reggio, a proud representative of Italian Football, rising from Serie B to the highest division of the Calcio. We are also the debut managerial team of legendary Roberto Baggio, "Il Divin Codino", perhaps the most loved player in the country's history, and the place where Gianluca Lapadula, their emblem and symbol, made history, with humility and a huge heart. From the bottom the Serie B to the Semifinals of the Europa League in only four short seasons. A creator of narratives, a weaver of beauty, drama, and footballing aspirations!! This is the Amaranth, We are Il Amaranto!!

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The first leg of the semifinals, against the mighty Rossoneri, AC Milan, was played in Reggio Calabrio, in our dear Stadio Oreste Granillo. and the stage was set. The atmosphere was insane, and rightly so.. Flags were everywhere, the chanting was at the highest volume. Who would've thought that in only 4 short years under Manager Baggio's tutelage, we would be in this position? The grandiloquence and circumstance of this occassion as immense. Facing an Italian Giant, from the North of Italy, the historic Milan, and Gianluca and our boys were completely focused and concentrated. Our crowd was absolutely insane with joy and expectation. Facing an Italian giant, a true Champion and a legendary history.. The entire setup could not be more dramatic as Reggina vs Milan, South vs North, David vs Goliath was set to go.

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The first couple of clear chances belonged to Milan, as Kessie sailed a shot wide in minute 23 and our great GK Enzo kept Rebic's shot out of the goal in minute 24 and a header in min 27! Milan came out as the stronger team, trying to enforce their quality and superior firepower on the Amaranth. But things drastically changed in min 32, as their star defender Romagnoli was shown a red card after a double foul (a tackle and then an elbow to the face) against Gianluca! This changed the tenor of the match for sure, as all of a sudden Milan went on the defensive and Baggio instructed Reggina to move forward..

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And move forward we did! A potent header by El-Kabir (saved by the Milan keeper at the last moment!), a Lapadula chance in minute 47, an Oristanio one on one (perhaps our best chance in the entire match), yet another header by Lee Chang-Min which was INCHES from going in at minute 80, another HUGE chance by late substitute Russo in minute 87, and yet ANOTHER shot in the box by Lee with seconds to go, and we dominated the rest of the match in terms of chances! Unfortunately, the ball did not go in. The Rossoneri were lucky to escape with a 0-0 draw from Stadio Oreste Granillo, and the Amaranth would travel to the North of Italy with the score all tied! Meanwhile, Wolverhampton Wanderers pulled off a huge upset against Man United at Old Trafford, beating them 1-3 in the first leg of their other semifinal.

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Manager Baggio was calm and somewhat solemn in the press conference after the match.. All business, quite different from the upbeat manner that had defined him throughout his tenure at Reggina. Even though he knew that we had let a huge chance slip away, as Milan was playing with 10 players for most of the match and we had MANY more chances, Baggio also knew that the second leg at the San Siro was going to be a huge challenge, playing against 80,000 Rossoneri fans and supporters and in hallowed grounds. But we were aware that we could not let the big stage get to us. We had reached this point already, on the back of a huge effort and inspired performances led by our captain Lapadula, and we were going to rise to the occasion and give it all we had, AC Milan notwithstanding! Our pride was our fuel! Baggio had a tough decision to make.. Cesare Russo was coming off huge performances in Serie A and was playing really really well, improving leaps and bounds with every match and with insane form. He decided to start Cesare over Gianluca in the return match, trying to save our Captain for the second half.

​


Unfortunately, at the start of the we ran into a Catenaccio. Milan, knowing that they had the crowd and perhaps momentum on their side, were closing off a lot of space and not letting us play our game, (despite the return of our Tunisian Star, Youssef El-Sherif!). An early header by Rafael Leao put Milan ahead 1-0 after a brilliant counterattack in which our defense let some vital open spaces and after the 15th minute, we were already trailing! The first 30 minutes of the match would be a lot of the same. Leao with yet another chance, followed by Rebic, and we could not put offense together as they were closing in on us brilliantly. Yet in a span of 5 minutes (min 31 to min 35), we finally broke through and created two nice chances off crosses, one by Baluta (just high!!) and another one that Russo just missed which would've been a remedy and a great booster going into halftime.. Yet as the second half started, Baggio decided to bring Gianluca back in!! Milan kept pressuring, with more chances by Rebic and Castillejo, as they were exerting their superior physicality and talent.

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But the score remained 1-0,, and even though Lapadula was being denied and was very closely guarded by the Milan defenders, we were able to create two more chances, a long range shot by Lee Chang Min in min 73 and another header by Youssef El Sherif which sailed wide in min 78! With ten minutes left to go, The Amaranth decided to pull out all the stops and we went on full attacking mode, to no avail.... As the final whistle blew, it was Milan 1-0 Reggina, as two very closely contested games ended up in victory for the Rossoneri, with only the slightest of margins! A valiant effort by Reggina, a spirited end to an epic international story.. No shame in going out the way we did, 0-0 in our stadium, 0-1 in the San Siro, as we battled for every single ball, had chances of our own, played with tons of heart and desire, and were even close to pressing our advantage at several points. In the end, an awesome effort by Il Amaranto, an effort that will live on in the annals of history as one of Italy's smaller teams broke through to the European Championship, reaching the semifinals no less.... In this world that is becoming ever more cynical, with the same teams qualifying.... That a darkhorse like Reggina were able to pull through, on the back of Baggio and Lapadula, is a great feat of its own..... In fact, it's magical. What an experience!!

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This is not only the story of Reggina Calcio however. It is the story of a player, with an Italian father and a Peruvian mother.. Gianluca Lapadula, who was the heart and soul of an entire team, of an entire city and had a historic performance in the last 4 years of his career. Promoting the Amaranth in only two short seasons, qualifying to the Europa League in his third, and in his fourth and final season as a footballer, reaching the semifinals against Milan. What a storybook ending to a career, one that few players can even aspire to.... Even if we weren't able to win the Europa League, this is perhaps secondary to the fact that we created so much joy and expectation in an entire city, an entire region of the country.. And gave our Captain the Storybook ending he deserved: The best and most passionate story in Italian Football. Coming soon, Gianluca's last professional game as a footballer, in our last Serie A fixture in none other than Stadio Olimpico, against ROMA!!!!

:RSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:
​
 
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It was a great, honest epilogue to your Reggina story and all their protagonists Baggio, Lapadula, El Sherif and the others. The most important thing in virtual football stories to me is the journey - and this one was nothing but amazing! Looking forward to your next adventure mate!
 
@Madmac79 Man you are totally right. In ML stories, what is most important is the Journey, not the Destination! I had so much fun with this story.. It was an epic adventure, and I was really emotionally invested in it... In the end, I didn't feel bad bowing out to Milan in the Europa League although I did give it my all..... It was a really poetic tale, the whole journey, from Baggio's hiring to Lapadula's retirement, it felt like a true footballing story, I put my heart into it which is the whole point of these stories! :)

I will eventually write one last post in Reggina's tale: Lapadula's final match at the Stadio Olimpico, Serie A fixture 38. :RSCARF:
 
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You manage to convey emotions by making us feel involved and an integral part of your project :YES: ................regardless of the final result, burden and merit Bro!!!!
You made history!!!
:APPLAUD::APPLAUD::APPLAUD:
 
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:RSCARF: ARRIVEDERCI GIANLUCA!!!! :RSCARF:
LAPADULA SCORES THE GAME WINNER IN MINUTE 86 OF HIS LAST MATCH!!!!
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I couldn't have imagined a better ending. After the defeat against Milan in the semifinals of the Europa League, our dear Reggina had one more match to go, on a beautiful night against AS Roma in the mythical, hallowed grounds of Stadio Olimpico. Fighting in the midtable of the Calcio, far from European Cup qualification or relegation, a simple look at the table would not have shown the emotional importance of this match. This story had captivated the imaginatiion of the entire Italian Footballing world, all of the press was present, and most importantly, the heartbeat of tens of thousands of Reggina supporters was in unison as they said farewell to their leader, their emblem, their captain, Gianluca Lapadula.

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In an awesome display of respect and sportsmanship, even though Roma was playing at home in front of mostly their fans (a good number of Amaranto supporters showed up at the Stadium to say farewell to their hero), the Roma players, coaching staff and fans decided to have a great gesture: In honor of Gianluca's last game as a professional, and also to honor the team that had captured the minds of Italian Football, Roma decided to give up their home kits in favor of Il Amaranto, playing in their visitor kits and letting Reggina display their home colors. One of the most beautiful gestures in recent footballing memory, as tens of thousands of fans chanted and the atmosphere was absolutely electric.

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The match started off intensely. Roma was paying tribute to Gianluca as well, but they were in front of tens of thousands of their fans, and they came out to win, farewell or no farewell. Sporting their secondary cream and wine-colored kit, they began by pressuring Reggina all the way, with high lines and not letting our dear Amaranto get anything going. Perhaps our players were so pumped up, looking to give Gianluca their best game, that they came out a bit nervous.. And Roma's superior quality was starting to show. Pastore was conducting the midfield brilliantly, and they were having many more chances than us (great save by our keeper Enzo to keep out a Zaniolo shot in minute 18), until finally, in min 24, after a brilliant collective play and precise pass by Pedro, Mkhitaryan scored the first goal! It was 1-0 Roma! Yet.. in the first twist and turn of the match, we were able to recuperate, and a few minutes later, in minute 36, it's our Ecuadorian mainstay Cristian Aleman! After a furious run by Lapadula and a cross led to a scramble in the box, Aleman was able to shoot it in powerfully for the equalizer! First half was done, and the score was Roma 1-1 Reggina!

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The second half started off with more a slight advantage to Roma, as Veretout had a clear chance in minute 52, followed by more possession and overall better play. Lapadula had hardly touched the ball, and he had not had any chances as of yet.. Was he showing his age against the tough and rugged Roma defenders? A few more minutes ensued until..... in minute 64.. Here comes a counterattack!! Dwomoh feeds Lapadula in the corner and Gianluca with a perfect cross to...... Youssef El-Sherif with the heading goal!!!!! It's 2-1 Reggina as the Roma crowd goes silent!! It was amazing that Il Amaranto were leading after Roma had played so much better, but Gianluca had his assist in his final match! Would this be the final result? Not if if were up to Roma. In the VERY next play, after kicking off, Roma scored and equalized in minute 65!!!! Perhaps losing a bit of focus after the El-Sherif goal, and perhaps a bit unfortuantely due a scramble picked up by Roma, it was Mkhitaryan again with the shot and the score!!

The match stood at 2-2 with 25 minutes left to go, and Roma were pressuring, looking for the win. More chances by Roma and it seemed like just a matter of time until they would be able to break down our defense..... El-Sherif was exhausted, replaced by Cesare Russo, Gianluca's protege.

Until.......

In minute 86..........

THIS HAPPENED.

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Could it be?
Cesare Russo with a forceful run, with more heart than mind, with more desire than physicality... beating the Roma midfielders and charging forward...
Russo: "Let's do this for Gianluca"
Tens of thousands of Reggina fans were open mouthed, expecting the impossible. A space is found between the Roma defenders for a perfect Russo through ball..
It finds Lapadula in the box.... The Roma players scramble to stop the 34 year old. A whole city, no. A whole footballing nation holds their breath collectively.
Lapadula: "This is my chance. This is my last match. This is my life. This is my legacy"

GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRANDE GOOOOOOOL DI LAPADULAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Roberto Baggio: "GIANLUCAAAAAAAAAAA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"
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5 minutes later, the whistle sounds. The final score is Reggina 3-2 Roma. Gianluca Lapadula has scored a game winning goal in his last match as a Professional Footballer, and the entire Stadio Olimpico are on their feet in a standing ovation, the Reggina AND Roma fans chanting "Lapadula, Lapadula", in recognition of the best story in Italian Football in the past years. Tears can be seen in the eyes of the Reggina fans who are present, as well as most of the Reggina players. The Roma players congratulate our boys and hugs and handshakes can be seen all around. Roberto Baggio and Gianluca Lapadula embrace each other in the middle of the pitch...... The perfect ending to a most passionate of stories.

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Roberto Baggio: "Football sometimes can amaze you. It's the most beautiful sport in the world. There's nothing more that I can add, sometimes words are not even necessary. This moment, this match.... Let us rejoice in it and keep it forever as a golden memory. This will live in our hearts, in the hearts of Reggina fans, in the hearts of Italian footballing fans forever."

Youssef El-Sherif: "You want to know what I told Gianluca before the match started? I told him: "This is your night, my captain. Remember it forever."

Cesare Russo: "I will do my best to carry on the legacy of Gianluca. He and Roberto.. You know what these masters have taught me? The best lesson that any young footballer can have... A lesson not just for football, but for life: The true value of humility. This is the end of Gianluca's career, and the start of mine.... But you know what? Maybe both things, are the same thing..... And I'm just happy to be a part of it...... Amazingly happy."

Gianluca Lapadula: "When I announced by retirement a few months ago, I really could not even imagine that my career would end like this. This is an incredibly emotional moment for me..... But I am happy. So happy and grateful. Grateful for a wonderful career. Grateful to my family, to my friends, to all those who love me. But must of all.. I am grateful that I was able to spend the last years of my career with Reggina, this amazing Amaranto team. I am grateful to my manager, Roberto, who believed in me even when my legs lost a step or two.... To my teammates, who were always my inspiration and the rock that supported me even in the most trying of times.. To fans of Reggina Calcio, who were my strength...... To the Roma organization for their gracefulness and sportsmanship.. And to destiny, for giving me this wonderful opportunity to leave football on a beautiful night, one that I will remember and cherish in the deepest part of my soul. GRAZIE REGGINA. GRAZIE!!!!!!!!!!"

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:RSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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Millossobek's Master League Story #7:
SÓCRATES LIVES!! (PES 2021)
SÓCRATES AND CASTOLO TEAM UP TO LEAD ESTRELA AZUL TO BRASILEIRAO RELEVANCE!!

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Hey guys! For my 7th Master League Story, I've decided to go back to PES 2021 (it's been a while since I've made a full ML in 2021), and I've decided to mix things up a little! Let's create an alternate reality: Sócrates, the Brazilian Legendary "Doctor of Football" is alive and born 10 years later (1964)! Having just turned 57 years old in 2021, and after having had a few, mostly unsuccessful experiences as a Manager of Botafogo, LDU de Quito, and Cabofriense, he has taken a long break from managing, focusing on a myriad of other interests (politics, art, literature, music). But now, after a 10-year hiatus, the Doctor is back, and managing a brand-new invented millossobek team: Estrela Azul Paulista, based on a working class neighborhood in Sao Paulo!!

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A bit of context before we proceed: In this alternate reality, being that Sócrates is 10 years younger, his playing career spanned from 1984 to 1999, playing for many teams (allthough his stint at Corinthians was most remarkable). What is even more memorable, however, was his World Cup Victory in USA 1994, where as a veteran, he was still able to Captain a Brazilian team which featured Romario, Bebeto, Dunga, Taffarel, and a very young Ronaldo! Even though his fitness was never the best (he didn't quite take care of his body as a footballer of his stature should have), his brand of calm, brilliant, creative football led the midfield and the entire team to a great victory (against Roberto Baggio's Italy, no less)! After that his body broke down and his somewhat careless lifestyle caught up to him, and his playing days declined until an eventual retirement in 1999.

Even though Sócrates had tried his hand at managing before, his bad experiences in the past have taught him valuable lessons in coaching. No longer a complete purist, Sócrates understands that football has evolved and he must somewhat adapt to the times in a faster, more physically demanding style of modern football. HOWEVER (and this is a BIG caveat), he still has two very important goals in mind, in addition to promoting Estrela Azul Paulista to the Brasileirao A for the first time:

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1. Bring back the identity of South American, more specifically, Brazilian Football. Sócrates feels that at the local level, the country has lost its footballing identity, as each time both local teams and the NT are trying to emulate the physical, tactically aggressive and pressuring styles of the top European leagues. Sócrates is a firm believer that the true spirit of Football in the country is one of: Playing with joy, creativity, more mind and spirit than body, bringing back "Jogo Bonito" in its purest sense. A style that makes people fall in love with the pure inventiveness and more improvising style that has defined Brazilian Football and has given it its greatest success and worldwide joy and admiration.

2. Create and spread a Culture of Peace in Football. No longer will ultras and fan violence be tolerated, either at the stadium or anywhere close to the team. The Doctor wants to help create an atmosphere where families, parents, kids, everyone is welcome. He wants not only to instill this mentality at the team, but work hard to promote it in South American Football, which has unfortunately become much less peaceful overtime. Sócrates is a firm believer that Football is for the People, and that everyone should be able to enjoy it in complete peace: That is how the true joyful spirit of the sport will emerge.

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These long term goals will start with the clay and structure of the team: Because he is working with a very limited budget (one of the smallest in Brasileirao B), the Doctor had to assemble a team full of low-stats Brazilian Free agents, some youthful promises, and holdovers from other Brasileirao B Teams. Yet Sócrates is determined: He is on a mission to bring this team full of rag-tag outcasts and unknowns to Brazilian relevance. One important aspect to note, however, is that among this likeable and spirited group, the followiing two players are seen by the coaching staff and by Estrela Azul Paulista's fans as their most important ones:

CASTOLO: Yes. THAT Castolo!! (big thanks to vialli for helping me convert the stats)! In my story, however, our dear and much beloved striker from retro-PES lore, aged 23, still hasn't made his name in the leagues, having struggled in his first years in Brasileirao second division. Touted as a possible future star in the Brazilian lower divisions, he has not lived up to the promise of his talent. Brought in to Estrela Azul one year ago, and standing at only 172 cm and only weighing 68 kgs, some pundits have questioned if Castolo has the physicality and the strength to compete as a modern striker, but the managerial staff has complete belief in his talent. Although his finishing still needs a lot of work, he is fast, aggressive and determined. The fans are losing a bit of patience with him (he missed many goals in his last season, where they finished near the bottom of the league and JUST avoided relegation to third division), but Sócrates is convinced that he can bring out the best in the mercurial, inconsistent, yet talented striker!

LEANDRO (invented player): A relatively unknown player, 19 year old Leandro was discovered by Sócrates from the depths of the third division. Even though quite shorter and slighter than the Doctor himself, he plays with an imaginative style that belies his years and is completely out of fashion in modern football: Not a physical presence at all, a small and slight player, but agile and most of all, quite good with the ball at his feet with skills and passing, Leandro is a personal project for Sócrates: He sees him as a future star and an ambassador of sorts of the old-school Brazilian football style, a complete contrarian to modern physical trends and much more reliant on dribbling, artistic playing, vision on the pitch and trying to calmly dismantle the opponent with talent, not force. Let's see what the youngster can bring to Estrela Azul Paulista!!

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The road is long and difficult: Our team is not riddled with talent. We have one of the smallest budgets in the league. The aspiration of even playing in Brasileirao A is still very very far away. But we have a project. We have an incredibly charismatic leader in Sócrates who is striving to bring an on-the-field, and off-the-field revolution to Brazilian Football. We have a small but growing and commiitted fanbase from the working-classes of Sao Paulo who wants to see beautiful football. We have promising players who are looking for the right leadership to grow into relevance. We have a vision, a romantic philosophy that goes against the grain, and a whole new season in front of us. This is a story about the footballing soul of an entire country.

This is Pro Evolution Soccer.

:BSCARF: :TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU: :BSCARF:
Comments are welcome!:YES:​
 
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Brilliant story (as per usual) mate! The vision is an important one, as we have lost too much individuality to high-pressure modern football.
Cool Runnings to Socrates, old mate Castolo! :LOL: & hopefully Brazil's next Ronaldinho, Leandro!

P.S Damn it's story #7!? I must've been in that magical cave for longer than I thought.. lol I'll be catching up when I can mate! GG's to you.
 
Neat job as always mate! Really love the brazilian background, especially like the idea to bring back a younger Castolo, but I'm curious to see how will Leandro develop. The great Socrates always have been one of my favourite classic players as well!
 
@Holland Thanks man!! Yeah, that was an insanely suspenseful and epic conclusion to my Reggina story. Wrapping it up like that, with Gianluca scoring the last goal, was like a storybook ending, with so much drama!! Absolutely loved the epilogue!!

@Joga @Madmac79 Yeah bros!! Cool Runnings to Socrates, Castolo and Leandro! I have really high hopes for this trio.. I am particularly interested if Sócrates can imprint his retro-creative style to Estrela Azul. He is really putting his hopes into Leandro as the conductor of the orchestra! Also I'm really looking forward to seeing if Castolo can develop the consistency to go along with his talent! I love the fact that I made him a mercurial and volatile player!!

Thanks for following my stories bros!!!! :) :TU: Stay tuned for more updates!
 
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