After the exotic bounce around various J-Leagues of the past weeks, days ago I decided to go back to
Pes 3. It was some good some time since I wanted to retake this masterpiece, and all the retro football tv is proposing during these days in my country, inspired me to finally start a ML here. With a simple rule: only players of 34 or older. My aim is to build a sort of very personal "old guys" all star (hopefully not too overpowered). I picked Weser: I didn't want to edit a team and their Pele's Cosmos-like kit looked perfect for the occasion.
The league started with mixed results, but luckily I could catch the promotion train soon enough. My first buy, and the guy I'll compose the team around, was my idol Roberto Baggio, which I exchanged for Minanda (sorry guys) and some money on my part. He started quite bad and he even got injured for a couple matches, then he luckily helped us reach both the D2 Cup and the first two positions.
The end was pure thrill: in the last 2 fixtures I had (in this order) Lisbonera and Bourgogne. The table said this:
so in theory a draw against Lisbonera would have been enough. But in a dramatic twist, they won against me 0-2 with a superb Nuno Gomes (who also got my Vornander a red card+penalty) and promotion was almost lost.
Miraculously, in the last game I managed to beat Bourgogne 1-2 and West London White beat Lisbonera, so I got my play-offs ticket:
Then I had a fantastic D2 Cup final against Bourgogne (truly the season's rivals, since I'll find them again in the play-offs togheter with Athenakos and Emilia Sud).
Had a red card in the second half, managed to keep the 0-0 and went in the extra times; I was able to score with a good Barota shoot only to have them draw with an half bycicle by Cissè. Arrived at the penalties and won 5-4 in what seemed like a true real life drama
Hope I'll be able to grab promotion. I already bought Aldair and Mauro Silva for next season and hope more will come from summer market.
I think we talked to death about the brilliant gameplay of this chapter, but I'd like to remark once more how simple and yet full of depth this game is. AI often tries to play football, teams are well positioned, single players try to play their strengths and make "intelligent" choices, referees and refereeing in general is very varied. When I was in the final's extra time, with a man less and my poor defaults almost dead.. man, all the struggle in the field of the 22 felt so real.
Can't wait to play more!