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Chapter 223: face your mortal enemy and go all out!

Both managers stepped onto the field. Ruud Gullit had shaved his beard, his face now looking remarkably youthful, like a handsome young man. Aldrich approached the sidelines first and exchanged congratulations with Gullit over Millwall's double triumph, graciously accepting the praise.

Cameras were focused on Aldrich, and the commentator couldn't contain their excitement.

"He's here! The new generation's coaching genius of England! Undoubtedly a talent! Within just two years, he has transformed Millwall's trophy cabinet from empty to gleaming gold. Congratulations, European Champion coach!"

When Aldrich made his entrance, the stands erupted. Chelsea fans fell silent, watching with cold indifference, while Millwall supporters whistled, clapped, and cheered, holding up various pre-made posters in his honor.

For a club like Millwall, which had gone a century without accolades, achieving a full set of domestic honors and even European glory in just two years had turned Aldrich into a "god" in the eyes of the fans.

Consequently, many in the Wembley stands were holding signs proclaiming "Aldrich - Legend," expressing their reverence for the young manager.

Today, there was also a stunning sight among the crowd; dozens of girls in their twenties had gathered, each with different signs professing their love. The cameras captured the moment, and the commentator couldn't help but chuckle.

"Aldrich, go out with me!

I'm prettier than Melanie!

I cook, you won't be able to leave me!

I'm skilled in design, I'll make you even more handsome!

I'm an older sister who'll show you what true tenderness is!

...

Aldrich, I'm starting to envy you!"

This group of charming girls, each unique in their beauty, donned Millwall jerseys and swayed joyfully, completely unbothered by the surprised glances from onlookers.

Aldrich, oblivious to the spectacle, couldn't possibly take in everything from such a vast Wembley stadium. Besides, the stands were dazzling, and he remained seated on the bench, waiting for the match to begin.

"The players are on the field. Although Chelsea is wearing their home kit, the popular team today is, without a doubt, the defending champions, Millwall. Just two days ago, they played a peak-level match in the Netherlands, so their stamina could be a concern. As expected, Gullit made adjustments to his starting lineup. Goalkeeper: Bouet; Defenders: Schneider, El Guerra, Southgate, Zambrotta; Midfielders: Ballack, Makelele, Nedved; Forwards: Gronkjaer, Van Nistelrooy, Larsson. Chelsea produced a classic match during their progression this season, coming back to beat Liverpool after being two goals down. Even though Chelsea, with their Italian trio, isn't expected to win today, they certainly won't be without a chance. Starting goalkeeper: Grodaz; Defenders: Clarke, Sinclair, Leboeuf, Minto; Midfielders: Petrescu, Di Matteo, Burley, Wise; Forwards: Zola paired with Hughes. Rumors suggest a rift between Chelsea manager Gullit and Vialli. It seems true; Vialli still sits on the bench today, while Zola shines once again at Stamford Bridge."

Aldrich had left out the U21 players who had played in the European Cup Winners' Final two days prior, including Capdevila, Pirlo, Trezeguet, and Shevchenko.

Aside from protecting the players, the move aimed to inject more energy into the lineup.

Zola had already proven himself at Stamford Bridge, even winning over the English fans. Just three months ago, at this very venue, Zola helped Italy score a late winner against England, leaving the whole of Wembley silent after his goal.

Di Matteo was the source of creativity in midfield, while Wise, although a spiritual leader, lacked the necessary skill.

Gullit's strategy today was "us first," with Di Matteo holding the center while utilizing smaller players like Wise on the wings for quick impacts. Petrescu, usually a fullback, was utilized as a wing forward due to his strong crossing abilities.

After the pre-match formalities, both teams lined up according to their formations. Millwall's players let out a fierce roar, which ignited cheers from the stands.

Lion fans were bursting with pride.

Just look at our players, each full of energy and fighting spirit!

Once the match began, Gullit stood throughout, while Aldrich remained seated. The two young managers were no strangers to one another; Aldrich had already bested Gullit on numerous occasions, with a rather dismal track record against him.

Aldridge completely inherited the tradition of British football: face your mortal enemy and go all out!

West Ham and Chelsea were teams Aldrich always approached with a mindset of not just avoiding defeat but absolutely needing to win!

Millwall was deploying their favored 4-2-3-1 formation today, with Makelele and Ballack anchoring the midfield, effectively restricting Di Matteo's ability to create and penetrate. Wise and Petrescu may not be typical wingers, but they often shifted inside or overhead when receiving the ball. Millwall's defense was consciously compact, squeezing the space for Chelsea's forwards to operate.

Chelsea struck first with an attack, but Wise's cross sailed over the end line. Millwall quickly switched to offense, and Chelsea had no time to slack, immediately resorting to a full retreat.

However, once they made it back to their half, doubts crept in: What's Millwall up to? Are they really out of steam?

Bouet's goal kick was leisurely, seemingly waiting for Chelsea's players to be fully back in position before he finally passed to Southgate.

Millwall maintained a compact structure without pushing forward. Nedved led the front three, positioned right around the halfway line, directly marking Chelsea's attacking players for defense.

Millwall still managed to distribute the ball quickly, though most forward passes were scarce. Just as the ball made it forward, they often opted for a back pass instead.

Gullit crossed his arms, looking puzzled.

Gullit crossed his arms, his face filled with confusion. Could it be that they really partied hard after winning the championship and now have no energy to run today?

In the past, Millwall was decisive in penetrating defenses, but today they consciously employed quick distribution to stretch Chelsea's defense.

After two quick horizontal passes, the tension in Chelsea's backline finally revealed some space on the right side. At that moment, Nedved back-passed to Ballack, who delivered a diagonal ball towards the right flank. Gronkjaer made a rapid run, and upon receiving the ball, headed straight into the vacant area on the right.

Minto turned to chase but evidently couldn't keep up with Gronkjaer's speed. As Gronkjaer cut in towards the baseline, his pass aimed for Van Nistelrooy lurking at the center, but the ball was intercepted midway by Leboeuf, thwarting the attack.

It was a near-successful offensive play, yet Gullit frowned deeply.

Millwall had sent four players forward, causing Chelsea to scramble back in a panic.

Gronkjaer, Van Nistelrooy, and Larsson did not rush the back post. Instead, they looked for opportunities outside the area, with Nedved lying in wait behind Van Nistelrooy. Chelsea had retreated back into their half.

What was Millwall up to?

Did they think they could win by individual efforts?

Gullit had no clear answer but realized his team's offense was bogged down.

When Millwall attack aggressively, there are inevitably weaknesses in their defense. Against a team with outstanding individual talent, they are vulnerable to counterattacks and the goal area can quickly become filled with danger. Gullit's hopes are pinned on Zola, hoping that he can seize the opportunity.

But Chelsea was struggling to control midfield, obstructing effective central progression.

Di Matteo fell victim to Ballack's pressure for the second time, leading to a turnover; the first was due to a misplaced pass, and the second was a successful steal from Makelele.

Each time Millwall transitioned from defense to attack, Chelsea's players immediately sprinted back. They dared not pressure too high, fearing being overwhelmed and leaving their backline exposed, especially with Millwall's ability to exploit numerical advantages—a true disaster waiting to happen.

Yet today, as they adhered strictly to Gullit's defensive tactics, they noticed that Millwall wasn't rushing their offense.

They maintained solid control of the midfield with two wide midfielders, full-backs, a pair of central midfielders, and an attacking midfielder, establishing a strong advantage. The ball rolled back and forth, with wingers positioning themselves right by the touchline, nearly having one foot out of play and the other in. As Chelsea players moved in to pressure, they had to align with the sideline too. But Millwall didn't play around with wide breakthroughs; instead, they focused on long passes to switch the play, effectively using the pitch's width to launch their offensives.

This pendulum-like horizontal maneuvering stretched Chelsea's defensive line to its limits. When even one point disconnected from the line, vulnerabilities emerged.

Millwall wasn't displaying an overwhelming intensity but rather comfortably controlled the pace of the match.

Chelsea, filled with fervor to reclaim a championship, found themselves powerless, dazed by Millwall's frequent shifts.

Their urgency turned into rising impatience, leading to increasing defensive gaps.

Makelele received a pass from El Guerra, sending it left towards Zambrotta, who made an overlapping run. After receiving the ball, Zambrotta delivered a direct pass to Larsson, who found himself besieged between Burley and Clarke, yet skillfully controlled the ball with his back. In a deft flick, he sent it into space behind him.

Both Clarke and Burley were caught off guard; the area was Larsson's territory, and Zambrotta had not surged forward. Whom was the ball aimed for?

Nedved!

The Czech player advanced into the spaces Larsson frequently occupied, suddenly bursting into action. After collecting the ball, he drove down the baseline, sweeping it across the front of the goal.

Chelsea's defense was in disarray; Nedved had outrun them using his speed, facing his own net. The defenders hesitated, unwilling to make risky tackles, as Gronkjaer charging in at the back post prepared for the shot. Leboeuf slid across to block the attempt but couldn't clear it in time. Moments later, a Dutchman in white, Sinclair, saw the imminent follow-up shot and rushed to stop it.

However, the crafty Dutchman just played a clever trick. He coolly dribbled to the side and then, with a quick flick of his foot, sent the ball toward the goal. The ball lifted off the ground; although it wasn't powerful, it had an incredibly sneaky angle that found its way into the net!

"Van Nistelrooy opens the scoring for Millwall! What a stunning goal! He remained so calm under pressure in front of the goal, executing a simple yet effective move. If he had shot straightaway, it could have been blocked, but he fooled Sinclair, smoothly slipping the ball into the net. Chelsea is down a goal; they've fought hard today but are up against an extraordinary Millwall—patient and utilizing a simple yet effective style! Aldrich and his players are close to the treble!"