The Greatest Of All Time

by Stayrr

Dive into a novel about the rise of a legendary sportsman. Follow Zachary Bemba on his journey to become the G.O.A.T (Greatest Of All Time) in the soccer world. He travels back to a time in his past where opportunity abounds. Access to a system capable of propelling him to greater heights is just the icing on the cake. From a nobody born in one of the poorest and most remote pla

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Chapter 381 Tactical Responses

After conceding the first goal, the Benfica players became more proactive in their approach to the game. They abandoned their ultra-defensive tactics and arrayed themselves into a 4-3-3 attacking formation. Before long, they started launching continuous waves of attacks on Rosenborg's defense by relying on wing-play tactics and defense-splitting passes through the middle.

Benfica's dominance soon exceeded expectations as the midfielders in red and white started feeding more balls to their three attackers. Eventually, their relentless efforts paid off, and during the 34th minute, they created their first clear goal-scoring chance.

Enzo Pérez, one of Benfica's central midfielders, linked up well with Miralem Sulejmani, Benfica's left-winger for the night. The two players exchanged a couple of one-twos on the left flank as they circumvented opponents and speared deep into Rosenborg's half. Soon, they stepped past the border of the final third, and the ball naturally ended at Miralem Sulejmani's feet.

Miralem Sulejmani fed the ball past Tore Reginiussen, Rosenborg's right-back, before beating him for pace. Then, when the passing angle opened up, he unleashed a curling cross towards the edge of Rosenborg's box.

A rare wave of silence soon swept across the stadium as the cross was on point and heading straight towards Óscar Cardozo, the Benfica striker. Fortunately for the Rosenborg fans, Eric Bailly, one of Rosenborg's center-backs for the day, leaped high and headed the incoming ball away.

However, Eric Bailly's clearance wasn't enough to calm the tense nerves of the Rosenborg fans as the ball traveled midair, heading straight towards Rodrigo Machado.

The danger was obviously still at large for team Rosenborg since Rodrigo Machado, Benfica's right-winger, managed to control the ball just outside the box on the right flank. Before any opponent could close him down, he squared a pass into the middle to find André Gomes, Benfica's midfielder.

André Gomes didn't even pause to control the incoming ball. He just drew his leg back like a bow before swinging it down hard and fast to unleash a missile of a shot towards Rosenborg's goal.

TENSION!

It was a tense moment for Rosenborg. The ball rose from the ground and zoomed towards the inside of the right post like a bullet. But once again, Rosenborg's luck was incredible, and the effort bore no fruit.

Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's experienced and ever-reliable goalkeeper, executed an acrobatic dive and punched the ball to save Rosenborg from conceding an equalizing goal during the 35th minute. The Rosenborg fans around the stadium finally breathed sighs of relief as the ball crossed the line and bounced out of play.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and pointed to the corner flag.

Most players on the pitch immediately started swarming into Rosenborg's box to ready themselves for the corner. And soon, chaos descended as some players shoved their opponents away while others grabbed shirts while awaiting the corner kick.

The referee soon stepped in and warned a few players from both sides to calm things down. And finally, after a good one minute of tussling and hustling, the order returned to the box, and the referee immediately blew the whistle.

Maximiliano Pereira, Benfica's right-winger, took the corner kick and unleashed a lofted ball into the crowded area before Rosenborg's goal. And it was at that moment the players around and inside the box got into action. Some started running around to confuse opponents, while others leaped high to meet the incoming ball.

But at the end of it all, it was Óscar Cardozo, Benfica's center-forward, who came out on top. He escaped the harassment of one of the Rosenborg defenders before leaping high and planting a header towards the goal.

But once again, luck still seemed to elude team Benfica, and Óscar Cardozo's header ended up smashing off the post before heading out of play for a goal kick. The striker had missed an opportunity to score an equalizer during the 37th minute. He could only glance skyward while shaking his head with regret.

After wasting a few seconds, Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's goalkeeper, took the goal kick, and the game continued. The Benfica players continued dictating the tempo and launching endless attacks on Rosenborg's box as they searched for the equalizing goal. They really showed the spirit of Portuguese attacking football during the next few minutes of gameplay.

Be that as it may, the Benfica players didn't manage to score no matter how hard they tried. Daniel Örlund saved three of their shots on goal while the other attempts missed the target by mere centimeters. It was as if a powerful shaman had cursed them to remain goalless during the first half.

The proceedings moved forward, and eventually, the first 45 minutes elapsed. To the relief of the many Rosenborg fans around the stadium, the referee immediately blew the whistle without adding a single minute of injury time. As a result, the players could only match down the tunnel when the score was still 1:0 in favor of Rosenborg.

—–

Coach Johansen was in a somber mood as he quietly watched his players settling down on the benches around the dressing room. Even though his team was leading by a goal to nil, he was still tense and nervous. He feared that his team might concede a goal at any given juncture and lose the ticket to the Europa League finals, scheduled to be played two weeks later at the Juventus Stadium in Turin, Italy. So, the coach was eager to reorganize his team's tactics during halftime so that his players would put up a much more potent defensive display during the second half.

"Okay, guys," he said after the players had settled down and hydrated themselves. "Luck was on our side during the first half, and we're winning. But let's not get complacent since there are still 45 minutes of the second half remaining before the end of the game."

"During the late stages of the first half, you all relaxed a bit," the coach continued. "You did not work hard to tight mark and close down the opponents, and in so doing, you allowed them to come at us fiercely. I don't know what caused you to lose concentration, but all I can say is that we were lucky not to concede a goal before halftime."

The coach swept his gaze across his players. "Do you guys wish to qualify for the final?" He asked in a loud voice.

"We do, coach," the players replied almost in chorus.

"Do you dream about winning the Europa League?" Coach Johansen asked again.

"We do, coach," the players once again replied.

"Excellent," the coach said, nodding. "Your objectives are similar to mine as I also wish to win the Europa League this year. But guys! I wish to remind you that no team can win a major European Trophy without a willingness to work hard and put everything into each and every game."

"As the saying goes," the coach lowered his voice as he started pacing around the room, "A dream does not come to reality through magic, but it takes sweat, determination, and hard work. So, when you're on the pitch during the second half, remember why you're fighting and sweating. Remember what you wish to accomplish during every minute and every second of the game. Focus! Concentrate, and then remember to give your all for that dream of winning the Europa League. Guys, do you follow?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied, more or less in unison.

"Do you guys follow?" The coach asked again in a louder voice.

"Yes, coach," the players yelled back.

"Great," the coach said. "Now that we're on the same page, I'll go over the second-half adjustments. First and foremost, we'll switch to a 4-5-1 formation and play a defensive game during the second half, meaning that the two flank players will have to drop back and play as midfielders for the rest of the game. We'll remain patient and weather Benfica's attacks since we're already ahead by a goal. In so doing, we'll tempt Benfica to move forward and relax their defensive efforts. And when an opportunity arises, we counterattack and try to score. Are you guys with me?"

"Yes, coach."

"Excellent." Coach Johansen nodded and turned towards Zachary. "Zachary! The three opposing midfielders are zone-marking you once again during this game. So, as we talked about before, you must remain mobile on the pitch to render their efforts useless. You can switch into the wing and the defensive midfield positions more often. That way, you'll force your opponents to leave their positions if they insist on continuing to mark you. The rest of your teammates can then utilize the gaps the opposing midfielders leave in midfield to launch counterattacks and possibly create goal-scoring chances. Do you follow, Zachary?"

"Yes, coach," Zachary replied. "I understand."

"Then, I'm glad." Coach Johansen nodded and glanced at his watch. "The fifteen minutes of halftime are almost over. So, it's time for us to head back to the pitch for the second half. But, please remember to play as a team and remember to work hard for every moment of the game. As long as you can accomplish that, we'll become the victors tonight. Have I made myself clear?"

"Yes, coach."

"Excellent," Coach Johansen said, beaming. "Since everything is in order, let's prepare and head back to the pitch."

—–

Chapter 382 Dire Circumstances

After the fifteen-minute halftime break, the game continued. The Benfica players didn't waste time dictating the tempo and controlling the flow again. By relying on their versatile 4-3-3 formation, they soon hoarded a large percentage of the possession as they searched for that one equalizing goal that would put them on level terms with Rosenborg.

However, team Benfica's efforts were rendered futile again and again by the defensive tactics of Rosenborg. The Troll Kids adapted quickly and responded well to Benfica's attacks during the opening stages of the second half. They followed Coach Johansen's game plan to the letter and arrayed themselves into a 4-5-1 defensive shape to weather Benfica's relentless waves of offensives. Their teamwork was commendable, and even the attack-minded players, like Zachary, Takumi, and Nicki Nielsen, fell back to defend.

The minutes flashed by, and the Benfica players continued launching endless waves of attacks against Rosenborg. The Benfica attackers were on fire, and whenever opportunities arose, they would unleash long and mid-range shots towards the goal. They were obviously pulling out all stops to score the equalizing goal.

But again, due to Rosenborg's team discipline and ultra-defensive tactics, team Benfica repeatedly fell short and failed to score. And despite the fact that team Benfica had more than fifteen shots on target by the 85th minute of gameplay, the score remained 1:0 in favor of Rosenborg.

—–

On the side of Benfica, anxieties were already running high as the game approached its closing stages. There were only five minutes plus injury time remaining to the end of the game. So, Benfica had to score a goal soon and bring the proceedings back to level terms. Otherwise, the Portuguese side would have to bow out of the Europa League that very night.

On the sidelines: Coach Jorge Jesus was a nervous wreck, and he couldn't sit still any longer. He made a snap decision and immediately introduced three substitutions into the game when the ball went out of play for a Benfica throw-in. He brought on André Almeida – an attack-minded wing-back, Lima dos Santos – a center-forward, and Ivan Cavaleiro – a left-winger. The three substitutes replaced the seemingly out-of-stamina Miralem Sulejmani – a left-winger, Óscar Cardozo – a center-forward, and André Gomes – a defensive midfielder.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle, signaling for team Benfica to take the throw-in after the three substitutes had taken up their positions on the pitch.

André Almeida, the substitute right-back, immediately went into action to take the throw-in. He planted his feet before the touchline on the right flank and threw the ball towards Enzo Pérez, one of Benfica's three midfielders.

Enzo Pérez shrugged off Takumi Minamino before stepping forward to meet the ball. He brought it to the ground before whirling around and squaring a pass to Ljubomir Fejsa, his counterpart in midfield.

Ljubomir Fejsa controlled the ball skillfully to skip past Nicki Nielsen. He then shoved the ball forward with the tip of his boot before kicking it towards the right wing to find Rodrigo Moreno Machado.

Rodrigo, Benfica's right-winger for the night, leaped high and chested the ball close to the touchline. Before any opponents could close him down, he brought it down to the green before passing it into the middle of the field to find Enzo Pérez. The latter also exhibited a sense of urgency as he received the ball and immediately flicked it back to his right to pick out André Almeida on the right flank.

André Almeida received the ball and fed it past Mikael Dorsin, Rosenborg's left-back. He then circumvented Mikael before exploding with pace on the right flank. Soon, he stepped into the final third and let loose a curling cross towards Rosenborg's box.

However, the cross didn't bear any fruit since Eric Bailly, Rosenborg's center-back, outjumped the rest of the players in the box before heading the ball out of play.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and pointed to the corner flag.

The Benfica players quickly swarmed into Rosenborg's box, and the referee blew the whistle again. André Almeida, the substitute right-back, took the corner kick and floated in a teasing ball into the crowded box.

At that moment, all the players within Rosenborg's box went into motion. They all struggled to outmaneuver their opponents before leaping high to meet the corner ball. But in the end, it was Lima dos Santos, Benfica's substitute center-forward, who got the last laugh. The striker timed his jump well and battled Mikael Dorsin in the air before planting a header towards the inside of the right post.

Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's keeper, reacted almost instantly to save the effort with an acrobatic dive. However, the sheer power behind the header rendered his efforts futile. The ball floated past his outstretched fingertips by mere centimeters before homing into the back of the net.

—–

Rosenborg BK 1 (2) : SL Benfica 1 (3)

—–

SILENCE!

A wave of silence swept across Lerkendal Stadium as Benfica had managed to score the equalizing goal during the 88th minute of gameplay. With only two minutes plus added time remaining to the end of the game, the Benfica players had accomplished a comeback. They were finally ahead of Rosenborg by a goal when considering the aggregate score. And if they could defend well during the last few minutes and stop Rosenborg from scoring again, they would be the team heading to Turin for the Europa League finals.

In the stands, the Rosenborg fans could only place their hands on their heads as they watched the Benfica players celebrating the goal. The goal had obviously ruined their morale.

During the previous Europa League fixtures, their club had come out on top against tough European teams like Juventus, Lyon, and Fiorentina. But that night, they were on the cusp of losing to Benfica — a side that was much weaker than most of their previous opponents. The fact was demoralizing, and most Rosenborg fans felt their hearts slowly sinking into the abyss of desperation.

"Damn it! Damn it!" One of the fans in Rosenborg's black and white colors cursed. His name was John Hansen, and he was a part-time YouTuber and a driver who had once driven Zachary from the airport. At that moment, the frustration he was feeling had already soared past the stadium's roof and shot into the night sky. His eyes were red, and his fists clenched tightly.

What was more vexing was that he had even placed a relatively large bet on the match. Due to his confidence in Zachary's prolific form, he had utilized all his annual savings to place the bet on Rosenborg winning the second leg and qualifying for the final. But just when the match was about to end, the damn Benfica had scored an equalizer, messing up his hopes and dreams. As a result, he was a couple of times more depressed than most other Rosenborg supporters in the stadium.

"Can we really accomplish another comeback? Can we overcome this hurdle and qualify for the finals?" John Hansen mumbled as he fidgeted about in his seat. He was uneasy, especially since he had a weird feeling that Rosenborg's luck spell in the Europa League had finally ended.

—–

Chapter 383 The Power of Instincts

A rare smile lit up Coach Jorge Jesus' face as he watched his players celebrating the goal. His players had finally met his expectations and scored a late equalizer. As a result, his team was just minutes away from securing one of the two tickets to that year's Europa League finals.

Coach Jorge Jesus breathed in deeply to calm himself down. Due to his long experience as a coach, he understood that he couldn't relax before hearing the final whistle. He had to continue encouraging and instructing his players to ensure that they would remain focused during the rest of the game.

"Fejsa! Enzo!" He yelled at the top of his voice after the Benfica players had just finished celebrating the goal. "Stay focused during the remaining few minutes and mark Zachary. Watch him at all times, and don't allow him to hurt us when we're only minutes away from the finals. Clear?"

The two midfielders responded by raising their thumbs to indicate that they had gotten the message. They then turned their gazes away from the sidelines and returned to their starting positions in Benfica's half. Judging by their body language, they were ready to try their best to mark Zachary until the final whistle sounded.

Coach Jorge Jesus let out another long, drawn-out breath to calm his still racing heart. He couldn't let anything go wrong during the final minutes of the semi-final since he wanted to win. So, he spent a few more seconds hollering out more instructions to ensure that his players understood their roles during the remaining minutes of gameplay.

—–

On the pitch, the gameplay was about to restart.

Zachary was already in his starting midfield position, just outside the edge of the center circle. He was expressionless and at peace with the world as he waited for the referee to blow the whistle to restart the match.

A minute back, he'd been depressed after his team conceded the equalizing goal, especially that late in the game. But after pondering for a few seconds, he'd gotten his priorities straight and decided to prioritize what was crucial. He'd pushed all his worries about the game's result to the back of his mind and forced himself to attain an incredible state of calmness. So, there were no distracting thoughts in his mind, and his focus was only on the opponents on the other side of the pitch.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle, and Nicki Nielsen immediately passed the ball to Zachary to restart the game.

Zachary pounced forward and controlled the ball at the edge of the center circle. Without wasting a moment, he turned around and passed it to Takumi Minamino, his counterpart in midfield.

Takumi was also quick on the ball. He utilized a simple deft touch to quickly control the ball before kicking it towards the flanks to find Mikael Dorsin, Rosenborg's left-back. The latter also brought it under control swiftly and then passed it ahead to Alexander Söderlund, Rosenborg's left-winger for the night.

But by then, the Benfica players had already swarmed into Rosenborg's half to high-press and stop Rosenborg from settling down and building momentum. So, Alexander Söderlund was under immense pressure from Benfica's right-winger as he controlled the ball close to the flanks.

Be that as it may, Alexander remained composed and shrugged off the opponent before flicking the ball back to Mikael.

Mikael was also facing pressure from a Benfica attacker at the moment. He also chose to immediately pass the ball all the way back to find Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's keeper.

However, even after the ball made its way to the keeper's feet, the Benfica attackers didn't let up the pressure. Lima dos Santos, Benfica's center-forward, quickly closed in on Daniel Örlund without allowing him to settle down with the ball. As a result, Daniel Örlund could only choose to kick the ball far and away toward the other side of the pitch, where Zachary was lurking.

Zachary, who was close to the center circle at the moment, immediately got into action. His long strides ate up half a dozen yards of space in a couple of seconds, and he managed to get to the descending ball before any other player on the pitch.

He didn't even bother to slow down to bring the ball under control. Instead, he headed it forward before chasing after it like the wind. He was eager to advance the attack as fast as possible since he understood that time wasn't on his side. However, the situation on the field couldn't allow him to do as he pleased, and he immediately ran into two roadblocks in the form of Ljubomir Fejsa and Enzo Pérez, the two Benfica midfielders.

Zachary's football instincts started tingling, and he immediately had a feeling that the two opponents wanted to foul him. His mind went into overdrive mode, and his spatial awareness combined with his Zinedine-Pirlo mental Juju. His vision of the pitch widened, and within an instant, he picked out a passing route before flicking the ball to his right to find Takumi Minamino.

After that, Zachary didn't bother to check whether Takumi had received the ball. Instead, he chose to circumvent the two opponents as quickly as possible before continuing toward the other side of the pitch. He didn't halt his dash for anything as he expected Takumi to read his move before reacting appropriately.

A few seconds later, Zachary relaxed when he noticed that Takumi hadn't disappointed. The midfielder had already looped the ball over the two defenders with a simple chip to find Zachary again. So, Zachary stretched out his boot and controlled the ball mid-sprint before continuing his mad dash towards Benfica's box.

Adrenaline continued flooding into Zachary's systems, and his instincts totally took over the control of his body. His mind was blank as he circumvented another opponent and skipped over a dangerous tackle while bearing down on Benfica's box like a raging Tsunami.

He utilized various skills, including side-steps, body feints, and elastico dribbles to elude more opponents. And before long, he skipped past another tackle and approached the edge of the eighteen yard box. His instincts started tingling again, and he immediately decided to go with his gut and shoot the ball.

He didn't slow down his actions to deliberate as he was sure that his opponents were on his heels. He drew his left leg back and delivered a ferocious kick onto the ball, sending it zooming past an opposing defender's outstretched boot and towards the inside of the left post.

It was a tense moment for the players and fans of both teams, and a rare wave of silence swept across the stadium as the ball soared towards Benfica's goal. The time seemed to slow down before finally coming to a standstill, and then the ball grazed the left post and nestled into the back of the net.

Zachary immediately raised his arms high, and the next moment, a wave of thunderous cheers swept across the stadium. Finally, he had managed to score Rosenborg's second goal for the night during the 91st minute of gameplay. So, he could hardly contain his excitement as he immersed his mind and soul into the booming voices of the home supporters chanting his name.

—–

Chapter 384 The Tense Final Few Minutes

—–

Rosenborg BK 2 (3) : SL Benfica 1 (3)

—–

"Oh! What a magnificent solo run and finish from Zachary!" Kjell Roar, the commentator for the day, yelled in sync with the thunderous cheers around the stadium. "Zachary has worked his magic again and delivered during injury time, with only a few minutes remaining to the final whistle. No one could stop Rosenborg's dangerman as he literally bulldozed his way through Benfica's midfield before shooting from outside the box and scoring Rosenborg's second goal. He has tied the aggregate score, and he has once again kept Rosenborg's Europa League dream alive. What a player!"

"That was really the sensational Zachary at his best," Harald Brattbakk, the pundit for the day, chimed in. "The run was stunning as he had taken off from near the center of the pitch before beating six opponents. After approaching the box, he was decisive enough, and he hammered the ball past Benfica's keeper and into the back of the net. All in all, the goal was really spectacular. It deserves to be the goal of the tournament."

"Speaking of goals," Kjell Roar said, "Zachary has set a new Europa League goal-scoring record tonight. He has pushed his tally to twenty-one goals — and that makes him the only player in history to ever score more than twenty goals in a single Europa League tournament. Surprisingly, he has accomplished the feat at just nineteen years of age and during his first Europa League season as a professional footballer. Truly remarkable!"

"The number of his assists is also close to the top," Harald Brattbakk remarked. "He already has four assists during this Europa League campaign, making him second-placed on the list of top assist-providers. He's only a single assist behind Bibras Natkho – the Rubin Kazan man and Kevin Kampl from Red Bull Salzburg. If he can provide another assist before the end of the tournament, he'll immediately move up to the top of the list."

"Those are some incredible statistics," Kjell Roar said. "I'm really looking forward to his future. But for now, let's focus on the proceedings on the pitch. The gameplay is about to restart, and the aggregate score for this Europa League semi-final battle between Rosenborg Ballklub and SL Benfica is still a tie of 3:3. In Lisbon, Benfica won the first leg by two goals to one. Here in Trondheim, Rosenborg Ballklub is also winning by two goals to one. If either of the teams fails to score during the remaining three minutes of injury time, we'll be heading for extra time. I'm really excited."

"Maybe," Harald Brattbakk said, "Zachary might work his magic again in those remaining two minutes, and then, we won't need to go through the hustle of extra time. I really hope that that is the case."

Kjell Roar chuckled. "I'm at odds with you on that point. Instead, I'm really hoping that we get to witness extra time today. The night is still young, and I'm looking forward to thirty more minutes of football and possibly a penalty shootout."

—–

John Hansen, the part-time YouTuber/driver, was grinning from ear to ear as he followed the last few minutes of the game. He had placed a 150,000 NOK bet on Rosenborg winning the second leg of the Europa League semi-final against Benfica, with returns amounting to 4.4 times the original bet. So, as long as Rosenborg maintained the 2:1 lead for the remaining two minutes of injury time, Hansen would win 660,000 NOK from the betting company. And if Rosenborg could perform even better and eventually qualify for the finals at the end of the game, he would also win another 440,000 NOK from his other bet. Thus, he could hardly contain his excitement at that moment.

"It's Benfica on the attack," the booming voice of the commentator broke John Hansen out of his daydreams. "Enzo Pérez, Benfica's midfielder, controls the ball in the middle third. What wonderful ball-control from the midfielder. He twists and turns away from Takumi Minamino and squares a pass to Rodrigo Moreno Machado on the right-flank…"

John Hansen's attention was on the pitch. He watched with bated breath as Rodrigo Moreno Machado, Benfica's right-winger, controlled the ball before unleashing a teasing cross into the box. Hansen felt like time was moving so slowly, and then the ball descended into the box where Lima dos Santos, Benfica's center-forward, was lurking.

Johns Hansen's heartbeat quickened, and beads of sweat started rolling down his forehead as he watched Lima dos Santos leap over an opponent to connect with the ball. He was even more anxious as the Benfica striker planted a header towards the goal from around the edge of the box.

"Please don't go in, please don't go in…" John Hansen mumbled as he balled his fists. The tension was killing him as the ball was on target and coursing towards the goal. But the next moment, he finally let out a breath as he watched Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's keeper, snatch the ball out of the air before holding it close to his chest. The Rosenborg shot-stopper had managed to save Rosenborg from conceding the second goal that night during the 95th minute of gameplay.

"Referee, the whistle," all the fans around John Hansen started shouting. "Referee, the five minutes of added time are over." The Rosenborg fans continued yelling at the top of their voices as Daniel Örlund prepared to take the goal kick. Their voices blended into a booming chorus that shook the stadium. They were obviously hoping for the game to end so that their team, Rosenborg, could get a small break to reorganize before extra time.

Be that as it may, the referee ignored the loud rants of the fans and let the game continue for one more minute. But still, neither team made any more attempts on the other's goal until the final whistle sounded after 97 minutes of intensive Europa League football. As a result, the game would be moving into the thirty minutes of extra time since the aggregate score was still a tie of 3:3 at the end of regular time.

—–

Chapter 385 Extra Time

There was only a five-minute break between the end of regular game time and the thirty-minute extra time. Since the time window was brief, the coaches and technical personnel of the two teams were pulling out all stops to reorganize their respective sides as quickly as possible.

On the side of Rosenborg, the medics and assistants concentrated on massaging the players while Coach Johansen voiced out his instructions at the pace of a machine gun.

"Guys," he said, glancing around. "You need to remain solid in defense during extra-time. Play as a team, don't rush and don't panic. Stay calm, and endure their attacks. And when an opportunity arises, counterattack and try to get that winning goal. Are you guys with me?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied.

Coach Johansen nodded. "I also noticed that Benfica's crosses hurt us quite a bit during the second half," he said. "The goal they scored was from a cross. And in the final minutes, they were about to convert yet another from another cross again. We can't allow those crosses to continue coming into our box during the thirty minutes of extra time."

The coach glanced around. "Wingers and wing-backs! It'll be your role to fall back quickly and block their crosses. You must seal off their crossing routes so that we can limit their attacking options. As long as we accomplish that, I can assure you that they will find it impossible to score another goal."

—–

On the side of Benfica, Coach Jorge Jesus was also voicing out his final instructions to the Benfica players seated around him. He spoke loudly to emphasize his words and ensure his core message hit home.

"During the final minutes of the second half," he said, "you guys relaxed and allowed Zachary to score against us. I had repeatedly warned you before the game to stop him by any means possible if he made a threatening run through our midfield. But you guys were like pedestrians, watching him glide by without doing anything. And in the end, he scored that goal that really hurt us a lot."

"Guys!" He said while alternating his gaze between Ljubomir Fejsa and Enzo Pérez, Benfica's two central midfielders. "During the thirty minutes of extra time, you can't relax and allow him to do as he pleases. Midfielders! You have to tight mark Zachary and ensure that he has no breathing space for every moment of the game. Always stay alert, and do whatever is necessary to stop him from hurting us again. Clear?"

The two Benfica midfielders responded by nodding to indicate that they had gotten the message.

Coach Jorge Jesus nodded again and turned his gaze away from the two midfielders. "Lastly, stay calm, and play as a team. Don't panic while trying to create goal-scoring opportunities. Make sure that you watch out for their counterattacks, and don't let them catch us off guard when we're trying to score. That's all I have to say. So, let me wish you luck, and let's meet as the victors at the end of the night." The coach added before walking back to the bench.

—–

The cheers around the stadium hit another thunderous zenith as the referee blew the whistle after the five-minute break. Extra time was finally underway, and Nicki Nielsen, Rosenborg's center-forward, kicked off the game by passing the ball back into his midfield. He then ran towards the other side of the pitch to take up his position on the striking line.

Zachary controlled the pass from Nicki right outside the center circle. Before any opponents could close him down, he pulled the ball back with his left foot and then kicked it toward Thomas Partey, Rosenborg's holding midfielder.

Thomas Partey was also quick while controlling the ball. He stopped it with a single touch and immediately passed it towards Takumi Minamino. The latter also controlled it well before squaring it to Zachary, who had just made a run into an unmarked pocket of the space within Benfica's half.

Zachary quickly shrugged off the two Benfica midfielders marking him as he reined in the ball. He raised his leg, seemingly as if he was just about to pass the ball. But the next moment, he turned around with the ball glued to his boot to execute a Marseille turn and break through the blockade of the two opponents in his way. And then, without losing a second, he lifted his foot, intending to take off and continue his run towards Benfica's box.

However, it was at that moment that he felt a firm tug on his jersey. He tried to shrug off the opponent's grip while continuing his run. But the opponent stubbornly held onto his shirt and didn't let him take another step with the ball.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and rushed to the scene. He gave a verbal warning to Enzo Pérez, the player who'd been holding Zachary's jersey before awarding Rosenborg a free kick.

Zachary sighed as he stood over the ball close to the edge of the center circle on Benfica's side of the pitch. It seemed that the opponents intended to play dirty and foul him repeatedly. So, he would probably not get another chance to run with the ball. The fact frustrated him, especially since he badly wanted to create an opportunity for Rosenborg to score before the end of the thirty-minute extra time.

—–

FWEEEEEEE*

After a short while, the referee blew the whistle to motion for the free-kick, and the game continued. Over the next few minutes, Zachary tried a few more times to make runs through the middle, but the Benfica players continued fouling him repeatedly. Eventually, he became less productive on the offensive end and failed to create any goal-scoring chances for Rosenborg.

With the threat of Zachary neutralized, the Benfica players became bolder on the attack. They launched a series of offensives on Rosenborg's box as they searched for that winning goal that would take them to the finals of the Europa League.

Their creativity was commendable, and during the 20th minute of overtime, their efforts almost paid off when Enzo Pérez managed to single out Lima dos Santos, Benfica's center-forward, with a well-timed through-pass. The striker controlled the ball and skillfully skipped past Yerry Mina before stepping into Rosenborg's box.

At that moment, the hearts of most Rosenborg fans were in their throats as Lima dos Santos raised his leg and smacked the ball to send it on a curling trajectory towards the goal. But fortunately for the home supporters, the ball missed the target by mere centimeters before bouncing out of play.

After that missed opportunity on Benfica's side, the Rosenborg players adjusted accordingly and played a purely defensive game. They prevented Benfica from creating more chances on goal by relying on their ultra-defensive 4-5-1 formation.

The time flashed by, and eventually, the final whistle sounded to mark the end of the thirty minutes of overtime. But the aggregate score was still 3:3, indicating that neither Rosenborg nor Benfica had gotten the better of the other over the two legs of the Europa League semi-finals. Thus, the game would be heading into penalties to determine the team qualifying for the Europa League finals in Turin.

—–

Chapter 386 Penalty Shootout

Coach Johansen's heart raced with anxiety as he watched his players settle down around him on one side of the pitch. He was tense, and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't seem to calm down. He understood that penalties depended a lot on the element of luck and experience of the players. So, as a coach, there was not much he could do to improve his team's chances of winning the penalty shootout aside from organizing an appropriate order and the best line-up of his players to take the penalties.

"Okay, guys," he said, sweeping his gaze across his players. "Listen up. I commend you for the great work done during the thirty minutes of extra time. You played as a team and held one of the more experienced teams in Europe to a draw for more than 120 minutes of game time. However, our work is still far from done as we have a penalty shootout. We can't relax. We've got to remain calm, highly focused, and at the top of our game during the next few minutes. Are you guys with me?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied in a lackluster manner. The fatigue had already taken a toll on them. So, they were focused on hydrating themselves instead of the coach's words.

"Guys!" The coach roared after hearing his players' half-hearted response. "Are you guys with me?"

"Yes, coach," the players yelled back in response. That time around, their voices were loud and clear. They reverberated across the stadium filled with chaotic chatter and even caught the attention of the Benfica players on the other side of the pitch.

Coach Johansen smiled and nodded. "Now, that's the spirit of a team that wishes to win a ticket to the Europa League finals," he said. "I believe we're now on the same page. So, let's move on to the crucial issues at hand. I'll now read out the order of players that will take the penalties. Listen carefully."

The coach fished out a crumpled piece of paper from his pocket. Without further ado, he unfolded it before continuing. "The player to take our first penalty will be Zachary Bemba. Then, Nicki Nielsen will be the second, Takumi Minamino will be the third, Mikael Dorsin will be our fourth, and finally, Thomas Partey will be our fifth penalty-taker."

"If we fail to decide the winner of the penalty shootout after the first five penalties," the coach continued. "Then, Alexander Söderlund will take our sixth penalty. After that, it'll be Eric Bailly, Tore Reginiussen, Paul Kasongo, Yerry Mina, and finally, Daniel Örlund, in that order. Have you all remembered the order of taking the penalties?" The coach glanced around.

"Yes, coach," the players replied.

"Good," Coach Johansen said, smiling. We have been practicing penalties since we started playing in the knock-out stages of the Europa League. So, you guys are already experts at taking penalties. There is no need to panic. You only need to remain calm and bring out those skills while facing off against the keeper. Remember to choose where to place the ball before shooting, and don't go for anything fancy. As long as you do that, you'll convert your penalty easily. Are you with me?"

"Yes, coach," the players replied.

"Excellent," the coach said, glancing at his watch. "The five-minute break is almost over. So, it's time for you to head into the pitch and take the penalties. I wish you the best of luck, and let's meet at the end of the game when we're already the victors."

—–

Zachary felt like he was walking on pins and needles as he marched along with the rest of his teammates toward the center circle. Even though he'd already played football on the professional stage for more than a year, he couldn't totally push out the pressure brought about by the penalty shootout.

He dreaded penalties since they greatly depended on luck and understood that even the best players in the world could miss them. Moreover, Rosenborg's Europa League dream was on the line — and that caused him to grow tenser as he approached the center circle.

"Guys," Daniel Örlund, the Rosenborg keeper, said a few seconds later when the players reached the center circle. "I wish you all the best of luck. Let's win this semi-final." He then shook hands and hugged his teammates before marching off towards the goal selected by the referee for the penalty shootout.

The proceedings moved forward quickly, and soon, the referee called upon Zachary to step forward and take the first penalty.

"Good luck, Zachary," Mikael Dorsin said, patting him on the shoulder. "Remember to stay calm, and everything else will be fine. We all believe in you."

"Thanks for the encouragement," Zachary replied with a smile. He shook hands with a few other teammates before walking towards the selected goal for the penalty shootout.

A wave of silence swept across the stadium as most fans waited anxiously for the result of the first face-off between Zachary, Rosenborg's young playmaker, and Artur Moraes, Benfica's experienced keeper.

However, Zachary ignored the abnormal situation in the stands. He activated the Dead-Ball Specialist Juju and slowly forced himself to focus only on the goal and the opposing keeper. The Juju worked its wonders, and his concentration transcended the realms of geniuses. And slowly, all the distracting thoughts faded from his mind as he approached the box with confident steps.

After entering the penalty area, he picked up the ball from the ground and placed it on the penalty spot. The referee gave him the go-ahead, and he took a few steps back from the ball while glancing briefly at the keeper's position. His incredible spatial awareness came into effect, and in anything but a flash, he assessed the situation between the posts.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee's whistle sounded the next moment. Zachary immediately acted with haste and made an angled run towards the ball. He then took the last jump-step before smacking the ball and sending it towards the goal. His technique was incredible, and he sent the keeper diving the wrong way as the ball homed into the top right corner.

A soft smile lit up Zachary's face. He exhaled with relief as the cheers around the stadium rose to thunderous heights. He felt like he'd finally unloaded a heavy load off his shoulders since he had completed his task and converted Rosenborg's first penalty during the shootout. He waved to the enthusiastic home fans, causing them to cheer even more loudly before jogging back to the center circle.

—–

Rosenborg BK 1 : SL Benfica 0

—–

The large jumbotron in the stadium showed the current score from the penalty shootout as Rodrigo Moreno Machado stepped forward to take Benfica's penalty. The striker was surprisingly calm. Without losing composure, he sent Daniel Örlund the wrong way and converted Benfica's first penalty.

—-

Rosenborg BK 1 : SL Benfica 1

—–

The next player to step forward was Nicki Nielsen, and he also converted the penalty and put Rosenborg in the lead again. The score was then 2:1.

Lima dos Santos, Benfica's center-forward, stepped up next. He also remained composed and sent the keeper the wrong way to convert successfully. The score from the penalty shootout was then 2:2.

Then, it was Rosenborg's turn again, and Takumi Minamino converted successfully and reinforced Rosenborg's hopes for the finals. The score was then 3:2.

On the side of Benfica, André Almeida stepped forward and also converted. As a result, the score was then 3:3.

Mikael Dorsin, Rosenborg's left-back, was the next player in action. His technique was also good, and he converted with his left leg to score the fourth penalty. Rosenborg was again in the lead as the score was then 4:3.

Next, Enzo Pérez, one of Benfica's midfielders, also converted to equalize the score at 4:4. As a result, the teams were still neck and neck after four penalties.

The tension was in the air, and a wave of silence descended across the stadium as Thomas Partey, Rosenborg's young holding midfielder, stepped forward to take Rosenborg's fifth penalty.

After the referee's whistle sounded, Thomas Partey made an angled run towards the ball and unleashed a heavy shot towards the goal. However, Artur Moraes, Benfica's keeper, managed to dive the right way and punched the ball out of the play.

"Oh my God!"

Zachary felt a cold chill descend upon his entire being as he watched Benfica's keeper celebrating after saving Thomas Partey's penalty. His heart started racing, and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He couldn't help but bury his face in his hands as his heart descended into the abyss of desperation.

He was really anxious as Rosenborg was on the verge of losing the semi-final. If Daniel Örlund failed to save Benfica's following penalty, Benfica would win the game with five converted penalties. And then, Rosenborg would bow out of the Europa League that night when they were only a step away from the finals. The situation was really dire.

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Chapter 387 Penalty Shootout Outcome

"Artur Moraes has managed to save Thomas Partey's penalty," the voice of Kjell Roar, the commentator, resounded across the stadium. "His save has put Benfica in a really advantageous position in this penalty shootout. It's 4 out of 5 for Rosenborg and 4 out of 4 for team Benfica. If Benfica scores the next penalty, they will win one of the two tickets to the Europa League finals in Turin. And Luisão, Benfica's experienced captain, is the man who has stepped forward to take the fifth penalty for his team. Can he win it all? Can he convert and make it 5 out of 5 converted penalties for Benfica? The rare opportunity is in the hands of the captain…"

Kristin's countenance grew paler and paler as she listened to the commentator's rambling voice while also following the proceedings on the pitch. She was worried and tense since her team was at a disadvantage. But all she could do was pray and hope that the goalkeeper saved Benfica's following penalty. Otherwise, Rosenborg would be out of the Europa League that very night.

"It's Luisão against Daniel Örlund," the commentator's voice resounded. "It's now the moment for Benfica to win it all, and Luisão takes a few steps back from the ball. Luisão! Luisão takes the shot. Oh, my God! He hits the post. Luisão, the experienced Benfica captain, has missed the golden opportunity to win it all. The penalty shootout is back to square one. It's now 4 out of 5 for Rosenborg and 4 out of 5 for Benfica. Oh, my, my! What a match!"

Kristin's hopes had already sored to cloud nine as the commentator continued yelling in sync with the thunderous cheers of the crowd. A few seconds ago, she had been edgy and anxious, fearing that her team might have to bow out of the Europa League. But, it seemed that the goddess of luck was still in favor of her team, and in the end, Rosenborg had survived Benfica's fifth penalty.

"It's now time for penalty number six on the side of Rosenborg," the commentator yelled after a few seconds. "And the responsibility falls on Alexander Söderlund, one of Rosenborg's key forwards. Can he convert and put Rosenborg back in the driving seat? Alexander! He takes the shot. Oh my! He scores and puts Rosenborg back in front. It's now 5 out of 6 for Rosenborg and 4 out of 5 for Benfica."

"The pressure is back on Benfica as Ljubomir Fejsa steps forward to take Benfica's sixth penalty. If the holding midfielder fails to convert and score, Rosenborg will win the ticket to the finals. Fejsa! Fejsa! Great technique! He sends the keeper the wrong way and scores. He has managed to bring the proceedings back to square one. The pressure is back on Rosenborg's side."

"Tensions are running high in the stadium," the commentator continued. "The crowd within Lerkendal is holding its breath as Eric Bailly, Rosenborg's young center-back, prepares to take Roseborg's seventh penalty. Can he propel Rosenborg into the driving seat again?"

—–

Beads of sweat rolled down John Hansen's forehead as he watched Eric Bailly preparing to take the penalty. Although the part-time YouTuber had already won the bet of Rosenborg emerging victorious after the 90 minutes of regular playing time, he wasn't satisfied. He still wanted his team to win the penalty shootout and then cash in big on another bet of Rosenborg qualifying for the final.

"It's Eric Bailly against Artur Moraes," the commentator's voice resounded over the din in the stadium. "Eric Bailly! Eric! He takes the shot and sends the ball barely past Artur Moraes' outstretched fingertips. The young Ivorian has put Rosenborg back in the driving seat. It's now 6 out of 7 for Rosenborg and 5 out of 6 for Benfica."

"Benfica is hanging on the cliff as Ivan Cavaleiro steps forward to take the penalty. A tremendous responsibility falls upon the young man, who only turned nineteen a few months back. He has to score to keep Benfica's Europa League dream alive. If he fails to convert, Rosenborg will win the semi-final."

"The referee has given the go-ahead, and Ivan Cavaleiro makes the run toward the ball. He shoots. Oh my, God! Saved! Effort Saved! Rosenborg has won one of the two tickets to the Europa League finals. Daniel Örlund is the hero today. He dived the right way and punched the ball away from the goal. What an ending tonight!"

At that moment, the cheers around Lerkendal hit a thunderous crescendo. The Rosenborg fans, including John Hansen, jumped high and yelled at the top of their voices. Their team had overcome a tricky opponent and qualified for the Europa League finals for the first time in history. Thus, they were on cloud nine and could hardly rein in their emotions.

—–

On the pitch, Zachary joined the rest of his teammates to celebrate Rosenborg's victory. He had already removed his shirt and thrown it to the Rosenborg supporters. So he ran around the pitch bare-chested while yelling at the top of his voice.

"We're in the finals, Zachary!" Coach Johansen yelled as he intercepted him and gave him a bear hug. "Your goal during the 91st minute was incredible, and it was the deciding factor for this semi-final. So, thanks a lot for rescuing the team again."

"There's no need for thanks as that is my duty," Zachary replied with a grin. "Moreover, I think that Daniel Örlund is our hero tonight. If he had not saved that penalty, we would have been in deep shit. He won the semi-final for us."

"That's also true," the coach agreed. "But we can't count out your efforts. Throughout the entire semi-final, you kept most of their midfielders occupied. And that is one of the crucial factors that aided us in besting the tricky Benfica side over the two legs. So, you should feel proud of yourself since your efforts have helped propel us to the finals."

—–

The proceedings moved forward quickly as the Rosenborg players and technical staff celebrated their hard-fought victory. They could hardly contain their excitement and continued singing victory chants even after returning to the dressing room.

But just as they were in the middle of the celebrations, a loud knock resounded in the dressing room. The next moment, the players and staff turned silent as they noticed one of the UEFA officials stepping into the room.

"Coach Johansen," the official called out. "It's time for you to fulfill your press duties. Please head to the press room with two of your players immediately. Thank you." Without waiting for a response, the official turned around and stepped out of the room.

"Guys!" Coach Johansen yelled after a few seconds. "I congratulate you all upon winning the semi-finals. But I can't continue celebrating with you as duty calls. Zachary! Can you come to the press conference with me?"

"Coach," Zachary replied after chugging down some water. "I'm requesting that you let me dodge the press conference today. I can't always be the only one going to press conferences on the team."

Coach Johansen smiled and nodded. "I understand," he said, turning his gaze away. "Zachary has reminded me of an important point. So, we'll start taking turns for the press conferences. Daniel! Nicki! The duty falls upon your shoulders tonight. So, let's head to the press room together."

"Aye, coach," the two players replied almost in unison.

—–

The journalists were already in their seats when Coach Johansen's party of three arrived in the press room. Without wasting much time, they started the interview session.

"I'm Jordan Porter from ESPN," a brown-haired man in the front row introduced himself. "Coach Johansen! Your team has qualified for the Europa League finals for the first time in history. How do you feel as a coach who has made that happen?"

"Words cannot describe the excitement I'm feeling," Coach Johansen replied. "Benfica gave us a hard time during the semi-final, but in the end, we overcame them to qualify for the finals. So, I'm both relieved and delighted that we have overcome this tough hurdle."

"Walter cooper from BBC," another journalist said after standing up. "My question is to Nicki Nielsen. Nicki! You connected well with Zachary's pass to score Rosenborg's first goal during the 17th minute. Can you tell us the trick to the incredible chemistry between you and Zachary? How's it that he managed to find you in that crowd of players before the box?"

"You would have to ask Zachary that question to get an answer," Nicki replied with a smile. "And the trick to our chemistry is quite simple. I only need to make a good run toward the opponent's goal when Zachary receives the ball. As long as I time my run well, Zachary will always find me with an excellent pass. His vision at the crucial moments of the game is that scary."

"His goal for the team was also incredible," the same reporter remarked. "He literally forced his way through Benfica's packed midfield and defense before scoring Rosenborg's second goal tonight."

"Yes, the goal was really incredible," Nicki agreed. "His footwork, vision, and zeal were all out of this world at that moment. He overcame all obstacles imposed on him by the opponents before burying the ball into the back of the net. In my book, that goal should be voted the goal of the season."

Most of the reporters nodded in response. They seemed to agree with Nicki on that point.

"I'm Shereen Graham from the Mirror," a lady reporter stood up next. "My question is to Daniel Örlund. Daniel! You saved that seventh penalty and ensured that your team qualified for the finals. How do you feel?"

"Great, I guess," Daniel replied in a flat voice.

The reporter smiled and turned towards Coach Johansen. "The other semi-final has just concluded," she said. "Sevilla is the team that has qualified for the final after beating Valencia based on the away-goal rule. Coach Johansen! How do you feel about your opponents in the Europa League final? Do you think you can overcome them in Turin on the 14th of May?"

"Sevilla is a great team with incredible players for sure," Coach Johansen replied. "They are more powerful than us on paper, and I believe they will come at us with everything they got during the final. But we still have a great chance of overpowering them if we prepare well and play at our best. I have to remind you that we're not satisfied with only reaching the final of the Europa League. We also wish to win the Europa League trophy this season. So, we'll do everything possible to ensure the trophy comes to Trondheim after the final."

—–

Chapter 388 Reflections and Deliberations

Even after spending a large part of the night partying with teammates, Zachary still managed to wake up at 9:00 AM. The hard-fought victory over Benfica had caused his spirits to soar into the skies, and he was in a hyper mood as he went through his morning yoga routine in the living room of his apartment.

As he performed the various yoga poses, scenes of the previous night went through his mind. First, he remembered how he'd provided an assist that enabled Nicki to score Rosenborg's first goal. Then, he recalled how Benfica had equalized the game during the 88th minute. At that moment, he had felt as if the entire world was crumbling around him since Rosenborg was behind Benfica going by the aggregate score.

But due to sheer luck, he'd entered an uncanny mental state, totally different from the zone mental state. The state of mind that seemed to rely purely on instincts had helped him perform the impossible and dribble through the opposition's packed midfield and defense before scoring Rosenborg's second goal on the night. And that goal was what helped Rosenborg extend the game into extra time and eventually to the penalty shootout, where they overcame Benfica.

"I wonder if I can enter that mental state again!"

Zachary could feel his blood boiling with anticipation as he recalled how he overcame the opposing midfielders and defenders before scoring the goal. The football skills he'd mastered seemed to have totally merged with his entire being, and he'd performed them without thinking. He had even gained an incredible connection with the ball, and performing moves like the elastico dribble had been like the reflexive action of blinking. All in all, football had never been easy like at that juncture.

But later on, during extra time, when he'd tried to re-enact the state of mind, he'd failed again and again. No matter how hard he'd tried, he hadn't managed to reach the level of playing just by relying on instincts during the crucial moments. So, he'd pushed the matter to the back of his mind until that morning, when he was going through his post-match yoga routine.

"System," he called out after completing the yoga routine. "Can you tell me about the state of mind I was in yesterday? Why could I perform beyond my best before I scored that second goal?"

"The user's will to win the game was incredible yesterday," the system AI replied. "The will to win the game forced the user to transcend his limits in the mental aspect and perform like never before. If the user would like to experience and explore that spectacular state again, the user should focus on increasing his mental aspects of the game. A good start would be winning the Europa League best player accolade and obtaining a corresponding reward of the S-grade mental conditioning elixir from the system."

"S-grade mental conditioning elixir!" Zachary mumbled as the details of the 2013/14 Europa League Serial Challenge mission coursed through his mind. He understood that he had to become the best player in that Europa League tournament to gain the elixir reward from the system. But there was one issue that still confused him. So, he decided to ask the system AI.

"System," he called out. "As far as I know, there is no best player award in the Europa League. So, how will the system judge whether I'm the best player or not?"

"The system can collect the performance data of all players in the Europa League," the AI replied. "By combining the various statistics (such as goals scored, successful dribble attempts, aerial duels won, number of assists, etcetera), the system can weight them against your team's overall performance in the Europa League. Then, it'll be easy to determine whether you're the best performing player in the tournament."

"I see," Zachary mumbled, smiling. Since the system had its own way of determining his rank on the Europa League best player list, he didn't have to wait for the shortlist for the UEFA Men's Player of the Year Award scheduled to be released in August. If all went well, he might be able to immediately acquire two S-grade elixirs and a hefty sum of Juju points as rewards from the system after playing the finals in Turin two weeks later. Those rewards would help him improve his football skills and abilities to unprecedented levels. He would then turn into a monster on the pitch before he completed his transfer to a new club. But first, he had to help his team win the finals.

"One step at a time," Zachary reminded himself as he dried his face with a clean towel. "Before playing the finals, I can't get ahead of myself. I have to perform at my best against Sevilla and ensure that my team wins without going through penalties again."

Zachary's experience during the semi-final against Benfica had made him dread and fear penalties more than before. He had felt useless the previous night when he'd noticed that he had no control over the result of the penalty shootout. It was mostly through luck that his team managed to win.

Winning that way irked Zachary to some extent. So, he had secretly vowed to do his utmost to win future games during the 90 minutes of regular game time. As long as he helped his team score many goals, he wouldn't have to face the mental torture resulting from the penalty shootout.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

Zachary's phone vibrated and attracted his attention just as he was about to take his post-yoga routine shower. He quickly turned around and scooped it up from a nearby table before glancing at the screen. He couldn't help but smile slightly after noticing that the call was from Emily, his agent.

"Good morning, Emily," he spoke into the phone after pressing the accept button. "You're calling so early! Do you have any good news for me?"

"Good morning, Zachary!" Emily's said from the other end of the line. Her British accent colored her words, making her voice as vibrant as ever. "You have guessed right. I do have some good news. Can we meet a.s.a.p.?"

"That's okay with me," Zachary replied after glancing at the wall clock on the opposite wall. "We can meet thirty minutes later, at around 11:00 AM. Where should we meet?"

"If it's not a bother, we should meet at your place," Emily replied. "This is a measure against some journalists who have been tailing me over the past few weeks. I don't want to give them an opportunity to glean some information from what I'm about to discuss with you. The best way to ensure secrecy is to hold our meeting somewhere private, like in your apartment or a hotel room."

"I see," Zachary said. "Then, just come over to my apartment. I'm alone here. So, you don't have to worry about the contents of our conversation leaking out."

"Great," Emily replied. "I'll be there in thirty minutes. Should I bring you some breakfast?"

Zachary thought for a moment and agreed. "A coffee will do. Thanks, and see you in thirty minutes."

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Chapter 389 First Bids from Interested Clubs

After ending the call, Zachary operated with all the haste he could muster. He quickly organized his living room before cleaning up and dressing up. He then settled in his living room to wait for Emily.

As usual, he didn't have to wait long, and Emily knocked on his door at exactly 11:00 AM to the digit.

"Welcome," Zachary said after opening the door. "Let me take that off your hands." He stretched out his hands and motioned for her to hand over the coffee cup holder to him.

"Thank you." Emily beamed as she handed him the small cup holder with four coffee cups. She had donned a light blue lady's business suit that matched the color of her eyes. Her dressing style brought out her lithe figure, and she just looked like a successful young and beautiful woman on the cover of a world-famous business magazine.

"Come in," Zachary said before leading the way into the apartment. Emily followed him, and they quickly settled down on two opposite sofas in the living room. The morning sun rays, passing through the wide window, lit up their faces as they started enjoying their coffee.

"So, what good news do you have for me this time?" Zachary broke the silence with a question after a few more seconds.

The corners of Emily's lips curled up into a gorgeous smile. "First of all," she said, "Let me start by congratulating you upon qualifying for the finals of the Europa League. Your second goal for Rosenborg yesterday was incredible, and it has eased my work to a great extent. You're the best client a football agent can ever wish for."

"Thank you," Zachary said, grinning. "And, of course, you're one of the best agents a footballer can wish for in the world. I hope greats like Messi and Ronaldo won't steal you from me in the future when you make it big."

Emily chuckled. "Jokes aside," she said. "We've made progress with two clubs chasing after your signature. The first one is Tottenham Hotspur. Today morning, the club representatives have confirmed that they will table a bid of 36.5 million Euros add-ons to Rosenborg for your signature. The add-ons, including player exchanges, loaning agreements, plus other future payments, total about 20 million Euros. So, they have valued you at 56.5 million Euros. If you agree to the move, you would be their most expensive signing in history."

Zachary nodded as he tried his best to calm his racing heart. "What about the salary? How much are they offering?"

Emily smiled. "I was just getting to that," she said. "The Tottenham representatives have promised that the club will pay you 85,000 British Pounds per week if you sign with them. That's an approximate 104,000 Euros in gross weekly income, which would make you the third-highest paid player on their payroll. Only Roberto Soldado and Emmanuel Adebayor would be ahead of you on their pay sheet. As a bonus, they would start paying my fees as your agent annually, which is 10% of your would-be income. I'm sure I can force them to increase your weekly wage if I continue bargaining and playing my cards right over the next few weeks. What do you think?"

"The deal is great," Zachary said while breathing out to calm his agitated emotions. He couldn't believe that one of the big clubs in England had tabled such an amount for his services. It was a dream come true, as far as he was concerned. "First, tell me about the bid from the second club. I'll give you my view after hearing about their offer."

Emily nodded. "The second club that is already in talks with Rosenborg management over your signature is Juventus. The Juventus representatives have already tabled a bid of 58 million Euros add-ons of about 6 million Euros. That means they've already offered 64 million Euros as their first bid for your signature. So, if you're not against going to the Italian side, the Rosenborg top management will be doing their best to sell you to the Italians at around that fee."

"What about the weekly wages?" Zachary inquired. The buying fee didn't mean much to him as it would mostly be going to his current club. What mattered to him was the weekly wages the club would offer if he signed with them.

"Juventus has promised to pay you a gross weekly wage of 115,000 Euros if you sign with them," Emily answered. "That would allow you to earn about 5.5 million Euros per year, making you their second-highest-paid player next season. From what I've heard, only Paul Pogba would be above you on the pay sheet with a weekly income of 125,000 Euros. The club would also pay my fees as your agent, and their promise is 10% of your wage paid annually. Their offers top those of Tottenham in all aspects. But still, it will be up to you as a player to influence the Rosenborg management and force them to sell you where you want to go."

"I see," Zachary said, leaning back into his seat. He was confused for a moment as all offers were tempting. The salary was something out of his dreams, and he would get to play for top clubs with top players. But what was he to choose? Zachary glanced at Emily. "What's your opinion?"

Emily smiled. "From what I have learned, both clubs are very interested in you as a player. That's why they're both offering you a high income. The only difference between the two clubs is that you might find it hard to adapt quickly to the atmosphere in Turin as opposed to that in London. For instance, you'll have to learn Italian and fight for a place on the squad against world-class players like Pirlo, Arturo Vidal, and Pogba. But, I guess that that can also be a growing experience if you embrace it well."

"On the other hand," Emily continued, "If you choose Tottenham, you can adapt fast since you speak good English. You'll even cement your place in their squad immediately due to your incredible skills, which I believe outmatch those of their current midfielders."

"But there would also be one disadvantage of the move to Tottenham. That is: you won't be able to win trophies easily unless the club buys more players of your caliber. Remember: the English Premier League isn't like the Norwegian League. Defenders and midfielders are very physical, and you can't carry the team on your shoulders when you're only two or three players on the team with class. A team would even need great luck or a balanced squad to have a chance of winning any trophy. So, if Tottenham doesn't buy more players, you might not win another trophy for years."

"I understand," Zachary said, sinking into a moment of contemplation. He wasn't worried that Tottenham would lack players of class. Based on the knowledge from his previous life, he understood that young talents like Harry Kane, Christian Eriksen, Erik Lamela, Heung-min Son, Eric Dier, and Kyle Walker, among others, were about to come into the picture. Under the guidance of Mauricio Pochettino, the soon-to-be Tottenham head coach, they would play great football for several seasons. They would reach the finals of several cups, including the UEFA Champions League final. But in the end, they would lose all of them and remain trophyless over the following decade.

Be that as it may, Zachary was sure they were just an unfortunate team in their endeavors. They only needed a slight push to change their trajectory in history, and they would do wonders in his new life. And Zachary believed he could be that push that altered their fate as a club.

"Keep pushing for the deal with Tottenham," Zachary said after contemplating. "Try your best to push for an increase in our proposed wages over the next few weeks. But don't agree to anything until after I have played the Europa League final."

"I get you," Emily said, nodding. "What about Juventus? Should I shrug off their offers, like what I have been doing with other clubs?"

"Don't do that," Zachary said, shaking his head. "As you already said, they are also keen on signing me. So, let's maintain a wait-and-see attitude until after the final. At the moment, I obviously still prefer Tottenham because it'll be easy for me to adapt to life in London. But if Juventus comes up with a hard-to-refuse offer, for instance, a large signing bonus and a similarly mouth-watering weekly income, then I'll consider them too. Honestly, I'm still a bit undecided on where to go."

"I understand." Emily chuckled. "You need time to process all the information I have just given you. But I'm sure you'll make the right choice after thinking things through. Just take your time since there's currently no pressure to make an immediate decision on our side. As for the offers from the other clubs, like Paris Saint-Germain and Manchester United, I shrugged them off after realizing that you weren't interested. Is that okay?"

"That's for the best," Zachary replied. "It's okay to focus on only Tottenham and Juventus for the moment. Transfer deals aside, how far with my grandma's Schengen identity card?"

"The identity card will be ready in a week's time," Emily replied. "How's your grandma, by the way? I have been busy with transfer deals. I haven't managed to check on her during the past two weeks."

"She's doing okay," Zachary replied. "But three days ago, the doctors informed me they would extend her stay in the hospital's rehabilitation center for roughly fifteen more days. They intend to conduct a few more tests to determine whether she has completely recovered before discharging her. So, that's when I'll require the identity card to transfer her to Norway."

"The ID will be ready," Emily said. "And the timing is just perfect since you'll just have finished playing the finals. You can concentrate on helping your grandma settle down without too many worries."

"I also like the timing," Zachary agreed. "Let's hope the final tests go okay. I'll only feel at ease after the doctors have assured me that she has totally recovered."

—–

Chapter 390 Media Speculation

Speculation about Zachary's almost-imminent transfer out of Rosenborg appeared in the news over the following few days. Some rumors were very far-fetched and reported that he might be heading to famous clubs like Chelsea, AC Milan, Real Madrid, or Barcelona. And probably due to his free-kick technique, others claimed that he was a fan of David Beckham, and he might go to Manchester United to follow in the footsteps of his idol. The gossip spread over the internet like a forest fire in summer.

However, all those rumors didn't affect Zachary in the slightest. He ignored the media attention and focused solely on improving himself through serious training. He couldn't afford to waste time thinking about his potential transfer, especially since he had to prepare for the Europa League final, scheduled to be played in Turin on May 14th, roughly two weeks from then.

Aside from training alone to hone his skills, Zachary joined the team training sessions. The team training was always intense, but none of his teammates raised any complaints. They were all hyped up since they wished to prepare themselves adequately for the Europa League final. They sometimes even put in a few extra hours of exhaustive workouts after the official training sessions. Their commitment was truly commendable.

Due to the intense schedule, the days seemed to pass by quickly, and soon, it was Sunday, May 4th. It was finally the day when the Rosenborg players would play their first game in that year's Norwegian Cup. And that game was against Orkla FK, a team from the Norwegian 3rd division football league.

Even though the game was at an away ground, at Orkla FK's home stadium, Zachary and his teammates effortlessly vanquished the weaker side. During the 13th minute, Zachary picked out Paul Kasongo with a defense-splitting through-pass. The latter easily connected with the pin-point pass before skipping past a defender and scoring Rosenborg's first goal for the evening.

Eight minutes later, during the 21st minute, Zachary worked his magic again. He burst through the middle of the pitch like a Tsunami, leaving opposing midfielders and opponents powerless. When the shooting angle opened up, he struck from outside the 18-yard-box to score Rosenborg's second goal.

But that wasn't the end of his spectacular display. Six minutes later, during the 27th minute, he found the mark again by relying on a free-kick positioned a few yards away from the box. He curled the ball over the defensive wall and into the back of the net to score Rosenborg's third goal for the evening.

The proceedings moved forward, and the Troll Kids continued pressurizing the opponents. However, they didn't manage to score the fourth goal until much later in the second half, during the 78th minute.

When everyone in the stadium began to assume that there weren't any more goals in the game, Takumi Minamino struck. He connected with Thomas Partey's long-range pass just outside the box on the left flank and unleashed a missile of a shot towards the goal. His effort was on point and curled past the keeper's outstretched fingertips before homing into the top right corner. The score was then 4:0 in favor of Rosenborg.

Takumi's goal seemed to have opened the floodgates again, and the Rosenborg players soon made it rain goals in Orkla FK's home ground. During the 83rd minute, Zachary scored Rosenborg's 5th and his 3rd for the day to complete his first domestic hattrick that year. Alexander Söderlund netted Rosenborg's 6th goal three minutes later, during the 86th minute. And finally, Tore Reginiussen, Rosenborg's captain, closed off the scoring frenzy by netting the 7th goal during the 91st minute.

It was the first time that season that all Rosenborg's first-team players had played in a domestic league match. They hadn't disappointed and had managed to overwhelm the much weaker Orkla FK by a score of 7:0. Due to the spectacular performance, Coach Johansen was grinning from ear to ear during the post-match press conference.

"Coach Johansen," one of the journalists in the press room called out. "Congratulations upon winning your first Norwegian Cup game this year. Your players, especially Zachary, Takumi, and Thomas Partey, were phenomenal. They performed well and ensured that your team beat Orkla FK 7:0. But what worries me and the rest of the Rosenborg fans is that you didn't rest any of your first-team players today. As we all know, the Europa League finals are on May 14th. That is only ten days from now. Aren't you worried about wearing out the players if you play them during every domestic game? Aren't you concerned that they'll become fatigued and underperform during the finals?"

"Thank you for the question," Coach Johansen said, smiling. "I decided to field the players today for rhythm reasons. If the players spend many days without playing competitive football, they'll lose their rhythm and get rusty. So, I have to give them several match-playing opportunities before the final. To them, the Norwegian Cup match was like a warm-up — to keep them in shape for the finals against Sevilla."

The journalist who'd posed the query chuckled before asking another question. "Are you implying that you might utilize your first-team squad during the upcoming Tippeligaen game against Sogndal? Or will you choose to rest them and keep them fresh for the finals?"

"That, I can't answer right now," Coach Johansen replied. "I'll observe the players during training over the next few days and analyze and understand their conditions. Then, I'll decide whether to field them on the day before the game against Sogndal IL."

Another journalist stood up. "Coach Johansen," he said. "My question is about Zachary Bemba. Once again, he was spectacular today, and he managed to score a hattrick. But many Rosenborg fans are worried about the speculation surrounding Zachary. As you should know, many news outlets and transfer experts have already reported that Rosenborg is close to selling Zachary to Tottenham, Manchester United, or Juventus. Can you tell us whether these rumors are true?"

Coach Johansen sighed and shook his head. "As you said, those are just rumors. The entire team's focus is on the Europa League finals at the moment. So, we're not going to negotiate any transfer deals with other clubs until after May 14th. That implies that Zachary is still our player until we communicate otherwise."

"Coach Johansen!" Another journalist called out. "Can you tell us whether any clubs have reached out to Rosenborg to buy Zachary?"

"No comment," Coach Johansen said. "As I already said, the entire team is busy preparing for the Europa League finals. As a coach, I also have to do my part and ensure that my players are ready for the final. So, I don't have any time to move around, checking whether any other clubs are about to make bids to acquire my players."

—–

After the press conference, Coach Johansen returned to his office within Lerkendal. The endless questions about Zachary's potential transfer out of Rosenborg had fouled his jolly mood. He couldn't even smile even though his team had just thrashed Orkla FK by seven goals to nil.

"Damn it!"

Coach Johansen cursed out loud as he settled into his office chair. He really felt helpless since Zachary was about to leave the club.

The previous day, both Tottenham and Juventus had increased their bids for Zachary. Tottenham had tabled 42 million add-ons of about 20 million, while Juventus had offered a whopping 70 million Euros to outbid them.

The two offers had excited the members of Rosenborg's board, and they were already pushing for the club to sell Zachary to the highest bidder. So, if nothing unexpected happened, Zachary would leave Rosenborg during the upcoming transfer window.

But that wasn't what vexed Coach Johansen the most. He was incensed by the rest of the teams trying to raid his other players. Big clubs like Valencia, Lyon, Benfica, Arsenal, Manchester United, and Chelsea, among others, had already tabled bids for his other players like Thomas Partey, Eric Bailly, Yerry Mina, Takumi Minamino, Nicki Nielsen, and Paul Kasongo. And what upset him even more was the Rosenborg board leaning towards selling all those players to the highest bidders. That was simply unacceptable.

"What to do?"

Coach Johansen breathed out deeply and leaned back into his seat. He'd long expected Zachary to leave the club due to his extraordinary skills and talent. So, Coach Johansen could accept the board members' decision to sell him to the highest bidder as soon as possible. But he couldn't bear losing his other players, like Thomas Partey, Eric Bailly, and Takumi Minamino, especially since he'd just signed them.

"Let's focus on winning the finals first," Coach Johansen decided. "Maybe, the players will feel a stronger sense of belonging to the club if they win the Europa League with Rosenborg. Then, it'll be hard for those money-grubbers to sell the players off if they wish to stay at the club. That could be a solution."

Coach Johansen's eyes glinted with resolve. He soon pushed the distracting thoughts to the back of his mind and opened his laptop. Before long, he started watching one of Sevilla's past games while taking notes. The game was boring since Sevilla was playing a defensive game against Valencia. But the coach remained focused and watched every minute of the proceedings. He couldn't relax since he wished to understand the opponent's style of play and weaknesses before playing them in the Europa League final.

—–

---

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Chapter 391 Prelude to the Europa League Final

Four days later, on a rainy Thursday evening, the Troll Kids played their domestic season's sixth Tippeligaen game against Sogndal IL at an away ground. For that game, Coach Johansen exercised caution. He benched most of his star players, including Zachary, Takumi Minamino, Thomas Partey, Nicki Nielsen, Yerry Mina, Mikael Dorsin, and Eric Bailly. His intent was to let them rest and save their energy for the finals against Sevilla the following Thursday.

But even without the star players, Rosenborg still showcased class and skill on the pitch. The second-stringers played as if their lives were on the line and dominated proceedings from the first minute. By relying on short and precise passes, they hoarded most of the ball possession and sustained tremendous pressure on Sogndal. And as expected, their efforts soon bore fruit, and they created their first goal-scoring opportunity during the 27th minute.

Karl Toko Ekambi burst through the wing like a bullet train on the rails before unleashing a curling lofted pass towards the area. His cross was spot on, and it managed to descend towards the position where Riku Riski, Rosenborg's right forward for the day, was lurking. The latter wasted no time leaping high to beat the opposing center-back. He effortlessly planted a header into the top right corner to score Rosenborg's 1st goal for the evening.

After the goal celebrations, the game continued. The Rosenborg players didn't let up the pressure and continued mounting relentless waves of attacks on Sogndal's defense. They combined their Tiki-taka style with wing play tactics to render the opponents helpless. But even then, they didn't manage to score until much later in the second half, during the 79th minute.

Tobias Mikkelsen, Rosenborg's right-winger who had just returned from injury, tore through Sogndal's defense like there was no tomorrow. He made an incredible mazy run from the wing before shooting from the edge of the box to score Rosenborg's second goal for the day.

After that, the Rosenborg players employed defensive tactics to weather the pressure of the final 10 minutes of the game. They remained solid at the back and ensured that the Sogndal attackers didn't create any opportunities at goal. Their efforts paid off, and in the end, they beat Sogndal away from home with a score of 2:0.

The win extended Rosenborg's domestic league unbeaten run in the new season to six games. As a result, the Troll Kids had again cemented their position at the top of the Tippeligaen table. They were the only team that had accumulated 18 points from 6 games. On the other hand, the second-placed Molde had only won 5 out of its six opening games to amass 15 points, while the third-placed Strømsgodset had only accumulated 14 points from the same number of games.

For sure, Rosenborg was already dominating the Norwegian League very early on in the season. And for that reason, the television pundits for the game sang high praises for the entire Rosenborg team during the post-match analysis session.

"I think we have been giving less credit to Rosenborg as a team," Roar Strand, one of the pundits, remarked. "We often think that only Zachary carries them through matches by scoring many incredible goals. But, let me remind you all that we can't be more wrong. The rest of the Rosenborg players are also doing wonders on the team. Take a look at Tobias Mikkelsen and Karl Toko Ekambi, for instance. In today's game, without Zachary, they were still spectacular. They played around with the Sogndal defenders and beat them repeatedly during the game. One provided the assist that resulted in the first goal, while the other scored the second. They are surely among some of the often-underrated Rosenborg players."

"You're right," Steffen Iversen, the second pundit, chimed in. "It's true that Zachary always outshines the rest of his teammates whenever he is present on the pitch. But without Zachary, I believe that Rosenborg would be a totally different team. Without him, they might not have won the domestic double last season, and they would definitely not have reached the Europa League finals. You have to understand that Zachary's presence on the team boosts the morale of his teammates. With him around, the players will do their utmost to try to match his level — and in the end; they'll put up incredible performances, like what we saw from Karl Toko Ekambi and Tobias today."

"That's a good point," Kjell Roar, the commentator, remarked. "But back to the game. Rosenborg's win has taken them to a six-match unbeaten run in the domestic league this year. Do you guys think Rosenborg can maintain this form until the end of the season? Can they win another domestic double?"

"That's a difficult question to answer before the transfer window," Steffen Iversen said. "If Rosenborg can retain most of the players, including Takumi Minamino, Eric Bailly, Thomas Partey, etcetera, then they will remain the favorites to win the league and the Norwegian Cup this year. However, if they sell off all their star players during the summer transfer window, they might end the year without any trophy."

"Even if they sell off the rest and keep only Zachary, they can still continue winning," Roar Strand chimed in with a chuckle. "But the question is: Can they convince Zachary to stay? There's a 50 million buy-out clause in his contract, and if Rosenborg tries to block his move to a bigger club, he might trigger it. And that would lower Zachary's selling price by a couple of a dozen million."

"I don't think anyone at Rosenborg should block Zachary from moving to a bigger club," Steffen Iversen remarked. "He has already done a lot for Rosenborg in his one year in Trondheim. Zachary helped Rosenborg win a double last year. This year, he has single-handedly pushed them through the knock-out stages of the Europa League, and now, they are in their first-ever Europa League finals. What else could Rosenborg want from him? They should consider his future and let him join a bigger club of his own liking. They should even give him a hero send-off when he's leaving during the upcoming transfer window."

"It's too early to talk about a hero send-off," Kjell Roar chimed in. "Zachary still has to play the Europa League finals six days later, on May 14th. If he can help Rosenborg win their first-ever European title, he'll go down in history books. The Rosenborg fans will idolize him, and if he wants to leave the club, they will send him off like a hero. But if Rosenborg loses the final against Sevilla, I can't predict the fan base's reaction. The supporters might even label him a 'Judas Iscariot' for leaving the team in dire straits."

"That's harsh," Roar Strand said. "But you're right. Winning can bring the best out of the fans. On the other hand, losing can bring the worst out of the fans. So, let's wait and see what will happen in the finals."

—–

After the game against Sogndal, the Rosenborg players took a one-day break before recommencing training. They spent the next four days doing their utmost to prepare for the Europa League finals.

Early in the morning, they would undergo fitness conditioning drills in the gym under the supervision of the coaches. Later in the morning, they would head to the training ground to go through the passing, positioning, and other team drills. They would then have lunch before returning to the training ground to continue the team drills. And finally, they would end their day with a team meeting in the tactics room, where the coaches would go over the possible game plans for the final against Sevilla.

Day in, day out, all the players worked harder than ever. The hours of practice quickly turned into days, and soon it was May 13th. It was finally the eve of the much-anticipated Europa League final battle between Sevilla and Rosenborg.

On that day, at 8:00 AM, Coach Johansen called the players into the tactics room at Lerkendal for another pre-match tactics meeting. He quickly gave a short analysis of Sevilla's weaknesses and usual style of play before going over the game plan for the umpteenth time that week.

Thirty minutes later, he rounded up his short speech about the tactics and immediately delved into naming the squad that would be heading to Turin to play in the Europa League finals the following day.

"These are the players on our starting line-up," he said, glancing around. "Daniel Örlund will be in goal against Sevilla tomorrow. Then, the four players – Mikael Dorsin, Tore Reginiussen, Yerry Mina, and Eric Bailly will be in defense. In our midfield, Thomas Partey, Takumi Minamino, and Zachary Bemba will be the players who hold the reins. And finally, on striking, we'll utilize Tobias Mikkelsen on the right flank, Alexander Söderlund on the left, and Nicki Nielsen as the center-forward. That is it for the players on the starting line-up."

"Moving on," the coach continued. "On the bench, we'll have the following players. Lund Hansen, William Troost-Ekong, Cristian Gamboa, Ole Selnæs, Mike Jensen, Karl Toko Ekambi, and Paul Kasongo. That's it for the squad heading to Turin for the finals. For those who didn't make the cut, don't lose heart. Keep working hard, and you'll surely get an opportunity to play for Rosenborg in the near future."

"For those on the squad, head back home and prepare. We'll be taking the bus to the airport at 11:00 AM. Our intent is to arrive in Turin by 6:00 PM today evening. Do you guys copy?"

"Yes, coach," the player replied, more or less in unison.

"Good." The coach nodded and glanced at his watch. "Let's meet in the parking lot in two hours. Please be on time."

—–

Chapter 392 To the Juventus Stadium in Turin I

Later that morning, the Rosenborg players and technical staff boarded a KLM Airlines flight and headed to Turin. Their journey was without any unexpected incidents, and their plane touched down on the runway of the Turin International Airport five and half hours later.

The players and staff quickly went through the airport procedures before picking up their luggage and heading toward the airport's exit. Under the guidance of a UEFA official and a few dedicated airport staff, they managed to avoid all the fanfare and media attention. And after only a few minutes, they stepped out of the airport.

By then, only twenty minutes remained to six o'clock, and the sun was about to sink below the horizon in the western skies of Turin. So, the players and coaches didn't waste time boarding the arranged team bus, especially since they desired to rest after a long day of traveling.

After everyone had taken their seats on the bus, the driver skillfully pulled out of the airport's parking lot. Before long, he rounded a corner and joined a busy highway in Turin.

The traffic was surprisingly heavy that evening, and the journey took longer than expected. But finally, after fifty minutes of driving, the driver rounded a corner again and pulled up in front of the Grand Hotel Sitea, located in the heart of Risorgimento Turin.

The Rosenborg players and technical staff quickly picked up their luggage and checked into the hotel. They ate dinner about an hour later and attended a team meeting afterward. Then, when the clock hand was just about to point to the nine o'clock mark, the coaches ended the gathering and sent the players back to their rooms to rest.

The following morning, the players woke up at around eight o'clock. They ate breakfast with the coaches before heading to the gym to undergo a light conditioning routine. They completed the fitness training about an hour later and returned to their rooms with the intent to spend the rest of the time before the game resting.

Over the past five days, Coach Johansen had already instilled the game plan for the Europa League final into the players' minds. He had already gone over all the potential tactics and emphasized the roles of each player countless times. So, he left them to their own devices and let them rest for the entire day.

Zachary, on his part, spent the whole day in his room, playing a brick game on his phone. He'd already pushed all the thoughts about the Europa League final to the back of his mind. So, for hours, he solely focused on shooting down the digital bricks on his phone screen.

The android game was relaxing, and surprisingly, the hours passed by quickly. Lunchtime soon arrived, and Zachary took a small break to eat a light meal before returning to his room. He played the brick game for a few more hours but soon got fed up with the small images on his phone screen. So, after throwing the phone to the side, Zachary jumped into his bed and decided to take a short nap. He slept soundly and soon forgot everything else in the world.

"Knock! Knock! Knock…"

After what seemed like a short time, rapid knocking sounds on the door pushed Zachary out of slumberland. His eyes immediately fluttered open, and he jumped out of bed before stepping forward and pulling open his hotel room door.

"Coach!" Zachary's eyes widened when he noticed Coach Johansen standing before his door.

"It's already 6:30 PM," the coach said, giving him a once over. "Only two hours and fifteen minutes are remaining to kick-off. But I can see that you're not concerned. You're even still sleeping."

"Sorry, coach," Zachary replied, smiling sheepishly. "I dozed off without setting my alarm. I wasn't aware of the passing of the hours. But I'm ready to head out at any time."

Coach Johansen nodded and smiled. "Sleeping is also a good sign. It means that you're not under any pressure before the final. Let's hope that your confidence turns into match-winning skills later tonight."

"Don't worry, coach," Zachary said. "I'm ready to do my best in the game today. I'll give more than a hundred percent to fight for a win in the final."

Coach Johansen smiled and said, "That puts my heart at ease."

"Are we about to set off to the stadium?" Zachary hurriedly asked.

"Yes," the coach replied. "We are supposed to be setting off at 7:15 PM. So, you need to hurry up and eat dinner before joining your teammates in the hotel lobby. I want you fully satiated with food and in your best state during the final."

"Aye, coach," Zachary replied. "I'll quickly prepare and head to the restaurant for dinner. Don't worry."

"Good," Coach Johansen said. "See you at 7:10, then."

"See you at 7:10."

—–

At seven o'clock that evening, the Rosenborg players began congregating in the hotel lobby one after the other. They were all in suits, specifically prepared for the finals. They were also much quieter than usual and exuded intense auras, like soldiers about to head out for a life-and-death battle. Their fighting spirit had already soared through the roof, and they were obviously already in the zone. They were probably thinking and dreaming about destroying Sevilla in the Europa League finals.

Zachary, who'd overslept and almost missed out on dinner, arrived last in the lobby. He looked dapper in his all-black suit that emphasized his tall frame. His relaxed afro hairstyle, integrated with a trendy undercut, added a wild charm to his entire persona. He looked intimidating and dauntingly handsome as he stepped into the hotel lobby.

"Okay, okay," Coach Johansen said, breaking the murmurs in the lobby. "It's already 7:10 PM. Less than two hours remain before the start of the game. But luckily, everyone, including Zachary, the sleepyhead, has arrived."

Most of the players in the lobby laughed at that and called Zachary a few more weird names. Zachary, of course, maintained a poker face and ignored them. But on the inside, he was smiling. The coach's joke seemed to have lightened the mood around the team. As a result, his teammates were more relaxed than before. So, Zachary didn't have to worry about them crumbling under pressure before the final.

"Okay, guys," Coach Johansen yelled again. "It's time for us to head to the Juventus Stadium for the Europa League final. We're about to face off against Sevilla in what could be the climax, but not the end of the glorious moments of most of our careers. Guys, are you ready?"

"Yes, coach," the players yelled back in chorus.

"Are you all ready?" The coach asked again.

"Yes, coach." The players were even louder than before.

"That's the spirit." Coach Johansen smiled while nodding. "Let's step out of the hotel and board the bus immediately. Let's head out there and play as a team. And let's hope we return here later in the night with the Europa League Trophy. May all the luck in the world be with us tonight."

—–

Chapter 393 To the Juventus Stadium in Turin II

Many journalists and fans in Rosenborg's black and white colors had congregated around the hotel entrance that evening. When the Rosenborg players stepped out of the hotel, a wave of wild excitement swept through the gathered crowd. The men and women of the press quickly started taking pictures with their cameras while the Rosenborg supporters cheered excitedly.

Fortunately, hotel security worked with the Turin local police officers to keep the crowd at bay as the Rosenborg players boarded the bus. All the members of the Rosenborg delegation soon settled in their seats, and the bus took off, heading towards the famous Juventus Stadium of Turin.

Under the escort of a convoy of police vehicles, the duration of the journey through the busy Italian city was surprisingly short. Twenty-four minutes later, the bus pulled up in front of the gate of the Juventus Stadium, and the players and coaches disembarked with their luggage in hand.

A group of fans in Rosenborg's jerseys had already crowded around the stadium entrance. They yelled and cheered at the top of their voices as the Rosenborg players started marching into the stadium gates. But what caught Zachary's attention was a scream from one young man.

"Zachary!" the young man, who looked to be around thirteen to fifteen years of age, hollered. "Will you give me your shirt after scoring today?"

Zachary stopped in his tracks and turned around. His eyes widened as he started walking towards where the boy was standing. The cops and security personnel tried to dissuade him, but he shook them off and continued moving forward.

"You're sure that I'll score today?" He asked as he gave the lad a once over. The young man had sharp facial features adorned with blonde hair and clear blue eyes. He seemed familiar. But Zachary's mind couldn't place where he'd seen him.

"I'm sure you'll score today," the young man replied confidently. "But I'm not sure about the exact number of goals you'll bag today."

Zachary chuckled. He looked around and noticed that his conversation with the young man had already attracted media attention. But he didn't mind. "What is your name?" He asked.

"Joshua Simonsen," the boy replied. "I don't know if you recall, but you once gave me a signed jersey on a bus in Trondheim. I'm here with a few friends from the NF Academy to support you tonight. We all know that you will score and win the finals."

"Oh, it's you." Zachary chuckled as a light bulb went on in his head. "You have grown up since then. Thanks for the support. And if I do score today, I'll look for you at the academy in Trondheim. And of course, I won't forget to give you my shirt. Okay?"

"Thanks," the young man replied, grinning from ear to ear.

Zachary nodded to him before stepping away. Soon, he followed after his teammates and marched into the stadium gates. As for the incident with the young fan, he pushed it to the back of his mind as he adjusted to the tense atmosphere in the stadium.

Coach Johansen worked with all the haste he could muster over the next few minutes. He urged his players to prepare quickly and head into the pitch for the pre-match warm-up. He couldn't afford to waste time as only forty-five minutes remained before the kick-off of the Europa League final.

Just as his players were starting their warm-up on the pitch, he received Sevilla's starting line-up from the officials. As expected, Unai Emery, Sevilla's head coach, had arrayed his squad into a 4-2-3-1 formation and seemed intent on employing defensive tactics against Rosenborg that evening. But since Coach Johansen had long expected such tactics from Sevilla, he didn't bat an eyelid and continued perusing through the squad details of the opponent.

In Sevilla's goal, there was António Alberto Bastos, the shot-stopper commonly known as Beto. Then, their defense comprised the four players – Coke, Nicolás Pareja, Federico Fazio, and Alberto Moreno. They formed a solid and experienced backline that could give Rosenborg a hard time during the game.

In defensive midfield, Sevilla intended to field two holding midfielders. One was the experienced and solid Cameroonian – Stéphane Mbia. He was good at aerial duels, and if the need arose, he could play the rough game of fouling. The other holding midfielder was Daniel Carriço, who had incredible game reading and solid tackling skills.

Up the pitch, Sevilla intended to field three attacking midfielders. Among those, it was Ivan Rakitić who caused a lot of headaches for Coach Johansen when preparing for the Europa League final. The midfielder was a talented and well-rounded playmaker with good stamina, excellent passing technique, and an uncanny ability to read the game. Rakitić could dictate play in midfield and create chances for teammates after winning back possession, despite his lack of pace. Thus, if Rosenborg wished to win the finals, they would have to contain him.

But Coach Johansen wasn't all that worried since he had tasked Thomas Partey, his defensive midfielder, to keep an eye on him. If Thomas Partey remained careful and followed the game plan, he would easily frustrate the slow-paced Rakitić with his solid defensive skills. At least, that was Coach Johansen's wish.

The other two players with attacking midfielder roles on Sevilla's squad were Antonio Reyes on the right flank and Vitolo on the left. In previous matches, the two players were very creative in the wings and could unleash crosses that resulted in goals. They were also terrifying foes that couldn't be left alone.

Lastly, on Sevilla's striking line was the one and only Carlos Bacca. He was quick, powerful, skillful, and a determined center-forward, with good movement, concentration, and an eye for goal. His solid first touch, aggression, composure in front of goal, and striking accuracy had long made him a nightmare for most opponents. As long as he was in the box, he could easily beat opponents and find the back of the net.

"It's great that there are no surprises."

Coach Johansen breathed a sigh of relief after perusing through Sevilla's squad details. Over that past week, he had warned his players countless times to take note of the dangerous players on Sevilla's line-up, including Ivan Rakitić and Carlos Bacca. He had even put up contingencies to guard against unexpected situations, like outbursts of skill from the difficult-to-deal-with substitutes. And that was why Sevilla's line-up didn't cause his mood to fluctuate in the slightest.

The coach believed he had already done his best to prepare his players for the final. As long as they followed the game plan and played as a team, they had a high chance of winning the final. With a bit of luck and the on-form Zachary among their ranks, they would shock Turin and take the Europa League trophy back to Trondheim for the first time ever. The coach possessed that level of confidence in his players.

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Chapter 394 Pitch Invasion and Kick-Off

The post-surgery rehabilitation center of the University Hospital Zurich was like a spectacle out of a sci-fi movie. Everything that could shine did shine. There was stainless steel, sleek floors, and beautiful art on the walls, making up an exquisite ambiance that was as bright as glacier melt-water or spring flowers. The air around the entire place had a pure fragrance, not sterile, just clean. Music at just the right level played in the background to give the patients and staff an emotional lift. It was unquestionably a world-class health center, and even at that late hour, the nurses and doctors were as busy as ever, moving from room to room to tend to the patients.

In one of the lounges of this famous hospital, a few patients and their caretakers had gathered to watch the finals of that year's Europa League. Among them was Zachary's grandma, Mrs. Madeleine Mateso Bemba, who was recovering well from her brain surgery. She looked remarkably comfortable in her reclining wheelchair, placed in front of the large screen.

"Are you sure that Zachary will be playing today?" She queried in Swahili while inclining her head slightly to look at her daughter – Marie Bemba.

"Yes," Marie Bemba, Zachary's aunt, replied with a humble tone. "Zachary's team is called Rosenborg. It's playing against a team from Spain called Sevilla in the Europa League finals."

"What is this Europa League?" Zachary's grandma asked, creasing her brows. "How come I have never heard about it?"

"The tournament is the second biggest continental club competition in Europe," Marie replied. "And Zachary's team has defeated many famous teams like Juventus, Lyon, and Benfica before reaching the finals. If they win the final today, they will become champions and go home with the trophy."

Zachary's grandma smiled, her wrinkles smoothening out a little. She wrapped her shawl tightly around herself to keep the cold away before saying, "I'm glad that Zachary is making something out of himself. Let's hope that he wins the trophy today."

Marie smiled and nodded. "The match is about to start," she said, pointing at the large LCD screen in front of the room. "Better focus. Zachary's team is about to step out of the tunnel."

Only a dozen minutes remained before the highly-anticipated Europa League final's kick-off. The excitement was in the air, and more than 40,000 fans had already taken up their seats in the famous Juventus Stadium in Turin. Most of them were already singing the well-known chants of their respective clubs even before kick-off.

Among the supporters were several of Zachary's acquaintances, including Emily, Kristin, Camilla, Ryan Bellmore, Martin Stein, Marta Romano, Melissa Romano, and Coach Bjørn Peters. They had long occupied well-positioned seats in various parts of the stadium. They had all come to support Zachary in his endeavors to attain glory that night.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the voice of Peter Drury, the commentator for the finals, resounded across the Juventus Stadium. "Welcome to Turin. Ahead of us is a contest for Europa League glory. Rosenborg Ballklub is facing off against Sevilla Football Club in this year's Europa League final. It's a final filled with endless possibilities as any of the two teams can win today."

"If Rosenborg wins today, they will make history. They will become the first Norwegian team to win the Europa League. They will also become the first Norwegian team to win a treble in a single season. But there's an enormous mountain that is Sevilla between them and the trophy. The Sevilla players will be doing their utmost to help their club win another Europa League trophy. They were the champions of the 2005/06 and 2006/07 seasons. And today, they'll be keen on beating Rosenborg and winning their third Europa League trophy in history."

"It's already 8:35 PM," the commentator continued. "The players of both sides are already in the tunnel, ready to march onto the pitch. You can already feel the captivating and irresistible atmosphere around this famous stadium as the kick-off draws nearer and nearer with every passing second…"

It was at that moment that the players marched onto the pitch. On cue, the Europa League anthem started playing in the background while the cheers hit a thunderous crescendo.

On one side, the voices of the Rosenborg fans hit a peak as they shouted the names of their star players, including Zachary, Takumi Minamino, and Nicki Nielsen. But how could the enthusiastic Sevilla supporters let them do as they pleased? The supporters from Spain also started yelling at the top of their lungs, doing their best to overwhelm the opposing fans. The combination of shouts and cries from the two groups shook the stadium, causing the atmosphere to become even more heated.

—–

The proceeding moved forward quite quickly, and soon, the players started taking up their positions on the pitch. Zachary also followed suit and marched to his position. He looked strikingly sleek in his all-black Rosenborg jersey, and his eyes radiated an intense fighting spirit. His heart was already burning with anticipation as he eagerly waited for the moment when the referee would blow the kick-off whistle.

Zachary didn't have to wait long as the referee finished all his preparations quickly. The referee then positioned himself just outside the center circle and glanced around once before raising the whistle to his lips. But just as he was about to signal the start of the game, something unexpected transpired.

Out of the blue, a fan rushed out from the stands behind the goal. Like an incarnation of a skilled rugby player, he sidestepped past stewards in yellow jackets before leaving them in the dust. His speed was incredible — and in a couple of seconds, he sped onto the pitch, heading straight towards the position where Zachary was standing.

"What the hell?"

Zachary's eyes narrowed as he noticed the pitch invader on a straight course towards him. For a moment, his heartbeat quickened as he conjectured that the fan might wish to harm him. He stepped out of the way, intending to dodge the fan. However, the fan followed suit and altered his sprinting trajectory to follow after Zachary. And before long, the fan caught up to him.

"We're waiting for you at Juventus," the fan shouted and handed him a striped black and white Juventus flag and jersey. "Please don't go anywhere else. Come to Juventus…"

The words of the pitch-invading fan stopped abruptly as one of the stadium stewards caught up and tackled him to the ground. Before long, more stewards lifted the man away without giving him any other opportunities to communicate with Zachary.

As for Zachary, he was stunned and speechless. He stood transfixed in one place, glancing at the jersey and flag in his hands. For the first time in his career, he had experienced a pitch invasion targeted toward him. And once again, he re-evaluated the craziness of people in this world.

"Are you okay, Zachary?" Nicki Nielsen asked after approaching his position.

"I'm okay," Zachary replied as he bundled up the flag and jersey. Without waiting for Nicki to ask anything else, he raced towards the nearest steward and handed the flag and jersey to him. After that, he returned to his attacking midfield position outside the center circle.

He breathed in deeply and pushed the pitch invasion incident to the back of his mind. And slowly by slowly, he readjusted his mental state and focused solely on the game that was about to commence. He was again ready to do his best during the final of the Europa League.

—–

On the sidelines, Coach Johansen's face had already morphed into a frown. He wasn't happy, especially after witnessing a pitch invasion targeted toward his best player. He even suspected that the stunt might be a calculated move by the opponents to throw his players off their rhythm before the final.

"What do you think?" Coach Johansen asked his assistant after a moment of contemplation. "Could Sevilla be playing dirty?"

"That shouldn't be the case," Trond Henriksen, his assistant, replied. "The pitch invasion also affects the Sevilla players to a certain extent. So, they shouldn't be the culprits. On the other hand, I'm inclined to believe that it's Juventus pulling tricks. Don't forget that we're currently on their home ground. Their intent might be to use this rare opportunity to sway Zachary's mind before the transfer window."

"That makes sense," Coach Johansen replied as his frown deepened. Juventus had already tabled the highest bid to Rosenborg for Zachary. The only roadblock to their acquiring his services was his decision. So, Coach Johansen wouldn't be surprised if they utilized a pitch invasion stunt to sway his feelings towards playing for Juventus.

——

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee finally blew the whistle and signaled the start of the match after another minute. Nicki Nielsen, Rosenborg's center-forward, didn't dilly-dally. He kicked off the game by passing the ball back into his midfield after hearing the referee's whistle.

At long last, and after an unexpected pitch invasion, the Europa League was underway. The excitement around the stadium shot into the skies, and the cheers hit another momentous Zenith. All eyes were on the pitch, waiting to witness who would come out on top in that night's battle for Europa League glory.

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Chapter 395 A Game of Ups and Downs

The Rosenborg players quickly followed Coach Johansen's game plan and arrayed themselves into a 4-3-3 triangular formation. Thomas Partey settled into the holding midfield role while Zachary and Takumi Minamino were the attacking midfielders. The three of them quickly built a good rapport and started dominating play in the middle of the pitch. Due to their efforts, Rosenborg even hoarded a large percentage of the ball possession during the first 10 minutes of gameplay.

On the other hand, the Sevilla players settled into a 4-2-3-1 formation to weather Rosenborg's dominance on the pitch. They utilized Stéphane Mbia and Daniel Carriço as the two holding midfielders to support their four defenders. Anyone watching the game could tell that they intended to play a very defensive game against the seemingly weaker Rosenborg side. They obviously hoped to snuff out any chances of Rosenborg scoring a goal.

But their efforts were soon rendered useless by Zachary's brilliance in the midfield. During the 16th minute, he intercepted a loose pass from Daniel Carriço close to the center circle. Before any opponent could close him down, he burst into action.

He exploded with speed through the middle and tore the Sevilla defense apart with his incredible sidestepping skills. Before long, he was already stepping into the final third as he bore down on Sevilla's goal like a raging hurricane. However, he couldn't help but slow down after a few more seconds. That was because he'd run into a challenging roadblock in the form of Stéphane Mbia, one of Sevilla's holding midfielders.

Zachary's mind started working in overdrive mode as the opposing holding midfielder was about to close him down. His Zinedine-Pirlo mental Juju immediately widened his field of vision, and his spatial awareness worked like the best of charms. In anything but an instant, he made a mental map of all the players around him. Be it the opposing defenders ahead of him, Takumi Minamino on his left, and Tobias Mikkelsen, far on his right — their positions were all clear in his mind.

"This is it."

Zachary chose an outlet for the ball the next moment. After holding off Stéphane Mbia, he unleashed a killer pass towards the right side of the box to set off Tobias Mikkelsen on a straight course towards Sevilla's goal.

The cheers in the stands rose to another level as Tobias Mikkelsen, Rosenborg's right forward, connected with the pin-point pass. His composure was incredible as he fed the ball past Nicolás Pareja, Sevilla's center-back, and stepped into the box. He then slammed the ball past the outstretched hands of Sevilla's keeper to score Rosenborg's 1st goal for the day.

—–

Sevilla FC 0 : Rosenborg BK 1

—–

"Tobias Mikkelsen has dug in and delivered," the voice of Peter Drury, the commentator, resounded across the stadium. "What a start by Rosenborg! It's barely 16 minutes past the hour. But Rosenborg is already in the lead against the two-time Europa League champions by a goal. What a night for the Norwegian giants!"

"Rosenborg deserves the lead," Roy Hamilton, the co-commentator, chimed in. "Their three midfielders have been incredible during the opening minutes. They kept the ball flowing in the middle of the field and dictated the tempo. The final icing on the cake was their young playmaker – Zachary Bemba. As usual, Zachary's technique and vision were incredible. He created a goal-scoring opportunity almost from nothing by picking out Tobias with a well-timed pass. The latter didn't disappoint and converted to score Rosenborg's opening goal."

—–

Coach Unai Emery could feel cold beads of sweat rolling down his back as he watched the referee blow the whistle to restart the game. He had miscalculated and assumed that Rosenborg would play a counterattacking game during the final. But instead, the team from Norway had opted to turn the game into a battle in midfield. They had utilized their three sharp midfielders to render his tactics useless before dictating the tempo. As a result, their efforts paid off, and they managed to take the lead during the 17th minute of this heated final.

Be that as it may, Coach Unai Emery remained confident and hopeful despite the circumstances on the pitch. As a coach, he'd already arranged targeted countermeasures for various unexpected situations during the final. So, he could enforce them right away to turn the game around.

"Carriço!" He yelled at the top of his voice to attract the attention of one of his holding midfielders. "Push forward and play as support to Rakitić in attacking midfield. And be more aggressive in the middle of the field. Don't allow the opponents to step over you in your position. Okay?"

Daniel Carriço gave his coach a thumbs-up to indicate that he'd gotten the message. After that, he returned his focus to the proceedings on the field of play.

—–

After a few adjustments, team Sevilla started playing with more zeal to stop Rosenborg's momentum. They were always hungry for the ball and even resorted to the rough game of fouling. Soon, they established a midfield stranglehold that choked Rosenborg's passes and caused the battle for Europa League glory to become more heated.

The Rosenborg players responded by increasing their work rate, hoping to maintain their advantage against the Spanish side, especially in the midfield.

However, the Sevilla players again rendered their efforts fruitless by switching to wing play tactics and long balls. Their strategy enabled them to bypass Rosenborg's strong midfield, causing the scales to tilt towards Sevilla's side. And during the 29th minute, their endeavors finally bore fruit.

Ivan Rakitić, Sevilla's captain and attacking midfielder, worked his magic on the pitch after connecting with a pass from Stéphane Mbia. He skillfully skipped past Thomas Partey before kicking the ball towards the left flank to find Vitolo, Sevilla's left-winger.

Vitolo brilliantly controlled the ball on the left flank before any of the Rosenborg players could close him down. He then whirled around and exploded with pace along the touchline. When the angle opened up, he sent forth a curling killer cross towards the box.

The cross was spot on and descended towards the area where Carlos Bacca, Sevilla's center-forward, was lurking. And as expected, Carlos Bacca immediately went into action. He leaped high and battled Eric Bailly for aerial superiority before planting a header towards the top right corner.

Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's goalkeeper, reacted immediately and tried to save the ball with an acrobatic effort. But his fingertips were just a few centimeters shy of reaching the ball. In the end, he could only watch helplessly as the ball zoomed past him and homed into the back of the net.

—–

Sevilla FC 1 : Rosenborg BK 1

—–

After scoring the goal, the Sevilla players seemed to have gained a boost in their momentum. They played more brilliantly and dictated the tempo against Rosenborg. And during the 38th minute, they created another excellent goal-scoring opportunity.

That time, it was Vitolo, Sevilla's left-winger, at the end of the opportunity. He connected with a pass from Ivan Rakitić and blasted a right-footed shot towards the goal.

Fortunately for Rosenborg, Daniel Örlund, the keeper, was alert. He rose to the occasion and committed himself to a full-body dive that enabled him to punch the ball out of play.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle and pointed toward the corner flag. On cue, most Sevilla and Rosenborg players started crowding into the box to prepare for the corner. Some even began fouling each other as they struggled to create advantages for themselves before meeting the corner ball. The referee even had to step in and show a yellow card to both Eric Bailly, on Rosenborg's side, and Federico Fazio, on Sevilla's side, before the situation in the box could calm down. After that, he blew the whistle again and motioned for team Sevilla to take the corner kick.

Coke, Sevilla's right-back, wasted no time going into action after hearing the whistle. He sent forth a teasing cross from the corner flag that headed towards Rosenborg's crowded penalty area like a guided missile.

The descending corner ball pushed the players within the box into action. In particular, the Sevilla players started running around to confuse opponents, while others leaped high to meet the cross. But in the end, it was Carlos Bacca, the incredible Sevilla forward, who got the last laugh.

Carlos Bacca shrugged off the harassment of Yerry Mina before angling his head and planting a powerful header towards the goal. And before the Rosenborg keeper could react, the ball had already homed into the back of the net.

—–

Sevilla FC 2 : Rosenborg BK 1

—–

"Team Sevilla is flying and leaving Rosenborg in the dust," Peter Drury, the commentator, yelled out loud over the thunderous cheers in the stadium. "And the man of the moment is Carlos Bacca. He has punished Rosenborg twice in less than ten minutes to complete Sevilla's comeback. The tides have turned for team Sevilla, and they might be well on their way to winning the Europa League final."

"Well," Roy Hamilton, the co-commentator, said, "The Rosenborg players have failed to adapt to Sevilla's versatile tactics. And if Coach Johansen fails to find a way to contain the Sevilla players on the flanks, he will surely lose this final."

"You're right," Peter Drury concurred. "In the opening minutes, it was Rosenborg dictating the tempo. But after Coach Unai Emery and his players switched to using wing play tactics and long balls over the midfield, the Norwegian giants lost their command over the game. Even Zachary Bemba, their most dangerous and creative player, rarely gets time on the ball. So, it's not surprising that they are trailing by two goals to one against the more aggressive and versatile Sevilla side."

"What's your prediction for the game, Peter?" Roy Hamilton asked his counterpart. "Do you think Sevilla will maintain their lead and win this final?"

"Honestly, I don't know," Peter Drury replied. "This is a game filled with uncertainties. It's just one goal separating the two teams, and there are still more than 45 minutes to the end of the game. Anything can happen, especially with a player like Zachary Bemba on the pitch. So, we can only wait and see how the game will progress."

—–

Chapter 396 Fighting Spirit

After conceding the second goal during the 41st minute, the Rosenborg players worked harder than ever. They were both creative and assertive while attacking, which was a testament to their intent to bag an equalizer before halftime.

However, their efforts didn't bear fruit due to Sevilla's team discipline during the last four minutes of the first half. The Sevilla players defended as if their lives were on the line and showcased more than a hundred percent of their abilities to thwart any chances of Rosenborg making a comeback. As a result, the score remained 2:1 in favor of Sevilla when the players marched down the tunnel for halftime.

And as usual, the coaches soon took center stage in their team's respective dressing rooms. On the side of Rosenborg, Coach Johansen was uneasy as he waited for his players to catch their breath and hydrate themselves. His heart was racing with anxiety as the prospect of his team losing the Europa League final played within his mind. But he still forced himself to appear calm as he stepped forward to dish out the most crucial halftime pep talk that could define and boost his career as a coach.

"Guys, listen," he said, stepping forward to take center stage in the dressing room. "For those who might have forgotten, let me remind you that we're currently playing the Europa League final. For most of us, it's the most crucial match that could define our careers as sports professionals. But the sad thing is that we're not doing enough on the pitch to win the game. We're losing! We're bloody losing by two goals to one."

The coach took in a long breath of air before continuing. "During the opening seventeen minutes, we were superb as a team on the pitch. We followed the game plan perfectly, forced the opponents into a midfield battle, and came out on top. As a result, we controlled the game and scored the first goal in the 17th minute. But a few minutes after scoring the goal, we relaxed and lost our advantage. We let the Sevilla players dictate the tempo — and allowed them to net two goals within a ten-minute window. What the hell is up with that? Were you sleeping?" He narrowed his eyes and glanced around.

"I understand that the Sevilla players abruptly changed their tactics during the middle of the game," the coach continued. "But that shouldn't be an excuse for us to concede two goals and possibly lose the game. It shouldn't be an excuse to play the way we played during the late stages of the first half."

"To become champions, we must play assertively, dictate the tempo, and force the opponents to adapt to our footballing style. If we wish to win, we shouldn't be the ones to adapt to Sevilla's long balls or wing play tactics. Instead, we have to assert our dominance on the field by maintaining our style of football throughout the game. We need to bring the ball back to the ground, break down their teamwork with short passes, and get goals whenever there's a chance. Do you guys understand?"

"Yes, coach," the Rosenborg players replied in chorus.

"Good." The coach nodded. "I need you to remember these few points. One: Play assertively and force the opponents to adapt to our style, not the other way round. Two: Play as a team, as one cohesive unit, both in defense and while attacking. Three: Individually, don't make stupid mistakes on the pitch that can hurt the team. And four: Have confidence in yourselves. Believe in your skills and do not for even a single moment doubt that you'll win the game. You have already beaten European giants like Juventus, Lyon, and Benfica during the earlier stages of the Europa League. So, how can a weaker Sevilla side faze you?"

The coach swept his gaze across his players. "As the saying goes," he said, "the mind is the limit. As long as the mind can envision that you can do something, you can do it. As long as you all really believe a hundred percent, we'll make a comeback and win this final today. We'll go home with the Europa League trophy. Are you guys with me?" The coach ended his little speech with a bellow.

"Yes, coach," the players yelled back in unison. Their eyes radiated an intense fighting spirit, and they seemed ready to head back into the pitch to fight for Europa League glory.

"Excellent." The coach nodded and smiled. He then spent a few more minutes explaining the tactics before sending the players back to the pitch for the second half. He had done his best to motivate his players and rouse their fighting spirit. As for the rest, the players would have to depend on themselves to win the Europa League Trophy that night.

—–

After fifteen minutes of halftime, the game restarted. The Rosenborg players followed their coach's halftime instructions and played more aggressively. They all radiated an intense fighting spirit and closed down their opponents as if their lives were on the line. Anyone watching the game could tell they were on a mission to control the proceedings on the pitch during the second half.

The relentless efforts of the Rosenborg players gradually paid off as the minutes passed. And by the 60th minute, Rosenborg had already controlled the game by relying on their phenomenal three midfielders. Rosenborg was even hoarding 60% of the possession due to their flowing Tiki-taka skills in the middle of the pitch. But even then, Rosenborg still failed to create clear goal-scoring chances until the 73rd minute.

After receiving yet another pass from Takumi Minamino, Zachary decided to take a risk for the first time during the second half. He tossed all the coach's talk about playing as a team to the back of his mind and decided to go at it alone. His gamble paid off, and he managed to dribble past three Sevilla players by relying on his ball control and sidestepping skills.

In a matter of seconds, he stepped into the final third and continued bearing down on Sevilla's goal like a predator on the hunt. He quickly approached the box, and when the angle opened up, he slowed down slightly before drawing his leg back like a bowstring. His intent was to unleash a killer shot and score Rosenborg's second goal for the night.

But just then, something unexpected transpired. Stéphane Mbia, who had tracked Zachary's run all the way from the midfield, finally caught up to him. Before Zachary could swing down his leg to shoot, the Sevilla defensive midfielder slid in, all guns blazing to send him tumbling to the ground. But during the process, he'd missed the ball and instead caught Zachary's ankle.

"Foul!" Nicki Nielsen, the Rosenborg striker, who was nearby, yelled out immediately.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee didn't need any reminders as he'd also been nearby. So, he immediately blew the whistle before rushing to the scene and awarding a free-kick to Rosenborg right outside the box. He then checked on Zachary and called Rosenborg's medical team onto the pitch. After that, he showed a yellow card to Stéphane Mbia, the Sevilla defensive midfielder who'd made the dangerous tackle on Zachary.

But all that didn't matter to Zachary as he was still in pain on the ground. Worrisome thoughts whirled through his mind for a couple of seconds as he feared that he might have gotten injured. Fortunately, the discomfort in his ankle faded after the medics had conducted a brief first aid on his leg. So, he quickly got up and moved his foot around to check if he was really okay.

"Do you still feel any pain around the ankle area?" One of the medics asked while glancing at him closely.

"The pain has almost vanished," Zachary replied, still moving his right foot around. "I only feel some slight discomfort around the ankle area. But I believe I'll be okay after a bit of running."

"That's a relief," the medic said, smiling. "But if you feel some pain later in the game, don't forget to inform us. Okay?"

"Sure," Zachary replied and chugged down some water. "Any instructions from the coach?"

"He didn't give us any," the medic said. "I think he's happy with the way you're playing at the moment. And he must be relieved since you're okay. So, do your best to score the free-kick and tie the score. I have to go back now. Best of luck." The medics quickly picked up their kits before running out of the pitch.

Zachary immediately turned his attention back to the proceedings on the pitch. He stepped forward and arranged the ball on the marked free-kick spot while waiting for the referee to finish his preparations. After that, Zachary activated the Dead Ball Specialist Juju and started observing the opposing players and the goalkeeper's position.

At that moment, his mind was already working at lightning-fast speed as he worked out how best to take the free-kick. His focus had already reached its peak as he understood that he had to convert and score the second goal for Rosenborg at that moment. Otherwise, his team might not get another chance to bring proceedings back to level since only about fifteen minutes remained ninety-minute mark.

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Chapter 397 Tense Moments

Within the stands, Emily watched with bated breath as Zachary stepped forward to take the free-kick. Her heart was racing fast with anxiety as she dreaded the minute possibility of Zachary missing a free kick for the first time in his career. But despite her unease, Emily still didn't want to miss out on witnessing a crucial moment that could define the final. So, she still hardened her resolve and kept her eyes glued on the field of play.

"It's Zachary Bemba on the set-piece," the voice of Peter Drury, the commentator, reverberated across the abnormally silent stadium. "Zachary Bemba steps forward to take the free-kick. Will he score and bring the proceedings back to level terms…"

At that moment, all of Emily's focus was already on the pitch. She breathed in deeply, and her pretty blue eyes flickered with a trace of apprehension. "Please go in… Please go in…" She mumbled to herself as she watched Zachary starting to make the angled run towards the ball.

Finally, the moment to take the set-piece arrived, and Zachary made the last jump-step towards the ball. The boy wonder angled his body slightly before swinging his leg down hard and fast to smash the ball towards the direction of the goal.

Before Emily could even blink, the ball rose, spun, and curled over the wall, rocketing towards the top right corner like a guided ballistic missile. And before Sevilla's keeper could react, the ball grazed the inside of the right post before homing into the back of the net.

"GOAALLL…." A chorus of excited voices shook the stadium as Emily joined the rest of the supporters to celebrate the goal. The voices immediately hit a thunderous zenith and drowned out every other sound in the stadium for a few seconds.

"Zachary Bemba is at it again," Peter Drury's mellifluous voice resounded across the stadium when the loud cheers began lowering. "Zachary Bemba has buried the ball into the top right corner to score Rosenborg's second goal in today's Europa League final. Stunning! Just Stunning! How many times have we seen this guy take free-kicks this season? But he has never missed! He hasn't missed even once! His precision is like that of a machine when taking set-pieces. What a spectacular player!"

"Indeed, what a spectacular player!" Roy Hamilton, the co-commentator, chimed in. "Listen to the loud cheers of the Rosenborg fans around the stadium. They are all for Zachary Bemba. He has scored his 22nd goal in this Europa League tournament and once again helped Rosenborg escape a precarious situation. He's now the undisputed top scorer of the tournament."

"But I'm surprised by Sevilla conceding a free-kick in such a position," Roy Hamilton continued. "If I were Unai Emery, I would have warned my players to beware of conceding free-kicks, especially within the final third. I would strongly caution them against gifting Zachary opportunities to score set-pieces by committing fouls close to the box."

Peter Drury chuckled. "My friend, everything changes on the pitch due to the game's intensity. You might tell yourself a thousand times that I shouldn't commit a foul, but then you find yourself already reacting when an opponent is in front of you. The reflexes kick in, and by the time you come back to your senses, you've already slid in and committed a foul. Moreover, you don't have an option sometimes. It's either you stop the opponent or concede the goal. For instance, Zachary Bemba might have still scored if Stéphane Mbia didn't take him down. So, he chose to commit the foul, hoping Zachary might miss the resulting free-kick."

"What wishful thinking!" Roy Hamilton chuckled. "Zachary has a hundred percent conversion rate. The chances of him missing are always minimal. So, any set-pieces near the box give him clear opportunities to score goals."

"That's true," Peter Drury remarked. "Anyways, back to the match. The dynamic has once again changed. After Zachary's 76th-minute equalizer, we're back to square one. Two goals to two, it is. We can expect an exciting final few minutes as both teams will be doing their utmost to score the third goal and win the game. Will it be Sevilla that comes out on top? Or will it be Rosenborg, the dark horses from Norway? Let's take you back to the proceedings on the pitch to find out."

—–

On the sidelines, Coach Johansen was still anxious. He couldn't calm down before his team bagged another goal that could seal the deal. So, his mind was still working in overdrive mode to devise strategies for his team to score as he watched the referee blow the whistle to restart the game.

"Ekambi and Kasongo!" He said, turning towards his bench players after a few more seconds. "Hurry up and warm up. I need you on the pitch in less than five minutes."

"Aye, coach," the two players replied with zest as they jumped up from their seats. They then changed into their training bibs and started warming up on the sidelines.

Coach Johansen watched them for a few seconds before returning his focus to the pitch. Sevilla had outplayed his team on the flanks over the past thirty minutes. And that was why he'd decided to introduce the two fast-paced wingers – Karl Toko Ekambi and Paul Kasongo. He wished for the two to work hard on the flanks and provide more options for Rosenborg on both the defensive and attacking fronts. That way, they would contain Sevilla's wing play tactics that had repeatedly brought him a lot of trouble throughout the game.

—–

The referee finally signaled for the substitutions to commence when the ball went out of play during the 79th minute. Karl Toko Ekambi came on in place of Alexander Söderlund, Rosenborg's starting left-winger, while Paul Kasongo replaced Tobias Mikkelsen, the starting right-winger. On the side of Sevilla, Coach Unai Emery also reacted immediately and brought on Marko Marin in place of Antonio Reyes, the right-winger.

The substitutes quickly took up their respective positions, and the game continued. The minutes flashed by quickly, and the duels on the field, especially in the middle of the pitch, became more heated.

Sliding tackles, dangerous fouls, and yellow cards became more common as the players of both teams tried to outwit their opponents. By the 80th minute, three players on Rosenborg's side had already received yellow cards, while four on Sevilla's side had also gotten similar cautions.

The battle for Europa League glory was that feverish, and by the 84th minute, with only six minutes remaining to the 90-minute mark, the game had already turned into a series of physical battles. The Sevilla players, who were more physically able, shined in great splendor as they outmuscled the opponents more often. They slowly turned the tides and helped Sevilla to dictate the tempo and dominate the proceedings again.

With the momentum on their side, it wasn't long before they launched a dangerous attack on Rosenborg's goal. Daniel Carriço, Sevilla's midfielder, intercepted a loose pass from Thomas Partey during the 86th minute. Before the nearby Rosenborg players could close him down, he passed the ball to Ivan Rakitić, Sevilla's captain and attacking midfielder.

Ivan Rakitić was as composed as ever as he received the ball. With a skillful touch, he skipped past Takumi Minamino, his marker, before threading a through-pass to find Marko Marin on the right flank.

Marko Marin, the substitute right-winger, controlled the ball deftly close to the touchline on the right flank. He turned and twisted his entire frame to bypass Mikael Dorsin, Rosenborg's left-back. He then exploded with speed along the touchline before unleashing a curling cross towards the penalty area.

At the edge of the box, Carlos Bacca, the Sevilla center-forward, went into action. He outmuscled Yerry Mina before controlling the ball with his chest. When the shooting angle opened up, he unleashed a hell of a shot towards the inside of the left post.

TENSION!

It was a tense moment for the Rosenborg fans as Carlos Bacca had placed his shot perfectly to beat the keeper. The ball skimmed over the green grass like a snake traversing the jungle before flashing past the keeper's outstretched fingertips. It was obviously on a straight course towards the back of the net.

But just then, a silhouette slid in wholesale to intercept the ball. It was Zachary Bemba, who had rushed all the way from defensive midfield to defend after noticing the danger. Fortunately, he'd gotten to the goal line on time and prevented the ball from continuing on into the back of the net. He'd used an outstretched boot to kick it back from whence it had come.

However, the danger was still at large as the intercepted ball bounced back into the box, heading straight towards the approaching Sevilla midfielder – Ivan Rakitić. The Sevilla captain wasted no time firing the ball back towards Rosenborg's goal with the intent to score Sevilla's 3rd goal.

"Damn it!"

Adrenaline flooded Zachary's bodily systems, and he cursed out loud. By reflex, he pushed himself off the ground and threw his tall frame in the way of the approaching ball. And as luck would have it, his acrobatic move enabled him to intercept Rakitić's shot with his stomach. Everything worked out perfectly, and as if on cue, Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's goalkeeper, sprung forth and snatched the ball out of the air before it could bounce back into the box.

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Chapter 398 Counterattacking at Its Best

"Nice play," Daniel Örlund, the experienced Rosenborg keeper, said to Zachary as he pulled him off the ground. "That was really close."

"Yes, that was a close call," Zachary replied as he glanced around. He breathed a sigh of relief as the two of them had just helped Rosenborg avoid conceding a goal during the 87th minute. "Daniel, don't relax. We have a great opportunity on our hands. We need to counterattack immediately before the Sevilla players shape up again. Hurry up and pass the ball to me."

Without bothering to say anything else, Zachary took off and sprinted to the right side of the box. And without a moment of delay, Daniel Örlund, the keeper, heeded his instructions and threw the ball to him.

Zachary controlled the ball skillfully and skipped past Marko Marin, the Sevilla right-winger, who was keeping an eye on him. He then worked with all the haste he could muster to move the ball forward and survey the situation on the pitch.

After picking a target, Zachary smashed the ball with the outside of his boot to unleash a long-range raking pass towards the left flank. He then took off towards the other side of the pitch as if his ass was on fire. He didn't even bother to ascertain whether the ball had reached the intended destination.

The counterattack was on, and on the left flank, close to the touchline, Karl Toko Ekambi, the substitute left-winger, connected with Zachary's pin-point pass. Ekambi chested the ball down skillfully before exploding with pace along the touchline. Before long, he was already stepping past the centerline as he dribbled the ball forward.

Coke, Sevilla's right-back, soon came forward to close him down. But Ekambi avoided him by passing the ball into the middle to find Nicki Nielsen, Rosenborg's center-forward.

Nicki was as sharp as ever going forward. His control was superb, and his first touch allowed him to leave Stéphane Mbia, Sevilla's defensive midfielder, in the dust. He then glanced around briefly before flicking the ball into the open space on his right, seemingly to no one.

Whoosh!

A silhouette in Rosenborg's black jersey flashed through the middle of the pitch like a whirlwind, chasing after the ball. It was Zachary Bemba. He'd run all the way from Rosenborg's box to aid with the counterattack. His incredible off-ball pace had enabled him to cover roughly 60 yards within a few seconds. He'd left all the opponents in the dust and even managed to catch up to Rosenborg's attacking players.

"Zachary! Zachary…"

The Rosenborg fans around the stadium started cheering loudly as Zachary connected with Nicki's pass. He didn't even bother to slow down to control the ball but prodded it forward with the top of his boot. His long strides ate up yards of space like there was no tomorrow, and soon, he stepped into the final third, where he faced off against Sevilla's two center-backs.

Zachary slowed down and stepped over the ball once to draw in the opposing center-backs. He immediately altered his center of gravity and leaned his body forward to fake going right. But suddenly, Zachary forced himself to contort his tall frame while braking. Within an instant, he switched his center of gravity again and exploded with speed on the left.

Whoosh!

His instantaneous acceleration and swift change of direction allowed him to escape from the harassment of the defenders. He moved the ball forward skillfully and was soon one-on-one with Beto, the Sevilla goalkeeper, who'd come out of his goal to meet him.

Zachary remained as composed as ever and circumvented the goalkeeper with a series of swift deft touches. He then smashed the ball into the back of the net before rushing towards the sidelines to celebrate Rosenborg's 3rd goal for the night.

At that moment, he could hardly contain his happiness since he was one step closer to winning the Europa League trophy that night. So, he punched and kicked the corner flag a couple of times to express his delight.

—–

Sevilla FC 2 : Rosenborg BK 3

—–

In the stands, Kristin was on cloud nine as she yelled at the top of her voice to celebrate Zachary's goal with the rest of the Rosenborg fans. She hugged Emily, who was next to her, as they immersed themselves in the thunderous and victorious atmosphere within the stadium.

Their excitement levels had obviously shot through the stadium roof and soared into the night skies of Turin. So, they danced and hopped around for seconds like little girls, without minding those around them.

But they were not alone in their brief state of madness. The Rosenborg fans around them had also gone wild with excitement as they cheered and celebrated Zachary's goal. Some had even undressed to let loose and express their delight.

"Zachary has delivered again," the voice of Peter Drury, the commentator, resounded across the stadium when the cheers started reducing in volume. "He has scored Rosenborg's third goal during the 88th minute of this heated final. One moment, Zachary was at the other end of the pitch, in Rosenborg's box, defending and making incredible goal-line saves. But a few seconds later, he had already sprinted across the pitch and scored Rosenborg's third goal for the night. His pace was incredible, his skills dazzling, and his composure out of this world. What a counterattack! Ladies and Gentlemen! We're surely witnessing the rise of a great player."

"It is funny how football can be unpredictable," Roy Hamilton, the co-commentator, remarked. "A few seconds before, Carlos Bacca and Ivan Rakitić were about to score and put Sevilla ahead. But they missed their chances, and Rosenborg took the opportunity to do what they do best. They launched a swift and terrifying counterattack. And due to Zachary's brilliance, the counter was a success, and the Troll Kids are now ahead. They are leading Sevilla by three goals to two with only a couple of minutes remaining to the end of this heated Europa League final."

"Let's not forget that the goal takes Zachary's tally in this year's Europa League to 23 goals," Peter Drury said. "He's the undisputed top scorer and has already broken the all-time goal-scoring record in a single Europa League tournament. He's now in a class of his own, and he's surely the best player in the Europa League this season. As I said before, we're witnessing the rise of a great player."

"You're right, Peter," Roy Hamilton, the co-commentator, said. "Zachary has played incredibly well in the Europa League this season. A whopping twenty-three goals and five assists! These are incredible statistics. He really deserves the Europa League trophy and all the honors that come with it. I really wish to see him on the podium as a champion at the end of the game tonight. Otherwise, I'll greatly be disappointed."

"Only a minute plus added time remain to the end of the game," Peter Drury said. "So, the Rosenborg players only need to maintain the lead for about six minutes, and they'll be champions. Can they achieve the feat and become the first Norwegian team to win a Europa League trophy? Let's return our focus to the proceedings on the pitch to find out."

—–

Chapter 399 The Final Nail in the Coffin

Unai Emery, Sevilla's coach, quickly made two substitutions before the game could restart. He brought on Kevin Gameiro, a forward, in place of Alberto Moreno, the starting left-back. Additionally, the coach subbed in Piotr Trochowski, an attacking midfielder, for Daniel Carriço, the starting defensive midfielder.

The Sevilla Coach had obviously decided to go all out by playing with a 3-3-2-2 offensive formation during the final few minutes. And that was why he was replacing defensive players with creative and attack-minded players. He wanted to employ all his attacking cards to create opportunities and net an equalizer as soon as possible.

On the other hand, Coach Johansen chose not to tamper with his squad. He feared that making any substitution would affect the chemistry and concentration of his field players, especially during the crucial last minutes of the game. So, he took a leap of faith and bet on his players' determination to maintain the lead until the final whistle sounded.

—–

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee blew the whistle to restart the match after the substitutes had taken their positions on the pitch. Carlos Bacca, Sevilla's center-forward, didn't dawdle in the slightest. He immediately kicked the ball back into his midfield to restart the proceedings on the field of play.

Ivan Rakitić, Sevilla's captain and attacking midfielder, controlled the ball close to the border of the middle third. He then glanced around briefly before flicking it towards his left to find Piotr Trochowski, the substitute attacking midfielder.

But by then, Nicki Nielsen, the Rosenborg center-forward, had already closed down the Sevilla midfielder. Thus, Piotr Trochowski could only choose to pass the ball backward to find Nicolás Pareja, the center-back.

"Push forward," Coach Unai Emery yelled from the sidelines, pacing the entire length of Sevilla's technical area. "We need a goal right away. So, play with a bit of urgency. Carlos! Gameiro! You're playing as two center-forwards. Push forward and apply pressure on their center-backs. And be ready to receive long balls and crosses from your teammates…"

The words of Coach Unai Emery seemed to be quite effective. The Sevilla players soon raised their playing intensity and moved the ball from one end of the pitch to the other as they tried to stretch Rosenborg's midfield and defense. And finally, during the 92nd minute, they found a rare opening to create a goal-scoring opportunity.

Ivan Rakitić received the ball close to the center circle. He escaped the harassment of Takumi Minamino before unleashing a through pass towards the flanks to find Vitolo, the left-winger.

Vitolo's ball control was incredible. He chested the ball down to the green before feeding it past Karl Toko Ekambi and beating him for pace.

But Ekambi didn't give up and let the Sevilla winger do as he pleased. He chased after Vitolo with all the speed he could muster before sliding in to steal the ball off the winger's feet. His tackle was spot on, and he managed to shove the ball out of play before sending the opponent tumbling to the ground.

"Ref! Foul!" Vitolo and a few more Sevilla players yelled at the top of their voices while glancing expectantly at the referee. However, the referee ignored their complaints and motioned for a Sevilla throw-in.

"That was clearly a foul," Vitolo continued complaining as he picked himself up from the green. "He caught me on my ankle."

But the referee again turned a deaf ear to his appeals and motioned for the Sevilla players to quickly take the throw-in. Vitolo could only shake his head dejectedly before readying himself for the throw-in.

Piotr Trochowski, Sevilla's substitute midfielder, soon took the throw-in. He planted his feet close to the touchline and threw the ball toward the middle to find Stéphane Mbia, Sevilla's defensive midfielder.

Stéphane Mbia controlled the ball well before flicking it toward the far right to find Marko Marin, the substitute right-winger. Marko Marin went into action immediately and chested the ball to the ground. Without losing a second, he unleashed a killer cross towards the box before any Rosenborg players could close him down.

Finally, a chance for Sevilla to score an equalizing goal had arrived with the cross. So, both Carlos Bacca and Kevin Gameiro, the two strikers, went into action within the box. They leaped high to connect with the incoming cross while battling the Rosenborg center-backs.

But in the end, it was Carlos Bacca, the starting forward, who got the last laugh. The center-forward outjumped Eric Bailly and planted a header towards the goal from the edge of the box. However, his effort lacked power, and in the end, it was easily saved by Daniel Örlund, the Rosenborg keeper.

—–

"Only three minutes out of the six of added time remain to the final whistle," the voice of Peter Drury resounded across the stadium. "However, the Troll Kids, the underdogs from Norway, are still in the lead against Sevilla by three goals to two. They are only moments away from achieving Europa League glory for the first time in history. Can they hold off Sevilla for the remaining three minutes and win the trophy?"

"Sevilla is on the attack again," the commentator continued. "Unai Emery and his men are digging in and doing everything possible to find that equalizing goal. Ivan Rakitić is on the ball. He twists and turns and passes to Vitolo. Vitolo! Vitolo with the cross into the box. Oh! Rosenborg is in trouble…"

At that moment, the tension was in the air as Kevin Gameiro, Sevilla's substitute center-forward, leaped up to connect with the cross at the edge of the box. He easily chested the ball backward—towards the approaching Ivan Rakitić.

Ivan Rakitić was as sharp as ever in the final third. He met the ball with a first-time volley just a few yards outside the box. He hammered it with the top of his boot, sending it rocketing towards Rosenborg's goal like a surface-to-surface missile.

But once again, luck was on Rosenborg's side, and the ball ran into an obstruction in the form of Eric Bailly. The young Ivorian defender threw himself in the ball's path and deflected it out of play for a corner kick. His brilliant effort had saved Rosenborg from conceding the equalizing goal during the 94th minute.

"Two minutes remain to the end of the added time," Peter Drury, the commentator, said as the Sevilla players prepared to take the corner kick. "This might be the last chance for Sevilla to score and bring proceedings back to level terms in this heated final. It is now or never, and all the Sevilla players are flooding into Rosenborg's box, waiting to meet the corner ball. Can they bag a last-minute equalizer and push this game into extra time?"

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee's whistle soon sounded as a signal for the Sevilla players to take the corner kick. Ivan Rakitić, the Sevilla captain, immediately unleashed a teasing cross from the corner spot towards the crowded box.

The descending corner ball induced a chaotic wave of activities within the box as the players from both teams struggled to outwit their opponents. Some even resorted to playing rough to gain an advantage before connecting with the corner ball.

But at the end of it all, Daniel Örlund, the Rosenborg keeper, came out on top. He leaped high and outjumped all the players in the box before punching the ball away from his goal.

"Oh my, my!" Peter Drury yelled in sync with the cheers and dejected sighs around the stadium. "What a phenomenal save by Daniel Örlund! He has punched the ball to safety. What do we have here? Sevilla is in trouble as Takumi Minamino intercepts the ball a few yards outside the box. It's a chance for a counterattack, and Takumi Minamino brilliantly turns away from Stéphane Mbia. He finds Zachary Bemba with a pass to his right…"

The cheers of the Rosenborg fans resounded around the stadium as Zachary connected with Takumi Minamino's pass. He spun around with the ball glued to his left foot to execute a Marseille turn and escape away from Marko Marin. He then accelerated to his top speed with the intent to race towards the other end of the pitch to advance the counterattack.

But a moment later, Zachary felt a strong tug on his shirt and figured that one of the opponents was hell-bent on stopping him, even by relying on foul means. But since it was the last minute of gameplay, he didn't relent and struggled to continue moving forward. He yearned to help his team to create one more clear goal-scoring opportunity before the final whistle.

Zachary's mind went into overdrive mode as he toiled to escape from the harassment of the opponent. As usual, the Zinedine-Pirlo mental Juju bloomed in great splendor, and his vision of the pitch became crystal clear. Within an instant, he spotted a couple of his teammates, who had already rushed forward to support the counterattack.

"Here goes nothing."

Zachary exerted all his effort and kicked the ball towards the right flank as the opponent was in the process of pulling him to the ground. His only hope was for the referee to play an advantage. That way, his teammates would continue advancing the counterattack and possibly score since there weren't any opponents barring their way forward.

"Oh my!" Peter Drury yelled in sync with the cheers. "Federico Fazio, the Sevilla center-back, has tackled Zachary to the ground. But Zachary didn't give up and passed the ball towards the right flank to find Paul Kasongo. What is the referee's decision? Will he award a free-kick for the foul? Oh no! The referee has signaled for an advantage play, and the counterattack is still on. It's Paul Kasongo on the ball. He has yards of space ahead of him. Kasongo…"

Kasongo sprinted towards Sevilla's goal like a Ferrari on a formula one race track. His short strides quickly ate up the yards of space — and before long; he stepped into the final third. He quickly approached the keeper, who'd come out of goal to meet him.

Kasongo immediately chose to play it safe instead of going head to head with the fast-approaching keeper. He slowed down slightly before passing the ball to his left to find Nicki Nielsen, who'd been running in sync with him.

Another clear goal-scoring opportunity for Rosenborg presented itself as Nicki connected with Kasongo's pass at the edge of Sevilla's box. Without losing a moment, the center-forward smashed the ball into the back of the empty net to score Rosenborg's 4th goal for the night. He had added a final nail in Sevilla's coffin and cemented Rosenborg's advantage during the last minute of added time.

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Chapter 400 Champions

—–

Sevilla FC 2 : Rosenborg BK 4

—–

"Surely, surely, this is it," Peter Drury, the commentator, yelled at the top of his lungs as Nicki Nielsen ran towards the corner flag to celebrate Rosenborg's 4th goal. Not even the booming cheers around the stadium could drown out his mellifluous voice. "What a deadly counter! Right at the end, right on the wire, just thirty seconds shy of the 96th minute, the Troll Kids have extended their lead against Sevilla. This time, Nicki Nielsen, the center-forward, was the one to deliver. Another deadly attack initiated by the one and only Zachary Bemba has seen Nicki score Rosenborg's 4th goal for the night."

"It's now Rosenborg Ballklub four and Sevilla FC two," the commentator continued. "It's a fairy tale ending, and the Norwegian giants are about to make it into the history books. They are flying and on their way to winning the Europa League trophy tonight. No one can stop them, not even the two-time Europa League champions – Sevilla. What a night for the Norwegian giants!"

In the stands, Kristin's smiled as her ears took in the ramblings of the commentator. But a moment later, she couldn't contain her emotions and couldn't stop her eyes from moistening. She was overflowing with happiness while watching the Rosenborg players celebrating the goal.

"Zachary has outdone himself tonight," Emily yelled and hugged her. "We're winning the trophy. We're winning…" Her words came out incoherently, in short bursts. It seemed that she also couldn't control her volatile emotions.

"Yes, we're going home with the trophy!" Kristin nodded, hugging her back. "I can't believe I have lived to see the day Rosenborg takes a Europa League trophy. Oh, my God. I hope this is not a dream."

"This is not a dream," Emily said, patting her back. "We're leading Sevilla by four goals to two during the last minute of added time. The opponent won't be able to make a comeback, even if the goddess of luck descends."

Kristin chuckled and released Emily from her embrace. The loud chants and cheers of the Rosenborg fans continued flooding her auditory senses, causing her mood to soar into the night skies. She smiled as she returned her attention to the proceedings on the field of play.

The Rosenborg players had just finished celebrating the goal. Their faces were all smiles as they took up their starting positions on the pitch. They were ready to restart the game and defend their two-goal lead during the final moments before the final whistle sounded.

FWEEEEEEE*

The referee finally blew the whistle after a few more seconds. Carlos Bacca, Sevilla's center-forward, immediately kicked off the game again by passing the ball back into his midfield. The game was underway, and before long, team Sevilla was again on the offensive.

Ivan Rakitić, Sevilla's captain and attacking midfielder, received the ball close to the center circle. He skillfully skipped past the seemingly exhausted Takumi Minamino before continuing his sprint towards Rosenborg's defensive third. When the passing angle opened up, he flicked the ball to his left to find Piotr Trochowski, his counterpart in attacking midfield.

Maybe because it was the final minute, Piotr Trochowski seemed impatient to produce results. After receiving the ball, he dribbled it forward for a few yards before releasing a long shot towards Rosenborg's goal.

However, since he was about fifty-five yards from goal, his effort didn't produce any results. His shot was way-wide off-target, and he could only let out a helpless sigh as he watched the ball zooming towards the stands behind the goal.

"Rosenborg! *FWEEEEEEE* Rosenborg…"

The cheers of the Rosenborg fans rose to another level as Daniel Örlund, Rosenborg's keeper, picked up the ball from the ball boy. The keeper smiled and jogged back into the pitch before positioning the ball at the edge of the penalty box. He was preparing to take the goal kick, and hopefully, it would be the last kick of the final.

At that moment, a loud chorus of whistling resounded across the stadium. The Rosenborg fans were obviously pressurizing the referee to end the match by imitating the sound of the whistle. And that time around, the referee didn't disappoint the supporters. He blew the final whistle to signal the end of the match right after Daniel Örlund took the goal kick.

"The match has ended," Peter Drury, the commentator, yelled like a madman, his voice resounding over the loud chorus of cheers around the stadium. "Once again, Rosenborg BK, the Troll Kids, the underdogs from Norway, have bested another highly-experienced European club. They have defeated Sevilla FC, the two-time Europa League champions, in tonight's Europa League final by four goals to two. It's surely a fairy tale ending, and the Europa League trophy is on its way to Norway for the first time in history."

—–

On the pitch, Zachary was on cloud nine. His thoughts were a jumbled mess for a few seconds as his ears took in the thunderous cheers around the stadium. He stood transfixed in one place as happiness glowed inside him like noon sunshine in summer. Then, his spirits bounded higher, and he felt like everything around him was surreal. It was as if he was experiencing a very wonderful dream.

"We're champions!" Mikael Dorsin yelled as he sprinted forward and gave him a bear hug. "We're freakin' bloody champions! We're taking the Europa League trophy to Trondheim. Thanks for the hard work throughout the tournament, Zachary." The left-back patted his back.

"Yes, we're bloody champions," Zachary yelled in response. "And thank you too for the hard work, Mikael. Oh, my god! I feel like my head is going to explode with happiness. We're Europa League champions. If I'm dreaming, please don't wake me up."

"You're quite the comedian." Mikael chuckled and released him.

By then, more teammates, including Nicki Nielsen, Thomas Partey, Eric Bailly, Takumi Minamino, Yerry Mina, Kasongo, Karl Toko Ekambi, Tore Reginiussen, and the substitutes, had also arrived at their position. A delightful atmosphere surrounded the team, and the players wasted no time hugging and congratulating each other upon winning the Europa League. Some even cried tears of joy since they could hardly rein in their emotions after winning the final.

Soon, Coach Johansen also joined the celebrations. He moved around gallantly like a king and hugged each of his players. But surprisingly, his eyes were a bit moist. The often-strict coach had obviously turned emotional after leading his team to win that year's Europa League trophy. But he seemed not to mind his outward bearing as he immersed himself in the festivities with his players.

"Guys!" Tore Reginiussen, the Rosenborg captain, said after a few more minutes. "Let's move around and thank our fans. They were amazing and energetic while cheering for us during today's final."

"True. Let's go."

All the players agreed and started running around the pitch to pay homage to the traveling Rosenborg supporters. Some even picked Rosenborg flags from who knows where and waved them around.

In response, the Rosenborg fans cheered like madmen and madwomen, and soon, their voices joined together into a booming chorus that shook the stadium. Some even cried, others laughed, while others danced with reckless abandon. Their excitement levels had obviously long bordered on the verge of insanity. But they were not to blame. Their team had won the Europa League trophy for the first time in history. And as a plus, their team had finally completed a treble for the past season. So, they couldn't give a shit about who was watching. They just celebrated Rosenborg's victory like there wasn't a tomorrow.

Even though it was already a few minutes past midnight, excited voices could still be heard within one of the lounges of the post-surgery rehabilitation center at the University Hospital Zurich. The employees and patients in the room had been rooting for Rosenborg to win the Europa League final. That was because a grandson of one of the patients was playing for Rosenborg. So, when the final whistle sounded, they all jumped up for joy and celebrated Rosenborg's victory. They danced and jubilated without any care for anything around them.

"Oh my God! Zachary has won a trophy! My grandson has won a trophy. Praise be to God." An aged woman among the room's occupants mumbled to herself in Swahili. Even though she was still recovering from a surgical wound, with a large bandage around her head, she appeared quite energetic at that moment. She was obviously very excited as she followed the proceedings on the large screen in front of the room.

"Congratulations, Mrs. Bemba," a young woman said and patted her shoulder. Even though she was European, she spoke fluent Swahili. She was Mia – a professional nurse and caregiver taking care of her. "Your grandson is now a champion," she continued. "A European Champion who has faced off against teams like Juventus and came out on top! Oh my God!"

"Indeed, little Zachary has achieved an incredible feat," Marie Bemba, Zachary's aunt, remarked with a smile. "At just nineteen years, he has already won the Europa League. My brother should be smiling as he looks down from heaven."

"You're right, Marie," Zachary's grandma said. "Samuel should be smiling and laughing as he looks down at Zachary's brilliance from heaven. He should be very proud of his son."

Zachary's grandma smiled as a great sense of contentment overwhelmed her entire being. She felt like she had finally lived a fruitful and long life after witnessing her grandson's success in his football career. She no longer had to worry about him as he could look after himself.

"Mrs. Bemba," Mia, the nurse, suddenly said. "Since the game is over, you should return to your room and rest for the night. Remember: You have to undergo some check-ups tomorrow."

"Just give me a few more minutes," Zachary's grandma said. "Let me watch my grandson lift the trophy first. After that, I'll immediately go to bed."

"Okay," Mia mumbled.

---

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Chapter 401 Post-Match Analysis and Trophy Ceremony

Emilia Vasquez, the experienced and beautiful ESPN presenter, was on duty for the Europa League finals that night. She smiled at the cameras in the studio and said, "What a match we've had on our hands tonight. Rosenborg Ballklub has just defeated Sevilla by four goals to two in tonight's dramatic final. The Norwegian giants are this year's Europa League champions. As we wait for the organizers and officials to finish setting up the podium for the trophy presentation, let's hear from our pundits. Let's hear about their take on the just-concluded final."

"Guys!" She turned towards Ole Gunnar Solskjær and Juninho Pernambucano, the two ex-professional footballers who were the in-studio pundits for the game. "What are your thoughts?"

Ole Gunnar Solskjær smiled as the cameras focused on him. "I think Trondheim is a very fitting home for the Europa League trophy this year," he said. "With the way the Rosenborg players played during this Europa League campaign, they deserve the trophy. They deserve all the glory that comes with winning tonight's final. On their way to the finals, they defeated Red Bull Salzburg, Standard Liège, Fiorentina, Juventus, Lyon, and Benfica, among other teams. All these are very experienced clubs on the European stage, with big annual budgets and many skilled players and coaches. However, all that didn't matter to the Rosenborg players. They gave more than a hundred percent in all the matches and bested one opponent after the other. They have now won the final and are about to go home with the Europa League trophy."

"You're right, Ole," Juninho chimed in. "Rosenborg's drive to win during this campaign has been phenomenal. Then, there's Zachary Bemba, the young midfielder who's always working miracles on the pitch. Defeating Rosenborg with him on the squad is a tall order. Additionally, their squad exudes a sense of togetherness. They never say never, and to a certain extent, their whole squad reminds me of the 1994/95 Ajax team that won the Champions League. They are a team that doesn't appear strong on paper, but when you face off against them, you'll find yourself two goals behind in a matter of minutes."

"Let's look at the final today," Emilia Vasquez said as the cameras focused on her. "The match was filled with a lot of ups and downs. Wasn't it?"

"True," Ole concurred. "As usual, Zachary worked his magic early in the first half to set up Tobias for Rosenborg's opening goal. But during the same half, Sevilla responded, and Carlos Bacca scored twice within a ten-minute window to put Sevilla ahead. Then Zachary rose to the occasion and scored that beautiful free-kick."

"Indeed, it was a beautiful free-kick," Juninho agreed. "It was text-book perfect and well-placed. Zachary's technique left no chance for the keeper to make a save."

"But that wasn't the end of his brilliance," Ole continued. "During the 87th minute, he raced all the way back to his goal and made two timely goal-line interceptions. Zachary saved Rosenborg from conceding a third goal but didn't stop at that. He then initiated a counter before running from one end of the pitch to the other to score the third goal for Rosenborg. For me, this was the defining moment of the final."

"That's true," Juninho remarked. "If Zachary hadn't made that timely defensive interception to stop Sevilla from scoring, his team wouldn't have won the final. I was even more impressed by his determination when he countered immediately to score Rosenborg's third goal. Let's also not forget about the fourth goal. He initiated a counterattack that led to the fourth goal while resisting a foul. His pass easily found Kasongo, and the rest is history. In my book, he has really done a lot for the Rosenborg team, and he's the undisputed best player of the tournament."

"True that," Ole agreed readily. "Zachary has scored twenty-three goals and provided five assists during this tournament. He has broken the all-time goal-scoring record for a single Europa League tournament. If he isn't the best player, then who is?"

Emilia Vasquez chuckled. "After winning the Europa League trophy tonight, Rosenborg has also completed a season treble. They won the Norwegian Cup and domestic league last year in December. And now, they're Europa League champions after beating Sevilla in tonight's final. In all the tournaments they have played since last year, Zachary's brilliance has been a crucial factor that has continued to drive their success."

"Yes, that's correct," Ole said. "Zachary was the top scorer in both the domestic league and Cupen. His goals have helped Rosenborg overcome many opponents since last year. And let's also not forget his performance in the Europa League against European giants like Juventus, Lyon, and now Sevilla. I don't care what anyone says, but this young man deserves this year's Golden Boy award. He also deserves to be on the FIFA best player award list. At least, he should be within the top fifteen."

Juninho chuckled. "There's still the World Cup coming up in June," he said. "There might be young players, like Raheem Sterling, Ousmane Dembele, and others, who might rise to the occasion and perform well during the World Cup. They could even overtake Zachary's rating on the FIFA best player list since he won't be participating in the World Cup. Remember: The tournament has a big sway on the player rankings."

"I highly doubt the possibility," Ole said, shaking his head. "Zachary's performance this season has been otherworldly. I don't think any other young player can outperform him during the World Cup. It's not possible."

"Let's end the debate here for a moment," Emilia Vasquez chipped in with a chuckle. "Thank you guys for your analysis. But first, let's return our focus to the proceedings on the pitch. The organizers have finished setting up the podium, and the trophy ceremony has just begun. At the moment, they are about to present the golden boot to Zachary Bemba. Our dear viewers! Stay tuned as we take you back to the Juventus Stadium — the venue of the Europa League final."

—–

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice resounded across the stadium. "This young man has been incredible throughout the entire Europa League season. His 23 goals for Rosenborg make him the indisputable top scorer of the tournament. Ladies and gentlemen! Let's put our hands together for this season's Europa League Golden Boot winner – Zachary Bemba."

The cheers around the stadium hit another thunderous peak as Zachary marched toward the podium. There was a slight swagger in his step as he immersed himself in the joy of winning another individual accolade. But that didn't hinder his actions in any way. He stepped forward and received the shiny Golden Boot from the ambassador for the final. After that, Zachary posed for a few photos with his award before rejoining his excited teammates.

The proceedings moved forward quite quickly, and soon, the Sevilla players stepped forward to receive their runners-up medals. They all lacked energy and enthusiasm as they ascended the podium. Losing that night's Europa League final had obviously hit them hard.

Zachary watched them out of the corner of his eye. He didn't feel guilty about changing history and stealing a trophy that could have been theirs in another lifetime. He was too excited and overwhelmed by a sense of contentment to bother with such unwarranted feelings.

Moreover, he understood that he had to step over both strong and weak opponents to achieve glory. So, he had long prepared himself to rob many more trophies and accolades from their would-be-owners of his previous life. With the system in hand, he was sure he could achieve the feat.

"Ladies and gentlemen," the announcer's voice resounded again. "Please put your hands together for the champions of the Europa League as they step forward to receive their medals."

"Finally," Zachary mumbled as he followed his teammates up the podium. The line moved forward quickly, and before long, he stood before the ambassador for the Europa League final. He shook hands with the gentleman and received his medal before joining his teammates on one side of the podiums.

By then, the Rosenborg fans around the stadium were already cheering like mad. They continued singing and vocalizing the popular Rosenborg chants as the players received the medals, one after the other. And finally, their voices hit a crescendo when the crucial moment of the trophy presentation ceremony arrived.

Tore Reginiussen, the Rosenborg captain, stepped forward and received the Europa League trophy from the ambassador for the final. He immediately raised it with both hands to send the stadium into a wave of excited frenzy.

It was a historic moment, and all eyes and cameras were on the Rosenborg captain. However, Tore didn't allow all the attention to create any blemish on his bearing as a captain. He quickly returned to his teammates and presented the trophy to them as the cheers of the Rosenborg fans continued resounding across the stadium. What followed was an unforgettable night of euphoria and jubilation.

Chapter 402 Jubilation and Mission Completion

The following day, the Rosenborg delegation, including the players, coaches, and medical personnel, returned triumphantly to Trondheim with the Europa League trophy. Their flight was without issues, and their plane touched down at the runway of Værnes Airport at 1:00 PM.

Everything was smooth sailing from there on. The players followed their coaches and descended the airstair before heading towards the airport's arrivals section. Under the guidance of the dedicated airport staff, they quickly went through all the necessary procedures before heading towards the airport's exit.

"Zachary!" Suddenly, Tore Reginiussen, the captain, called out. "Do you wish to hold the trophy as we head out of the airport to face our fans?"

"Nope," Zachary replied with a smile. "I already posed for many pictures with the trophy last night. So, I'm good."

"Captain!" Eric Bailly hurriedly interjected as he glanced left and right. "If you're already tired, I can hold the trophy in your place. As you know, I'm a strong man. I never get tired."

"I can also help…" A few more players in the delegation offered. They were eager to hold on to the trophy as they exited the airport.

"Silence!" The voice of Coach Johansen resounded and silenced the players. "You should all be content as you all had fun with the trophy last night. Now, it's time for the captain to perform his duties as we prepare to face the fans waiting for us outside the airport. Let Tore keep holding the trophy."

"What a mean coach!" Some of the players jested and snickered. But there wasn't any trace of discontent in their bearing. Instead, their faces were all smiles, and they couldn't conceal the exultant atmosphere around them. They were obviously still relishing the joy of winning the Europa League final the previous night.

—–

At that time, many fans in Rosenborg's black and white colors had assembled outside the airport. Be it the young kids, the teenagers, the middle-aged, or the elderly — they all seemed not to mind the burning afternoon sun rays while waiting eagerly for their heroes to arrive.

"They are here! They've finally arrived!"

An excited cry suddenly resounded across the place. Like a spark, it ignited the crowd, causing all the fans to start cheering at the top of their voices. Before long, the voices harmonized into one of the popular Rosenborg chants as the players began marching out of the airport gates.

"Come this way! This way!"

The police worked with airport security to keep the fans at bay and direct the players and coaches through the crowd. The officers were strict. They didn't even allow Zachary and his teammates to sign autographs or to pose for photographs with the fans. They claimed that such deeds would cause chaos and disorganize airport security.

"The trophy is here!"

"Oh my God! The Europa League trophy is here in Trondheim for the first time in history."

"Am I dreaming…"

Suddenly, shrill screams filled with excitement shook the place as Tore Reginiussen stepped out of the airport's gates. A Cheshire cat's grin outlined the captain's face as he slowly raised the trophy with both arms.

The action itself was like a fuse of a bomb. It caused an explosion, setting off waves of euphoria. As a result, some passionate supporters cried while others laughed as they experienced rare eruptions of bliss. They were that excited to see the trophy arrive in Trondheim for the first time in history.

Meanwhile, the journalists, who'd taken up strategic positions around the place, were like tireless worker ants as they took pictures. Their cameras continuously let out clicking noises as they all struggled to capture Rosenborg's glorious moment of returning to Trondheim with the trophy.

Among the men and women of the press was Olav Brusveen, the TV2 Sporten reporter who'd followed Zachary's career for more than a year. He was filled with mixed emotions as he observed the proceedings.

"I never expected to witness such a moment during my lifetime," he said and sighed. "A Europa League trophy in Trondheim! Moreover, it's the first Europa League trophy in Norway. The Rosenborg players have brought pride to our nation's footballing community."

"Yes, indeed," Ingrid Solberg, his assistant, said. "This is a glorious moment for us Norwegians in history. At least one of our teams has finally won a major trophy on the European stage. We can hold our heads high from now on."

"I'm sorry to interrupt your emotional moment, guys," their cameramen said. "But if you don't act immediately, the Rosenborg team will depart before we interview Zachary."

"Oh!" Olav said and pivoted his gaze towards the bus in the distance. He immediately noticed that some Rosenborg players, including Zachary, Takumi, and Nicki, had already lined up to enter the bus.

"It seems we won't get a chance to interview Zachary today," Ingrid remarked from beside Olav.

Olav sighed and nodded. "You're right," he said. "Airport security is strict today. They aren't allowing even journalists to get close to the players. It is such a letdown."

"What shall we do?" Ingrid asked. "The boss had instructed us to do everything possible to interview Zachary today. He will get pissed if we go back without results."

"Don't worry!" Olav said. "I'm an acquaintance of his agent. We can book an appointment to interview Zachary through her."

"That may not be possible," Ingrid said. "From what I heard, all the Rosenborg players are first going for a trophy parade around Trondheim. After that, they will present the Europa League trophy to their fans at Lerkendal before ending their day with a trophy banquet. Due to such a busy schedule, we might still not get a chance to interview Zachary even through his agent."

"No worries," Olav said in a placating tone. "I'm hopeful that we'll get a chance eventually. If not, we can complete the task tomorrow. But for now, let's continue following the team. They are about to set off for the trophy parade."

"Okay, let's go." His colleagues readily agreed.

—–

That evening, the trophy parade was a great success. Under the fire of the setting sun, thousands of Rosenborg fans lined the streets of Trondheim City to welcome home their team and celebrate their Europa League victory. The enthusiastic supporters cheered at the top of their voices as the team bus slowly made its way to Lerkendal Stadium under the escort of a local police convoy. Some fans even climbed on top of houses to witness the glory of the Rosenborg players atop the bus.

The trophy parade ended at 7:00 PM, and the team bus headed to Lerkendal Stadium, Rosenborg's home ground, where the players officially presented the Europa League trophy to their enthusiastic fans. The following proceedings were smooth, and the ceremony ended with speeches from the captain and Coach Johansen.

The Rosenborg players then ended their hectic day by attending a trophy banquet before returning to their respective homes for the night. At long last, their busy day after winning the Europa League final had ended, and they could finally enjoy a night of rest, hopefully without any disturbances.

—–

Zachary only managed to return to his apartment late at 11:00 PM. He hadn't gotten much rest since the previous day before the final. Thus, he felt as if he'd just played an intensive match, and his only wish was to jump into bed and enter slumber land as soon as possible.

"DING"

Suddenly, the all-familiar system notification rang in his mind as he stepped into his living room. It roused him back to full attention, causing all the feelings of exhaustion to fade away from his mind. His eyes flickered with a trace of anticipation, and he hurriedly switched on the light to brighten up the living room.

"Congratulations to the user for completing the 2013/14 Europa League Serial Challenge mission," the system AI's apathetic voice sounded at that moment. "The user can check out the mission completion details and respective rewards on the interface."

Zachary smiled as his hopes soared. He settled down on one of the sofas before summoning the system interface. Without further ado, he started to peruse the contents of the mission completion message.

#5 new messages

—–

CONGRATULATIONS

-You have completed the system mission (2013/14 Europa League Serial Challenge).

—–

-Mission Summary

Milestone 1: Play over 80% of the fixtures in the 2013/14 Europa League tournament for Rosenborg (Completed; Rating A; Rewarded 2,000 Juju points).

Milestone 2: Help Rosenborg qualify for the round of sixteen of the 2013/14 Europa League tournament (Completed by helping Rosenborg defeat Fiorentina during the round of thirty-two stage; Rating A; Rewarded 5,000 Juju points).

Milestone 3: Help Rosenborg qualify for the quarter-finals of the 2013/14 Europa League tournament (Completed by helping Rosenborg defeat Juventus during the round of sixteen stage; Rating S; Rewarded 30,000 Juju points).

Milestone 4: Help Rosenborg qualify for the semi-finals of the 2013/14 Europa League tournament (Completed by helping Rosenborg defeat Olympique Lyon during the quarter-final; Rating S; Rewarded 50,000 Juju points).

Milestone 5: Help Rosenborg qualify for the 2013/14 Europa League final (Completed by helping Rosenborg defeat Benfica during the semi-final; Rating A; Rewarded 100,000 Juju Points).

Milestone 6: Help Rosenborg become the champions of the 2013/14 Europa League Tournament (Completed by helping Rosenborg defeat Sevilla FC during the final; Rating S; Rewarded a dosage of S-grade vitality enhancing elixir).

Milestone 7: Provide the most assists in the 2013/14 Europa League tournament while playing for Rosenborg (Tied with two others at the top position with five assists; Completed with Rating A; Rewarded 20,000 Juju-points).

Milestone 8: Become the top scorer of the 2013/14 Europa League Tournament while playing for Rosenborg (Top scorer with 23 goals in the tournament; Completed with S rating; Rewarded 40,000 Juju points).

Milestone 9: Become the Best Player of the 2013/14 Europa League Tournament while playing for Rosenborg (By far the best player according to system statistical computations. Completion with Rating S; Rewarded a dosage of S-grade mental conditioning elixir).

—–

Mission completed almost with perfection

Overall Mission Rating: S

—–

-Mission Rewards

1) A total of 247,000 Juju-points

2) An S-grade vitality-enhancing elixir

3) An S-grade mental conditioning elixir

—–

-Bonus Rewards

You have earned 20,000 Bonus Juju points.

—–

Chapter 403 System Upgrade and Resolutions

Zachary's eyes glittered with excitement after he finished perusing the contents of the mission completion message. After a year of toiling, he'd finally completed the 2013/14 Europe League Serial Challenge. He'd even perfectly realized all the milestones of the mission and, as a result, earned ample rewards. As such, not even his extreme state of exhaustion could lower the sense of contentment he felt at that moment.

The rewards for completing the mission included a staggering sum of 267,000 Juju points, an S-grade vitality-enhancing elixir, and an S-grade mental-conditioning elixir. They were enough to raise Zachary's fitness and footballing skills by a significant margin within a month or two. They were sufficient to turn him into an almighty ball wizard before his transfer out of Rosenborg.

Zachary still yearned to improve his skills. He hadn't let his one successful season over-inflate his ego. He knew himself well, and at best, he was close to the level of great midfielders like Kaka, Andrés Iniesta, and Bastian Schweinsteiger at their peaks. And probably, his attacking prowess could even match the 22-year-old Kylian Mbappé of his previous life. But that was as far as his skills could take him on the list of the world's best players.

Thus, Zachary knew he still had ways to go before reaching the top. He wasn't about to start comparing himself to phenomenal generational talents like Lionel Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, Ronaldinho Gaúcho, Zinedine Zidane, Maradona, or other all-time great players usually mentioned in the G.O.A.T debate. He wouldn't delude himself that he'd stepped into the ranks of the best players in the world just because of a single successful season. That would be a big mistake and oversight on his side.

He understood that most professional footballers would have periods when they performed like monsters on the pitch and played spectacular football. Then, after a period of time, they would lose their incredible form and start putting up slightly mediocre performances.

For instance, Paul Pogba had been on-form in Juventus during Zachary's previous life, but his skills declined after he went to Manchester United. Michael Owen was also the same. At a young age, before he'd clocked 24 years, the English and then Liverpool striker was a true-blue footballing demon on the pitch. Owen was the nightmare for all the defenders in the Premier League at the time and won the golden boot several times. He even won the Ballon d'Or at the young age of twenty-two. But later in his career, his form dwindled, and he started playing like any other standard player. That was the unpredictable nature of football careers.

With all those examples in mind, Zachary had warned himself to remain modest despite his success. He had to stay down to earth and maintain his immense hunger to improve his football skills. Only then would he have a long and successful career. And only then would he have the qualifications to challenge the phenomenal talents at the top of the footballing world.

"First things first," Zachary thought, leaning back into the sofa, "Let's upgrade the system before thinking about other things."

Zachary had already amassed almost thrice the amount of Juju points required to upgrade the system. So, without further ado, he navigated to the system's home menu before clicking on the upgrade button, displayed in the top left corner of the near-transparent system interface.

"DING"

The all-familiar system notification sound resounded within his mind right after his finger made contact with the crystal-like display.

"The user has chosen to upgrade the system," the system AI's apathetic voice immediately followed. "To proceed with the upgrade, the system will have to deduct 100,000 Juju points from the user's stock. Additionally, the system will shut down for eight hours during the upgrade process. The user will not be able to use any of the system's functions until the eight hours elapse."

"Does the user still wish to proceed with the upgrade? Please click on the 'accept' or the 'reject' buttons to confirm your choice."

Zachary didn't waste any second making his choice. He leaned forward and tapped the 'accept' upgrade button that had just floated to the front of all the system interface's contents.

"DING"

A new system notification resounded in his mind the next instant.

"SYSTEM ALERT!!"

"The user has confirmed an immediate upgrade of the system," the AI intoned. "The system will immediately deduct 100,000 Juju points from the user's current stock to upgrade the system from level-4 to level-5. The user can check further details on the system interface."

Zachary had already focused all his eyes on the crystal-like display as the notifications resounded within his mind. He could already see that the system had commenced the upgrade process by looking at the flashing messages on the screen.

"SYSTEM ALERT!!"

—–

SYSTEM UPGRADE INITIALIZING

—–

SYNCING AND SAVING USER DATA

—–

LOADING NEW PACKAGES

—–

UPGRADE PROCESS COMMENCING IN 5, 4,3,2,1, 0…

—–

The translucent crystal-like display trembled slightly as the countdown reached zero. It then shimmered for a moment before dimming and fading into thin air.

"It's already 11:30 PM," Zachary thought, glancing at his wall clock on the opposite wall. "That means the system will complete the upgrade at around 7:30 AM. It should already be back online by the time I wake up."

A soft smile outlined Zachary's face as he rose from the sofa. He took a quick shower and brushed his teeth before jumping into bed. A few minutes later, he became oblivious to everything else around him and entered the sweet and relaxing slumberland.

His sleep was peaceful, and he woke up when the rays of the morning sun had already brightened up his entire bedroom. He stretched out his arm and picked up his phone from his bedside table. He then glanced at the screen and realized it was already nine in the morning. He'd slept for more than nine hours.

Zachary immediately jumped out of bed. He was soon in autopilot mode, washing his face, having breakfast, brushing his teeth, going through his morning yoga routine to boost his post-match recovery, and then taking a shower. After all that, he finally settled on one of the comfy chairs in his living room before summoning the system interface with a mental command.

"DING"

The system notification sound immediately rang within his mind. Before Zachary could even blink, the space before him shimmered slightly as the familiar crystal-like display manifested within his vision. He leaned back into the sofa gracefully before starting to peruse through the system notifications.

#SYSTEM ALERT!!

—–

-System upgraded successfully.

—–

NEW PACKAGES LOADED

—–

LEVEL-5 VERSION OF SOCCER G.O.A.T USER INTERFACE SUCCESSFULLY INITIALIZED

—–

NOW LOADING AND SYNCING USER DATA

—–

"DING"

"The system has finalized the upgrade process," the system AI's voice sounded in Zachary's mind. "The system is now at level-5. For details, the user can check the system interface."

"Excellent."

Zachary's eyes glittered, full of excitement. He rubbed his hands together and immediately navigated to the system's home menu. Without further ado, he started perusing the contents on the screen.

SOCCER G.O.A.T SYSTEM

SYSTEM LEVEL: 5 (181,110/1,000,000 Juju points to level up)

USER: Zachary Bemba

AGE: 19 years

TALENT ASSESSMENT: Grade-S

JUJU-POINTS: 181,110

(Evaluation: A promising and sensational young professional player on his way to greatness)

—-

USER MENU

USER STATS

G.O.A.T MISSIONS

SYSTEM SHOP (2 new messages)

SYSTEM LOTTERY

SNOOPING TOOL

TRAINING TOOLS

—-

NB: Please level up the system to unlock more functions.

Zachary's eyes narrowed when he noticed that the amount of Juju points needed for the next system upgrade had reached a staggering one million. The sum was multiple times the number of all Juju points he'd amassed since his academy days. If he didn't win major trophies and perform like a monster on the pitch over the next few seasons, he would take forever to raise such a sum of Juju points. It was really a crazy number.

But Zachary wasn't all that worried about the next system upgrade. That was because the more his skills grew, the less he needed to rely on the system. For instance, his desire to learn new skills from the system after upgrades had lessened after his talent broke into the S-grading. With his already incredible fitness, he could already master most of the skills as long as he devoted ample time to them.

Additionally, he already had enough skills in his repertoire to give the best players in the world a run for their money. He could side-step, pass like a maestro, shoot and finish like a box assassin, and even convert free-kicks. As long as he improved his fitness to match the level of a player like Cristiano Ronaldo, he believed that the skills he'd already mastered would push him into the ranks of the best players in a generation. Then, he would only need to improve his game intelligence to evolve into a terrifying nightmare for all his opponents on the field of play.

"What matters most for me now are the system's elixirs," Zachary mused. "As long as I utilize the vitality-enhancing elixirs to raise my fitness to the above S-grade level, I'll become almost unstoppable. Then, I can evolve all my skills into my own unique style of play as I grow as a player."

A sharp glint passed through Zachary's eyes as he anticipated his future path. His increased abilities were already pushing him into the competitive world of the best players on the planet. He was no longer satisfied with only learning the skills of other great players. Instead, he yearned to improve himself and create his own unique footballing style encompassing all his skills. And he really believed that he could achieve the feat with the help of the elixirs from the system.

"But first things first," Zachary deliberated. "I should learn a heading skill and master defensive plays like N'Golo Kante's sliding tackles. Only then will I have no weakness as a player when I start creating and improving my unique style of play."

After making the resolution, Zachary immediately acted on it. He navigated to the system shop sub-menu to examine the available new skills after the upgrade.

Report chapter

Chapter 404 Learning New Skills

Zachary watched with a calm heart as the contents of the interface shimmered and morphed into the system shop menu. Then with another flicker of the translucent crystal-like display, eight glittering skill cards appeared and floated forward before hovering in front of everything else on the interface.

"Oh my! These are some crazy skills."

Zachary couldn't contain his surprise when he set his sights on the images of various famous footballers depicted on the skill cards. Without losing any second, he started perusing through the details of the skills that had just appeared on the system interface.

1) CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju: For positioning and heading accuracy within and outside the box. Requires at least S- grade Body Control to master the skill. [Costs 4,000 Juju points]

—–

2) Box-Vampire Suarez: The true art of positioning, skipping past opponents, and deadly finishing within the box. You'll be able to draw blood every time your opponents grow lax within the box. Requires at least S- grade Body Control and S- grade Agility to master the skill. [Costs 4,000 Juju points]

—–

3) Box-Assassin Lewandowski: Most of the time, no one can stop you when you receive the ball within the box. Requires at least S- grade Body Control and S- grade Agility attributes to master the skill. [Costs 4,000 Juju points]

—–

4) Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard: Immaculate positioning and deadly shooting outside the 18-yard box. The keepers will fear you when you receive the ball in the final third. Requires at least S- grade Body Control, S- grade Agility, and S- grade Strength attributes to master the skill.

—–

5) Alien Dribble-Magic Messi: Ultimate dribbling and effective breakthrough defenses. Allows you a base 95% chance of executing successful dribbles during one-on-one encounters and a 70% chance of breaking through packed defenses with two to four players barring your way. Increases the chance of avoiding tackles by 65%. Reduces the risk of injury while dribbling past even the most-menacing defenders by at least 75%. Requires at least SS grade Body Control, S grade game intelligence, and SS grade Agility to master the skill. [Costs 400,000 Juju points]

—–

6) Step-Over and Feint Kingly Magic Ronaldinho: Ultimate dribbling and breakthrough defenses using side-steps and body feints. Allows you a base 97% chance of executing successful dribbles during one-on-one encounters and a 50% chance of breaking through packed defenses with two to four players barring your way. Increases the chance of avoiding tackles by 70%. Reduces the risk of injury while dribbling past even the most-menacing defenders by at least 65%. Requires at least SS grade Body Control, S grade game intelligence, and SS grade Agility to master the skill. [Costs 400,000 Juju points]

—–

7) Impenetrable Bastion Paolo Maldini: Ultimate defending and tackling. Allows you a base 60% chance of executing successful defensive plays, including sliding tackles, during one-on-one encounters. Increases the chance of winning aerial duels by 60%. Reduces the risk of injury while executing risky defensive plays by 50%. Requires at least S grade Body Control, SS grade game intelligence, S grade Stamina, S grade Strength, and S grade Agility to master the skill. [Costs 400,000 Juju points]

—–

8) Midfield King Michel Platini: Ultimate control, efficiency, and creativity within the midfield. Increases base passing accuracy by 30%, enhances spatial awareness during critical moments by 50%, and raises shooting accuracy outside the box by 20%. Boosts aerial and ground duel ability within the midfield by 50% and reduces the risk of attracting yellow and red cards after executing risky defensive plays in midfield by 50%. Requires at least S grade Body Control, SS grade game intelligence, S grade Stamina, S grade Strength, and S grade Agility to master the skill. [Costs 400,000 Juju points]

—–

NB: The user can only learn a maximum of two skills before the next system upgrade. The user can upgrade the system to obtain more opportunities to learn more skills.

"These new skills are really incredible."

Zachary couldn't help but have mixed feelings after perusing the skill details. Before the system upgrade, he'd assumed that the skills from the system would no longer have any marked impact on his career path. But after learning about the functions of the four new skills that had just appeared in the system shop, he changed his mind immediately.

The four new skills were incredible enough to enhance the skills of any football player by a significant margin. For instance, Messi's alien dribble-magic and Ronaldinho's step-over-and-feint kingly magic were dream skills that could enhance Zachary's already potent ball handling and versatility on the pitch. By learning any of the two skills, he could improve his dribbling and make it more effective while also gaining the ability to avoid tackles and injuries on the pitch. He would instantly become unstoppable and turn into a terrifying ball wizard, feared by all defenders in the world. That was the potency of the new skills in the system shop.

"But the number of Juju points and the other requirements to learn the new skills are just too much," Zachary thought as he perused the skill details again.

The cost of learning any of the four skills that had just appeared in the system shop was a staggering 400,000 Juju points. Additionally, he had to elevate some of his attributes, including game intelligence and agility, to the above-S grade to meet the fitness requirements for learning the new skills. That was a tall order as far as Zachary was concerned.

"There's no hope of learning the four new skills in the near future," Zachary determined as he leaned back into the sofa. "I'll need to play well and amass a large sum of Juju points before I can learn even a single skill. Simply frustrating!"

Zachary narrowed his eyes as he made a few simple inferences within his mind. By his estimates, he would only accumulate the needed Juju points to purchase any of the skills after winning at least two trophies, almost on the level of the Europa League. But even then, he would still not have met the fitness conditions, especially the SS grade game intelligence, required to learn any of the skills.

"I need to remain patient," Zachary resolved. "I need to take one step at a time and continue developing myself as a player. I'll meet the requirements at one point if I persist and continue performing well on the pitch. As for now, I guess I can only choose to learn the heading and outside-the-box shooting skills to enhance my abilities as soon as possible."

Zachary's eyes flickered with fierce determination as he set his sights on the first and fourth skill cards hovering before everything else on the system interface. His heading ability, especially in front of the goal, had always been his weakness. On that day, he was finally determined to rectify that weakness and abolish it from his person by learning the CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju.

Additionally, Zachary had decided to learn the Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skill to augment his shooting ability from outside the box. As long as he combined the new skill with his already terrifying arrow shot, he believed that he would turn into the ultimate nightmare for all goalkeepers who would face off against him in the future. He would be able to unleash horrifying missiles of shots towards the goal from anywhere within the final third.

"Let's do this."

Zachary took in a deep breath to calm himself down. He then extended his forefinger and tapped the 'purchase' button below the first skill card on the translucent crystal-like display.

"DING"

The system notification sound reverberated in his mind as soon as his finger made contact with the glowing screen. Then, on cue, the seven other skill cards shimmered slightly before fading away from the interface. Only the card depicting the image of Cristiano Ronaldo heading the ball continued hovering in front of everything else on the crystal-like display. It soon floated forward and expanded to fill up the entire screen.

"The user has chosen to purchase the CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju," the AI's apathetic voice rang in Zachary's mind after a moment. "The system will have to deduct 4,000 Juju points from the user's stock after confirmation of the purchase. Does the user still wish to purchase CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju?"

"Yes," Zachary replied immediately. "Please confirm the purchase."

"Command confirmed…" the AI intoned.

"Checking skill requirements before confirming purchase…"

"The user possesses S-grade body control, which meets the basic requirements for learning the skill."

"DING"

"Congratulations. The system has now confirmed the skill purchase from the system shop. The system requests permission to commence the necessary quantum mental conditioning to help the user achieve initial mastery of the skill."

"Proceed with the mental conditioning," Zachary said and braced himself. He'd already gone through the procedure more than twice. He wasn't worried that anything would go wrong.

"Loading required data and packages for the CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju…" the AI intoned after a moment. "The system will commence the quantum mental conditioning procedure in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0."

When the countdown reached zero, the system started transmitting the associated CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju data into Zachary's brain. He momentarily experienced a splitting headache as diverse visions and memories of himself heading the ball on various occasions drilled into his mind. They soon became a part of him, making him feel like he was a veteran and master of finishing with headers for a few seconds. But a while later, the sensation faded as the mental conditioning process gradually ended.

"Sweet."

Zachary was on cloud nine as he'd just achieved initial mastery for the CR7 Aerial Finishing Juju. He'd finally taken the first step to learning a heading skill that would increase his versatility on the field of play to a great extent. Zachary would only need minimal effort and practice on the training pitch and within the G.O.A.T Skills simulator to totally make it his own. Then, he would have another sure-fire scoring ability in his arsenal.

"Let's continue," Zachary decided before returning his focus to the interface. Since he'd already met the requirements for learning the Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skill, he followed the same procedure and purchased it from the system shop. He soon went through the all-familiar mental conditioning procedure before achieving initial mastery in the outside-of-the-box shooting skill.

Report chapter

Chapter 405 Missile Launcher in Hand

"System," Zachary called out in his mind after going through the mental conditioning procedure to learn Steven Gerrard's Rocket-Launcher skill. "Bring up my current GOAT Skills data on the interface."

"DING"

"Command received," the system AI responded immediately. "The user's G.O.A.T Skills data coming up on the interface right away."

"Excellent." Zachary rubbed his hands together in anticipation. Without further ado, he focused his eyes on the contents of the translucent crystal-like display before him.

-G.O.A.T Skills: 11

(i) ZINEDINE-PIRLO MENTAL JUJU

[1st-level: Progress: 100%]

—–

(ii) ZACHARY-ARROW-SHOT

[Progress: 1st level mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(iii) BEND-IT LIKE BECKHAM JUJU

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(iv) CRUYFF-TURN

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(v) RONALDINHO ELASTICO DRIBBLE

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(vi) DEAD-BALL SPECIALIST JUJU (Quasi-Passive skill

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(vii) MARSEILLE TURN

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(viii) ROBINHO STEP-OVER JUJU

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(ix) ZINEDINE TOUCH MAGIC

[Progress: 100%, Mastered beyond 100% completion]

—–

(x) CR7 AERIAL FINISHING JUJU

[Progress: 10%, Initial mastery achieved]

—–

(xi) ROCKET-LAUNCHER STEVEN GERRARD

[Progress: 10%, Initial mastery achieved]

—–

"DING!"

The system notification resounded within Zachary's mind as he was still perusing through the skills.

"The system has detected that the Zachary-Arrow-Shot and Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skills match in usability and learning requirements," the AI's voice soon followed. "The system can help the user merge them into one at the cost of 2500 Juju points."

"Does the user wish to merge the two skills?"

"Yes, of course," Zachary readily agreed. "Proceed with the merging of the two skills."

He had learned Steven Gerrard's Rocket-Launcher skill in order to enhance his outside-of-the-box shooting ability. And the best way to achieve that was by merging the new technique into his already potent arrow shot.

After combining the two skills, he would have more versatility when unleashing long shots towards the goal. Be it curling shots, knuckleballs, or straight missiles — he would be able to launch them all from anywhere within the final third.

"User's command received," the AI intoned after a moment. "The system has deducted 2500 Juju points from the user's stock. Merging of the Zachary-Arrow-Shot and Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skills commencing in 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, and 0."

When the countdown reached the zero mark, an explosion went off within Zachary's mind. His thoughts turned into one jumbled mess as he experienced a splitting headache. For the next few seconds, it was as if someone was slicing his brain into pieces, and he gradually lost his senses. Fortunately, the abnormal state didn't last long, and he regained his regular faculties after a short while. He breathed in deeply to calm himself down as he listened to the system's notifications.

"Zachary-Arrow-Shot and Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skill merging complete," the system AI intoned. "The user can go ahead and name the new skill."

"Just name it Zachary-Missile-Launcher," he replied.

"Command received," the AI said.

"Naming the new skill as Zachary-Missile-Launcher."

"DING"

"Skill data now updated within the system."

No sooner had the system notification resounded in Zachary's mind than the contents of the interface experienced changes. The number of G.O.A.T skills on the list reduced from eleven to ten as the Zachary-Arrow-Shot and Rocket-Launcher Steven Gerrard skills faded from the panel. In their place was a single skill, which was the Zachary-Missile-Launcher. It was already at the 80% mastery mark.

"This is great."

Zachary was delighted by the results. He only had to train the skill on a daily basis for less than a month, and he would achieve 100% mastery. He would then make the skill his own and use it in competitive matches without facing any challenges.

"I'm really looking forward to the future."

Zachary smiled as he turned his focus away from the skill list. He navigated through the system menu until he reached the gift pack page showing his most-recent rewards from the system. They included a dosage of the S-grade vitality-enhancing elixir and another of an S-grade mental-conditioning elixir. They were his prizes for completing the 2013/14 Europa League serial mission.

On glancing at the list of the rewards, Zachary could hardly contain his excitement. His heart was already racing with anticipation as the two elixirs were the perfect cheats to enhance his abilities in the shortest time possible. As long as he consumed them, his attributes, including game intelligence and physical fitness, would rise to incredible levels. Then, he would be able to amaze the world right after transferring out of Rosenborg and joining another team.

"Should I consume them right away?" Zachary mused. "No. I can't consume the vitality-enhancing elixir now as it will negatively affect my match fitness. But the mental-conditioning elixir is another story…"

Zachary had already consumed the A-graded version of the vitality-enhancing elixir and understood its side effects well. As long as he ingested it, all his fitness attributes, including his balance and coordination, agility, strength, and stamina, would experience marked improvements. But in the short run, such rapid and almost instantaneous progress would destabilize his skill mastery and cause him to experience a dip in form. As a result, he would start putting up mediocre performances in Rosenborg's next few matches and then lose his halo as a world-class young talent. Then, what would follow would be a depreciation of his value on the transfer market as big teams like Juventus lost interest in acquiring his services.

Zachary, of course, couldn't allow such a scenario to transpire. He had already resolved not to consume the elixirs unless they had no immediate side effects on his short-term match fitness. He would wait until his schedule opened up — when he didn't have to play competitive football for about a month before ingesting the elixirs.

"System," Zachary mumbled, leaning back into the sofa. "What are the side effects of the mental-conditioning elixir? Will it negatively affect my fitness and skills in the short run after consuming it?"

"DING"

"Consuming the mental-conditioning elixir will not affect the user's match fitness and ball skills in a negative way," the AI replied. "Instead, it will boost the user's mental capabilities and allow the user a higher mastery over his body and capabilities. As such, it will allow the user to experience an all-round development of football capabilities without any negative side effects."

"Excellent," Zachary said as a soft smile outlined his face. If the mental conditioning elixir had no side effects, he would consume it first. As for the vitality-enhancing potion, he would keep it for later when he had the time to undergo targeted training to handle its adverse influence on his fitness.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

Zachary's phone started vibrating on a nearby table when he was planning to consume the elixir. He extended his arm and picked it up before glancing at the screen. The next moment, his eyes flickered with a trace of excitement when he realized that the call was from Emily, his agent.

"Hello, Emily," he said after pressing the accept button and placing the phone against his ear. "How's your morning?"

"My morning is fine, Zachary," Emily replied from the other end of the line. "But first things first: Let me start by congratulating you upon winning the Europa League. And also, congratulations upon winning the Europa League golden boot."

"Thank you," Zachary replied, his heart brimming with pride. "The final against Sevilla wasn't easy. But luck was on our side, and we managed to beat them."

Emily chuckled. "I see you're as modest as ever. But honestly, how do you feel after winning the Europa League?"

Zachary laughed. "I feel great. I feel like I'm on top of the world. Every time I close my eyes, I keep on picturing various moments of the final before visualizing myself holding the Europa League trophy. It's the best feeling in the world."

"That's good to hear," Emily said. "I'm really happy for you. Let's hope you'll have more trophy moments that will light up your world in the future."

"That's also my wish," Zachary said. "And I really feel like I'll have more of such incredible moments if I continue working hard both on and off the pitch."

"You surely will," Emily agreed. "Anyways: Now that the Europa League is over, it's time to put most of our plans into motion. First, we need to submit an official request to the Rosenborg management, showing your intent to transfer out of the club. It should officially notify the club to start listening to offers from other clubs during the upcoming transfer window. What are your thoughts on this, Zachary?"

"I'm with you on this issue," Zachary replied. "I also wish to complete my transfer as soon as possible. That way, I'll be able to say my goodbyes to Rosenborg early enough and rest for a month or two before joining my new club. So, you can go ahead and submit the request immediately. But make sure that the Rosenborg management understands that I would like to be the one that chooses the club where I'll be going. I don't want them to force me to go to an undesirable club just because they wish to make some extra profit."

"Great proposition," Emily said from the other end of the line. "I'll submit the request to management today. If all goes well, Rosenborg should start official talks with the clubs interested in your services as early as next week."

"Excellent," Zachary said. "I really hope that this transfer business concludes quickly. I can then focus on honing my skills and preparing for the new season in my new club in a new city, wherever that will be."

"Don't worry," Emily said from the other end of the line. "We already have offers from many clubs. Among those, your first choice destinations – Tottenham and Juventus have already tabled money that Rosenborg can't refuse. It's now only a matter of handling a few more negotiations and agreeing on personal terms with either club before sealing the deal. So, you can even complete your transfer before the World Cup in June."

"That would be for the best," Zachary said. "I really hope that everything works out quickly. By the way, how far with my grandma's Schengen identity card?"

"Oh," Emily said. "I almost forgot about that. The ID is already out. I'll pick it up tomorrow."

"That's great then," Zachary said. "My grandma is undergoing her last check-ups this week. With the valid Schengen ID, I can easily move her to any city I'll be heading to after completing my transfer out of Rosenborg."

—–

Chapter 406 Once Again Consuming an Elixir

After ending the call with Emily, Zachary stood up from the sofa and stretched a bit to loosen his stiff muscles. He then moved around his apartment and locked all the windows and doors. Then, he switched off all his electronic appliances before returning to his bedroom and latching the door behind him.

The morning sunlight pouring through the big window on the opposite wall lit up his face as he settled on his bed. He blinked to adjust to the lighting in the room and summoned the system interface. And voila, the familiar crystal-like display materialized before him with a slight shimmer the next moment.

"System," he called out in his mind while glancing at the interface. "I would like to consume the S-graded mental-conditioning elixir right away."

"DING"

"Command received," the system AI replied. "Confirming… The user has a single dose of an S-graded mental-conditioning elixir stored in the system inventory. The user can select the respective cards in the inventory to summon the elixirs."

"But," the AI continued, "The user must not delay consuming the elixir by more than five seconds after its removal from the system inventory. Otherwise, its effects will disappear after it spends more time out of the inventory."

"Noted," Zachary said and glanced at the card that had just floated forward and occupied the entire crystal-like display before him. Depicted on it was an image of a small apple with the words "S-grade Vitality-Enhancing Elixir" inscribed below it. It exuded a lustrous glow as it slowly spun around in its fixed position in the middle of the glittering card.

"Let's do this," Zachary mumbled as if to himself. He acted immediately and clicked on the image of the apple on the card.

"POP!"

With a slight popping sound, the card exploded into glittering particles as a tiny apple, the size of a small lollipop, materialized from the crystal-like display. It appeared before Zachary and slowly dropped into his outstretched hand.

He didn't dare waste time as he had only a five-second window before the expiry of the elixir's effects. He wolfed it down in a single bite without bothering to savor its taste. Then, he lay back on his bed and braced himself for the immediate effects of ingesting the elixir about to assault his body.

A few seconds passed, and he slowly started to feel light-headed. Then, seemingly out of nowhere, an explosion went off in his head, causing prickling sensations to assault his brain. He tossed and turned on the bed as his eyes moistened and beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He slowly lost his core senses of hearing, taste, sight, and smell as the immense discomfort within his mind grew to unbearable levels.

Just then, as the mental torture reached its peak, his body's instinct to protect itself kicked in. He shivered and trembled before blacking out and becoming oblivious to everything around him.

Emily worked with all the haste she could muster after ending her call with Zachary. Within the comfort of her hotel room, she quickly started drafting an official letter addressed to Rosenborg's management.

In the letter, she briefly stated that her client, Zachary, would like to exit the club and move on to greener pastures during the upcoming transfer window. She requested the club management to listen to offers from big clubs, especially Tottenham and Juventus, in as few words as possible. Then, she ended the letter by thanking management for taking good care of her client during his tenure at Rosenborg before signing her name as Zachary's agent.

Thirty minutes later, after printing three copies of the letter and sealing them in three envelopes, she boarded a taxi to Lerkendal. She arrived at around eleven and immediately headed to Coach Johansen's office. On arriving at his door, she paused in her footsteps before knocking slightly.

"Come in," a deep voice sounded from behind the door.

After hearing the voice, Emily inhaled a long breath of air and smoothed out the invisible wrinkles on her suit. Then, she pushed the office door ajar before stepping into Coach Johansen's spacious office.

"Emily!" Coach Johansen exclaimed, glancing up from his desk. "Welcome. It's a pleasure to have you here in my office." He rose from his chair and extended his hand from across the desk.

"Thank you," Emily said, taking his hand for a firm handshake. "How's your morning, coach?"

"My morning is as great as it could be," Coach Johansen replied, releasing her hand. "Please have a seat."

"Thank you," Emily said and settled on one of the chairs in front of the coach's L-shaped office desk.

"So," Coach Johansen said after sinking back into his office chair, "To what do I owe the pleasure of having you in my office today morning?"

Emily smiled and fished a sealed envelope out of her handbag. She placed it on Coach Johansen's table and said, "I'm here to submit this."

"What is this?" Coach Johansen asked. He narrowed his eyes as he picked up the envelope.

"It's an official request asking the club management to allow my client, Zachary, to transfer out of Rosenborg during the next transfer window," she said, trying her best to maintain a professional tone. "You can read the letter for details."

"Oh!" Coach Johansen's eyes widened, but only for a moment. "Is the request coming from Zachary himself?"

"Yes." Emily nodded.

Coach Johansen sighed and leaned back into his seat. "This day has finally arrived." He tore apart the seal of the envelope and started reading the letter.

Emily waited a few seconds before saying, "Coach! You have been Zachary's coach and mentor since his academy days. That's why I'm informing you first about his decision before submitting the transfer request to Rosenborg's legal office."

"Oh! I see." Coach Johansen nodded and kept on reading the letter.

"Will you support his transfer request when it is tabled before management?" Emily asked, not minding the coach's off-handed attitude.

The coach finally looked up from the letter and locked eyes with Emily. "Of course, I will," he answered matter-of-factly. "As you said, I've been Zachary's coach from his academy days. So, as his first mentor, I really wish for him to succeed. I really hope that he joins a suitable club, where he'll continue performing well both on and off the pitch."

"Then, I'm glad," Emily said as a professional smile outlined her face. "Honestly speaking, Zachary's skills are already world-class. As a result, he has already caught the eyes of the top clubs in Europe. So, it's in the best interest of Rosenborg to sell him at this point in time."

"You don't have to convince me," Coach Johansen said. "I know that moving to a new club is the right move for Zachary at this moment. He'll be able to quickly grow as a player by constantly facing off against stronger opponents in bigger leagues."

Report chapter

Chapter 407 Emily, the Woman of Action

"I thank you for your understanding, Coach," Emily said, standing up from her seat. "I have to go now and submit a copy of the letter to the legal office. Thank you for your time."

"Just a moment," Coach Johansen said. "What are Zachary's intentions? Where does he want to go after leaving Rosenborg?"

"His first choice is Tottenham," Emily immediately replied, as she didn't need to conceal such information. "As for his second choice, he is considering Juventus."

Coach Johansen narrowed his eyes. "I understand his second choice. Juventus will provide a suitable environment for him to grow over the next few seasons, especially with all the word-class stars on the squad. But why is his first choice destination Tottenham? Why not any other big club in Europe?"

Emily shrugged. "Maybe, he's confident in himself to help Tottenham start winning titles. Remember: He has already done so for Rosenborg and helped the team win the Europa League."

"I get his reasoning," Coach Johansen said, sighing. "But I still hope you can advise him against a move to Tottenham. Of course, I know that Zachary is a phenomenal player. I know he can even help a weak club achieve an impossible dream, like winning the Europa League. But why give himself such a difficult task if there's another better option? Why not join a bigger club where he'll be sure to win trophies season in, season out? Do you get my reasoning, Emily?"

"I do," Emily said, nodding. "I'll pass on your message to him. Or better, you can call him and talk to him yourself. I'm sure he will consider your advice."

"Then, I'll do just that and call him later today," Coach Johansen said. "And about the transfer request, you don't have to worry. Management is very open to selling Zachary to any other party outside Norway at the right price. So, be rest assured that there won't be anyone at the top blocking your request."

"That's good to know." Emily smiled, nodding. "Thank you for the info. I have to go now and submit the other letter. Have a good day, coach, and thank you again for your time."

"You're welcome," Coach Johansen said, smiling. "I wish you the best in your endeavors to process Zachary's transfer to a new club. Have a good day too."

—–

After leaving Coach Johansen's office at Lerkendal, Emily quickly headed to Rosenborg's offices in Brakka and submitted a copy of the transfer request to the legal department. She then took a taxi back to her hotel before picking up her key from the reception and returning to her room.

A thoughtful expression outlined her face as she sat on a chair in front of the reading table on one side of her room. She was considering her next moves to aid Zachary's smooth transfer out of Rosenborg.

"Going by Coach Johansen's hint," she mused, "The management has already come to terms with the fact that a small club, like Rosenborg, can't keep a player at Zachary's level. They are ready to sell for the right price. But I can't leave anything to chance, especially since Zachary wants this transfer processed as soon as possible. I have to take extra measures to ensure that Rosenborg starts considering offers from interested parties in the shortest time possible."

Emily's eyes flickered with a trace of resolve as she picked up her phone. She quickly searched for the number belonging to Olav Brusveen, the TV2 Sporten reporter, before dialing it.

"Hello, my dear Emily," an enthusiastic voice sounded from the other end of the line when the call connected. "You've finally remembered to return my call. What a pleasant surprise!"

"Cut the drama, Olav," Emily said. "Let's get down to business. I have a good scoop for you. It's insider info that you can't get from anywhere else at the moment."

"A piece of insider news!" Olav's tone immediately turned professional. "Let me guess. It's about Zachary."

"Bingo!" Emily said, intending to sound sarcastic. "Brilliant! You've managed to make an almost impossible guess. Now, do you want the info or not?"

"First things first," Olav responded, "What is the price for this piece of news? Will it put me in trouble?"

"The info is legit," Emily said impatiently. "And, of course, you don't have to pay anything for it. Take it as a favor from a friend."

"I see," Olav's voice sounded from the phone speaker. "For a moment, I was scared that you might want me to pay for the info with my body. Imagine my surprise."

"Olav!" Emily's voice rose an octave or two as she spoke into the phone.

"Okay, okay! Sorry, that was just a joke. Go ahead. I'm all ears now."

Emily inhaled deeply and said, "You didn't hear this from me. But you can be sure that Zachary's party submitted an official transfer request to Rosenborg's management today morning. How you use this information is up to you. But make sure you don't mention that it came from me. Otherwise, you'll never get another scoop from me."

"I understand," Olav said, his voice sounding totally professional. "You don't have to worry about me causing trouble for you. I'll say that the info was from a reliable source close to Rosenborg."

"Great," Emily said. "You can do what you have to do with the info. I'm hanging up now."

"Wait," Olav hurriedly said. "What about my request to exclusively interview Zachary? When can I interview him?"

"That's not up to me to decide," Emily replied. "I will first discuss with Zachary about the notion. If he agrees, you can conduct the interview before the end of the week."

"Okay, thank you," Olav said. "I'll be eagerly waiting for a positive response from Zachary. Have a good day and thanks for the scoop."

"You're welcome, and have a good day too," Emily intoned and ended the call.

She leaned back into her seat and exhaled a breath of relief as she'd finally crossed another task off her schedule. She was sure that the pressure on Rosenborg's management would increase after some credible news outlets published articles about Zachary's official transfer request. Then, the club's agents would be forced to act with haste when listening to offers from other parties.

"I should also send a message to the representatives of both Tottenham and Juventus concerning the transfer request," she decided after a moment of deliberation. "That should further quicken the transfer process."

Emily was a woman of action. She opened her laptop and started drafting an email addressed to the relevant parties.

Chapter 408 Impressive Stats

Zachary awoke after seemingly a long time. His brain slowly rebooted, and he could see, hear, and smell everything around him again. A wave of emotions flooded his entire being, and his eyes moistened as his senses gradually returned to him. For the first time in his two lives, he felt like he'd never truly realized how beautiful the world was.

He felt much more alive as he pushed himself up from his bed and started walking around the bedroom. His senses were more acute than ever, and he felt like the world was a new place, probably even a utopia.

The sounds pouring into his ears were richer while all the things around him, be it the curtains, the furniture, the beddings, and the paintings, appeared to be more colorful than before. He could hardly believe his senses as even the sun rays streaming golden through the window were more lustrous than ever.

"Is this the power of the system's S-grade mental-conditioning elixir? Truly miraculous!"

Zachary was amazed beyond words could describe. His mind had powered up after he'd consumed the S-grade mental-conditioning elixir, and he could tell that his thought process had become faster and crystal clear.

In a split second, he recalled long-forgotten childhood memories from his previous life, and his sharp mind even reproduced many details from those recollections. He even had the time to ponder some of the math questions his high school teacher used to give him, and he felt he could solve them without expending much mental effort. He believed that he could quickly compute trigonometric, projectile mechanics, or geometry and vector problems as long as he had a pen and paper. His mind was that badass after consuming the S-grade mental-conditioning elixir.

But that was not all. Zachary started going through a light exercising routine in his bedroom and immediately sensed that he had better control over his body. He could even perform more complicated set combinations of fitness exercises without making any mistakes. With his mastery over his body, he would shine in great splendor if he were to switch professions and become a dancer. The upgrade of mental capabilities had really brought him a lot of unexpected bonuses.

"This intelligence upgrade is really out of this world," Zachary thought, settling back on his bed. "It'll even help me if I'm to study at a university or learn a new language in the future. But what excites me the most are the advantages the upgrade will add to my performance on the football field."

Zachary was in high spirits. Contrary to what many might believe, intelligence was an essential attribute that could contribute to the success of any footballer on the professional stage. Its development usually impacted several complex factors in sports, such as problem-solving skills during crucial moments, the formation of cognitive skills (especially spatial awareness and visual acuteness), the ability to maintain focus and composure, social behavior, and interpersonal relationships on any team. That was the power of intelligence in modern football.

At its most basic level, the game intelligence attribute encompassed a player's ability to make good decisions in a football match. Regardless of a player's speed or physical capabilities, the players with the better instincts and higher IQs usually got a head start. It was a simple truth, and that was why the best players in the world possessed extremely high game intelligence attributes. Their football IQs were exceptional, allowing their motor abilities to flourish on the field of play. They were not just great dribblers, passers, and shooters — but extraordinary geniuses with a frightening ability to make superior and immaculate decisions at a moment's notice. And that was what set them apart from other similarly physically fit players on the professional stage. That was what made them one-in-a-billion talents on the highly competitive football scene.

"Phew"

Zachary exhaled to calm his volatile emotions. His eyes flickered with a sense of anticipation, and he decided to summon the system interface.

"System," he called out mentally. "Bring up my current stats on the interface."

"DING"

"Command received," the system AI replied immediately. "User-stats data coming up on the interface."

With that said, the crystal-like display shimmered slightly before showing his primary attribute data.

USER STATS

-Physical Fitness: S-

-Soccer Technique: S

-Game Intelligence: S-

-Mental Ability and Mindset: S

-X-Factors: S

-G.O.A.T Skills: 10

"This is great!"

Zachary could hardly contain his excitement. His game intelligence and mental ability stats had experienced significant changes and rose all the way to the ranks of S-grading. They had turned from his worst to become some of his best attributes in less than a day.

"System," he commanded. "Show me the breakdown of all my attributes."

"Command received," the AI intoned. "Breakdown of attribute data coming up on the screen immediately."

"Excellent."

Zachary immediately focused on the information displayed on the translucent crystal-like display.

USER STATS (Breakdown)

—–

-Physical Fitness (Av. Rating: S-)

Balance and Coordination: S-

Agility: S-

Strength: S-

Stamina: S-

Endurance Points: 17,500/18,000 (S-)

—-

-Soccer Technique: (Av. Rating: S)

Ball Control: S

Dribbling Skills: S-

Passing Accuracy: S

Body Control: S-

—-

-Game Intelligence: (Av. Rating: S-)

Spatial Awareness: S

Tactical Knowledge: A

Risk Assessment: S

—-

-Mental Ability and Mindset: (Av. Rating: S)

Soccer Passion: S

Composure and Mental Strength: S

Coachability: A

Self-Motivation: S

—-

-X-Factor (Av. Rating: S)

Consistency Factor: S

Luck Factor: A

Supernormal Factor: S

Match Winning Factor: SS

—-

"I have finally reached this point," Zachary mumbled, his eyes glittering with excitement. A serene sense of contentment arose within him as he had finally managed to push all his stats into the ranks of the S-grading. After learning several skills, like the Zinedine touch magic and the Robinho step-over juju, and after consuming several system elixirs, he'd at long last joined the ranks of the heavy hitters in the football world.

"I can't be content yet," Zachary immediately resolved. "I have got to keep working hard to improve my attributes until I achieve the highest level humanly possible by the system standards."

Zachary's entire being was surging with anticipation. He looked forward to the day when his attributes were so high to the point that not even the most potent of the system's elixirs could raise them any further. That would be the day he would turn into a terrifying monster — a demon feared by all his opponents on the football field.

"Bzzt Bzzzt! Bzzt Bzzzt!"

Zachary's phone suddenly started vibrating from the bedside table. It forced him out of his dream-like state and brought him back to the present. Without further ado, he extended his arm and picked up the phone from the table before glancing at the screen.

Report chapter

Chapter 409 A Bolt out of the Blue

The next moment, Zachary's eyes narrowed when he noticed that the incoming call was from a number beginning with the country code 41. It was from Switzerland and quite possibly from one of the people taking care of his grandma in Zurich.

"Could my grandma's last test results already be out? Or could there be a problem?"

Various thoughts flashed through Zachary's mind as he pressed the accept button. He inhaled deeply and positioned the phone against his ear.

"Hello, Zachary," a familiar voice, speaking fluent Swahili, sounded from the other end of the line. "This is Marie, your Aunt. I'm calling from the hospital in Zurich."

"Yes, Aunt Marie," Zachary said. "Could grandma's test results already be out?"

"Not yet," Marie replied, sighing audibly. "There's another problem with grandma. She collapsed suddenly at around noon. Let me give the phone to Dr. Sanders. He'll explain everything to you."

A sickening pool of dread immediately formed in the pit of Zachary's belly. He couldn't stop his body from trembling as he placed the phone against his other ear.

"Hello, Zachary," the familiar voice of Dr. Sander's sounded from the phone speaker. "I'm sorry to be the bearer of the bad news…"

"Just go ahead and tell me what's wrong with my grandma," Zachary interrupted, sounding impatient.

"Okay," the doctor said. "Your grandma collapsed suddenly at around noon today. We immediately put her through a scan and noticed that her surgical wound had started experiencing some problems. Around the area in her brain where we removed the tumor, there has been increased neural cell death and some neural inflammation that has affected your grandma's recovery."

"The inflammation itself has led to the accumulation of fluid in the nearby tissues, bringing about a condition we term as brain tissue edema," the doctor continued. "The swelling has also led to increased intracranial pressure — the condition that forced your grandma to collapse and sink into a coma. I know this is hard to take in. But please be assured that we're doing everything possible to save your grandma's life. She is already in the theatre, undergoing treatment as I speak now."

"She's even already in the theatre!" Zachary's head was spinning. His heart squeezed in agony, and he asked, "Why wasn't the problem with her surgical wound detected early? I left her in your rehabilitation center to prevent such issues from happening!"

"Some things are out of our hands, Zachary," the doctor said in a placating tone. "Sometimes, the body misbehaves, especially if someone is far along in their old age. Your grandma seemed fine when we conducted a check-up a week ago. But unexpectedly, the surgical wound started misbehaving in the last few days. All we can do is react accordingly and try our best to save her life."

"This is quite shocking to me." Zachary expelled a long breath of air out of his lungs before continuing. "So, she's in the theater now?"

"Yes," the doctor replied from the other end of the line.

"How long will she be there?"

"Three to five hours, depending on the magnitude of the problem."

"Okay, doctor," Zachary said, glancing at the clock. It was already three in the afternoon. "Please do your best to save my grandma. I'll also fly to Zurich right away to be with her before the end of the day."

"Okay, I wish you a safe journey," the doctor replied. "On our end, we'll also pull out all stops to save your grandma's life."

"Thank you."

"You're welcome."

—–

After ending the call, Zachary started preparing for his trip to Zurich. He first dialed Coach Johansen's number and informed him that he wouldn't be attending training the following day due to an emergency situation with his grandma.

After that, he called Camilla, Emily, and a few other friends and told them about his circumstances. Then, he worked with all the haste he could muster to pack a few clothes, eat some lunch, and take a shower. After finishing everything, he exited his apartment before boarding a taxi to the airport.

His heart raced with anxiety as he watched the buildings flashing by the taxi's window. He felt that the car wasn't moving fast enough. But even then, he didn't pressure the driver to speed up as he was well aware of the strict speeding regulations in Norway. He just hardened his resolve and closed his eyes as a way to ignore the slow passing of time.

"Sir, we're here," the driver said after what seemed like a year of driving.

"Oh!" Zachary immediately opened his eyes. He quickly paid the driver before exiting the taxi and hurrying towards the airport's entrance with his suitcase in tow.

As usual, the airport officials at Værnes were very efficient and good at their work. They helped him book an immediate flight, and thirty minutes later, he was already seated in the business class section of a plane and well on his way to Zurich.

Five and half hours later, at around 10:30 PM, the plane touched down on the runway at Zurich airport. After it came to a halt, Zachary quickly followed the other passengers down the airstair as his heart burned with worry and apprehension.

He went through the procedures at lightning-fast speed and picked up his luggage. He then ignored all the people requesting his autograph and quickly exited the airport before boarding a taxi to the hospital.

The traffic was a bit light on the streets of Zurich that late at night, and the taxi arrived at the hospital's entrance twenty minutes later. Zachary paid the fare before jumping out of the vehicle and jogging toward the waiting room of the neurosurgery operating theatre.

His frequent visits to see his grandma had already allowed him to memorize the entire hospital's layout. So, he didn't even need to ask for directions along the way. He arrived before the waiting room a few minutes later and paused at the door. He then let out a breath to calm himself before pushing the door open and glancing inside the room.

The situation in the room was not quite right, causing Zachary's mood to sink into a whirlpool of desperation and anxiety. Dr. Sanders was exchanging words with Mia, the nurse in charge of his grandma. The two medics stood in a corner, conversing at a low volume as if they didn't wish to disturb the other room occupants. But what was odd was that the only other person in the room was the sobbing Aunt Marie. She had buried her head into her hands on a seat at another end.

The whole atmosphere was gloomy and didn't sit well with Zachary. He felt light-headed as he stepped into the room with his suitcase in tow.

Dr. Sanders immediately noticed him. He ended his conversation with Mia and hurried toward him. "Zachary! You're here. Come sit down before we talk." He tried leading him by the hand towards one of the seats by the door.

Zachary resisted and remained standing in place. His 6'4 foot physique towered over the doctor as he locked eyes with him. He narrowed his eyes and said, "Dr. Sanders! Please tell me straight. Is there anything wrong with my grandma? Did the operation not go well?" He asked, praying that his assumptions were wrong.

"I'm so sorry, Zachary," Dr. Sanders replied, patting his back. "All the surgeons on duty tried their best to save your grandma. But while they were removing the accumulated fluid in her brain, she lost the battle for her life. She passed away at 6:48 PM this evening. I'm really sorry for your loss, Zachary…"

Zachary could no longer hear anything else as he stepped back in a daze and knocked his suitcase over without even realizing it. He felt weak and dizzy as impactful waves of grief assaulted his entire being. It was as if the world was collapsing around him, and he couldn't stop his eyes from moistening.

END OF VOLUME THREE

Chapter 410 Two Months

VOLUME 4: THE ALMIGHTY BALL WIZARD*

Tuesday, July 15, 2014.

It was another beautiful sunrise in Bukavu, DR Congo. Everything was in honeyed tones, endearing and soothing, as the flaming orb rose from the horizon in the east. It ignited the sky, causing it to burst into a bright, passionate mix of morning scarlet and yellow.

Then, slowly but steadily, a mild heat radiated around the atmosphere, wrapping Zachary in an invisible shawl of warmth. He squinted as an easy breeze picked up and caressed his face. His mind was at peace with the world as he went through a relaxing yoga routine recommended by his therapist atop a mat in front of his late grandma's farmhouse in Bukavu.

"A few more will do for today," he thought while slowly taking in a lungful of air. He flexed his lower back and pushed his head upward to look into the distance. Then, he tilted his pelvis skyward like a "cow" in an unhurried way before exhaling deeply to force his abdomen inwards. Finally, he arched his spine and brought his head and pelvis back down like a "cat" to complete another repetition of the cat-cow yoga pose.

But he didn't just stop at that. He repeated the process and held the yoga pose a few more times as beads of sweat rolled down his forehead. He only ended his routine about a dozen minutes later when all his muscle groups and mind had totally relaxed.

He stretched slightly before jumping up from the mat and looking around to appreciate the sights. But the next moment, the expanse of his late grandma's farm in its full glory gave him shivers, causing him to recall some painful memories. His eyes glazed over, and he couldn't help but stare absentmindedly at the animals grazing in the distance.

It had been a full two months since his grandma had passed away. Those two months were the cruelest and most nerve-racking he had ever had to go through in his new life.

Two months prior, in the Zurich University Hospital's waiting room, the news of his grandma's passing had devastated him and caused him to wallow in absolute despair for a few hours. But with the help of friends and support from his always-dependable agent, Emily, he'd managed to stay sane and above the whirlpool of total self-destruction before slowly coming to terms with the tragic incident.

A day after learning of the unfortunate news, he'd regained a bit of his spirit and arranged transportation for his grandma's body back to his ancestral land in Bukavu. He had then splashed all the money he could to give her a memorable burial presided over by her favorite bishop in charge of the Catholic Cathedral in Bukavu. But even after that, he'd still felt like he hadn't done enough for his grandma.

As his grandson, he had felt inadequate and supposed he should do a bit more while sending off his grandma. So, he'd stayed in Bukavu, at his late grandma's farm, to grieve and hopefully to learn to cope with the passing of the only person he'd regarded as his sole guardian in both his lives. It had been about two months since he made that decision, but he was still living a devil-may-care life at the farm.

He had even put most of his plans, including the transfer out of Rosenborg, to a halt as he mourned the loss of the only caring parental figure he'd ever known. Fortunately, the recently concluded World Cup had forced most football club tournaments worldwide to a standstill. Even the Norwegian League, which usually commenced in March and ended late in November, had been on pause due to the most prestigious football competition between countries. Thus, his spontaneous two-month vacation in Bukavu didn't cause any breach of the terms of his contract with Rosenborg.

If he could return to Norway and begin attending Rosenborg's training within the week, he wouldn't face any penalties from the club. And that was a relief as far as he was concerned.

"Since the world cup final is over," Zachary thought, "I better get my shit together and return to Europe within the week. I must force myself to cope with the sorrow and continue on with my life. I must not blunder and mess up my football career. Otherwise, grandma will be disappointed while watching over me from heaven."

Zachary's eyes flickered with steely resolve. He slowly rolled up his yoga mat before turning around and starting off on the short trek toward the main house.

With all the money constantly pouring in from his successful football career, he had already built a big bungalow in place of the shanty excuses of dwellings he had lived in during his previous life. There were no more huts or grass thatched shacks — but a modern and elegant five-roomed house in the center of his grandma's farm.

Additionally, after concluding his grandma's burial two months ago, he'd even hired masons to build a tall perimeter wall surrounding the entire expanse of the farm to keep away encroachers and thieves. Then, after the wall was up, he'd hired three armed guards, a trained maid, and an experienced shamba boy to look after the place.

As for his relatives, like Aunt Marie and Uncle Joseph, he'd enticed them to surrender their claims to the property. After offering them a few ten dozen million Congolese Francs, they had relinquished all their rights to his grandma's farm and declared him the sole owner. In the end, he'd spent more than the actual market value of the land, but he still didn't mind. His heart was at ease after acquiring the proof of ownership of the land that held the most sentimental value in the world to him.

"Ka-chunk-creeeeeeak!"

The door creaked as Zachary entered the house and stepped into the living room. He tossed his yoga mat in the corner by the door before marching towards the kitchen.

"Boss!"

A young African lady standing over the sink exclaimed when Zachary stepped into the kitchen. Her figure, wrapped by a knee-length floral dress, was alluring, and her bearing refined. Her backside was a feast for the eyes, round and plump — and leading into a pair of long shapely legs. She was beautiful by any standards, and she was the trained maid Zachary had hired to take care of the house.

"Good morning, Davina!" Zachary greeted in French, nodding at her. He wasn't enticed by her gorgeous willowy body and pretty face. "How're you holding up? Any challenges yet?"

"Good morning, boss!" Davina responded, also in French, as her eyes glittered with excitement. "Everything is moving on well, and I'm settling in well. I haven't faced any challenges yet."

"That's good to hear," Zachary said, picking up a sealed water bottle from the fridge. "Keep working hard. I expect you to take good care of this house, even while I'm away."

"Don't worry, boss," she responded reassuringly. "I'll do exactly that. You can trust me."

"Good to know," Zachary said, smiling slightly. "But please, don't keep on calling me boss? You make me seem like a don of some Italian Mafia syndicate. Calling me by my name, Zachary, would do just fine."

"I understand, boss…" She smiled awkwardly after realizing her slip-up. "Sorry! I understand, Zachary."

"Has Patrick milked the cows yet?" Zachary asked, choosing to ignore the slip-up. "Where is he now?"

Patrick was the shamba boy he had hired to care for the animals and crops on the farm. Since he couldn't see him around, he decided to ask Davina about his whereabouts.

"He completed the milking early, before 6:30 AM," she replied. "He has now gone to the banana plantation to weed. You can find him there."

"He seems to be working hard," Zachary said, nodding. "I like that. Okay! You can continue with your work. I'll be heading back." Without waiting for a response from the young lady, he turned around and stepped out of the kitchen.

A few more strides took him through the dining room — and soon, he was in the main corridor of the house. Seconds later, he slowed down slightly before coming to a complete halt before what was supposed to be the door to his grandma's bedroom. Memories of his time with her assaulted his mind in waves, threatening to cause his eyes to moisten. But he inhaled deeply and willed the sad recollections away before continuing towards his own bedroom at the end of the corridor.

"I need to get myself together," he thought as he stepped into his bedroom. "I can't let past memories control my future. I must toughen my mind and return to training as soon as possible."

Zachary closed his bedroom door behind him and chugged down some water. He then undressed and took a quick shower before drying himself and settling on his bed.

A serene expression slowly outlined his face under the illumination of the morning sun rays streaming golden through the window. He sighed and picked up his phone before dialing Emily's number.

"I have to do this. I don't have to grieve forever."

Stern resolutions ran through his mind as the international call connected. He exhaled a lungful of air and slowly positioned the phone against his ear.

"Hello, Zachary," Emily's familiar voice, full of spirit, sounded from the other end of the line a moment later. "I was thinking of calling you, but you beat me to it. How're you?"

"I'm alright," Zachary replied. "I'm doing really okay." He felt like he'd to put an emphasis on that.

"Are you really okay?" Emily asked, sounding a bit skeptical.

"Yes, I am," Zachary said. "It has already been two months. So, it's time that I recover from this setback. In fact, I'm planning to return to Europe within a few days. I should be flying out of DR Congo either tomorrow but one or the day after that."

"That's really great." A high level of excitement was evident in Emily's voice. "But, have you completed all arrangements at home? Do you need my help with anything?"

"I don't need any help here in Congo at the moment," he replied. "I've almost organized everything. I now only need to complete two more tasks before returning to Europe."

"Great!" Emily quickly replied. "Go ahead and do what you have to do. I wish you all the best of luck in your endeavors."

"Thanks. How far with the transfer business, by the way?"

"Everything is still on pause until you return to Europe," Emily responded with a sigh. "And that reminds me. Have you decided on which club to join yet? Which side did you finally pick? Tottenham or Juventus?"

"Not yet decided," Zachary said. "As you know, my mind was not in the right place over the past two months. So, I'm still hanging in the balance."

There was a brief silence on the other end. "I understand. But maybe, you should meet the representatives of the clubs when you return to Europe. That'll help you decide faster."

"Meeting the representatives!?" Zachary mumbled, taking a few seconds to ponder the pros and cons of the deed. His eyes lit up, and he said, "I think I can do that. You can go ahead and organize the details of the meeting."

"Excellent! Which representatives do you wish to meet first? Those from Juventus or those from Tottenham?"

"I'm still slightly biased towards Tottenham," Zachary replied. "So, let's meet the Tottenham representatives first."

"Yeah! Tottenham it is," Emily confirmed. "I'll organize the meeting. But you'll have to pass by London when returning from Africa. That's where you'll meet them and hopefully seal the deal to join Tottenham. That is, of course, if the negotiations concerning personal terms go well."

"Okay, then," Zachary said. "Today is Tuesday. So, I'll most likely be traveling on Friday night. So, see you in London probably on Saturday."

"That's perfect," Emily intoned. "I'll set the meeting for Saturday afternoon. Let's say at 3:00 PM."

"Okay."

—–