The Heart of a Lion

"As Pirlo stepped onto the pitch last, his demeanor had transformed into one of determination, and his youthful, handsome face was marked by resoluteness."

Aldrich emerged from the player tunnel, immediately capturing the attention of the cameras. He watched Pirlo from the sidelines, feeling a slight sense of reassurance. Unlike Trezeguet, who returned to Europe from Argentina as if transitioning from the countryside to the big city, Aldrich charged in headfirst, fueled only by a fierce spirit to carve out his own space in the sky.

Influenced by the Italian football atmosphere, Pirlo's mind appeared remarkably composed, impacting his mentality both positively and negatively. He understood what qualities a great player should possess, but at times, his excessive rationality could dial back that fearless drive.

He worried about his strength, especially since he was facing a traditional powerhouse, Liverpool, today. This match was different from when Aldrich had named him a starter against Tottenham; today was the final that would determine the champion.

Sometimes, players become lost in self-doubt, and at critical times, they need someone to remind them of their potential. If Aldrich told Pirlo, "Yes, you're still young, let's wait a bit. No rush, I won't put pressure on you; just sit on the bench," Aldrich feared that Pirlo might end up stuck there indefinitely.

This barrier in front of him was one he had to cross boldly to truly transform. Was he young? Yes. But what of it? Were Rooney and Owen not young when they made their names? Shearer, Jamie Redknapp, Giggs, Fowler, and the later Santi Cazorla weren't stars from other leagues; they were all from the Premier League. 

In terms of ability and talent, Aldrich didn't believe Pirlo would fall short of any contemporary or future stars. In the past season, Pirlo had immersed himself in Millwall's tactical system through months of training. Aldrich's expectations were simple: manage the midfield, no need to overly pursue other specifics, whether it was long shots or making runs, do what was possible, and if not, no one would blame him.

"The 95-96 FA Cup final is about to kick off, featuring two teams: Liverpool and Millwall. Both are clubs from the top tier. If we look at their history, everyone knows Liverpool, but this season, Millwall has made a splash in the Premier League, finishing as league runners-up and winning the League Cup. Each season, there's always a newly promoted team that surprises us; for instance, Leeds United, Newcastle, Nottingham Forest in recent years. This season, Millwall shines, and many of their players have emerged as Premier League stars. Under Aldrich Hall's coaching, Millwall's tactics have become a highlight in the Premier League, and countless analysts are dissecting their playing style with intense debate."

"We see Millwall's starting lineup today. It seems Coach Hall has completely abandoned the 4-4-2 formation. In the last two rounds, they appeared in a 4-3-3 formation, and today is no different. Starting goalkeeper: Keller. Defenders: Thuram, Stam, Elgarr, Zambrotta. Midfielders: Makelele, Pirlo, Nedved. Forwards: Larsson, Trezeguet, Shevchenko. Pires is absent due to a leg injury, so Larsson plays on the left wing, with Ukrainian youngster Shevchenko on the right. For Liverpool, the starters are: James in goal, defenders: Jones, Wright, Scales, Ruddock. Midfielders: McAteer, Barnes, Redknapp, McManaman. Forwards: Fowler, Collymore. It looks like today's match will see a goal frenzy between Liverpool, the second strongest attacking side, and Millwall, who rank third for offensive power."

After the teams shook hands, captain Nedved stepped to the referee, awaiting the kickoff decision. The Liverpool fans sang joyously, and Millwall's supporters were not to be outdone, but their songs changed.

"Everyone likes us, but we don't care!"

Hearing this chant brought a knowing smile to Aldrich's face; this was the spirit of Millwall. They kicked off, and the match began.

In the first five minutes, Millwall seemed to play conservatively, exchanging passes in their midfield and defense to acclimate to the pitch. The ball rolled differently on various grass, affecting the speed and trajectory. The players had to adapt to how the ball felt. It was also a mode of observation and testing, gauging Liverpool's form today.

Liverpool's key players had partied hard the night before; upon entering the pitch, they looked sluggish. Aldrich silently laughed to himself: If Millwall lost to this bunch of slower players, could they still call themselves the Lions?

With a casual wave of his hand, he directed the team clearly: attack, no more stalling.

Pirlo, serving as the organizing midfielder today, maintained high focus. He observed before receiving the ball and moved without it, often planning his next step before actually getting the ball. In the locker room, Aldrich's roar had completely energized him – he needed not just his own confidence but also the reassurance from others, which Aldrich consistently provided!

Liverpool was tightly marking Nedved, but his vast movement often allowed him to make a quick pass, frustrating the exhausted Liverpool players who couldn't even get a hand on his shirt. Meanwhile, Pirlo maintained ball possession at his feet; when not under ferocious pressure, passing came easily.

Zambrotta and Thuram surged up to support the attack, quickly showcasing Millwall's offensive edge. Liverpool couldn't keep up with their pace.

Ruddock, the heavier player, struggled to recover after being outmaneuvered by Thuram and Shevchenko in a one-two play, and fell as he chased back. Thuram carried the ball down the flank, not rushing to cross, instead cutting inside and forcing Liverpool's defense to press against him. Once he attracted defenders, he sent a precise pass toward the edge of the box.

Shevchenko, running to the side, deliberately let the ball slip through his legs, momentarily confusing Liverpool's defenders. This left Nedved completely unmarked at the top of the box. With determination, he unleashed a powerful shot, watching intently as the ball soared towards the net.

David James stood frozen, failing to react. He had been focused on Shevchenko, expecting him to receive Thuram's pass, and thus didn't anticipate Nedved's intervention. The ball went past James's armpit, rolling into the goal.

"It's in! In the twelfth minute, Nedved exploded the net, opening Millwall's account against Liverpool, who looked sluggish and out of sorts. Millwall was creating local advantages through their positional play. It's astonishing to see more Millwall players in front of Liverpool's goal. Nedved scored for Millwall; could they become the double champions this season?!"

Nedved ran towards the corner flag, lifting his head high, and demonstrated a kiss to the club crest in front of thousands of roaring Millwall supporters behind him. His teammates rushed to catch up, raising their fists in celebration.

Aldrich closed his eyes, pulling his fist tightly before him, moving it up and down in contained jubilation. This match was a preview of the tactical play Millwall would adopt next season. 

Combining wings and midfield attacks, their offense wasn't just reliant on the deep-lying playmaker; the full-backs joined the attack seamlessly. Nedved's organizing role might diminish, but his threat towards the goal would sharply increase, as he would need to drive into the box more frequently! His presence would also draw defensive attention away from Pirlo, allowing him more room to operate, a symbiotic relationship.

After conceding, Liverpool launched into furious attacks, yet their wing crosses weren't concerning; Redknapp's attempt to break through was intercepted by Makelele, who immediately passed to Pirlo.

Pirlo charged forward, and after a wall pass with Nedved, he approached the box. Liverpool defender Scales stood to confront him, but Pirlo calmly delivered a direct pass right through to Shevchenko, who met the ball with a powerful volley. James was once again caught off-guard; he reacted too late as the ball slid through and into the net.

"Twenty minutes into the match, Millwall leads by two goals! What's Liverpool doing? They seem completely out of sorts, while Millwall is playing astonishingly. This counterattack completely broke through Liverpool's defense. Just days shy of his seventeenth birthday, young Italian Pirlo coolly delivered the assist! Shevchenko was eager to score himself and took the shot. Luckily, he didn't waste a golden opportunity, as Trezeguet and Larsson were both in position for an easy tap-in if he had passed instead. Regardless, Millwall leads by two goals!"

After Shevchenko scored, he dashed toward Pirlo, who had assisted him, yet Pirlo turned and sprinted towards the coaching area.

Aldrich was surrounded by people. Through the crowd, Pirlo reached Aldrich, who hugged him tightly, asking excitedly, "How are you feeling? Can you handle this game?"

Pirlo embraced Aldrich with fervor, yelling, "Boss, I'm fine! I'm all good!"

"Not just fine; you need to enjoy the match! This is your stage! Tell the world you're Pirlo, not the next Baggio—you're Pirlo, plain and simple!"

The entire team converged, celebrating the second goal's birth. Liverpool stood stunned.

Evans was at a loss. He couldn't even pinpoint which of Millwall's midfield attackers was a greater threat: was it Nedved or Pirlo? One had scored, the other provided the assist.

Millwall's offensive approach was relentless; even young Redknapp, who pushed forward only to lose the ball, was left with nothing but a defensively exposed mid-section. Even if there were two holding midfielders, they could easily be toyed with.

After the celebration ended, Aldrich gestured from the sidelines, urging the crowd for even louder cheers. 

This is London; let the Liverpool players fear this place! 

But Liverpool was determined to attack—failure to do so would allow their opponents to claim the championship.

Yet today, Millwall's performance was stellar. Their rested first-team players all showcased exceptional individual play that complemented their teamwork!

Larsson, after combining with Zambrotta down the left flank, cut inside before deceiving Wright with a feint, making his way into the area. Against James's charge, he gracefully slotted the ball, which rolled past James and into the net.

With thirty-six minutes gone in the first half, Millwall led by three goals!

Liverpool was completely lost!

The more they attacked, the less coherent they appeared.

Before the first half concluded, Millwall executed a series of smooth passing combinations. Trezeguet used his body to hold off Scales in the box, returning the ball to Nedved, who unleashed another fierce shot into Liverpool's net.

4-0

The first half already presented an astonishing scoreline! 

Nedved dashed around the field, even removing his shirt to reveal his muscular physique.

Flashes from cameras continuously erupted at the sidelines, almost blinding.

Millwall's ambition and teamwork had thoroughly crushed Liverpool by halftime!