The Football Philosophy of Millwall

Valencia and Millwall players entered the pitch, heads held high, their determination palpable. Both teams were resolute in their goal to win this match.

Though the outside world doubted Valencia's chances of taking down Millwall in the quarterfinals, that wasn't their concern.

What others thought was irrelevant—it had nothing to do with them.

"We see both teams have now taken their positions, and here's the starting lineup for each side."

Valencia lined up in a 4-5-1 formation:

Goalkeeper: Canizares

Defenders: Anglomar, Ayala, Pellegrino, Carboni

Double defensive midfielders: Albelda, Baraja

Midfielders: Mendieta, Aimar, Kily González

Forward: Carew

Millwall played a 4-3-3 formation:

Goalkeeper: Pagliuca

Defenders: Schneider, Materazzi, Southgate, Zambrotta

Midfielders: Gattuso, Pirlo, Nedved

Forwards: Larsson, Henry, Ronaldinho

From the lineups alone, it was clear that Millwall was the stronger team. However, in football, talent on paper is only the foundation—the real battle would be decided in the 90 minutes of play.

Compared to last season's midfield pairing, which was among the best in Europe, the departure of Gerard and Farinos saw Valencia bring in Baraja, who formed a formidable midfield partnership with Alberda. Together, they now make up one of the toughest defensive midfield duos in Europe.

During the winter transfer window, Valencia signed the talented young Aimar. Although both Vicente and Joaquin, who were on loan from Millwall, performed well, they were never really Valencia's players. The club likely had its own plans in mind. At the start of the season, with a lack of squad depth, Valencia was in urgent need of reinforcements. After successfully advancing past the group stage of the Champions League, their financial situation improved, leading to more strategic thinking. They may have had some reservations about Vicente and Joaquin's future performance, possibly aiming to secure their permanent transfer later, especially if the two became too popular, making the transfer fee difficult to afford."

The Mestalla was alive with noise, and the supporters of both teams showed no signs of losing their intensity as the match kicked off.

After five minutes of probing and adjusting to the rhythm of the game, both teams began to open up the play, picking up the pace. The real battle had begun.

In typical 180-minute knockout matches, the first leg is often more conservative. But against a top-tier team like Millwall, Valencia couldn't afford to be cautious with the rhythm. If they didn't secure a win at home, their chances at Millwall's stadium would be slim.

This, of course, was also due to their tactical approach.

Valencia was known for their extreme counter-attacking play, a style that Cooper had perfected.

Outsiders couldn't fault Cooper for his tactics, even if they seemed overly pragmatic or defensive. The squad he had was suited for defensive counter-attacking football.

The two full-backs, Anglomar and Carboni, were both 36 years old! Without counter-attacking, they wouldn't have the legs to cover the flanks. Even mid-tier teams could easily exploit their weaknesses. That's why a solid defense and the protection of two defensive midfielders were necessary. This setup ensured that the full-backs and center-backs could cover the wide spaces and increase their margin for error. So, a back four, plus two defensive midfielders, was the best option for them.

Millwall quickly imposed pressure in the attacking third, which Aldrich had expected.

Their full-backs couldn't push up too far, as they risked being exposed. Instead, they held their defensive positions, which allowed Millwall's wingers to focus more on attacking.

The veterans had their advantages. As long as they weren't left with too much space to be exploited by speedy wingers, their experience in reading the game, positioning, intercepting, and providing cover was invaluable. Last season's European Cup final saw Valencia's collapse, and the media after the match attributed the loss to Gerard's replacement of the injured Carboni.

Today, Millwall's biggest tactical change came from Ronaldinho. Aldrich had specifically tasked him in the tactical meeting to avoid pushing the ball too wide or cutting inside. Instead, he should stay closer to the middle and link up with Nedved.

Albelda and Baraja were decent defensively, but when faced with Ronaldinho's shift into the center to combine with Nedved, they struggled to contain him.

Ronaldinho started the match with a bit of flair, teasing the defenders with a dazzling move that left Anglomar in his wake. He then made a run to the byline but his cross was ineffective.

His threat was well-known, not just to Valencia, but to the entire footballing world.

As Ronaldinho moved toward the center, he allowed Zambrotta to take over the left wing. Angelo Ma did not dare to press forward, wary of leaving his position open. Alone in the middle, Ronaldinho put immense pressure on Albeldas and Baraja. When Ronaldinho had the ball, they hesitated to close him down, constantly mindful of their distance from the defensive line.

In the 11th minute, Ronaldinho controlled the ball just outside the penalty area. He faked a move, causing Albeldas to retreat a step, as though he'd seen a ghost, afraid of being dribbled past. But Ronaldinho stood still, surrounded by Valencia players. While the defenders in front of him stood firm, Mendieta dropped back to provide support.

With effortless grace, Ronaldinho flicked the ball over Albeldas' head. It seemed to stun him, and he immediately turned his head to follow the ball's path.

Henry, positioning himself for a header, deliberately aimed it to the side.

Before the ball even landed, Nedvěd was already charging forward, chesting the ball into the box and breaking through Valencia's entire defense.

With Valencia's backline pressed high, Nedvěd appeared to be one-on-one with the goalkeeper. However, the distance was too short, and Cañizares, having seen Henry's header, rushed out. By the time the ball dropped in front of Nedvěd, Cañizares was already in front of him, only a meter away, lowering his body to block.

Nedvěd took a powerful shot.

Bang!

The Mestalla stands erupted with gasps of surprise.

The ball struck Cañizares' shoulder and flew off.

Valencia fans immediately erupted into applause, cheering for Cañizares' bravery.

"Nedvěd's shot was blocked by Cañizares' body. Millwall's attack was direct and effective, tearing through Valencia's defense from the middle."

Valencia had narrowly avoided disaster. At the back post, Larsson's header was easily caught by Cañizares as it was too straight.

The 36-year-old Carboni couldn't handle Larsson's sudden burst of speed.

The Valencia fans in the stands began to worry.

The situation seemed worse than last year's final, even with the home advantage.

Two minutes later, Mendieta started a counterattack from his own half, sending a long ball upfield.

The pass sailed over Gattuso's area and found the Norwegian striker, Karu.

Carew's back was to Millwall's penalty area, the ball just a couple of meters from his feet. Materazzi couldn't get close fast enough, and all he could do was watch, waiting for Carew to turn. This is it! He thought. The second he takes that ball, I'll snap it away—easy.

But as the ball dropped, Materazzi glanced at Carew's back and suddenly felt a rush of frustration flood over him. Damn it! He swore under his breath.

Karu, whether intentionally or not, didn't stop the ball with ease. Despite having enough time and space, he attempted to control it but the ball bounced off his foot, and he appeared startled by the rebound. He turned quickly to chase it down.

The ball had bounced over Materazzi's head. When he turned, he saw González, who had been running in from the flank, sprinting toward the second drop point.

González had started his run toward the center when Mendieta made the pass.

Schneider was capable of keeping pace with the opposition, but when he saw Carew about to receive the ball, he noticed Materazzi already controlling his area. González, positioned near Carew, had an offside suspicion before the ball was even played. Schneider moved in parallel with Materazzi, prepared to trap González in an offside position if Carew controlled the ball and passed to him.

But in an unbelievable twist, Carew didn't stop the ball. He didn't even touch it! The ball sailed through the air, bouncing just before crossing midfield, and as it hit the ground, it skipped right over the defensive line, leaving everyone stunned.

Materazzi could have made a step forward to challenge González but would have had to use his hands, which would likely result in a foul and possibly a red card.

Quickly abandoning the idea, Materazzi looked over to see Southgate sprinting to cover. He knew he couldn't take the risk of committing a foul here in Valencia's home stadium.

González chased the ball to the edge of the penalty box, with Pagliuca already charging out of goal. Without hesitation, González unleashed a powerful shot. Pagliuca made an attempt to save it, but it was already too late.

The ball flew in off the inside of the far post and into the side netting—an incredibly precise strike.

"Valencia take the lead! González's stunning long-range shot has breached Millwall's goal! It's the 16th minute, and Valencia have struck first! Their counter-attack is proving to be lethal, too much for even the reigning champions to handle!"

Valencia's first real threat came in the 16th minute—this goal was as much luck as skill. If you said that Carlu's feint when he missed the ball was a deliberate trick, then he must have been a genius. Not only could he see behind him, but he also seemed to be able to perfectly predict the ball's trajectory.

It's common for a forward to miss a pass to create space for a teammate, but it's never seen before for a forward to use a bouncing ball as a distraction to set up a teammate. If Carlu had really planned this, he wouldn't have panicked and turned around to chase the ball.

The Mestalla stands erupted, the fans cheered and pumped their fists, as if they had finally avenged a long-held grudge, releasing their pent-up frustration.

Materazzi, his face grim, raised his hand to signal Pagliuca that it was his fault and then gestured to Schneider, as if explaining something.

It was thanks to that long pass from Mendieta that the ball was delivered with enough power. If the pass had been weaker, Materazzi might have been able to clear it with a header by just stepping back a few paces.

Cooper, on the sidelines, wore a serious expression. His face was tight, but his eyes burned with an unspoken anger.

Valencia was forced to play a counter-attacking game, while Millwall's attack was strong. Though they had taken the lead, the situation was still far from ideal.

One goal wasn't enough!

Aside from avoiding conceding an away goal, if Valencia went to Millwall with just a 1-0 lead, their chances of progressing would still be under 50%.

Aldrich stood motionless on the sidelines after the goal, his expression unchanged.

In the first 15 minutes, Millwall clearly had the edge. Even with the goal conceded, no need to panic; the mission was always to grab that vital away goal!

Valencia's counter-attacking style was effective, and if Millwall stuck to a similar defensive game plan, they'd be able to shut them out. But Aldrich was confident his team could push forward, even away from home. If Millwall abandoned their style now, they'd be betraying their entire football philosophy.

When up against an equal opponent, a defensive approach on the road is fine, but when facing a team capable of creating real chances, Millwall had to take the initiative and play more aggressively.