The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 613: A Gamble Worth Taking

Leeds United was certainly aggressive in their approach, but strategically, they were already on the back foot. Elland Road was their home, and they needed a good result from the first leg.But if they didn't get a solid result here, going to Lion King Stadium for the second leg would be a nightmare.No matter what others thought, they themselves probably wouldn't believe they could create an upset there.

Pirlo's initial positioning was restricted, prompting him to adjust and drop deeper to organize the play. Operating just in front of the defensive line, he began orchestrating the team's attacks. This positional shift forced Leeds' Smith and Viduka to retreat, focusing on blocking passing lanes rather than pressing aggressively, effectively congesting the midfield.

While Pirlo retained possession and ensured passing accuracy, Millwall's attacks inevitably transformed into positional plays initiated from the backline. Amid the cacophony at Elland Road, Aldrich observed Leeds' hesitation. Despite their energetic pressing and extensive runs characteristic of Premier League sides, they appeared overly cautious in attack, fearing a counter that could compromise their defense.

Kelly and Hart, the two full-backs, sent a series of perplexing long passes from the back, causing Aldrich confusion. Both full-backs executed the same routine, trying to launch attacks by sending the ball from their own defensive areas to the wide midfielders, aiming for Millwall's defensive zones. But Leeds' wingers, upon receiving the ball, were left isolated and quickly lost possession. If an attacking side pushes the ball into a 'dead end,' leaving their teammates unsupported, the attacking tactics are clearly flawed. When an attacking team puts the ball into a 'dead end' and leaves players without support, it's clear there's a problem with the strategy. Aldrich wasn't sure whether this was a strategy approved by O'Reilly, but if Leeds kept playing this way, Millwall's defense would have little difficulty containing them.

Aldrich pointed straight at Pirlo on the pitch and gave him a gesture. Pirlo saw it, nodded. The opposition had bottled up his space at the start, but that didn't mean he had to stay stuck in it. In the middle of the game, Pirlo had dropped deeper to get a better angle, but now Aldrich was calling him forward again. This was a classic case of 'risk versus safety.' Pirlo, being the steady one, was playing it safe—but Aldrich was telling him to go for it.

Leeds' "perfect pressing circle" had worked to a degree, but breaking through that was no easy feat. The key to unpicking it was Pirlo. If they kept focusing on the forwards, Leeds would smother them. That's when you need someone to step up and produce that bit of magic—a risky move, no doubt, but it could be the difference.

At the 32nd minute, Gattuso passed to Pirlo, who had pushed forward, disrupting Viduka and Smith's marking. Pirlo's early movement allowed him to gain separation, forcing Smith into a chasing role. Meanwhile, Nedvěd deliberately distanced himself from Pirlo, drawing Leeds' Cahill and Dacourt into a dilemma.

Cahill noticed that Nedvěd hadn't moved to connect with Pirlo and was instead trying to intercept him. He took two steps forward to block Pirlo's passing lane. But just as he moved, Pirlo was already facing pressure—Cahill in front and Smith behind him. Even so, Pirlo still managed to pass the ball, and Cahill was left questioning the direction of the pass.

The ball was still aimed at Nedvěd, but it should have been too late for that!

Cahill had confirmed that Nedvěd was no longer in place to receive the pass, so he had moved to cover Pirlo. But when he turned to check, he instantly regretted his decision.

Nedvěd's run had actually been a clever decoy. He had noticed Ronaldinho making a run toward the center, so he swapped positions with him. In that split second, Cahill had inadvertently opened up space for Ronaldinho to receive the ball and maneuver.

Ronaldinho, no need for fancy tricks today—he saw Dacourt coming, and with a cheeky smile, sent a ball right through the Frenchman's legs! It was sheer genius—Dacourt didn't see it coming as the ball rolled through with the precision of a surgeon's knife. The Brazilian had perfect timing, and to make it even better, the ball landed perfectly for Henry, who had his back to goal.

Mateo, who was following Henry closely, tried to intercept the ball as it went through Henry's legs, but Henry used his body to shield it, leaving Mateo unable to reach the ball. It rolled behind them.

Ferdinand couldn't believe his eyes as the ball sliced through Matteo's defensive territory, a perfect line straight to Nedved. For a moment, he froze—his whole plan was built on catching Nedved offside!

The idea was simple: if Henry had blasted that ball forward, there was no doubt Nedved would have been caught offside. Ferdinand had already positioned himself, watching Henry's every move, while Matteo kept pace. With a subtle step forward, Ferdinand had aimed to catch Nedved out.

But Henry didn't touch the ball, which meant Ronaldinho passed it directly to Nedvěd. Now, Nedvěd wasn't offside at all!

The ball split through the defense, sending Nedvěd toward the penalty spot, clear on goal. Leeds United's goalkeeper Martin rushed out to close the angle, but Nedvěd calmly passed it to the right. Larsson slotted it into the empty net with a simple finish.

"The ball's in! It's in! Leeds United suffers a catastrophic blow at home as they concede first! Ronaldinho's brilliant through ball slices through the Leeds defense, and Nedvěd, unselfish in a one-on-one, sets up Larsson for a precious away goal for Millwall. The match isn't even halfway through, and Leeds United looks like they're teetering on the edge of disaster!"

The stands at Elland Road fell silent.

Conceding an early goal at home was a devastating blow.

A faint smirk appeared at the corner of Aldrich's lips. Leeds' plan had merit—pulling their two forwards back to disrupt Pirlo's playmaking. Neutralizing Pirlo meant dismantling Millwall's transitions.

But without the protection of a double pivot in front of their defense, Leeds' backline became vulnerable. All Millwall had to do was solve Pirlo's marking situation, and once their attack advanced into the final third, Leeds' defensive assignments descended into chaos.

Pushing Pirlo forward was a gamble, but the payoff was immediate and undeniable. The moment he stepped up, the defensive blockade in front of Leeds' penalty area was dismantled. Forced to spread their resources, Leeds' defense opened up, and in that fleeting moment, Millwall broke through.

What a pass from Ronaldinho. Simply sublime!

On the sidelines, O'Leary was visibly fuming.

But his anger wasn't solely about the goal conceded. Even before that, he had been animated, gesturing incessantly and shouting instructions to his players. What exactly he was demanding, Aldrich wasn't sure—there's no standardized playbook for sideline hand signals.

O'Leary's fiery glare reflected his frustration—not just at the goal, but at his team's attacking struggles.

More than 30 minutes into the match, Leeds United hadn't executed a single successful offensive sequence from their intended game plan.

The players clearly carried psychological burdens—perhaps intimidation by Millwall's reputation or an overbearing obsession with reaching the final. While their defensive instincts remained intact, their offensive cohesion had fractured.

O'Leary, too, harbored dreams of reaching the Champions League final, perhaps even lifting the trophy.

This was only his third year as the team's head coach, and though he hadn't won a single trophy yet—far from the accolades of the young manager on the opposing bench—a victory over Millwall, a place in the final, and a potential triumph would propel David O'Leary into the ranks of Europe's elite managers.

A Premier League top-four finish? Champions League semifinal? What did those even mean in the grander scheme?

In a manager's illustrious career, who would proudly boast, "I'm a top-four Premier League and Champions League semifinal manager"? That would only invite ridicule.

It's championships that validate greatness.

Top-flight league titles. Continental trophies. International glory. These are the benchmarks for elite managers.

One step, two steps—success and glory await.

On this penultimate step, who would dare to falter? Who would treat this moment lightly?

O'Leary had poured every ounce of himself into preparing for these two matches, pushing himself to the brink of exhaustion. He'd obsessively analyzed Millwall's match footage, well beyond the scope of routine league competition. After all, in the league, you face a team twice across 38 games. But now, these two Champions League clashes represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for glory. Defeating Millwall and securing a ticket to the final—this was a defining battle.

O'Leary would not bow out here. Millwall might approach these matches with composure, but Leeds United couldn't.

To challenge a dominant force like Millwall in European football, madness and obsession were the only answers.

The goal lifted the psychological burden off the entire Leeds United team. Coupled with O'Leary's animated gestures on the sideline, the once-dead silent stands came alive, roaring passionately in support of Leeds.

In truth, reaching the Champions League semifinals was already a glorious achievement for the club itself. But in the grand scheme of English and European football, without lifting the trophy, without becoming champions, what legacy is there to boast of?

Leeds restarted the game, and the pace remained blisteringly fast. English Premier League teams, led by Millwall and followed by Manchester United, Liverpool, and others, were experiencing a resurgence in European football. However, their success wasn't rooted in adopting a European style of play. Instead, they leaned heavily on their unique strengths—stamina, physicality, and relentless high-paced pressing. When it came to artistry, they couldn't rival the elite clubs of Europe. But by maximizing their advantages, they carved out a distinct English identity on the continental stage. n/o/vel/b//in dot c//om

After the goal, Millwall's play relaxed slightly as they sought to control the game. This approach suited Pirlo perfectly—balancing tempo with sudden changes of pace to catch opponents off guard.

In today's all-English clash, physical duels were inevitable. Leeds United, to their credit, showed no fear, with their squad brimming with players unafraid of physical confrontations.

By the 43rd minute, Aldrich finally realized something: Kelly and Hart's earlier long passes weren't aimless punts into "dead ends." Instead, they had been hindered by Leeds' disjointed offensive coordination, failing to execute tactical plans effectively.

This time, they got it right.

Hart launched a long pass from the backfield. Schneider was initially marking Kewell, but Kewell had made a run, leaving Viduka—the striker—pulling wide to receive the ball. Schneider was frustrated. Viduka, both physically stronger and over ten centimeters taller, controlled the ball with ease. After a smooth touch, he passed it to Smith, who came up to support.

Gennaro Gattuso stuck to Smith like glue, leaving the latter with no option but to play a one-touch pass down the left flank. This created a triangular combination: Kewell carried the ball to the byline. Materazzi blocked the inside lane, while Schneider turned back to defend. Kewell sent the ball back outside the box, where Cahill surged forward, breaking through Pirlo's defensive line and charging into the penalty area.

As Gattuso moved to assist, Cahill launched a 45-degree shot.

It was a tricky, low-driven shot. Pagliuca dived and managed to deflect the ball with one hand, but the distance was too far, and his reach lost power at full extension. The ball deflected to the left side of the penalty area near the goal line.

Kewell, already in position, seized the opportunity. Before Schneider could slide in to block, Kewell unleashed a sharp strike, sending the ball into the top corner of the net from a tight angle.