Millossobek's Master League Written Stories!

Hey bros! Perhaps you have been wondering, what has Millossobek been up to during his "story-break"? :BSCARF:

Well needless to say: The campaigns have continued! I've decided to put my main Torino story on hold, but I have completed two "chillout" seasons, one in PES 6 and another one in PES 2013! Both seasons were in second division, and I featured different storylines, personalities, and settings. It's been quite a different experience with both: Here is a short summary of each one! :TU:


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PES 6 Second Division: UNION VIENNA​

Finally finished my first season with PES 6 ML Defaults! Always wanted to do this one, with Castolo, Minanda, Stremer, Jaric, and the boys! I decided to invent an entire new team, called Union Vienna from Austria, and placed them in my usual "PES 6 European Campaign", where I lay it out as follows!

British League: Top 14 English Teams + Rangers and Celtic.
Iberian League: Top 13 Spanish Teams + Benfica, Porto and Sporting.
Mediterranean League: 10 Italian Teams + Gala, Fener, and Besiktas + Olympiakos, Panathinaikos and AEK Athens
and Finally, the Central Europe Federation (pictured above): With a Mix of German, French, Dutch, and other Central/Eastern European Teams! (This is where Union Vienna played, in second division)!


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The season in itself was the story of two halves.. In the first half, featuring the complete default ML team, I was only able to win 1 game, while drawing 2 and losing 4.. It was a frustrating start of the season, as I was continuously overmatched by stronger teams (Basel, Wolfsburg, Lens, among others), and I couldn't quite get my feet off the ground. I was even ousted in the 2nd Division Cup, after leading most of the way against Frankfurt, they were able to come back and draw 2-2, and then finishing me off over in Germany. Things were looking quite bleak, and the Transfer Market was my only salvation if I was to make this season a respectable one. However, after some good negotiations and shrewd scouting, I was able to pick up two players who completely changed the face of the team.. One of my perennial favorites (and one of the fabled "Four Musketeers" from my Werder Bremen 2009 campaign), Shinji Ono, as well as young Frenchman Rio Mavuba!


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Even though it was only 2 signings (given that I hadn't been able to accumulate many points, and I sold off several of the ML Default players), Ono and Mavuba restored Union Vienna's confidence! Castolo started scoring, the mediocre defense was quite bolstered by Mavuba, and Ono was threading the needle in the midfield, creating chances and being the heart and soul of the team's creativity! You guys know the saying how one or two players enter a team and then suddenly, everyone starts playing better? Well, strangely and interestingly enough, this seemed to be the case! Mavuba acted as a protective shield in front of Stremer and Jaric, and Ono, playing at AMF, developed a solid understanding with Minanda, Castolo, Ordaz, and the rest of the attacking players!


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In the end, after going 1-2-4 in the first 7 games, we went 4-2-1 in the second half of the season (completely reversing the trend!), breaking to a 50% winning percentage, and salvaging respectability for the season. Even though we finished 6th out of 8 teams, only 4 points separated #3 and #6, as the midtable was really tight. Ordaz played very strongly in the end, netting 5 goals and finishing second in the overall goal rankings (tied with 3 other players), while Ono fnished fourth in overall assists (despite playing only half of the season)! When it was all said and done, it was a great way to rebound in the second half after a dreadful first half of the season, as the signings of Ono and Mavuba really bolstered the team, and a solid summer transfer window (if I'm able to bring in a good striker, and some other reinforcements), should put Union Vienna in good position to fight for promotion in season 2!


PES 2013 Second Division: SC BEIRA-MAR!


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The second season I just finished, in a different campaign, was SC Beira-Mar (based in the city of Aveiro) in Liga Portugal 2! This season was longer (of course, 34 games as opposed to 14, given that the Portuguese second division feature 18 teams), and with a different spirit: instead of starting out with the ML Default players, I took the original Beira-Mar team and added one of my favorite players: Chilean Star Matías Fernandez! (2006 South American player of the year, all at the young age of 20, playing for Chilean giants Colo-Colo!)! The campaign would be led by an invented brand-new Portuguese Manager, Gaspar Barbosa, recently retired as a player, where he played as midfielder, and eager to prove his worth in the iconic side!


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Now at 26 and after a series of injuries, it is clear that Matias is not the same player that had shown so much promise back in 2006, but he still has plenty of magic left in the tank. Accompanying him are key player Nildo Petrolina, an enigmatic yet hugely talented Brazilian on the wing, Guadaloupean Defensive Midfielder Fleurival, and one of the more established Portuguese goalkeepers in second division, Rui Rego! These four formed a talented quartet, each one with their own strengths and characteristics.

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When compared to my Union Vienna campaign, Beira-Mar was much more steady.. Almost always staying from 5th-8th place in the 18 team league. Given the format of the Portuguese Second division, where the top 3 are promoted to Liga 1, there was no real moment where I was close to being promoted (the top 3 teams, Boavista, Moreirense, and Chaves pretty much led the whole way, with CD Aves and us separating ourselves from the packed midtable). In the end, even though we didn't achieve our goal of ascending, I would say that we were solidly above average in our first season, and remarkably consistent despite how hard the opposition was.

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Matias showed his magic several times, a mini-magician in the middle with Chilean Flair, while Nildo Petrolina flew on the wings, and Fleurival held it all together in the midfield, giving some much needed spine to a side full of flair. There were times that the defense was a bit porous, but I think this had a lot to do with me getting used to PES 2013's defense system, as it is quite different from some of the other ones! All in all, however, it was an enjoyable season, a Portuguese side with a good deal of South American flavor. One of my midseason acqusitions, Brazilian forward Kieza, really turned it on in the second half of the season, scoring several braces and a hat-trick, and finishing as the top goalscorer in the league! (With Nildo Petrolina finishing as the top assist man, as well as in the top 5 in goals, great performances by both Brazilians)!

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Both campaigns were very enjoyable, and quite different from each other.. While Union Vienna was much shorter and a roller coaster, Beira-Mar felt much more like an entire season, a more talented squad doubtlessly and a different pace. While both campaigns had a bit of frustrating parts (especially Union's first half of the season, and the fact that Beira-Mar could never quite contend for the top 3), they were highly enjoyable, each with their own personality.. I am certain to continue at least one of these campaigns, both at their own pace, but I think a solid foundation for both teams has been set: The Summer Transfer Window will be absolutely key for the aspirations of our second years and the hopes of achieving promotion!!

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So, my friends, there's a short update. :) You may ask yourselves, why I didn't delve into deep storytelling with these two campaigns as I've done in the past? Well, like I mentioned earlier, for the time being, my wish is to just play "chillout" campaigns while recharging my writing batteries! It definitely feels like a good break, after writing for 3 years straight (especially Torino's first season, where I went into more personality and backstory than I had ever done before, which was a huge undertaking). Now, don't get me wrong guys: I absolutely love to write, and creating narrative and deep footballing stories to accompany my campaigns is one of my greatest passions, but for now.. Just playing and having the immersion in my head while exploring different footballing games has been really enjoyable! :) One thing's for sure though.. Millossobek's Master League Written Stories will definitely be back, sometime in the first half of 2025.. Especially continuing on my Torino tale with the dynamic duo Comizzo and Luka (2nd season has already been played), as well as one of my dearest campaigns, PES 2009 Werder Bremen, and the narration of other tales! But in the meantime, just wanted to let you guys what I was up to in one of my biggest passions in life: Playing my Football Campaigns! Have a great holiday season bros, stay safe! The stories will return in 2025. :TU:

- Millossobek :BSCARF:
 
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I always make my PES 6 ML setup like yours. I never play a ML with a created team and default players. I am going to have to play one now.

My team Boavista got promoted. What patch are you using for PES 2013?
 
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Master League Story #10:
Rewriting History: Incheon United! (PES 2021)
SEASON 1

"In Asia, Football has risen like the global game it really is. From being an almost unknown sport, from a place of obscurity and oblivion, the beautiful game has taken hold of the continent. At first spurred by the far-reaching cable networks of the European Leagues, then with the constant improvement of its national teams, to the place it is now, with established Asian stars shining in the biggest teams in the world, Football is taking an evolving and rightful place in people's imagination, and is now poised to grow even larger. But let us not forget that the beating heart of Football lies in its local leagues. And if the game hopes to continue to become entrenched in the heart of the continent, then it is in the Leagues, my friends, the forging of club's identities, where this love will truly be harvested and felt! Here's to the present, and the future of Football in Asia, the most populated continent in the world."
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Hey there, friends! I'm back after a short break! Continuing on with the campaigns, I present to you my newest story, one that I've been brewing and thinking about for a long time: The tale of the recently finished Season 1 of Incheon United, IUFC, the Blue and Black, the Sailors, the K-League team that I love! (As you guys know, Asian and South American Football are my big footballing passions). I'd wanted to play a Master League with Incheon with a lot of anticipation, being that they are the only team in the world that is truly in my heart besides Millonarios, and now was the perfect time for it, for historical and emotional reasons which I will get into in a moment. But before we get into that, I would like to delve into a bit of background information about the real-life Incheon United, the team that I have chosen for my new Millossobek Adventure, so you guys get a bit familiarized with the team and the city, before I continue on with the Master League narration..

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Incheon is the third largest city in South Korea, with a population or approximately 3 million people. It is a part of the gigantic Seoul metropolitan area, but here's the thing: It has its own fierce identity apart from the capital, as it is much more focused on industry, its huge coastal port, its international airport, and a gritty culture, one that is a bit more working class and blue-collar. (Incheon is also well known for its seafood markets, its historical Chinatown, vibrant commercial areas and huge residential developments). It might lack the glitz and glamour of its more famous and glamorous neighbor, Seoul. It is not a touristic or stylish city, but it's busy, buzzing, full of life, pride, great food, energy and passion: A perfect city for a Football team.

Unfortunately, Incheon United's historical run in the K-League since their foundation in 2003 (created just after the Post-World Cup football craze in Korea), has been a mixed bag. Having never won the league (while other teams such as Jeonbuk Hyundai, FC Seoul, the Tigers of Ulsan, Pohang Steelers and Suwon Bluewings have soared and won several titles, establishing themselves as giants in the country), Incheon has been almost perenially a mid-table team, fighting for the title a few times, sometimes trying to avoid relegation, but mostly dwelling in midtable semi-obscurity. After a small, short renaissance in late 2010's, Incheon United's story took a dark turn in 2024, as the team were relegated to K-League 2 for the first time in their history after a very irregular campaign. (The team will be playing in K2 League in 2025 in real life). Despite this recent setback, it is important to note that in its history, Incheon has built a large, loyal and passionate fanbase, and even though some might see them as a little-brother to FC Seoul (in a sense mirroring the real-life perception), the fans certainly don't. It is the city's fiercest derby, and one of the biggest rivalries in all of Korea.

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Now, let's go back to PES. One of my original intentions with this campaign was to see if I could re-write history and create a new narrative for Incheon. In this alternate universe, MFE (Millossobek's Football Enterprises) has taken over in slightly better times. just before the 2021 season. Having avoided relegation the previous season (while still struggling), it is clear that the newly appointed MFE Incheon board wants to see at least a midtable finish. (Another important note: In my Master League, the K-League is significantly changed, going from a 12 team league to a 20 team league, incorporating 8 K2 League teams to create a larger, longer season while still keeping the parity of the league). Everything seemed to point in the direction of the board's midtable vision, as we signed some key players to improve the team, (especially our offense) such as Gerso Fernandes, a speedy and offensively-geared Bissau-Guinean Left Winger, and Bo-Seub Kim on the Right Wing. Even though it was generally acknowledged that we had a better team than last season, but nobody would call us contenders before the season started. Armed with a new manager, former Incheon United (fantasy) midfielder Sang-Hoon Choi, known for his tenaciousness and desire in his footballing days, and a new vision for attacking football, the Blue and Black were ready to take on a new year and hopefully improve immediately (even though we were an unknown quantity at the moment).

Millossobek (president of MFE): "We've seen an interesting opportunity here at Incheon. Even though the K-League is a relatively young league by world standards, the popularity of football in the country has soared after the World Cup and several teams have taken advantage of this rise in popularity. Traditions have been formed, and fanbases have expanded. We believe that Incheon, however, has not reaped the complete fruits of this surge. However, we DO see a lot of potential here. A fanbase which has remained numerous and loyal throughout difficult years, established players, achieving a balanced budget, and with room to grow. Incheon United is ripe for a revolution. This is the beginning of a new era."


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Even though the pundits were somewhat skeptical, Millossobek's Football Enterprises had a history of resurrecting dormant teams with untapped potential, teams with large fanbases who for one reason or another had fallen on difficult times. Yet what actually ended up happening was nothing short of spectacular. Led by our long-standing star Montenegrin striker (and frequent hero of my stories, brother of Milo from FIFA 19) Stefan Mugosa, we had a terrific season, exceeding expectations by a huge margin and over-performing our talent base by leaps and bounds. There were some up and down spots (e.g., recently promoted Chungnam Asan surprising us at home in fixture 3), but overall, the team quickly gelled and came together under the leadership of Sang-Hoon Choi (an intense and demanding manager in terms of tactics, yet with a good eye for player personalities, chemistry and team unity) and a newly inspired Mugosa, who was scoring goals every which way. As the season rolled along, we notched several wins over strong and perennially established teams including Seoul, Ulsan, and Pohang, displaying a high-risk, high reward style of football under our new system; our squad in reality didn't take long to find a true identity early on, quickly translating Sang-Hoon's vision into a style on the pitch, playing a 3-4-3 diamond formation which took huge advantage of the strength of our front three (Gerso, Mugosa, and Kim Bo-Seub), and played a stylish, offensive, counterattacking and incisive style (with our compact shape which took advantage of opposing team's defensive lapses) that electrified the entire fanbase and created a new joy in the city of Incheon. After fixture 19, our record stood at a truly staggering 10-4-5 and securing second place at the midpoint of our campaign. It was a truly marvelous start for a team that took the entire nation by storm with its new approach which was equal parts flair and gritty, hard work. It would not be an understatement to say that Incheon United was suddenly, the story of the season and the talk of K-League sports journalists as the team went from a run-of-the-mill defensive approach to playing what was, without a shadow of a doubt, the most exciting football in the country.

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Stefan Mugosa: "I've found a new life under Manager Choi and with the addition of new players. It's been like a second career for me, a rebirth.. And I'm enjoying my football more than ever. I've been with the team for several years now, but it is the very first time that I feel like we actually have a chance to contend, which is a new and incredible feeling. This new start has given the entire team a breath of fresh air, it has reinvigorated everything in the club, from the players to all of the staff. Even though the road is still long, I feel like we have a chance to do something special here at Incheon".

Going into the midseason transfer window, it was clear that this had been a brilliant season so far. But given the closeness and parity of the 2021 K-League, the pundits wondered if this was just some kind of fluke of nature, a team over-performing way beyond its abilities after 19 matches. Yet the MFE board was determined: We had big hopes and if this start had proven anything, is that effort would have to be complemented by added talent, and added equilibrium to the squad. It was time to get to work. With a joint collaborative effort from MFE and Manager Choi's vision, we signed two key midfielders to shore up our formation, bringing in talented attacking midfielder Junhyoung Lee (a young, very dynamic attacking midfielder who has good passing skills but also the work ethic and determination to track back and respond to the demands of the modern game, as well as an eye for goal), and jack-of-all trades Millonarios (you guys know I had to!) midfielder Juan Carlos Pereira, a more veteran player who might not be a superstar at any one aspect of the game, but is a tenacious box to box player with all-around skills on both offense and defense, a perfect complement to our midfield and our third international player (interesting note: the K-League has a quota of maximum 6 foreign players per squad, and a total of 4 may play at a given match.. My intention is to try to follow this rule as much as possible).

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Juan Carlos Pereira: "Coming from Millonarios to the K-League is a huge change, yes. Everything is different, from the food, to the customs, to the footballing culture, to even the way the stadiums feel. But there's something here that has pulled me in. It isn't just the colors, or the exotic location. There's something else in this team, something that is difficult for me to put into words. An identity is being built here, an identity which I felt the second I stepped on the Incheon stadium pitch, and a real belief in the manager's system and tactics, which I've seen from the very first practice. I will always love Millonarios for giving me a title, for the love and loyalty of their fans, but there's real belief here at Incheon, and speaking to Manager Choi has given me real belief that I have a definite role and am an integral part of the team. My movitation is immense: From now on, my heart is here."

Juan Carlos was not wrong. He, along with the other Central Midfielders such as (especially) Bon-Cheol Ku, Myung-Joo Lee and Chang-Beo Heom, were seen as really important cogs in the manager's tactics. You see, in his 3-4-3 diamond formation, high stamina, high effort box-to-box midfielders are essential in the sense that they must support both wide and central areas, link up with the forwards and wingers, and cover defensively for the lack of width in the back 3. Yet all players, like we mentioned, have to work as a well-oiled machine, and really understand each other for this high-risk formation to succeed, each line collaborating seamlessly with the other. Once again, moreover, this chemistry would prove to be a determining factor, which would not only hold our team together but also push it to new heights: The second half of the season was a surprising as the first! As the fixtures continued with our reinforcements we maintained our form brilliantly, and while at times in the first half of the season we seemed to rely too much on Mugosa and Gerso (who was also playing really well cutting in from the wings and scoring in timely moments), now we were playing more as a complete team. This was an issue which was truly addressed during the transfer window and was paying major dividends!

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Needless to say, now we had a more balanced group of players. Center Back Yeon-Su Kim flourished as an anchor, giving a calm presence and determination in a position that especially needs it given our formation. Veterans such as Jung Hyuk and longtime and much beloved captain Ban Suk Oh gave the team the necessary calmness and structure in the back lines to allow the front three the freedom to roam and to receive the increasingly creative play of Junghyoung Lee, who was emerging as a potential star. In the second half of the season, it would not be hyperbole to say that everything continued to come together as a cohesive unit, as when it was all said and done, we went on a tear once again, beating our eternal rivals Seoul once more (this time in front of our home crowd, perhaps one of the only times we had won both derbies in the same calendar year), and netting other important wins against strong teams such as Pohang ( in their renowned Pohang Steel Yard, famous for their noisy and rowdy fans), and taking care of business against squads such as Daegu, Anyang and Gwangju amongst others (who were predicted to have similar strength squads to ours). As the season continued to roll along, Incheon showed no signs of losing form: at the the end of the day we went 10-4-5 once again in our last 19 games, for a total record of 20 wins, 8 draws, and 10 losses in 2021, a remarkable turnaround given our previous campaign! Although Suwon Samsung Bluewings ended up deservedly winning the trophy, absolutely flying and dominating the K-League by a whopping 8 points (having led virtually from start to finish), and we weren't able to ever mount a consistent challenge against what was clearly the most talented team in Korea (we lost our first game to them 1-3 and holding off to a 2-2 draw in our second encounter), this is almost an afterthought.. If the second half of the season proved anything, is that this was no freak accident. Incheon's season had been truly special. In the last 6-7 fixtures or so, the battle seemed clear between us and Jeonbuk Hyundai Motors for 2nd place, a battle we ended up prevailing, and we positioned ourselves as the clear second best team of the year!

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Despite the Bluewings' domination, I'd have to say that this season was a RESOUNDING success for Incheon United. The key signings of Gerso, Kim Bo-Seub, Pereira, and Junhyoung Lee proved to be decisive, as we developed a very strong team spirit and chemistry throughout the season and went WAY over our expectations from the beginning of the season. Before the year started, most analysts had predicted a title race between the Bluewings, Jeonbuk, Ulsan (who ended up way underperforming, finishing 13), and probably Pohang or Seoul, but nobody saw perennial midtable and previous relegation candidate Incheon to pull off a second place the way we did (as well as a semifinal in the Korea Cup). Stefan Mugosa's season was particularly noteworthy, netting a total of 32 goals when counting both the League and the Cup (while cementing himself as Incheon United's top goalscorer of all time), but it was a total team effort. His success in front of goal was entirely enabled by the fact that every gear in the Incheon clock had understood its role in a demanding system.. In the span of one year, we went from being an almost forgotten team (by everyone except for our fans) to being the hottest story and surprise of the K-League!

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Junhyoung Lee: "For a young player such as myself, it is incredibly helpful to have veterans like Jung Hyuk, Bon Cheol Ku, Pereira, Mugosa, and Gerso to lead the way for me. I am giving my maximum effort, but here is the interesting part, I am also letting the game come to me. It is a delicate balance and one that I am learning to navigate: I believe in the system, and I think my game is flowing in a very positive manner due to the results of this formula and the manager's belief in my abilities. It really is incredible to think that at the age of 20, I will be playing in the AFC Champions League next year. It is a huge honor I did not expect but welcome wholeheartedly!"

Now Season 2 beckons, which will be a huge endeavor, given that we will no longer be considered a surprise team, other K-League teams will definitely have us on their mind, and most importantly, we face our biggest challenge yet: The AFC Champions League!! :BSCARF: 🏆Hopes are high, but at the same time, shadows of doubt remain: Will we be able to repeat our colossal (and completely out of the blue) performance of our first season, or will we suffer the obstacles of much higher expectations, a much more crowded schedule, the pressure of the AFC CL, and improved opponents? Will we be able to make some more shrewd transfers with an increased budget in the offseason, facing not only continental football but a tougher K-League? Was Season 1 simply a team playing way above its means and finding lightning in a bottle that will be extinguished when facing the giants of the Bluewings, Jeonbuk, Seoul, and Pohang? Is Incheon United for real? How will we fare against the best teams in all of the continent? One thing is for certain, however. Season 2 promises to be a nailbiter!
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Manager Choi: "I had a vision before the season. From playing conservatively and playing not to lose, I wanted to play to win. Football is a simple game, yet it is incredibly complicated: the approaches to achieve an identity that is both sustainable and enduring can be as different as night and day. For far too long, and watching from afar, I felt like Incheon was playing it a bit too safe, and so I wanted to shake things up a bit, and go for a 3-4-3 with the backbone of a solid back 3 complemented by tenacious midfielders, a creative flair in a number 10, which I was able to finally get in Junhyoung Lee. In addition, luckily for us, we have the best Striker in Korea, Stefan Mugosa, and speedy and incisive wingers that can complement him in the front 3. I like offensive, counterattacking football, and I absolutely knew that the talent was here to have a good team. Now, second place? That is beyond what I had envisioned, but it does not dim my ambition. I definitely want Incheon to win, but most importantly, I think we have achieved an enduring style and identity that will hopefully carry us to next season, facing the giant Bluewings, and the huge challenge of the AFC Champions League. We're gonna give it our all!!"

P.S.: I would like to give enormous thanks to Master @incas36 for creating such awesome gameplay mods, as his gameplay has provided me with memorable matches for years.. You are a legend of PES modding, my friend!! :TU:

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:BSCARF::TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU::BSCARF:
:YES: Incheon United's Second Season Underway!:YES:
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Ti saluto, Gianluca. Alla Gioia, Lapadula! (A look back at one of my favorite stories, PES 2017's Reggina)
:SAL:
:RSCARF:





I will be back soon, my friends. :) :BSCARF:
 
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Master League Story #11:
A South American Adventure: The Return of Deportivo Municipal (FIFA 16)
SEASON 1
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After several story attempts with the Dear Deportivo Municipal, El Muni, "El Edil", one of the most well-loved and representative teams in the Peruvian League, I have decided to start afresh (with a new South American patch), in order to re-write a long-term story with one of the teams which I am most familiar with, and have great appreciation for. Maybe some of you are wondering.. Why El Muni? What is it about this apparently lesser-known team, (who in real life is presently lingering in the 3rd division of Peruvian Football), that has captured my imagination and has insistently created a space in my mind and in my heart? It's not an easy question to answer, but in an attempt to illustrate my sympathy for them, I will retell their story, how I became interested in them, and why I've decided that now is the perfect time to start another South American adventure, from the coastlands of Peru to the entire continent.

Club Deportivo Municipal, also affectionately known as "El Muni" by their fans, and the rest of Peru, is a well-loved and representative team which has won 4 first division titles in their history (1938, 1940, 1943, and 1950). Their golden generation lasted these twelve years, and during this period, they won the hearts of not only millions of fans, but also gained the respect and the admiration of the entire country of Peru. Beating the mighty Boca Jrs Twice in 1943, Muni was one of Peru's first champions, were absolute stars of the Amateur era, and gained a special place in the hearts of millions of Peruvians. These faded and old memories became a collective part of the footballing subconscious of the country.

As years passed, "La Academia's" (as they were known earlier) fortunes started to wax and wane.. The team was relegated three times to Peruvian Second Division (1967-1969, 2000-01, 2009-2014), and even had to withstand some campaigns in third division. Even though el Muni has been a midtable team from the end of their golden era, and have had some difficult times, Muni's fans have carried on faithfully throughout the years. Yet as time went by, and the history of Peruvian Football was written throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, 3 different and huge teams emerged as the largest teams in Peru (Alianza Lima, Universitario de Deportes, and Sporting Cristal), winning 72 overall titles between them and dominating the league, creating a huge separation much the same way the Portuguese Big 3 or the Turkish Big 3 have done in their respective leagues. That being said, year after disappointing year, the fans of Club Deportivo Municipal have carried on, historically buyoed by the distant memories of their gilded past, and even if their numbers have dwindled, and their stadium (Estadio Elias Moreno, in the district of Villa el Salvador, Lima) doesn't sell out quite like it did before, there is still a collective memory, a dream, and an everlasting hope. A beautiful image that refuses to fade away; the fans remembering something they never actually lived, but is still there, as living and as present as the green of the pitch and the concrete in the stands.

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You see, my friends, there is something romantic, even beautiful about Muni's story. And this is what has drawn me to them. There's something quite indescribable about the faded grandeur of this team, old newspaper clips of legendary squads back in an era when Peru was much stronger in South American football, where they could sit at the same table as the Brazilians and Argentineans.. There is something of a forgotten memory there.. Like something that lingers on in a unified remembrance even if one hasn't lived through it.. Even if video clips of these generations are impossible to find, and beautiful ghosts remain, there is a nostalgic and pure quality to these stories, oral and retold stories being passed on through the generations, as grandparents and parents sit in dinner tables and say to their kids "I remember when I saw Germán Colunga,, the perfect hybrid of creativity and a resolute defensive wall.. the Peruvian Lothar Matthaus, a general on the pitch, my son, the greatest midfielder ever to be born in Peruvian soil"..... And all of this, eternalized in faded clips, cutouts and pictures, yellowed with age, time, patience, and withstanding, 70 years or a lifetime ago, upholding what was great and beautiful about our continent's football.

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Yet old memories can remain just that, memories, and even though Muni's fanbase is rightly proud and nostalgic of their storied past, it is also understandably hungering for present successes. "If you lose five matches in a row, you're hoping to win the sixth" is a common refrain amongst Muni fans, and as the curtain rises in our tale, this old adage is more relevant than ever. It is the start of the 2016-17 season. It's been a few years since the team has won promotion back to the First Division of Peruvian Football: After five years of heartache and struggle, Millossobek Football Enterprises (MFE) oversaw the transition and promotion back to Muni's rightful place. Specializing in historic teams with passionate and ever-faithful fanbases but which, for one reason or another, have fallen on hard times, MFE worked hard to restore Muni's position (if perhaps not yet fulfilled the complete circle of its full ambition). So far, the 21st century has been very interesting in the Peruvian League. The Big 3 (Alianza, Universitario, and Cristal) have won 12 of the 16 Championships from 2000-16, but there's been a few surprises that have broken off the beaten path, with Universidad San Martín winning 3 titles (2007, 08, and 10), and Melgar of Arequipa, from the south of the country, winning 1 (2015). Even though the domination of the Big 3 has not been surprising, the fact that USM and Melgar have won titles (an uncommon occurrence) means that the league has been a bit more wide-open in recent years, with Melgar especially building a strong squad. Does this signify that Muni perhaps have a chance?

If one were to take a step back and look at things objectively, perhaps it is still early to think about these things.. To start off, these ambitions lie too far off in the horizon with only two years having passed since promotion.. Finishing 14th and 13th in the 2015 and 16 season, respectively, Deportivo Municipal's fortunes have been tempered by the burden of very present and realistic expectations. Bringing the crowds back (aside from the ever faithful "Banda del Basurero") was MFE's first priority, as well as stabilizing the team's previously dire financial situation,which had taken a severe hit during the relegation years and had the team on the brink of bankruptcy. Yet, as the crisis subsided and promotion was achieved, the 2016-17 season brought with it a new ambition for the team, perhaps even a vision of a dawn of a new era: The MFE board knew that they had to scout the continent in order to find a new manager and a striker,and in a bold and financially strategic move, have signed two important figures: Argentinean #9 Santiago Giordana (coming from the 2nd division of Argentina), and even more importantly, a new leadership and vision, appointing ex-Millonarios midfielder and recently retired Mayer Candelo as a rookie manager.


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By picking Candelo to lead this new era at Municipal, Millossobek Football Enterprises (MFE) took an important and potentially risky step, showing a lot of faith in an as of yet unproven manager. Yet this faith is not unwarranted: Candelo is a Millonarios legend, having spent the last 6 seasons of his career with the team, the midfielder maestro and #10 mastermind behind Millos' 2012 championship run, broke a 24 year title drought (persisting since 1988) and was the conductor of the orchestra on the pitch. Proven as a player, with his legacy completely cemented with the Colombian side (Millos fans will always remember him as one of the last pure #10's, with his exquisite passing, eye for goal, and overall genius sense of artful positioning and poise), MFE believes that Candelo presents a perfect and elegant figure to lead Municipal in this new era, if anything, believing that his player profile, leadership qualities and footballing mind, whose fantasy was expressed on the pitch, will translate seamlessly into his new managerial role.

Mayer Candelo: "I can't begin to describe how excited I am to be given the reins at Municipal in my managerial debut. I am well familiarized with the team, am acutely aware of its storied past and its wonderful fanbase, and the special connection it has with not only its immediate supporters, but with all of Peru. I know what this team means to the country, and how important it would be to restore it to a place of protagonism, a rightful place. After evaluating my options, Muni seemed like a perfect situation, an elegant and wise choice.. You see, I have always been drawn to historical, romantic institutions, and moving from Millos as a player directly to Muni's managerial role gives me a chance to continue my footballing story the way I've always wanted to build it.. Attached to teams with a transcendental meaning. I know the challenge that lies ahead is huge, but if there's something that I've always believed in, is the power of mystique and destiny. There is a spirit here that is just waiting to be stirred, I can feel it."

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Giordana, Alfageme, Sawa, and Delgado
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As the start of the season drew nearer, it was time to analyze the squad that Candelo and MFE had built in the offseason. The Colombian manager decided to play a classic 4-2-3-1 (echoes of Millonarios' 2012 title run) with recently acquired Giordana up front (perhaps the team's most talented player), Alfageme manning the middle (also recently signed, a jack of all trades type of player), Delgado at goalkeeper and Municipal legend and longtime captain, veteran Masakatsu Sawa (Interestingly, the Peruvian League has had its share of Japanese players, perhaps due to the noticeable and sizeable Asian community in the country). Sawa, in particular, remains close to the fans' hearts, as he captained the team through promotion and has been a mainstay at the team for a long time, ignoring larger and more lucrative contracts in Asia and other South American countries in favor of staying with Muni. These four players are the backbone of Muni, and yet, for all of Sawa's loyalty and past with the team, it is definitely Giordana's signing that has the fans most excited at the beginning of the season.

Masakatsu Sawa: "I have found a second home here in Peru. As my fourth year in Deportivo Municipal, I feel completely unified with the team and the fans now. The country received me with open arms, and I have embraced them back.. Achieving promotion was our first goal and I will keep working hard every day to keep bringing the fans joy and the aspirations of something bigger. Now with a new boss, and new teammates, I am really looking forward to creating a harmonious relationship, earning their respect, and contributing to the larger objective of establishing ourselves in first division. I know I don't have many years left in my footballing career, but I want to finish my career here, and captaining this team has been the honor of my life."

Santiago Giordana: "I consider myself a fighter. Coming from the second division of Argentinean Football, I am used to the struggle, the physicality, the battle for position, the fight for the ball. I arrive with humility, knowing that I am coming to a huge and storied institution in Muni, and I know that I haven't proven anything yet. I come here with 0 goals, 0 assists, 0 appearances. I am in debt with the team, and I know that I need to prove myself. But I know that my mentality is strong, and that I will come prepared with the weapons and armor of my determination and my desire. I can't wait to wear Muni's colors, follow Manager Candelo's instructions, and get to know my teammates and the country. I will give my everything for this "camiseta".

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With the stage being set, it was time for the ball to start rolling! The first half of the season (the entire Peruvian League runs 30 matches, twice against the other teams) saw us start of with a 1-0 win against Real Garcilaso in our stadium! In only the second play of the game (in minute 1:50), new acquisition Giordana received a through ball from Palomino and scored! It didn't take long for the Argentinean to make his mark on the game, and we were able to withstand the rest of the way to scrape away with the victory, a solid result in Candelo's and Giordana's debuts. Fixture 2 brought forth an immediate and much bigger challenge, a match against one of the tournament favorites, Alianza Lima, in which they outshot us 14-4 and had several shots that hit the bar.. This encounter could be described as an Avalanche by Alianza, but our goalkeeper Delgado was undoubtedly man of the match, as he saved several shots and preserved a very valuable away point at the always difficult Matute stadium, a 0-0 result. Unfortunately, we weren't able to keep up the momentum, as we lost 0-2 to Universidad Técnica de Cajamarca (also known as UTC) in the next match, in an encounter in which we were clearly outclassed by the talented highlands side. Fixtures 4 and 5, would be a different story however, as we strung together our first two-game winning streak of the season, as we won 0-2 against Alianza Atletico and then, in a nerve-wracking and utterly exciting encounter, we beat Universidad San Martín 2-1, in a match where we were trailing 0-1 and scored the last two goals in the last 15 minutes (a header off a corner by Sawa, with side back Quina heading it in, and then, in minute 89, a cooly executed PK by Giordana (after two San Martín defenders mauled him in the box) sealed the deal in dramatic fashion. Five matches, and we were 3-1-1, good for fifth place in the league, a red-hot and unexpected start by Deportivo Municipal!

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The next five matches however, would be stiff tests. Comerciantes Unidos would return us the favor in Fixture 6: After leading most of the way, their midfielder Neyra scored an absolute lobbed beauty from outside the box in minute 90+ (extra time) to deny us the victory; a quite bitter 1-1 result, 2 points lost instead of 1 point won. This was followed by a 1-1 draw against Sporting Cristal, in a rough and tumble match against one of the strongest teams in the league, featuring a tenacious goal by Sawa in minute 23, dispossessing the keeper, but yet again conceding late in the match (a PK which was converted by Cristal's Irven Ávila), as the Bajopontino Cristal side preserved the away point. Fixture 8 would bring its own disappointing result: a 2-0 loss against Academia Deportiva Cantolao (in which they outplayed us every stretch of the way), followed by a 1-1 tie against Huancayo (another letdown, being that Huancayo was one of the only teams which fielded a distinctly lower quality side than us, once again letting a victory escape). Leading to Fixture 10, we visited Melgar of Arequipa, 2015 champions (looking to repeat their title-winning performance), and although we played well, two flashes of genius from Melgar's Toledo and Fernández, shots to the corner after brilliant collective play, were enough to sentence us to another defeat. These five matches were a definite letdown, as we went 0-3-2, bringing us down to 9th place and with a collective record of 3-4-3 after our promising start.

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However, we would bounce back in Fixtures 10-15. Fixture 11 featured a great an emotional comeback against Union Comercio, as we were able to erase a 0-1 deficit with two beautiful goals, one by little-used Attacking Midfielder Moreno (coming off the bench, a score right to the upper right hand corner and a great angle), and once again, Muni with a flair for the dramatic, Sawa scored the winning goal in the waning minutes of the match, after a pass from our Brazilian Side Back, Nelinho Quina, and showing great determination to find the perfect space in the box and bazooka-ing it in in the same exact spot Moreno scored, a dramatic minute 89 goal and just the morale boost we needed after our recent mediocre results. Our only blemish came in the next fixture, as surprisingly struggling Universitario (another part of the Trident-Big-3) stunned us in our stadium with two goals by their Argentinean counterpart, German "El Tanque" Denis, but we rebounded nicely with a clutch Giordana performance against Aurich, a 0-1 win in Fixture 13, followed by a 1-1 draw against Sport Rosario, and an impressive 0-2 away victory against Ayacucho, a match in which our wingers, Gutiérrez and Vega, made quite timely contributions on the score sheet. After 15 matches had passed, we were 6-5-4, good enough for 7th place, solidly midtable, exceeding the expectations of the board and looking towards the second half of the season with a renewed sense of optimism!

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After an uneventful midseason transfer window in which we re-signed a few key players and not much else (the board decided to play it conservatively for a big splash in the offseason), The second half of the season started a bit flat, as Cantolao played very conservatively towards a 0-0 tie in our stadium. Fixture 17, however, was one of our most eagerly anticipated ones, as we visited Sporting Cristal. What unfolded was a bit on the frustrating side, though. Two early goals by Cristal made it seem like it would be a routine victory for them. The second half was a different story, as we generated a lot of chances and scored in minute 79 (Sawa with a beautifully threaded through ball to Giordana, who finished the play with pinpoint accuracy), as we went completely on the attack, looking to equalize. In the end however (and with a disallowed goal by us), it was a disappointing 2-1 defeat, albeit one in which we showed a lot of guts and pride. Yet, in typical Muni fashion, we wouldn't let this setback define us or get us down, as we rebounded very well with a 1-3 away victory vs Sport Rosario in Fixture 18 (a header by Sawa just before the 1st half ended, and two goals by Giordana in minutes 79 and 88 (Sawa connecting with yet another pass, good understanding between them, and a header of a Gutierrez cross to seal the deal), a result that showed a lot of chemistry between the players and the emergence of Giordana as a true goalscorer and a threat for the scoring title! (The Argentinean striker was making good of its promise, showing his talent nd determination, a warrior's attitude in the box belying his years in his country's Serie B) A very battle-tested and weary 0-0 result against Aurich followed (a match which featured a good amount of fouls and physical, South American play), and in Fixture 20, we were able to beat Ayacucho 2-0, after two first half goals, one by Giordana and Alfageme after a furious scramble in the box! This run of good results saw Municipal go up to 6th place with 10 matches to go, as we little by little climbed up the table with more grit than artistry.

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And what a group of matches they were, indeed! Struggling Universitario outclassed us once again in Fixture 21 (1-0 in their gargantuan stadium, one of South America's biggest footballing venues, Estadio Monumental de Ute), followed by a 1-1 away result vs Union Comercio. But it was Fixture 23 which set us on a winning course towards the rest of the season: In perhaps the biggest match of the season, facing the most popular team in Peru, Alianza Lima in our stadium! A hugely anticipated match, pitting #5 Alianza vs #7 Municipal, this was one for the ages, featuring perhaps the best Peruvian player of all time, Alianza's Jefferson Farfán, it was an encounter that Muni's fans wouldn't forget easily. After going down 0-1 in the first half (courtesy of a Ramírez header off a Li cross), both squads generated plenty of chances, as we wouldn't back down (Muni had tons of great attempts before the first half ended, heroically stopped by Alianza's goalkeeper Leao Butrón). It was the second half, however, which would spark our imaginations, as Sawa would find Gutiérrez for the score.. or is it?? stopped by Butrón,, the rebound is headed in by Gutiérrez to even the match in minute 52! It was 1-1, and as the crowd went wild, both teams would feed off this energy for a great epilogue, a correctly disallowed goal by Alianza's Aguiar, more chances, and finally, previously little-used Moreno, after a perfect passing game with Giordana, finding the space in the box to finish it in the corner with a perfectly placed shot and goal in minute 83!! (Moreno was definitely showing his worth, and fighting for a starting position during the rest of the tournament!). Muni holds on for the 2-1 win in front of our crowd as our fans, young and old, celebrated this historic victory vs Alianza! Although we lost 2-1 in the highlands of Garcilaso in the next fixture (we were perhaps a bit gassed after the uber-emotional win against Alianza), we came back with a vengeance in Fixture 25, showing a lot of mettle and heart as we scored two early goals (in a match in which Giordana was injured and other key starters were absent due to suspensions) to preserve another 2-1 victory, this time against Atletico de Sullana, featuring yet another strong and incisive performance (and score) by Moreno, who is fast becoming one of the biggest surprises of the season!

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Our last 5 matches of the season were interesting that they were, in a sense, a microcosm of the entire league season! Fixture 26 was a tough as nails encounter as Muni visited Universidad Técnica de Cajamarca (a match which we started trailing 2-0 but came clawing back to preserve a 2-2 tie against a tough crowd). Following this valuable away point, we were back in our stadium to host Comerciantes Unidos, a match which featured some unsung heroes, as Center Back Gambetta scored a header off a Sawa corner, and Palomino tipped it in the box after a Gutiérrez shot, proving that this was not just the Giordana-Sawa-Moreno show! This was followed by an encouraging and heart-filled performance in Fixture 28, as we visited the always tough San Martín de Porres, a tit-for-tat match where we started leading after a Giordana finish, only to see them equalize in the second half (courtesy of Estrella), and then in minute 68, little used Right Winger Rebagliatti closed the deal after a beautiful team-inspired collective passing play featuring several players! This victory left us in fifth place with only two matches left to go, as we faced one of our most difficult tests of the season, hosting Melgar de Arequipa. In reality, this was our most lopsided defeat of the season, as a 0-3 score was the result of a dominating performance which left Melgar as 2015-16 Peruvian League Champions and celebrating their title in our stadium, which left a somewhat bitter taste in our mouths yet was a deserving title for the team which was far and away the strongest team in the league this season.

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Yet the drama wasn't over. As the last match of the season loomed, visiting Huancayo, there was an extra and season-defining epic unfolding in front of our very eyes. everything was up for grabs in terms of league position, as Municipal was sitting fifth with 45 points, sandwiched between #4 Aurich with 47, and #6 Alianza Lima with 44.. The last match would define International Cup qualifying (although Sudamericana was guaranteed, #4 would clinch next season's Copa Libertadores)!! And this match would not disappoint, as we were able to prevail 0-1 against the tough Peruvian highlanders, with a first half goal which would be called "El Gol de la Copa", as Gutierrez crossed the ball to Álvarez and Álvarez..... finished with the potent scissor kick to beat the Huancayo goalkeeper!! We were able to hold on to a 0-1 away victory in epic fashion, and, as Alianza Lima had lost their match 1-2 vs Atletico de Sullana and Aurich drew 2-2 against Cantolao, we had done what many deemed impossible...... As the final whistle of the season sounded in Huancayo, Deportivo Municipal had finished 4th in the league, and had QUALIFIED FOR THE 2017-18 COPA LIBERTADORES DE AMERICA!!!!! Manager Candelo, usually calm and collected on the sideline, could be seen jumping for joy, as he knew we had achieved a remarkable feat.. A truly dramatic and heart-pumping finale, and a beautiful and completely unexpected reward for a squad who was predicted to finish in midtable before the season started!!



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As the curtain drew to a close, it became crystal clear that this was one of Deportivo Municipal's greatest seasons in recent memory. Before the season started, MFE's board's expectations for Mayer Candelo's debut year were a solid midtable finish (perhaps positions 8-12 in the 16-team league), but very few people expected this. Finishing fourth in the league (albeit with only 4 points separating #4 Muni and #7 Universitario), qualifying for the preliminary stages of Copa Libertadores (before the group stage) was beyond anyone's vision for the team at the dawn of the new era. Manager Candelo found a playing identity with a lot of close, emotional results in the clutch, a Warrior #9 in Giordana, willing to fight for every loose ball, found inspiration from the team's long-time captain and beating heart of the team, Masakatsu Sawa, and also dug out some unexpected diamonds in the rough, such as Moreno and Gutierrez. A resounding success from any angle, Muni's 2015-16's season will live on as a year of the rebirth, a year in which the spiderwebs of the forgotten newspaper clips were cleared away, when the golden memories of those 40's and 50's teams felt a little closer (not a million light years away), and a year in which the pride, the dignity, the identity of Club Deportivo Municipal was restored. We might not have won the title (in fact, Melgar dominated, with Sporting Cristal on its heels), but that was never the main goal or intention. What shone through, however, might be just as important as a title.. Muni's comeback to a central stage in Peruvian football, as not only one of its most well-loved teams, but in a place of protagonism, and perhaps even more striking, a return to Copa Libertadores, the greatest show in South America, the ghosts of Muni players past looking over our shoulders, peering over the faded yellowed screenshots, and giving us the necessary faith to carry on.

Mayer Candelo: "Perhaps you recall my words at the beginning of the season: Mystique, loyalty, tradition, humility. These were the four pillars of our approach in Municipal. See, what we attempted to achieve here was not only ascend league positions, or earn more money for the club, or other objective and numerical milestones.. It was something more ethereal, yet not hard to describe: The restoration of Deportivo Municipal's aura, as one of the most important clubs in Peru. I am glad to weave new memories for the younger generation, based on the memories of our historical heroes, and I'm also really happy that I was able to bring my experience as a player to create a new identity and story here in Peru, one that I hope we can build on next season."

Santiago Giordana: "Libertadores, Libertadores!! Coming from the second division of Argentina, I never thought I would play the most historic and epic tournament in South America!! La GLORIA ETERNA, the most prestigious competition that I religiously watched growing up as a little kid in Córdoba. Even though the road is long and difficult towards the group stage, just reaching the qualifying rounds is a momentous achievement for our team. Even though I am far away from my hometown, I will represent Peru and Deportivo Municipal to the best of my abilities.. I will absolutely leave everything on the pitch, and I can't wait to face the giants of our continent!!"
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:BSCARF::TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU::RSCARF:
:YES: Deportivo Municipal's Second Season Underway!:YES:​
 
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An Interlude: PES 2008 PC: FC Taurus Division Battles in Second Division!
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Hey bros, it's been quite a while! I'd like to present a quick update (a bit of an interlude in between stories) on what I've been up to lately in the Football World: Hugely inspired by my friend @Madmac79's really entertaining and original Pisces FC campaign, I've decided to play a "chillout" adventure in one of the most underlooked (and in my opinion, underrated) titles: PES 2008 PC! I'd like to really thank Madmac for the true inspiration for this one! :)

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So, without further ado: For this campaign, I decided to start with the ML Defaults, with a slight change: I substituted one of the Default Center Midfielders with an invented player, 20 year old Korean CMF Seo Bo-Chul! I made sure I kept his stats at the "lower end" level, with ONE exception: Stamina 94! I wanted to make him have great endurance, and also being able to play several positions (CMF, DMF, SB, SMF, and even CB at times). Otherwise, I kept the same starting ML team (Castolo, Gutierrez, Espimas, Minanda, Jaric, Stremer, Ximelez, etc). I was excited to finally start a long-term campaign with the ML Defaults, as I had never quite played more than one season under this format! FC Taurus, let's see what's in store!!

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My first season was a really difficult one, though! Even though I started ok (and signed 3 new players at the midseason transfer window: Toski (SB), Montoya (GK), and Marcos Aurelio (SS), I really struggled throughout, finishing with a poor record of 10 wins, 11 draws, and 17 losses in 38 matches! (good enough for 17th in the league out of 20!) (I set up the Campaign in my usual "retro-PES" manner: Iberian League (17 Spanish teams + 3 Portuguese Giants), British League (18 English teams + Rangers and Celtic), Italian League, and "Other European" (Two Divisions of Central, Northern, and Eastern Teams, about 70% German and French, but also with several Turkish, Greek, Dutch, Scandinavian, Romanian, Polish, and other European Squads: this is the League I decided to play in, all the way down in Second Division!) I truly enjoy playing in this kind of mixed league, as it gives me a chance to face squads from many different countries, yet maintaining a certain "logic" throughout the main four leagues. :)

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It was definitely a super tough season. But fun as hell. Even though Seo played well (filling in admirably in several positions), and Gutierrez, Ruskin, Stein, Macco, Ordaz, and Castolo (among others) held their own, I was pretty much overpowered throughout. However, I did make it to the quarterfinals of the D2 Cup, which helped me with much needed funds for the offseason: After finishing 17th, I was ready for a complete overhaul: And it happened! I purchased Oleguer (CB), Capelli (CB), Ottl (DMF), (also got him in my PES 2009 Werder Bremen Campaign), Bicfalvi (CMF), Ze Kalanga (SMF), and Agbonlahor (CF). All in all, I've purchased 9 players overall and sold several players, including Zamenhof (GK), Huylens (CF), Minanda (AMF), Ettori (AMF), Iouga (DMF), Baumann (CB) and Ceciu (CB)! (Minanda is an ML Defaults legend, but at 36, he was getting up there in age, and since I settled on a traditional 4-4-2 with no natural Attacking Midfielders, both him and Ettori were a bit redundant in my formation). So after a huge season of struggle (perhaps my most difficult season in PES/FIFA ever, along with my first year at Gunma United), which felt fair and realistic, I was ready to face Year 2!

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And with 2 matches under my belt in Season 2, my investments have seemed to have paid off! Agbonlahor, in particular, has shined! 4 goals in my first two matches (a 3-0 victory over recently relegated Monaco, and a 2-2 draw against Auxerre), he has started S2 on fire. Is he the real deal? Only time will tell, but I am definitely loving his super-pacey stats, and playing him as my striker (along with Marcos Aurelio and/or Gutierrez up front), seems to be paying major dividends! Romanian youngster Bicfalvi is also looking quite promising as well, as he has taken over Seo in the starting CMF position and has good overall stats! (I will keep Seo as a reliable, multi-position backup for now) Let's see if I can fight for promotion in Season 2!
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So anyway guys, this is my PES 2008 FC Taurus campaign. I'll probably not write a story for this one, as I really wanted to just "plug and play" and experience PES 2008 PC with the defaults, but in anycase, I wanted to let you guys know what I've been up to lately! Oh, and more to the point, I am also deep in my second season of my dear Deportivo Municipal of Peru FIFA 16 campaign, and THAT is my main story, so I will be posting updates (as well as the narrative) sometime soon! Muni and Incheon remain my "main campaigns", the drivers of my storytelling, but I feel like sometimes, just plugging and playing and letting a Master League go where it may can also be fun! But not to worry..... My main Peruvian adventure, under the guidance of Millonarios' legend Mayer Candelo, will be back!! In addition, Incheon United is still waiting in the wings!! Definitely lots to get into in the next few months, the "pen and paper" will return: Stay tuned!! :TU:
 
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The Interlude Continued! (PES 2008) 🐂 FC Taurus Ascends to First Division!! 🐂
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Continuing on with my FC Taurus Season: After my huge struggles in my first year in second division (see above, where I finished 17th out of 20th), a complete overhaul was in order.. Even though I didn't have too many funds to start with, I was able to sell some of the ML Defaults, and signficantly revamp my squad in the offseason transfer window! Through some shrewd offseason wheeling and dealing, my objective of almost completely revamping my starting eleven (the only ones remaining in the starters were Espimas and Ruskin, with Castolo transformed into a very useful utlity player) was complete! This is how my team looked to start our 2nd year in this adventure! :RSCARF:
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I really found it very surprising that I was able to transform my starting eleven so completely after only a couple of transfer windows! Agbonlahor immediately found his stride, as he firmly established himself as, undoubtedly, Division 2's best goalscorer and most lethal attacking threat, combining blinding speed and acceleration with good finishing, creating a great partnership with Marcos Aurelio up front! Castolo and Seo remained my aces up the sleeve, coming off the bench, the Brazilian charismatic leader entering games when an injection of speed and verticality was needed, and Seo my ultimate jack of all trades, being able to play multiple positions! With the additions of Oleguer and Ottl, my defense was signficantly improved, as especially Ottl has been a pivotal link between my back 4 and the rest of the team! We absolutely steamrolled our way through the first half of the year, finishing with a record of 11 Wins, 6 Draws, and only 1 Loss, with a staggering goal difference of +24 after Fixture 18! In the first midseason transfer window, we were able to acquire 3 important new players, to complete our "starting eleven of signings": Brazilian Nene, a creative offensive dynamo with a golden left (both passing and shooting), German Right Back Ochs (to complement an all-Deutschland pair of SB's with Toski), and Czech defender Jan Simunek, a young 21 year old promise (with blinding speed for a Center Back)! Now we had successfully created, after only three transfer windows, a complete starting lineup of signings, which proved to be decisive in terms of the rest of the season, taking into account the importance of my formation (a staggered 4-4-2) and how the acquisitions played a role in it.((My formation features a dedicated DMF and CMF, with my two wingers pushing forward, and a secondary striker playing a supportive role, linking the midfield with our speedster Agbonlahor!)

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Yet this was a complete team effort! Even though we were ousted a bit earlier in the cup this time, it was still a long and demanding season, and the pressure of maintaining our lead (the top 3 teams get promoted to First Division) was telling on the fatigue and stamina of my players. Rotations were absolutely necessary, and even though Agbonlahor was absolutely destroying the league with his Sonic the Hedgehog-like goalscoring, contributions could be seen everywhere, as in the clip above, when Castolo rediscovered the fountain of youth! From top to bottom, 1 through 28, everyone contributed, but it is absolutely necessary to mention that our wheeling and dealing in the transfer window was absolutely key to transforming our team from bottom dwellers to top Division 2 Contenders! When it was all said and done, Agbonlahor finished as the League's top goalscorer, and we finished the season with an awesome record of 22 wins, 11 draws and only 5 losses, for a grand total of 77 points, a goalscoring difference of +43, and 11 points clear of second place RC Lens (who were also promoted, along with Borussia Mochengladbach). A truly dominating performance, crafted from shrewd signings and tactical acumen!

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In the end, it took a while, but the reward finally arrived! After a first, and absolutely grueling campaign, we were able to not only place our heads above water, but also dominate our second season! A huge challenge awaits in Division 1, where giants such as Bayern Munich, PSG, Ajax, Galatasaray, Dortmund, Marseille, PSV, Olympiakos, and many others await. The change in quality will undoubtedly be much higher, as I will be facing the cream of the crop of Central, Northern and Eastern Europe, but the challenges will also rise in importance! Will humble FC Taurus, which only two winters ago was scraping the barrel of division 2, be able to make their mark against the best of the Division! Only time will tell! I will probably continue with this "chillout", "plug and play" campaign, as I am eager to see how FC Taurus' fortunes pan out in their thrid year! In the meantime, my main stories are still brewing quietly in the background, waiting to be continued with all of their respective storytelling and immersion! I might even bring back a surprise, one of my previous ones to accompany Deportivo Municipal and Incheon United.. But for now, let's celebrate the glory of FC Taurus' ascent to the Top Flight! Stay tuned, my friends. :)
 
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It's always special to win a 2nd division title, I know most people look down on it, or just see it as a cherry on top of promotion, which is what matters most, and the 1st division titles, alongside cups, are what actually matters... but as a Brazilian, it was common in the 2000's to see clubs add stars on their crests in tribute to titles, there's no rules for it like in Italy or Germany, so clubs do whatever they want, but it was very common to see a gold star representing a 1st division title, and a silver star representing 2nd division titles, some clubs even had more than one silver star when winning the 2nd division twice, so it felt like a big deal growing up, so this should definitely be celebrated! Of course though, now the goal is the 1st division, or the cup!
 
@MKC Thanks bro! I can definitely understand where you're coming from! Brazilian 2nd Division has to be one of the toughest in the world!! There is so much turnover, for example, my favorite Brazilian team, Corinthians, they have had some really bad campaigns in some of the past few years, and were almost relegated! The Brasileirao is really brutal, if I remember correctly, there are 4 relegated and 4 promoted teams every season! Very interesting and dramatic indeed! :TU:
 
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Two teams.
Two completely different ambitions.
Separated by a mammoth Eurasian continent,
10 years apart.
Accross mountains, generations, time, and emotion
are somehow, intricately connected.
The chants resonate and the flags swirl with color,
as they travel beyond the mountains, accross sapphire and emerald skies.

Two separate stories.
Two contrasting visions,
but one beating core: The echo of the Stadium,
the cool of the Pitch, the fire in their Hearts,
Pulsating through and lifting entire cities,
A Song of Identity and a Tradition Reborn.

Millossobek's stories go on.

Stay tuned for Season 2 of my Dear Incheon United (PES 2021)
and Season 4 of The Legend of Werder Bremen (PES 2009).

:BSCARF::GSCARF:​
 
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Hi friends! I wanted to give a short, but important preview....

Introducing, our new Werder Bremen striker.. Acquired in Season 4 midseason Transfer Window......

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:GSCARF: EDINSON CAVANI!!!!!!! :GSCARF:​

As our long-standing Werderaner Captain Claudio Pizarro (age 33) is getting a bit older, Manager Millossobek has made a bold, important investment for the fourth season of our dear Werder Bremen.. Inspired by the flair of the South American strikers, and always a huge fan of the Uruguayan star, his style, his prolific goalscoring and most of all, his down-to-earth and team-oriented attitude, we made a huge decision and transfer offer to Palermo, and now he is in our ranks!! 25 year old Edinson will surely bring firepower, tons of goals, personality, and HUGE charisma to our team, complementing our international stars of Pizarro, Ozil, Ono, Appiah and Matuidi, along with the german core! Of course, with big signings come equally big expectations, but we are confident that Edinson's incorporation to our dear Werder Bremen will be seamless and will add to the international flair of our squad!! :GSCARF:

Manager Millossobek: "I have been quietly watching Edison's development for years now, from his start in the Uruguayan League to his prolific goalscoring in Palermo, and we are certain that he will be a huge piece of the puzzle, a transformative one for our frontline. Yes, he has immediate, game-changing quality, but what I am most certain of, is that his charisma and the force of his personality will mesh perfectly with our existing team. He has already been introduced to the players, and they have embraced him as a brother. Pizarro himself, as team captain and two-time Champion, has taken Edinson's incorporation not as a threat to his position, but as a truly welcome addition and complement, as a true South American brother, and one that has the capacity to propel the Werderaner to new heights!" :TU:

Edinson Cavani: "This is a completely new challenge for me, coming to the Central Europe Federation! Coming from South America and the Lega Mediterranea, the dynamism and style of the CEF is something I am really looking forward to. But yet, this is a decision that I made not with my mind, but with my heart. Werder Bremen has been a rising star in European Football in the past few years, and aside from the fact that what Manager Millossobek has done with the team in the span of only four short years is incredibly exciting, this move FEELS right. Joining this footballing revolution, in which the parts of the teams are greater than the whole, just feels right, and even though I do know that I am bringing my quality, my goal is to integrate myself into the carefully constructed character and personality of the Werderaner! I couldn't have hoped for a better reception from my teammates, and I really feel in my gut that this is the ideal place to continue my career, amidst the passionate and famous roars of the Weserstadion!" :)

:GSCARF: More Coming Up Soon!! :GSCARF:
:TU: - Millossobek - :TU:​
 
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THE BEAUTY OF PRAGMATISM!! (FIFA 15)
SUPER DEPOR SEASON 3: RAFA BENITEZ PHILOSOPHIZES DEPOR
TO A STUNNING, HISTORICAL SEASON!!
​
38 Matches Played
18 wins, 12 draws, 8 losses
3rd in Spanish La Liga!

Season 1: LINK
Season 2: LINK

Season 2 of Rafa Benitez's tenure under Deportivo La Coruña was an exercise in grounded, realistic, but in a sense, romantic building towards a definite vision. "To have a castle in the sky, you have to build strong foundations" is an adage that was frequently repeated by Rafa. While Season 1 had been all about avoiding relegation and solidifying the squad (in a campaign that surprised everyone with an 11th place finish, 14 wins, 7 draws, 17 losses), Season 2 was a definite step towards a surprising and undeniable midtable finish (8th in the league, 13 wins, 15 draws and 10 losses). After over a decade of underperformance after their magical early 2000's successes and trophies, the "Super Depor" fans and the entire city of La Coruña were hungry for success, and stood firmly and solidly behind Benitez after these two years of continuous improvement. Supporters unfurled banners reading "Unha cidade contigo" (A City with You), as the entire community of supporters had a renewed feeling of hope, a palpable sense of identity in what had been, in the year before Benitez's arrival, a squad flirting with ignominous relegation. A true, undeniable achievement overall, one full of a heart born out of perseverance.

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Rafa's philosophy in his time so far at Depor has been unbreakable, crystal-clear, and absolutely uncompromising: A 4-4-2 with a solid back four, two creative yet defensively committed midfielders (despite rotations, both acting as box-to-box midfielders), dynamic wingers that cut inside on offense (yet were always tasked to come back on defense), and two strikers with great definition and a definite appetite for goals.. The system had been described by some critics as "too rigid", "uncreative", or "lacking flexibility", but then again, those were criticisms that Rafa had been hearing for years, if not his entire career. Yet, needless to say, there was more to it than meets the eye: The "system" in itself was a springboard for a much wider philosophy (which will be expanded on later on in the chronicle). As it stood, one of the most pressing concerns when wrapping up season 2 was the search for a new striker. Helder Postiga had been a hero in Season 1, almost single-handedly leading the team to their eye-opening upper midtable finish, yet, as is often the case with veteran players, injuries and age took their toll in Season 2. As the Summer Transfer Window came along, Benitez's biggest priority was undoubtedly, getting a younger, hungry striker which could rotate with Postiga, and eventually take over the Portuguese's starting role outright.. Enter Yassine Benzia, our star signing of the summer. From Olympique Lyon, the young Frenchman/Algerian was deemed by the scouts as fast, prolific, and in Rafa's vision, would create a devastating 1-2 speedster partnership with one of the other protagonists of our story, Korean ex-K-League star Kim Seung Dae from powerhouse Jeonbuk (who had a breakout Season 2 with us, scoring 18 goals, and had fast become not only a fan favorite but one of the breakout stars in all of La Liga). Rounding the team were other smaller signings from the Free Agent pool, especially at Center Back and Center Midfield, to bolster the bench and add some much needed depth to the squad (including a good deal of South American flavor, a staple of Millossobek's Football Enterprises: Peruvian international Pedro Gallese and Bolivian Alejandro Chumacero as backups for a long, grueling Spanish season).

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HELDER POSTIGA: "I know I'm not in the prime of my career anymore. I've given Depor everything I have, and I've played some amazing seasons under Rafa, but the writing was on the wall this season. The injuries started creeping up, my body was feeling the aches and the bruises, and I knew that getting a third striker was of vital importance for the team. Getting Yassine was a master stroke, and even if I'm relegated to the bench, I'm sure this is the best move for me, for the longevity of my career, and most importantly, for Depor. I had offers from other teams, especially in Portugal (including one of the big 3 which I won't name), but I really feel it's better to be a cog on a winning team than trying to lead something from scratch as I approach retirement. I definitely know that I don't have many years left in football and so.. This is a challenge that I am very much looking forward to."

YASSINE BENZIA: "Getting to play under a legendary manager like Benitez is something I'm incredibly excited about. Even though perhaps Boss is not as well known in France or in Algeria, I've been personally following his career for a long time, both as a football player and as an observer, and am completely intrigued by his tactics and his man-management skills. He's pulled me aside, explained his idea for the team in his own personal terms, and we've had tons of private conversations about my role, about life and about football since my arrival. My role is clear: to be the incisive point of attack along with Seung-Dae, and knowing that I have the full confidence of a Club Legend like Helder has really given me a strong base, knowing that we will all complement each other. I can't wait to get going and bring my quality to the team, what I learned on the streets of Lyon and translating those skills onto the pitch."

KIM SEUNG-DAE: "Season 2 was an absolute dream come true for me. Looking back, and being one of the top goalscorers in La Liga, it's something I would've never even hoped for playing back in Jeonbuk in Korea.. I came in as a Free Agent before Season 2, and being able to achieve what I've achieved is beyond even my wildest expectations. Having a respected, veteran leader like Postiga guiding me throughout was a blessing. Having the clarity and the wisdom of Mr. Benitez and giving me the opportunity to showcase what I can do has been incredibly rewarding. I can't wait to start practicing and playing with Yassine now, as I feel that, even though we are both players who are known for pace, our personalities and approach to the game complement each other, and will bring out the best of what we have. All that's left to say is that I'm incredibly excited, and that my intention is to keep working hard and try to improve the team in any way I can."

​

Season 3 was underway, and the first four matches of the season were a mixed bag. Starting on the road, we faced the always-tough and gritty Getafe and played them to a 1-1 draw, in a match where one of our stalwarts, Center Midfielder Haris Mendujanin scored from a tight angle, before we unfortunately let them get back in the match in the second half. Even though it felt like we could've done more, it was a good away point while the new additions were getting their feet wet. But La Liga would come hard and unrelentless: Our home opener beckoned in Season 2, against none other than S2 runner ups (and generationally dominant) Barca: A brilliant shot by Neymar and an individual moment of brilliance from Messi decided what was actually, a pretty well played encounter (final score 0-2) in which we kept our shape and defended well. Nonetheless, even though Barca were (naturally) the clear favorites, Benitez did feel like it was an opportunity wasted, and there wasn't much we could've done against their doubtlessly superior quality. However, moreso than the result, there was a dark piece of news: Mendujanin picked up an injury during the match, and the medical report was a disheartening 8 weeks of rehabilitation. We lost a critical player in the early part of the season. Not the best start for Rafa and the boys by a long shot.

​

In spite of this early season setback, there was nothing we could do but keep trudging forward. Showing a lot of resilience in Fixture 3 against Sevilla, in the South of Spain, Kim Seung Dae opened the score and our left back Helder Costa capitalized off a Postiga assist (minutes 18 and 78). This was a very spirited performance, Rafa-like, as they outshot us but we were able to hold our defensive philosophy as predicated. It was an encouraging result, not only because of the goals (Kim picking up right where we left off), but it was a clear showcase of our early-season tactics, the back four creating a solid "Wall of Galicia", and creating a whirlwind of counter-attacks. Yet we couldn't quite keep up our momentum; Fixture 4 was a clear disappointment, a 0-1 loss against Levante at home (in which the offense stagnated a bit and perhaps felt a bit stifled and unsure). In fact, this showed an even larger, looming concern: 4 matches, and our much-touted offseason signing Benzia hadn't put any numbers on the board yet. There was not much time for lamenting, though, as perhaps our most important game of the season was next on the schedule: Visiting Celta de Vigo in the Galician Derby. In this encounter, following our roller-coaster start of the season, we actually found our form back, scoring two opportunistic goals (by Ameobi and Kim) in a solid performance, to outclass our eternal rivals and bring the derby home. This was a much needed boost in what had been a concerning start to the campaign.

​

The Derby Win absolutely energized us and provided a platform for improvement, as Fixtures 6-9 clearly showed: A 1-1 draw vs Zaragoza, a 0-1 win vs Granada, drawing Rayo Vallecano at home 2-2, and winning on the road vs Almería 1-2 (two road wins, and two draws). There were some important points to highlight about these four encounters: Alejandro Chumacero (our backup CM "The Bolivian Schwansteiger", due to his blonde appearance and his spirited, complete performances that featured more grit than skill) filled in admirably for Mendjunanin at this point, as his speedy and bulldog-like game translated well onto the pitch and filled in the spaces that were voided by the injury to our star midfielder. In addition Benzia finally broke his goal drought (scoring several goals in this stretch), and Kim added his own, personal flourish (one that had featured extensively in Season 2): being the hero against Almería, scoring a last minute goal to pull us through in the clutch for the tight and earned 1-2 victory. As established, the first 9 matches were all about creating and solidifying an identity, and the results were a reflection of this up-and-down yet ultimately rewarding start of the journey: 4 Wins, 3 Draws, and 2 losses, for a total of 15 points out of a possible 27. Yet, there was a silver lining, given the domination of the giants and the toughness of the league positions: As the first quarter of the season drew to an end, we were standing in fifth place. It could be finally said that, after the initial struggles, we had weathered Mendujanin's injury and were able to imprint the nuances of Rafa's system in the minds and instincts of the new acquisitions. All being said, the groundwork had been created.

​

But, true to the nature of the unforgiving Spanish league, the rest of the first half of the season was more of a mixed bag. Fixture 10 had us face another giant: "El Cholo" Simeone's Atletico. This result was an encouraging one, fighting tooth and nail to preserve our shape, our defense working overtime against our superior rivals, and we were heroically able to hold them to a 0-0 draw. However, there were some concerning signs looming on the horizon: We still hadn't won at home after 10 games, as we had defined our winning identity so far as road warriors. Fixture 11 was a 2-1 loss against Real Sociedad, but despite this setback, we were actually able to rebound well for a 1-0 victory against Elche (finally a home win)! We were able to earn this pragmatic victory with a goal by Kim Sung-Dae (who was having another great season, showing both incisiveness and physicality in the secondary striker role next to Benzia). Fixture 13 loomed on the horizon, as we faced our third giant opponent, a trip to Santiago Bernabeu against the otherworldly, world-beating and defending Champions Real Madrid. And, unlike the matches against Barca and Atleti, we just couldn't keep up in this one, as the Croatian Magician Modric, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema led them to a resounding 4-1 victory, bringing us back to earth and a striking reminder of the pecking order in the league. This big defeat created an aftershock as well, as coming back home, we had hopes of recovery, but we suffered another sobering defeat against Sevilla, dropping us out of the top 8 for the first time all season and creating our first real period of doubt in this whole campaign: Despite our new signings (and the return of Mendujanin), there a pressing concern was in the back of our minds. Was the team facing the limitations of Rafa's system and its perceived rigidity, or was this simply a bad spell?

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​
But we would bounce back and steady the ship in this low period: Fortunately, Fixtures 15-19 were more balanced affairs. First came a test against a Steven Gerrard-led Villarreal, as the media was asking a pointed question. Would we suffer our third defeat in a row against the favored side? It was at this precise inflexion point when we were able to turn the tide. Kim drew their defenses out in the first half and created a brilliant connection with Benzia for the score, and in the second half, with seconds left to go, our longstanding veteran hero (coming off the bench) was able to score a last minute-goal to preserve an 0-2 victory, a result that showed that even when they had counted us out, our team was made of something much more solid. Even though we couldn't capitalize on this win as we lost against Valencia in our next match, Fixture 17 vs Espanyol was a reminder of the strengths that had gotten us to this point: Structure, and a flair for the dramatic. The entire match was a tight affair, both teams closing spaces and denying each other until Benzia scored an epic goal in extra time, (a literal last second goal, as he ran and slid into the box at the last possible moment, scoring the game-winner that made our stadium erupt. This win showed the two-faced nature of our squad: The uncompromising "structure first" approach, creating the skeleton for the flair and the finish. Although our next matches were both 1-1 results against Málaga and Bilbao, we were able to return to the Top 8 to close out the first half of the season, which had been Rafa's goal and idea all along. Some inconsistencies remained, but the first flagpost and mission was accomplished.

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On the flip side, as we approached the midseason transfer window, two very different off-the-pitch situations emerged: First, a long-standing uncertainty came to a head. For most of the first half, our star defender, 77-rated Pablo Insua, had been indecisive whether to re-sign with Depor, and there were several reports that he had offers from Atletico Madrid and other bigger European teams with larger purses. Yet at the end of the day, this small drama ended up being smoke and mirrors, as Benitez was able to convince him to stay, emphasizing that he was a critical piece that was not only an essential building block of everything that had been achieved so far, but was also a vital cog of his defensive philosophy. Rafa bet on the critical leverage point of "needing his player" for the long-term and it paid off. Not one to expound or wax poetically, Rafa nonetheless explained his reasoning and put a definite end to the Insua saga at a press conference to put this matter to rest once and for all.

​

RAFA BENITEZ: "To be honest, I usually don't delve into the details of what I discuss with my players.. But given the noise surrounding the rumours about Pablo's future, maybe it's good that I share a little bit about our internal discussions.. I pretty much expressed his individual importance due to his strong personality and player characteristics, a pillar of our 4-4-2. I explained that his defensive discipline and ability to cover space was something that I had learned, in fact that we had all learned, to count on as a guarantee. You see, the Center Midfielders, Mendujanin and Rabiot, have license to move forward when the time is right precisely because the pair of Center Backs enable this progression to occur. I stressed to him that this pivotal role was the base of everything, that his strength of mind, his force of will, was what gave tranquility to the back four and the connecting midfielder line, and that he was a leader in both the emotional and the tactical sense. I think that this, along with his longstanding loyalty to Depor, was more than enough to convince him to stay. I'm truly glad that I was able to turn his mind around, to be honest."

The other piece of the midseason drama was one that, unfortunately, did not go our way. We weren't able to keep the services of Mendujanin's midfielder partner, Juan Domínguez, as Jurgen Klopp personally interfered and recruited him to Liverpool to shore up his midfield, offering him a huge salary and the promise to play in the Premier League. This proved to hard to resist, and it was a tough blow to our squad. Domínguez had been the creative AND defensive partner of Mendujanin for the entirety of Rafa's campaign, had worn the Captain's armband for a while, and was a locker-room leader. Even though Benitez tried to persuade him, the lure of the most glamorous league in the world took a hold as they snatched him away from us. This was an unfortunate turn of events, as we lost one of our best players and an emotional leader. Yet we would not remain with our arms crossed. As soon as Dominguez announced his departure, Rafa went all in on the transfer market. His scouting network worked overtime, and after much searching, we were able to find a hidden gem and a player that held tremendous upside as a midfield replacement: 22-year old Frenchman Adrien Rabiot, languishing on the PSG bench and eager for a move. Rafa's scouts described him as "a complete, mature player, even at his age" with a complete set of skills, and hungry to prove himself in the first team. We signed him immediately.

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ADRIEN RABIOT: "You know, it was actually quite painful to read the French press dismissing me as an "outcast". Playing for PSG was a dream of mine ever since I was small, but to be honest, I was languishing there, not playing, and that is the spiritual death of any footballer. I've left that chapter behind me, and now am ready to embrace my new opportunity here at Depor. After speaking to Rafa, I know that I'm not just REPLACING Dominguez, but I'm bringing in my own personality and my own quality to the team. My characteristics are different, I think of myself as a more offensive and creative player, but I am also committed to respecting and honoring Rafa's philosophy. It's not just about tracking back. It's about RESPECTING THE BALANCE. I know what I have to do here."

The offseason drama was over: With Insua secured and Rabiot under our wings (both literally and figuratively) after the Dominguez debacle, it was time for the second half of the season to get underway, go back to the pitch. A definite turnaround of form ensued, as Rafa's squad started building real momentum. In Fixture 20, and continuing the road warrior theme, Rafa started Rabiot immediately in Fixture 20 on the road against Elche, and the understood the tactics immediately: The understanding of a complete footballing architecure, the structure and the springboard, and the trusting of offensive instincts. Benitez set up a low block immediately, and this base was an inspiration for the dynamic duo, Benzia and Seung Dae, as they scored on minutes 19 and 75, respectively, with two lethal counterattacks! (A great example of being outshot, but absorbing pressure, put faith on the block and countering with precision and creativity.) A true "style game", and a statement to open the second half of the season. After three consecutive draws, each with their own ebbs and flows in Fixtures 21, 22, and 23 (2-2 vs Real Sociedad, 0-0 vs Valladolid, and 1-1 vs Villarreal), we were eager to pick up our winning ways. Going to Bilbao's stadium for Fixture 24, defensive coverage and a single goal by Benzia (0-1) put us back on the victory path before our long awaited return match vs Simeone's Atletico, this time in Vicente Calderón. This was a definite "fortress mentality" match, and although we played well, Antoine's Griezmann's solitary goal was the only separating factor in the match (1-0 defeat).. Once again, we had played Atleti tit-for-tat, and despite the loss, there was a definite silver lining there, as this "moral victory" lifted us to 2 consecutive wins, 2-0 vs Almería at home (another clean sheet by our young goalkeper Hassen, featuring goals from Aguirregaray and Kim), and another 0-2 result, this time against Levante! Control, Balance, Counterattacking Speed. Hallmarks of the Benitez style. Even though Fixture 28 was a rather uneventful 0-0 draw in Valladolid's ground, we then went to Rayo Vallecano's stadium and exploded for the first time all season: A 2-4 carnival victory ensued in Fixture 29 (with 2 goals by Kim, 1 by Benzia, and 1 by our dynamic Mendujanin, all powerful finishes in the box)! This was actually a very significant victory that took most of the Spanish media by surprise (they had grown used to seeing Rafa's Depor under a "certain" and "assumed" style", but Benitez was actually calm, explaining everything in a consequential manner in the post-match press conference:

​

RAFA BENITEZ: (slightly irritated) "Defensive coach". "Safety-first". "Doesn't take risks". This is something that I've heard all my life, ever since I started my career at Valencia. You see, I am not surprised by this result. You have to understand, this is Football, and Football is a simple game with complex dynamics. You score more than your opponent, you win. But underneath that seemingly straightforward objective, there's hours of study and analysis that go into building the personality of a team. Let me see if I can, once again, explain it in a way that you guys can understand it. What happened here today wasn't an "offensive explosion". It's one of those things that happens in football from time to time as a consequence of trusting a balanced structure. 4-4-2. 4-2-3-1. These are just starting points. Numbers. What we've built here (and what we've always tried to build regardless of where we go), is the necessary CONFIDENCE to create the IMPULSE for freedom. You cannot be creative if you're losing the ball constantly. You cannot trust your instincts if you don't have a structure to support you. This creates the necessary conditions that enable the players and gives them the power to trust their instincts on a second-to-second basis. This is what happened here."

Benitez had made his point: The classy offensive display against Rayo was not an aberration, but a consequence. Regardless of the underlying philosophy, this result was the start of something truly special. A momentous sprint to the finish line of the season, in which we didn't just "play well", but SOARED in the last 9 games, showing a lot of class and elevated our performance to realize Rafa's vision ever since he had arrived 3 years ago. Fixture 30 was yet another convincing win against Granada, as Yassine Benzia proved Benitez's point with a flourish, as his HUGE night out resulted in his first hat-trick of his Depor Career, all three goals coming in the second half!! (A total screamer from outside the box in minute 62, a deft touch and classy finish in minute 67, and an impressive one-time bouncing shot in minute 76). This was an absolutely historic performance by the Frenchman-Algerian, one that went beyond just "hitting his stride". It announced his arrival as the team's biggest offensive star, not only because of the hat-trick itself, but also due to the manner and the importance of his performance at this precise moment of the season.

​

YASSINE BENZIA: "An incredible night, to be honest. When I think of what was instilled in me in the streets of Lyon, growing up as an immigrant, facing difficult circumstances, it makes the journey and the destination even sweeter. I know that the start of the season was not the one that the fans and the press expected, and it took me a while to find my bearings here, but tonight felt like I finally arrived. Boss's utmost faith in my abilities is what I'm most grateful for. He stuck by me, even in my early struggles, and now I am repaying his faith with displaying my capabilities. We still have a lot to do, and there's still a lot of Fixtures left, but this felt good. It felt right. I'm letting my football speak for itself."

With these two matches as inspirations, we were poised and continued our torrid run in our next two encounters: Kim reminding everyone of his importance while scoring in a 1-0 win against Málaga, and a 0-1 away victory against Espanyol with our trademark control/drama two-faced coin, as Rabiot scored the game winner to silence the crowd in decisive and epic fashion late in the game. This run of 4 Straight Victories (the first time we had achieved this under Rafa's tenure) not only signaled the crystalization of his vision, but more importantly, propelled us to our highest La Liga position in this entire campaign, THIRD, with only SIX matches left to go. A shimmering and shining run of form. And although we couldn't hold off Barcelona on the second leg of our Catalunya trip (as they played truly inspired Football in a 4-1 win in Camp Nou), we rebounded in trademark fashion in one of the strangest, most surreal Dali-esque games in Fixture 34: An epic comeback and another hat-trick by Benzia, all coming from well-deserved and correctly called Penalty Kicks! In contrast, Fixture 35 was a tough, character defining match against Valencia, yet the result was indeed, another victory, an 0-1 away win, maintaining our defensive identity brilliantly and taking advantage of a brilliant one-on-many run by our Side Back Helder Costa, who converted clinically as a forceful complement to our intricate defensive geometry. With threematches left to go, and despite our tough loss against Barca, 3rd place and Champions League position was up for grabs. Going back home for Fixture 36, we hosted the League Leaders (and almost sure League Champions) Real Madrid, and we earned a HUGE point, showing tons of determination to even the score after trailing in the first half, as Kim once again showed his clutch performance. This was the first time that we played Madrid on even terms (denying their title celebration on our grounds-a significant event). This result showed our improvement: Not only could we HANG with the Spanish Kings, but we could even CHALLENGE them on an 11v11 battle. And, although we weren't able to wrap up third place in Fixture 38 (a 1-1 draw against Valencia), we were completely poised to face the last match of the season, one with much higher emotional stakes: We would close out the year with the Derby against Celta de Vigo! The stadium was roaring, hailing their heroes, and, with third place up for grabs, the emotions ran high, and we delivered. A goal by Isaac Cuenca in the first half, a goal by Kim in the second (with one of his trademarked angled finishes), and the final whistle of the season blew as the players raised their arms in the air. A double victory: Winning BOTH derbies of the season, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, securing third place in the standings, behind Real and Barca, and ensuring our passage to the Champions League! As the players took their victory laps around the stadium, this TRULY felt like more than an achievement. It felt like DELIVERANCE. What a campaign. What relief. What achievement. Rafa Benitez had delivered the promises of three years of uninterrupted ascendancy, and as the cheers and chanting rained down from the Galician stands, it was clear as water: What we had achieved in this third season was truly remarkable.

​

HELDER POSTIGA: "I knew I made the right choice when I rejected the offers from the Portuguese clubs. This has been one of the most enjoyable seasons of my career, placing Benzia and Kim under my wing. I didn't play as much as in my other seasons, but I didn't have to. I came in the right moments, gave everything I had, and used my experience to mentor and guide, to conserve my energy for vital moments, and my body and my mind thanked me for it. When someone looks back at my stats for this season, my minutes logged and the goals and assists scored are not the true measure of our success. I think that late, in my career, this is precisely what my footballing soul needed. Being a part of a winning team is so much sweeter than being the star of an average one!"

RAFA BENITEZ: "This is the result of three years of hard work, of organization, of giving yourself the best chance to win, by coming to every match with a clear idea and try to execute it faithfully. But like I've always said. Football is a strange and simple game. At times, it is the moments of individual brilliance, the beautiful and chaotic parts of the game, that can define moments in a match. To be able to enable these moments though, this controlled chaos, you HAVE to have a balance and an understanding of the dynamics of handling space.. Knowing when to attack, knowing when to pull back, when to create and when to destroy. At the end of Season 2, I told you guys that football, like many things in life, was about building. I continue to believe that, and will always believe it. 11th place. 8th. 3rd. Time, patience, and a long-term vision. This has been one of the most successful spells in my managerial career precisely because the players and the fans understand that you cannot build a footballing metropolis overnight. Trusting my players, have them trust me, it's all part of the balance that we've achieved, and that gives us all the hunger to continue with our objectives: every win, every goal scored and every dispossession, is a step closer to our ultimate goal: to bring happiness to the fans of Deportivo La Coruña. See you all in Season 4."

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:BSCARF::TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU::BSCARF:
:YES: Deportivo La Coruña's Fourth Season Underway!:YES:​
 
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A fantastic season to remember.
Taking Depor to the Champions League is a titanic undertaking, just like it was years ago. AWESOME!!!
😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱😱
After all, finishing third after Rea and Barca is like winning La Liga.:YES:
Congratulations, because I can imagine how tough it was.
:APPLAUD::APPLAUD::APPLAUD::APPLAUD::APPLAUD::APPLAUD:
 
millossobek said:
"4-4-2. 4-2-3-1. These are just starting points. Numbers. What we've built here (and what we've always tried to build regardless of where we go), is the necessary CONFIDENCE to create the IMPULSE for freedom. You cannot be creative if you're losing the ball constantly. You cannot trust your instincts if you don't have a structure to support you. This creates the necessary conditions that enable the players and gives them the power to trust their instincts on a second-to-second basis. This is what happened here."
Click to expand...

Great seasono :COOL: ..but especially this paragraph. Some of the managers AND players of football today, could use this kind of advice!
Brilliant writing.

As the master @Holland noted, only a lunatic/genius like Rafa would & COULD challenge 2015 Real/Barca :LOL:

P.S It is known, but I'll just point out again that the old FIFA games, had some banger soundtracks!
(EDIT: If you don't know about this place, https://www.zophar.net/music/search?search=FIFA .. now you know.
This is my go-to for the old Nintendo Double Dragon soundtracks too, they have heaps of game trax & some even have the sound FX files like the helicopters in Double Dragon II :))

P.P.S Kim Sung-Dae !! :BSCARF:
 
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millossobek said:
View attachment 391929

THE BEAUTY OF PRAGMATISM!! (FIFA 15)
SUPER DEPOR SEASON 3: RAFA BENITEZ PHILOSOPHIZES DEPOR
TO A STUNNING, HISTORICAL SEASON!!
​
38 Matches Played
18 wins, 12 draws, 8 losses
3rd in Spanish La Liga!

Season 1: LINK
Season 2: LINK

Season 2 of Rafa Benitez's tenure under Deportivo La Coruña was an exercise in grounded, realistic, but in a sense, romantic building towards a definite vision. "To have a castle in the sky, you have to build strong foundations" is an adage that was frequently repeated by Rafa. While Season 1 had been all about avoiding relegation and solidifying the squad (in a campaign that surprised everyone with an 11th place finish, 14 wins, 7 draws, 17 losses), Season 2 was a definite step towards a surprising and undeniable midtable finish (8th in the league, 13 wins, 15 draws and 10 losses). After over a decade of underperformance after their magical early 2000's successes and trophies, the "Super Depor" fans and the entire city of La Coruña were hungry for success, and stood firmly and solidly behind Benitez after these two years of continuous improvement. Supporters unfurled banners reading "Unha cidade contigo" (A City with You), as the entire community of supporters had a renewed feeling of hope, a palpable sense of identity in what had been, in the year before Benitez's arrival, a squad flirting with ignominous relegation. A true, undeniable achievement overall, one full of a heart born out of perseverance.

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Rafa's philosophy in his time so far at Depor has been unbreakable, crystal-clear, and absolutely uncompromising: A 4-4-2 with a solid back four, two creative yet defensively committed midfielders (despite rotations, both acting as box-to-box midfielders), dynamic wingers that cut inside on offense (yet were always tasked to come back on defense), and two strikers with great definition and a definite appetite for goals.. The system had been described by some critics as "too rigid", "uncreative", or "lacking flexibility", but then again, those were criticisms that Rafa had been hearing for years, if not his entire career. Yet, needless to say, there was more to it than meets the eye: The "system" in itself was a springboard for a much wider philosophy (which will be expanded on later on in the chronicle). As it stood, one of the most pressing concerns when wrapping up season 2 was the search for a new striker. Helder Postiga had been a hero in Season 1, almost single-handedly leading the team to their eye-opening upper midtable finish, yet, as is often the case with veteran players, injuries and age took their toll in Season 2. As the Summer Transfer Window came along, Benitez's biggest priority was undoubtedly, getting a younger, hungry striker which could rotate with Postiga, and eventually take over the Portuguese's starting role outright.. Enter Yassine Benzia, our star signing of the summer. From Olympique Lyon, the young Frenchman/Algerian was deemed by the scouts as fast, prolific, and in Rafa's vision, would create a devastating 1-2 speedster partnership with one of the other protagonists of our story, Korean ex-K-League star Kim Seung Dae from powerhouse Jeonbuk (who had a breakout Season 2 with us, scoring 18 goals, and had fast become not only a fan favorite but one of the breakout stars in all of La Liga). Rounding the team were other smaller signings from the Free Agent pool, especially at Center Back and Center Midfield, to bolster the bench and add some much needed depth to the squad (including a good deal of South American flavor, a staple of Millossobek's Football Enterprises: Peruvian international Pedro Gallese and Bolivian Alejandro Chumacero as backups for a long, grueling Spanish season).

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Helder Postiga: "I know I'm not in the prime of my career anymore. I've given Depor everything I have, and I've played some amazing seasons under Rafa, but the writing was on the wall this season. The injuries started creeping up, my body was feeling the aches and the bruises, and I knew that getting a third striker was of vital importance for the team. Getting Yassine was a master stroke, and even if I'm relegated to the bench, I'm sure this is the best move for me, for the longevity of my career, and most importantly, for Depor. I had offers from other teams, especially in Portugal (including one of the big 3 which I won't name), but I really feel it's better to be a cog on a winning team than trying to lead something from scratch as I approach retirement. I definitely know that I don't have many years left in football and so.. This is a challenge that I am very much looking forward to."

Yassine Benzia: "Getting to play under a legendary manager like Benitez is something I'm incredibly excited about. Even though perhaps Boss is not as well known in France or in Algeria, I've been personally following his career for a long time, both as a football player and as an observer, and am completely intrigued by his tactics and his man-management skills. He's pulled me aside, explained his idea for the team in his own personal terms, and we've had tons of private conversations about my role, about life and about football since my arrival. My role is clear: to be the incisive point of attack along with Seung-Dae, and knowing that I have the full confidence of a Club Legend like Helder has really given me a strong base, knowing that we will all complement each other. I can't wait to get going and bring my quality to the team, what I learned on the streets of Lyon and translating those skills onto the pitch."

Kim Seung-Dae: "Season 2 was an absolute dream come true for me. Looking back, and being one of the top goalscorers in La Liga, it's something I would've never even hoped for playing back in Jeonbuk in Korea.. I came in as a Free Agent before Season 2, and being able to achieve what I've achieved is beyond even my wildest expectations. Having a respected, veteran leader like Postiga guiding me throughout was a blessing. Having the clarity and the wisdom of Mr. Benitez and giving me the opportunity to showcase what I can do has been incredibly rewarding. I can't wait to start practicing and playing with Yassine now, as I feel that, even though we are both players who are known for pace, our personalities and approach to the game complement each other, and will bring out the best of what we have. All that's left to say is that I'm incredibly excited, and that my intention is to keep working hard and try to improve the team in any way I can."

​

Season 3 was underway, and the first four matches of the season were a mixed bag. Starting on the road, we faced the always-tough and gritty Getafe and played them to a 1-1 draw, in a match where one of our stalwarts, Center Midfielder Haris Mendujanin scored from a tight angle, before we unfortunately let them get back in the match in the second half. Even though it felt like we could've done more, it was a good away point while the new additions were getting their feet wet. But La Liga would come hard and unrelentless: Our home opener beckoned in Season 2, against none other than S2 runner ups (and generationally dominant) Barca: A brilliant shot by Neymar and an individual moment of brilliance from Messi decided what was actually, a pretty well played encounter (final score 0-2) in which we kept our shape and defended well. Nonetheless, even though Barca were (naturally) the clear favorites, Benitez did feel like it was an opportunity wasted, and there wasn't much we could've done against their doubtlessly superior quality. However, moreso than the result, there was a dark piece of news: Mendujanin picked up an injury during the match, and the medical report was a disheartening 8 weeks of rehabilitation. We lost a critical player in the early part of the season. Not the best start for Rafa and the boys by a long shot.

​

In spite of this early season setback, there was nothing we could do but keep trudging forward. Showing a lot of resilience in Fixture 3 against Sevilla, in the South of Spain, Kim Seung Dae opened the score and our left back Helder Costa capitalized off a Postiga assist (minutes 18 and 78). This was a very spirited performance, Rafa-like, as they outshot us but we were able to hold our defensive philosophy as predicated. It was an encouraging result, not only because of the goals (Kim picking up right where we left off), but it was a clear showcase of our early-season tactics, the back four creating a solid "Wall of Galicia", and creating a whirlwind of counter-attacks. Yet we couldn't quite keep up our momentum; Fixture 4 was a clear disappointment, a 0-1 loss against Levante at home (in which the offense stagnated a bit and perhaps felt a bit stifled and unsure). In fact, this showed an even larger, looming concern: 4 matches, and our much-touted offseason signing Benzia hadn't put any numbers on the board yet. There was not much time for lamenting, though, as perhaps our most important game of the season was next on the schedule: Visiting Celta de Vigo in the Galician Derby. In this encounter, following our roller-coaster start of the season, we actually found our form back, scoring two opportunistic goals (by Ameobi and Kim) in a solid performance, to outclass our eternal rivals and bring the derby home. This was a much needed boost in what had been a concerning start to the campaign.

​

The Derby Win absolutely energized us and provided a platform for improvement, as Fixtures 6-9 clearly showed: A 1-1 draw vs Zaragoza, a 0-1 win vs Granada, drawing Rayo Vallecano at home 2-2, and winning on the road vs Almería 1-2 (two road wins, and two draws). There were some important points to highlight about these four encounters: Alejandro Chumacero (our backup CM "The Bolivian Schwansteiger", due to his blonde appearance and his spirited, complete performances that featured more grit than skill) filled in admirably for Mendjunanin at this point, as his speedy and bulldog-like game translated well onto the pitch and filled in the spaces that were voided by the injury to our star midfielder. In addition Benzia finally broke his goal drought (scoring several goals in this stretch), and Kim added his own, personal flourish (one that had featured extensively in Season 2): being the hero against Almería, scoring a last minute goal to pull us through in the clutch for the tight and earned 1-2 victory. As established, the first 9 matches were all about creating and solidifying an identity, and the results were a reflection of this up-and-down yet ultimately rewarding start of the journey: 4 Wins, 3 Draws, and 2 losses, for a total of 15 points out of a possible 27. Yet, there was a silver lining, given the domination of the giants and the toughness of the league positions: As the first quarter of the season drew to an end, we were standing in fifth place. It could be finally said that, after the initial struggles, we had weathered Mendujanin's injury and were able to imprint the nuances of Rafa's system in the minds and instincts of the new acquisitions. All being said, the groundwork had been created.

​

But, true to the nature of the unforgiving Spanish league, the rest of the first half of the season was more of a mixed bag. Fixture 10 had us face another giant: "El Cholo" Simeone's Atletico. This result was an encouraging one, fighting tooth and nail to preserve our shape, our defense working overtime against our superior rivals, and we were heroically able to hold them to a 0-0 draw. However, there were some concerning signs looming on the horizon: We still hadn't won at home after 10 games, as we had defined our winning identity so far as road warriors. Fixture 11 was a 2-1 loss against Real Sociedad, but despite this setback, we were actually able to rebound well for a 1-0 victory against Elche (finally a home win)! We were able to earn this pragmatic victory with a goal by Kim Sung-Dae (who was having another great season, showing both incisiveness and physicality in the secondary striker role next to Benzia). Fixture 13 loomed on the horizon, as we faced our third giant opponent, a trip to Santiago Bernabeu against the otherworldly, world-beating and defending Champions Real Madrid. And, unlike the matches against Barca and Atleti, we just couldn't keep up in this one, as the Croatian Magician Modric, Ronaldo and Karim Benzema led them to a resounding 4-1 victory, bringing us back to earth and a striking reminder of the pecking order in the league. This big defeat created an aftershock as well, as coming back home, we had hopes of recovery, but we suffered another sobering defeat against Sevilla, dropping us out of the top 8 for the first time all season and creating our first real period of doubt in this whole campaign: Despite our new signings (and the return of Mendujanin), there a pressing concern was in the back of our minds. Was the team facing the limitations of Rafa's system and its perceived rigidity, or was this simply a bad spell?

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​
But we would bounce back and steady the ship in this low period: Fortunately, Fixtures 15-19 were more balanced affairs. First came a test against a Steven Gerrard-led Villarreal, as the media was asking a pointed question. Would we suffer our third defeat in a row against the favored side? It was at this precise inflexion point when we were able to turn the tide. Kim drew their defenses out in the first half and created a brilliant connection with Benzia for the score, and in the second half, with seconds left to go, our longstanding veteran hero (coming off the bench) was able to score a last minute-goal to preserve an 0-2 victory, a result that showed that even when they had counted us out, our team was made of something much more solid. Even though we couldn't capitalize on this win as we lost against Valencia in our next match, Fixture 17 vs Espanyol was a reminder of the strengths that had gotten us to this point: Structure, and a flair for the dramatic. The entire match was a tight affair, both teams closing spaces and denying each other until Benzia scored an epic goal in extra time, (a literal last second goal, as he ran and slid into the box at the last possible moment, scoring the game-winner that made our stadium erupt. This win showed the two-faced nature of our squad: The uncompromising "structure first" approach, creating the skeleton for the flair and the finish. Although our next matches were both 1-1 results against Málaga and Bilbao, we were able to return to the Top 8 to close out the first half of the season, which had been Rafa's goal and idea all along. Some inconsistencies remained, but the first flagpost and mission was accomplished.

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On the flip side, as we approached the midseason transfer window, two very different off-the-pitch situations emerged: First, a long-standing uncertainty came to a head. For most of the first half, our star defender, 77-rated Pablo Insua, had been indecisive whether to re-sign with Depor, and there were several reports that he had offers from Atletico Madrid and other bigger European teams with larger purses. Yet at the end of the day, this small drama ended up being smoke and mirrors, as Benitez was able to convince him to stay, emphasizing that he was a critical piece that was not only an essential building block of everything that had been achieved so far, but was also a vital cog of his defensive philosophy. Rafa bet on the critical leverage point of "needing his player" for the long-term and it paid off. Not one to expound or wax poetically, Rafa nonetheless explained his reasoning and put a definite end to the Insua saga at a press conference to put this matter to rest once and for all.

​

Rafa Benitez: "To be honest, I usually don't delve into the details of what I discuss with my players.. But given the noise surrounding the rumours about Pablo's future, maybe it's good that I share a little bit about our internal discussions.. I pretty much expressed his individual importance due to his strong personality and player characteristics, a pillar of our 4-4-2. I explained that his defensive discipline and ability to cover space was something that I had learned, in fact that we had all learned, to count on as a guarantee. You see, the Center Midfielders, Mendujanin and Rabiot, have license to move forward when the time is right precisely because the pair of Center Backs enable this progression to occur. I stressed to him that this pivotal role was the base of everything, that his strength of mind, his force of will, was what gave tranquility to the back four and the connecting midfielder line, and that he was a leader in both the emotional and the tactical sense. I think that this, along with his longstanding loyalty to Depor, was more than enough to convince him to stay. I'm truly glad that I was able to turn his mind around, to be honest."

The other piece of the midseason drama was one that, unfortunately, did not go our way. We weren't able to keep the services of Mendujanin's midfielder partner, Juan Domínguez, as Jurgen Klopp personally interfered and recruited him to Liverpool to shore up his midfield, offering him a huge salary and the promise to play in the Premier League. This proved to hard to resist, and it was a tough blow to our squad. Domínguez had been the creative AND defensive partner of Mendujanin for the entirety of Rafa's campaign, had worn the Captain's armband for a while, and was a locker-room leader. Even though Benitez tried to persuade him, the lure of the most glamorous league in the world took a hold as they snatched him away from us. This was an unfortunate turn of events, as we lost one of our best players and an emotional leader. Yet we would not remain with our arms crossed. As soon as Dominguez announced his departure, Rafa went all in on the transfer market. His scouting network worked overtime, and after much searching, we were able to find a hidden gem and a player that held tremendous upside as a midfield replacement: 22-year old Frenchman Adrien Rabiot, languishing on the PSG bench and eager for a move. Rafa's scouts described him as "a complete, mature player, even at his age" with a complete set of skills, and hungry to prove himself in the first team. We signed him immediately.

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ADRIEN RABIOT: "You know, it was actually quite painful to read the French press dismissing me as an "outcast". Playing for PSG was a dream of mine ever since I was small, but to be honest, I was languishing there, not playing, and that is the spiritual death of any footballer. I've left that chapter behind me, and now am ready to embrace my new opportunity here at Depor. After speaking to Rafa, I know that I'm not just REPLACING Dominguez, but I'm bringing in my own personality and my own quality to the team. My characteristics are different, I think of myself as a more offensive and creative player, but I am also committed to respecting and honoring Rafa's philosophy. It's not just about tracking back. It's about RESPECTING THE BALANCE. I know what I have to do here."

The offseason drama was over: With Insua secured and Rabiot under our wings (both literally and figuratively) after the Dominguez debacle, it was time for the second half of the season to get underway, go back to the pitch. A definite turnaround of form ensued, as Rafa's squad started building real momentum. In Fixture 20, and continuing the road warrior theme, Rafa started Rabiot immediately in Fixture 20 on the road against Elche, and the understood the tactics immediately: The understanding of a complete footballing architecure, the structure and the springboard, and the trusting of offensive instincts. Benitez set up a low block immediately, and this base was an inspiration for the dynamic duo, Benzia and Seung Dae, as they scored on minutes 19 and 75, respectively, with two lethal counterattacks! (A great example of being outshot, but absorbing pressure, put faith on the block and countering with precision and creativity.) A true "style game", and a statement to open the second half of the season. After three consecutive draws, each with their own ebbs and flows in Fixtures 21, 22, and 23 (2-2 vs Real Sociedad, 0-0 vs Valladolid, and 1-1 vs Villarreal), we were eager to pick up our winning ways. Going to Bilbao's stadium for Fixture 24, defensive coverage and a single goal by Benzia (0-1) put us back on the victory path before our long awaited return match vs Simeone's Atletico, this time in Vicente Calderón. This was a definite "fortress mentality" match, and although we played well, Antoine's Griezmann's solitary goal was the only separating factor in the match (1-0 defeat).. Once again, we had played Atleti tit-for-tat, and despite the loss, there was a definite silver lining there, as this "moral victory" lifted us to 2 consecutive wins, 2-0 vs Almería at home (another clean sheet by our young goalkeper Hassen, featuring goals from Aguirregaray and Kim), and another 0-2 result, this time against Levante! Control, Balance, Counterattacking Speed. Hallmarks of the Benitez style. Even though Fixture 28 was a rather uneventful 0-0 draw in Valladolid's ground, we then went to Rayo Vallecano's stadium and exploded for the first time all season: A 2-4 carnival victory ensued in Fixture 29 (with 2 goals by Kim, 1 by Benzia, and 1 by our dynamic Mendujanin, all powerful finishes in the box)! This was actually a very significant victory that took most of the Spanish media by surprise (they had grown used to seeing Rafa's Depor under a "certain" and "assumed" style", but Benitez was actually calm, explaining everything in a consequential manner in the post-match press conference:

​

RAFA BENITEZ: (slightly irritated) "Defensive coach". "Safety-first". "Doesn't take risks". This is something that I've heard all my life, ever since I started my career at Valencia. You see, I am not surprised by this result. You have to understand, this is Football, and Football is a simple game with complex dynamics. You score more than your opponent, you win. But underneath that seemingly straightforward objective, there's hours of study and analysis that go into building the personality of a team. Let me see if I can, once again, explain it in a way that you guys can understand it. What happened here today wasn't an "offensive explosion". It's one of those things that happens in football from time to time as a consequence of trusting a balanced structure. 4-4-2. 4-2-3-1. These are just starting points. Numbers. What we've built here (and what we've always tried to build regardless of where we go), is the necessary CONFIDENCE to create the IMPULSE for freedom. You cannot be creative if you're losing the ball constantly. You cannot trust your instincts if you don't have a structure to support you. This creates the necessary conditions that enable the players and gives them the power to trust their instincts on a second-to-second basis. This is what happened here."

Benitez had made his point: The classy offensive display against Rayo was not an aberration, but a consequence. Regardless of the underlying philosophy, this result was the start of something truly special. A momentous sprint to the finish line of the season, in which we didn't just "play well", but SOARED in the last 9 games, showing a lot of class and elevated our performance to realize Rafa's vision ever since he had arrived 3 years ago. Fixture 30 was yet another convincing win against Granada, as Yassine Benzia proved Benitez's point with a flourish, as his HUGE night out resulted in his first hat-trick of his Depor Career, all three goals coming in the second half!! (A total screamer from outside the box in minute 62, a deft touch and classy finish in minute 67, and an impressive one-time bouncing shot in minute 76). This was an absolutely historic performance by the Frenchman-Algerian, one that went beyond just "hitting his stride". It announced his arrival as the team's biggest offensive star, not only because of the hat-trick itself, but also due to the manner and the importance of his performance at this precise moment of the season.

​

YASSINE BENZIA: "An incredible night, to be honest. When I think of what was instilled in me in the streets of Lyon, growing up as an immigrant, facing difficult circumstances, it makes the journey and the destination even sweeter. I know that the start of the season was not the one that the fans and the press expected, and it took me a while to find my bearings here, but tonight felt like I finally arrived. Boss's utmost faith in my abilities is what I'm most grateful for. He stuck by me, even in my early struggles, and now I am repaying his faith with displaying my capabilities. We still have a lot to do, and there's still a lot of Fixtures left, but this felt good. It felt right. I'm letting my football speak for itself."

With these two matches as inspirations, we were poised and continued our torrid run in our next two encounters: Kim reminding everyone of his importance while scoring in a 1-0 win against Málaga, and a 0-1 away victory against Espanyol with our trademark control/drama two-faced coin, as Rabiot scored the game winner to silence the crowd in decisive and epic fashion late in the game. This run of 4 Straight Victories (the first time we had achieved this under Rafa's tenure) not only signaled the crystalization of his vision, but more importantly, propelled us to our highest La Liga position in this entire campaign, THIRD, with only SIX matches left to go. A shimmering and shining run of form. And although we couldn't hold off Barcelona on the second leg of our Catalunya trip (as they played truly inspired Football in a 4-1 win in Camp Nou), we rebounded in trademark fashion in one of the strangest, most surreal Dali-esque games in Fixture 34: An epic comeback and another hat-trick by Benzia, all coming from well-deserved and correctly called Penalty Kicks! In contrast, Fixture 35 was a tough, character defining match against Valencia, yet the result was indeed, another victory, an 0-1 away win, maintaining our defensive identity brilliantly and taking advantage of a brilliant one-on-many run by our Side Back Helder Costa, who converted clinically as a forceful complement to our intricate defensive geometry. With threematches left to go, and despite our tough loss against Barca, 3rd place and Champions League position was up for grabs. Going back home for Fixture 36, we hosted the League Leaders (and almost sure League Champions) Real Madrid, and we earned a HUGE point, showing tons of determination to even the score after trailing in the first half, as Kim once again showed his clutch performance. This was the first time that we played Madrid on even terms (denying their title celebration on our grounds-a significant event). This result showed our improvement: Not only could we HANG with the Spanish Kings, but we could even CHALLENGE them on an 11v11 battle. And, although we weren't able to wrap up third place in Fixture 38 (a 1-1 draw against Valencia), we were completely poised to face the last match of the season, one with much higher emotional stakes: We would close out the year with the Derby against Celta de Vigo! The stadium was roaring, hailing their heroes, and, with third place up for grabs, the emotions ran high, and we delivered. A goal by Isaac Cuenca in the first half, a goal by Kim in the second (with one of his trademarked angled finishes), and the final whistle of the season blew as the players raised their arms in the air. A double victory: Winning BOTH derbies of the season, and MOST IMPORTANTLY, securing third place in the standings, behind Real and Barca, and ensuring our passage to the Champions League! As the players took their victory laps around the stadium, this TRULY felt like more than an achievement. It felt like DELIVERANCE. What a campaign. What relief. What achievement. Rafa Benitez had delivered the promises of three years of uninterrupted ascendancy, and as the cheers and chanting rained down from the Galician stands, it was clear as water: What we had achieved in this third season was truly remarkable.

​

HELDER POSTIGA: "I knew I made the right choice when I rejected the offers from the Portuguese clubs. This has been one of the most enjoyable seasons of my career, placing Benzia and Kim under my wing. I didn't play as much as in my other seasons, but I didn't have to. I came in the right moments, gave everything I had, and used my experience to mentor and guide, to conserve my energy for vital moments, and my body and my mind thanked me for it. When someone looks back at my stats for this season, my minutes logged and the goals and assists scored are not the true measure of our success. I think that late, in my career, this is precisely what my footballing soul needed. Being a part of a winning team is so much sweeter than being the star of an average one!"

RAFA BENITEZ: "This is the result of three years of hard work, of organization, of giving yourself the best chance to win, by coming to every match with a clear idea and try to execute it faithfully. But like I've always said. Football is a strange and simple game. At times, it is the moments of individual brilliance, the beautiful and chaotic parts of the game, that can define moments in a match. To be able to enable these moments though, this controlled chaos, you HAVE to have a balance and an understanding of the dynamics of handling space.. Knowing when to attack, knowing when to pull back, when to create and when to destroy. At the end of Season 2, I told you guys that football, like many things in life, was about building. I continue to believe that, and will always believe it. 11th place. 8th. 3rd. Time, patience, and a long-term vision. This has been one of the most successful spells in my managerial career precisely because the players and the fans understand that you cannot build a footballing metropolis overnight. Trusting my players, have them trust me, it's all part of the balance that we've achieved, and that gives us all the hunger to continue with our objectives: every win, every goal scored and every dispossession, is a step closer to our ultimate goal: to bring happiness to the fans of Deportivo La Coruña. See you all in Season 4."

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:BSCARF::TU: Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Master League Stories! :TU::BSCARF:
:YES: Deportivo La Coruña's Fourth Season Underway!:YES:​
Click to expand...

Mate... what can I say! You translated Depor's adventure into a pure football romance, the alchemy between Rafa and the guys being a tangible thing!

The third place is just the beginning... can't wait to see the Super Depor making his glorious, well deserved comeback in Champions League! :BSCARF:

(I think it will be maybe easier to win that than giving battles to those two colossus on top :LOL:, but in Rafa we trust!:BSCARF:)
 
@Holland @Joga @Madmac79

Thanks guys!! It was a crazy, emotional ride of a season, one that I would've never expected this league position!!
The battle of each fixture, the atmosphere and the challenge of facing the three giants (along with Atleti)..
I can honestly say it's one of the most immersive campaigns I've ever had!! :BSCARF:
Playing as Rafa, reading deeply into his philosophy, taking a 70-77 rated team and building the blocks, piece by piece, with Benitez's trademark tactics, organization and way of thinking, as well as his personality.. His professorial style, the insanity and lunacy of actually challenging for third place.. It has been something truly fantastic!!
Oh and @Joga, that website is absolutely golden.. A true gem!! Downloading the Soundtrack for TMNT 4: Turtles in Time right now!! (Sewer Surfin') :TU:
Stay tuned for Season 4, my friends!! :BSCARF:Will we be able to maintain our League form while going to the CL?? Can't wait..
Really appreciate you guys enjoying the stories! Feel like you guys are right there with me! :)



(Journey's singer actually looks a bit like Comizzo hahahaha) :LOL:
 
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