A dead ball appeared on the field.
The fourth official raised the electronic signboard.
Sporting de Gijón requested a substitution. Benzema, who was injured and unable to continue playing, was replaced by the veteran, Michael Pihra.
Li Ang comforted the somewhat depressed young French player. It was still unclear how Benzema's injury was. They needed to wait for further examination results after the game.
Michael Pihra stood on the sidelines. He bent down and reached out to touch the turf of El Molinon Stadium. He had a pious expression and muttered something under his breath. Then, he strode onto the field.
There was a warm applause in the stands of El Molinon Stadium. The fans of Sporting de Gijón liked the 36-year-old veteran who was an "amateur player." It could be said that the story of Michael Pihra and his persistence in his football dream was something that many people wanted to do but were unable to do. In him, many fans saw the shadow of their own dreams and dreams in their youth.
Gihon's local media once described the feeling of watching Macgur Pihra play for Sporting Gihon's First Team and score a goal. "When I saw Macgur on the field, my heart raced. It was as if I was Macgur and Macgur was me. My childhood dream and the present had swapped time and space … When Macgur scored the goal, I jumped up in excitement. I had goosebumps all over my body and was so excited that I almost fainted. When I saw Macgur score the goal, I couldn't hold back my tears any longer … That day, when we left the field, many of our old buddies' eyes were red. We drank until we were dead drunk and kept raising our glasses, shouting 'For Macgur!'
In Gijón, Michael Pihra represented a spirit, a spirit of optimism, the pursuit of dreams, and perseverance.
*****
"Is this the old man called Michael from Gijón?" José González, the manager of Albacete, asked his assistant.
In the season after the team was promoted to La Liga, Michael Pihra was rarely given a chance to play. So far, he had only played four times. Moreover, when the managers of the opposing teams of Sporting Gihon studied the players of Sporting Gihon, eight or nine times out of ten, the introduction of Michael Pihra in their notebooks contained descriptions such as "an amateur veteran," "rarely played," or at most, "this person is better at headers."
Sporting de Gijón was now a famous dark horse team in the entire Spanish football world. Players such as Ribéry, Mata, Pepe, Dinatale, Diego Milito, and Benzema were now quite famous. However, in this dark horse's journey to conquer the Iberian Peninsula, no one paid attention to the veteran Michael Pihra. He was a veteran who had almost no presence in many rival teams' managers.
Therefore, it was no wonder that José González was so surprised.
"Yes, Michael Pihra, the player who is good at headers," Assistant Coach González said with a smile. Gasperini said with a smile, "That's what the information says, but who knows what his real strength is?"
Gasperini's words were full of disdain. A 36-year-old old man who had played amateur football all his life had only been lucky enough to score a few goals in the last season's Segunda División. He had almost no chance to play this season at Sporting de Gijón, so his strength could be imagined.
"Tsk tsk, there's no one to replace in Gijón." José González nodded. He agreed with his assistant's words. From his point of view, there was no one left to replace Sporting Gihon. They could only replace the old man.
"Do you want to arrange for someone to take special care of him?" Gasperini asked. Deep down, he was disdainful of Michael Pihra. However, as an assistant manager, he had to ask and remind the manager.
At this time, on the field, Modric's long shot hit the body of Albacete's midfielder, Francesco. It changed direction and went out of the end line.
Sporting de Gijón got a chance for a corner kick.
Ribéry drove the football into the penalty area, looking for Michael Pihra's point.
The old man wanted to jump to fight for the header, but after being squeezed by the Albacete defender, Argus, he could not jump at all. Instead, his body fell forward and he fell flat on his face.
"Ha. Do you think we still need to worry about such a shaky old man? "José González said with a laugh.
His assistant, Gasperini, also could not help but laugh. "Did Li Ang send this old man to be funny?"
*****
Michael Pihra got up from the ground.
The Albacete defender, Argus, glared at him and growled, "Hey, old man, don't think about diving."
Old man?!
Looking at the guy in front of him who looked so proud, Michael Pihra clenched his fists.
In the following game, Sporting de Gijón constantly tried to kick high balls from the side, looking for Michael Pihra's point.
However, McGuire's performance was terrible. He only managed to grab the ball once, but the ball that he headed out was high and wide. The other times, he was not able to head the ball at all. In front of the opponent's tall defender, the 36-year-old veteran struggled. He had to use more energy to compete with the opponent's body.
Li Ang stood on the sidelines and could not help but shake his head in his heart. Michael Pihra was indeed old. His aptitude was very average, and now he was old and had not been on the battlefield for a long time … Li Ang began to consider whether to continue to play from the side. Based on Michael Pihra's performance in the six or seven minutes on the field, it was impossible to count on him.
Li Ang sighed in his heart. He liked Michael Pihra a lot, and it could be said that he somewhat admired him. He missed the time when they were promoted together last season and still had a special feeling. Unfortunately, time was unforgiving. In just half a year's time, Michael Pihra could not be used.
*****
Michael Pihra panted heavily.
Although he had only played for seven or eight minutes, he had been competing physically with the opponent's defender. This caused his stamina to deplete quickly. Sweat streamed down his forehead and dripped down his cheeks.
He was very dissatisfied with his performance in these seven or eight minutes.
Very dissatisfied!
He kept thinking of a sentence in his mind, "Michael Pihra, the team needs you now!"
The team needs you now, Michael Pihra!
Come on!
Michael Pihra!
Teach the bastard who called you an 'old man' a good lesson!
He clenched his fists and cheered himself on!
*****
A minute later, Albacete's players retreated very well and kept passing back. There was a mistake in a return pass. Their goalkeeper, Valbrena, faced with Di Natale's pressing, shoveled the football out of the end line in a sorry state. Sporting de Gijón got another chance for a corner kick.
Michael Pihra squeezed into the crowd, lowered his head and panted heavily. He was seizing every moment to recover his stamina. He wanted to explode all his energy at the moment of fighting for a header!
This time, it was Di Natale who was going to kick the corner kick. He hugged the football, wrapped it in his jersey, and wiped it before putting it on the corner kick spot.
Pepe and Ivanović also ran into Albacete's penalty area, ready to participate in this corner kick attack.
These two defenders, who were good at headers, immediately became the focus of Albacete's marking.
The penalty area was crowded with people, pulling and tugging.
Just as the corner kick was about to be sent out, someone fell to the ground. Pepe and the Albacete players had an altercation.
Li Ang roared on the sidelines, "Hurry up!"
Now, for Sporting de Gijón, time was so precious.
Then, he turned his head and saw Michael Pihra in the penalty area. The 36-year-old veteran had his head down and was still panting heavily.
Li Ang pursed his lips tightly, gritted his teeth, and roared in a voice that only he could hear, "Michael, come on!"
Although from Michael Pihra's performance during this period of time, reason told him that Michael Pihra would not be able to do much, he still hoped to see a miracle. This miracle did not only belong to him, Li Ang, and Sporting de Gijón, but also to Michael!
*****
The main referee, Depay, warned the players on both sides to behave. Then, after he made sure that the people in the penalty area had behaved, he stepped out and signaled that Di Natale could kick the ball.
Di Natale looked in the penalty area. Ivanović and Pepe both raised their hands, indicating that they should kick towards their heads. He also saw Michael Pihra.
To be exact, it was not what he saw. It was what he felt.
He felt Michael's gaze. That gaze was incomparably firm. It even made Di Natale feel a kind of tragic unwillingness and stubbornness!
Di Natale ran up!
He rubbed the ball and it flew into the penalty area in an arc.
At that moment, someone jumped high in the penalty area. At that moment, he jumped higher than everyone else. His opponent had just jumped up when he was already in the air.
Straighten his back, exert his strength, swing his head, and attack the goal!
It was so smooth!
It was the perfect combination of strength and jumping!
And the beauty of the header at the end!
The ball flew into the goal and Albacete's goalkeeper could only wave his hand subconsciously. He was unable to obstruct the ball in any way.
The ball rolled up the net. The fluttering of the snow-white net was so beautiful.
El Molinon Stadium was suddenly very quiet.
Then, everyone saw Michael Pihra rushing into the net and picking up the ball. As he ran, he waved his fists and shouted. His expression was somewhat ferocious and sweat slid down his cheeks.
Almost instantly, a tsunami of cheers, shouts, and roars rang out.
"Michael Pihra! Michael Pihra! Michael Pihra! Michael Pihra! "Everyone shouted his name in a frenzy.
Everyone seemed to have gone mad!
Everyone!
The entire stadium was shaking!
PS: In the name of Michael Pihra, I am asking for a monthly vote. This chapter was constantly brewing in my mind. If I am not satisfied, I will edit it again. I will do it again and again. I hope that the updated version will satisfy everyone.
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