[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca":3,"chapter-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-87":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Emperor of Football: Julien De Rocca",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1556074,2020,"Chapter 87: Chapter-87 Some Legacies","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-87",87,"\u003Cp>\"Red card! That's a dangerous tackle!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Must be a red card!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Is this even football? Even MMA doesn't have moves like that!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the whistle blew, Stade Césari erupted in fury, with Bastia fans cursing loudly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Some fans even threw paper cups at the field, with cola and pastis splashing onto nearby Guingamp players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But the Guingamp players had no mind for the fans, they were all pleading with the referee, \"Giresse didn't mean it—this was just an accident.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Giresse was going for the ball.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia players rushed up to yell at Giresse, \"Who taught you to tackle from behind?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giresse knew he'd been reckless the moment he made the tackle. After getting up, he immediately held his hands open in front of him, showing regret and guilt.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ignoring Rothen and the others' anger, he went to check on De Rocca lying on the ground, asking, \"Hey mate, I'm really sorry. Are you okay?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien waved him off without speaking.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It hurt like hell.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This made him understand why, in his previous life, whether it was the Ronaldos, Messi, Neymar, or others, their socks were full of holes and often bloodstained after matches.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When your dribbling ability was overwhelmingly superior, everyone defending you went for the player.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Knowing they couldn't stop the ball, they went for the person instead.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien clutched his shin. Giresse had tackled him from behind after being beaten, using what was essentially a scissor-kick motion to bring him down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If he hadn't been alert, that tackle would definitely have caught his ankle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seeing the situation getting out of control, with Bastia and Guingamp players starting to shove each other, the referee blew his whistle again, pointed at Giresse, and pulled out a red card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Straight red!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>BOOO!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The moment the red card appeared, Stade Césari erupted in fierce booing.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Same name, no fame!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Same name, no game!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia fans chanted in unison, humiliating little Giresse.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Giresse walked through the player tunnel, fans on both sides taunted him:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Your father's ashamed of you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You're a shadow with a surname!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ligue 1's not for legacy flops—go home!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giresse kept his head down as he walked back to the dressing room, appearing to show no reaction to these voices.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was the son of French legend Alain Giresse and had long accepted all these doubts during his professional career.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>People meeting him for the first time would always say, \"Ah? Alain Giresse is your father?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their expression seemed just short to ask, Not biological, right?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>For French fans, Alain Giresse was as legendary a name as Platini.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was incredibly short, even shorter than Messi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With boots on, he was only about 162cm tall.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with this height, in the 1980s, Alain Giresse became Bordeaux's core midfielder alongside Jean Tigana.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Giresse was named French Player of the Year in 1982, 1983, and 1987.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the 1982 Ballon d'Or voting, he ranked higher than Michel Platini, second only to winner Paolo Rossi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He was also a key contributor to France's 1984 European Championship victory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Unfortunately, Thibault Giresse lacked his father's talent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He left the field dejected.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sideline, Guingamp coach Le Bris frowned deeply. The team was already behind, and now they were down to ten men.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was difficult.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ligue 2 commentator said, \"Guingamp's only option now is to defend with everyone back. They have no hope of victory—Bastia will break down their defense.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Rocca got up amid the crowd's cheers. He moved his foot around—there was no real problem.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But he had to be careful about this. This served as a warning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now he unknowingly enjoyed top-star treatment in Ligue 2—basketball had \"Hack-a-Shaq\" tactics, and football had lumberjacks too.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This was the inescapable fate of players with elite dribbling ability.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia's free kick was taken, and Guingamp defended with everyone back.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The scene became a half-field attacking drill.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This small-area offense and defense showcased De Rocca's characteristics perfectly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guingamp's defensive strength was almost entirely concentrated on the right flank, trying to lock down Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But De Rocca's feet were more flexible with the ball than hands.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A flick, a pull, then a cut. Following Julien's movements, the Guingamp players' center of gravity was pulled back and forth.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guingamp's right-side defense was utterly embarrassed!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At 85th minute.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Rocca received Rothen's pass and dribbled forward along the penalty area's edge.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After two touches, he stopped and feinted a shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Guingamp's defenders quickly moved to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien flicked the ball sideways and continued dribbling for two more touches, then feinted with his left foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Three defenders slid down in unison to block.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But De Rocca suddenly cut inside.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The three defenders were left behind as they scrambled to get up. Julien had already turned around.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Right-footed shot!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Though it wasn't his preferred foot, his earlier rhythm had not only left the defenders flailing but also disrupted the goalkeeper's positioning.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Any shot on target would score!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>SWOOSH!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball thundered into the net!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The emotions of over ten thousand fans ignited instantly as they cheered passionately, raising their arms in wild celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Julien ran toward the corner flag, he slid on his knees.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Rising smoothly, he spread his arms wide toward the UB members in the north stand.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Countless fans celebrating wildly before him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Teammates following behind him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This moment captured the essence of youthful ambition!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"GOOOAL!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca! Guingamp's defense looked utterly embarrassed against De Rocca!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca's entire body is a feint—it's hard to imagine such pace from someone who is almost 1.8 meters tall!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"This season's gem discovered by Bastia will have countless teams fighting over him in the summer window. This is another French super talent!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Ligue 2 commentator spoke passionately.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia was in celebration.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Seven matches left in the league!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Reims had also won this round—they only led by 8 points, but the Ligue 2 championship was getting closer to Bastia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Former league leaders Clermont had fallen to fifth place due to injuries and other factors in the season's final stretch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"No team can threaten Bastia's championship throne anymore. Only Bastia themselves can lose this title!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>3-1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadzibegic made substitutions decisively.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the league, as long as they could win and let Julien score when possible, that was enough.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The key was still the French Cup.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next match was the semifinal!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even facing lower-division opponents, Hadzibegic remained calm, not wanting to follow Deschamps and Marseille's footsteps.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the two minutes of stoppage time ended and the final whistle blew, Julien's name could be heard being sung over the stadium to the streets.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"De Rocca!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Despite only twenty-plus minutes of playing time, Julien still delivered a goal for the team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fans celebrated wildly chanting his name and were filled with anticipation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As players thanked the stadium crowd, the fans unfurled a banner saying in French: \"De Rocca, take us to Stade de France!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Stade de France was the venue for the French Cup final!!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>________________________________________________________\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Check out my patreon where you can read more chapters:\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>patreon.com\u002FLorianFiction\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thanks for the support\u003C\u002Fp>",1173,"2026-06-06T07:35:06.179Z",1,"novelbin.me","62bc474fec25505e82321154fd028689aaff0dd4126cf17f78e0294e460eaf99","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-88","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-86",628,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Femperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-cover.jpg"]