[{"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-90":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},1556077,2020,"Chapter 90: Chapter-90 The Semi-Final","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-90",90,"\u003Cp>The offending Valero kept waving his finger at the referee, \"No, this is absolutely not a penalty. I touched the ball first.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The home Rouen fans kept making noise, even shouting \"corrupt referee\" and \"dive.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The referee was very firm, pointing to his own eyes and saying, \"I saw it. This was indeed a foul.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>And at the assistant referee's prompting, he ran to the sideline to show Quevilly-Rouen head coach Garde a yellow card.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Because Garde had just unleashed a tirade at the fourth official.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garde shrugged his shoulders and muttered some more.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He knew he would get a yellow card, and he even knew this was a penalty, but at such an important moment, as head coach, he had to step forward.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had to put pressure on the referee.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He couldn't let the players protest and get yellow cards, could he? In this match, they already had a high risk of yellow cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garde sat down on the bench, gulped down two mouthfuls of water, and sighed heavily. Thinking of De Rocca, he asked the assistant coach beside him, \"Any ideas?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The assistant coaches all shook their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their expressions were somewhat grim—this Bastia was even harder to play against than Marseille.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>De Rocca's point was really difficult to handle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Garde couldn't help but complain, \"Where the hell did Bastia find such a monstrous player? I'm so damn envious. Why doesn't our Rouen have this kind of player?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No one answered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the field.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maolida held the ball and stood at the penalty spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When the whistle sounded, Maolida cleanly blasted the ball into the top corner, giving goalkeeper Issa Coulibaly no chance at all.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball hit the net!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>0-1.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia took the lead away from home!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Maolida rushed toward Julien, lifted him straight up, and roared \"Julien!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The rest of the players also rushed over.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They were all beaming with joy. This was the first step toward reaching the final!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hadzibegic saw the team take the lead, celebrated with a few punches in the air, then calmed down.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This season, Bastia was the most attacking team in the French Cup, mainly because they had thrashed lower-level league teams in the early rounds.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the seventh round of the French Cup, they had crushed Sens-Beaujeu 8-0 away, and in the eighth round and round of 32, they had won both matches by four goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, playing against a National team, especially with Julien on the field—was one goal really that much?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The players walked toward the center circle.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the way, Rothen patted Julien on the back and said, \"Be careful, don't get injured. Their pitch quality isn't great, and they play rough. Watch yourself.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Hearing Rothen's words, Julien felt warmth in his heart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He nodded, \"Got it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The match continued.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Quevilly-Rouen didn't rush to attack. They were worried about giving Bastia more attacking space, so they wanted to stabilize the situation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But Bastia had no intention of giving them a chance to recover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They increased the pressing intensity in the final third.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Especially David, who ran very actively. This might be his last experience competing for a cup title with Bastia, and he wanted to leave something for the Bastia fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't want to become one of those names that are no longer remembered after leaving the club.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So, he was especially active.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Quevilly-Rouen players' technical ability wasn't strong to begin with.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After just a few passes, Bastia intercepted the ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Under Hadzibegic's instructions, Julien increased his range of movement. He not only suddenly increased Quevilly-Rouen's defensive pressure but also made their players' positioning somewhat chaotic.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They hadn't anticipated that Julien would move to the center.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When Julien got the ball, Rouen couldn't even determine who should mark him, and could only have the nearest player cover.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In the hasty covering defense, Julien slipped past them at first contact.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien drove forward with the ball straight through the middle!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In front of Quevilly-Rouen's penalty area, there was panic everywhere.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Defensive players rushed toward Julien from all directions, forming a three-man circle to try to stop him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But they completely didn't expect that during his dribbling breakthrough, Julien suddenly accelerated.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even the home fans were stunned by this move from Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Single-handedly, he beat four players!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Center-back Vanukia panicked and went down in a sliding tackle toward Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Julien suddenly stopped, then cut again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Face to face with the goalkeeper!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>His right foot planted on the ground, his left foot swung back preparing for a shot. The moment the goalkeeper reacted, his ankle flicked.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He kicked in the opposite direction!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Swoosh!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Issa was helpless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>0-2!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After scoring, Julien didn't even celebrate, just smiled and pumped his fist toward his teammates.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Goal!! Too easy!!\" The French Cup broadcast commentator exclaimed. \"Julien's dribbling is becoming more and more effortless. Against a lower-level team like Quevilly-Rouen, even his speed isn't a disadvantage—they simply can't defend against him! It's a complete mismatch!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Zidane was right—this match is just Julien's performance before the final!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Sunset Café Bar, cheers rang out continuously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The TV kept replaying the slow-motion footage of Julien beating four players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Julien is so cool! Without slow motion, I couldn't even see his movements clearly!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm now full of confidence in the team. I feel that under Julien's leadership, we can definitely recreate the 1981 French Cup victory.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Thirty-one years... time flies so fast. When we won the cup that year, my father was still alive. We haven't won the French Cup for a full thirty-one years. Without Julien, who knows how many more sets of thirty-one years we'd have to wait.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Julien, win this damn French Cup and give us the double Crown!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Double Crown!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cheers mixed with the sound of clinking glasses echoed in every Bastia fan's heart, all crying out about their championship dreams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madrid, Spain, Conde de Orgaz district.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In Zidane's mansion.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morientes sighed, \"This definitely isn't his real ability. He should be in the top flight, not wasting time in Ligue 2.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Watching the referee on TV repeatedly pull-out yellow cards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morientes felt nervous for Julien's opponents—truly, except for fouling, there was no way to stop Julien.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane nodded, \"Among all the players I've seen, his ball-handling ability is in the strongest tier. He just lacks in physicality, but those things can be trained. Ball sense—you're either born with it or you'll never have it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But speed is also innate. His speed isn't fast, which will hinder his performance in top-level leagues. Dribbling without speed is very difficult,\" Morientes said.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane smiled and shook his head, asking back, \"Do you really think his speed isn't fast?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morientes looked puzzled, \"From the current matches, it certainly seems so.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane wagged his finger, \"That's exactly Julien's intention. Put it this way—his speed could be said to be no worse than Di María's or Kaká's.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Ah, what? Are you sure you're not joking? De Rocca's speed? No worse than Di María's or Kaká's?!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morientes clearly didn't believe it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Blanco told me this, and combined with multiple matches where Julien showed obvious second-gear acceleration, I don't think he was lying to me.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane smiled and continued, \"Perhaps we can bring him to Real Madrid and have him race against Di María—whoever's slower becomes the substitute.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Morientes pressed, \"Are you confident you can poach Julien?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Then you should at least poach that Kylian Mbappé.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane didn't answer.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Meanwhile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Beep!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The halftime whistle sounded on the TV broadcast.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The score: 0-4.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bastia's advancement to the final was basically secured.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane said to Morientes, \"I suddenly feel like Julien might achieve the Double Crown this season.\"\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 your support!\u003C\u002Fp>",1294,"2026-06-06T07:35:06.179Z",1,"novelbin.me","62d4e39e42346c23764e0a62ed00379c891cf3344d3f18b35c9f3e2799c2380b","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-91","emperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-chapter-89",628,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Femperor-of-football-julien-de-rocca-cover.jpg"]