I Am Jose-Chapter 67 - : The Penalty Shootout

There's no denying that José's bold and reckless style of play really threw the Arsenal team off guard at first.

Even after bringing on two fresh faces, Arsenal's offense still lacked any significant impact. After all, with the loss of a defensive midfielder, their defensive vulnerabilities were laid bare, and Mallorca's three forwards were a serious threat to them.

However, it didn't take long for them to realize that Mallorca was like a donkey from Guizhou—despite having three forwards on the field, Luke, once he came on, played as a left midfielder focused on defense, while Eto'o took the right midfielder role, purely defensive as well. Only Tristan was playing up front, but he wasn't creating much of a threat.

By the time they realized this, ten minutes had already passed in the second half...

With the momentum of their fresh players, Arsenal began pressing with heavy attacks. However, despite Henry's determined efforts, he couldn't pose much of a threat on the wings. As for Suker, his performance since joining Arsenal this season had been nothing short of disastrous. He wasn't the same Croatian striker who won the World Cup Golden Boot two years ago...

Although Mallorca was down a player, their defense remained firm. Stankovic and Mota stood strong at the edge of the penalty area, and though they might not have had the same experience as the previous two defensive midfielders, they were younger, stronger, and more willing to put in the effort. Meanwhile, Luke, who was running tirelessly, and Eto'o, who supported the defense, provided strong support on both wings.

Franco made crucial saves against Kanú and Henry's long-range shots, while Ljungberg's attempt sailed over the crossbar. The longer Mallorca held on, the more confident they became in defense. Their penalty practice sessions had them eagerly awaiting the impending penalty shootout!

Finally...

"BEEP, BEEP, BEEP—"

Two short blasts, followed by a long one, signaling the end of the match! The game was heading into a penalty shootout!

"120 minutes of play have come to a close! Neither team managed to score during the match! We now head into the nail-biting penalty shootout! Let's see who will emerge victorious in this thrilling conclusion!" the commentators said, finally getting excited after a mostly uneventful 120 minutes. The penalty shootout was their chance to show off their skills.

Meanwhile, the scene on the field was full of activity.

Medical staff and masseuses worked to help players recover from fatigue, while the coaches gathered to discuss the upcoming penalty takers...

"Yuvan will go first," José said.

The assistant coaches nodded. Stankovic, as Mallorca's first penalty taker, was the right choice to start, as it would boost the team's morale.

"Diego second, Samuel third... Thiago fourth, Albert fifth," José continued.

The assistant coaches exchanged uneasy glances. It seemed reasonable to have Tristan and Eto'o, the main forwards, take the first two penalties, as forwards typically have better shooting technique than defenders, who rarely shoot. But having Mota and Luke take the fourth and fifth penalties seemed risky—especially Luke, who hadn't played a single match this season! Could he handle the pressure of such an important penalty?

"We won't worry about that," José waved his hand dismissively. "We'll put the most reliable players up first, and those with less confidence will go last. As long as we score more than they do, the pressure will shift to Arsenal!"

José's assistant coaches were left with some lingering doubts but had little choice but to finalize the penalty takers' list and hand it to the fourth official. The first five takers were sorted out, and the rest would follow based on positions. At this point, Mallorca's numerical disadvantage no longer mattered.

As the assistant coaches prepared to submit the list, José walked onto the field and quietly relayed the penalty order to the players. Mota and Luke, both thrilled to be playing in this match, were especially excited about taking part in the penalty shootout.

"Do well, I believe in you both!" José clapped them on the shoulder and said.

Then he gave all the players a reassuring smile before stepping off the field.

The assistant coaches had finalized the list, and after José gave it one last check, ensuring everything was in order, he sent Natal to submit it to the fourth official. With everything in place, José took his seat again.

He was nervous, undeniably so, but he couldn't show it.

Up until now, his tactical plans had faced some interruptions, but they had slowly been carried out—whether it was the tight defense or disrupting the opponent's rhythm with sudden attacks. Everything had gone as planned. The penalty shootout was something he had thoroughly prepared for, but he couldn't afford to let his guard down just yet.

He didn't know the final result of this match in history, but he was confident. The key was that Wenger, despite his impressive tenure at Arsenal, had never won a European competition title!

This meant Arsenal was destined not to win this trophy—this reasoning gave José immense confidence. Of course, he also knew that he had been reborn, and the landscape of European football was beginning to shift, with unknown outcomes ahead. But José deliberately chose to ignore that for now.

Without unwavering belief in victory, how could he handle the pressure that lay ahead?

José let out a long breath. The moment of truth had arrived. Whether or not Mallorca would claim their first-ever European trophy and change history would depend on what happened next!

At that moment, José suddenly felt a slight pain in his lower back. He had experienced this nagging discomfort a few times over the past couple of weeks, but with all the preparations for Arsenal, he hadn't given it much thought. After all, since his rebirth, his body had been in peak condition, a far cry from his sedentary former self.

The pain faded after a while, and José chose not to dwell on it. The penalty shootout was about to begin!

Not just him, but all the fans in the stadium, those watching on TV, and the commentators were fully focused. After 120 minutes of dull play, this was the moment everyone had been waiting for—the real drama was about to unfold.

After all that waiting, this was the moment they had all been anticipating!

"The assistant coaches have handed the list of penalty takers to the fourth official... Now the players are gathering at the center circle, standing shoulder to shoulder, motivating each other for the task ahead... We don't yet know the exact order, but we do know that Mallorca will take the first penalty. Being the first to take the penalty has both advantages and disadvantages. If they score, they'll have the psychological edge and put pressure on the opponent, but if they miss, the advantage will swing immediately to the other side..."

The commentators rambled on, but everyone, from the fans to the viewers at home, was holding their breath, waiting for the penalty shootout to begin.

The goal at the far end of the field, where Mallorca had been playing in the second half of extra time, was where the penalty shootout would take place. Franco and Seaman, the two goalkeepers, left their teammates and made their way to the goal, listening to the referee's instructions.

"The first penalty will be taken by Mallorca. Both goalkeepers must leave the field, and no one is allowed to interfere with the penalty takers, or they'll receive a yellow card. Do you understand?" the referee asked.

Seaman, with his slicked-back hair and braided ponytail, nodded in understanding. Franco, much younger at 22 compared to Seaman's 36 years, also nodded, his face clean-shaven and youthful.

As the first penalty taker, Stankovic was about to face Seaman, a goalkeeper known for his experience, though not particularly renowned for saving penalties.

Stankovic approached, watching Seaman's positioning carefully. He knew Seaman was an experienced keeper, so trick shots probably wouldn't work. However, older goalkeepers sometimes react more slowly, so if he could take the shot decisively, Seaman's reaction might be a fraction too slow.

With that in mind, Stankovic set his sights on the goal, prepared to give it his all.

The referee blew the whistle, signaling the start of the penalty shootout!

"Stankovic starts his run-up!" the commentators announced.

José held his breath. The first penalty was crucial, and that's exactly why he had entrusted his most reliable penalty taker, Stankovic, with the honor of taking it.

Stankovic ran up to the ball, swung his left foot, and struck it cleanly and decisively.

The shot was sharp and unambiguous, no hesitation at all.

Seaman, expecting some delay or feint, was caught off guard by the speed of Stankovic's shot. He leaped, but it was too late.

R𝑒ad latest chapt𝒆rs at freewebnovёl.ƈom Only.

The ball clipped the right post and found the back of the net.

The Mallorca fans erupted in wild cheers, and José let out a sigh of relief, turning to embrace Natal in celebration!

This goal was crucial. With that first penalty in the bag, the rest of the shootout would be a lot easier.