Chapter 139: Chapter 138: The Forgetting Star Falls
"Ding! You’ve won a match and received an SS rating!"
"You’ve obtained the Blue Player Skill ’Flick Pass Mastery.’"
"Flick Pass Mastery: Slightly enhances passing ability. Your flick passes have a chance to transform into shots."
A flick pass is a special kind of footwork.
Essentially it’s performed when a player is stationary and then suddenly swings their leg to lob the ball.
It looks similar to a lob pass.
But the lob pass mainly involves curling the ball with the tip of the foot.
Whereas the flick pass focuses on using the whole leg to generate power, sticking the football to the instep and then throwing it off.
In terms of overhead height, the flick pass wins by a lot.
Moreover, a lob pass requires the foot that’s touching the ball to first swing backwards, but the flick pass can be done without any backswing, lifting the leg directly to complete the pass, making it more sudden.
Players like Ronaldinho, Bruno Fernandes, and Modric really like to use this technique to create threats.
And the flick shot is a flick pass with considerably more power added to it.
After the football soars high, there’s a force as it comes plummeting down.
If it doesn’t result in a goal, that’s one thing; but if it does, it’s goal-of-the-week material.
But this skill isn’t Deng Kai’s biggest gain.
It was only when he was checking out this skill that he realized he had forgotten to claim a reward from the Youth Champions League final.
Hathaway’s crying had interrupted Deng Kai when he was checking his rewards at that time.
And now, finally, this treasure had reappeared before mankind.
Star Drop—Gabi’s Red Card!
"Gabi’s Red Card: Although he has never been selected for the Spanish national team, Gabi is definitely a world-class tenacious midfielder. Tackle +2, Interception +2, Blocking +2, Clearing +2, Defensive Positioning +2, Strength +2."
"After you say ’I am very angry right now,’ for the next three minutes your defensive abilities, combativeness, and the effects of defensive skills all get an enhancement, but the probability of you getting booked also significantly increases (this effect can only be activated once per match)."
"When you receive a yellow card, your personal ability increases by ten percent."
"After a fierce conflict with an opponent, your first tackle will surely knock down the opponent’s player and complete the steal, but you will also definitely receive a red card!"
This...
Is so Gabi.
Definitely a double-edged sword.
This drop is very helpful for Deng Kai’s defensive stat growth and performance.
’I am very angry’ virtually turns Deng Kai into Kante for three minutes, a powerhouse in defense.
Moreover, this can be used in conjunction with the yellow card bonus, transforming the feared yellow gem into an amplifier for Deng Kai.
After all, as an attacking player, carrying a yellow card doesn’t have much impact, but it can increase personal ability by ten percent, which is simply a windfall.
But what really tests Deng Kai’s intelligence and composure is actually the last special effect.
A tackle that will surely knock down the opponent and complete the steal.
Extremely dominant!
But inevitably receiving a red card is also very frustrating.
Unless it’s the last moment, Deng Kai would never use this effect.
But whether he will have a conflict with an opponent is uncertain. If he gets into a conflict too early, then Deng Kai will be in trouble because he can’t slide tackle...
Gabi, oh Gabi, this red card is so Atlético Madrid.
...
Earlier on June 20th.
The match between Spain and their opponent, the Czech Republic, kicked off.
The Czech team relied on Cech’s high catching to block their way into the top four of the European U16 Championship, which was no easy feat.
But that was their limit.
Spain defeated the Czech U16 team two-nil without breaking a sweat, advancing to the final.
The upcoming highlights were all on Germany and Portugal.
"Portuguese team lacks key players, win-rate less than twenty percent!"
"Most of Germany U16 players come from Bayern, very cohesive, revenge is a piece of cake!"
"The Avengers will eventually embrace victory! Germany, we’ll avenge the Netherlands for you!"
"Viana’s surgery is over, he’s cheering for the team from his hospital bed!"
"Almeida continues to stay in the Czech Republic, hoping to accompany the team this way."
"Postiga’s injury is improving, he might make it if Portugal reaches the final!"
"Spanish team: We’re already studying the German team, they will be our final opponents."
"Guardiola: Portugal lacks a midfield core, and apart from Quaresma, the rest of the players are useless! Deng Kai is the most overrated player; he’s just basking in the light of Viana and Quaresma!"
If the previous news were the media’s usual discourse.
Then the famous "Kai fan" Guardiola suddenly turning his back at this moment excited the journalists.
Wasn’t Guardiola always advocating for Barcelona to sign Deng Kai?
Why the sudden "turning against Kai" this time?
Could this be what they call patriotism over personal friendships?
Or did Guardiola see through Deng Kai’s true nature and finally come to his senses?
This season, an injured Guardiola returned to lead Barcelona to retain the La Liga title, his words carried a lot of weight.
In response, Deng Kai replied through the Record Report, "Guardiola is an outstanding midfield master, but injuries are his biggest trouble. Van Gaal would never use a player who is always injured as the core of the team’s defense."
"He needs more disciplined training and scientific nutritional eating habits, even though it might already be a bit late."
Upon hearing this, Guardiola called the same day, very angry, "I was clearly hiding a threat to help you catch the German team off guard, and you talk about me like that in the media? Kid, don’t ever think of getting a signed football from me in your life!"
Deng Kai was unfazed, "Helping me is helping your own Spanish team, isn’t it? The bigger the trouble we cause for the German team, the happier the Spanish team who reaps the benefits, right?"
"Moreover, Pep, am I not helping you? Does what I say make you angry? Then you should think about what kind of words can really make someone angry."
"Truth! Fact! Hits the nail on the head!"
"If you can’t stay healthy, then to be blunt, I think you should start studying for your coaching credentials early."
"I know you’re very confident, so if you can’t become the world’s number one midfielder or defensive midfielder, then you should strive to be the world’s number one in the coaching profession."
Guardiola was startled.
How did this guy know he planned to pursue a coaching career after retiring?
Guardiola felt it was too early to talk about retirement now; he expected to have almost a decade left in his football career.
But after retirement, he would certainly choose to become a football coach.
Guardiola: "You haven’t even truly started your career as a professional player; what gives you the right to talk to me about a professional career? About being number one in the world? Retirement? Coaching?"
"You get past the German team first!"
Laughter came through from Deng Kai’s end, "No way, Pep, do you actually think the German team is a ’challenge’ that Portugal needs to face?"
"You better start teaching your little Spanish friends to get used to losing in the finals. If they’re always up against us, they’ll always need to deal with defeat, time and time again."
"Back to your health, you’re far from as healthy as you think. I can tell just from the signatures you sent me on footballs this year."
"Your signature is all crooked, you’re weakened, your hands are starting to shake!"
"From your handwriting, I often wonder if you also often wet your pants and shoes when you pee. You can’t aim right, can you? Poor Mr. Guardiola, I feel sorry for your plight."
