The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 400: Munich Showdown

**Munich, Olympiastadion.**

The players stand in the tunnel, awaiting their entrance.

Here, they can clearly hear the thunderous cheers of Bayern Munich fans in the stands.

Both teams are brimming with energy and determination.

Even Ronaldinho, often unflappable and carefree, wears a serious expression at this moment. Before stepping out of the locker room, he high-fives every teammate, boosting their spirits with an encouraging touch.

His eyes reveal a firm belief in pressing forward.

Last season, Ronaldinho sat on the bench during the Champions League final, having only joined the first team in the second half of the season with few chances to shine.

This season, however, has seen him rise to prominence, capturing the attention of the entire European football scene. It's been a year not only for gaining experience but also for showcasing rapid improvement.

The Brazilian national team has already called upon him.

In this match, they are determined to succeed. As long as they secure at least a draw, they'll advance to Camp Nou for the final battle in defense of their Champions League title!

Ronaldinho may not match the fame of many illustrious predecessors, but if he can help Millwall defend their Champions League title as a starter, it could be his moment to solidify his status among the stars of football.

As the teams enter the pitch, the Champions League theme echoes throughout the stadium.

Aldrich stands sternly in front of the coaching bench.

In the pre-match press conference, he underlined the importance of this game, urging players to forget about their 1-0 advantage and focus entirely on the task ahead. Only by doing so can they leave Munich with joy in their hearts.

"The second leg of the high-stakes match in the 1998-99 Champions League semi-finals is about to kick off at the Olympiastadion in Munich. Bayern Munich welcomes the defending champions, Millwall. In the first leg, Bayern Munich suffered a defeat from Nedved's stunning long-range strike, trailing 0-1 on aggregate. If they want to advance to the final, they must score within the next 90 minutes—there's no retreat; without a goal, they are out! Both teams field unchanged starting lineups from the first match, deploying their strongest squads:"

Around 4,000 of the Lions' fans have come to support Millwall at the Olympic venue. As the team's performance stabilizes and new talent emerges, the core of the squad displays beautiful play in crucial matches, expanding Millwall's fan base, with numerous fan organizations forming alliances. Brady's Roaring Lions fan organization often coordinates among various groups.

Today, they collectively don the Lions' blue jerseys in the stands, resembling a blooming blue rose. The singing of 4,000 strong fans can almost rival the Bayern Munich supporters' enthusiasm.

This is a tremendous boost for the team playing away.

Sometimes, in specific environments, players need the support of the crowd to keep their spirits high and provide the drive to persevere and fight, and the cheers from fans serve as the most direct source of motivation.

Aldrich's gaze is sharp; he notices a stark contrast in the demeanor of the Bayern Munich players compared to two weeks prior.

While away, they may have appeared slightly cautious, but at home, they seem like warriors of steel, forming a formidable German battle machine.

This is the nature of football; otherwise, what difference is there between home and away matches?

Aldrich doesn't make significant changes to today's tactics, shifting from 4-3-3 to 4-2-3-1. The core attacking routines remain unchanged; the only difference is that the wingers will retreat more to assist in defense, requiring significant physical exertion. However, he trusts Ronaldinho and Larsson—one filled with fighting spirit and the other battle-hardened, both being the backbone of the team.

"The game started and Bayern Munich kicked off. From the beginning, Bayern quickly launched a fast break, with Jancker and Elber sprinting forward to create space for Basler's pass. A wonderful interception! Makelele prevented Jancker's pass from entering his defensive area. If that ball had passed, Millwall's defense would have been in danger. Bayern's opening style of play seemed a bit reckless, especially against a team like Millwall, a more patient attack was essential."

Aldrich feels a flutter of nervousness on the sidelines.

Bayern Munich is trying to launch a blitzkrieg right from kickoff!

It's easy to predict this opening. One advantage of playing home is that while the away team may take 10 minutes to adapt to unfamiliar conditions, the home team can hit their peak performance in just 3 minutes.

During this initial stage, should Millwall focus on maintaining possession to find their rhythm or disrupt the opponent's attack to regain control?

Aldrich opts for the former. He believes that hastily commencing counterattacks without finding their rhythm could lead to inefficiency and disconnection among players when running forward to press.

Millwall players execute the tactical demands well, stabilizing their formation by shifting the ball around and adapting to the pitch dimensions, particularly the slight differences in length and width compared to their home ground. Those couple of meters can seem trivial, but they can lead to significant positional adjustments in defense.

However, as Millwall attempts to stabilize their possession, Bayern Munich aggressively presses forward.

They know that Millwall likely hasn't settled in yet; any misplay in passing could give them a solid chance. They can't afford to let Millwall adjust to their best form unchallenged.

After a wave of Millwall's offensive efforts, Henry gets outmuscled by Matth?us during a crucial moment. Pirlo's lofted pass lacks precision, turning the focus from speed to strength and positioning.

With successful obstruction of Millwall's attack, Bayern swiftly launches a counterattack.

Their lightning-fast approach races through midfield, aiming to shoot whenever an opportunity arises in the front.

Basler's long-range shot from outside the box is blocked by Materazzi, deflecting it for a corner.

"Basler fired a powerful shot from outside the penalty area, but Materazzi blocked it with his legs and the ball flew out of bounds. Bart was so scared that he broke out in a cold sweat; he wanted to dive to the right side of the goal, but thanks to Materazzi's block, the ball was deflected. If the ball had been heading towards the goal, Bart would have been powerless."

Bayern Munich lines up for a corner kick.

Basler prepares to take the corner, and the defenders quickly crowd into the box, denying Millwall time for effective marking.

Basler swiftly delivers the corner—a beautifully curved ball, although its placement appears poor, drifting towards the back post.

Materazzi marks Jancker closely. Initially, they are contesting near the left side of the goal, but as the ball sails in, Jancker retreats to claim the drop zone. Materazzi, despite being at a disadvantage, jumps to interfere with Jancker's header.

Yankel headed the ball towards the far post! This was a headache for the defenders! The ball came in from the right side and then bounced back to the left side, flying high. This was a real test for the defenders because they were forced to keep turning and following the trajectory of the ball!

Southgate watches over Linke while Makelele stays close to the similarly tall Elber.

Nedved sticks close to Effenberg. When Basler took the corner, Nedved prevented Effenberg from jumping. But as the ball dances across the field, Jancker's headed flick puts Nedved at a positional disadvantage against the towering Effenberg, who leaps like a powerful beast, unbothered by Nedved's interference. With his eyes solely on the ball, Effenberg fiercely heads it towards the goal.

A close-range header!

Butt leaps, reaching for the ball, but he's clearly too late...

"GOAL! Just six minutes in, and Bayern Munich has taken the lead. The aggregate score is now 1-1, putting both teams back on even ground! Jancker's flick was vital, and Effenberg rises to the occasion. Overpowering Nedved, he blasts in a header. There was nothing the goalkeeper could do—too close in, and even the gods couldn't stop it! Effenberg, the rightful leader!"

Watching Effenberg celebrate wildly with his teammates, Aldrich's expression darkens, but he gestures with his hands down, trying to signal the players: "Stay calm, hold steady!"

Millwall's players remain unfazed.

The match is just back to square one.

While Bayern have home advantage, Millwall still holds the edge of scoring away. As long as they net a goal, Bayern must surpass them in total score to advance.

Hitzfeld raises his clenched fists in celebration, signaling his players.

Aldrich squints in surprise at the champion coach.

He can't decipher Hitzfeld's gestures—only Bayern players understand what they truly mean; outsiders will never grasp their significance.

Aldrich is astonished. They've just taken the lead and evened the aggregate score, yet so quickly they're making adjustments?

For reasons he can't articulate, a chill runs down his spine.

This match is shaping up to be tougher than he anticipated.

Aldrich's instincts prove correct.

Bayern Munich surprisingly doesn't press forward aggressively after scoring!

Instead, they adopt a patient offensive strategy, tightening up their defense. Now, in their own stadium, they seem to perform even better than in the first leg!

Millwall players, unfazed by conceding, gradually find their rhythm.

However, both teams revert to the intensity felt in the first match, fighting for every inch and restricting each other.

Aldrich can see through Hitzfeld's strategy.

With the aggregate score balanced, both teams are back on equal footing.

Bayern Munich realizes that maintaining their lead without conceding will favor them as time goes on. The physical and psychological demands will weigh heavily, but with the unwavering support of their thousands of fans, they are unlikely to show weakness before Millwall.

The German machine seeks to draw the match into a test of willpower today.

Perhaps Hitzfeld fears Millwall's dazzling attacking lineup, so in defense, they must deploy seven players: four defenders, Matth?us as a sweeper, along with holding midfielder Jeremies and Effenberg in the middle. These seven will limit Millwall's offensive capabilities, but in attack, their numbers will be limited. Any chance created, particularly from a Millwall error, gives Bayern a clear path to the Camp Nou.

Aldrich observes the tense situation on the field, deeply impressed by Hitzfeld's cunning strategies.

Millwall's once unstoppable attacking force faces this iron-willed squad, making chances created limited.

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