The Rise of Millwal

Chapter 570: The Lions’ Revenge

Chapter 570: The Lions’ Revenge"Oh my God! Millwall have scored right from the kick-off! Henry and Klose started things off, with Klose passing the ball back to Pirlo. Klose and Henry then sprinted forward while Pirlo calmly held the ball for about two seconds before launching a long, precise pass.

Klose, back to the defensive midfielder, leapt up and flicked the ball backward with his head into the penalty area. The ball split the Spartak Moscow center-backs perfectly. Henry, lightning-fast, got onto the end of it, controlled the ball inside the box, rounded the onrushing goalkeeper with ease, and scored with a composed finish into the open net.

This raises questions about Hall's tactical setup. How did Millwall score such a goal? It almost seems like a role reversal—Millwall playing like England's long-ball specialists of old. Did Hall accidentally mix up his tactics?

We're still verifying the time, but it looks to be under ten seconds. What's clear is that this goal will go down in Champions League history as one of the fastest ever! And the name behind it? Thierry Henry of Millwall, whose sharp instincts and steady form remain invaluable this season."

After scoring, Henry's expression remained cold as he gestured for Klose to join him. He jogged to the sidelines at an almost leisurely pace, like a fitness runner. Wearing thermal gloves, he waited for Klose to approach before bending down, bursting into a loud, triumphant laugh as they embraced.

The Lion King Stadium erupted in cheers, but not everyone was celebrating. A group of late-arriving Millwall fans, still

Millwall had briefly made this mistake before, assuming they could secure a victory with just 60-70% effort. They paid the price for it.

Aldrich corrected that mindset. Today, Millwall had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

Spartak Moscow traveled far to London, facing their own jet lag and pitch adjustments. The Lion King Stadium offers excellent conditions, making it easier for them to play. All they need is to adapt to the field dimensions and the natural grass.

Spartak Moscow patiently built up their attacks. Meanwhile, Millwall's tactical system had reached perfection. Their offensive strategies were adaptable, and their defensive setups could shift seamlessly to counter the opponent.

When Spartak spread their formation and maintained moderate spacing, Millwall retreated their defensive line, starting their pressing from midfield. Conversely, if Spartak tightened their formation, Millwall switched to high-pressure tactics.

Spartak Moscow pushed forward from midfield but ran into trouble, forced to loft a hopeful long ball toward their right-winger. Zambrotta read it like a book, rising to meet it and heading it straight to Pirlo. Quick as a flash, Pirlo worked a slick one-two with Gattuso, driving forward into midfield. Then, with an eye for the spectacular, he picked out Ronaldinho's darting run and pinged a brilliant pass to the left wing!

Ronaldinho pushed forward with intent, carrying the ball directly at the defense. As he approached the full-back, he came to a sudden halt, forcing the defender to overcommit and create a small opening. With a clever dummy, Ronaldinho deceived the defender, who anticipated an inside cut and stepped forward to intercept. Instead, Ronaldinho accelerated down the outside, neatly pulling the ball to the byline. From there, he cut back inside and, under no pressure, took his time to evaluate the options in the box before delivering an accurate cross with his characteristic precision.

The Spartak Moscow goalkeeper made an error in judgment, choosing to leap and punch the ball but miscalculating its trajectory—missing it by just ten centimeters. Klose's near-post run came too early, rendering him unable to reach the ball, though it successfully disrupted the defensive setup. Henry, positioned centrally, found himself blocked by the goalkeeper's presence, unable to capitalize. Meanwhile, the ball's flight path carried it towards the far post, where danger still loomed.

Spectators briefly thought Ronaldinho's ball was an audacious lob into the far corner, but from a pitchside view, it was a deliberate cross to the back post.

Larsson, timing his run perfectly, had acres of space. The opposing fullback couldn't catch him. Adjusting his stride, Larsson leapt slightly and nodded the ball forward with a light touch, sending it into the net.

"Ronaldinho with a brilliant assist! Larsson finishes with ease! Ten minutes in, and Millwall leads 2-0! This is the Millwall we know—clinical in attack. Look at Ronaldinho's dazzling run and composed assist. It's football at its finest. Bravo!"

Larsson ran to Ronaldinho, dropped to one knee, and gestured for Ronaldinho to place his boot on his thigh, miming a shoe-shine celebration.

When it came to football talent, Larsson felt he was no match. With a teammate like Ronaldinho, even scoring felt much easier.

After laughing, Ronaldinho took the initiative to embrace Larsson. Together, they turned toward the stands, pointing at each other as if recognizing a mutual respect between heroes.

Aldrich stood up, clapped enthusiastically, and raised his arms repeatedly, signaling for the cheers in the stadium to grow louder. Louder!

The Lions' fans didn't disappoint. The stadium erupted with deafening applause, cheers, and even piercing whistles.

Watching Millwall play was nothing short of a premium experience.

Aldrich was satisfied with Ronaldinho's performance at this stage. When he was focused on the game, he was one of the most trustworthy players on the field.

For both Ronaldinho and Henry, this season was crucial.

What defines a football star?

A star isn't someone who shines briefly or occasionally delivers phenomenal performances. It's someone who consistently performs at a high level.

Henry's goal tally this season had dropped slightly. Aside from the lack of sufficient rest over the summer, it was also because his double Golden Boot last season had made him the focus of every opponent. He was the defensive target in every match. Yet, under such pressure, Henry still managed to score more goals than most other forwards. Although slightly fewer than at the same point last season, his performances and consistency were stabilizing at an elite level.

The same applied to Ronaldinho. Reaching a stage of steady maturity was the most critical goal right now.

As long as they could stay focused, being universally recognized as football superstars was just a matter of time.

And what defines a superstar?

A superstar is someone every opponent studies, marks closely, and places at the top of their danger list. Yet, despite all this attention, they still manage to shine on the field. That's a superstar!

In the span of ten minutes, Spartak Moscow conceded two goals and quickly realized the situation was far from favorable.

Something was off!

The last time they faced these guys, there was no sign of such dominance. Today, their aura was completely different.

Oh, right—last time, that dark-skinned lad wasn't playing. This was their first encounter with him, and his dribbling was seamless. Tough to deal with.

Not even halfway through the first half, and they were already two goals down. Spartak Moscow knew they had to patch up their defensive line, but little did they realize that patching it up would take the remaining 80 minutes of the game. And even then, it wouldn't be enough.