On the sidelines, the coaching staff, including assistant coach Blanca, was impressed by Lucas's brilliant breakthrough just now.
Especially the extraordinary way that resembled Messi, they couldn't help talking about it.
"That move just now really looked like Messi!"
"Yeah, he utilized the power of body feint and dribbling to the extreme!"
Rafinha's choice is correct. If he doesn't move laterally, the opponent will definitely shift from the side. He quickly switched to his left side!"
"That's right, Lucas's fake move is incredibly realistic. That shoulder-sinking motion combined with the change in the center of gravity is highly deceptive. Not only inexperienced young players, but even seasoned and experienced players can easily fall for it!"
"Defending against Messi requires avoiding getting deceived by his fake moves, and one-on-one defense must rely on strong anticipation!"
Several people discussed enthusiastically, but as they chatted, the topic shifted from Lucas to Messi.
Lucas's dribble just now was initially a very common way of dribbling, and many people are familiar with this technique.
However, only a handful of football players can execute it as well and as deceptively as Messi!
"Hehe, Messi's influence on young players is truly remarkable. Not to mention the youth team, but in the entire La Masia youth training program, there are numerous individuals imitating his style of play!"
"Yes, there are many players imitating Messi, not only in La Masia, but there's a global wave of Messi imitation. You know, recently, many young players from different countries have joined us at La Masia, and they have been given titles like the Japanese Messi, Korean Messi, and so on."
A coach responsible for youth training smiled and said, "In these countries, if a player can achieve 70% to 80% of Messi's abilities, they would be more than capable of becoming football superstars!"
"Haha, how is that possible? There's only one Messi in this world, and no one can reach his level of greatness!"
Messi is a player who emerged from La Masia's youth training camp. Numerous coaches have observed him in the past and were highly impressed by his abilities.
Messi's distinctive style of playing football is founded on his exceptional talent, enabling him to excel in the sport.
Without Messi's exceptional talent, it is nearly impossible for others to replicate his success.
This is precisely why Lucas's recent breakthrough has caught the attention of the coaches. They recognize that he possesses the potential to shine like Messi.
While many individuals attempt to imitate Messi's playing style, only a few can truly replicate his presence on the field.
The game carried on, and after Lucas successfully bypassed Rafinha, he found himself approaching the edge of the penalty area.
The main team's central defender, Barnak, did not dare to allow Lucas to continue advancing towards the penalty area. Consequently, he swiftly closed in on him, aiming to block his path and force him out of bounds to prevent him from shooting or making a pass.
Currently, there is only one offensive player in the penalty area, whereas there are three defensive players.
Additionally, the substitute team's striker stands at a height of only 175 centimeters, while the defenders marking him all surpass 1.8 meters in height.
If Lucas is forced to the sideline, his subsequent pass may struggle to pose a threat, and the defender is more likely to clear the ball.
Aware of this, Lucas aimed to capitalize on this opportunity. He approached Barnak with the ball, surveyed the positions of his nearby teammates, and prepared to make a decisive pass.
This move garnered praise from several coaches on the sidelines:
"Lucas demonstrated great intelligence in his play. He recognized that his ability to retain possession was not strong, so he couldn't hold on to the ball for too long. Passing quickly was his best option."
"The pursuing defender is closing in, and if he delays his pass, he risks being surrounded and losing the ball."
"However, the player from the substitute side seems to be slightly delayed. There's no one around him to receive the pass. Both Barnak and another substitute defender have blocked his pass to the striker. It appears he can only pass the ball backward."
"Yes, passing backward might waste the offensive opportunity!"
"Opting for a backward pass may squander the chance, but if he doesn't, there's a high probability of losing possession and being countered by the opponent. Comparatively, passing back to midfield seems more reasonable."
"Haha, why are you all so cautious? He just made a splendid breakthrough; he can do it again this time!"
A young coach clearly had a distinct approach compared to other conservative coaches. He was noticeably more radical.
If Lucas successfully breaks through Barnak's defense, he can create a two-on-two opportunity, and the remaining two defenders will inevitably converge to intercept him.
As a result, the opponent's double-teaming of the substitute forward would become ineffective.
At that moment, he could either go for the goal himself or pass the ball to the striker, thus providing more choices.
"So, what will he choose?" The coaches were eagerly anticipating Lucas's decision.
Lucas opted to break through! Despite Bargnak being a young player born in 1995, he possessed a wealth of defensive experience.
He didn't hold a static position, nor did he recklessly rush forward. Instead, he stood his ground, maintained an appropriate distance, and slowly retreated, forcing the opponent to decelerate.
The distance was not too far. If the opponent attempted a shot, the defender could extend his leg to interfere or block when the opponent adjusted their pace.
Consequently, the chances of blocking the ball were exceedingly high.
Moreover, if the offensive player fell into the defender's rhythm and was forced to slow down, the opponent's threat would be greatly diminished.
Without the advantage of speed, it would be arduous for the attacker to make progress.
Furthermore, the other defensive players were pursuing at full speed, so once the offensive players decelerated, they would be swiftly caught up.
Thus, Lucas could not fall into the opponent's trap, nor should he slow down or come to a halt.
When dealing with a retreating defender like Barnak, Messi possesses a highly effective trick in his arsenal—dribbling and changing direction.
Capitalizing on Barnak's step back with his left foot, Lucas swiftly flicked the ball to the right.
This maneuver reminded the coaches on the sidelines of a previous breakthrough, leading them to believe that Lucas was about to repeat the same tactic.
"Oh, what a mistake! The ball went too far!"
....
The coaches felt a tinge of regret as they observed the football rolling a little too far away.
At this distance, the defender could steal the ball directly.
Sure enough, upon noticing the opponent's "mistake," Barnak instinctively extended his raised left foot, attempting to poke the ball.
However, just as he thought he could reach the ball first, another foot swiftly intercepted it, knocking it to the other side.
Barnak stood bewildered, questioning how the other player managed to accomplish such a move. Could it be that what seemed like a mistake was actually a trap specifically set for him?
With quick successive taps of the ball using his right foot, Lucas delicately maneuvered the football with the outer instep of his left foot.
The ball landed near Barnak's right foot, but his left foot was still in the air, leaving his right foot immobile. All he could do was watch as Lucas expertly struck the ball again with the inside instep of his left foot, altering its direction and causing it to roll forward.
Seizing the opportunity, Lucas swiftly evaded Barnak, surveyed the defender's position, and decisively aimed for the goal with a kick.
The sudden movement of the strike caught the two defenders off guard, leaving them unable to react in time. Even the goalkeeper didn't anticipate an angled shot on goal.
By the time he realized Lucas's intentions, it was too late to make a flying save.
The ball soared into the upper right corner of the goal at a very fast pace, bouncing into the net at the angle between the crossbar and the post.
It was a practically a dead corner, posing significant difficulty even for a prepared goalkeeper.
The score on the field now became 1:0, with the substitute team unexpectedly taking the lead.
Following a moment of astonishment, the substitute team players swarmed frantically towards Lucas.
Lucas was taken aback, and as he assessed the dire situation, he contemplated fleeing. However, escape seemed impossible in the midst of chaos.
He found himself forcefully thrown down by a group of substitute players, their weight bearing down on him, forming a mountainous pile of bodies.
The members of the main team stood with their hands on their hips, each wearing a complex expression.
They had witnessed the entire sequence of events: Lucas's breakthrough from the sidelines, his penetration into the penalty area, and finally, his goal. With the exception of the central midfielder Rafinha, who had underestimated the opponent and was easily bypassed, the other players had not made any mistakes.
Nevertheless, the opposing team managed to score an incredible goal, leaving the main team members unable to even voice their frustrations towards their teammates.
Meanwhile, unaware of the on-field events, Enrique had returned to his office and was engrossed in studying which team he will send to Lucas on loan. He didn't even know that the player he is trying to send away scored an incredible goal and played exceptionally well.