Aldrich tried to analyze Juventus' strategy for the second leg from Lippi's perspective.
Tactically speaking, at this level of competition, it's hard to say there are any surprises. Recklessly changing a mature tactical approach can be quite risky, and Juventus, given their situation, has no need to take such risks.
Trailing on aggregate, Juventus must attack—that's certain. But how to attack and when to strike leave plenty of room for strategy.
Should they control the match, gradually building an advantage, or unleash a flurry of offensive play?
Aldrich was deep in thought, nearly losing his grip on reality.
Before every important match, he went through this mental process.
And against Juventus, Millwall wasn't just relying on Aldrich's musings. During pre-game preparations, he organized practice matches where the substitutes would adopt Juventus' tactical formations to compete against the first team. To compensate for the disparity in strength, the first-team players would be reduced in number, playing with fewer than their opponents.
While this wasn't a perfect exercise, it was far from useless.
At that time, the Hungarian Golden Team was one of the strongest teams in history and operated within the national system. All domestic teams are part-time training partners of the national team. They play as teams from different countries competing against national teams.
In preparation for their match against England, Hungary even went so far as to select players whose tactical characteristics mirrored those of the English team, completely mirroring their strategies. They trained day and night alongside the national team, which explains why England was thoroughly outplayed by Hungary in both legs. After all, their tactics were no secret; the opponents had fully deciphered them.
When he decided to wrap up this brainstorming session, the movie on the TV was still playing.
Yvonne was completely engrossed, her quiet demeanor adding a certain charm. Suddenly, Aldrich noticed her eyes misty and coughed lightly, saying, "Honestly, I can't stand seeing you cry like this."
Yvonne blinked to hold back her tears and tilted her head, smiling, "I just remembered some old times."
"Oh? Were you moved by the movie?"
"Sort of. That line, 'You jump, I jump.' Ha, it reminds me of our childhood—wherever you went, I followed; if you fought, I joined in. Whatever we did, we did it together."
Aldrich turned to glance at the TV and, sure enough, the scene had progressed to Jack and Rose jumping off the ship.
He chuckled, "Yes, we were always together as kids. But after that, around the time you guys started middle school, I only got to see you all every few months. I heard from Brady that you rarely hung out together back then, seemingly realizing the differences between boys and girls. Haha, it's quite funny looking back."
Yvonne's expression softened as she looked up at the ceiling, murmuring, "Yes, we were just going through school one step at a time, while you chased your dreams and left London. Aldrich, why was it like that? We grew up together, yet you became so different. Ever since you were ten, it's like you grew up overnight. Back then, we thought you were a dependable partner. Now, it feels like your story could be turned into a movie or a biography."
Aldrich laughed at her words, "You know, Andrew told me that a small film company in London actually wanted to make a movie about me—portraying how I helped Millwall rise in England, depicting my journey from age ten, working hard, and then taking charge as manager after the Hall family bought the club. They'd compress the club's history from the past three years. Haha, I turned it down; it felt too exaggerated, almost like seeking fame."
Yvonne's smile was enchanting, and she suddenly changed the subject, asking softly, "How are things with Melanie?"
"Pretty good, I guess. I've been busy, and she's on a world tour with the Spice Girls. She often texts me about their shows; it seems they're really popular, with tickets selling out every time. Haha."
"What made you like her?"
"I don't know; I'm not the type to fall in love at first sight. It's more like, at a certain moment, I felt something special and wanted to pursue it, and then everything just fell into place."
"Why don't you like me?"
When Yvonne asked this question, Aldrich was clearly taken aback, noticing her gaze was complex but still gentle.
He took his eyes off her and attempted to play it cool, "Who said I don't like you?"
"Aldrich, you know what I mean."
Aldrich's heart began to race; it was a sign of tension that surprised him.
Why was he feeling nervous?
He put on a smile and fell silent.
Unsure how to respond.
Seeing his reaction, Yvonne softly said, "Aldrich, this question has bothered me for three years. I don't know why—I'm prettier than her, I have a better figure, I understand you more, know what you like to wear or eat, all your habits. Where do I fall short? Fame, or maybe she's richer. But I know that shouldn't matter—otherwise you wouldn't be Aldrich."
Aldrich couldn't believe it. "We know each other so well; we've known each other since childhood! So why would you ask me such a question? Brady, Fred, Saul—our mutual friends—I don't think I'm any more special than them. You've spent way more time with them than with me."
Yvonne's tone became slightly heated. "No, you are special! You've been special since childhood. No matter what you do, you have a plan, you're organized, you don't make mistakes. Even when we mess up, you find the right way to help us. When we panic, you stay calm; when we face challenges, you're never at a loss. You're not the oldest among us, yet you're the most gentle and considerate, someone we can rely on; being with you makes us feel free and unburdened. Aldrich, you're not a romantic man, but you're the one I can truly rely on and trust."
"Why do you feel the need to depend on someone? You're doing great now! A strong woman; why lean on a man?"
"I'm not talking about dependence in life; I mean emotionally! Answer me: no matter what happens, will you always be there to help me? To face every challenge together?"
Aldrich replied firmly, "Of course!"
Yvonne's face turned serious. "That's the emotional support and trust a woman needs, not money or material things."
Aldrich shot back, "Do you think I wouldn't do that even now?"
"No, you would."
"Then what's the problem?"
"The problem is, you can do that as a friend, but I want more! I don't want just to be your friend. I want to create more stories with you."
Aldrich looked up at the ceiling. He was always there for friends in need, but this friendship dynamic between a man and a woman felt very delicate.
Man, woman, man, woman.
Aldrich suddenly realized: before Yvonne asked that cutting question, he had never seen her as a strong woman.
Indeed, years ago, beneath his youthful exterior was a nearly forty-year-old man.
When he first met that lively little girl, he viewed her through the eyes of an older brother. The same applied to his other friends and even his two brothers.
So whenever he was with his friends, he always played the caregiver, showing them more understanding and tolerance than a child should receive, being caring and helpful.
In the eyes of his friends, he's a dependable and trustworthy companion, and that's the foundation of it all.
Even as his friends matured over the years, Aldrich's mindset remained the same. It was just that now he was young, enjoying a life of freedom he didn't have in his previous life, able to indulge and have fun, enjoying the vitality that came from youth.
Even with Yvonne growing into a stunning woman, in his mind, she remained that little girl.
Today, he realized: that adorable little girl had transformed into a charming young woman.
Aldrich hadn't changed, but Yvonne had.
When Aldrich snapped back to reality after his deep thoughts, Yvonne was already gone, and the film on the TV was coming to an end.
The aging lead actress sank the Heart of the Ocean into the sea, dreaming of reuniting with Jack...
Aldrich turned off the TV, went back to his room, and switched off the lights to sleep.
Yvonne had only expressed her feelings without making any further demands.
Knowing Aldrich as she did, she should understand that he never liked to be pressured, not even by friends.
If she pushed him too hard, it would only backfire.
Of course, she had the right to express herself, but how things would develop next, neither she nor Aldrich knew.
To be honest, Aldrich had received numerous confessions over the years.
At The Lions' Den, when signing autographs, he often encountered enthusiastic female fans declaring their love right in front of him. Most of the time, he would just smile and say nothing; sometimes, even young girls under ten would come up to him and say, "I love you." Aldrich, being generous, would reply, "I love you too!"
Every week, his mailbox was flooded with letters from unknown female fans confessing their feelings. Given his personal fanbase, most of them were organized by female football fans.
Aldrich's response to these strangers, only known through pictures, was straightforward: he put all the letters through a shredder, photos included, no matter how beautiful the women in them were.
But facing someone like Yvonne, who he knew so well, left Aldrich feeling stuck.
In the days that followed, Aldrich tried to avoid Yvonne, but since they worked together, they still occasionally crossed paths. He did his best to maintain a normal demeanor and quickly ended his time in her presence.
Eventually, Yvonne couldn't take it anymore.
She burst into Aldrich's office, closed the door, and glared at him with a stern expression.
"Aldrich, I don't care what you think, but I want you to know that whenever and wherever you need me, I'll be there for you! Sure, you have a girlfriend now, and I won't bother you or make things awkward, but don't go out of your way to avoid me. Let's just keep things as they were before. And honestly, I don't see a future for you and Melanie. From the very start, I felt she'd drift further away from your life, and one day, you won't be able to stand more than ten months without seeing your girlfriend. Then you'll realize that a woman like me, who's always there, is the real deal. I wish you happiness, but allow me to secretly curse you to break up with her soon!"
Aldrich's eyes widened as he remarked, "You really don't come off as a lady!"
Yvonne turned and casually gave him the finger while walking away.