[ Boca Juniors' Young Prince Yoo Ji-woo: "There's a Hidden Truth Behind the Coach Assault Incident." ]
[ Yoo Ji-woo Declares He Will Reject National Team Call-ups! "As long as corrupt individuals remain, I will not join the national team!" ]
The interview was also reported in South Korea.
At first, Cha Sung-in tried to suppress it, just as he had done with previous club-related articles, but Yoo Ji-woo's stellar debut at Boca Juniors was already widely known among South Korean football fans. The article quickly dominated online communities.
There was a reason behind the coach assault incident?
ㄴ Wasn't there a rumor about harassment back then?
ㄴ …If that's true, it's chilling.
ㄴ ㄴ Doesn't seem likely. I remember an article denying harassment at the time. It was taken down, but I have screenshots.
ㄴ What if the football association paid for a cover-up?
ㄴ 1000000000000000% likely.
Ji-woo's reputation is great in Argentina.
ㄴ He signs autographs and takes pictures with every fan he meets.
ㄴ His personality is so good.
ㄴ After matches, he always gives his jersey to the fans.
ㄴ And he's handsome, too.
ㄴ LOL, absolutely true.
But isn't rejecting the national team call-up going too far?
ㄴ No way. Just the fact that he didn't naturalize to Argentina deserves applause.
ㄴ Did you not read the interview?
ㄴ Exactly. If you read it, you wouldn't comment like this.
ㄴ The association tried to ruin his future. Would you want to see those people smiling at you?
ㄴ You're just a pushover who does whatever you're told LOL.
[ Yoo Ji-woo: "My Homeland is South Korea. I Have No Intention of Wearing Any Jersey Other Than the Taeguk Mark." ]
Ah...
ㄴ Honestly, if it were me, I'd have naturalized to Argentina.
ㄴ There's no hope for the Korean national team right now. Argentina, on the other hand, is entering a golden generation with players like Diego, Guillermo, and Eduardo. Joining them would be better for his career.
ㄴ The only downside to geniuses born in Korea is their nationality. Even during the Olympics, when there were unfair rulings, the association didn't even protest LOL.
Is this finally the start of purging the corrupt football association?
ㄴ That coach had tons of controversies, so this seems credible.
ㄴ After the 2018 World Cup win against Germany, the football boom let the association's corruption get swept under the rug.
ㄴ If this leads to a clean-up...
ㄴ Game over.
ㄴ LOL, true.
---
BANG!
"That bastard dared!"
Cha Sung-in slammed his desk while watching the articles on his monitor. He frantically called the media outlets, demanding the articles be taken down immediately.
But it was too late. The news had already spread like wildfire.
"D-Deputy Chairman."
"What now?"
"Public petitions have been posted demanding a proper investigation into the incident!"
In South Korea, there was one power stronger than Cha Sung-in's authority: public opinion.
Using his skills as a weapon, Yoo Ji-woo was slowly tightening the noose around Cha Sung-in's neck.
---
Meanwhile, at a restaurant…
"Like this?"
"Smile, boss! You need to smile for the camera!"
In the restaurant, Yoo Han-woo was learning something from Julia.
It was part of Kang Joo-hyun's proposal for an online broadcast.
The restaurant was filled with cameras and equipment, and staff members were helping Yoo Han-woo, who was unfamiliar with the process.
"This is hard."
"Don't worry, boss! If you do this, you'll hit 1 million subscribers in no time."
"Really?"
"Of course! You've got the looks, and if you alternate between cooking and football content, you'll reach it in no time. I guarantee it!"
Julia, a YouTuber with 100,000 subscribers, was teaching him everything she knew.
What Yoo Han-woo was preparing was a cooking channel.
His Argentine restaurant was already thriving, with increasing sales every day. He planned to expand by opening chain locations and acquiring nearby restaurants to enlarge the main branch.
"Your daughter is managing it in Korea, right?"
"Yes, my daughter's handling the YouTube account."
While he managed the restaurants, his daughter would oversee the unfamiliar world of YouTube.
"Okay, we're live!"
"Let's do it!"
Julia and the staff assisted with the Argentine shoot.
"Hello, everyone!"
Even though it was just starting, viewers quickly poured in, recognizing the restaurant name and Yoo Han-woo.
He was already famous as a chef in South Korea and abroad, and soon over 1,000 viewers joined the stream.
"This is Chef Yoo Han-woo of Joy of Taste."
---
Oh, it's Chef Yoo!
*I loved your appearance on Please Take Over the Kitchen!
Will you bring back the food truck show? It was so good T_T.
Among the comments, one caught his eye:
Is there hidden truth behind the coach assault incident?
It was about Yoo Ji-woo.
Seeing this, Yoo Han-woo answered calmly.
"That's a topic I won't delve into. I'm just happy my son is playing football happily now. I have no desire to get involved with those kinds of people."
Will Yoo Ji-woo appear on the show?
"Ji-woo is busy with matches, so I'm not sure. But he did promise to appear if he has time."
I hope his innocence is proven!
"Thank you! Anyway, let's leave that topic here. Today, I'll introduce my Argentine restaurant! And this is our staff member, Julia!"
Public opinion was gradually shifting in Yoo Ji-woo's favor.
---
As the 7th round of the league concluded, the standings began to take shape.
[ 1st Place: Boca Juniors - 7 Wins, 0 Draws, 0 Losses / Points: 21 ]
[ 2nd Place: River Plate - 7 Wins, 0 Draws, 0 Losses / Points: 21 ]
Both clubs had equal points, but Boca Juniors edged ahead of River Plate on goal difference.
[ Who Will Be Argentina's Champion for the 29-30 Season? ]
Round 8: Racing Club de Avellaneda Match
Racing Club, ranked 3rd in the league, had a strong squad capable of competing for the championship. Naturally, their clash with Boca Juniors drew significant attention.
"Focus!"
Sebastián Rancella addressed his players in the locker room after their warm-up session.
"Racing isn't an easy opponent. They're notorious for dirty defensive plays," he emphasized.
Racing Club's playing style was relentless, resembling leeches. They were known for their suffocating defense and opportunistic counterattacks, coupled with their irritatingly persistent fouls.
Bang!
"But those dirty tricks won't work against us!"
He roared with passion, then added, "Don't lose your cool! That's exactly what they want!"
This was Sebastián Rancella's style—infectious passion combined with tactical clarity.
"Always think about your next move and act accordingly!"
The coach's fiery words ignited his players' resolve to win.
"If they come at us hard, we'll hit them harder! Play like you're ready to crush anything in your path!"
"Yes, Coach!"
After his pep talk, Ricardo Mesa pulled Yu Ji-woo, Javier, and Ángel aside.
"Guys, I've got a surefire plan," Ricardo said confidently.
"What is it?" Ángel asked with interest.
Ricardo grinned. "Pass to me, and I'll score. Simple, right?"
The three stared at him blankly.
"Are you serious?"
"Absolutely!"
Ricardo's consistent performance had drawn intense marking from opponents. Understanding this, Ji-woo nodded.
"Alright."
"I knew I could count on our young prince!" Ricardo laughed, patting Ji-woo on the shoulder before walking off.
Ji-woo then turned to Javier and Ángel.
"Let's use Ricardo as bait."
"Bait?"
"You mean we act like we're passing to him to draw their defense away?"
"Exactly, Ángel! You're sharp."
"…That's usually my line. Getting praised by a 16-year-old feels weird."
"Doesn't matter who gets praised. Winning is all that counts."
With their plan set, they rejoined their teammates.
---
Cheers from the Stands
The tunnel led them to the field, where chants from both clubs filled the stadium.
"Boca! Boca! Boca!"
"Racing! Racing! Racing!"
The electrifying atmosphere of tens of thousands of fans chanting in unison made hearts race.
The referee's whistle blew, signaling the start of the 8th round.
Boca Juniors deployed a stable 4-3-3 formation, while Racing Club fielded a 4-5-1 lineup, fortifying their midfield.
[Racing Club boasts one of the strongest midfields in the league, excelling at counterattacks and maintaining possession through their backline.]
The midfield battle was intense. Both sides fought tooth and nail to seize control.
Boca's Ángel found a gap and attempted a through pass to Ricardo, but—
Swipe!
A Racing player intercepted it.
'Mauro Cáceres.'
Racing Club's defensive midfielder was known for his physicality and aggressive style.
Moments later—
"Ahhh!"
Ricardo Mesa collided with Cáceres and rolled across the field.
---
The players continued their fierce battle for possession, with Boca's superior attacking prowess clashing against Racing's relentless defensive grit.
10 minutes passed.
20 minutes.
30 minutes.
The referee's whistle sounded repeatedly as Ji-woo endured dirty tactics.
Elbowing became commonplace, and his cleats were intentionally stepped on, causing one shoe to come off.
[Yu's shoe has come off due to a foul!]
The defender even smirked as he played dirty.
Tired of the provocations, Ji-woo decided to turn the tables.
---
An Idea Sparks
'Here it comes.'
Feigning a dribble, Ji-woo baited the defender into a shoulder charge. As the opponent lunged, Ji-woo subtly braced himself, minimizing the impact.
Thud!
Despite cushioning the blow, Ji-woo collapsed theatrically, clutching his left knee and screaming.
"Ahhhh!"
The loud cry caught everyone's attention.
"Those bastards!"
Javier and Ángel rushed over, followed by the usually composed coach, who yelled furiously.
"Don't touch my boy!"
Wait, what? Coach, this is just acting!
Even Ji-woo's teammates were fooled by his performance.
The referee finally awarded a free kick, but Ji-woo's over-the-top act had everyone riled up.
Among the chaos, one person grinned.
It was Ricardo Mesa, the mastermind behind the idea.
With a subtle thumbs-up and a cheeky wink, he silently praised Ji-woo.
This team really was something else—a chaotic, delightful mess.