Battle of Survival

Unexpectedly, Vittorio agreed to Rashid's proposal. He seemed confident that a small bet like this would be an easy win—exactly the kind of assurance you'd expect from a major bookie. However, Rashid had a much bigger plan in mind.

Rashid wasn't driven by some sense of social justice, nor was he acting out of a reckless urge to challenge a notorious mafia boss.

His goal was clear: complete control of the locker room. That meant authority over everything related to the match—setting up training schedules, planning tactics, and, most importantly, deciding who played.

Player selection had been a thorn in Rashid's side lately. As long as Luca had the support of the executive board, led by Elena, Rashid would never have the freedom he desired.

This, of course, could be solved by earning Elena's trust.

Rashid had observed her interactions with her father and noticed that she rarely agreed with his decisions. However, as her father held great power, she couldn't easily stand up to him.

On the other hand, if Vittorio was still pulling the strings with the board, Rashid's freedom would always be compromised as long as Vittorio was involved.

Winning against Spezia was Rashid's golden opportunity to tackle both problems at once.

The bus pulled up to The Imperium, Aeterna's home stadium, and the players began filing out.

Just as Rashid was about to step off, someone bumped into him from behind, almost knocking him down. He looked up to see Luca's smug grin. Luca looked as though he had already won something from Rashid. "Glad you changed your mind at the last minute, Boss."

Luca knew perfectly well that this wasn't Rashid's independent choice. Knowing his influence still controlled the coach gave Luca a smug sense of victory.

It annoyed Rashid, but he had no choice. To win, he needed goals, and Luca was currently their most reliable scorer.

That, and making a good impression on Elena. Rashid hated being seen as submissive, but to achieve his goals, he needed to build goodwill.

"You had already announced that you were dropping him for this game. Is there a reason for the change, Coach?"

If it had been anyone else, Rashid would've dismissed the question and told them to focus on the game. But Sandro's question reflected the team's concerns, and the captain had spoken quietly, careful not to let others overhear. His respectful approach earned Rashid's appreciation.

"It's a tactical decision. Some adjustments needed to be made." That was all Rashid could say.

"Orders from the executives, right?"

Rashid frowned. 'How does he know?'

"Don't be so surprised. Everyone knows. It's an open secret and happens all the time." Sandro's voice was filled with frustration. "I don't get what the executives are thinking, giving someone like him such ridiculous freedom. Sure, there are players like that in the world, but they're exceptional—Cristiano Ronaldo, Kylian Mbappe, Zlatan Ibrahimović. Tell me, does Luca Santoro belong in the same league?"

Sandro shook his head. "The executives keep saying Luca's market value is so high that even if you combined the worth of the rest of us, we wouldn't come close. If he's that valuable, then why hasn't any big club come for him? Why don't they just sell him so we can get rid of this cancer and let the club move forward? The executives—they're just a bunch of corrupt people who see us as nothing more than cash cows, without any regard for the club's legacy."

At that moment, just as they were about to turn a corner, Elena Marion appeared.

Sandro's face paled. He was at a loss for words. "Mrs. President?"

Elena gave Sandro a professional smile, then turned to Rashid. "Mr. Alfaro, can we speak for a moment? There's something I need to discuss with you."

Rashid nodded. Before leaving, he noticed Sandro looking deeply apologetic. 'Sorry for running my mouth, Coach.'

Elena led Rashid up a staircase to a room near the administrative offices. Her full name was engraved on the door.

"Tell me, have you lost your mind?" Elena exclaimed, her composure gone the moment they were alone. "Look, even if we're more likely to win, it doesn't change the fact that Spezia is a Serie B club. And they've been promoted to Serie A multiple times."

"So? I don't see why we'd lose." Especially since this was only a preseason game. Spezia surely wouldn't field their regular starters for this.

"They're playing their regular starters." Elena handed Rashid a list of Spezia's players. "Now, do you have any other brilliant ideas, Genius?"

Rashid had already read the list on the bus. He didn't follow Serie B closely and hadn't realized these were all first-team players. But his view remained unchanged. "Rankings don't mean anything. The only difference between us is luck. They're lucky I haven't been here for the past decade."

Elena slapped her forehead, exasperated. 'Why is this man so stubborn?' She looked back at Rashid. "What do you want, anyway? A raise? A guaranteed contract extension?"

"Your trust."

"What?" Elena frowned.

"I see you as highly competent. It makes me wonder why someone as reasonable as you allows Luca's absurd behavior to go unchecked. After meeting with Mr. Marino yesterday, I figured out why."

"What are you getting at—"

"Let's overthrow your father's control. Together."

Rashid extended his hand, and Elena stared at it, clearly conflicted. She turned her head away, scoffing, unwilling to shake his hand. "Do whatever you want. I'm not responsible for whatever happens."

"Thank you. That's all I needed." Rashid excused himself and headed back to the team.

As he walked away, a smile spread across his face. 'Yes, that's more than enough.'

Rashid stood in the locker room. The players were ready, having completed their warm-ups. The match was just minutes away.

A tense silence fell as everyone turned to look at him. Rashid scanned them all, leaving no one out.

He took a deep breath. "Let's go out there and kill them all."

"YES!" The Aeterna players roared in response, their energy igniting.

Rashid worried that the recent good results and the fact that it was only a preseason match might lead them to take things lightly.

However, the momentum Rashid had built was evident: a winning mentality. And in football, mentality was crucial for any player stepping onto the pitch.

As usual, less than 1,000 fans were watching. That was actually the largest crowd they'd had in years. The city's love for football had faded decades ago, and although things were slowly improving, a full revival was still a long way off.

"Good luck," called Giovanni Farina. A 67-year-old man, his face radiated friendliness and warmth, like the neighborly grandfather who loved gardening and greeted you every morning.

But Rashid quickly realized that Farina was not as he appeared. "Same to you, Mr. Farina."

The whistle blew, signaling kickoff. Aeterna started with possession, making things easier for them.

They could build momentum and create chances. With some luck, they might score early in the first half.

'But that seems unlikely.'

Enzo, playing as a libero, studied Spezia's formation.

One forward up front, two wingers, and the rest packed in defense. A highly defensive 5-4-1 setup.

It was a classic Italian football tactic: catenaccio.

Farina stood on the sidelines, chewing gum. On paper, Spezia had the advantage in terms of player quality. Yet somehow, Aeterna's new coach had worked wonders, turning them into a team to watch out for in official matches.

But Farina had received specific instructions from his superiors to win. 'This is what the higher-ups want.'

He knew exactly who those "higher-ups" were. After years in Italian football, Farina was no stranger to the sport's dark underbelly. Football mafias were a given, and the biggest influence came from the ones pulling the strings: the Marino family.

Although Farina preferred modern, stylish tactics, this match was a real battle for survival. Losing here would have consequences far beyond his job.

Aeterna was known for exploiting space and quick, flexible passing. Farina wasn't going to allow them any room.

With a deep defensive line, Aeterna's players could only pass the ball around aimlessly. Farina had anticipated this. Most of Aeterna's goals came from their opponents' mistakes, rather than creative build-up play.

For nearly 30 minutes, Aeterna played a frustrating game, with the score still at 0-0. They had only managed one shot on target, a long-range effort from Luca that Spezia's goalkeeper easily grabbed.

Farina had deployed defensive midfielders in all central positions. They were all ball-winners, and the strategy paid off.

Alberto Grassi, Spezia's defensive midfielder and captain, intercepted a careless pass from Aeterna's midfield.

Grassi sent a long ball forward, where Spezia's two forwards, Emanuel Gyasi and Daniele Verde, were ready.

Aeterna quickly shifted into defense, but the ball soared through the air.

Emanuel Gyasi, the powerful and fast left winger, positioned himself to receive the ball. But even his large frame couldn't outmuscle the towering Sandro.

Sandro headed the ball gently to Aeterna's goalkeeper, who caught it easily.

Dario Ricci, whom Rashid had trusted to start this match, remained calm at the back.

Rashid planned to use every strength at his disposal in this game. It would be foolish to expect a backup goalkeeper to perform at the same level as the first choice in a high-stakes match. This wasn't just about skill; it was about experience.

Dario restarted play, placing the ball at his feet to initiate another build-up from the back.

It was risky, as Spezia suddenly pressed high. But Dario saw an opportunity.

The goalkeeper quickly passed to Enzo, intending to launch a counterattack based on their strategy of maximizing space.

If only the pass hadn't been too weak.

Daniele Verde intercepted Dario's pass with ease. The Spezia striker controlled the ball, dribbled past the keeper with a move that left Dario on the ground, and slotted it into the empty net.

The score was 0-1. 

The home team are trailing.