Champions League Debut
After a fantastic debut, Louis didn't need to worry about making the 18-man roster. Although he knew he might not start in this Champions League game, his spot on the team was secure.
The media coverage of Louis was still rampant. A 17-year-old scoring twice on his debut was a story fans loved. But Louis didn't pay much attention to the media hype. He knew his current commercial value was still developing, and he didn't have time to dwell on it.
Louis focused on training the [Basic Passing Module] and [Walcott Activated Burst Module]. Upgrading his basic skills and integrating these modules would make him a more versatile player. Currently, Louis was an opportunist on the field, unable to act as a fulcrum or a target man. However, he understood that modern strikers needed to be multifaceted, capable of scoring and supporting their teammates.
Standing at 6 feet 2 inches tall, Louis had the physicality for a modern power center forward. Regaining his speed and improving his physical confrontation ability would make him an ideal template for contemporary strikers. He was never satisfied with being just an opportunist like Inzaghi. In modern football, where the transition between offense and defense is rapid, and tactical roles are fluid, specialized players from twenty years ago would struggle to fit in.
After the victory against Manchester City, Wenger gave the team a break. However, Louis stayed at the training base to practice, prompting Wenger to worry about overtraining. He assigned a coach to supervise Louis, ensuring he didn't train excessively and had enough rest. The team's masseur, Verya, also worked overtime to help Louis recover after his extra training sessions.
"Thank you for your hard work, Mr. Verya," Louis said as he walked into the massage room.
"It's not hard at all," Verya grinned. The overtime pay was higher than his regular salary, and he didn't mind the extra work.
On September 19th, the Champions League group stage began. Arsenal faced Montpellier, the previous season's Ligue 1 champions, away from home. Despite their recent success, Montpellier had lost many key players, including Giroud, who joined Arsenal.
In Europe, the term "five major leagues" was not commonly used. While France was a significant European country, Ligue 1 lagged behind Serie A, Bundesliga, La Liga, and the Premier League. The top four leagues held a stable position, but the fifth spot often rotated among Ligue 1, Eredivisie, and the Portuguese Super League. The French media wouldn't be pleased to be lumped with the other two leagues, but this was the reality.
France's colonial history had led to a diverse national team, and Ligue 1 became a springboard for African players entering European leagues. Montpellier, Arsenal's opponent, featured many black players from Senegal, Cameroon, and the Central African Republic. Center back Yanga-Mbiwa, from the Central African Republic, was a standout player.
The Champions League game was scrappy, with Montpellier disrupting Arsenal's midfield control. In injury time of the first half, Montpellier's forward Kamara blasted the ball into Arsenal's goal, giving them a one-goal lead at halftime.
Returning in the second half, Louis remained on the bench. In the 63rd minute, a handball in the Montpellier box gave Arsenal a chance to equalize, and Cazorla converted the penalty.
As the game progressed, Arsenal struggled to find more scoring opportunities. Seventy minutes into the game, Wenger decided to make a substitution.
"Louis, go warm up!" Wenger instructed.
Louis, eager to play, jumped up, put on a training vest, and started warming up.
"Louis is going to warm up! He's coming on!" the commentators exclaimed, and Arsenal fans in front of their TVs cheered. Arsenal needed an offensive spark, and Louis was ready to make his Champions League debut.