The Rise of Millwal - Chapter 401: The Contest of Willpower

Chapter 401: The Contest of Willpower

After Bayern Munich scored, both teams settled into a balanced rhythm. Every time an attack made it to the midfield, they encountered the opponent’s tight defense. As the first half was nearing its end, the score was tied at 1-1 on aggregate, with neither side managing to score an away goal.

Aldrich found himself grappling with a challenging situation today. While he had anticipated the possibility of his team conceding a goal, he never thought it would happen so quickly—less than ten minutes into the match, and they were already level again. The sudden shift left him with a sense of unease.

The two teams had entered a rhythm of mutual restriction, with the play being more intense and cautious than in the first leg. Opportunities for long-range shots were scarce; everyone was on edge!

Especially Bayern Munich—if Millwall scored an away goal, they would need to net two more to advance, putting them in a tricky position.

In fact, Millwall was already on the back foot. They were caught in a dilemma; if they didn’t commit more players forward, they risked being too passive, but if they pushed for an attack, they would be vulnerable.

Even as Millwall played conservatively to draw Bayern out, the German side wasn’t falling for it.

As the first half concluded, Aldrich turned and walked into the players’ tunnel. The problem he faced was similar to that of Hitzfeld.

Only by scoring could they hope to eliminate the opponent in regular time.

However, Millwall’s offensive force consisted solely of five players; even Pirlo was hesitant to push forward, leaving just four in the attack.

Bayern relied on Elber, Jancker, Basler, and the tireless Effenberg, yet these four couldn’t make much of a dent in Millwall’s defense.

To score, they needed to create better opportunities, which meant committing more players to the attack. But, of course, that would weaken their defense.

Aldrich was troubled, lost in thought as he walked forward and nearly collided with a wall.

He feared this was Hitzfeld’s strategy to lure them into a trap.

If Millwall pushed forward away from home, support in defense would mainly come from the two full-backs. If those full-backs launched an attack, the defensive gaps would become glaringly obvious.

It wasn’t time to go all-in just yet. Aldrich would gladly take risks when necessary, but with the aggregate score tied, Millwall wasn’t on the edge of a cliff.

In the dressing room, players were drenched in sweat, quickly losing stamina in this away match.

Ronaldinho was feeling particularly frustrated. Against Bayern Munich, he was always tightly marked. In the last confrontation, aside from a couple of long-range shots, he had nothing to show. His one-on-one success rate had sharply dropped compared to his performances in the Premier League, and, in fact, he hadn’t managed a single successful dribble in the first half!

Babbel, drawing on experience from previous matches, had completely neutralized Ronaldinho.

Aldrich found little to adjust in terms of tactics. If this were last year’s squad, he might have asked them to play more defensively. But their current attacking system relied on close-knit combination play. If he ordered the team to pull back a bit, they would likely revert to isolated individual efforts, which could backfire.

He stood in the middle of the dressing room, calm and collected, before speaking.

“The Champions League! The highest honor in European club football! Every team, from the small club to the giants of football, aspires to win this title. Last season, despite huge obstacles, we lifted the trophy with strong will and belief. But don’t think that the trophy will just fall from the sky – every team is fighting hard for it, including Bayern Munich. Today, you will feel Bayern’s strength on the pitch. So, what is our game plan? First of all, stay calm and stay focused! Secondly, give it your all – not even for a second! I hope to see the qualities we need in the second half. Bayern players? They won’t stop unless they really fall to the ground; they won’t give up chasing victory. To beat them, you have to defeat them in will, not just tactics!”

At this level, there’s hardly any obvious advantage in tactical play; victory relies on mental fortitude.

Most players on the pitch understood this well.

Like last season’s last-gasp win against Juventus, that was about the power of team belief coming through at the final moment.

And the victory against Monaco to reach the finals came from Monaco’s strategic missteps after a solid first-leg result; had they approached the match as cautiously as Bayern, with a tight defense, no one knows how things might have turned out.

“Guys, let’s give it our all in the second half. We all want to get to Camp Nou. Bayern does too; their last title was over twenty years ago, so they might be hungrier. But we’ll show them through our actions that our desire to defend the crown is stronger!”

Southgate stood up, rallying the team, and everyone nodded, their spirits visibly lifted, as though the fatigue of the first half had vanished.

In the second half, Aldrich observed Bayern’s changes from the sidelines.

If there was any change, it was that Bayern’s tactical discipline had tightened. They weren’t getting anxious, and their stability was quite intimidating.

Although Bayern Munich hadn’t won the Champions League in over twenty years, most of their players boasted honors on international stages. They had experience and composure, unlike Monaco, who had let their urgency disrupt their mindset.

“This match has become a battle of stability and mistakes—who can maintain their composure until the end? To be honest, the excitement level has dipped compared to the first leg. After an hour of play, the combined number of shots from both teams is still under ten. Their focus has shifted to limiting each other’s capabilities, which is understandable. Millwall boasts attacking threats like Henry, Larsson, Nedved, and Ronaldinho, while Bayern possesses dangerous players like Elber, Jancker, Basler, and Effenberg. Both sides are wary of being exposed through individual errors, leading to a reduction in their offensive efforts. This has also transformed into a psychological duel between Aldrich and Hitzfeld on the sidelines, where they are testing each other’s patience and mental resilience. Who will bend first and make the necessary adjustments? At this stage, any tactical change would be a gamble—it could enhance the chances of victory but also increase the risk of defeat.”

As the minutes ticked away, Aldrich remained poised on the sidelines. He refrained from pacing back and forth; that would only serve to unsettle the players on the field.

What was Bayern Munich planning?

The initial blitz had worked, but what would come next? They were back to solid defensive counter-attacks, attacking at a slow pace, relying on individual brilliance. Three or four players working together couldn’t break through Millwall’s defenses, while Millwall struggled to find space to push forward due to Bayern’s solid backline. Matth?us’s standout performance made a difference; in one-on-one battles with Millwall’s attacking players, he often tilted the scales in Bayern’s favor.

But so what?

What was Bayern relying on to advance to the final?

Aldrich couldn’t predict Hitzfeld’s strategy even until the regular time ended.

“After 90 minutes, Bayern Munich and Millwall are tied 1-1 on aggregate, leading us into extra time.”

In the first half of overtime, Millwall and Bayern Munich remained locked in a fierce contest, with both teams pushing their physical limits but choosing not to make substitutions.

There was a hesitation to change, worried that the new players might struggle to find their rhythm quickly, leading to vulnerabilities in defensive zones.

As the second half of extra time began, Aldrich’s demeanor suddenly shifted to one of intensity.

Bayern Munich accelerated their efforts, launching a relentless attack!

The left and right full-backs, alongside midfielders Effenberg and Bazzler, combined with Matth?us and the forward players, nearly doubled Bayern’s attacking force!

Aldrich gritted his teeth.

Was Bayern trying to fully exploit their home advantage?

In the first half, they had found their rhythm faster and scored a goal.

After 105 minutes of play, Millwall’s energy reserves were undoubtedly more depleted compared to their opponents. Though they were at their breaking point, the German side was determined to ramp up the pressure through relentless attacking.

Bayern had lost the first leg and held a significant lead in the league, providing them ample time to prepare for this crucial second match at home. They should hold an advantage in terms of fitness over Millwall.

Aldrich had put his substitutes on during matches against Manchester United and Derby County, anticipating that this contest might go into extra time and allowing his players some necessary rest.

Lizarazu sent a diagonal pass into the box, where Jancker, in a header challenge, was outmatched by Materazzi. After the clearance, Bazzler picked up the ball outside the box and played it horizontally to the advancing Effenberg, who took a long-range shot. But Butt was well-positioned and dived to gather the ball.

After a successful save, Butt quickly got up and sprinted forward, executing a strong overhead throw that sent the ball near the halfway line.

Larsson charged forward for the ball as Lizarazu sprinted back, but clearly, Lizarazu couldn’t match Larsson’s pace.

Larsson raced down the wing, executing a clever one-two with Henry in the center, then stormed into the box. He pulled back for Nedved, who unleashed a fierce shot, but it was thwarted by Kuffour’s outstretched leg, going out for a corner.

Nedved wore a look of disappointment.

If he had just paused, he might have found a way to shake off Kuffour’s defense, making either a better shot or a more effective pass.

He was frustrated for failing to convert that chance.

“Wow, what a transformation as we enter the second half of extra time! Both teams managed a threatening shot in mere seconds.”

Hitzfeld stood up and moved to the sidelines, his expression grave.

He hadn’t expected the Millwall players to have such stamina even after 110 minutes of play!

In that last attack, Larsson, Henry, Nedved, and Ronaldinho surged forward, outpacing Bayern’s defenders after a long sprint.

Clearly, he had underestimated them!

Of course, the schedule in the Premier League is denser than that in the Bundesliga, and these players had undoubtedly been trained to handle it. Even at their limits, they could still push hard when necessary.

Aldrich stood with arms crossed at the sideline, contemplating whether to make a substitution.

Pirlo was clearly out of gas; he had just chased Effenberg but failed to block the long-range shot, even lacking the energy to make a minimal interception.

However, considering that the penalty shootout would begin in less than ten minutes, Aldrich hesitated whether to replace him.

After witnessing the near goal just moments ago, Bayern, while increasing their attacking pressure, was cautious not to overcommit.

In the final five minutes, both teams began to experience cramps, frequently interrupting the game.

Seeing this, Aldrich decided to use substitutions to delay the match, preparing for the penalty shootout.

Lampard came on for Makélélé as a designated penalty taker; Mills replaced the cramping Schneider.