Emperor of Football: Julien De Rocca

"The French team is once again embroiled in controversy due to locker room conflicts and the federation's iron-fisted punishment. The federation imposes heavy penalties in the name of 'maintaining discipline,' but the relationship between match bans and players' professional careers is questionable.

Nasri, as a Manchester City championship starter, does the balance between his demonstrated ability and national team contributions match the ban punishment? Historical lessons show that high-pressure punishment, like the 2010 strike incident, often intensifies conflicts rather than solving problems.

De Rocca, a Ligue 2 youngster who hasn't been tested through various national team levels, has somehow displaced Premier League and Ligue 1 starters to become the wing core. Despite impressive statistics, the controversy over tactical arrangements is hard to mask."

When Modoso finished reading this article from 'L'Équipe,' he tore it to shreds, saying disdainfully, "Complete bullshit!"

Modoso felt indignant about the criticism De Rocca had faced in this French team infighting.

"Julien was just working hard, playing football, creating goal opportunities, but these idiots think it's because he took those morons' starting positions that caused this infighting."

Modoso was dismissive. The Bastia fans who had traveled there all shared Modoso's sentiment.

Julien was their Bastia darling!

They absolutely wouldn't allow others to slander him!

"Yeah, those two idiots Nasri and Ben Arfa have terrible tempers and mediocre skills. If Nasri didn't have Wenger's careful guidance, where would he be today? As for Ben Arfa, he's completely useless, I have no idea how he got hyped up!"

"Exactly, do they have Julien's level? This garbage 'L'Équipe' is just discriminating against us Corsican players!"

Bang!

Modoso slammed his glass on the table, saying viciously, "This is discrimination! If Julien were a Paris player, he'd already be a French hero by now!!"

"But in our hearts, he is a French hero!"

"He will be like Napoleon, starting from Corsica and conquering Europe!!"

Modoso shouted, raising his glass.

Other Bastia fans all started shouting, "Cunquista di l'Europa!!" (Conquest of Europe!)

In the bar, fans from other countries were attracted by the commotion.

Though they couldn't understand the Corsican they were speaking, seeing their excited expressions, they all applauded.

However, since Corsican was a branch of Italian, its linguistic system was close to the Tuscan dialect of Italian, there were quite a few Italians in this Kiev bar.

Hearing Modoso and others' words, they laughed heartily, "What are you going crazy about? Your team is already in chaos, you'll be going home after the next match!"

Corsica had been historically ruled by the Italian Republic of Genoa for a long time, but over two centuries had passed, and Corsica had become Frenchified.

Seeing the Italian fans, Modoso directly smashed his glass on the ground, shouting, "What? Want to try us right now?!"

Those Italian fans, seeing the Bastia supporters led by Modoso looking fierce and standing up as if ready for a big fight, shrank back, paid their bill, and quickly left, not wanting trouble.

"Vigliaccu!!" (Cowards!!)

Modoso laughed mockingly at them, also raising his middle finger.

Other Bastia fans also started shouting, "Cowards! Cowards!!"

Seeing those people had left, Modoso had a crazy plan forming in his mind—he wanted to pull off something big!

He wanted everyone to know that De Rocca was definitely not the team-disrupting person portrayed by 'L'Équipe' and their ilk.

Was there such a thing as disrupting a team by scoring goals?!

Absolutely ridiculous!

But he hadn't thought through his plan yet. With less than two days until the Italy match, there was still time.

Then, he told the others, "We need to save that lightning celebration photo of Julien circulating online, and better yet, contact that photographer to see if we can buy his negatives. This should go in Bastia's team history museum! To be admired by all Bastia people forever!"

"We also need to make this image into a TIFO, but we'll need to Photoshop half a Bastia jersey onto it. For the new season, we'll need to use it."

Modoso had too many crazy plans in his mind.

Looking at the 'L'Équipe' newspaper soaked in alcohol and trampled underfoot, a contemptuous smile appeared on his lips. "Just watch, De Rocca will lead Bastia like Napoleon, advance on Paris, then conquer Paris!"

After advancing to the knockout rounds, the entire French team left Donetsk for Ukraine's capital, Kiev.

During this period, the atmosphere within the French team was rather delicate.

The punishments for Nasri and Ben Arfa had come down during the tournament itself, which was unusually swift.

The players also understood this must have been the federation's intentional cleanup of the national team.

Otherwise, under normal circumstances, punishment would definitely have waited until after the Euros.

So, this also prevented Benzema, M'Vila, and their ilk from making any moves during this period.

Who knew if Nasri and Ben Arfa's fate might be their own?

Under the federation's thunderous measures, the French team internally achieved a rare peace.

After dealing with Nasri and Ben Arfa, Blanc seriously prepared for the upcoming match.

After experiencing this infighting storm, following the Ukraine match, he had had long conversations with federation president Le Graët, even calling Zidane, Deschamps, and others to discuss the matter.

This was why the handling of Nasri and Ben Arfa had been so swift.

Because this was the consensus among those capable of influencing French football: the French team had to change!

Julien De Rocca was the next-generation French team core they had chosen.

Of course, the current De Rocca was still too young, and many people had doubts about him, even among the federation's top brass.

But the French team's situation demanded change.

So even if De Rocca didn't meet expectations and couldn't carry the French team, they would continue searching for the next player until they once again sent the French team to the pinnacle of world football!

While the French team prepared, the earlier knockout matches had already determined winners.

Czech Republic 0-1 Portugal.

Germany 4-2 Greece.

Only Spain vs England and France vs Italy remained.

June 23rd.

That morning, Blanc brought Lloris to the pre-match press conference against Italy.

Reporters naturally asked about the French infighting and the federation's iron-fisted handling, also mentioning how France's weakened midfield would face Italy after losing Nasri and Ben Arfa.

Blanc's already disheveled appearance had become somewhat haggard over these past few days.

But his eyes burned bright.

Looking at the cameras, he said firmly, "The French team will not cease to be the French team because of any individual's departure. There will always be new players who stand up and prove we are the best team!"

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