Millossobek's Master League Written Stories!

[millossobek]

⭐⭐⭐ Welcome to the Sixth Edition of the 3-Stars Cup!! (FIFA 14) 🏆🏆🏆
🐬 Can Pescara Bring Home the Trophy?? 🐬
​

Hey guys! Now that I have concluded the third season of my Werder Bremen story, I've decided to go on an interlude, my historic and traditional 3-Stars Cup, a format brought to you by Millossobek's Football Enterprises! This idea came about to me while watching lesser-known European leagues and mid-to-lower table teams. I thought to myself.. Don't medium-rated clubs deserve a place in the spotlight as well? A tournament where they can shine, and showcase their ambitions on the international stage? I wanted to give some of these teams a chance to display their colors and experience the excitement, the glory, and the thrill of Cup Football.

I also thought of AFC and CONMEBOL teams. Asian and South American teams hardly ever get a chance to face European teams, unless they win the Libertadores and face the cream of the crop in Europe. Even though a lot of these teams do play the AFC Champions League and Copa Libertadores/Sudamericana, they rarely (if ever) play European teams! I also wanted to create a scenario where a lot of these teams can face off against Europeans, and also against each other!

These are not necessarily the top teams in Europe, Asia or South America (although some may qualify for this distinction, especially in the AFC), but they are a collection of teams with high history, a passionate and large fanbase. Our message is simple: This Cup isn't about the money. It's not about fame or fortune. It's about telling the stories of teams which might not be world-famous or world-beaters, but have equally as important tales to tell! This is YOUR team, YOUR Cup, Your WORLD. Welcome to the SIXTH edition of the 3-Stars Cup!

⭐⭐⭐ Here's the format! 🏆🏆🏆


- Every group has 4 teams: 2 from Europe, 1 from South America, and 1 from Asia! I've included a team from Africa for this edition as well! Home and Away. The top two teams move on to a two-legged knockout stage. The final will be a single match. The single final in this edition of the Cup will be played at the mythical WEMBLEY STADIUM!

​

- Every single team in the tournament has a global rating of 3 STARS with a few exceptions (a few have 2.5 or 3.5 stars)! This gives the 3-Stars Cup a unique flavor: No super-teams allowed. The purpose, the romance of this Cup is to showcase an even field of medium-rated teams. Our philosophy is: High-rated teams get enough attention as it is. We want to create a NEW WORLD, one where the strength of a football team is not measured by their silverware or fame, but by the fire and desire burning in their fans hearts. This is perhaps the most even and balanced Club Cup in the world!

- Countries represented in this Edition: Italy, Croatia, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Hungary, France, England, Sweden, Greece, Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, South Africa, China, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia.

- Past 3-Stars Cup Champions and performance:
1st Edition (PES 2018): Played as Millonarios, reached the QF vs Peñarol, eventual champions: ASTON VILLA
2nd Edition (PES 2021): Played as Millonarios, reached the R16 vs Shenzhen Kaisa, eventual champions: PANATHINAIKOS
3rd Edition (PES 2019): Played as Shimizu S-Pulse, reached the QF vs Valladolid, eventual champions: VALLADOLID
4th Edition (PES 2017): Played as FC Seoul, reached the SF vs Club América, eventual champions: CLUB AMÉRICA
5th Edition (FIFA 16): Played as Zamalek of Egypt, reached the final vs Banfield, eventual champions: ZAMALEK!! (Finally!)

For this Edition of the 3-Stars Cup, I will play with my first European team!! I have chosen none other than Italy's own..

DELFINO PESCARA 1936, also known as
🐬PESCARA CALCIO!!!!🐬 ​

Why Pescara? Well, remember my Reggina Calcio story? I was actually this close to picking Pescara, and it was only a last-minute decision that made me pick the Reggio-Calabria team! But now I'm glad I did, because I can now debut my version of Pescara, which I've wanted to do for a long time! I always thoguht their logo was one of the coolest, and always wanted to play with them! Even though I am playing in the 2017-18 season, I went ahead and made a few modifications to the team, bringing in some players, as well as creating others! IMPORTANT NOTE: Before and AFTER my modifications, the team remained resolutely 3-Star rated, meaning that I did not significantly change the rating of my team at all! Here are some of my key players:

Pereira, Mugosa, Honda, and Fiorillo!
​

- CM Juan Carlos Pereira: Straight from the Millonarios academy, Juan Carlos did really well with Millos before transferring over to Pescara! The young 24 year old midfielder won a League title in Colombia before being offered a starting position with the Italian side! Pereira is a box-to-box midfielder who can do a bit of everything, is hard working, and has a creative and surprisingly incisive game from the Center Midfielder position. Juan Carlos will be looking to replicate the form that made him one of Millonarios' favorite players!

- CF Milo Mugosa: Taken straight from my FIFA 19 story, Milo Mugosa is the (invented) younger brother of Stefan Mugosa, who starred in the fifth edition of the 3-Stars Cup, winning the title with Egypt's Zamalek! (My first 3-Stars Cup Win!). His game is a bit different from Stefan's, as the Montenegrin is a bit faster, not as strong, perhaps not as steady, but with more explosiveness! Milo seeks to follow Stefan's footsteps, and bring glory to Pescara, as his throwback rocker personality makes him an old-soul and fan favorite, even though he is only 20 years old!

- CB Piston Honda: Remember Piston Honda from my Japanese story, Gunma United, Champions of the AFC CL? Well, your favorite Japanese ex-boxer, no holds-barred brawling defender is back!! Yes my friends, you heard that right. After part-time boxing in his youth (As Punch Out's very own Piston Honda), our resident badass decided to finally focus solely on football, and after winning the AFC CL with Gunma, Europe came knocking on his door. He finally decided to play for our dear Pescara!

- GK Vincenzo Fiorillo: Team Captain Vincenzo Fiorillo, who has played in several of my teams in different campaigns, is poised to captain Pescara in the 3-Stars Cup! As the longest tenured player on the team, Vincenzo is determined to prove that he is capable of winning Pescara's first silverware ever (besides Serie B titles)! A product of the Juventus academy, Fiorillo never got a chance to play serious minutes behind Buffon at La Vecchia Signora, but has flourished in his Pescara days, and now Manager Millossobek has rewarded him with the Captainship. Will he guide us to the first title in our history??

​

As you guys can see, competition will be FIERCE, as we drew in group A, along with Hungary's Ferencvarosi (the biggest team in the country by far, 28 time Hungarian Champions), Rosario Central from Argentina (one of the most successful teams outside of the Buenos Aires metro area, with 5 local league titles and 7 local cup titles), and Astana FC from Kazakhstan (4 time winners of Kazakh League - newly transferred to the AFC-)! A tough, balanced group which will bring out the best of all teams.. Will it be enough for Pescara to move on to the next round? All I know is this.. The sixth edition of the 3-Stars Cup will not disappoint! There are some slight favorites (Dinamo Zagreb, Hannover, and Brazil's Corinthians look to field strong squads, as they are all 3.5 star teams), possible darkhorses (look out for Guangzhou Evergrande, also 3.5 and coached by legendary Brazilian Luis Felipe Scolari), and real surprises (Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa, and on paper, Uruguay's Defensor Sporting are a small step below the others, as they are a 2-star team. But ask them if they feel that way in their hearts!)..

But in the end, this story will begin, and run its course along with the fate of PESCARA CALCIO, The Dolphins of Italy, representing the Abruzzo city that bears the team's name on the Adriatic Coast, Perennial Serie B participants and Serie A challengers, my first European team that I've chosen for the 3-Stars Cup!! I will see you guys when the groupstage ends. 🐬 FORZA!! FORZA PESCARA!! 🐬

Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories!
Comments are welcome!​

 

[Silverdome94]

PISTON HONDA

I just about died 🤣🤣🤣

 

[Batistuta El 'Rey León']

View attachment 280579

⭐⭐⭐ Welcome to the Sixth Edition of the 3-Stars Cup!! (FIFA 14) 🏆🏆🏆
🐬 Can Pescara Bring Home the Trophy?? 🐬
​

Hey guys! Now that I have concluded the third season of my Werder Bremen story, I've decided to go on an interlude, my historic and traditional 3-Stars Cup, a format brought to you by Millossobek's Football Enterprises! This idea came about to me while watching lesser-known European leagues and mid-to-lower table teams. I thought to myself.. Don't medium-rated clubs deserve a place in the spotlight as well? A tournament where they can shine, and showcase their ambitions on the international stage? I wanted to give some of these teams a chance to display their colors and experience the excitement, the glory, and the thrill of Cup Football.

I also thought of AFC and CONMEBOL teams. Asian and South American teams hardly ever get a chance to face European teams, unless they win the Libertadores and face the cream of the crop in Europe. Even though a lot of these teams do play the AFC Champions League and Copa Libertadores/Sudamericana, they rarely (if ever) play European teams! I also wanted to create a scenario where a lot of these teams can face off against Europeans, and also against each other!

These are not necessarily the top teams in Europe, Asia or South America (although some may qualify for this distinction, especially in the AFC), but they are a collection of teams with high history, a passionate and large fanbase. Our message is simple: This Cup isn't about the money. It's not about fame or fortune. It's about telling the stories of teams which might not be world-famous or world-beaters, but have equally as important tales to tell! This is YOUR team, YOUR Cup, Your WORLD. Welcome to the SIXTH edition of the 3-Stars Cup!

⭐⭐⭐ Here's the format! 🏆🏆🏆


- Every group has 4 teams: 2 from Europe, 1 from South America, and 1 from Asia! I've included a team from Africa for this edition as well! Home and Away. The top two teams move on to a two-legged knockout stage. The final will be a single match. The single final in this edition of the Cup will be played at the mythical WEMBLEY STADIUM!

View attachment 280585​

- Every single team in the tournament has a global rating of 3 STARS with a few exceptions (a few have 2.5 or 3.5 stars)! This gives the 3-Stars Cup a unique flavor: No super-teams allowed. The purpose, the romance of this Cup is to showcase an even field of medium-rated teams. Our philosophy is: High-rated teams get enough attention as it is. We want to create a NEW WORLD, one where the strength of a football team is not measured by their silverware or fame, but by the fire and desire burning in their fans hearts. This is perhaps the most even and balanced Club Cup in the world!

- Countries represented in this Edition: Italy, Croatia, Austria, Spain, Switzerland, Romania, Turkey, Germany, Hungary, France, England, Sweden, Greece, Slovenia, Serbia, Slovakia, Argentina, Uruguay, Peru, Colombia, Brazil, Ecuador, Chile, Paraguay, Kazakhstan, South Africa, China, South Korea, Uzbekistan, Iran, Japan, Saudi Arabia.

- Past 3-Stars Cup Champions and performance:
1st Edition (PES 2018): Played as Millonarios, reached the QF vs Peñarol, eventual champions: ASTON VILLA
2nd Edition (PES 2021): Played as Millonarios, reached the R16 vs Shenzhen Kaisa, eventual champions: PANATHINAIKOS
3rd Edition (PES 2019): Played as Shimizu S-Pulse, reached the QF vs Valladolid, eventual champions: VALLADOLID
4th Edition (PES 2017): Played as FC Seoul, reached the SF vs Club América, eventual champions: CLUB AMÉRICA
5th Edition (FIFA 16): Played as Zamalek of Egypt, reached the final vs Banfield, eventual champions: ZAMALEK!! (Finally!)

For this Edition of the 3-Stars Cup, I will play with my first European team!! I have chosen none other than Italy's own..

View attachment 280583
DELFINO PESCARA 1936, also known as
🐬PESCARA CALCIO!!!!🐬 ​

Why Pescara? Well, remember my Reggina Calcio story? I was actually this close to picking Pescara, and it was only a last-minute decision that made me pick the Reggio-Calabria team! But now I'm glad I did, because I can now debut my version of Pescara, which I've wanted to do for a long time! I always thoguht their logo was one of the coolest, and always wanted to play with them! Even though I am playing in the 2017-18 season, I went ahead and made a few modifications to the team, bringing in some players, as well as creating others! IMPORTANT NOTE: Before and AFTER my modifications, the team remained resolutely 3-Star rated, meaning that I did not significantly change the rating of my team at all! Here are some of my key players:

View attachment 280600
Pereira, Mugosa, Honda, and Fiorillo!
​

- CM Juan Carlos Pereira: Straight from the Millonarios academy, Juan Carlos did really well with Millos before transferring over to Pescara! The young 24 year old midfielder won a League title in Colombia before being offered a starting position with the Italian side! Pereira is a box-to-box midfielder who can do a bit of everything, is hard working, and has a creative and surprisingly incisive game from the Center Midfielder position. Juan Carlos will be looking to replicate the form that made him one of Millonarios' favorite players!

- CF Milo Mugosa: Taken straight from my FIFA 19 story, Milo Mugosa is the (invented) younger brother of Stefan Mugosa, who starred in the fifth edition of the 3-Stars Cup, winning the title with Egypt's Zamalek! (My first 3-Stars Cup Win!). His game is a bit different from Stefan's, as the Montenegrin is a bit faster, not as strong, perhaps not as steady, but with more explosiveness! Milo seeks to follow Stefan's footsteps, and bring glory to Pescara, as his throwback rocker personality makes him an old-soul and fan favorite, even though he is only 20 years old!

- CB Piston Honda: Remember Piston Honda from my Japanese story, Gunma United, Champions of the AFC CL? Well, your favorite Japanese ex-boxer, no holds-barred brawling defender is back!! Yes my friends, you heard that right. After part-time boxing in his youth (As Punch Out's very own Piston Honda), our resident badass decided to finally focus solely on football, and after winning the AFC CL with Gunma, Europe came knocking on his door. He finally decided to play for our dear Pescara!

- GK Vincenzo Fiorillo: Team Captain Vincenzo Fiorillo, who has played in several of my teams in different campaigns, is poised to captain Pescara in the 3-Stars Cup! As the longest tenured player on the team, Vincenzo is determined to prove that he is capable of winning Pescara's first silverware ever (besides Serie B titles)! A product of the Juventus academy, Fiorillo never got a chance to play serious minutes behind Buffon at La Vecchia Signora, but has flourished in his Pescara days, and now Manager Millossobek has rewarded him with the Captainship. Will he guide us to the first title in our history??

View attachment 280581
View attachment 280595
​

As you guys can see, competition will be FIERCE, as we drew in group A, along with Hungary's Ferencvarosi (the biggest team in the country by far, 28 time Hungarian Champions), Rosario Central from Argentina (one of the most successful teams outside of the Buenos Aires metro area, with 5 local league titles and 7 local cup titles), and Astana FC from Kazakhstan (4 time winners of Kazakh League - newly transferred to the AFC-)! A tough, balanced group which will bring out the best of all teams.. Will it be enough for Pescara to move on to the next round? All I know is this.. The sixth edition of the 3-Stars Cup will not disappoint! There are some slight favorites (Dinamo Zagreb, Hannover, and Brazil's Corinthians look to field strong squads, as they are all 3.5 star teams), possible darkhorses (look out for Guangzhou Evergrande, also 3.5 and coached by legendary Brazilian Luis Felipe Scolari), and real surprises (Kaizer Chiefs from South Africa, and on paper, Uruguay's Defensor Sporting are a small step below the others, as they are a 2-star team. But ask them if they feel that way in their hearts!)..

But in the end, this story will begin, and run its course along with the fate of PESCARA CALCIO, The Dolphins of Italy, representing the Abruzzo city that bears the team's name on the Adriatic Coast, Perennial Serie B participants and Serie A challengers, my first European team that I've chosen for the 3-Stars Cup!! I will see you guys when the groupstage ends. 🐬 FORZA!! FORZA PESCARA!! 🐬

View attachment 280594

Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories!
Comments are welcome!​

👏🏻👏🏻

 

[millossobek]

⭐⭐⭐Welcome to 6th Edition of the 3-Stars Cup!!⭐⭐⭐
(FIFA 14)- Starring: Pescara Calcio!!
​

The stage is finally set for the start of the Cup!! 32 teams, one ambition, 16 from Europe, 8 from South America, 7 from Asia and 1 from Africa have gathered together for this sixth edition of our dear inter-club competition! The draw has been made, and there are several interesting groups! Hannover from Germany, Corinthians, Dinamo Zagreb and Guangzhou Evergrande emerge as early contenders for the title, but as far as Pescara goes, we've been drawn against Hungary's Ferencvárosi, Argentina's Rosario Central, and Kazakhstan's Astana! A group with no clear favorites or frontrunners as far as I'm concerned, as all four teams are evenly matched (3 stars) and have their own respective histories and passionate fanbases!

Groupstage 1: Pescara vs Rosario Central, Pescara, Italy!


​

We opened the Cup against the passionate Rosario side, winners of several Argentine National leagues and cups in their history! Our crowd was pumped and ready for action, as the Pescara faithful were about to witness our 3-Stars Cup Debut! In an eventful, back and forth match, things didn't start out well for us, as Rosario Central scored first in minute 4! Yet only two minutes later, it was Milo Mugosa (Stefan's brother) with the equalizer, capitalizing on a huge mistake by the Argentinian keeper! The score was 1-1, and before the first half ended, it was Milo again, this time scoring on a header, a feat which he would repeat in the second half in minute 66 (this time off a corner)! While it seemed like we were headed towards a comfortable win, Camacho by Central made it 3-2 with only 10 minutes left to go in the game, a nervy last 10 minutes which fortunately were largely uneventful, and as the whistle sounded, it was 3-2 for the Italian side! The Pescara fans blew out a huge sigh of relief, yet at the same time gave a standing ovation to our #9 Milo Mugosa, in a brilliant 3-Stars Cup debut!

Groupstage 2: Astana vs Pescara, Astana, Kazakhstan!


​

We would repeat our solid performance in groupstage 2, in a complete change of scenery, as our boys would fly all the way to Kazakhstan, in the heart of Asia! (It was really interesting to play in these conditions, the first time Pescara would ever play in the Asian continent, as everything from the air, the chants, the atmosphere felt different ane exciting!) This would be another great performance by Pescara, a 3-1 win in a match were we would prevail using a lot the strength and speed of our wingers Christian Capone (a brace) and our resident English-Libyan, Ahmad Benali (who complemented with a goal of his own!). This was definitely a match that showed that weren't a one-trick pony, and that we had several attacking options! Two matches, 6 points, and the best possible start for Pescara, as our front three DEFINITELY shined in our first encounters!!

Groupstage 3: Ferencvárosi vs Pescara, Ferencváros, Hungary!

​

Unfortunately, we weren't able to replicate the great form we showed in the first two matches when we went to visit Hungarian Champions Ferencvárosi in Hungary! This was a somewhat frustrating match, even though we played well and started winning in minute 15 due to a goal by Mugosa (dispossessing the Hungarian keeper and scoring a screamer from outside the box), Ferencvárosi slowly started to gain ground and they equalized before the first half ended! The second half was back and forth, with good chances from both sides, but perhaps we got a bit too complacent at the end.. Trying to protect the point, we actually conceded not one but TWO extra time goals (90+) in a heartbreaking loss! Even though we have 6 points, it would've been nice to salvage the point here!

Groupstage 4: Pescara vs Astana, Pescara, Italy!

​

We would rebound really well back in our home grounds! We were glad to be back home after two straight matches in unfamiliar territory, and it showed! This time, it was a midfielder's turn to shine, as Marco Eramo had an amazing game, scoring two goals (one in minute 31, a perfectly placed Free Kick by Pereira in the box led to a difficult finish while surrouned by Astana defenders)! Astana would make it a game though, as a one time beauty by Kabanga evened the score before the halftime whistle blew, but once again, it would be Eramo with a BEAUTIFUL goal late in the game (minute 79) to give us the definitive 2-1 lead and the 3 points! A marvelous game by our Italian midfielder, proving once again that our goals scored in the 3-Stars Cup were coming from a myriad of different sources! A Golden 3 points here (we also generally outplayed and outshot Astana in this one, as our crowd and being back in Stadio Adriatico paid big dividends).. The fixture would also be positive for us, as Rosario Central would beat Ferencvárosi 4-1, and we had a commanding 4 point lead with two groupstages to go!

Groupstage 5: Rosario Central vs Pescara, Rosario, Argentina!

​

With qualification almost in the bag, it was time to go to Argentina, in the famous Gigante de Arroyito stadium, to face Rosario Central, who were stick in the fight for qualification! Facing perhaps the most hostile crowd in our 3-Stars Cup as of yet, we persevered and showed our mettle yet again! After a tough, physical first half where the Argentinians came out swinging, we withstood their blows and counterattacked brilliantly, eventually scoring a goal just before the first half whistle sounded (Milo Mugosa, after a two game drought, scored the opener after a beautiful Benali pass in the box, and the clinical finish by the Montenegrin!) Rosario Central would not give up, putting up a valiant fight and making things difficult for Pescara in the second half, but in the end, we extended our lead courtesy of an incisive Benali run and the strike from the edge of the box! We prevailed 2-0 and more importantly, ensured first place in the group and qualification, as we had amassed 12 points and, combined with the other result (Ferencvárosi and Astana drawing 1-1), meant that no matter what happened in our last match, first place was ours!

Groupstage 6: Pescara vs Ferencvárosi, Pescara, Italy!


​

In a match that was more a procedure and a chance to rest our starters, we nonetheless wanted to finish out our group with a win, and even though the match was tied after an early goal by Ferencvárosi and a Pescara equalizer by Pasqual in minute 24, the Bulgarian side came roaring back and scored another goal (Bode once again), riding out the rest of the result for a 2-1 win! This match didn't have much transcendence, however, as Manager Millossobek stressed more the importance of giving the starters some rest, minimizing the chance of injuries, and trying out a few tactical variations. Even though we couldn't pull off a point, the Pescara faitful in Stadio Adriatico went home satisfied, knowing that Ferencvárosi was a tough rival and that bigger and more important matches awaited! We ended up winning the group with 12 points, followed by Ferencvárosi with 9 (they were playing for everything in this match), while Rosario Central finished with 8 and Astana with 3 (even though the Argentineans won their away match at Kazakhstan, it was not enough to progress to the Knockout phase). More importantly however, is that PESCARA WINS THE GROUP, and now had to await the results of the draw to see who our Round of 16 opponent would be..

Round of 16, Leg 1 of 2, Pescara vs Red Star Belgrade, Pescara, Italy!


​

And our opponent would be none other than Serbia's giants, Red Star Belgrade! (An interesting overall draw! As you guys can see, 10 Europeans, 4 South Americans, 1 Asian and 1 African team made the top 16 this time, with the tournament favorites Corinthians, Hannover 96, Guangzhou Evergrande and Dinamo Zagreb all qualifying!). Back to Pescara, the first leg of the R16 would be in our grounds, and even though we were fired up, most of the match was a defensive chess match between the two European sides, with Red Star playing a deep defensive line and negating a lot of chances! In the end, after a tactical encounter in which two very evenly matched teams occupied a dense midfield, a solitary goal by Kanga in minute 47 sentenced the result, and the final score line read Pescara 0-1 Red Star Belgrade, featuring only 5 shots by us and 3 shots by them (one of them being the Kanga header)! A disappointing result for sure, but Manager Millossobek knew that we had to make some adjustments ahead of the return match!

Round of 16, Leg 2 of 2, Red Star Belgrade vs Pescara, Belgrade, Serbia!


​

And respond we did! In a valiant, gutsy display that showed our heart, Pescara travelled to the Red Sea of Belgrade, against an incredibly loud and passionate crowd (the atmosphere was perhaps even more charged in this match compared to Rosario's groupstage match, given the high stakes and the circumstances)! Belgrade felt like they could press their advantage, and felt that they were the favorites and started pressing quite intensely to start the match. Would this be a repeat of the first encounter? Not so fast. It was once again, Ahmed Benali coming up huge with the first goal of the game! (minute 40, outrunning and outpacing two Serbian defenders to get there just in time to beat the onrushing keeper) to make it 0-1! Only 5 minutes later, and it's Benali again, only this time with the gorgeous mazing run to elude several defenders and deftly passing it in to Milo Mugosa, who flicked it in the bottom left hand corner for the second goal!! We were suddenly up in the global, and we had withstood the early onslaught by a Red Star who grew less confident by the minute! Just two minutes after the second half whistle blew, it's Mugosa again, taking off a rebound from the post and gliding it in from a next-to-impossible angle! It was a brilliant 3 goals in only 10 minutes, and Red Star was shell-shocked and reeling! (although they would score to make it 1-3, a 71 minute goal by Srnic, it would prove to be too little too late, as not only had we withstood their challenge, but counterattacked effectively for the win)! The final whistle was Red Star 1-3 Pescara (global score 2-3 in favor of us), and we are through to the 3-Stars Cup quarterfinals, where we would face..

Quarterfinals, Leg 1 of 2, Pescara vs Guangzhou Evergrande, Pescara, Italy!

​

Our toughest test of the Cup! One of the Tournament Favorites, Guangzhou Evergrande! As the only Asian team to have made the final 16 (and final 8, for that matter), Guangzhou fielded a really strong team, with the cream of the crop of Chinese players, and led by Colombian striker Jackson Martínez and Ricardo Goulart! In a cold, rainy and uncommonly dreary Pescara afternoon, we were prepared to host the Evergrande! The atmosphere seemed a bit tense at the Stadio Adriatico, and even though the Pescara faithful had come out in droves and were drowning out the atmosphere, there was something a bit tense in the air, perhaps having to do with the weather! Even though this match was quite different in nature compared to our first encounter against Red Star, unfortunately the result was the same, as Jackson Martínez 78th minute goal gave the Chinese side the advantage! Yet we fought bravely, and it was indeed a miracle that we did not score a goal, as we had several really good chances (Capone and Pasqual had some great shots sailing just wide, and the Chinese keeper denied several good shots by Mugosa and Benali).. In fact, having outshot them eight to six, having more possession and many more tackles, I would venture to say that we played better than the Evergrande. But indeed, football is football, and sometimes playing well is not enough! Once again, we would have to face an uphill battle, as we would have to go to unfamiliar grounds, in Guangzhou, to try to make it happen! Would Pescara once again show their spirit like we did in the Red Sea of Belgrade??

Quarterfinals, Leg 2 of 2, Guangzhou Evergrande vs Pescara, Guangzhou, China!


​

As we flew halfway accross the world to Southern China, in the hot and immensely populated metropolis of Guangzhou, Guangdong Province (population 20 million, one of the largest metropolis on earth), the contrast could not have been more intense with the peaceful Adriatic small city of Pescara. The atmosphere was electric in Huadu Stadium, as Guangzhou was determined to prove, as the last representative of Asian Football in the Cup, that the continent had come a long way in terms of their quality! The first half was furious, as Pescara was determined to revert the result and trying desperately to get a goal in, but to no avail, despite very good chances! (Capone ALMOST scored in the first possession of the game, only to be saved by the keeper with his fingertips, and Milo Mugosa was especially determined, but had several shots either sail wide or stopped by the goalkeeper)! As the second half started, this time it was a Chinese player who scored the first goal of the game (Zheng Zhi, in minute 52, threading the needle beautifully with his dribbling Pescara defenders), once again proving the axiom that the team that scores the goals is the one that should be winning. We kept fighting though, and in a wide open game, it was Jackson Martínez in a repeat performance, scoring a goal in minute 78 to ensure victory for the Evergrande! (A defensive mistake, we left him open for the header after a corner!) We had several more chances, and actually got off plenty of shots in this game (Pereira! Mugosa! Capone! Begali!) but just couldn't find the back of the net, and a costly defensive mistake, plus inspired play by Guangzhou, sealed the deal for us! Final score, Guangzhou Evergrande 2-0 Pescara (Global score 3-0), and unfortunately, thus ending our 3-Stars Cup Run!!



At the end of the day, however, this was another very enjoyable Cup!! Even though it ended in disappointment for Pescara, it was a positive run, reaching the quarterfinals! To recap the rest of the Cup, Guangzhou advanced to the semis, where they fell 4-3 global against the historical Brazilians, Corinthians, while Dinamo Zagreb completed the other half of the draw against Colombia's very own Deportivo Cali, who pulled off the stunning upset against the Croatians, and ended up winning the Cup!! (are you watching @Kenaykix??) Indeed, Deportivo Cali, winners of 10 Colombian Championships and one of the biggest teams in the country (also disputing El Clasico Añejo against Millonarios were the darkhorses, edging favorites Zagreb and Corinthians (in an all-South American final taken place at mythical Wembley) and bringing home the first international trophy in their history (after 4 tries), an incredible night at one that will last forever in the mindsof their fans! Yet this Cup was not just about the winner, it was about all 32 participants, from so many different corners of the globe, representing 4 continents, different styles of football, different philosophies and approaches to the game, diverse fanbases with their own chants, rituals, and celebrations, an entire tournament dedicated to the glory of the so-called "Medium Teams", that in fact, are anything but medium, but are actual GIANTS in our own hearts (just ask any fan) and are now writing their own international Cup history! Hope you guys enjoyed the Sixth Edition of the 3-Stars Cup!!

Stay tuned to the next edition of Millossobek's Cup Stories!
Comments are welcome!
​

 

[kibaxx7]

A match against Corinthians would have been amazing! But it was a nice run

 

[millossobek]

A match against Corinthians would have been amazing! But it was a nice run

That would've been great! Would've loved to have faced the famous Timão, A Time do Povo! They are actually my favorite Brasileirao team IRL!

I'm getting everything together for my new Master League story, guys. Stay tuned for further updates and an exciting adventure!

 

[millossobek]

Get Ready for the Ambitious, Epic Third Chapter
of Angel Comizzo's Managerial Story,
As He Takes on SERIE A, the Legendary Calcio,
Bringing His Outsized, Fighting Personality
to one of the Most Romantic of Italian Teams,
The Mythical Cuore Toro, Torino FC,
And With an Ace Up His Sleeve,
The Magician of the Balkans,
The Wizard of Croatia, Luka Modric.

Stay Tuned for Master League Story #9,
The Heart of Torino.

-millossobek
​

 

[Madmac79]

Comizzo's personality matches so damn well with Torino's history! I'm sure he'll earn a big spot in the Granata's equally big hearts.

With him and Modric togheter (and let's not forget a prime Duvan Zapata!), I'm sure you can bring some solid competition to all Serie A!

 

[millossobek]

Comizzo's personality matches so damn well with Torino's history! I'm sure he'll earn a big spot in the Granata's equally big hearts.

With him and Modric togheter (and let's not forget a prime Duvan Zapata!), I'm sure you can bring some solid competition to all Serie A!

Mac, it was just written in the cards that Comizzo would go to the Granata.. It was destiny bro!!

I will say this for now: Modric's arrival comes with a very interesting story twist!

And of course, we can't forget about Duván Zapata.. our classic #9.. He is ready and willing to wrestle against all the Serie A defenders!

Full Story Introduction + First Half Review to follow!