"Be serious, Hierro. Don't tell me you actually want Olmo to play center forward!"
"He's never played there before, not for his club or the national team!"
"If you're going to use him up front, you might as well start Morata. Seriously, Morata would definitely be more effective!"
Neither Xavi nor Zubizarreta believed Olmo could play center forward, but Hierro told them both to calm down.
"Think about it. The strengths of France's defenders are obvious, but so are their weaknesses."
"Lenglet isn't strong enough when defending on the ground, while Kimpembe isn't good enough in the air. If Olmo starts, he can keep the ball on the ground. His technique is better, and he can play more passes along the grass."
"If we can't break through Lenglet on the ground, Olmo can move the ball out to Sarabia. Sarabia can then cross toward Leo and let him challenge Kimpembe in the air."
"That also means we need someone extremely quick on the right. Ferran Torres!"
Hierro was now certain he had settled on Spain's starting lineup.
At 6:30 p.m., just as Spain arrived at the stadium for the semifinal, Stam received their lineup. The fans could finally compare Spain and France side by side.
"Let's take a look at Spain's starting eleven. Unai Simón is still in goal!"
"Why are there only three defenders?"
"Gaya, Laporte, and Azpilicueta. Where's the other center back?"
Scholes was studying the lineup as well. After scanning it several times, his attention settled on the names of Busquets and Rodri.
Spain had been playing with a single defensive midfielder for some time, so they were unlikely to start two of them together. That meant either Busquets or Rodri would play at center back, and the younger Rodri was clearly the more likely choice.
Gullit began searching the lineup as well, but he was looking for Spain's center forward. All he could find were two attacking midfielders, Pedri and Olmo. Morata was nowhere to be seen.
"Forget about who's playing center back for a moment. Who's the center forward? What are Spain trying to do?"
Only then did Tony Adams notice that Morata had been left out.
"So one of Pedri or Olmo is going to play up front?"
"Hierro must have lost his mind!"
Scholes thought Leo might be the one playing center forward.
"Lin can play there. I think it might be him!"
Gullit immediately rejected the idea.
"Impossible. To deal with Kanté and Pogba, Lin has to play in midfield. Spain don't have another midfielder capable of handling those two!"
Xavi could already imagine how confused everyone must have been when they saw the lineup. Deschamps was just as puzzled.
At 8:00 p.m., Leo and Griezmann led Spain and France onto the pitch. Several French players knew Leo, and they exchanged smiles with him as they shook hands.
Only after every Spanish player had taken his position did the fans realize that Olmo would be playing center forward and Rodri would be starting at center back.
Busquets, who had not started a single match in the tournament, was suddenly in the lineup for a European Championship semifinal against France.
"To dare start with a lineup like this... Even though Hierro has already led Spain to a title, the fans will tear him apart if they lose!"
"How confident does Hierro have to be to choose this lineup? They're facing France, not Slovakia!"
"Talk about France all you like, but why drag Slovakia into it?"
Both sets of supporters looked nervous. Once the match began, neither side made much noise. They simply watched in tense silence.
"The European Championship semifinal is underway. Benzema is dropping deep with the ball, which is one of France's trademarks!"
"Benzema won't pass backward. He'll hold onto the ball himself while Griezmann and Pogba move into position to combine with him. Benzema's qualities are what allow Deschamps to use this approach!"
Deschamps had left Benzema out of the national team for years because of problems between them. However, Benzema had been so outstanding for Real Madrid, and so many French supporters wanted him recalled, that Deschamps finally brought him back for this European Championship.
In the sixth minute!
"Benzema carries the ball himself while Pogba moves toward Busquets' side. Against Busquets at this stage of his career, Pogba definitely has the advantage."
"Benzema clips the ball over Pogba and sends it toward Pavard."
"Pavard has somehow slipped in behind Gaya on the right. Gaya and Pedri both chase after him, but the French fullback lifts a cross into the area!"
Mbappé prepared to overpower Laporte in the air, but Rodri got there first and headed the ball away.
"He has the ability to play at center back, and his presence will also give Spain greater control of their penalty area against Mbappé and Benzema!"
After Rodri's header, Gaya followed up by nodding the ball toward Busquets.
Age had caused Busquets' physical decline, but his passing and ability to protect the ball had not disappeared.
Without moving from his spot, he brought Gaya's header under control. He then dragged the ball to within a step of Pogba before sliding a pass through both Pogba and Kanté to Olmo.
Spain's next attack would show exactly why Hierro had chosen to start Olmo.
Olmo received the ball and passed it to Leo. Without pausing, Leo returned it immediately.
Olmo turned with the ball.
He played it straight through to Sarabia.
Sarabia controlled it and tried to lift his shot past the goalkeeper.
Lloris stretched out one hand and produced an excellent save.
Spain had taken the first shot and created the first real danger.
"Olmo handled that move very well. He attacked the side defended by Lenglet and Kimpembe rather than going toward Varane."
"I don't know how Deschamps decided to arrange his three center backs, but he has put Lenglet in the middle. I think that position should belong to Varane."
Spain then won a corner. Olmo prepared to take it and looked toward Leo, who was searching for Kimpembe.
Kimpembe knew exactly what Leo intended to do. He was not confident he could beat him in the air, so he kept switching assignments and trying to make Varane pick him up instead.
Leo adjusted his position even more quickly.
Kimpembe's constant attempts to avoid the matchup only created confusion in France's marking.
Olmo seized the opportunity and delivered the corner.
Leo rose above Kimpembe.
Once again, Lloris stood in his way and parried the header.
"Lloris has been saving France from the opening whistle!"
"France's god in blue!"
"But the rest of the team need to get into this match quickly!"
"Otherwise, Spain will take away France's place in the European Championship final before they know it!"
...
If you'd like to support my work and unlock advanced chapters, you can follow me on p-@-treon.
p-@-treon/GhostParser (65 Chapters Ahead)
You can also follow as a free member to read a few advanced chapters.