CHAPTER 81: FINAL DRAMA

"Three goals, and they think they can come back," Alonso said, shaking his head in disbelief.

The Spanish midfielder wiped sweat from his forehead as AEK’s players rearranged themselves for another desperate assault. Their body language had transformed completely—backs straight, voices sharp, movements urgent, replacing the resignation that had lingered just minutes before.

Plašil jogged past, his breath coming in controlled bursts despite the intensity of the match. "They’re playing like men possessed now," he observed in accented English, nodding toward the Greek players gesturing frantically at each other.

The tactical shift was immediate and striking. AEK abandoned its defensive structure entirely, pushing seven players into Monaco’s half while leaving only three behind. It was a reckless gamble—the kind of strategy that could either spark a miraculous comeback or lead to an embarrassing rout.

Monaco’s next possession began with Roma’s distribution. The Italian goalkeeper launched a precise throw toward Bernardi, who was drifting deep to collect the ball. But Liberopoulos had anticipated the movement, sprinting forward with predatory intent.

The Greek striker’s challenge was clean yet fierce, shoulder-to-shoulder contact sending Bernardi stumbling sideways. The ball broke loose, rolling toward Rusev, who gathered it smoothly before advancing toward goal.

Twenty-eight yards out, the Bulgarian prepared for another thunderous effort. His right foot drew back methodically, body positioning suggesting another attempt at the top corner, where Roma had made a magnificent save earlier.

This time, the execution was different. Rusev’s boot connected lower on the ball, skimming across the turf toward the bottom right corner. The trajectory was wicked, the ball bouncing twice before reaching Roma’s diving area.

The Italian goalkeeper reacted sharply, positioning himself to smother the effort on the second attempt. However, his handling was uncertain—the ball squirming in his grasp before he clutched it securely against his chest.

"Hold it!" Rodriguez barked from behind, aware that spilled balls could create chaos in crowded penalty areas. Roma’s composure returned immediately, his distribution finding Evra on the left touchline with a precise overarm throw.

AEK’s pressing trigger activated instantly. Petkov and Katsouranis converged on the French fullback like hunting hounds, their coordination forcing him into a hurried clearance that lacked tactical purpose.

The ball sailed toward the halfway line, where Amponsah challenged Adebayor for aerial supremacy. The Greek defender’s leap was athletic, but the young striker’s timing was superior—his header sent the ball back toward Monaco’s attacking third.

D’Alessandro controlled the dropping ball with characteristic elegance. His first touch killed its momentum before he spun away from Kyriakos’s clumsy challenge. The space ahead was inviting, AEK’s desperate formation leaving gaps that intelligent movement could exploit.

But the Argentine’s pass toward Rothen was overhit, rolling harmlessly out of play for an AEK throw-in. The winger’s frustration was evident as he gestured for better communication, knowing that such opportunities demanded precision.

The throw-in became AEK’s launching pad for another wave of attacks. Kasapis hurled the ball with both hands toward Liberopoulos, who had dropped deep to collect possession. The striker’s movement was intelligent, dragging Squillaci away from his preferred central position.

Liberopoulos’s first touch was perfect. He cushioned the ball before laying it off to Lakis, who had arrived from deep. The midfielder’s pass found Rusev advancing down the right channel, his pace troubling Evra, who was caught between pressing and covering.

The Bulgarian’s cross was precisely delivered, curling toward the penalty area where multiple players converged. Petkov attacked the ball with hunger, and his run was perfectly timed to meet the delivery at its peak height.

But Givet read the danger expertly. The young captain threw himself into the path of the header, the ball cannoning off his shoulder before spinning away toward the corner flag. His commitment was total; his body was sacrificed for the collective benefit.

The corner kick that followed tested Monaco’s defensive organization. Katsouranis delivered from the right, using his technique of sending the ball curling toward the near post, where bodies were clustered in tight formation.

Roma commanded his area with authority, rising above everyone to claim the ball cleanly. His handling was secure this time; there was no uncertainty as he gathered the cross before immediately launching a counter-attack with a quick distribution.

The ball found Alonso in space, the midfielder’s head already scanning for forward options. He spotted gaps in AEK’s stretched formation, spaces that patient buildup could exploit if the execution matched ambition.

His pass found D’Alessandro between the lines, the Argentine’s movement creating separation from tired markers. But instead of playing it safe, the playmaker attempted an ambitious through ball that rolled straight to Chiotis.

The Greek goalkeeper’s booming clearance sent the ball soaring into Monaco’s half, where tired legs began to show their wear. The match’s pace took its toll; touches grew heavier, and passes became less precise.

In the seventy-first minute, AEK crafted a moment of magic through sheer persistence. Liberopoulos collected a clearance thirty yards from goal, his first touch impeccable as he drove toward Monaco’s penalty area with determined strides.

The striker’s movement was astute. He angled his run to draw Squillaci and Rodriguez toward him like magnets. Their positioning created a vacuum behind them, which Lakis exploited with perfectly timed movement.

Liberopoulos’s pass was executed with sublime weight, finding Lakis in acres of space just fifteen yards from goal. The midfielder had time to compose himself; his first touch set the ball up perfectly for a finish that would reignite AEK’s hopes.

His technique was flawless. The right foot connected cleanly with the ball’s center, sending it past Roma’s dive into the bottom corner. The placement was clinical, finding the only spot where the goalkeeper’s reach could not extend.

5-3.

The goal provided AEK with a fleeting sense of hope that quickly evaporated. Their celebrations were emotional but brief, as they realized that time was becoming their enemy rather than Monaco’s defensive lapses.

Yves made his first substitution in the seventy-fourth minute, bringing on Prso to replace the tiring Adebayor. The Croatian striker injected fresh energy into Monaco’s attack, his movement immediate and purposeful as he sought to assert his presence.

The change disrupted AEK’s marking assignments, leaving their defenders uncertain about their responsibilities as Monaco’s formation subtly shifted. Prso’s positioning differed from Adebayor’s, creating new challenges for fatigued minds to solve.

Monaco’s next chance came through Alonso’s vision and technique. The Spanish midfielder collected possession twenty-five yards from goal, with space opening ahead as AEK’s midfield pushed forward desperately.

His shot was struck with perfect technique, the right foot curling the ball toward the top corner with mathematical precision. The trajectory was beautiful, bending away from Chiotis’s dive toward where the post met the crossbar.

But fortune favored the Greeks by mere millimeters. The ball passed inches wide of the upright, close enough for the goalkeeper to feel the wind from its passage. Chiotis had been thoroughly beaten, and his dive started too late to affect an outcome determined by margins too small to measure.

The near miss seemed to deflate AEK’s resistance entirely. Their pressing became sporadic and uncoordinated, energy dissipating under the weight of harsh reality. Five minutes remained, but hope was fading faster than time.

Prso almost added a sixth goal in the eighty-third minute. D’Alessandro’s pass found him in space, but his fourteen-yard shot went straight at Chiotis, who grated the ball. The Croatian’s technique had failed him when precision mattered most.

AEK’s final attacking thrust came through Liberopoulos’s individual effort. The striker collected possession near the touchline, skillfully evading Evra’s tired challenge before advancing toward the penalty area with flickering hope.

His shot from eighteen yards was struck cleanly, but Roma’s positioning was perfect. The Italian goalkeeper gathered the ball at chest height, immediately launching another clearance that found touch near the center circle.

Referee Meier checked his watch as the match entered its final phases. Four minutes of added time appeared on the electronic board, enough for one last AEK assault or a Monaco counter-attack.

The closing moments passed without significant incident. Monaco controlled possession while AEK chased shadows, their energy completely spent from the emotional intensity of their comeback attempt.

Monaco’s 5-3 victory was confirmed when the final whistle sounded after ninety-four minutes. Players from both teams displayed contrasting emotions: satisfaction and exhaustion for the winners and disappointment and pride for the losers.

The handshakes were genuine, and professional respect was evident despite the competitive intensity. AEK had fought courageously, and their three goals provided entertainment alongside Monaco’s clinical finishing.

Adebayor collected the match ball despite his second-half substitution. His two goals earned traditional recognition. Teammates congratulated him warmly, acknowledging that his breakthrough performance marked a significant milestone.

Givet led Monaco’s players toward their supporters, the young captain’s armband visible as he acknowledged the applause that had grown throughout the evening. The crowd’s appreciation was heartfelt, recognizing individual excellence and collective achievement.

"Group winners," Stone announced as he joined the celebration, his voice carrying satisfaction mixed with anticipation for the challenges ahead. The knockout rounds would demand everything Monaco had learned about European competition.