After 10 years with FM, my first career update

[fridge73]

I finally caught up with your thoroughly enjoyable career. What a success you have had in such a short career. Starting up in Chile and winning that cup opened the door into Italian football which you have excelled in so far, including the national team. Spain was a mistake though in my opinion, but hey, this career is close to perfect so far! 

I agree with you on the name of this save: (Last chance save) as I am really torn regarding this game. My biggest issue with FM now is how often when you pretty much own a game you end up losing on a 30+  vs. 2 shots on goal. It is even worse when your opponent has a player sent off. Then you can guarantee that you concede a goal. Also, in 2017 version I am seeing too much of losing streaks or winning streaks. I either cant win a game and then win one and cant lose a game for the next ten. Perhaps, it is different on PC as I enjoy my game on my ipad.

However, I have played FM series since Kevin Tom's version of it in 1980's (with breaks in between) and the brilliant idea of putting an ipad version of it got me playing again. I just wish they would upgrade it to same level as it is on PC as it is missing the fun bit such as media interaction and all the key involvement where you can actually change player's mind by having a chat with them etc. I hope they get that sorted in 2018 version so I will buy it. If not, I wont.

Anyway, Tom. Your save has reignited my spirit and I have taken over at Alfreton in English Non League North where I am going to try a career like you have done.

Cant wait for next episode!

 

[trman73]

March 31, 2029 - Serie A: Napoli (8-12-9, 36 pts., 10th) vs. Juventus (20-5-4, 65 pts., 2nd)

After seven straight top five finishes in Serie A, Napoli is having a down season, and it looks like that run will end this year. Still, they are always tough, and this is a big road match for us. We emerge from the international break injury-free, although both of our attacking midfielders, Davidson Costa and Dani Ceballos, are still dealing with nicks from club play, and we'll have to sit them in favor of Antonio D'Amico, who has not started a game for me all year. Albin Carlsson is also suspended for this one. It is absolutely vital that we stay at least within two points of Inter, as they hold the tiebreaker over us and we'll need to beat them outright to capture the league. We've got no wiggle room, and this match kicks of a three-game run where we also face AC Milan and Roma.

We don't play well in the first half, and when Napoli scores in the 39th we're down. It's 1-0 at the half and we're lucky not to be down more. The second half is no better, and we fall, 1-0. This is just a crusher for us. However, Inter falls to Torino, 2-1, and we're back where we were at two points down. AC Milan is breathing down our necks though, just one back of us and right in the title race, so next week's home game with them is just huge.

[trman73]

April 7, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (20-5-5, 65 pts., 2nd) vs. AC Milan (20-4-6, 64 pts., 3rd)

Well this is huge. Just three points separate the top three teams in the league. AC Milan and Inter split their matches, and Milan actually has the best goal differential of all of us at +38 (Inter is +32 and we are +29). But we beat these guys earlier in the year, so if we get them again here we'll be four points up on them with seven to go, and we'll have the tiebreaker. We've got to win this match. Inter is at home against a bad Bologna team, so we have to assume they'll get three points.

Bad news from our final practice before game day as Nicolino Di Benedetto has a sports hernia and is now out 3-4 weeks. Riedewald, who has been on the bench since his return due to the acquisition of Deman, will fill his slot.

It's an incredibly frustrating first half as D'Onofrio has two breakaways and fires both of them right into the chest of the Milan keeper. Eboko has another clear shot in the box, and whiffs, and Costa tops it off with a clear-cut miss as well. It's 0-0 at the half and we should be up by multiple goals.

This winds up being one of the most frustrating games I have ever played. We continue to dominate the match and get good, clean, clear chances for goals, but the Milan goalkeeper, Raul Olmedo, stops all 12 of our shots, and we draw, 0-0, despite Milan playing the final 20 minutes with 10 men. I cannot believer what I just watched. When the story is written on this season, our absolutely incredible inconsistency on offense will be the main headline. I am slamming my fingers against the keys as I type this.

Edited July 11, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

April 10, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Quarterfinal, Leg 1: Juventus vs. BMG

Adding injury to insult, Pietro D'Onofrio was hurt in the Milan match and will miss 3-4 weeks. But maybe Humberto Ramirez will give us some fresh blood and much-needed creativity on the front line.

BMG went 1-4-1 in group stage of the Champions League and barely squeaked into the knockout stages. They defeated Arsenal in the first round. I'd say we're the better team here, but once again we are in an offensive funk, so who knows. As Serie A slips away from me, I'd love to at least advance to the semis of this tournament to save some face in my first year at Juventus.

My goal here is obviously to win, but if we can keep up our defensive play and hold BMG scoreless, that would be a nice bonus. They are an attacking team, so we'll see.

It's happening again. We hit the post twice with shots in the first 15 minutes, and Eboko is playing just horribly. But we finally get our first goal in three matches thanks to our veteran, Capezzi, who scores on a free kick in the 37th to give us the lead. If we can hold these guys down I'll feel great even if we don't get another. We do just what we need to do, keeping BMG scoreless, and win, 1-0. If we can somehow get a goal in Germany, I trust that we'll be able to keep them from netting three in the second leg.

[trman73]

April 14, 2029 - Serie A: Roma (15-9-7, 54 pts., 5th) vs. Juventus (20-6-5, 66 pts., 2nd)

Well, I've been looking forward to my return to Roma for a long time. I had a great run here, and hope the fans appreciate what we accomplished. But there's no time for nostalgia here, for either club. Roma is just a point back of Genoa for fourth and an automatic spot in Europa League group stage, and we're in an enormous battle with Inter and AC Milan for the order of the top three. We're without Di Benedetto, D'Onofrio, and Albin Carlsson, who is once again suspended.

We're finally able to string together some good passes in the attacking zone and wind up with a goal from Humberto Ramirez in the 17th. The 1-0 lead holds up at the half, and less than two minutes into the second half we get a goal from Ayala to go up 2-0. Maybe this is the forward combo we should have been starting all along. Roma's a good offensive team and they turn it on in the second half after our goal, and they score in the 83rd to cut it to 2-1, but less than a minute later Costa hits Ayala with a pass and he scores, and we're back up two goals. That's more than enough, and we get a huge 3-1 road win.

Palermo does us a huge favor by beating Inter, 3-2, and there are now just two points separating the top three teams in Serie A with six matches to go.

Edited July 11, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

April 18, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Quarterfinal, Leg 2: BMG vs. Juventus (Juventus leads, 1-0)

Chelsea and PSG have advanced to the semifinals, with Chelsea knocking off Barcelona 6-3 and PSG winning on a way goals over Manchester United, 5-5. If we're to join them in the semis, we need to hold down BMG once again, and try to net a goal here to make it less likely for them to come back. I'm feeling confident as we get on the pitch.

We get the ball to start and go on an immediate attack that ends with Ayala finding a streaking Davidson Costa for a goal 19 seconds in, and that's an absolutely enormous start for us. It's 1-0 at the half, and when Ayala finds Ramirez in the 60th to make it 3-0 on aggregate, this one's over. We hold BMG scoreless over the two matches, and Juventus is in the Champions League Semifinal!

Unfortunately, center defender and key man Lucas Bedoya is injured in this one and will miss three weeks, and Dani Ceballos goes down as well and will miss two weeks. The injuries are stacking up for us, but for now, we'll celebrate this win.

[trman73]

April 20, 2028 - European Champions Cup Semifinal Draw

Manchester City knocked off Monaco on away goals, 3-3, so it's us, Chelsea, PSG and Man City. Obviously there are no weak sisters here. But I'd prefer Chelsea, as Man City has advanced to the Champions League Final the past four seasons, and PSG has been in the Final four times in this save, winning two.

The draw is held, and the results are...

• Manchester City vs. PSG
• Chelsea vs. Juventus

Well I got what I wanted, and we get the first leg away. The first match is just two weeks away, and we'll be without a whole bunch of key starters, but we're playing well once again, and I like our chances.

[trman73]

April 21, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (21-6-5, 69 pts., 2nd) vs. Verona (13-8-11, 47 pts., 8th)

Verona's fallen off lately and is just 0-2-2 in the past month. We need to shake off the fatigue of the Champions League win here and get a result. We are now without four starters (D'Onofrio, Di Benedetto, Bedoya, and Ceballos) plus a key backup in midfielder Daniel Peranzoni. But we need to fight through it as we've got eight matches in the last five weeks of the season.

My goodness, this match. Verona scores in the 14th, then proceeds to completely park the bus. We manage just three shots on net, and lose, 1-0. It's a crazy day in Serie A as AC Milan wins and Inter loses, and now it's Milan atop the table, with Inter a point back and us two back. A real wasted opportunity for us today.

[trman73]

April 28, 2029 - Serie A: Sassuolo (11-7-15, 40 pts., 13th) vs. Juventus (21-6-6, 69 pts., 3rd)

We may not need to win the rest of our matches to take the Serie A title, but I'm treating it that way. We absolutely need three points at Sassuolo here to keep pace with the two teams ahead of us. We cannot rest anyone here even though the Chelsea match is midweek. We must, must win this game. Milan faces fourth-place Genoa and Inter takes on a suddenly surging Lazio (winners of four straight), so they have far tougher opponents than we do this week. But I have always had a really difficult time playing at Sassuolo. That needs to end here.

We lose yet another defender in training this week as Sylvain Pierre-Mesniere will miss this match. That means 21-year-old Stefan Bashliev starts along side Deman in center defense... two guys who weren't even with the club at the turn of the year.

It looks like yet another first half where we dominate but don't score. But in the 40th, a corner kick by Andric isn't cleared properly by Sassuolo, and bounces right to Ramirez, who scores. We lead 1-0 at the half, and both teams play the second half like they are stuck in the mud. We win, 1-0, for our fifth clean sheet in our last eight matches.

It turns out to be an absolutely brilliant weekend for us. AC Milan falls to Genoa, 4-3, and Lazio goes to Inter and wins, 2-1. With four matches to go in the season, we are now in first place in Serie A, a point up on AC Milan (with the tiebreaker) and two up on Inter, which has amazingly now lost three straight league matches. This is all set up for a great finish!

Edited July 12, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

May 1, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Semifinal, Leg 1: Chelsea vs. Juventus

Serie A is not the only league that appears headed toward an epic finish. Chelsea is in a three-way race for the Premier League title as well. With three games to go, Arsenal leads the league with 82 points, and Chelsea and Manchester City each have 81. So Chelsea has not had the benefit of resting players heading into this match.

The Blues are on an absolutely incredible run. In all competitions, they are 16-4-0 in their last 20 matches. They won the EFL Cup this season, and have beaten OM and Barcelona in the knockout stages of Champions League. If I'm being honest here, they've got to be favored to advance to the final over us.

But at this point I am comfortable stating that we are a great defensive team. We've allowed just a single goal in our four knockout stage matches, and have clean sheets in 23 of our 47 total matches this year. We've allowed more than one goal in a match just seven times all year. Our defense is the reason we're here, and it's the reason we are (at least for now) leading Serie A. Chelsea may be the more talented team, but I legitimately think we can beat them. We need to keep it close in this first leg, and then we're at home next week.

We get di Benedetto back for this one, which is good since Bashliev was not registered for this competition and Riedewald is our only other healthy center defender. He moves over from the left side, and Di Benedetto returns at left back.

Chelsea comes out absolutely on fire and the first quarter of the match is just us fending off attack after attack. But we resist, and it's 0-0 at the half. Our hope here is that we can somehow luck into a counter in the second half and put one on the board. In the last 20 minutes we finally start to mount an attack, and in the 77th, a corner kick finds Davidson Costa, who fires a wicked shot that bounces off a Chelsea defender and in!! Chelsea continues to bring it and has three outstanding chances in stoppage time, but Valdes stops all three and we hang on for the 1-0 win!!!!

This was a game we had no business drawing, let alone winning outright. But we are in good position to advance to the Champions League Final!

[trman73]

May 5, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (22-6-6, 72 pts., 1st) vs. Cesena (9-11-14, 38 pts., 15th)

I don't know which is more surprising: that we're 90 minutes from the Champions League Final, or that, despite all of the ups and downs and inconsistent offensive play this season, we are in first place in Serie A with four matches to go. Here are those four matches:

• vs. Cesena (15th)
• at Fiorentina (12th)
• vs. Torino (8th)
• at Bologna (16th)

This is setting up great for us. None of these teams is among the league's best by any means, and our toughest remaining opponent we get at home. But as both Inter and AC Milan have seen in just the last two weeks, things can change with just one match, and if we don't beat this Cesena team today, we're unlikely to hold that top spot heading into the final three weeks. But we also know that if we win these last four, we're Serie A champions. Milan has a tough match with Roma this week, while Inter will try to stop its bad run visiting a terrible Sampdoria team.

We get some players back for this one, as D'Onofrio and Ceballos are cleared to at least give us 45 minutes. And Bedoya may very well be ready for the second leg against Chelsea.

Ayala gets a goal in the 10th minute on a pass from Andric and we're up early. The next 80 minutes are tense as we just can't allow a goal and settle for anything but the win. We don't settle, and we get the 1-0 win thanks to yet another marvelous defensive performance. We've allowed just one goal in our last five matches, and we remain atop the league with three to go. AC Milan rolls Roma, 4-1, and Inter handles Sampdoria, 3-1, so the top three in the table remains unchanged for the first time in five weeks.

[trman73]

May 9, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Semifinal, Leg 1: Juventus vs. Chelsea (Juventus leads, 1-0)

Chelsea drew its weekend match with Burnley and is now three points back in the Premier League with two to go, and they are not going to catch either Arsenal or Man City on goal differential. So this is the match of the year for them. And it's the match of the year for us too, despite being top of the league. When I came in here the one thing that had been eluding Juventus was success in Champions League. If we can win this match and get to the final, it will be a huge accomplishment.

I'm sticking with the lineup that's been playing well, and Bedoya is not ready to take back his spot on the defense yet. He, D'Onofrio, and Ceballos are three of our seven subs.

I forgot to mention before the first leg of this semifinal who is on the other sideline opposite me for Chelsea. It's none other than Zinedine Zedane, who left our club to join them. I'm sure the boys would like to show him what he missed out on.

The day before our match, Manchester City beats PSG 1-0 in Paris, and takes that semifinal 5-2. So City will be appearing in its fifth consecutive Champions League Final, an incredible accomplishment. I want to face them in that final, and we are 90 minutes away from making that happen.

As expected, Chelsea comes out aggressively on the attack again, but this time we're getting chances as well. Valdes makes a couple of fantastic early saves, and then in the 22nd, Ayala leads Costa with a pass and he threads through two defenders to score. We're up 1-0 in this one and 2-0 overall, and with the way we're playing defense, Chelsea has a lot of work to do. The 1-0 score holds up at the half, and I expect Chelsea to bring the house in the final 45 minutes. Instead, in the 52nd, Melegoni hits Costa with a pass that looked offside but wasn't called, and he scores his second to give us the huge 3-0 lead! We're about 40 minutes from the final.

In the 73rd Chelsea finally breaks through to make it 2-1 for the match and 3-1 overall. I can't help but feel a bit bit nervous now, and Chelsea is really bringing it. But in the 80th minute, Costa adds an assist to his two goals, as he finds Ayala for a pretty score that gives us the three-goal lead back. This is going to happen! Chelsea basically gives it up after that goal, and we win and have advanced to the Champions League Final!!!

[trman73]

Hey fridge, I'm sorry I didn't reply to your comment. Thanks a lot! This save has also reignited my joy in playing this game.

I will say that one thing you're right about is what happens when an opponent has a player sent off. I don't know what that's all about but it happens to me all the time, and it sucks. Even with Juventus, it's happened. I would say that in this career (and I'm too lazy to go back and look at all the game recaps), it's happened maybe four times, all seemingly against inferior competition.

As for your comment about outplaying opponents but still losing, I absolutely felt that was the case with FM16. I hated, hated that version of the game, hence the "Last Chance Save." But I've found 17 to be vastly improved. Of course I am biased since I'm basically having the most successful save of my life here. But what I've done with this save more than any other is make game-to-game tweaks and even in-game tweaks. I've also paid a ton of attention to training. Honestly these were things I sort of glossed over previously. But when I committed to writing this career I also committed to really controlling every aspect I could possibly control, and not giving my assistants much to do at all.

Anyway, again, sorry I did not respond sooner. Thanks a lot for your feedback.

T

Edited July 12, 2017 by trman73

[fridge73]

No worries, pal. We need you to be getting on with the career

 I agree with the training part. If you want to win in the game you need to have a plan regarding training. Depending on the opponent, I found it really useful to set the team training concentration 4-6 weeks ahead; attacking training vs. opponents I should beat, defending or tactical against stronger opponents etc. 

Also, dont underestimate the power of individual training. I have seen "one digit" stat players jump from nowhere to become very interesting prospect. 

I just envy you with your success so far. You are so close to winning the double and adding to the trophy cabinet )which you need to expand soon!). 

Let's hope Liverpool comes in for you soon! We need you. 

[metallimuse]

2 hours ago, trman73 said:

 

As for your comment about outplaying opponents but still losing, I absolutely felt that was the case with FM17. I hated, hated that version of the game, hence the "Last Chance Save." But I've found 18 to be vastly improved.

Am I missing something? Are we not playing FM17?

[trman73]

Details, details. I meant that FM17 is much improved over FM16, which I hated and was terrible at. I was a year off.

[trman73]

13 hours ago, fridge73 said:

Let's hope Liverpool comes in for you soon! We need you. 

Patience fridge, patience.

[trman73]

May 13, 2029 - Serie A: Fiorentina (12-6-17, 42 pts., 13th) vs. Juventus (23-6-6, 75 pts., 1st)

We've got four matches left in our season, and if we win all four we do the Champions League--Serie A double, which would be just phenomenal. But Fiorentina, despite not having a good year, is still a team we can't take for granted on the road, and they destroyed us in the Italian Cup quarterfinal. We're a different team now than we were in that match, but we cannot have any letdown after the Chelsea match. AC Milan has a tough road match vs. 7th-place Verona this week, and Inter plays Entella, a team trying to fight off relegation.

Pietro D'Onofrio was a casualty in the Chelsea match, as he's got strained knee ligaments and is basically out for the rest of the year. But the Ayala-Ramirez combo has been performing well, so we'll get by.

The day before our match AC Milan loses, 1-0, to Verona. So with a win we go four points up on them, with the tiebreaker, so it will be hard for them to catch us. Inter at this point is the bigger threat, as any slip up that allows them to pass us will be hard to overcome since they own the tiebreaker over us. Of course, us winning out makes all of this talk meaningless.

Humberto Ramirez continues to make things happen for us and gets us on the board with a goal in the 15th. We're playing our usual stifling defense until the 34th, when Fiorentina's Vitor Oliveira ties it. It's 1-1 at the half, but early in the second Melegoni hits Ramirez with a pass at the top edge of the box, and he strikes it in to put us back up, 2-1! I'd really like to pad this lead and give us some breathing room, but instead we rely on the defense. We hold Fiorentina down for the rest of the game, and escape with a huge 2-1 win.

Incredibly, Entella goes to Inter and manages a 3-3 draw. If we win one of our final two matches, we are once again Serie A champions.

Edited July 13, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

May 20, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (24-6-6, 78 pts., 1st) vs. Torino (15-8-13, 53 pts., 9th)

It's as simple as it can be: we win this game, and we lift our sixth straight Serie A trophy. Nicola Di Benedetto is nicked up and out for this one, and Melegoni is suspended due to yellow cards. But we've got the quality to take this match, and take the title, today against a very average Torino team.

Inter can make things very, very easy for us if they lose the day before our match. They are on the road at Atalanta. But they win, 2-0, and are now a point back. But again, we close them out with a win here.

I don't give a particularly impassioned speech before the match. These guys know what to do. Most of them have been in this exact spot before. All there is to do is go out there, and clinch this thing right now, at home.

It doesn't take long to get on the board, as a cross from Riedewald finds Ayala, who puts it in for a very easy goal, and it's 1-0. But this match won't be easy starting in the 21st, when Peranzoni, starting for the suspended Melegoni, gets his second yellow card and is sent off. Ugh. Seventy minutes a man down.

Despite the sendoff we continue to control play, and hold the 1-0 lead at the half. With a half hour to go, Davidson Costa finds Ayala in the middle of the box, he eludes his man, and scores, and it's 2-0!!!! We are 30 minutes away from the title. When Carlsson hits Costa with a cross in the 72nd to make it 3-0, it is officially party time. Adrian Dan adds a goal in the 88th, our third while a man down, and the clock runs out. Folks, Juventus has won Serie A!

[trman73]

May 27, 2029 - Serie A: Bologna (12-3-22, 39 pts., 16th) vs. Juventus (25-6-6, 81 pts., 1st)

Honestly if I could forfeit this game I would. We are six days from trying to win our third trophy of the season against Manchester City, and this game is also meaningless for Bologna, which will finish 16th regardless of what happens here. I start exactly zero starters in this one, including Valdes, who sits voluntarily for the first time this year. Two players, midfielder Eugenio Guiggi and forward Riccardo Gaglione, get their first appearances of the year for us. With the league sewn up, the starters get to sit back, enjoy watching their teammates, and mentally prepare for the Champions Cup Final.

It's a 0-0 draw to close the curtain on our Serie A season. There are two total shots on goal. We make no subs, everyone emerges healthy, and we're six days from trying to cap off a glorious season.

[trman73]

Three huge things happen in the Premier League at the end of its season. First, Arsenal hosts Manchester City in the final match of the year. Heading into the last game, Arsenal holds the lead with 88 points, and City has 87. Arsenal takes a 1-0 lead into the 68th minute, then Man City absolutely blitzes them, scoring four goals in the 20+ minutes to win 4-1 and take the league title. So the Champions League Final will be between two league champions.

Second, this happens...

Guys get fired all the time... no big deal, right?

Not so much...

Fourteen seasons, 11 Premier League titles, and 18 cup wins, including two Champions League titles, two FA Cups, and two Club World Championships. At 66 years old, this may be the end of the line for him.

And third, I apply for the Liverpool job. To me this is the perfect position for me. It will take some work, as they've been bad for the entirety of this save. But they are still Liverpool. If I am offered this job, I am taking it. I will probably not apply for the United job.

[trman73]

Serie A Awards:

Well, prior to the Champions League Final, Serie A hands out it awards. Not surprisingly, we are all over the place...

• Jonathan Valdes is named Goalkeeper of the Year. Despite missing five games, he tied for the league lead with 15 clean sheets and allowed just 24 goals in 33 games.
• Albin Carlsson is named Defender of the Year. Not bad for a guy who appeared in 26 games in his previous four years with Juventus. Lucas Bedoya finishes third.
• Valdes, Carlsson, Bedoya and Nicolino Di Beneddetto are named to the Team of the Year. What a defense.
• Pietro D'Onofrio wins the Quickest Goal of the Season for his strike 21 seconds into the Lazio match way back on September 9, when he was getting us off to hot starts in basically every match.
• And finally...

It's my first Coach of the Year Award. I'm thrilled. I am also a finalist for the Managers' Manager of the Year, along with Cristian Altinier of Genoa.

[trman73]

We arrive in Moscow for the Champions League Final. For Manchester City, it's their sixth trip to the final in the last nine years. For us, it's our first trip since 2023, when we lost on penalties to United. Here's how the Finals have gone in this save...

This is City's fifth straight final. Either a French team or an English team has won this thing for 10 straight years. By all metrics, they are the favorite. Here's how they got here...

• 6-0-0 in Group H (vs. OM, Galatasaray, and Legia)
• 7-3 over FCP in First Knockout Round
• 3-3 (a) over Monaco in Quarterfinal
• 5-2 over PSG in Semifinal
• 9-3-0 overall record

And us...

• 4-1-1 in Group F (vs. FCP, Celtic, and Leverkusen)
• 2-1 over Real Madrid in First Knockout Round
• 3-0 over BMG in Quarterfinal
• 4-1 over Chelsea in Semifinal
• 9-2-1 overall

So our loss at Celtic was the only loss either team suffered in this competition, and together we went 18-5-1 to get here. They outscored their opponents 34-13 overall, and we outscored ours 23-8. And again, we each won our league this season.

I will say this: They are the better offensive team, but we are going to be the best defense they see all season. No Premier League team even approached the 26 goals we allowed in the league season. We have conceded just 39 total goals in our 53 matches this year. If anyone is going to hold this team down, it's us. I could make the case that we are the best defensive club in the world. And they gave up quite a few goals against the superior competition of the knockout rounds.

I am starting the lineup that got us here with its superior play over the last two months: Valdes in net, backed up by Di Benedetto, Bedoya, Deman, and Carlsson; Capezzi as the midfield anchor, flanked by Andric and Melegoni; Davidson Costa at attacking midfielder, and Ayala and Ramirez up front.

I am 5-0 in cup finals. When a trophy is on the line, I win it.

We are ready.

Edited July 13, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

June 2, 2029 - European Champions Cup Final: Juventus vs. Manchester City (Moscow, Russia)

I've done all the setting up I can... let's get to this!

It's a back-and-forth first 20 minutes and I'm happy with our play. The first goal of the match comes in the 21st, and it's from... Juventus! Andric steals a clearance pass from City, finds Davidson Costa, and Costa leads Ayala with a pass right in front of the keeper that he puts in to give us the 1-0 lead!

In the 39th minute, a bad pass from Capezzi is picked off by City, leading to a 3-on-1 chance that will surely tie it. But Valdes makes an incredible stop on a point-blank chance right in front of him, and if we go on to win this match people will be talking about that for years.

Our relief over that stop is short-lived, though. In the 44th, City gets a corner, and it finds the right head and winds up in the goal. It's 1-1 at the break, but we're playing well, and I tell the team to go out there and get the clincher for us.

In the 54th, Capezzi takes a ball from the top of the box, finds Melegoni, and he leads a streaking Ayala with a pass that finds the goal for a 2-1 lead!!! It's a very similar goal to our first strike, and Man City appears to have a weakness in the center of its defense. Very rarely do Valdes and our defense allow more than one goal in a game, but I'm by no means feeling confident with more than 35 minutes left to go. I choose not to go defensive, as I want to stay balanced in our attack a little longer.

For the next 20 minutes we do what we do: frustrate the opposing offense. But in the 75th, City places a free kick onto the foot of a man right at the top of the box, and he scores on a great strike to tie it, 2-2. We're back to where we started, with 15 minutes to go.

In the 85th minute, we catch a huge break as Manchester City's Joaquim Sa is sent off, and we'll play the rest of this match a man up. But knowing what fridge and I discussed over the last couple days, the man advantage can actually often mean doom. Ugh. This is tense.

This one will be decided in extra time or on penalties, as the second half ends 2-2.

In the 96th minute, Albin Carlsson has some space along the right sideline, he dribbles to the corner, and lays a cross into the box that finds Humberto Ramirez, who puts it in!!! We're up for the third time in this one, and we need to hold this lead. This time I do switch to defensive mode, and the first half of extra time ends with us up 3-2. We are 15 minutes away from the ultimate club title.

We have two legitimate chances to pad our lead in the 110th and 112th, but Ayala and Ramirez miss those chances. I am still holding onto a substitution, but the most tired guys are also my best penalty takers, and I need them in there just in case.

In the 121st minute Peranzoni gets called for a foul right outside the box, and City has its final chance. But the shot goes over the net. Valdes fires the ball up the field, the whistle blows, and we have won Champions League!!!!!

I absolutely cannot believe this save. Incredible!!!!!!!!!!!!

Edited July 13, 2017 by trman73

[fridge73]

Incredible stuff! The idea of documenting this save of all and then winning everything infront of you is beyond belief.....but fantastic to be apart of through these posts.  Congrats!

Now, rest up before you take on the challenge of the biggest sleeping giant in football, Liverpool FC! 

 

[Justin_Case]

Congrats! I had a feeling the season would end with a trophy, but two is fantastic. Time for a new challenge? - hopefully the premier league! 

[kidthekid]

Amazing run to finish the season.!!!

[Keano16]

[warpedpolecat]

Man I needed this thread, this is the least inspired I've felt about an FM never really got a save going, but this has made me feel quite keen to get going!

[Malaussie]

Brilliant win mate hopefully you get in with Liverpool. With your resume no job will be untouchable hopefully you get the West Ham job down the line and bring them some glory. 

[trman73]

Hey all, thanks a lot! I must say, if this was someone else, I might be skeptical that they were maybe cheating their way through this... resetting and going back to previous saves if they lose a big game. I can assure you that's not happening here. Whatever magic potion I've found here, it's just coincidence that it's during my first storytelling attempt.

I'm at work right now so I have no screen shots, but I did want to note that I interviewed with Liverpool and they did not find me to be one of their top candidates. So...

• A league title
• A Europa League title
• A Champions League title, and
• A World Cup title...

Are not enough to get me in the door at Liverpool, a team that has sucked ever since this game started and fired their last coach after 147 days. It was too late to apply at United as they already filled their spot with real Madrid's coach. Madrid took Bayern's coach, so I can either apply at Bayern or stay where I am. I'm probably going to just stay where I am. But I was really getting excited about what I assumed would be the job offer from Liverpool, so I'm kinda bummed.

Anyway, after tonight I probably won't be updating too much over the next 10 days or so as we've got family in town, then I'm heading off to beautiful Colorado for a few days for work.

[trman73]

Juventus 2028-2029 Season Review

I forgot to do this last night. Obviously this is going to be a positive review, as we were in four total competitions this year and won three of them.

Serie A - Board Expectation: Win the League; Result: Won the League

Well it was a little tougher than I anticipated, and with five games to go we were in third place. But everything fell into place for us as we won four matches in a row at the end of the year while both Inter and AC Milan fell back. We finished 25-7-6, and had stretches where we were absolutely impenetrable. Mission accomplished for my first-ever league title. Grade: A-

European Champions Cup - Board Expectation: Reach First Knockout Round; Result: WON!

My expectation was that we'd reach the final eight. I feel like I've written everything I can about this. It was an incredible run, and Juventus are the champions of Europe. Grade: A++++

Italian Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important; Result: Knocked Out in Quarterfinal

The loss to Fiorentina came at our lowest point in the season, in a stretch where we won one of six matches. The board didn't care about this, and neither did I. Grade: C

Italian Super Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important; Result: Defeated AC Milan

We kicked off the season with a trophy and ended it with two more. It was just one match, but we took it. Grade: A

Overall Grade: A - Juventus is a team with a lot of history, and this was one of their most successful seasons ever. I'm pretty proud of that. I brought in some key contributors both at the beginning of the year (GK Valdes, AMC Costa, MC Peranzoni), and in the winter window (DC Deman).

Season MVP: DR Albin Carlsson - Filippo Melegoni won the club award for player of the year, but I just have to give this to a defender, and Carlsson was huge for us. This was probably my best season in terms of making lineup changes, bringing in quality additions (see above) and selecting a regular side. Trusting Carlsson to take over at right back was a big part of that. Runners-Up: MC Filippo Melegoni was our best midfielder all season. And DC Lucas Bedoya complained a lot at the beginning of the year about wanting to leave, but once we made him happy, he was immense for us.

Off-Season Plans:

We're going to suffer one big loss this offseason, as center midfielder Leonardo Capezzi, who won a World Cup, a Serie A title, and a Champions Cup with me, is about to be 35 years old and really tailed off at the end of the season. He wants to come back and the fans love him, but he's done. So we'll need to fill that hole. I'm going to place F Eboko, AMC Dani Ceballos, and a couple others on the transfer list, and try to bring in some fresh, young blood to balance the veterans we have here.

Edited July 13, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

2029 Off-Season Report: Outgoing Transfers

We're given a transfer budget of $35 million and a salary cap of $245 million for the summer.

On July 1, we officially release Capezzi on a free transfer. This guy was great for Juventus in his career, and he'll be missed, but time waits for no one. Riccardo Gaglione, our fifth forward, is also given his release. I've got a 19-year-old who can serve as our emergency forward next season and he won't cost me a registration spot.

Our first loss of the off-season was one we knew was coming. Central defender Sylvain Pierre-Mesniere leaves us for Saudi Arabia on a free transfer. This guy filled in admirably for us, appearing in 13 league matches and some Champions League games as well, but he just wasn't going to get the playing time he wanted, especially with Bashliev coming in mid-season. He signed this contract back in May, and he's gone on July 1.

So is a young homegrown player, left midfielder Eugenio Guiggi. This guy was on my 25-man roster strictly because he was team-trained and we needed four of those guys. But he appeared in just the one game for us, the meaningless season finale. We get $19.5 million from Newcastle for him, a nice haul for a guy who didn't feature in our plans.

Left back Ruud Postma is next. The Dutchman also found himself without a spot in the regular side, and complained about it quite a bit. He goes to Everton for $11.5 million. We need to find a backup left and right back, and can do so for far cheaper than this guy.

Finally, Moises Eboko heads to Chelsea for a nice fee of $24 million. He played a key role for us in the Champions League group stage, but as the season wore on he became less and less of a factor, and at 29 years old he's one of the guys I can afford to transition out to bring some younger players in.

So the outgoing players who were on our 25-man roster last year are...

We get a total of $53 million for Guiggi, Postma, and Eboko.

Next up... incoming players. Some great, great young talent joining Juventus for the next few years.

 

Edited July 14, 2017 by trman73

[metallimuse]

After the success at Juva I'd take the Bayern job, Juva aren't a team you're attached to and what else do you have to achieve there?

Well done on your triumphs though buddy!

[fridge73]

I am shocked and disappointed at FSG for not hiring you at Liverpool. 

[trman73]

Good God I applied at Bayern and didn't get it. They hired PSG's coach, PSG hired OL's coach, and OL looks like it's going to hire Mourinho. In the past I have not had much success in France anyway, so I am going to 1) stick with Juventus; and 2) apply for jobs in Premier League during the season.

[trman73]

2029 Off-Season Report: Incoming Transfers

With all of the outgoing transfers I have a ton of money to spend. But really, I have just a few holes to fill. I need a third option at right and left back (preferably one guy to cover both). I need a fourth quality striker to go with Ramirez, D'Onofrio and Ayala. And I desperately need a replacement for Capezzi.

I handle that one first, and am really pleased with what we do. I bring in 23-year-old German Antonio Campos from RBL. This is our anchor midfielder of the future. I spend a ton to get him, $42 million, but don't care.

Next we find our replacement for Eboko. Ilir Beqaj was Palermo's best striker a year ago, netting 18 goals on the season. I'm surprised to bring him in for a relatively small fee of $17 million, great for a young 24-year-old with the potential to earn a spot in the front line for years to come.

So our two big signings are...

Next I sign two young defenders:

At this point I feel like we have a very good starter and a high-quality backup at every position on the field. So, from there, I make the decision to pull back a bit and focus on replenishing are Under 21s and Under 19s. I take the strategy of spending small for guys with good potential, and bring in four guys who will either go out on loan or hone their craft on our younger squads. The old saying in baseball is, "How do you develop a star pitcher? First, you draft 10 pitchers." If any of the guys I bring in can develop into a starter for us, this will have been money well spent. Here's the young haul:

I still have $38 million available, but if I go into the season with the squad we have right now, I'll feel good.

[trman73]

Pres-Season Friendly Recap

We have three friendlies before we play in the Italian Super Cup and the European Super Cup. They go... uhhh... well.

Atletico Madrid 0, Juventus 5 - An absolute blowout against a team that's fallen off in La Liga in recent years but is still a good test.

Juventus 5, Shakhtar 0 - Total destruction of a team that qualified for Champions League.

Juventus 4, Benevento 0 - We complete the undefeated pre-season with another shutout against this Serie B team.

14 goals for, 0 goals against. A quality pre-season.

But the bigger issues are that we emerge from friendly season totally injury-free, and also, every player, even the ones who asked to be allowed to speak to other clubs during the off-season, are totally happy and ready to roll for the season. Not one player has a morale rating lower than "Good," even the ones who want bigger contracts. I'd say we are ready to take on the 2029-2030 campaign.

I want to note here that following his release from our club, Leonardo Capezzi chose to hang up his cleats and retire at age 34. This guy won seven Serie A titles with Juventus as a starter, and also the 2026 World Cup with Italy. A truly great player and one who will go down as a legend in a Juventus and Italy uniform.

Edited July 14, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

2029-2030 Juventus Season Preview

With the first two of our possibilities for cups coming this week, now's a good time to preview the upcoming season. I feel great heading into the campaign, which makes me nervous.

Serie A - Board Expectation: Win the League; Media Prediction: 1st

At this point anything other than a league win is an unacceptable result. My prediction: We do it again, going 27-5-6 in the process and besting last year's campaign by four points.

European Champions Cup - Board Expectation: Reach Quarterfinals

After winning this thing last year, I think it's going to be really hard to do it again. In this save, both Bayern and Man City have won back-to-back titles, but it's going to take a monumental feat to win it again. I say we make it to the semis, and fall to an English team.

Italian Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important

Honestly I'd love to win this domestic cup, and am actually going to put more effort into it this year. Of course, circumstances may change, and this may become less of a priority.

Italian Super Cup and European Super Cup - Board Expectation: Not Important

I'd love to beat RBL for the European Super Cup, just because it would add a new trophy to my cabinet. These two matches are three days apart, and I'm placing my emphasis on the RBL match over the domestic Super Cup vs. AC Milan, since we won that last year.

I believe we will also be in the Club World Championship next year, although it's not listed on our Competitions screen. That means we're in seven competitions this year. I want to win four of them.

Roster Evaluation:

Goalkeeper: Jonathan Valdes established himself as one of the world's best keepers last year. No issues here. And Capucho had a ratings boost in the offseason.

Defense: One of the best, if not the best, in the world. We return Carlsson, Bedoya, Deman, and Di Benedetto as starters. Bashliev is the main backup in the center, Riedewald on the left, and Laurenti on the right.

Midfield: Melegoni is back along with Nikola Andric, and newcomer Antonio Campos is in the middle in Capezzi's old spot. Pranzoni and Adrian Dan are the backups. This is a strong group.

Attacking Midfield: This job is now Davidson Costa's as the days of him splitting time with Dani Ceballos are over.

Forward: Pietro D'Onofrio needs to rebound from his injury-plagued and inconsistent season a year ago. He's the starter along with Ayala to begin the campaign, but Humberto Ramirez and newcomer Ilir Beqaj will see a lot of playing time.

This is the best roster in Serie A and one of the best in the world, plain and simple. As long as their coach doesn't mess this up, we should have a great campaign.

Edited July 14, 2017 by trman73

[trman73]

August 11, 2029 - Italian Super Cup: Juventus vs. AC Milan

We beat Inter in this match last year and as the days pass by until kickoff, I convince myself more and more that this matters. We've won this thing three years in a row. I am, however, going to rest a couple guys so they're ready for the RBL match. So Peranzoni starts for Melegoni in the midfield, and Humberto Ramirez pairs with Ayala, which was our best forward combo last season, allowing D'Onofrio to rest up.

Well I can't say I wanted this opening match to go to extra time, but that's exactly what happens after a scoreless 90 minutes. And I really can't say I wanted to lose it, but that happens too, as AC Milan scores off a free kick just 40 seconds into extra time. We don't get the equalizing goal, and lose, 1-0. Oh well.

[trman73]

August 14, 2029 - European Super Cup: Juventus vs. RBL

This is the one I want. RBL won Europa League over Crystal Palace (!) last year. We're the better team here, but this is still a very good club. We need a better performance than we had against Milan.

Well I certainly hope we get this offensive funk out of our system once the real season starts, because we lay another egg in this one. We fall 1-0 on a first-half goal, and it's 0-for-2 in our pursuit of more hardware thus far.

[trman73]

We have one more friendly before we kick off Serie A, and it's home against FC Red Bull Salzburg. We draw, 1-1, and Pietro D'Onofrio hurts his foot and will miss our league opener.

August 26, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus vs. Cesena

After a lackluster end to our preseason that sees us leave two trophies unclaimed, it's time to get going with the proper season. We're without D'Onofrio to start the campaign, but only for a match or two. We start with a Cesena team that was able to stay up in Serie A for a second straight year. They are on an eight-year pattern of being relegated, getting promoted the next year, staying up the next season, then going back down. So by that logic, this will be one of the three worst teams in the league, and we should get off to a good start against them.

To open the season, both of our main rivals, Inter and AC Milan, lose, with Milan falling at home to Sampdoria and Inter getting killed 4-1 on the road to Genoa. So a win here gives us a three-point cushion against our main competition just a game in.

It takes just 10 minutes for us to shake off the rust, as a pass from deep in our own end by Carlsson finds Ayala, who speeds past two defenders and scores our first goal of the season. 

The next 80 minutes are like watching a highlight reel from a year ago. We hit the post, we miss chances, we airmail free kicks... and the defense makes sure none of it matters by totally shutting down our opponent. Cesena manages no shots on goal, and we win, 1-0 to kick off the season.

[trman73]

August 30, 2029 - European Champions Cup Group Stage Draw

It's time to see which three teams we will begin the road to defending our Champions League title against. We're one of the top eight seeds again, so let's get going!

We're drawn into Group D, and the first team we will face in group play is... Olympique Lyonnais.

The third-place teams left when it's our turn are Inter (won't be them), Leverkusen, Gelsenkirchen, Shakhtar, and Ajax. And we get... Shakhtar, the lowest-ranked of those teams.

And our final opponent will be... Israeli side Hapoel Be'er-Sheva.

We destroyed Shakhtar in our friendly against them this summer, and we an OL are clearly the favorites of this group. We'll start with OL on the road, then home against Shakhtar and Be'er Sheva, at the Israelis, home against the Frenchmen, and finish up in Ukraine.

[trman73]

We don't make any moves at the transfer deadline as I am content with the squad. But there's bad news on the injury from as Jonathan Valdes twists a knee and is out for our next match, which is a big one. Ricardo Capucho had a ratings boost in the offseason and he'll man the net for this match...

September 2, 2029 - Serie A: A Milan (0-0-1, 0 pts., 13th) vs. Juventus (1-0-0, 3 pts., 5th)

AC Milan lost to Sampdoria in its opener and with a win here we can have a six-point lead over them two matches in. That would be huge and we'd put them in an early hole. But they are going to come out with some fire here as they don't want that to happen. We need to get an early goal for Capucho in this one, as I'm not sure we can expect a shutout against this team.

We do exactly that. We get two great chances in the opening minute, then in the 2nd Nikola Andric finds Ayala with a pass and he drills it in from the right side to put us up 1-0 early. It looks like it will be yet another one of those games for us, but in the 72nd Milan ties it on a fluke bounce in the box. Strangely though, we get the exact same type of goal in the 82nd from sub Antonio D'Amico to go back up 2-1. But right before stoppage time, Milan pulls even off a corner kick to make it 2-2, and that's how it ends. It's a disappointing, but fair, result on the road against a good Milan team.

[trman73]

September 15, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (1-1-0, 4 pts., 9th) vs. Brescia (0-0-2, 0 pts., 19th)

The international break comes at a good time, as we get both D'Onofrio and Valdes back from injury.

We should get our second straight home win against a Brescia team that lost its first two to Sassuolo and Sampdoria. I rest some guys here as we've got the opening match of Champions League with OL in three days. Hopefully this won't come back to bite me, but we should be able to beat this team with some subs in the lineup.

As I hoped, Brescia puts up very little fight in this one. We get a goal late in the first half from midfielder Adrian Dan, one of the subs we put in the lineup. Then just a minute into the second hald, Antonio Campos scores his first goal for Juventus on a direct free kick to make it 2-0. At that point I bring in more reserves, including 19-year-old forward Slaven Maric for his first action with the big club. This match goes completely according to plan, and we win easily, 2-0.

[trman73]

September 18, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 1: Olympique Lyonnais vs. Juventus

This will probably be our biggest test of the group stage, as Lyonnais is a quality team that's finished in the top four of Ligue 1 for the past nine seasons. But we're the defending champs, and the best team in this group. Lucas Bedoya gets hurt in training and will miss this game, but we can make a real statement here, so let's do it.

We score first, in the 13th, as Andric draws a second man to him on a run and then hits Ayala with a pass, and the wide-open striker does his job to put us up. But OL comes right back with a good bit of passing of its own to tie it. In the 27th, OL takes the lead on a poor attempted clearing out of the defensive zone by us. Our bad defensive performance continues as OL scores on a cross in the 35th, and this one has quickly gone sour. They score again in the 40th to make it 4-1, and this is a total disaster. The second half is a snoozefest, although Campos scores on another free kick late. This is one of the worst losses of my career. We'll see these guys again at home, and hopefully we'll be better prepared.

[trman73]

September 23, 2029 - Serie A: Roma (3-0-0, 9 pts., 1st) vs. Juventus (2-1-0, 7 pts., 4th)

We have no time to lick our wounds after the OL embarrassment, as we hit the road to face Roma. My former club has won its first three league matches, outscoring Atalanta, Sassuolo and Sampdoria by a combined score of 7-1. I'm actually pleased to get these tough road matches out of the way early, as our first two road games are against two teams picked to finish in the top four.

Lucas Bedoya remains out for this one, and Antonio Campos is also nicked up, so Mark O'Shea and Stefan Bashliev start in their places. If we win this match we can move up to first, but I'll be honest: I do not have a good feeling about this game.

I was wrong. We come out really strong and have a number of chances early, and then in the 11th Pietro D'Onofrio scores his first of the season on a pass from Davidson Costa (two guys who have not been good for us in the early going), and it's 1-0. We keep the pressure on and in the 24th Ayala scores to make it 2-0. But Roma doesn't wither, and they get one back in the 32nd to make it 2-1. In first-half stoppage time, D'Onofrio, who is taking free kicks with Campos out, nails one from right outside the box to make it 3-1, and it's a quality first half for us.

We settle down defensively and hold on for a really big 3-1 win. We're 3-1-0 to start the campaign, and in first place now.

 

[trman73]

September 27, 2029 - Serie A: Juventus (3-1-0, 10 pts., 1st) vs. Atalanta (0-2-2, 2 pts., 16th)

Atalanta is not off to a good start as they are winless in their first four. We should be good in this one, as aside from the Champions League match we're playing well. We need a win here to move back into first, as with all other midweek matches played Roma and Sassuolo actually are back into the lead with 12 points.

D'Onofrio scores 39 seconds into this one on a pass from Ayala, then Ayala gets one of his own on a cross from Carlsson, and we're up 2-0. But Atalanta gets one right back, and it's 2-1 at the break. We are not the dominant defensive team we were a year ago right now, but we're doing what we need to do. In the second half Di Benedetto hits D'Onofrio for his fourth n the last two games to make it 3-1, and this one's basically over. Atalanta scores in the 74th to make it 3-2, but Ayala scores in the 86th to put it away, and we maintain our hold on first in Serie A with the 4-2 victory.

[trman73]

September 30, 2029 - Serie A: Sassuolo (4-0-1, 12 pts., 3rd) vs. Juventus (4-1-0, 103pts., 1st)

It's yet another tough road match as we visit a Sassuolo team that's off to a flying start. This is our fifth match in the last 15 days and we don't get a break after this one as Shakhtar comes to town midweek.

Historically I've struggled managing at Sassuolo, but not today. Ayala gets us on the board in the 17th, he adds a second in the 27th, and D'Onofrio caps off a dominant first half with a goal in the 41st to make it 3-0 at the half. I sub out Ayala and Campos at the half so they're rested for Shakhtar, and we cruise, with D'Onofrio scoring again for his sixth tally in the last three matches. We are absolutely crushing it in the league right now and hold a one-point lead over Roma as we're 5-1-0.

[trman73]

September 18, 2029 - European Champions Cup, Group D, Match 2: Juventus (0-0-1, 0 pts., 3rd) vs. Shakhtar (1-0-0, 3 pts., 2nd)

With our trouncing at the hands of OL, this actually becomes something of a must-win match for us. Shakhtar easily handled Be'er-Sheva in its opener, and we have to assume OL will do the same today, so if we lose this match at home we'll be six back of each of them. But we've steamrolled everyone since the OL loss, so maybe that match lit a fire under us.

Once again Ayala and D'Onofrio make things happen early, as D'Onofrio finds Ayala with a perfect pass right in front of the net for an easy goal. The 1-0 lead holds up at the half, and it holds up for the whole match, as we win, 1-0. Not exactly pretty, but effective, and we're on the board in Group D.