At Clairefontaine.
Julien had been recuperating here during this time, working with Montell on gradual recovery training.
Some low-intensity activities, plus physical therapy like heat treatment and manual therapy.
Montell marveled daily during examinations. "Your recovery speed is really fast!"
Julien gradually progressed from low-intensity exercise to including ball training.
Clairefontaine offered him many training opportunities. For instance, Mbappé had come to find Julien more than once, wanting to learn some dribbling techniques from him.
However, when Mbappé asked Julien how to handle certain situations, he would sometimes hear Julien say. "In this situation, there are at most three opponents. What's to be afraid of? Just dribble past them. Such a good opportunity."
Mbappé would be stunned, pointing at himself saying. "Me?"
As Julien gradually recovered. Mbappé increasingly felt the gap.
If football was a game for geniuses, then Julien was the most brilliant one in this game. Mbappé thought he had already distanced himself from others.
But when he saw Julien. Mbappé realized his talent was merely the threshold for understanding how strong Julien's talent was.
"I'm leaving tomorrow, going to America for the French Super Cup final," Julien told Mbappé.
During this time, Mbappé had been his companion, keeping him from being too lonely at Clairefontaine.
"Yeah, go Julien! Win the first championship of the new season!"
Mbappé smiled and raised his fist to encourage Julien.
The two said goodbye.
After taking a few steps, Julien suddenly remembered something and turned back to Mbappé. "Kylian."
"Hm?" Mbappé turned around.
"You have a few months left before graduating from Clairefontaine, right? A few days ago, when I visited your house, your father said you signed a contract with Caen?"
Although Mbappé didn't know why Julien was asking about this, he nodded. "Yes, they showed great sincerity. Our whole family decided I should go to Caen to start my professional career."
Then Mbappé shook his head. "We haven't signed a contract, just a verbal agreement. Next year we'll sign a youth contract with Caen, and when I come of age, it will automatically become a professional contract, and they'll give us a signing fee of about 150,000 euros."
Julien nodded and said. "Good luck, Kylian. If you have any problems, please contact me. I'll help you."
Mbappé said embarrassedly. "That doesn't seem right."
"Hey, Kylian, we're friends! Don't you consider me a friend?"
Mbappé quickly shook his head. "Of course I do. Okay, if I have problems, I'll definitely ask for your help, and when I grow up, I'll help you too!"
Julien went over and high-fived Mbappé. "Goodbye, Kylian."
"Goodbye, Julien!"
Julien left satisfied. He wasn't sure what problems had occurred between Mbappé and Caen that caused Caen to miss out on Mbappé.
Because he knew Mbappé had emerged from Monaco.
So, something must have happened in between.
When that time came, it would be his chance to intercept!
The next day.
Julien bid farewell to the doctors at Clairefontaine and headed to Paris Charles de Gaulle International Airport, boarding a flight to New Jersey, United States.
The French Super Cup was established in 1995, but since 2009, it had been held overseas to expand Ligue 1's international influence.
Making money wasn't embarrassing.
And this time. The French Super Cup final between Montpellier and Bastia would be held at Red Bull Arena in New Jersey.
Red Bull Arena, which had just been built and put into use two years ago, was currently the home stadium of Major League Soccer's New York Red Bulls.
It could accommodate twenty-five thousand spectators.
Julien would meet up with his Bastia teammates in Harrison, New Jersey.
This was the first championship Bastia could compete for in the new season, and also the first time in Bastia's history they had the opportunity to compete for a treble.
After flying for over eight hours.
Julien arrived at Newark Liberty International Airport in New Jersey. As soon as he walked out of the terminal, he saw Chataigner.
"Julien!"
Chataigner excitedly waved at Julien. Upon meeting, Chataigner gave Julien a hug. "Let's go, we were just waiting for you. We can't win the first championship of the new season without you."
During Julien's recovery period, Chataigner had visited him at Clairefontaine and told Julien about the team's specific situation for the new season.
While Julien was recovering from injury, he hadn't trained with the team.
Because Chataigner said. "Julien doesn't need group training. What he needs is good rest and recovery."
After Bastia arrived in New Jersey, they stayed at a hotel arranged by the French Professional Football League, right next to Newark Liberty International Airport.
Ten minutes by car from the airport.
Fifteen minutes by car from Red Bull Arena.
On the way, Chataigner was very excited, constantly telling Julien. "Your suggestions were fantastic! Julien, I have to thank you. Those two boys from Chelsea performed very well in the friendlies, especially Kevin. My God, his vision is so broad, his passing level is so high. I believe you'll really enjoy playing with him."
"Romelu is very strong, fast, with tremendous impact, but..."
When mentioning Lukaku, Chataigner added a "but."
"But he doesn't like physical confrontation, avoids center-backs, prefers to drift wide or find space to sprint. Even in the penalty area, he often doesn't know where to position himself, which affects his teammates' movement."
Julien said nothing.
How could he not know "Big Rom's" characteristics?
But the current Lukaku hadn't gained weight yet, his impact was at its peak, and Bastia didn't need him to be a target man.
Plus, with De Bruyne's passing, Lukaku could charge however he wanted. As long as Lukaku could disrupt the opponent's formation. Then it would be his turn to clean up.
On the way to the hotel, Julien checked his attributes. Although they hadn't increased. They also hadn't decreased. He had returned to peak condition!
Meanwhile, At the training ground rented near the hotel, Bastia's veteran players were all anticipating Julien's return.
Vincent was saying. "With Julien, our winning percentage increases by at least fifty percent."
Rothen laughed. "Fifty percent? You're underestimating Julien!"
They chattered away in discussion.
De Bruyne and Lukaku in the corner listened without participating. They were from Belgium and spoke fluent French.
Listening to their Bastia teammates' discussions. De Bruyne was now very eager to meet Julien. Since coming to Bastia, the name he'd heard most was Julien.
When coach Hadzibegic was formulating tactical strategies, he would ignore right-wing attacking problems.
"Here we have France's strongest right-wing breakthrough player, there's no need to worry at all,"
"Just wait for Julien to return to the team,"
"Julien knows what to do."
Even Bastia's sporting director Chataigner, when persuading him to choose Bastia, had said.
"We have Julien, we can compete for the Europa League championship,"
"With you and him cooperating, no one can stop you,"
"You'll win championships at Bastia and return to Chelsea."
When going out to explore Bastia. He could always hear Julien's name from fans, talking about his various glorious achievements with club and country.
De Bruyne had also seen that mural on the Terra-Vecchia center building.
Kevin was really shocked by that! Shocked by the fact that Bastia fans would give such treatment to a player who was not yet 18 years old.
What kind of player was it that made this city so deeply connected with the name Julien De Rocca?
So, he really wanted to see what level this guy the Bastia people called the future of France really was.
De Bruyne's thoughts were roiling and at this time. Vincent suddenly called out in delight.
"Julien!"
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