Messi is iough!
Felipe Luis often finds himself thinking this after having to defend against Messi.
Before the match, head coach Gao Shen had repeatedly emphasized how incredibly difficult Messi would be to handle. Felipe had watched tless videos of Messi, uanding that the young Argentine was a formidable oppo. However, it wasn't until the game started that he truly realized how elusive Messi was—like a slippery eel.
No wonder pyers like Del Horno had struggled against him.
Fortunately, Felipe was not oo back down easily.
During the months under Gao Shen's leadership at Real Madrid, Felipe had been utilized extensively, honing his skills and improving his game signifitly.
He remained cautious and alert, ensuring that Messi had limited opportunities.
As for that goal ceded earlier—it was Ramos' fault!
After g, Bara tighteheir offense, clearly unsatisfied with just one goal. They seemed eager to score another.
But that was uimating Real Madrid!
Felipe Luis felt a surge of determination.
Just because they scored ohanks to Ramos' error, did they really think Real Madrid's defense was easy to break?
Most of Real Madrid's pyers felt the same way and quickly regaiheir posure.
With the help of Gravesson, Felipe mao tain Messi, preventing him from making another impact.
However, Bara's attacks remained relentless.
Not only was Van Bronckhorst aggressively pushing forward on the left, but Belletti was also advang rapidly on the right.
On one occasion, wheti crossed the ter line, Felipe noticed Raul's defense gging. He immediately moved to intercept, but Belletti was already prepared, passing the ball ahead to the space where Messi rinting.
Felipe quickly turned and ran back.
Messi had just trolled the ball and turned, with Gravesson nearby.
The Danish pyer, known for his flexibility despite his average height, quickly closed in on Messi, f him to move wide.
At the same time, Felipe returo his defensive position, teaming up with Gravesson to block Messi from both sides.
Just as the two Real Madrid pyers ered Messi, the Argentine suddenly lost his band fell to the ground. Gravesson mao poke the ball away, and Felipe immediately turo chase it.
A chorus of boos erupted from the stadium, likely from those believing the two Real Madrid defenders had itted a foul.
Messi's fall seemed to firm that belief.
But referee Hauge did not blow his whistle.
As Felipe caught up with the ball, he didn't hear the whistle, so he quickly looked ahead and kicked the ball forward with a powerful strike.
The ball flew down Real Madrid's left side and nded around the 30-meter mark in Bara's half.
Negredo had already moved toward the left fnk after Raul retreated. As soon as he saw the pass, he rushed to receive it, using his body to block Puyol and protect the ball. He then took a step back, passing the ball to Raul, who was cutting inside.
As soon as Raul stopped the ball, Puyol abandoned Negredo and closed in on him.
The Real Madrid captain chose to pass the ball back to Negredo, g the left side, and quickly moved forward into the penalty area.
On Real Madrid's left side, after passing the ball forward, Felipe sprinted along the sideline. Negredo received Raul's pass, and without slowing down, Felipe tio charge past the Real Madrid forward.
Negredo's pass was deftly nudged forward by Felipe, who was running at full speed. He quickly outpaced Puyol, then lofted the ball into the left side of the penalty area.
By this time, Raul had also reached the left side of the penalty area. As he trolled the ball, he noticed Marcos rushing in. With experien his side, Raul looked as though he was about to shoot with his left foot, which made Marcos attempt a block. However, Raul cleverly feinted, shifted the ball, and then made a delicate pass.
From the top of the arc, a white figure raced forward, meeting Raul's pass with a strike.
The shot owerful and well-pced, sending the ball straight into the bottht er of Bara's goal.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Zidane!!!"
"Ih minute, Zidane equalizes for Real Madrid!"
...
"Yes!!!"
As soon as Zidane scored, Gao Shen jumped up excitedly, shouting with joy.
"Well done, Zinedine!"
Gao Shen had already been thrilled when Gravesson and Felipe intercepted the ball earlier.
Negredo's ability to shield the ball art of the pn, followed by Raul's support and a pass back to Negredo, allowing Felipe to burst forward, set up a cross, and Raul to assist Zidane's goal.
This sequence was the result of the pyers' in-game decisions.
Gao Shee being a coach, couldn't predict every move. He could only pain sequences and instruct the pyers on how to execute them, fog on attag specific areas.
But the pyers' improvisation on the field was beyond his trol.
Just as he couldn't trol Ramos' earlier mistake.
Bara's pyers swarmed referee Hauge, protesting that Messi had been fouled by Gravesson and Felipe, making Real Madrid's subsequent terattavalid.
Gao Shen saw the Bara pyers crowding the referee and wondered if the goal would be overturned.
But then, Raul and the other Real Madrid stars stepped in.
Raul quickly approached, separating the Bara pyers from the referee, urging them to keep their distance.
The rest of Real Madrid's stars also gathered around.
After the referee mao free himself from the Bara pyers, he listened as Gravessoedly insisted that he hadn't itted a foul. Messi had simply lost his bance while dribbling—there was no foul.
Gao Shen wasn't sure if it was a foul or not, but at that moment, it didn't matter.
The fans were booing from all ers of the stadium.
Both Bara and Real Madrid fans were expressing their displeasure.
After freeing himself from the Real Madrid pyers, referee Hauge sigo both teams that the goal was valid.
The previous defense was not a foul.
Gao Shen, watg from the sidelines, raised his hands in appuse, smiling broadly.
The scoreboard quickly reflected the new 1-1 score.
Iy, Gravesson and Felipe had indeed made tact with Messi. In such situations, it's often difficult to determine whether a foul occurred because Messi had inteo win a free kick.
However, experienced defenders always find ways to disrupt their oppos without itting fouls.
Especially sidering that while Messi's teique is outstanding, his physique is still retively slight.
In the ing years, he would o further develop his upper body strength to truly dominate.
...
...
"Who would have thought that the superstar-den Galácticos would resort to defensive terattacks?"
In the chairman's box, football legends Bebauer and Ptini watched the game unfold, both struck by how surreal it felt. If someone had suggested this in the past, who would have believed that Real Madrid would py a defensive, terattag game?
Even more astonishing was how solid Real Madrid's defense was.
"This Gao Shen has proven to be quite astute," Ptini ented with a smile.
Bebauer nodded in agreement. "He's still a bit inexperienced, and Real Madrid's lineup limits him."
"Franz," Ptini asked curiously, "if you were coag Real Madrid, what tactics would you employ?"
Bebauer adjusted his gsses and smiled wryly, "I would probably also resort to defensive terattacks."
After a pause, he added, "But I wouldn't use Negredo. I'd go with Ronaldo. He'd make the terattack more lethal, and I wouldn't use Raul on the left; he's not quiough for terattacks."
Speed is a crucial element in a terattack, and without it, the threat diminishes signifitly.
Unfortunately, Raul wasn't the ideal pyer for such a role.
"If Real Madrid had a pacey pyer, Rijkaard wouldn't be so bold," Ptini noted, showing his admiration for Bara's possession-based py, which aligned with his own stylistic preferences during his pying days.
In trast, he wasn't as fond of Real Madrid's defensive approach.
Geniuses often sympathize with each other.
Ptini supported Zida didn't appreciate Real Madrid's deferategy—there was no tradi in that.
"Rijkaard is a bit anxious tonight, likely due to losing the La Liga title. Although they scored a goal, Bara's tactics have been stifled," Bebauer observed keenly.
Ptini nodded in agreement. "The timing of the flict between Rijkaard and Ten Cate was unfortunate. He could use someone by his side to assist him."
Bebauer curred.
No one is perfect; everyone has their fws and weaknesses, ating a strong team around them.
"Real Madrid's terattack has been very effit. Look at that young man; he's still making adjustments." Ptini's gaze followed Bebauer's dire, nding on the home team's bench, where he noticed Gao Shen standing at the sideline, raising his right hand above his head, and making circur gestures, as if signaling something to the pyers och.
Who knows if this was their secret code?
The se was quite bizarre.
After all, Gao Shen was so young.
Never before in Champions League history had a manager been this young.
What's more surprising was that Gao Shen had led Real Madrid to the Champions League final.
Watg him dired adjust tactics froup of superstars, most of whom were older than him, aradoxical sight.
Yet, the Real Madrid pyers och appeared to trust Gao Shen pletely.
Bara unched ata the right.
Belletti was noticeably more active than Van Bronckhorst, pushing forward frequently. Wheti passed the ball to Messi, Felipe quickly intercepted it.
Messi immediately tried to ter, pressing Felipe closely and attempting tain possession. However, Felipe adjusted quickly, abandoning the idea of ung a quick terattack. Instead, he used his body to shield the ball, keeping Messi at bay, and passed it back to Gravessen, who had moved up to provide support.
As soon as Gravessen received the ball, he didn't hesitate. Before Messi and Xavi could close in on him, he executed a long pass with his right foot. The ball soared aost of the field from Real Madrid's crowded left side and nded on the right side of the pitch.
Arbeloa, unmarked and advang he ter line, trolled the ball with his chest, pushing it forward, and began dribbling over the halfway line.
