Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 510: Lin Quan's Wonder Goal, A Tactical Victory for Manchester City!

Just as Zinedine Zidane began to feel uneasy, a sudden turn of events occurred on the field.

Toni Kroos had the ball, and as usual, Kevin De Bruyne started to drop back to receive it. Casemiro, who was marking De Bruyne, followed him, and to maintain defensive shape, the rest of Real Madrid's midfield shifted with Casemiro. This left the players they were marking behind them.

Under normal circumstances, this wouldn't have been a big deal. Defensive strategies don't always require man-marking; sometimes it's enough to close passing lanes. But today, this approach proved to be a bit off.

Not seeing the player behind you means losing control of the situation.

While Real Madrid's players thought Kroos would pass to De Bruyne—especially with Casemiro hovering just two meters away, ready to intercept—something unexpected happened. Two Manchester City players dropped back simultaneously, and instead of passing to De Bruyne, Kroos sent the ball past the midfield, directly to Lin Quan, who had dropped to near the center circle.

Before receiving the ball, Lin Quan had already half-turned, preparing for the pass. As soon as the ball reached his feet, his movements were smooth and fast—he quickly spun and started moving to the left side.

Sergio Ramos instantly sensed danger. He sped up, focused on Lin Quan, and signaled his teammate Pepe to keep an eye on Sergio Agüero.

Agüero had played alongside Lin Quan many times, and their chemistry was excellent. As soon as Agüero saw Lin Quan dribbling forward, he made a diagonal run in the opposite direction, aiming to create space between Real Madrid's two center-backs, opening up options for Lin Quan either to pass or to take on defenders.

Ramos was quick in tracking back and was already preparing to slide in for a tackle. However, just as he was about to make the challenge, Lin Quan passed the ball diagonally to Agüero, who had moved into a wide-open space.

Under normal circumstances, this pass would have been offside. But because of De Bruyne's earlier drop, which had pulled Real Madrid's entire defensive line forward, the midfield and center-backs had moved up. Meanwhile, Real Madrid's fullbacks had stayed back, keeping Agüero onside.

Pepe, known as a tough defender, quickly caught up to Agüero and nudged him, trying to throw him off balance and steal the ball. But Agüero had no intention of holding onto the ball. Just before Pepe's challenge, he passed it forward into open space.

Manchester City's winger wasn't running toward the ball; Agüero's pass was clearly meant for Lin Quan.

Ramos had caught up to Lin Quan by this point, but now he had to divide his attention between Lin Quan and Agüero. Lin Quan, on the other hand, didn't need to worry about Agüero's decision—he trusted his teammate to pass the ball. So, in their footrace, Lin Quan was one step ahead of Ramos, leaving the Madrid defender with only one option: commit a foul.

Ramos didn't hesitate and reached out to pull Lin Quan's jersey. He grabbed the jersey, but he couldn't hold Lin Quan back. Lin Quan stumbled but managed to catch himself with his right hand on the ground, regaining his balance just in time to catch up to the ball.

Courtois decided to come off his line, even though the ball hadn't yet entered the box. He couldn't afford to wait for Lin Quan to get closer.

At the same time, both of Real Madrid's fullbacks were rushing in to block Lin Quan's shot. Lin Quan took a quick glance at the keeper's position, then at the distance to the goal, and without hesitation, he shot.

He was positioned just outside the penalty box on the left, about 28 meters from goal. The shot had incredible power, like a cannonball, and it roared towards Real Madrid's net.

Courtois, now near the edge of the six-yard box, reacted quickly and leaped to make the save. But it was too late. The ball smashed into the back of the net, making it 1-0 for Manchester City!

In the 22nd minute of the match, City had taken the lead in the Champions League final.

The moment the ball went in, the San Siro Stadium erupted. A massive roar echoed throughout the stadium, as if the noise could blow the roof off. Countless Manchester City fans jumped to their feet, raising their arms in excitement.

"We're ahead!"

On the other side of the stands, Real Madrid fans looked disheartened. Conceding so early was not a good sign.

Many of them turned their eyes to one man in a white jersey, number 7—Cristiano Ronaldo.

Manchester City's star player, Lin Quan, had already stepped up. Now, they could only place their hopes on their own superstar.

Cristiano Ronaldo was stunned for a moment when Lin Quan scored, as if he hadn't expected such an early goal. But he quickly composed himself, and rather than being discouraged, the goal seemed to ignite an even stronger fighting spirit within him.

Only in moments of adversity does a true king rise to lead his people to a comeback. And Ronaldo, Cristiano Ronaldo, was clearly the king of Real Madrid!

On the field, after scoring, Lin Quan ran to the corner flag, raised both arms, and stood in a pose of dominance, facing the stands like a ruler.

The combination of his confident celebration and his serious expression made him look both cool and powerful, drawing screams from some fans, especially the female ones.

Unfortunately, Lin Quan didn't get to enjoy the moment for long. His teammates came rushing from behind, ruining the atmosphere. De Bruyne, in particular, ruffled Lin Quan's hair playfully, turning his sleek hairstyle into a messy bird's nest.

Well, so much for the cool celebration.

On the sidelines, Pep Guardiola hugged his assistant coaches and substitutes in celebration, then stood on the edge of the field, enthusiastically clapping for his players.

It was a beautiful goal, a textbook example of team play. City hadn't swarmed Madrid's goal or gone for an all-out attack. They had simply passed the ball around, moved it up the pitch, sped up the tempo, and then counterattacked—resulting in a goal.

Real Madrid seemed completely shocked, as if they hadn't expected to concede so easily.

Zidane's frown deepened, and he even started scratching his head in frustration. Good thing he didn't have hair, or he'd have pulled it all out by now.

What had gone wrong with Madrid's defense just now? It didn't feel like anyone had made a mistake, but they were still easily torn apart.

Something must have gone wrong somewhere!

Zidane started thinking hard. This was crucial—if he didn't figure it out soon, they might concede another goal. In a final, even one goal can decide the match. If City scored again, Madrid might as well call it a day.

After all, the "Miracle of Istanbul" was a once-in-a-lifetime event. It wasn't something you could count on happening again.

...

In the commentary boxes of various TV networks, commentators from around the world praised Manchester City's attack.

Sky Sports had taken this match very seriously, assigning their star duo, Martin Tyler and Andy Gray, to call the game. They even invited Arsenal's legendary coach Arsène Wenger as a special guest.

"Mr. Wenger, how would you rate Lin Quan's incredible wonder goal just now?" Martin Tyler asked.

Wenger smiled and replied with his usual calm demeanor, "It was a brilliant move by Manchester City!"

"Their continuous passing and movement caused Real Madrid's players to lose focus, which led to this goal."

"From this perspective, Guardiola's offensive tactics have been very successful. As for the player, I don't need to say much about Lin Quan's excellence. His shot was of the highest quality—the timing and technique were perfect, the most logical choice in that situation."

"It's hard to believe he's only 20 years old. In him, I see a maturity and composure that most young players simply don't possess."

Wenger's admiration for Lin Quan was evident, so much so that many viewers couldn't help but smile when they heard his comments.

"It seems the professor still regrets missing out on Lin Quan!"

"The biggest regret of Wenger's career must be not signing Lin Quan!"

"If only Arsenal had been a bit more generous back then, maybe our club would have risen to the top by now!"

Seeing how Lin Quan had led Manchester City to greatness, with countless trophies to their name, Arsenal fans couldn't help but feel envious.

Andy Gray, also a fan of Lin Quan, happily agreed with Wenger's comments. His enthusiasm left Martin Tyler shaking his head. Anyone could heap praise, but since they had invited Wenger, it was time for some real insights!

Tyler quickly changed the subject: "Mr. Wenger, what do you think is City's tactical approach in this game?"

Wenger thought for a moment before replying, "Guardiola's tactics are quite advanced, so I may not fully grasp all his ideas. But I'll try to analyze what I can."

Everyone was impressed by Wenger's humility. Here was a man approaching 70, showing such modesty in front of a coach who was barely in his 40s. Wenger was truly a gentleman!

"Manchester City used the first 20 minutes of passing and movement to pull Real Madrid's defense out of position, lowering their guard. They used Kevin De Bruyne as bait, knowing Madrid would focus on him, drawing their players forward and creating a gap between Madrid's midfield and defense."

As Wenger explained, the screen replayed the sequence leading up to City's goal.

"Look at the gap between Madrid's midfield and defense when Kroos made that pass. The distance was more than 30 meters. Casemiro was near the edge of the penalty area, while the center-backs, Ramos and Pepe, were still near the center circle."

"That huge gap gave City's attackers plenty of space to receive the ball. By skipping the midfield and passing directly to the forwards, Kroos made a brilliant decision. It not only sped up the attack but also prevented Madrid's midfielders from getting back in time to defend."

"Had City's forward players been anyone else, this tactic might still have been dangerous, but the success rate wouldn't have been so high. But with Lin Quan on the receiving end, Madrid's defenders were likely filled with despair the moment he got the ball."

Facing Lin Quan, a player of his caliber, is a nightmare for any defender. Even in a 1v2 situation, no one could confidently say they could stop him.

The moment Lin Quan received the ball, City's counterattack was already a success.

Wenger's analysis left everyone nodding in agreement. No wonder he was such a respected manager—his insights were spot-on.

Viewers, now understanding Guardiola's strategy, started singing his praises again:

"No wonder he's the best coach in the world!"

"Pep may be bald, but he deserves the title of the world's best coach!"

"Do you know why Pep is so strong?"

"Is it because 'I became bald, and I became stronger'?"

"Exactly! Pep's strength comes from his hair loss, so you understand now?"

"Ah, master, I've got it!"

...

Zidane, also bald and equally talented, wasn't far behind Wenger in tactical understanding. After replaying City's attack several times in his mind, he realized where things had gone wrong.

City had used Real Madrid's eagerness against them, employing a "lure and trap" tactic. Had Madrid not pushed their defensive and midfield lines so far forward, they wouldn't have left such a massive gap in the center, and City wouldn't have scored.

Before the match, Zidane had anticipated that City would attack from the flanks. He hadn't expected them to break through the middle.

Usually, the center is the most densely defended area, making it the hardest to penetrate. But City had anticipated his strategy and reversed it, breaking through the heart of Madrid's defense with surprising ease.

With this realization, Zidane felt a renewed sense of caution toward Guardiola.

Was Guardiola really that formidable?

But even so, Zidane wasn't about to give up. Like Ronaldo, the stronger the opponent, the more determined Zidane became.

He and Guardiola were similar in age and had played in similar positions. As a player, Zidane's achievements far surpassed Guardiola's—he had won the Ballon d'Or and been named FIFA World Player of the Year. In comparison, Guardiola hadn't reached the same heights.

So Zidane didn't believe he was inferior to Guardiola. If his opponent could achieve something, then so could he!

After calming down, Zidane immediately set about making adjustments.

He called over one of his players, gave him instructions, and soon Real Madrid's tactics began to change.

(End of Chapter)

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