Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 240 A lightning strike against Benfica! Ederson was left questioning his existence after a series of breakthroughs from midfield!
"The match has begun!"

"Benfica are on fire lately, winning 19 of their last 20 games! The Benfica coach is using the same starting lineup that won the league match 5-1 against Braga!"

Goalkeeper Ederson

"Arsenal will field the same lineup as against Leicester City. Gustavo will be unavailable for Arsenal as he previously played for Wolfsburg in the Champions League!"

"Benfica launched a fierce attack right from the start!"

At the Stadium of Light, just 130 seconds into the game, Lindelof played a through ball to Jonas in the attacking third.

But Koscielny's advance movement allowed him to bypass the enemy and intercept them halfway through the journey.

Benfica's counter-pressing was also intense.

The two teams battled fiercely in midfield. Qin Ming took the opportunity to move inside to the center and cooperate with Kirkland to control possession of the ball.

"Take him!" shouted Benfica's Sevilla international Faisa.

Their players are clustered in the midfield, close to the goal, making it easy for them to double-team the ball.

"No one can pass to me!" Qin Ming wanted to find a teammate first, but found that he was in the front and the only one he could pass to, Giroud, was in a bad position.

Then do it yourself!
Qin Ming spiked the ball before Fesa could react, simultaneously accelerating forward.

Bang! During the fight, he also engaged in a fierce battle with Fesa. His powerful core and explosive power transformed him into a wild horse.

They couldn't stop them even if they tried.

Fesa hurriedly turned around to chase after him, but the distance between them was getting further and further apart.

Ruben Diaz!
He was temporarily promoted by the head coach because several of Benfica's key central defenders missed previous matches due to injuries.

As it turned out, Rui-Victoria found that this kid was actually quite useful.

In particular, he has an excellent sense of defensive positioning and a strong physique, so he is not afraid of physical contact.

"Ruben will become one of the best defenders in the world in the future."

Rui Victoria even gave this assessment.

There is one drawback.

He speaks too loudly.

He even asks Ruben Diaz to keep his voice down during regular training sessions.

on the field.

The young Portuguese player, the same age as Qin Ming, was intently looking ahead.

"What will I do?" He was already poised to act.

Facing a promising future center-back, Qin Ming displayed incredibly elegant footwork and even used his center of gravity to signal an inside cut.

Ruben Diaz was easily fooled.

Benfica fans looked stunned, recalling the countless highlights of Qin Ming they had watched before coming to the game.

At this moment, the virtual and the real seem to overlap.

Qin Ming smoothly changed his rhythm, easily dribbling past Ruben Diaz and entering Benfica's penalty area.

The Portuguese man turned around in shock.

He has no right to stay where he is and regret it; the most important thing is to turn back and chase after them immediately.

But now he can only hope that his teammates can hold Qin Ming back a little.

That was another center-back for Benfica.

23-year-old Lindelof has grown into the team's defensive core.

It is said that Manchester United is prepared to spend 30 million to buy him.

Lindelof gritted his teeth and accelerated wildly, while Carmelo Carlos blocked Ederson at the near post, and the opportunity seemed to be slipping away.

Qin Ming's thinking was very clear.

Wait!
Slow down slightly to wait for Lindelof to catch up, while simultaneously drawing Ederson's attention.

and then?
A jaw-dropping scene unfolded on the field.

*Thud!* With a crisp sound of the ball being touched, it brushed past Lindelof and was tipped to Qin Ming's right foot.

Rui-Victoria's gaze was blank.

With such a weak defense, how could one person single-handedly defeat them?
Wenger's mouth dropped open.

He could sense that Qin Ming was in even better form in the Champions League.

The 60,000 people at the Stadium of Light were also shocked.

Ruben Diaz didn't hesitate; he stretched out his leg with all his might, trying to stop Qin Ming from shooting.

"Faster than you!" However, Qin Ming's casual push with his right foot made the football draw a clear trajectory on the grass.

Bang! Edson stretched his body to its limit, but he was still at least 20 centimeters short.

He was standing too close to the goalpost.

In his first appearance last season, he became Rio Ave's starting goalkeeper and made more than ten appearances, experiencing the intense pressure coming his way.

Unpredictable.

When Qin Ming stood in front of him, he couldn't guess anything.

1-0! ! !

"Wow! Arsenal have already changed the score after only two and a half minutes!"

"Qin! He single-handedly tore apart Benfica's defense at the historic Estádio da Luz and sent the ball into the opponent's goal!"

"This is the King of Arsenal! In the Premier League, there are some players in the Arsenal squad who can be compared to him, but in the Champions League, he is one of a kind!"

"Look at Benfica's young goalkeeper Ederson. I suggest Benfica make a substitution and bring on the treble winner Cesar, otherwise the young man might explode!"

Paul Dutton provides passionate commentary from the London broadcast studio.

"Yeah!!!" Thousands of Arsenal fans in the away stands filled the century-old stadium with cheers.

They stared intently at the figure on the green field.

"That was awesome!" Qin Ming sprinted to the corner flag and did a spectacular front flip.

While learning dance recently, he also started practicing various somersaults to improve his flexibility and also as a celebratory move.

He once really liked Klose's somersaults when watching the World Cup.

"Qin, what are you doing!" Giru rushed over with his hands raised, knocking Qin Ming off balance.

When Qin Ming was dribbling the ball on a counter-attack, he deliberately moved to the wing.

I was thinking of providing backup for one or two people.

Who knew Qin Ming would be so fierce, he beat everyone else completely.

The feeling of clinging to someone's coattails is just too amazing.

"Oh!!!" The other teammates also rushed over.

Sanchez was even more shocked. He thought "League Qin" was already fierce enough, but he didn't expect "Champions League Qin" to be even better.

This could be considered a dragon, right?

"A real man fights in the Champions League!" Qin Ming said, embracing his teammates and punching the air.

"Screw the round of 16!"

Casso shouted at the top of his lungs.

Although their Champions League opponent is Benfica, the curse of being eliminated in the round of 16 is like a mountain weighing heavily on their minds.

Therefore, they are all worried about facing a tough match today.

A draw or even a loss.

Qin Ming's goal in the opening two minutes was so stunning, like an indestructible hammer that shattered the mountain in their hearts.

A sense of exhilaration resonated in everyone's heart.

Courtside.

Wenger was no longer as refined and easygoing as before, hugging Pat Rice and patting him on the back repeatedly.

"Cough cough cough! If you keep filming, the team doctor will have to resuscitate me!"

Pat Rice coughed loudly a few times.

"This kid used to rely more on technique when breaking through defenses, but today he seems to have figured out the defender's strategy."

Wenger observed that Qin Ming's movements were so well-connected that they were almost perfectly logical.

“Maybe he’s improved again,” Pat Rice said, stroking his mustache.

Seeing Qin Ming in such great form today, he couldn't help but think about the future. If they can break through the round of 16, where can they go? Can they reach the pinnacle of the Champions League?
Even knowing that there is a significant gap between Benfica and the top clubs.

He still looks forward to the day when his dream comes true.

the other side.

Rui Victoria was still in shock.

The Portuguese league is nowhere near this level of intensity!

It's not like decades ago when Portugal had a talent boom.

He has coached teams such as Guimarães and Ferreira, and has seen talented young players, including Ruben Diaz.

He even discovered an outstanding child in the youth training team this year.

João Felix.

At 16, he scored 10 goals in 27 appearances for Benfica's U17 team. Thinking about this...

What was 16-year-old Qin doing?

Rui-Victoria then remembered that Qin Ming scored in his Bundesliga debut and then went on to make his mark, creating a storm in the football world.

There's no comparison!

On the pitch, several young Benfica players, Ruben Diaz, Lindelof, and Ederson, experienced a significant sense of disparity.

They are all rising stars in the Portuguese league.

But in front of the true number one young player, he was completely outmatched by that agile figure and skill.

"The good news is that the competition has only just begun, and we have plenty of time."

Benfica captain Jonas said.

He is a Brazilian player and knows just how highly Qin Ming is regarded throughout South American football.

Many Brazilian fans believe that Qin Ming is no less than Ronaldinho.

Jonas gazed at Qin Ming's retreating figure and recalled seeing Ronaldo and Ronaldinho when he was a substitute in the national team.

They all possessed an indescribable sense of the ball.

Young people's emotions come and go quickly. Ruben Diaz shouted a few times and regained his fighting spirit.

The game restarted in the middle circle.

Benfica players are just like the fans.

Confused.

Every team in the world, whether strong or weak, will experience a period of adjustment after being scored on in a blitzkrieg.

Wenger caught on to this.

He then gestured for his team to intensify their attack.

If they can extend their lead earlier, they will play more and more easily, especially since all of their goals are away goals.

"Arsenal players look more confident than before the game started!"

"The Portuguese powerhouses pose little threat to them except for their glorious history!"

"The curse of the Champions League Round of 16 is rapidly shattering!"

Semedo, who made bold statements before the match, idolized Figo when he was young, but he didn't become a winger and instead became a full-back.

He was now lowering his center of gravity and staring intently at Qin Ming.

Pressure is everywhere.

He subconsciously slowed his breathing, afraid that Qin Ming would get past him.

But some things are more likely to happen the more you fear them.

Qin Ming dribbled the ball with high-frequency touches, leading Semedo, who would later join Barcelona, ​​to believe that he could intercept the ball.

*Snap!* Just as the opponent kicked out, Qin Ming gently pushed forward.

Crotchless!

"The Champions League seems to really give me a boost!" Qin Ming felt that compared to the league, he had a comprehensive boost.

I don't know if it's just my imagination because I'm too excited?

Bang! After getting past Semedo, Qin Ming delivered a cross.

The ball slid through the middle of the penalty area, and Giroud got a header, but Lindelof interfered, and he couldn't get a proper header, which went wide of the goal.

"Don't let him get past you so easily!"

Lindelof was still in shock.

It's one thing for Qin Ming to put pressure on him, but why is Giroud so aggressive too?

Because Giroud is a typical player who is strong when his teammates are strong and weak when his teammates are weak.

It's the same whether you're in the national team or at a club.

The 19th minute of the game.

Arsenal, overly excited, made a mistake in midfield and were dispossessed by Benfica.

Jonas cut inside the penalty area past Mertesacker and unleashed a powerful left-footed shot.

Cech made a diving save, blocking the ball.

"Sigh!!!" A series of sighs echoed through the Bright Stadium.

Benfica fans were reminded of the Champions League quarter-final four years ago when they saw Cech's tank helmet.

In those two matches, the Czech goalkeeper made numerous saves against their shots.

After several years of twists and turns, they met Cech again.

Although Cech's teammates are no longer Drogba, Lampard, and others,
Benfica fans looked at Qin Ming with an even stronger sense of helplessness.

"Benfica's corner kick posed no threat; Cech punched the ball out of the penalty area, giving Arsenal a chance for a quick counter-attack!"

"Ramsey's weakness in the fight against Renato remains his physical limitations!"

"Serbian international takes a long-range shot from outside the box!"

"Oh dear, it's gone ten miles off course and flew right onto the stands!"

Not every player is good at long-range shooting, and even masters of long-range shooting are bound to make mistakes.

That's why world waves are so rare.

"Benfica is still quite strong." Qin Ming noticed that after getting through the early stages, Benfica gradually stabilized their rhythm, and both their defense and offense were playing well.

It can only be said that although the Portuguese league is not one of the top five leagues, it serves as the first stop for many young players, and the strong football atmosphere in Portugal provides them with the funds and personnel to solidify their strength.

Time slips away unnoticed.

The 36th minute of the game.

Arsenal maintained a high possession rate, consistently around 65%.

However, they didn't launch as many threatening attacks as they did in the first 15 minutes, because Benfica maintained a very good formation.

Arsenal's attacking pattern was very predictable today!

"Find Qin Ming when he's in good form, let him unleash his full potential, it's simple but effective!"

"Semedo!"

The Portuguese full-back has forgotten what he said before the match.

Miserable.

This is a true reflection of him; every second he faces off against Qin Ming, he has to be on his toes.

You can't afford to lose focus even for a second.

In matches that often last ninety minutes, no one can maintain their focus throughout.

Finally, he didn't follow Qin Ming when he retreated.

"Third brother, pass the ball to me!"

Qin Ming carried the Benfica winger and asked for the ball.

He had absolute confidence in one-on-one situations, using his right foot to draw an L-shape on the ball before turning and getting past the defender.

By then, it was too late for Semedo to follow up.

Qin Ming had enough time to adjust, and with an exaggerated bull's tail, he made the young Portuguese player feel hopeless.

Benfica's flanks were breached again.

Ruben Diaz made timely defensive adjustments, but Qin Ming chose to wall-bend Giroud, letting the French hunk set up a defense for him.

Bang! This time he didn't use a finesse shot, but instead fired a powerful shot.

Ederson's positioning was good, but his goalkeeping skills were average and couldn't compare to Cech's.

This is the conclusion he drew after taking a few shots.

Sure enough, Ederson's dive was too slow, and it looked like he was about to miss the ball.

clang!
But the football hit the top of the crossbar and flew towards the stands without looking back.

"what!!!"

Qin Ming ran his fingers through his hair, his face full of regret. "If only I had used less force!"

He's a bit too focused on ball speed.

"I've escaped a disaster!" Edson said, still shaken, as he got up.

He then walked over to Ruben Diaz, signaling for him to block Qin Ming's shot immediately.

Otherwise, if the beam can save them once, how many more times can it save them?

Ruben Diaz could only nod numbly.

What else could he say?

With this attack concluded, the first half came to an end.

Beep!
Two short whistles eased the tension for Benfica fans.

They were genuinely afraid that if there were a few dozen more seconds of added time, Qin Ming would, just like at the start of the match, dribble past everyone without any regard for the rules and then mercilessly pierce their goal.

(End of this chapter)