Football: Starting from the Ronaldinho template

Chapter 256: Messi coughs, and Barcelona catches a cold! A perfect first half!
"Barcelona's possession is starting to pick up! The players are slowly finding their form, while Arsenal is relinquishing the initiative and building their defense in the midfield and backfield!"

"Coquelin kept marking Messi closely and fouled him without hesitation!"

"Just now, he received a yellow card from the referee, but he still hasn't changed his playing style!"

Is there any chance to fight back?

No.

Even though Messi was out of form and was tightly marked by Coquelin, Suarez was no pushover and quickly stepped up.

The 36th minute of the game.

Busquets' well-timed through ball found the retreating Suarez.

Wenger started Mertesacker today because he is physically strong and can compete with Suarez.

But he has the same problem as Pique.

speed.

When Suarez received the ball and turned, Ramsey was unable to cover in time, and Mertesacker rushed forward to intercept.

*Thud!* The Uruguayan suddenly sprinted forward, taking a tumble along with him.

Suarez, whom Barcelona signed despite wasting half a season, is one of the strongest center forwards in world football.

However, he is always overlooked in Messi's brilliance.

"Suarez has gotten past Mertesacker!"

"Koscielny is covering, and he takes a shot from inside the box!"

"Cech!"

"Pretty!"

"A crucial save, ensuring the goal remained intact!"

Zhan Jun breathed a sigh of relief.

He thought that Arsenal had just scored a few minutes ago and were about to be mercilessly tied by Barcelona.

On the pitch, Suarez shook his hand in frustration, grinning at Cech with his big white teeth.

Cech has weathered many storms; how could he possibly be intimidated?

Respond with a calm gaze.

"Well done, Peter!" Qin Ming interrupted their silent exchange.

When he saw Suarez glaring at him, he grinned and raised his right elbow.

Suarez silently withdrew his gaze.

He doesn't bite just anyone; he only bites when pushed to the limit.

Barcelona opted for a tactical corner kick.

After a series of passes, the ball finally found Messi.

Coquelin's even more frequent touches of the ball than Robben put immense pressure on him, but thankfully Monreal provided support.

The two worked together to destroy the ball.

"Messi has been a bit sluggish today. So far in the game, he has only completed 3 dribbles and hasn't had many threatening shots!"

"However, Barcelona's immediate counter-pressing was very well coordinated!"

"A huge scramble has broken out in midfield, where has the ball gone?"

In the shot, the ball is received by Iniesta, and the Spanish midfielder, without even looking up, delivers a precise long pass.

"There's a chance it might misjudge the header," Qin Ming predicted the ball's trajectory and quietly ran behind Messi.

The results of it?
The 50,000 fans at the Emirates Stadium were stunned.

The football actually grazed Messi's hair as it fell.

It's overhanging!
Messi didn't expect to make such a basic mistake.

When he heard the noise behind him, a look of astonishment appeared on his face.

"It's mine!" Qin Ming didn't care about Messi's shock, and quickly accelerated after a few stops and starts.

During this time, he even looked back to see if Messi was going to chase after him.

I didn't pursue it.

Then the rest is quite simple.

Watching Rakitic clean up Messi's mess, Qin Ming ran into a wall with Cazorla, who was supporting from the middle.

at the same time.

Giroud's unexpected move to the wing momentarily distracted Alves.

"Great!" Qin Ming seized the opportunity and cut towards the middle lane, executing a No Look Pass!

The ball was passed to Sanchez.

Chile's star player faced Mascherano head-on, as if they were back in the Copa America final.

At that time, he played as a center forward for the national team.

Two short, burly men collided head-on!
Bang! The muffled sound from the close-up recording system made one's teeth ache, but Sanchez didn't fall.

Mascherano didn't fall either.

Aside from not being able to handle Kaká with his back to goal, Mascherano could actually hold his own against other players.

The two were still locked in a frantic struggle.

"Alexis, pass the ball! This guy can't outrun me!"

Suddenly, Qin Ming's voice rang out as he quickly surged forward, racing against Pique.

Pique definitely couldn't outrun him. Mascherano involuntarily lost focus, and Sanchez seized the opportunity, twisting his body to break through from the outside.

Facing Ter Stegen.

Sanchez used a sliding shot to force the ball towards the far post.

The German goalkeeper fell quickly, but like Messi, his fingertips just missed the ball.

Clang! The football struck the inside of the goalpost and bounced into the goal.

2-0! ! !

At the Emirates Stadium, Arsenal fans were stunned for a moment before erupting into hysterical cheers.

Where have they ever played such a rich match against Barcelona?

They were already leading by two goals before the first half was even over!
Is this still our home team?
They all felt like they were dreaming, but looking at the electronic scoreboard, listening to the cheers around them, and feeling the heat in the air...

They were certain that this was reality.

"Yeah!!!"

A wave of red and white cheers erupted from the stands.

"The goal went in!"

"Arsenal score again in the 39th minute!"

"The goal was scored by Chilean legend Alexis Sanchez! In 2011, he joined Barcelona from Udinese in Serie A. During his time at Barcelona, ​​he won one Club World Cup, one UEFA Super Cup, two La Liga titles, and two Spanish Super Cups!"

"In 2014, he transferred from Barcelona to Arsenal. After arriving in the Premier League, Sanchez showed a strong ability to adapt and quickly became a reliable key player for the coach, teammates, and fans!"

"Moreover, he has made a brilliant transformation this season. Although he is no longer Wenger's core player, his statistics have steadily improved!"

Recently, there have been many more fans in China, and Zhan Jun gave a detailed introduction.

"hey-hey!"

Zhang Lu smiled and took over the topic, "Last year in the Copa America final held in Chile, Sanchez and Messi faced off. He led his team to a 4-1 penalty shootout victory over Argentina on home soil, and Chile won the Copa America title for the first time."

"And since the 1993 Copa America title, the Argentine senior team has still not won a major international title, and Messi has once again become the target of criticism."

Will Sanchez embarrass Messi again this time?

on the field.

Ignoring Pique's furious glare, Qin Ming ran to Sanchez and gave him a hug.

"I knew you'd come by yourself!"

He said, "Because any top striker, in this situation, will have a sense of confidence that the ball is most threatening when it's at their feet!"

Sanchez laughed heartily upon hearing this.

indeed.

While I am not the core player of the team, it does not mean that I should mindlessly pass the ball to Qin Ming in any situation.

"The boss's mission is complete!"

Cazorla hugged the two of them and shouted.

Before the match, Wenger set a goal for them to score two goals in the first half.

"When Messi coughs, Barcelona catches a cold."

Wenger's brow finally relaxed; he had guessed that Barcelona was in poor form and had made many preparations for it.

One ring within another.

The desired effect has finally been achieved.

Moreover, Enrique seemed to underestimate them and didn't take them seriously enough.

They are the best in the Premier League, no matter what.

We'll use the same lineup that played against Real Madrid. We're not short of substitutes; we have players like Munir and Arda Turan who can be used.

Even putting Messi on the bench and replacing him with a player who can run and attack would be more effective.

“This ball.” Enrique pounded the plastic barrier, wanting to say something but then swallowed it back.

He knew it was Messi's fault; after misjudging the header, he didn't chase back, leaving Rakitic to face two opponents.

But what could he say?

"Dani, close the gap between the three lines, and be even faster when you counter-attack!"

Enrique yelled at Alves.

The Brazilian full-backs have gotten used to it; if they play well, it's Messi's credit, and if they play poorly, it's their fault.

He nodded to indicate that he understood.

Messi, standing next to him, stood with his hands on his hips, looking somewhat tired with his head down.

He just couldn't seem to get into the game today.

Alves, who used to be able to frequently move up and down the pitch, was pinned down in the midfield and backfield by Qin Ming, and Rakitic had difficulty providing him with support.

Messi forced himself to stay alert and looked at Qin Ming, who was smiling.

He thought of his older brother.

They are very similar in both their technical characteristics and their attitude towards football.

But although he didn't want to admit it, Qin Ming seemed to be stronger.

"Is Leo alright? Should we make a substitution?"

Rakitic asked nervously.

"It's okay, let's continue." Messi returned to his position.

The game starts again.

"Come on, Arsenal!"

Arsenal's momentum grew so great that the thousands of Barcelona fans were drowned out as soon as they made a sound.

They were confident at that moment.

So what if it's Barcelona?
So what if it's Messi?
They are no longer the Arsenal of the past, and they will no longer be afraid of facing Barcelona.

What's more, they have what they consider to be the best players in the world.

"KING!!!"

Bertrand Carlsen and others in the North Stand created a smaller poster.

A pair of black eyes against a red and white background.

It's just an ordinary poster, yet it gives off a sharp and oppressive feeling.

43th minute of the first half.

Busquets also got smarter and started looking for Neymar more often.

Since Messi is not in good form, let Neymar take the lead. Many previous games have proven that the Brazilian is very reliable.

"Shove him! Shove him!"

Arsenal fans roared.

Bellerin remained unfazed, calmly observing Neymar.

But he was immediately beaten.

Fortunately, he often faced off against Qin Ming during team training, and his subsequent pursuit was timely.

Neymar was never able to get away cleanly.

But his sudden lobbed pass, with Suarez making a simultaneous forward run, startled the Gunners.

"Cech! He anticipated Barcelona's attack and rushed out to catch the ball!"

"The experienced Czech goalkeeper is like Basak Star!"

"Beep-beep!"

"Oh, the referee blew the whistle after Arsenal took the goal kick!"

"First half ends, Arsenal 2-0 Barcelona!"

Zhan Jun was even happier than Zhang Lu.

On the field, Qin Ming saw Messi and remembered that joke, so he lowered his head slightly.
But this is good.

He knew that Messi, after experiencing a slump this year, would eventually be able to resolve his physical issues.

There will definitely be opportunities for them to face each other again in the future.

As for this year, he wants the team to go even further, not only for personal honors, but also to get more money for the team.

That way he'll have stronger teammates next season.

Look at today, Coquelin and Ramsey were exhausted, barely managing to stop a Messi who wasn't in good form.

What about the future?
Moreover, with players like Arteta and Flamini leaving, Arsenal needs to strengthen their defensive midfield.

Ideally, we could bring Kanté over.

As Qin Ming was lost in thought, he heard someone calling him and looked up to see his parents.

"You played well, son!"

Qin Zhihong shouted loudly, his hands cupped like megaphones.

What was the biggest dream he had when he sent Qin Ming abroad for youth training?
He was able to become a starter in the Chinese Super League and then enter the national team, which far exceeded expectations.

They faced the reigning Champions League champions and even managed to score a goal and provide an assist.

"Go for it!" Tian Man waved as well.

Qin Ming smiled and patted his chest, indicating that the two elders could rest assured.

When he returned to the locker room with his teammates, Wenger was already there, and he clapped softly for a while.

"Everyone played great today!"

"It seems that the tactic of challenging Barcelona for possession has worked, and the training in reducing space and passing has been demonstrated in the first goal!"

Wenger was very satisfied with his players' performance.

"However, we need to do better in the second half, especially when switching tactics, and not expose too much space."

"You also need to stay focused. You all know Barcelona well. They might only need a few minutes to score two goals."

Wenger, as was his custom, gave the instructions.

Then we'll talk about some important points, and then let the players rest freely.

Qin Ming simply closed his eyes to rest, as the ball control, counter-attacks, and pressing in the first half had taken a toll on his stamina.

Away game locker room.

Enrique was explaining Arsenal's tactics, telling the players to play fast, with the same approach on the wings and in the middle.

And it's all about Mertesacker.

After he finished speaking, he glanced cautiously at Messi. Messi's status as a Barcelona coach was not high. His predecessor, Martino, had substituted Messi and then enthusiastically congratulated him on scoring a goal from the sidelines.

As a result, Messi completely ignored his fellow Rosario native.

Back on the bench, he put his feet on the back of the seat in front of him, opened a drink, threw the cap away forcefully, and looked unhappy.

The public outcry was quite severe at the time, and Martino had to come forward to explain.

"Everyone knows that Messi never likes to leave the field, but our first priority is to prevent him from getting injured. It is my responsibility to protect him. I have already talked to him about this issue, and we hope that he will be in the best condition for the final crucial stages of the league, the Champions League and the Copa del Rey."

It's quite pathetic for a head coach to end up like this.

Pique was reminded of his time at La Masia, when he used to bully Messi.

Now the other team has become the core of Barcelona.

Fifteen minutes passed quickly, and the players from both teams returned to the field.

Sky Sports has just updated its statistic: in the top five European leagues, Qin Ming ranks first with 130 dribbles, Neymar ranks second with 109 dribbles, and Zaha ranks third with 101 dribbles.

"Following them are Ben Arfa, Barkley, Mahrez, and Messi."

"Messi missed two months, yet still managed 83 dribbles."

"Cristiano Ronaldo is not on this list."

Taking advantage of the relatively calm atmosphere of the match, Zhan Jun proudly introduced the game.

The second half went by even faster than the first half.

The fans didn't seem to notice anything, and 20 minutes passed.

During that period, Barcelona's possession rate reached 54%, but they still didn't have many effective attacks.

Neymar always tries to show off his fancy skills, but Ramsey and Bellerin keep a close watch on him.

Messi became invisible; whenever the camera focused on him, he was either with his hands on his hips or looking down.

Suarez had no choice but to drop back to receive the pass.

The 68th minute of the game.

Iniesta dribbled past Sanchez and Ramsey with two consecutive croquet balls.

He now faces two choices.

Neymar on the left and Messi on the right are both in good positions.

After a moment's hesitation, he still chose the latter.

But Monreal's aggressive play created an opportunity for Kirkland to steal the ball.

*Thud!* The ball was tackled out of bounds by Arsenal's defensive midfielder.

(End of this chapter)