Team Spirit

Chapter 199 Champions League Round of 16

In the fourteenth minute, Real Madrid spurred themselves on from their defeat and rallied to victory.

Zidane passed the ball directly to Raul.

Raul moved to the left wing and passed the ball to Carlos, who was coming up.

Carlos passed the ball back to Zidane on the left flank.

Zidane switched the ball directly to Figo, who was unmarked on the right side of the penalty area.

However, Dartford's defense has not yet collapsed.

Ashley Young maintained his shadow over Figo.

Amorim quickly moved back to prevent Figo from successfully single-targeting Ashley Young.

As a top player, Figo definitely has that ability.

Even after he went to Inter Milan, he was still in a "technical aid" role.

boom.

Figo passed the ball back in a triangular pattern to Guti, who had made a run into the box.

Guti unleashed a long-range shot from outside the penalty area, and it was of quite good quality.

However, there were too many people in the penalty area, and the ball bounced off Davis.

In the 23rd minute, Real Madrid created another threat.

Figo, facing Amorin's pressure on the right, flicked the ball with his heel, retreated in the opposite direction, dribbled back to his own half, and then passed it across to Guti.

Guti delivered a long pass, directly connecting with Raul.

Guti's through balls live up to his reputation.

However, Cannavaro's defensive command was too good. He anticipated Raul's movements and successfully created an offside trap by stepping back.

The referee blew the whistle.

Raul, who was preparing for a one-on-one shot, helplessly shook his head, unable to shoot at the last moment, which must have been very frustrating.

In the 29th minute, Real Madrid had been attacking for 15 consecutive minutes and were exhausted.

Dartford seized the opportunity to launch an attack.

Real Madrid retreated quickly, showing a relatively proper attitude.

Lu Kai has the ball.

Solari lunged at him directly, which is one of Solari's strengths in the midfield and attacking thirds – his willingness to run.

Then Lu Kai easily bypassed Solari with a "fried meatball" move, while accelerating towards Carlos.

Go to war!
Three consecutive "Turtle Bicycles".

The large range of motion is very effective against short players like Carlos.

Big players can take a step and establish their position, and if they take a wrong step, they can get back on track.

But Carlos has to take two steps, and if he takes the wrong step, he has to take two or three more. How could he possibly keep up with Lu Kai?
Lu Kai blasts past Carlos and scores, then flicks the ball down the wing.

And they deliberately gave Carlos the opportunity for physical confrontation.

Although Carlos is short, he is very strong and his ability to fight and chase back is excellent.

However... Lu Kai was well aware of Carlos's intentions and had already made preparations.

Neither side gained any advantage from the collision.

However, Lu Kai used the force of the rebound to press down on Carlos and completed the turn, cutting inside from behind Carlos.

Samuel immediately added the missing part.

boom!
Lu Kai made a back-kick in a triangular shape.

Samuel was taken aback. Who could possibly be in that position?

Touré?

No, Toure was being watched by Gravesen.

boom!
Maicon unleashed a powerful shot from just outside the right side of the penalty area.

After Samuel was pulled away, there was a significant gap in the defense between him and Pavón.

Maicon's shot flew easily into the goal through this gap.

Casillas made an extremely high-level save.

But not every shot in practice will be saved.

Casillas played well, and Maicon also played well.

“GOAL!!!”

"2-0! Lu Kai assists Maicon to score!"

"This Brazilian right-back is really sharp! His attacking style is similar to Carlos', but he has the advantage in size."

"And with Lu Kai setting up the ball, he really has a lot of opportunities."

"In contrast, Solari can offer very limited help to Carlos. Solari is a player who prefers long-range shots, so he needs Carlos to provide him with possession."

The Bernabéu remained somewhat silent.

Real Madrid fans are less willing to cheer for their team and less willing to boo the Green Gunner.

In the 35th minute, Zidane was fouled by Carrick in the attacking third.

Real Madrid won a very good free kick.

Figo will take the penalty.

However, the Green Gunners players were very excited today. How many times in a lifetime can they have the opportunity to take the lead over Real Madrid?

Everyone jumped exceptionally high.

Ashley Young made a clean save by blocking the ball.

The football flew towards the left wing.

Zidane caught up with the ball, looked up into the penalty area, and crossed it.

Find the next point.

However, Davis cleared the ball with a header.

Salgado retrieved the ball from the outside, took a step forward, and unleashed a powerful shot towards the goal.

But in that short time, Amorim caught up and blocked the ball with his foot.

"It's a bit of a pity, Salgado made too many adjustments."

"If it were Maicon, he could have just volleyed the ball without stopping it."

The opportunity is fleeting.

You've made your adjustments, and so have they.

In the 37th minute, Zidane dribbled the ball from the middle to the right, and Figo ran from the right wing to the middle, the two making a brilliant cross-run.

Zidane backheeled the ball to Figo.

Figo dribbled the ball from the left side of the arc into the penalty area.

He held off Cannavaro, used a stepover to get past Davis, and broke through towards the six-yard box.

Having attracted Foster's attention, Figo struck horizontally.

Raul slotted the ball into the empty net.

One to two!

Real Madrid pulled one back.

Finally, thunderous applause erupted from the audience.

Lu Kai shrugged, meaning there was no way to get the ball.

The synergy between Zidane, Figo, and Raul can indeed break down any defense.

You can tell from the name they used in the video call... Zifirao, take off!

In the 41st minute, inspired by the fans, Real Madrid players actually pressed high up the pitch – can you believe it?

Zidane presses Cannavaro.

Cannavaro passes the ball to Maicon.

However, Carlos sprinted over early this time, overtaking Maicon at his top speed before Maicon had fully started his run and completing the interception.

Carlos cuts inside the left rib area.

Davis contained Raul.

Cannavaro took the initiative and challenged Carlos to a one-on-one duel.

Carlos swept the ball across the field.

Gravesen rushed to the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a long-range shot.

The location is excellent.

However, the football flew into the stands.

Although Gravesen is nicknamed "The Butcher," his playing style is not actually very rough or aggressive.

He has good footwork skills.

However, his long-range shooting is far inferior to Essien's.

In other words, Gravesen is actually inferior to Essien in both defense and offense.

If you had a hexagonal power chart, you would see that he was completely covered by Essien.

"Alas! Gravesen wasted a great opportunity!"

In the 45th minute, Real Madrid tried to equalize the score in the first half.

Because after seventy minutes, the physical condition of Zidane and Figo, the two key players, will inevitably decline, and their strength will weaken.

Amorim and his national team veteran Figo were locked in a close battle, displaying great energy.

With his attitude, Lu Kai was worried about whether he would be able to make it into the national team.

After all, Figo is currently the undisputed king of Portugal, with immense influence.

However, Figo's reputation is well-deserved.

He used his signature dribbling style.

After using body swaying to get Amorin into his rhythm, he flicked the ball forward.

The football sailed precisely over Amorin's shin.

Figo walked away triumphantly.

Figo's absolute speed wasn't particularly fast, and his ball control and foot frequency weren't exceptional, but his dribbling skills in his youth were still unbeatable.

It's because of his flicking technique that no one can ever break his shot.

And once the ball gets past the opponent, he can take the opportunity to quickly overtake them.

Amorim was then taught a lesson.

However, the current Figo is different from the Figo of the past.

Ashley Young sprinted forward and intercepted the ball before Figo could touch it.

Figo is slower than before.

You can get past one person, but you can't get past a second one in time.

The "Amo" brothers teamed up to knock out the King of Portugal.

Ashley Young passes the ball to Amorim.

After receiving the ball, Amorin looked at the attacking third and saw the same situation again.

Pavon's positioning was terrible.

boom!
Amorim delivered an extremely long through ball, its speed incredibly fast and quite sharp.

The ball went directly behind Pavón, who is practically a defensive sieve.

Arshavin cut inside without the ball, emerging from behind Pavón to create a one-on-one opportunity.

Arshavin knew he couldn't hesitate too much when facing Casillas's attack, otherwise his chances of scoring would decrease.

He took a step to the right and then curled a shot.

No tricks, just pure skill.

Casillas was worried that Arshavin would shoot into the near corner, so he didn't perform at his best when he finally lunged for the far corner.

The soccer ball was about ten centimeters away from my hand.

Swish!
White waves surged up.

"GOAL! Another goal! Three to one!"

"Real Madrid wanted to equalize, but unexpectedly their defense showed another weakness."

"Arshavin made a very decisive shot. He is one of the best players in the Premier League this season."

"He has performed exceptionally well against strong teams like Arsenal and Chelsea!"

"But what surprised me even more was Amorim; his through balls were ridiculously strong today!"

"This is the form of a true kernel!"

"No wonder Lu Kai can confidently play on the front line this season; Amorin is basically a midfielder version of Lu Kai. He can handle both offense and defense!"

"His offense is comparable to Rui Costa, and his defense is comparable to Costinha!"

With his good looks, this rising star quickly gained attention from many Real Madrid fans.

They felt that this was an enhanced version of Guti.

Guti: ? ? ?
He scored his second goal with an assist from Amorim.

Dartford led Real Madrid 3-1 at halftime.

The Bernabéu fell silent after being beaten.

Ashley Young looked very disappointed during halftime.

If they score another goal in the first half, or at least don't concede, they can celebrate with champagne at the Bernabéu.

This action gives one a sense of pleasure, like urinating on a Buddha statue.

What a pity!
In the second half, the two sides changed sides and started the game again.

In the 47th minute, Zidane received a pass from Figo, turned around with his back to goal, and unleashed a powerful shot.

The ball went just wide.

In the 51st minute, Green Gunners pressed forward more and more.

Cannavaro passes the ball to Maicon.

Maicon delivers a cross at a 45-degree angle.

Arshavin, Forlan, and Toure are positioned in this way to contest for headers inside the penalty area.

Pavón is matched up against Fran.

Despite being significantly taller, Forlán managed to head the ball and score.

Fortunately, the football hit the crossbar and bounced out.

Anyone familiar with the players' condition knows that Pavon is completely bewildered.

I'm so afraid of losing possession or being beaten that I'm always in a rush, and sometimes I don't even know what the best thing to do is.

This also led to him being unable to do anything well.

In the 58th minute, Gravesen and Toure contested for a header in the middle.

The former clearly fouled, deliberately disrupting Toure's balance.

That is, carrying people.

Touré fell from mid-air, his shoulder feeling uncomfortable.

After examining him, the Green Guns team medic recommended replacing him.

Barton came on as a substitute.

From a defensive perspective, the impact is not significant.

Gravesen received a yellow card.

In the 61st minute, Lu Kai and Barton pressed Solari.

Solari was forced to pass the ball back.

In the 62nd minute, Green Guns gained possession and pressed forward again.

Real Madrid were unable to win the ball back, allowing Greens to get closer and closer to Real Madrid's penalty area.

Even if Real Madrid manages to stop Green Gunners' attack, it will be difficult for them to push from their own half all the way to Green Gunners' penalty area.

Real Madrid's midfield has collapsed.

boom!
Lu Kai delivered a diagonal pass from the right wing.

Forlán ran behind Samuel and got the chance, receiving the ball and turning in one fluid motion. The ball hit Casillas, who was right in front of him, and almost went in.

Samuel angrily rebuked Pavón.

After Fran left Pavón's zone, Pavón did not follow or warn him.

Two center-backs can't even hold off a center forward, how can they even play football?
In the 64th minute, Solari was eager to advance.

He wanted to break through the encirclement of Lu Kai and Barton using his own abilities.

But what kind of tacit understanding do Lu Kai and Barton have?
Barton challenged Solari, luring him into a touch, then suddenly increased the force of the challenge, blocking Solari.

Lu Kai then seized the football.

Solari pushed Carlos aside and came over with a flying tackle; he had to get the ball back after losing it himself.

Even if it's a foul, we can't let Green Gun launch a counterattack.

boom!
Lu Kai delivered a through pass down the wing and was subsequently brought down by Solari.

But it wasn't knocked down by the shovel; rather, it was pulled to the ground because it had nowhere to stand.

This is a protective fall and will not cause injury.

Maicon made a run down the wing, caught up with the ball, and delivered a cross.

Pavón headed the ball out of bounds, making a successful defensive play.

But judging from his expression, he was still shaken and showed no joy at his successful defense.

He panicked even more.

This time you've gotten out of trouble, but what about next time?

This is a typical example of poor psychological quality.

If it were someone like Ashley Young, even if I managed to stop him this time, what would happen next time? Wouldn't he just head the ball from my penalty area into your goal?

People need to know how to think.

Lu Kai took the corner kick, a tactical corner kick, directly to Maicon on the side.

Maicon crosses the ball again.

This resulted in a change in positioning within the penalty area.

Davis, who had been lying in wait, sprinted two steps before jumping.

Pavin was ready to jump in the first wave, but he lacked the strength for the second wave and didn't jump high enough.

Davis overpowered him by half a head.

“GOAL!!!”

"Four to one!"

"Davis outjumps Pavón to head the ball into the net!"

"It's truly heartbreaking!"

"Davis is now just like Pavon was back in the day, a real eye-opener."

"But in the end, not only did he fail to exchange for his talent, he was also swept away by the next generation."

"Based on today's performance, Davis was undoubtedly much better than Pavón."

"Luxemburgo made a terrible mistake by using Pavón instead of Duff. Duff's defense was so much better!"

Talented people emerge in every generation, each reigning supreme for three to five years.

The camera kept focusing on the young players from the Green Gunners who were performing exceptionally well.

On the sidelines, Real Madrid made an emergency substitution.

There's really no other way to replace the defender.

The midfield can be salvaged.

Luxemburgo replaced the equally disastrous Gravesen with Celades.

However, Real Madrid was already dissatisfied with Celades' performance, which is why they brought in Gravesen in the winter transfer window.

What kind of performance do you expect from Celades?
In the 66th minute, Amorim got hooked on through balls.

A through ball was delivered from the left side of the flank.

Fran also knew that Pavón had a good runner behind him, so he raced against Pavón to catch the ball.

Unfortunately, the subsequent cross pass was intercepted by Samuel, preventing a connection with Lu Kai.

In the 69th minute, Guti won the ball back in the middle and Real Madrid launched a counter-attack.

Zidane looked at Raul, but actually made a through pass to the right.

Figo, burning oil, touched the ball before the onrushing Foster, rounded the goalkeeper, and scored into the empty net from a tight angle.

Two to four.

Real Madrid scored.

But the players weren't excited.

Because the gap remains significant.

The Meringue players cheered, still full of hope for the team.

Real Madrid is a big team after all, and it's not uncommon for them to come back from a two-goal deficit.

Moreover, this is such an important Champions League knockout stage.

Most Real Madrid fans were thinking, "We're incredibly strong this season, a team destined to win the Champions League. There's no reason for us to be eliminated in the round of 16, right?"

"This must be a joke played by the God of Football on Real Madrid, to make our Champions League journey more dramatic."

After this goal, Lu Kai's position changed.

His decision to drop back was clearly aimed at Zidane.

Although this engine is old, it still works well.

If left unchecked, Real Madrid could very well launch a devastating attack.

In the 72nd minute, Green Gun had the ball.

Lu Kai voluntarily withdrew to the outer perimeter.

Zidane rushed over to contest the ball immediately.

Lu Kai only turned halfway to avoid Zidane after he came up to him.

In reality, he bumped right into Zidane.

His elbow was only slightly extended.

With the bonus from [Fallen Angel], his arm movements are reduced by half.

With just a small movement, you can achieve the effect of "dangerous elbow strike".

Zidane immediately lay down on the ground.

He stared intently at Lu Kai.

Lu Kai also fell to the ground, still clinging to the football to prevent Real Madrid from launching an attack.

The referee blew his whistle and gave Zidane a lecture.

Why did you, a senior colleague, cause such a serious accident to that young man?

Zidane was in so much pain he couldn't speak, and he was incredibly angry.

He elbowed me!
However, Lu Kai's elbow skills were also at a level of perfection; even a 360-degree replay couldn't tell whether he had actually elbowed anyone.

Green Guns also took this opportunity to make a roster change.

Cicinho replaced Arshavin and played as a left winger.

Ashley Young was completely baffled.

I've worked my way up from left winger to left back!

Cicinho went from right-back to left-back and now he's become a striker?

What's going on, Lao Lu?

That's too biased of you!
On the sidelines, Alfred was talking to Ten Hag: "Cicinho is really good. He can play all positions on the wing, and he is fast, technically good, and has the fierce and ruthless spirit that South American players have."

"Actually, Real Madrid really needs a high-level substitute winger like him. The key is that his playing style fits Real Madrid, and the fans will like him too."

He meant that Cicinho could be bought for a high price after Ten Hag went to Real Madrid.

Ten Hach sighed.

It seems that after taking over as coach of Real Madrid, the coach is planning to take Cicinho away with him.

To be fair, Ten Hag also felt that Cicinho, a player almost identical to Ashley Young, was a better choice.

Ashley Young's dribbling is considered excellent in English football, but compared to Cicinho, it's a bit too "landish" and not as smooth.

Besides, since he's a versatile substitute anyway, meeting the technical standards is more important than meeting the physical standards.

There aren't too many players who are 1.83 meters tall.

In the 77th minute, Cicinho made a crucial contribution as soon as he came on.

Carrick, in a backcourt combination, intercepted the ball on the right wing with Maicon, and Lu Kai received the ball and passed it to the left wing.

Ashley Young made a quick forward run down the left flank.

Cicinho moved from the left flank to the center, joining forces with Forlán to launch a three-pronged attack.

After receiving the pass from Lu Kai, Amorim advanced a few steps and then sent out a through ball.

Ashley Young makes a clever run, ready to receive the ball and shoot.

however……

Amorim did not pass the ball to him.

Instead, they went to Cicinho.

Ashley Young's confident runs drew Salgado and Pavón, providing excellent cover for Cicinho.

Cicinho unleashed a powerful shot with the ball.

Casillas was worried that Cicinho would pass the ball to Forlán, and he didn't give his all in the save.

After all, according to the information obtained by Real Madrid, Cicinho is also a full-back, and he will definitely pass the ball to the striker when he has the opportunity.

Who knew this guy would be another player with the same style as Maicon and Carlos?

He just grabbed the ball and started doing it.

The core members of Green Gun really don't swear at all.

This situation would never happen at Real Madrid.

When everyone has a chance, Ronaldo, Raul, and Figo should be given priority to shoot.

Solari was lucky; he was on the same side as Zidane. Although Zidane sometimes took his position, if the two were on the field at the same time, Zidane didn't mind Solari taking the shot.

Casillas watched the ball go into the goal and remarked that there are advantages to not having big stars.

With opportunities evenly distributed within the team, anyone could be the one to kill the game.

Hard to guard against.

"GOAL! Five to two!"

"Alfred, the god of change!"

"Cicinho, yet another Brazilian winger who has suddenly emerged!"

"Isn't Luxemburgo planning to build a Brazilian contingent? It seems like all of Brazil's wingers for the next three to five years are already at Dartford. They should just sign them directly!"

"The camera focused on Amorim, who has been one of the best players on the field so far, completing a hat-trick of assists!"

"People have always worried about who will take over after Portugal's golden generation, led by Figo, grows old. Now the answer is obvious!"

"Not Simão, not Quaresma, not Almeida, not Postiga, not even Cristiano Ronaldo, but... Ruben Amorim!"

In his peak performance at the Bernabéu, Amorim displayed the level of a "crown prince".

Deco displaced Rui Costa from the central midfield position.

But Deco is, after all, a naturalized Brazilian.

Where can I find my own Prince Fragrance?

If Amorim and Deco are of the same level, Deco will definitely be on the bench.

However, Amorim did not celebrate wildly; instead, he avoided Ashley Young's pursuing gaze.

Logically speaking, he should have passed it on to Ashley Young.

Although Ashley Young's chances were just a little short, the brothers' bond made up for it.

but……

When Cicinho was substituted on, Lukat specifically sought out Amorim.

On one hand, Lu Kai reassured Amorin to attack with confidence, while he would also feign an attack and shift his focus.

On the other hand, Lu Kai instructed Amorim to make good use of Ashley Young.

With the team in the lead, Yang's attacking intent was already irrepressible, and instant fame was just around the corner.

His runs became increasingly threatening and attracted more and more attention from Real Madrid.

Amorim hadn't expected Lu Kai to be so accurate in his assessment of the situation, and he soon faced a similar choice.

In crucial moments, Lu is definitely more important than Yang.

Real Madrid made a final push, with Owen replacing Salgado.

Despite Owen being Lu Kai's England teammate, Luxemburgo no longer cared about that.

Even if Real Madrid doesn't win, they can't afford to lose badly.

Otherwise... he was afraid Florentino would turn his back on his family and fire him.

He can't become the fastest-dismissed head coach in Real Madrid's history.

How will they be able to freeload off other teams after that?

In the 81st minute, Green Gun made another substitution.

Pepe replaced Carrick and moved to defensive midfield.

In the 88th minute, Zidane did his best to organize a penetration on the left flank.

Solari made a run down the wing, received a clever through ball from Zidane, and swept his left foot across the penalty area.

Raul and Owen both put in a lot of effort to get on the end of the attack.

However, Pepe made a timely recovery and cleared the ball with a sliding tackle towards his own goal.

He actually kicked the football out of the goal.

If there haven't been any own goals in a situation where it's so easy to make them, then it means that Real Madrid's fate is truly sealed.

In the second minute, Raul dribbled past his opponent but was poked away by Davis.

Cannavaro launched a super counter-attack with a long pass.

Cicinho made a long run into the halfway line and broke through Ashley Young's jealousy.

After all, if he were in Cicinho's position, this one-on-one opportunity would have been his.

There's absolutely no technical skill involved.

boom!
Cicinho takes on Casillas one-on-one.

The latter's experience today was heartbreaking; he was exhausted and unable to save Cicinho's low shot.

"GOAL! Six to two!"

"Cicinho came on as a substitute and scored twice. He's a player who has both skill and luck!"

"Who would have thought that Real Madrid, who were so arrogant and almost crushed Green Gunners in the first leg, would be crushed by Green Gunners in the second leg!"

"Before the match started, everyone was only wary of Lu Kai of Green Gun, worried that he would have another outburst and instantly turn the tide."

"Unexpectedly, everyone on Green Gun's side stepped forward to share the pressure with Lu Kai."

"After this match, besides Lu Kai, I believe everyone will remember Amorim, Maicon, Davies, Cannavaro, and Cicinho."

"I can also remember Arshavin, Fran, Carrick, Toure, Barton, Pepe, and Foster!"

"Green Gun, you have a bright future!"

"Nobody knows how they beat Real Madrid; Real Madrid were just so utterly vulnerable in that match!"

Ashley Young: What about me?
"The match is over!"

"Congratulations to Dartford! They've actually made it to the quarterfinals! Reaching the quarterfinals in their first Champions League appearance is a new record!"

"Similarly, the mighty Real Madrid's elimination in the round of 16 is the biggest upset in this year's Champions League. It's even more surprising than Barcelona's elimination in the Champions League group stage!"

"For two consecutive years, Real Madrid has been eliminated in the Champions League Round of 16. It's not hard to imagine how Barcelona fans will call them... the Champions League Round of 16!"

"Of course, Real Madrid fans can also call Barcelona a 'Europa League team'."

"But their nemesis is the same team—the Green Guns!"

"Both of La Liga's giants have fallen to the Green Gunners, so it's hard for La Liga to have the confidence to compete with the Premier League for the title of the world's best league!"

(End of this chapter)