After Paris Saint-Germain was removed from the list, I led England to victory!

On the last weekend of May 2021, at the Atatürk Olympic Stadium in Istanbul, Turkey, a legendary stadium that witnessed the "Istanbul Miracle".

It has once again ignited the attention of billions of fans worldwide.

The stadium, brightly lit under the night sky, resembled a giant pearl suspended on the shores of the Bosphorus Strait, with a solemn and bustling atmosphere filled with the anticipation of history being written.

The pinnacle of European football – the UEFA Champions League final – is about to take place here.

The two teams facing off represent two extreme styles in the Premier League and even European football.

On one side is Arsenal, aiming to establish a dynasty and achieve an unprecedented three-peat in the Champions League.

On the other side is Manchester City, also from the Premier League, led by tactical mastermind Pep Guardiola, with an extreme desire for the Champions League trophy.

"Good evening, everyone! Welcome to Istanbul, the legendary city that connects East and West! I'm your commentator, Zhan Jun, and next to me is my partner, Zhang Lu!"

Coach Zhang took over the conversation.

"Hello Zhan Jun, and hello to all the viewers! Tonight's final is truly the focus of everyone's attention! Arsenal is launching an attack on their dynasty to achieve a three-peat, while Manchester City, under Guardiola's leadership, is making their fifth attempt at their first Champions League title! This is not just a clash between London and Manchester, but also a collision of two football philosophies and two ambitions!"

The camera pans across the players' tunnel.

Arsenal players donned their classic red and white jerseys, with captain Yan Yuan standing at the forefront, his gaze calm yet exuding an unwavering determination.

Behind him stood a group of formidable players, including Aubameyang, Rice, and Saliba, their faces etched with a thirst for glory and trust in their leader.

On the other side, Manchester City's key players, including De Bruyne, Gundogan, Diaz, and Cancelo, wore sky-blue jerseys and looked serious and menacing.

Guardiola gave his players his final instructions from the sidelines. His tactics board carried Manchester City's dreams for the entire season and even for several years.

As the rousing melody of the Champions League theme song resounded throughout the stadium, players from both sides entered the field.

The deafening cheers (despite capacity limitations, the atmosphere was still incredibly enthusiastic) instantly engulfed the stadium.

A decisive battle destined to be recorded in history is about to begin.

"The referee blows his whistle! The match begins! Manchester City kicks off first!" Zhan Jun shouted.

Contrary to many people's expectations, the match did not start with the expected open and aggressive play.

Manchester City, whose ball control is unparalleled in Europe, did not employ their usual high-pressing and passing penetration tactics, but instead showed rare patience, even conservatism.

"Oh? Manchester City started the game very steadily today, not in a hurry to press forward," Zhan Jun observed keenly.

"Hehe, that's Guardiola's wisdom," Zhang analyzed. "He knows Arsenal too well, especially Yan Yuan's counter-attacking power. The way he set up today was a bit like luring the enemy in deep."

Look at their formation; they defend very compactly, maintaining excellent spacing between the two lines, precisely to limit the movement of players like Yan Yuan, Odegaard, and Saka.

Manchester City's tactical intentions were very clear: to concede possession, tighten their defense, lure Arsenal forward, and then use the speed and skill of De Bruyne, Foden, and Mahrez to launch quick counter-attacks.

The first twenty minutes of the match were somewhat dull.

Although Arsenal dominated possession, they struggled to penetrate Manchester City's defensive heartland.

As soon as Yan Yuan gets the ball, he will be surrounded by Cancelo's close marking and Gundogan's support defense.

"Manchester City is very strong! They have figured out Arsenal thoroughly. Yan Yuan was severely restricted today! Cancelo and Gundogan were like his shadows today, never leaving his side! Arsenal's attacking engine is in trouble!" Zhan Jun's tone was tinged with worry.

Since joining Manchester City, Cancelo's performance has been even better than during his time at Arsenal, and he has been thoroughly developed by Guardiola.

In the 25th minute, Manchester City launched a typical fast counter-attack.

After De Bruyne intercepted the ball in midfield, he delivered a precise long pass to Mahrez, who was making a high-speed run down the right flank.

Mahrez used his speed to outpace Theo, then cut the ball back from the byline, where Foden met it near the penalty spot and unleashed a powerful shot!

The ball whistled past the crossbar and flew out of bounds!

This gave Arsenal fans a real scare.

"Wow! That was close! Manchester City's counter-attacks were really sharp! Foden's shot was of very high quality, just a little bit short!" Zhan Jun exclaimed. "When Arsenal pressed forward, the gaps in their defense were exposed."

Throughout the first half, Manchester City's defensive organization was textbook-perfect.

The central defensive pairing of Diaz and Stones was rock solid, giving Aubameyang and the elusive Odegaard almost no chance.

In the 43rd minute, Yan Yuan received the ball with his back to goal at the edge of the penalty area. Under pressure from Rodri, he cleverly passed the ball to Saka, who was making a run into the penalty area on the right wing.

Saka cut past the recovering Aké and unleashed a left-footed shot into the near corner!

Manchester City goalkeeper Ederson made a world-class save, diving to his feet and palming the ball out of bounds!

"Saka! Beautiful breakthrough! Ederson! Fantastic save! This was Arsenal's most dangerous attack of the first half! Yan Yuan's pass in the encirclement showcased superstar flair, but Ederson denied the goal!"

The first half ended with the score 0-0.

"The first half is over! As we can see, the game was very close. Manchester City's defensive strategy was very successful, effectively limiting Arsenal's attack, especially in marking Yan Yuan."

Their own counter-attacks were also quite threatening. Guardiola's tactical setup seemed successful in the first half. This should be one of the most exciting matches in recent years!" Zhan Jun summarized.

"That's right," Zhang Lu added. "Arsenal needs to find a way to break through this defensive wall. Nagelsmann needs to make adjustments at halftime, such as increasing long-range shots or using the width of the flanks. Yan Yuan needs more support."

In the second half, Arsenal significantly increased the intensity and pace of their attack.

Nagelsmann will likely ask the two full-backs to push up more to support the midfield.

"Arsenal came out strong in the second half! Let's see if they can break the deadlock soon."

However, the turning point of the game came in a highly controversial way.

In the 58th minute, Arsenal intercepted the ball in their own half, and Rodri delivered a precise long pass to Saka, who was making a high-speed run down the left flank!

Saka used his speed to shake off Walker's defense and create a one-on-one opportunity!

He burst into the penalty area, and facing the onrushing Ederson, calmly slotted the ball into the far corner! Goal!!!

"Saka! One-on-one! Goal!!!! Arsenal have scored!" Zhan Jun's voice rose instantly, full of passion.

The entire Arsenal bench erupted in cheers!

The players rushed onto the field to celebrate!

However, just as the celebration was in full swing, the referee received a notification from the video assistant referee in his headset.

His gesture sent a chill down everyone's spines – the goal was yet to be confirmed.

"Wait... VAR has intervened! Let's see what the problem is? Is Saka offside?" Zhan Jun's tone became tense.

The entire room fell silent.

The moment Rhodes made his long pass was repeatedly replayed on the huge electronic screen.

The image freezes, and lines are drawn.

Saka's outstretched shoulder

It seems, possibly, probably...

He was only a few centimeters, or even millimeters, ahead of Manchester City's last defender, Stones!

"Tsk tsk, this distance... is very, very close..." Zhang Lu's voice was also full of uncertainty.

After a tense and lengthy review lasting several minutes, the referee finally made his decision.

He walked to the sidelines, watched the replay himself, then turned around and crossed his arms in front of his chest!

Saka's goal is disallowed! Offside!

"Disallowed! Goal not ruled out! Saka's goal was ruled offside by VAR!" Zhan Jun's voice was filled with immense regret and shock. "Between the lines! This is absolutely a decision that could cause huge controversy!"

The air in Istanbul's stadium seemed to have been sucked out.

Arsenal players plummeted from the peak of ecstasy into the abyss of anger and disappointment.

Saka held his head in disbelief, while Yan Yuan stepped forward to speak with the referee, his expression serious.

Manchester City players and fans, on the other hand, felt as if they had survived a catastrophe.

This decision is the ultimate test of Arsenal players' mentality.

Morale took a heavy hit, and the players became somewhat impatient in the following minutes, resulting in more passing errors.

Manchester City seized the opportunity to launch several threatening counterattacks.

"The time has come to test Arsenal! In the face of such a major setback, the team needs a leader to step up and stabilize morale!" Zhan Jun said.

This leader, without a doubt, is Yan Yuan.

He didn't complain, he wasn't frustrated.

He shouted loudly and clapped to encourage his teammates on the field.

"Everyone, stay alert! Follow the established tactics!"

Yan Yuan ran more actively, dropped deeper to receive the ball, and orchestrated the team's attack with precise passes, stabilizing the team like a pillar of strength.

After the 70th minute, the match entered a heated phase.

Both sides made substitutions.

Physical fitness may decline, but the battle of willpower becomes even more intense.

The game was deadlocked for a time, as if whoever scored first would lift the trophy.

In the 83rd minute, Manchester City's attack failed, and Upamecano steadily passed the ball to Rice in the backfield.

Rice didn't hesitate and passed the ball directly to Yan Yuan, who had dropped back into midfield.

Yan Yuan received the ball with his back to the goal, and Cancelo immediately closed in on him!

Just when everyone thought Yan Yuan would pass back or distribute the ball to the wing, he suddenly made a clever turn with the ball, instantly getting past Cancelo!

Cancelo thought he was very familiar with Yan Yuan's rhythm, but he still miscalculated.

Yan Yuan's arsenal is too vast to be contained by Cancelo.

Gündoğan quickly covered, but Yan Yuan used a change of pace to deliver a sharp diagonal pass with the inside of his right foot before the two could close in, finding Ødegaard who had run into space!

Odegaard understood immediately and passed the ball directly to Saka, who was making a high-speed run along the sideline, without stopping the ball!

After receiving the ball, Saka faced the opposing defense and decisively went down the wing!

After drawing in two defenders, Cancelo and Ake, he didn't blindly cross the ball, but calmly passed it back to Odegaard at the edge of the penalty area!

Odegaard met the ball, feigned a shot, and cleverly cut past Stones who was diving to block him!

But the shooting angle was already narrow, and out of the corner of his eye, he caught a glimpse of a red figure speeding into the penalty area from the left!

It's still Yan Yuan!

After making that crucial pass, he didn't stop to observe, but instead, with amazing explosiveness and off-the-ball movement awareness, he charged all the way towards the most dangerous area of ​​Manchester City's defense!

Odegaard's cross was perfectly timed!

Yan Yuan arrived in a flash, and was unmarked near the penalty spot!

He made no adjustments and met the ball with the instep of his right foot!

A ground-hugging slash!

The ball, like a precision-guided missile, pierced through the dense ranks of defenders in the penalty area, heading straight for the bottom right corner of the goal! Ederson's view was obstructed, and he couldn't react in time; the ball swished through the net!

"Yan Yuan passes to Odegaard, Odegaard passes to Saka... Saka passes back to Odegaard, Odegaard crosses... In the middle!! Yan Yuan!!! Goal!!!!!!!!! Yan Yuan!!! 83rd minute of the match! Arsenal 1-0 Manchester City!!!" Zhan Jun's commentary burst forth with unprecedented passion and power.

"World-class positioning! World-class goal!! The process of that goal was so beautiful!!" Coach Zhang shouted excitedly.

"Yan Yuan! From initiating the attack to making off-the-ball runs to delivering the final strike, he perfectly exemplified what a superstar is! What a big-game player is! He stepped up when the team needed him most! A goal worth a fortune!"

After scoring, Yan Yuan did not celebrate excessively. He ran, pointed his finger to the sky, and his eyes were full of dominance and release.

All the Arsenal players rushed towards him and hugged him tightly!

That goal was so inspiring! So crucial!

After conceding a goal, Manchester City seemed to wake up from a dream and launched a furious counterattack.

In the final ten minutes, plus a long stoppage time, Arsenal's penalty area was in turmoil.

But at this moment, Arsenal demonstrated the resilience and discipline of champions.

Manchester City is very strong this year. Now that they have the advantage, there is no need to continue attacking. The game is almost over, so the most important thing is to defend well.

Saliba and Upamecano repeatedly blocked shots with their bodies, while Rice and Rodri tirelessly swept through the midfield.

Goalkeeper Martinez made several crucial saves, becoming the last line of defense.

"Hold on! Arsenal! Hold on!" Zhang Lu's voice was tense.

When De Bruyne's final free kick was blocked by the wall, and when the referee finally blew the final whistle three times to end the match.

The entire Istanbul stadium.

It was filled with red and white smoke.

"Match over! Champions are born! Arsenal are the champions! Three-peat in the Champions League! They have made history! They have built their own dynasty!" Zhan Jun's voice was solemn and excited.

The players and coaches rushed onto the field in a frenzy!

Hugs, jumps, tears!

Yan Yuan was repeatedly tossed into the air by his teammates.

He is the most undisputed contributor to this championship trophy!

Nagelsmann embraced the coaching staff tightly. This young coach has led the team to unprecedented heights!

Manchester City players collapsed to the ground, De Bruyne covered his face and wept, and Guardiola looked up to the sky and sighed.

They gave it their all. Both the players and the coaches did everything they could. This Manchester City team, from the coaches to the players, performed perfectly.

But in the end, they fell to Arsenal, to their captain Yan Yuan.

This is football—cruel yet beautiful.

At the awards ceremony, Yan Yuan and Aubameyang, as captains, jointly raised the heavy Big Ears Cup.

Golden ribbons fluttered in the air.

The song "We Are the Champions" resounded through the sky!

"Congratulations to Arsenal! Congratulations to Yan Yuan!" Zhan Jun said solemnly. "Tonight, they are not just Champions League winners, they are a true super club! A super dynasty belonging to the Gunners has been officially crowned under the Istanbul night sky!"

Yan Yuan stood in the center of the podium, kissing the trophy with a bright smile.

His gaze was fixed on the distance, filled with anticipation for the future.

Under his leadership, this team, possessing skill, strength, will, and unity, has deeply etched its name on the monument of football history.

Arsenal's super dynasty has been established.