Starting with saving Manchester United

Chapter 62 Yang Fan is a genius!

Inside the stadium, the war drums thundered.

The roar of 10 fans intertwined in the air, forming an impenetrable rain cloud that pressed down directly overhead.

The entire Camp Nou was like a powder keg that had been lit, erupting with a deafening roar.

The fuse was Messi's goal!

Yang Fan stood in front of the away team's coaching bench, his sportswear already soaked with sweat and feeling chilly.

But he remained motionless on the sidelines, enduring the pressure from mid-air.

Barcelona's players were like a group of sharks that had smelled blood; they kept accelerating and constantly passing the ball around.

The dense passing was like a sweeping wave, penetrating every nook and cranny.

This convinced Yang Fan and all the Manchester United players that they would exploit any loophole, no matter how small.

Manchester United's defense is constantly collapsing.

Everyone knew that if they retreated and were surrounded, they would die.

After each defensive play, Manchester United's defense would push forward as much as possible.

But each time, they would be pushed back by Barcelona.

As the team's head coach, all Yang Fan could do at this moment was to keep reminding and shouting to the players from the sidelines.

I shouted myself hoarse.

He didn't know if it would work.

But he just wanted the players to know: I haven't retired, I'm still standing here, fighting alongside you!

In the 68th minute, Ferdinand went down while defending against a tackle from Sanchez.

Although he immediately got up again, Yang Fan noticed that the status light above his head was even redder.

Like blood!

Yang Fan immediately reminded Vidic to pay attention, and at the same time told Cleverley to warm up.

Three minutes later, Ferdinand finally couldn't hold on any longer and signaled to Yang Fan to make a substitution.

Then, he walked off the court with a limp.

Team doctor Steve McNally made a preliminary diagnosis of a muscle strain.

"It's okay, don't worry, get some rest."

Yang Fan went over to comfort Ferdinand.

The 35-year-old veteran was clearly aware of his condition. He nodded silently and, with the help of the team doctor, walked into the players' tunnel.

On the pitch, Barcelona's attack continued.

Like the tide, wave after wave surged toward Manchester United's goal, each wave higher than the last.

First, Busquets forced De Gea to make a save with a long-range shot from 25 meters out.

As the young Spanish goalkeeper got up from the ground, he roared at his teammates in front of him.

But soon, Alves opened up another gap on the wing and crossed the ball into the box to find Messi.

Vidic blocked Messi with his body, preventing the Argentine from receiving the ball comfortably and causing it to go out of bounds.

The next moment, Iniesta's through ball allowed Neymar to break into the left side of the penalty area.

Just as the Brazilian was about to unleash a long-range shot, Phil Jones made a sliding tackle to block the ball out of bounds.

Xavi's corner kick was headed out of the penalty area by Fellaini.

But the ball fell back to Barcelona's feet.

Playing at home and trailing by one goal, Barcelona were not going to give Manchester United any breathing room.

Manchester United players fought hard to thwart wave after wave of attacks from their opponents. Just as they cleared the ball and pushed their defense forward, they had no time to catch their breath before Barcelona's next attack came.

Even Fellaini and Rooney dropped back to defend in front of the penalty area.

Everyone's really cowering in!

They were truly pinned to the ground by Barcelona, repeatedly and relentlessly beaten!

In the 77th minute, Yang Fan made his second substitution.

Fletcher replaced Fellaini.

With the team retreating defensively and having little space, and Barcelona primarily relying on ground passing and penetration, Fletcher can be more effective.

Furthermore, Fellaini's physical strength was also greatly depleted.

At this point, Manchester United's formation changed to 5-3-1-1.

Cleverley, Carrick, and Fletcher formed a three-man midfield, with Rooney positioned further forward and Van Persie at the very front.

But nobody seems to think about whether Manchester United is parking the bus.

Whether it's Manchester United or Barcelona, everyone only cares about one thing.

Can Manchester United hold on in the final ten minutes or so?

When Messi, Sanchez, and Alves played a series of passes on the right flank, which was Manchester United's left flank, the entire Camp Nou erupted when the Argentine dribbled into the penalty area and was brought down by Smalling!

10 Barcelona fans chanted for a penalty in unison.

Smalling scrambled to his feet, his jersey covered in grass clippings and water stains, but he didn't care. He rushed at the German referee and yelled, "I touched the ball first! I touched the ball first!"

Vidic rushed over immediately, pulled the agitated Smalling away, and explained to the referee.

"I saw it very clearly, it wasn't a foul."

The Barcelona players all surrounded the referee, Brych, demanding a penalty.

This is one of their usual tricks!

In a moment of impulsiveness, Smalling was about to pounce again, but Carrick managed to catch her in time and hug her around the waist.

Yang Fan, who was on the sidelines, saw this scene on the field. He walked straight out of the coaching area and came to the fourth official. He pointed to the scene in his own penalty area where Barcelona was pressuring the referee and kept shouting.

"This can't be a penalty, absolutely not, Messi is diving!"

"Sir, please trust that the referee will make the most correct and fair decision, okay?"

As he spoke, the fourth official was about to push Yang Fan back to the away team's coaching area.

"Look, they're surrounding the referee and putting pressure on him!" Yang Fan argued forcefully.

The entire Camp Nou was filled with deafening boos!

Referee Brych forcefully separated the Barcelona players surrounding him, walked to the byline, and communicated with the byline referee in a black uniform to confirm the situation.

No foul!

"From the slow-motion replay, we can clearly see that Smalling's tackle did indeed touch the ball first."

"Messi tripped over Smalling's foot."

"This was definitely not a foul, and it wasn't a penalty."

"After consulting with the goalkeeper, referee Brych and the goalkeeper, the correct decision was made."

When Yang Fan saw this from the sidelines, he clenched his fists tightly, shouted "Bravo!", and then clapped his hands vigorously.

"Everyone, hang in there, just 10 more minutes!"

Vidic and Rooney also called over their teammates, who gathered together to give each other high-fives and encouragement.

"Go! Go!! Go!!" Vidic shouted.

The game continues.

Barcelona's next wave of attacking frenzy is about to begin.

Manchester United remain on high alert.

Time seemed to stretch out infinitely, and every second felt incredibly long.

The Manchester United players are taking a lot of time and energy.

They were also in a very passive position on the field.

In the second half, from the 45th to the 85th minute, a mere 40 minutes, Barcelona completed 398 passes.

What about Manchester United?

Of his 79 passes, only 48 were successful.

What an astonishing difference!

Barcelona completely took control of the game.

In the end, the Manchester United players couldn't even think about anything else; they could only focus on executing the defensive tactics they had devised before the match.

Everyone was competing with one thought in mind.

That is to stop Barcelona's attack!

No matter what means are used.

Use your head to push against it, your feet to block it, and your body to block it.

They would do anything to stop Barcelona from getting their hands on the goal.

Yang Fan desperately held onto the last substitution spot.

Because starting from the 80th minute, the physical condition of many players on the field was already at a critical level.

He has to keep something in reserve!

Barcelona, on the other hand, only used one substitution.

Martino had two substitutions available, but he didn't use them.

This is a very strange thing.

Perhaps he felt that neither Pedro nor Sergi Roberto would be as effective as the existing players.

The fourth official on the sidelines held up a sign indicating three minutes of added time, and the Camp Nou erupted in another round of boos.

Barcelona fans all felt that the stoppage time was too short!

Manchester United is finished!

Manchester United are currently struggling to survive, barely clinging to life.

If they had just a little more time, even just one more minute, they might have been able to score a goal.

Yang Fan stood on the sidelines.

Behind him, Manchester United's coaches have already stepped forward.

The players on the bench also stood outside.

But no one saw that Yang Fan's clenched fists were trembling.

His mind is blank; he can't think of anything at all.

In the last three minutes, he didn't even know how he got through them.

His soul only returned when the referee finally blew the whistle to end the game.

He was so excited that he wanted to jump up, swing his fist, and roar.

But he had no strength left!

What a fucking coward!

This was even more exciting than witnessing the listing ceremony in Hong Kong in my previous life!

Those with weaker hearts might have suffered sudden cardiac arrest on the spot.

No wonder so many famous coaches are prone to heart disease.

But when you win the game, the feeling is just so exhilarating!

Just like now, as he looked up, gazing at the steep stands of Camp Nou, and at the 10 completely silent Barcelona fans before him—

That was fucking awesome!

When the scoreboard finally settled at 1-2, only a group of Manchester United fans who had traveled with the team to the away game cheered in the area where Giggs, Gary Neville, and other Class of '92 players were located.

The players from Class 92 all fell silent!

This is a Manchester United team we haven't seen in a long time!

From these players on the field, they saw the long-lost spirit of the Red Devils.

This is something they've never seen before during Moyes' tenure.

Anyone with even a slight affection for Manchester United would be inspired by the spirit this team displayed in this match, especially in the second half.

Not to mention the members of Class 92.

Many of the Manchester United players on the pitch were their teammates who had fought side by side.

By the time the match ended, many of them were already unable to stand.

Carrick even lay on the ground with cramps on the spot.

They all gave it their all!

When they saw Ferdinand walk out of the players' tunnel, and when they saw Vidic calling to his teammates, helping each other, as they walked to the area where the away fans were, to thank the Manchester United fans who had traveled from afar, all the Manchester United fans around them stood up and gave them the warmest applause, cheering and applauding them.

Giggs hesitated for a moment, then slowly stood up from his seat and clapped softly.

Gary Neville, Phil Neville, Scholes, and Nicky Butt also stood up.

Their applause grew louder and louder, eventually joining the surrounding Manchester United fans.

"This is Manchester United!"

Ferguson, without anyone noticing, had also stood up from his seat and was clapping.

He didn't sit with the away fans, but rather in the presidential box, but that didn't stop him from cheering for the Manchester United players on the field.

Tonight, he saw in this team something that he had personally etched into the very marrow of this club over nearly 30 years!

This is what sustains the team. Even after being dominated by Barcelona for 30 minutes, they still didn't give up and stood tall.

"I retract my previous judgment, Ed."

After a round of enthusiastic applause, Ferguson said to Woodward beside him.

Woodward doesn't understand football, but he was still deeply moved.

This is something he has never done in all these years.

Because the team that played this kind of game was led by his own people.

"Back at home, if we can maintain this level of performance, we have a real chance to make it to the semifinals!"

Woodward's eyes lit up. "Are you sure?"

"I'm sure!" Ferguson nodded with great certainty.

"Yang Fan is a genius!"

"A true genius!" Ferguson emphasized.