Chapter 393: Battle of vengeance
Liverpool is a port city in northwest England, located in Merseyside County. As one of the eight core cities in England, its commercial and port trade are first-rate, deserving the name of an international metropolis.
When the plane carrying the Real Madrid team landed at Liverpool John Lennon Airport, there were already home team fans waiting near the airport with banners and slogans such as "Wang Feng, we don't welcome you!" and "Wang Feng, go away!"
"It seems you have become the most unwelcome player in the hearts of Liverpool fans," joked Raúl, to which Wang Feng shrugged and replied, "It's my honor."
Jokes aside, the Liverpool City Hall deployed a large number of police forces and implemented strict security measures for the visiting Real Madrid players and fans, as fanatical fans had caused incidents in the past.
The tragic Hillsborough disaster that shocked the world football community occurred during the Champions League knockout stages, with clashes between Liverpool and Juventus fans resulting in 39 deaths and over 300 injuries.
After the incident, UEFA also issued the highest level of penalties, banning all British teams from participating in European competitions for five years, with Liverpool's ban lasting seven years.
The pain will forever be remembered, football is supposed to bring joy, and everyone will do their best to prevent uncivilized incidents from happening.
On the evening of April 24th, at Anfield Stadium in England, the highly anticipated first leg of the UEFA Champions League semi-finals officially kicked off.
In this match, Benitez deployed a 4-3-3 formation, with Reina as the goalkeeper, and Avraam, Carragher, Skrtel, and Aurelio as defenders, Gerrard, Alonso, and Mascherano as midfielders, and Kuyt, Torres, and Babel as forwards.
To be honest, this starting lineup was somewhat unexpected by the outside world, as it was predicted that the Spanish coach might adopt a defensive formation, with 4-4-2 or 4-5-1 being the preferred choices to limit Wang Feng's performance.
However, Benitez was very firm in his decision, determined to win the first leg of the match, which would provide security when they visit the Bernabeu. Therefore, he deployed the team's strongest attacking lineup.
Torres, the "golden boy" brought in from Atletico Madrid last summer, set a record for Liverpool's highest transfer fee, conquering the coach and fans in just one season, securing his position as a starter in the front line.
So far, the 24-year-old Spanish forward has scored 21 league goals, becoming the first Liverpool player to score more than 20 goals in a single season since Fowler in the 1995-1996 season.
At the beginning of the match, both sides appeared cautious, with the first ten minutes mainly focused on probing. Real Madrid had a slight advantage in midfield control, but Liverpool's sharp insertions also posed a threat.
The home team completed the first threatening attack, with Avraam intercepting the ball in the backfield and quickly sending a long pass to find Torres in the frontcourt.
The Spaniard swiftly advanced, flicked the ball past Heinze, and took a powerful shot. However, goalkeeper Casillas remained very focused, anticipating the trajectory in advance and catching the ball, resolving the crisis.
Real Madrid had a relatively higher ball possession rate, and they soon organized an effective attack. Sneijder sent a through ball into the penalty area, Wang Feng received the ball, dribbled past defender Skrtel, and shot towards the bottom right corner of the goal, but unfortunately, it was blocked by the post.
After nearly a season of training and coordination, Ramos, Pepe, and Ashley Cole's performances were commendable, and they had developed a tacit understanding with each other, demonstrating excellent defensive strength.
However, Heinze had a weakness. Due to his aging and past injuries, the former Manchester United defender's performance had severely declined, often becoming a breakthrough point for opponents.
The young Torres keenly noticed this and seized the opportunity to frequently attack from Heinze's side, using agile movements and strong physical qualities to gain the upper hand.
He first burst from the sideline, shook off Argentine defender and then entered the penalty area, but his shot from a narrow angle missed the target. Then, he received a through pass from Gerrard, again evaded Heinze, and unexpectedly chipped the ball into the far corner, but fortunately, Saint Iker remained stable and caught the ball.
Upon careful calculation, although Real Madrid had control of the main possession, Liverpool created more chances, and they were also more threatening. They found effective attacking methods.
When the time came to the 27th minute, the home team launched another attack from the flank. Gerrard made a wide-range transfer to divert the attention of the Galaxy Warship's defense, and Mascherano quickly sent a high-speed cross from the bottom.
Lurking in the penalty area, Kuyt leaped high and barely grabbed the first point. So, instead of shooting directly, he flicked the ball to the back post.
At some point, Torres, with clever movements, shook off the defense and emerged unmarked. With no one to disturb him, he headed the ball from close range, and it found the bottom left corner of the goal, giving Liverpool the lead!
"Fernando Torres!" exclaimed the live commentator excitedly, followed by the deafening cheers of the home fans, finally receiving rewards after so much effort.
Tens of thousands of fans wearing red jerseys stood up one after another, shouting the Spaniard's name at the top of their lungs. At this moment, he was the god of Anfield!
The Galaxy Warship's onslaught was not over yet. In the 37th minute, their defense line made another fatal mistake. Once again, it was Mascherano with a cross from the flank. Due to Heinze's absence, Ramos hastily defended and ended up tripping Torres.
"Beep~" The referee's whistle sounded like a haunting melody in the hearts of the Real Madrid players. German referee Fandel decisively pointed to the penalty spot, "No, I didn't mean it, you can see my intention." Ramos explained anxiously.
Fandel shook his head, insisting on his decision. Liverpool was awarded a penalty kick!
Kuyt walked to Torres and extended his hand, "Mate, well done! You take this penalty." Torres was somewhat surprised; wasn't he the team's first penalty taker?
"Your performance today is outstanding. I believe in you. If you can score a brace or even a hat-trick in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, it will be a wonderful experience." Kuyt added with a smile.
Torres nodded gratefully. He did not disappoint his teammate's trust, easily deceiving Casillas and slotting the ball into the bottom left corner, 2-0! Liverpool extended their lead.
Watching the home team players celebrating together, Ramos hung his head in frustration. At that moment, an arm rested on his shoulder, "Brother, why so down? We haven't lost yet!"
The Spaniard looked up at Wang Feng, "It was my mistake just now, giving them a goal. I was too reckless!"
"No, you just wanted to defend with all your might. Besides, who can guarantee that they will never make a mistake? There are still over fifty minutes left in the game, and even if this round doesn't go well, we still have the second leg. It's too early to be discouraged now!"
Looking at the confident and spirited face in front of him, Ramos gradually dispelled his despair. Yeah, we still have time and opportunity, and we have players who can create miracles to rely on!
Updat𝓮d from freew𝒆bnovel(.)com