Chapter 679: Tough Guys Embroidering
Benefiting from the postponement of the league, Real Madrid would have ample time to prepare for the first leg of the Champions League semi-final against Bayern Munich.
Although the draw decided on a schedule of playing at home first, which was slightly unfavorable, as long as they strived for victory at the Bernabeu, the subsequent matches would be much easier.
Stepping onto the familiar hellish home ground once again, Guardiola felt extremely nervous. The massive stage with over 90,000 people and the chants of "Hala Madrid" seemed to remind him every moment of the failures he experienced here.
"Everything is different now. Let's set sail from here and launch an assault towards the summit. I will be the one to end the reign of Real Madrid!"
Under Guardiola's guidance, this Bayern had already taken on a strong personal flavor, completely different from the tactical styles of any previous coach.
That was his possession-based system that took shape during his time at Barcelona, firmly controlling possession, seeking attacking opportunities through continuous short passes, and adopting a slow-paced rhythm as the mainstream.
However, such tactics completely overturned the team's previous simple and direct style of play. It required a strong midfield control, and Guardiola focused his attention on Thiago and Javi Martínez.
He wanted to transform the two into successful attacking and defensive cores like Busquets and Xavi, but the final result would need to be tested in the next two tough battles.
In stark contrast to Guardiola's fixed system was Real Madrid's flexible system, which could adapt to different opponents with different arrangements, capable of both defensive counterattacks and high pressing, as well as possession and penetration play, and area cooperation.
This was also fully reflected in the lineup schemes adopted by various coaches, including the conventional four midfielders, three midfielders, double defensive midfielders, and even the Christmas tree formation.
The reason for such flexibility also owed to Wang Feng's strong adaptability. Regardless of the system, he could freely integrate into it without affecting his high-level performance, which was also an important reason why coaches felt at ease.
In today's match, Guardiola used the familiar 4-3-3 formation, with Neuer as the goalkeeper.
On the defensive line were Alaba, Dante, Boateng, and Rafinha.
In midfield, Schweinsteiger, Lahm, and Javi Martínez.
Upfront were Dong Fangzhuo, Mandzukic, and Thomas Müller.
Lahm was moved forward from the defensive line to further strengthen the team's midfield control. Therefore, Bayern took the initiative to seize possession from the start, while Real Madrid did not engage in too much entanglement, instead appropriately withdrawing to stabilize their defense.
This situation made many veterans feel a sense of déjà vu. Wasn't this exactly the same as when they faced Barcelona a few years ago? It had to be said that the Catalan team was indeed formidable back then, causing quite a lot of trouble for the Galactic Battleship.
So everyone, including Wang Feng, played very cautiously, and the situation became deadlocked.
However, they vaguely felt that the opponent's pressure was not enough, and there seemed to be flaws but they couldn't grasp them clearly.
On the sidelines, Ancelotti's eyes brightened even more. "I think we're through!" he said to Zidane beside him.
"Oh? How so?" the Frenchman asked eagerly, unable to discern anything himself.
"Guardiola's luck in encountering the peak Xavi is both fortunate and unfortunate for him. If you carefully observe Bayern's passing timing and the choice of personnel for cooperation in midfield, do you not feel that something is missing?"
"Possession is not just about passing and controlling the ball. It requires the midfielders' delicate footwork, broad and imaginative vision, and skilled cooperation between teammates."
"And none of these Bayern players possess that. How would you describe the handling of Lahm and Javi Martínez? It's like tough guys embroidering, completely uncoordinated."
"And once the midfield doesn't perform well, the deficiencies in Guardiola's defensive training for them become obvious. That's why I'm confident that we can win the tie."
Zidane listened with half-belief. He stared intently at the movements of both sides on the field, contemplating while taking into account Ancelotti's insights.
The only goal of the match came in the 67th minute. Di María sent a through ball from the right flank behind Boateng, and Wang Feng accelerated to chase it down. At the near post, Iguaín tapped in from close range.
1-0! The Galactic Battleship had essentially completed their task, taking a lead without conceding, but the question of who would advance still remained.
Looking at the post-match technical statistics, Bayern had the upper hand on the field, with a possession rate as high as 71.7% and 18 shots, but their efficiency was unusually low with only 4 shots on target.
Real Madrid had 9 shots with 5 on target and scored 1 goal, which clearly illustrated the problem.
Returning to the league, in the 35th round of La Liga, Real Madrid hosted Osasuna at home.
Wang Feng scored twice, with contributions from Coentrao and Casemiro, helping the team to a resounding 4-0 victory over their opponents.
On the other side, Atlético Madrid defeated Valencia 1-0. Both teams continued to compete fiercely, refusing to concede, and the suspense over the league title persisted.
In the second leg of the Champions League semi-final, the Galactic Battleship traveled to the Allianz Arena to challenge Bayern Munich.
The day before the match, Guardiola called an early press conference, breaking the norm. He bluntly stated that Real Madrid was too optimistic.
"We are only one goal behind, but it seems like they have already reached the final, even defending their Champions League title."
The Spaniard wanted to increase the pressure on his opponents psychologically, but Ancelotti did not take the bait. "No one has ever said that we've reached the final. Bayern is strong, and tomorrow will be an evenly matched duel."
"As for whether we will play defensively to maintain our lead? No, that's a dangerous move. Everyone understands that a single goal is not safe; we need more advantages."
Maintaining a cautious and respectful attitude externally, Ancelotti was full of confidence when facing the players. "With my tactical arrangements, show your strongest attacking posture and go for it. I believe you can also sense the major problems with Bayern. Seize the opportunity and make it happen!"
As expected, after the start of the match, the situation was basically the same as in the first leg. Bayern only had the advantage in possession, while Real Madrid, shedding their cautious demeanor, continuously attacked and created threats.
In the 17th minute, Modri? took a corner from the right side, and Wang Feng's presence at the penalty spot attracted defensive attention. However, due to the unfavorable timing, it was difficult to aim accurately, so Ramos, unmarked at the far post, easily headed the ball into the net.
Just four minutes later, Di María dribbled past the defense on the right flank and crossed the ball into the penalty area with a 45-degree angle. Ramos nodded the ball forward at the near post, and the Chinese superstar, unmarked at the far post, volleyed it into the Bayern net. 2-0!
Then, in the 34th minute, Bale made a tackle in the rear, initiated a counterattack, and after sprinting through the midfield, he passed to Wang Feng, who then passed to Iguaín. The Argentine forward made a low pass into the middle.
The Welsh star rushed forward and, before Boateng could react, slid to pass the ball. With no one marking him on the left side, Wang Feng easily slotted the ball into the net from 10 meters out. 3-0!
With that, the match entered garbage time. For Bayern to reverse the situation, they would need to score 5 goals, which was simply impossible.
In the second half, Ancelotti gradually substituted Wang Feng and other key players. Approaching the end of the 90th minute, Casemiro took a free kick into the penalty area, and Morata's header pierced Neuer's fingers once again.
4-0! With a total score of 5-0 over two legs, Real Madrid handed Bayern a crushing defeat, advancing to the Champions League final with ease!
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