Chapter 680: The Final Belongs to Madrid
Under the rainy sky of Munich, the entire city seemed to be weeping, and the Allianz Arena in the northern suburbs was now silent.
Countless Bayern fans stood stunned, while only a few ecstatic Real Madrid fans and players on the field were celebrating.
On the sidelines, Ancelotti stood with his arms crossed, watching the jubilant crowd with a satisfied smile on his face.
Beside him, Zidane glanced at the despondent Guardiola not far away and remarked, "You were right. Guardiola's style is unique but indeed limited."
"Regardless of how ingenious the tactics are, they ultimately depend on the players to execute them. When the two don't match, failure is inevitable if there's no flexibility."
The Italian concurred, "That's why I say his ceiling isn't very high. The system he used during his time at Barcelona has hardly changed, and after repeated analysis by opponents, it's easy to figure out."
"Moreover, back then, the tactics were executed by players like Xavi and Messi, whereas now it's a group of straight-forward tough guys. Obviously, adapting to the circumstances is necessary."
"Speaking of which, it's quite impressive for Bayern to reach the Champions League semi-finals. However, the expectations from top to bottom at Bayern for Guardiola must be higher than this. How will he adjust next? It's truly something to look forward to."
Zidane nodded in agreement, feeling a strong urge within him. Years of accumulation and learning during his assistant coaching career had made him eager to take charge of a team himself and test the results.
And with Ancelotti clearly showing signs of leaving, it was safe to say that Zidane was the natural successor to lead the Galactic Battleship in the future.
However, the Frenchman had not yet obtained his coaching license, and Florentino also hoped he could accumulate coaching experience. Therefore, it was highly probable that he wouldn't directly take over Real Madrid next season.
Currently, several clubs, including Monaco in Ligue 1, had invited Zidane to take the helm. The specific decision still needed further consideration.
The Bayern players on the field had not yet recovered from their crushing defeat. Their eyes were filled with confusion and disbelief, but oddly, there was less of a sense of desolation.
They had played fairly well, so how did they end up losing like this? Like the previous encounter, the home team had the majority of possession and more shots than the Galactic Battleship. It seemed like a back-and-forth affair.
Nevertheless, they could only accept the reality and head back to the locker room with drooping heads. Dong Fangzhuo didn't have much intention to chat with Wang Feng either, simply offering a brief congratulations, while Wang Feng patted his shoulder.
In fact, it wasn't just the midfielders who felt pressured at Bayern; their attack also hadn't fully adapted to Guardiola's tactical rhythm. Dong Fangzhuo and Müller performed poorly, while the center-forward Mandzukic seemed to be sleepwalking.
"I feel like everyone is awkward out there, not knowing what to do, and my performance is also very poor," Dong Fangzhuo said with a bitter smile.
"It's not your fault. Since we can't change the environment, we can actively try to integrate. Communicate more with the head coach. Even if his tactics don't suit the team as a whole, he's still very good at individual technical training."
Dong Fangzhuo nodded, "I understand that. As I always say, let's go lift the championship trophy. With you, the king of finals, it should be within reach."
Real Madrid unexpectedly slaughtered Bayern Munich in their own home stadium, the Allianz Arena. Especially considering the circumstances, various major news media outlets were full of amazement.
"A disastrous defeat!" read the headline of Germany's "Munich Daily" after the match, accompanied by a black-and-white photo of fans crying in the drizzle as the cover image.
They believed that both the players and the head coach had been completely defeated by the opponents, especially Guardiola, who had failed to elevate the team to new heights and instead regressed compared to last season.
"We can only see the players continuously passing the ball on the field and attempting to threaten the goal in various difficult areas, but they didn't create any pressure on Casillas."
"Such a performance, such a result, is completely unworthy of the Champions League final, and it even shows disrespect for the semi-final results."
Meanwhile, "Football Player" magazine stated that Guardiola's pre-match boast had become a joke, and the fact proved that the Galactic Battleship had won so easily.
"When returning to the Allianz Arena with a one-goal deficit, all Bayern fans believed they still had a chance, but the Spanish coach ruined everything."
"He didn't make any adjustments to the problems that appeared in the first leg. Perhaps Guardiola firmly believes that his tactics are absolutely correct, but unfortunately, history has repeatedly shown that he cannot defeat Real Madrid."
"On the surface, Bayern did dominate the game, with an average possession rate of 70.4%, which even exceeded 80% at one point in the second half. However, most of the time was spent on meaningless passes, and the actual chances created were few and far between."
"On the other hand, Real Madrid scored four goals from just 10 shots, and Wang Feng's efficiency of 3 goals from 5 attempts was unmatched. This disastrous defeat clearly demonstrates that possession isn't everything, and Guardiola must make changes."
"The Bild" detailed the splendid photos of the Galactic Battleship scoring during the match, contrasting the disappointment of the home team with the joy of the away team.
"This is a classic Guardiola-style defeat. The Spaniard's tactics have no creativity, his formations are obvious, and although the Bundesliga champions have fallen at the feet of the Galactic Battleship several times in recent years, never has it been so humiliating."
The German media almost unanimously blamed the defeat on the head coach, with even the club legend Beckenbauer angrily criticizing Bayern's playing style during the live broadcast: "Possession rate? When the opponent seizes the opportunity, possession rate is worthless."
He had previously criticized Guardiola's transplantation of possession-based tactics to Bayern as wrong and foolish, accusing him of "killing football."
Now, after the humiliating defeat and elimination, Beckenbauer bluntly stated in interviews that the club had made a big mistake. They should have brought in Klopp to manage Bayern instead of Guardiola.
These remarks sparked heated discussions, and there were even rumors in some newspapers that Guardiola would be sacked after the season.
However, later on, Bayern officials personally came forward to deny these rumors, stating that Guardiola would continue to fulfill his contract, hoping that the fans would give him more time.
Meanwhile, media outlets in Spain and other regions praised the Galactic Battleship's momentum, still considering them the favorites to win the championship.
Although Wang Feng did not single-handedly create the Nine-five Supreme as he did last year, his two goals and one assist over the two legs had a subtle, silent impact, leading the team under his leadership to be unstoppable.
A day later, the other team for the Champions League final was decided. Atletico Madrid drew 0-0 against Manchester City in the first leg at home, and in the second leg at the Etihad Stadium, they defeated the Blue Moon 3-1, with Diego Costa scoring twice to advance.
Marcelo's jest had indeed come true. The two Madrid giants would meet at the pinnacle of the Champions League, a showdown that belonged to them!
Looking back on the 59-year history of the Champions League, it was extremely rare for teams from the same league to meet in the final, let alone teams from the same city. Madrid would become the center of European football.
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