Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 508: 2015-2016 Champions League Final!

Madrid, Spain.

At Real Madrid's training facility, Cristiano Ronaldo was sweating profusely during his workout. He knew his statements had sparked significant controversy, but he didn't care. As long as he could dominate Lin Quan in the final and lead his team to victory with an outstanding performance, all the doubts surrounding him would vanish—turning into praise and adoration.

Moreover, this year was a major tournament year. Just two weeks after the Champions League final, the European Championship—held every four years—would kick off. For Ronaldo, this could be his last chance to shine in the Euros. If he couldn't secure a victory in this tournament, he might never get another opportunity.

With both the Champions League final and the European Championship looming, along with his desire to outperform Lin Quan, Ronaldo was working harder than ever before.

He wasn't the only one at Real Madrid feeling this way. Several veteran players who had experienced the crushing defeat to Manchester City two years ago were still with the team, and they shared the same thought:

"It's time to settle the score from two years ago!"

Gareth Bale, like Ronaldo, was focused on Lin Quan. Both Bale and Lin had transferred to new teams in the same year—Bale to Real Madrid and Lin to Manchester City. After reports surfaced that Real Madrid had initially shown interest in signing Lin, many fans, especially Madrid supporters, couldn't help but compare the two. Every time Lin achieved something great in the league or an international tournament, Madrid fans would lament:

"If only we had spent big on Lin Quan instead of Bale, how different things would be!"

Naturally, these comments didn't sit well with Bale. He didn't think he was inferior to Lin Quan. The reason his performances weren't as spectacular, he believed, was because his position at Real Madrid wasn't as prominent as Lin's at Manchester City. Bale felt that if he received the same tactical support as Lin did, he wouldn't lose to anyone.

After all, even Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez had once privately expressed his belief that Bale could replace Ronaldo as the team's top player. What did that say? It meant that Pérez saw Bale and Ronaldo as players of the same caliber, maybe even higher!

Bale thought, "People just don't see my true talent yet!"

Determined, Bale made up his mind:

"This time, I'm going to personally defeat Lin Quan in this matchup. Not to prove I'm better, but to reclaim what's rightfully mine!"

Seeing the dedication of their star players in preparation for the Champions League final gave Real Madrid fans a sense of relief. The club was already packed with talent, boasting a powerful attack and defense. They had reached a point where they should be achieving success. But they had been plagued by bad luck, running into a rising Manchester City just as they were gaining momentum.

The match at the Bernabéu two years ago still haunted Madrid supporters. The loss had far-reaching consequences, making many fans uneasy whenever Manchester City was mentioned. Even a giant like Real Madrid wasn't certain they could beat this up-and-coming Premier League force. After all, based on the past three years of results, Manchester City had been nearly unbeatable.

...

While the players were training hard, Real Madrid's coaching staff wasn't idle either. During this period, Zinedine Zidane meticulously studied many of Manchester City's match videos, particularly focusing on their offensive tactics. He was determined to find a way to counter them.

Manchester City's attacking power was terrifying, as any team that had faced them could attest. Atlético Madrid, known as one of the best defensive teams in La Liga and even across Europe's top five leagues, had conceded six goals over two matches against them. Breaking through Atlético's defense was no easy task, and Real Madrid knew this better than anyone.

This season, Real Madrid had faced Atlético twice in La Liga, with a record of one draw and one loss. Other than Karim Benzema's early goal in their first match, Real Madrid had failed to score in 180 minutes of play. Worse still, they were humiliated at home with a loss and a clean sheet. Atlético's iron-clad defense had left Real Madrid's attackers utterly frustrated.

And yet, that same impenetrable defense had been torn apart by Manchester City, who scored six goals against them. Real Madrid had no such firepower. Zidane knew that to win the final, his team needed to find a way to neutralize City's attack. Otherwise, they could end up like Atlético.

While Atlético had lost, their solid defense provided valuable lessons for Zidane. Even Pep Guardiola had admitted that he learned a lot from Diego Simeone's defensive strategies, and Zidane, being Atlético's fierce rival, wasn't about to ignore their tactics either.

After thoroughly reviewing Manchester City's games and carefully analyzing Atlético's defense, Zidane devised a strategy that he believed would suit Real Madrid. In a final like this, where a single match decides the outcome, stability was the key. Zidane planned to rely on a defensive counterattack approach.

With defense sorted, Zidane now had to tackle the issue of offense. While Atlético had defended well, their attack fell short, forcing them to break formation and go on the offensive, which ultimately allowed Manchester City to exploit their weaknesses and score. But Real Madrid was not Atlético. Their attacking front was stronger, more formidable. Zidane's job was to unlock their potential with the right tactics.

While Zidane was analyzing Manchester City, Guardiola was studying Real Madrid. After reviewing their match footage, he quickly identified Real Madrid's No. 19 player, Luka Modric, as the key.

Modric, who might appear frail on the outside, was actually one of the most critical players in Real Madrid's midfield defense. His presence covered a vast area on the field, from defensive midfielder to attacking midfielder, and from the wings to the center. His exceptional positional sense allowed him to contribute wherever he was needed.

To maintain such a wide range of movement, one needed incredible stamina, and unfortunately for City, Modric had just that. But Modric didn't just run; his positional awareness, game vision, and commitment to defense made him indispensable in every role he played. Whether supporting the defense or linking up play in transitions, Modric's presence was crucial.

With Modric, Real Madrid's defenders didn't need to fear an immediate assault from City's forwards. With him in midfield, the attackers could advance confidently, knowing the ball would reach them. Modric effectively filled the roles of both Kevin De Bruyne and N'Golo Kanté in Manchester City's system. He was the glue holding Real Madrid's attack and defense together.

For Guardiola, Modric's importance in Real Madrid's squad was even greater than Ronaldo's. While Ronaldo still wore the superstar mantle, Guardiola wasn't overly worried about him. The key to nullifying Ronaldo was to cut off his supply from the midfield. Without service, even Ronaldo couldn't do much. But stopping Modric was a far more difficult task. His versatility and physicality made him a tough opponent to neutralize.

Despite the challenge, Guardiola knew that to win, City had to target Modric, even if it meant going all out.

...

Soon, the day of the Champions League final arrived.

On May 29, thousands of fans from across Europe and the world descended on Milan, gathering at the city's football mecca—San Siro, also known as the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium. Just a few hours later, the Champions League final would kick off there.

The weather in Milan was perfect. Though some clouds dotted the sky, there was no sign of rain, and the gentle breeze, with temperatures hovering around 21-22°C, made for a comfortable day. There was none of England's damp chill nor Spain's dry heat. It was a perfect day for a football match.

Two hours before kickoff, eager fans were already pouring into the stadium, filling the massive San Siro to capacity. The big screen displayed the attendance: a whopping 80,000 fans had come to witness the match. Outside the stadium, even more fans gathered in the square, at bars, or glued to their phones, all hoping to catch the game.

After a final check of their gear, Manchester City's team bus, decked out in their signature sky blue, slowly made its way through the bustling streets of Milan, eventually arriving at the imposing San Siro stadium.

"That's San Siro!"

"Yes, the sacred ground of Milan!"

Inside the bus, City's players pressed against the windows, marveling at the massive stadium looming ahead. From the outside, San Siro truly lived up to its legendary status—it was grander and more majestic than any stadium they had played in during previous finals.

Once their bus arrived, excited fans swarmed toward them. Police officers quickly moved in to maintain order, escorting the team safely into the stadium.

As the players entered the locker room, however, their awe quickly turned to disappointment.

"What the hell? This locker room is a dump!"

"Do Inter and AC Milan really get ready for matches in a place like this?"

Their complaints were cut short by Guardiola's calm voice:

"Alright, get yourselves ready and head out for warmups."

Though Guardiola also frowned at the shabby locker room, he didn't dwell on it. After all, it was just one game, and they wouldn't be staying here long. Once they finished griping, the players headed out to warm up.

In the tunnel, they ran into Real Madrid's players emerging from the other side. There were no signs of discomfort on the Madrid players' faces, making Lin Quan wonder: Was their locker room not as bad as City's?

Among Madrid's players, Lin Quan spotted some familiar faces—Sergio Ramos and Isco among them. He walked over to greet them.

"Boss, I won't go easy on you this time!" Isco declared, half-jokingly, as if worried Lin Quan might scold him.

To his surprise, Lin Quan didn't scold him. Instead, he encouraged him:

"Good, do your best. Let's give the fans a great game!"

Though they were friends, Lin Quan didn't expect Isco to slack off during the match, nor did City need Madrid to go easy on them.

"Thank you, boss! I'll do my best!" Isco beamed. It was his first Champions League final, and he had been on cloud nine since last night, barely able to contain his excitement.

Lin Quan smiled and patted him on the shoulder.

Then Ramos, Madrid's captain, couldn't resist throwing some fighting words:

"Hey Lin, this time we're not losing to you!"

Lin Quan looked at him, puzzled:

"Uh-huh. And?"

"Ramos, shouting slogans won't win you games," Lin Quan said, grinning.

Ramos puffed out his chest confidently:

"Don't worry, I'll make my move when the time is right!"

"I'm looking forward to it!" Lin Quan gave him a thumbs-up, but in the back of his mind, he was already thinking about warning Guardiola and the defenders to keep an eye on Ramos, especially in the box. This guy had a history of scoring crucial headers in tough situations.

(End of Chapter)

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