Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 514: Crushing Real Madrid's Offensive Tactics!

After the ball cleared the wall, it suddenly dipped sharply as if it had taken an elevator down, curving in an eerie and unpredictable way. Navas, fully focused, judged the ball's trajectory and leapt with all his might to make the save. He did everything humanly possible, but Ronaldo's free kick was just too precise. The ball dipped and grazed the underside of the crossbar before smashing into the inside of the net.

Boom!

The San Siro stadium erupted like a bomb had been dropped. Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo's fans screamed their lungs out, making the stadium sound like a chaotic marketplace!

Ronaldo's goal was nothing short of spectacular, arguably the best of the match so far. More than that, it came at a critical moment when Real Madrid was trailing, adding even more weight to its significance.

Ronaldo was ecstatic. He dashed across the field, performing his trademark leap and celebration with clenched fists, roaring triumphantly towards the sky.

He had stood tall under immense pressure and delivered, going toe-to-toe with Lin Quan and arguably outshining him. Twice, he stepped up when his team was down, scoring crucial goals despite a lack of support from his teammates. His individual brilliance had saved the day for Real Madrid, with no room for criticism.

This was evident from the reaction of his teammates and coach after the goal. Almost the entire Real Madrid team, even their goalkeeper and substitutes on the bench, rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with him. Every player came up to congratulate and embrace Ronaldo, showing their respect and admiration.

It was no exaggeration to say that Ronaldo had saved Real Madrid. Without his two vital goals, they would have been down 0-2 by now.

"Ronaldo is unstoppable!"

"No wonder they call him one of the greatest!"

"That free kick was absolutely perfect—power, speed, curve—it's unbelievable how flawless that shot was!"

"Two goals, one header and one free kick, both silencing his critics. Now, let's see who dares question his status as a football legend!"

"Haha, all four goals in this match so far have been scored by two superstars. I can't wait to see who will come out on top—Ronaldo or Lin Quan?"

Ronaldo's exceptional performance not only silenced his critics but also earned him the respect of neutral fans. While Lin Quan and Messi were often seen as more naturally talented players, Ronaldo was sometimes dismissed as simply being an athletic powerhouse with strong physical attributes, good at scoring goals, and great at headers. Many believed that his lack of pure talent meant he could be easily replaced.

But after watching him compete at this level, holding his own against someone like Lin Quan and delivering match-saving goals, many changed their minds. Even without the same raw talent, Ronaldo had pushed himself to levels that ordinary players could never reach.

Lin Quan never underestimated Ronaldo. In fact, he admired him. Ronaldo had maximized his natural abilities to the fullest, which required immense dedication and sacrifice. People often said Ronaldo represented the ceiling of what a "normal" footballer could achieve—but if that were true, why hadn't others managed to do the same?

So, when Lin Quan saw Ronaldo score that incredible free kick, he didn't feel dejected or envious. Instead, he felt excited and even clapped for Ronaldo's performance!

This kind of tight, balanced game was what Lin Quan thrived on. If Manchester City had easily rolled over Real Madrid, the victory would have felt empty. The final should feel like a true final—filled with drama and tension.

The cameras quickly caught Lin Quan applauding Ronaldo. Since both players were the central focus of their respective teams, every move they made was closely watched. The camera operators frequently switched between the two, eager to capture any significant moment.

But Lin Quan's unexpected gesture left everyone puzzled.

What was going on?

Wasn't this supposed to be a rivalry? Why was Lin Quan applauding Ronaldo after he scored? What kind of rivalry was this?

"Did Lin just switch sides?"

"Hell no, he's just acknowledging Ronaldo's skills!"

"Haha, Ronaldo fans really know how to twist things. Lin's just showing class, but you guys are acting like he's joining your team!"

"Exactly, Lin has the decency to applaud his rival's performance, showing far more grace than some of the fans who just sit around throwing insults."

"Wait, is it just me, or does Lin Quan look like he's smiling? Look at the corners of his mouth—he's definitely smiling…"

Some fans were confused. How could Lin Quan be smiling when his team had just conceded the equalizer?

However, after the game resumed, it became clear why. Lin Quan seemed to be a different player. He was calling for the ball more frequently, and his attacking mindset became much sharper. This change was evident in his increased dribbling and his success rate in getting past defenders.

This sudden shift caught Real Madrid's defense off guard. Dani Carvajal quickly found himself struggling to keep up and soon picked up a yellow card after fouling Lin Quan.

There was no other choice—he simply couldn't stop Lin without committing fouls. And now, with the yellow card hanging over him, Carvajal became hesitant to make any bold defensive moves. He was already struggling to contain Lin, and now he was too cautious to even attempt it.

Real Madrid's left side was suddenly in serious danger.

"Wow, Lin's dribbling is on fire!"

"He's unstoppable! Carvajal looks like he's about to cry!"

"Is this Lin's real power? Was he holding back this whole time?"

Even Ronaldo, watching from the other side of the field, sighed as he saw Lin tear through Real Madrid's defense.

This guy's individual skill was just too overwhelming. Even during Ronaldo's prime as a winger, he hadn't possessed such relentless one-on-one ability.

In Lin Quan, Ronaldo saw flashes of peak Messi—a player who could single-handedly tear defenses apart.

"Help out! Don't try to stop him one-on-one!" Zidane barked orders from the sideline, knowing they had to stop Lin before he turned the tide again.

Real Madrid's left side was in trouble. Modric and even Bale were getting pulled into defending against Lin Quan, which left them vulnerable on the right. If Real Madrid could launch a successful counterattack, they might just turn the game around.

While Lin's individual prowess was undeniable, football was a team game. No matter how good he was, he couldn't single-handedly challenge the entire Real Madrid team. Zidane even wondered if Lin's solo style of play would disrupt Manchester City's tactics and give Real Madrid a chance to exploit their vulnerabilities.

Despite how one-sided things looked on the surface, the situation might not be as dangerous as it seemed.

On the other hand, Guardiola's expression was serious. If it had been anyone else trying to go solo like this, Guardiola would have been furious. Lin Quan's actions weren't part of the team's game plan, but as the team's free-roaming playmaker, he had the right to choose his own approach. Guardiola also trusted that Lin wouldn't make rash decisions—there had to be a reason behind his actions.

Indeed, Lin had a very specific reason. His constant pressure on the left wing, relentlessly targeting Carvajal, was all part of a strategy. His goal was simple: to wear down Carvajal and force Zidane to substitute him.

Among Real Madrid's full-backs, Marcelo was known for his offensive skills but was weaker defensively. Some joked that "it takes three Marcelos to stop one Marcelo."

Carvajal, however, was different. He was well-rounded, with solid defensive skills, excellent stamina, and a strong ability to cross and support attacks. From 2016 to 2019, Carvajal was widely regarded as one of the best right-backs in the world.

If Lin could force Zidane to take him out of the game, it would greatly weaken Real Madrid's defense. And Lin was close to achieving that goal.

In the 62nd minute of the second half, after Carvajal was once again embarrassed by Lin's dribbling, Zidane had seen enough.

Carvajal's energy was depleted, and with a yellow card to his name, he was hesitant to make any tackles. This turned him into a massive liability in Real Madrid's defense. If Zidane didn't address this issue soon, things could get much worse.

He signaled for a substitution, bringing on Danilo to replace Carvajal.

When Carvajal saw the substitution board go up, he breathed a sigh of relief.

The nightmare was finally over. If he had a choice, he never wanted to face Lin Quan on the pitch again.

"Carvajal was completely destroyed by Lin! He got dribbled past more than a dozen times!"

"Yeah, poor guy, Lin completely owned him!"

"Look at him, he's out of breath! If he'd stayed on any longer, Lin might've run him into the ground!"

"Lin's acceleration is too fast, and his sudden changes in rhythm make it nearly impossible to keep up. Carvajal lasting this long was impressive!"

Zidane stood on the sidelines, giving Carvajal a comforting hug as he walked off and said:

"Good job. Go rest on the bench and watch us win this game together!"

Zidane's voice was firm, full of belief that Real Madrid would prevail.

Carvajal nodded heavily. Though he had some lingering doubts, he wasn't about to question his coach openly at such a crucial moment.

Danilo, younger and fresher than Carvajal, was now tasked with defending Lin. Though not as skilled as Carvajal, Danilo was full of energy and determination, and with his teammates' help, the left side of Real Madrid's defense gradually stabilized. Lin's solo attacking style seemed to have finally been contained.

But was that really the case?

As soon as Danilo entered the game, Manchester City switched tactics. Lin swapped sides, moving to the left wing to take on Marcelo instead.

Marcelo, having watched Carvajal's ordeal unfold, felt a chill go down his spine as Lin approached. Marcelo's defense was never his strong suit, and now he was about to face one of the most dangerous one-on-one players in the world.

With Lin facing him, Marcelo couldn't risk pushing forward to join the attack. All his focus had to be on defense, but even then, he didn't feel confident. He quickly called for backup, urging Casemiro, Ramos, and even Ronaldo to help him contain Lin.

The result? Real Madrid's entire right-side attack ground to a halt. Without Marcelo joining the offense, Ronaldo wasn't getting the support he needed from behind.

Meanwhile, Manchester City's relentless pressing in midfield made it hard for Modric and Isco to send quality passes Ronaldo's way.

With little supply, Ronaldo became increasingly isolated up front, cut off from his teammates. After finding no opportunities to break through, Ronaldo was forced to drop deeper, focusing on defense rather than attack. This played right into Manchester City's hands.

Real Madrid's attacking threat diminished drastically, allowing Manchester City to gradually push their defense higher up the pitch.

Typically, pushing up too far against a counter-attacking team like Real Madrid would be a risky move. However, with Real Madrid unable to mount any significant counterattacks, Manchester City felt confident pressing forward.

As more City players ventured into Real Madrid's half, Lin shifted his focus. He stopped going solo and began playing a more collaborative style, linking up with his teammates to create passing combinations.

City's high-intensity, possession-based football was suffocating. Real Madrid's players couldn't get near the ball, and the match started to resemble a practice drill with City attacking and Real Madrid stuck in defense.

The pressure was building, and Manchester City was tightening its grip on the game.

(End of Chapter)

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