Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 497: It's Not Guardiola If There's No Tactic Change

As the second half began, it was clear that Simeone had devised a new strategy in the locker room. Atlético Madrid, contrary to their usual style, launched an aggressive attack right from the start. This sudden shift in play caught Manchester City off guard, making their players wonder if they were still facing the same Atlético from the first half.

However, Manchester City wasn't entirely unprepared for this. Guardiola had already anticipated that Atlético might attempt an early surge, trying to catch City off balance while the players were still settling into the second half. Therefore, Manchester City remained calm, with each player fulfilling their role, maintaining tight defensive lines, and not giving Atlético any opportunities.

After five minutes of relentless pressure, Atlético realized they weren't gaining any advantage and were only exhausting their own players. They were forced to ease off. Seeing their team withstand the attack, Manchester City's fans in the stands applauded the players. With a two-goal advantage, the fans were not worried—it was the visiting team that should be concerned. If Manchester City could hold onto their lead until the end, Atlético would face an uphill battle in the next match.

With Atlético backing off, Manchester City began to go on the offensive. As the second half progressed, Simeone finally understood Lin Quan's role in Manchester City's attack—he was a free agent on the field! Lin Quan was everywhere: one moment, he was acting as a winger on the flank; the next, he was organizing the play in the center as an attacking midfielder; then, he would drop back behind the forward as a shadow striker. He even switched positions with the other winger on the opposite side, coordinating one-two passes, and when Atlético counterattacked, he would retreat to help defend.

In short, Lin Quan seemed to be everywhere, making it impossible to pin down his role accurately. The player assigned by Simeone to mark Lin Quan found it increasingly difficult to keep up with his movement. Lin Quan was at ease in every attacking and midfield position, adapting quickly. But the Atlético defender couldn't do the same. He had never played as a free agent and struggled to adjust to the multiple positions Lin Quan covered.

Moreover, Lin Quan was ambidextrous, with no weak foot, while the defender had a dominant side, meaning that when he followed Lin Quan to the other side, his performance was significantly weakened. Even if someone could overcome these challenges, there was still one final problem—stamina. Lin Quan's running distance on the field might not seem extensive, but his sudden accelerations from a standstill were incredibly fast, with changes in pace that were difficult to defend against. Once he started sprinting, he would keep accelerating, forcing the defender to sprint after him repeatedly. This constant back-and-forth sprinting would wear anyone out, and soon enough, the defender marking him couldn't keep up with his rhythm.

"How does this guy have so much stamina?" Zidane, watching from the stands, was the first to notice. When he saw that Atlético's Koke, who was marking Lin Quan, was already struggling early in the second half, he was stunned. Koke was known for his endurance in La Liga. In a match against Real Madrid earlier in the season, Koke had played the full 90 minutes, covering the entire field. He was a key player for Atlético, contributing both in attack and defense, with his through balls and long passes being crucial weapons for the team. Yet here he was, unable to last even 60 minutes against Lin Quan, looking completely exhausted.

What was going on? Was Lin Quan just that tireless, or had Koke's stamina deteriorated? Zidane wasn't the only one to notice; Simeone also saw Koke struggling.

"Coach, Koke seems to be running out of steam. Should we make a substitution?" Atlético's assistant coach suggested, noticing Koke's fatigue. Simeone nodded and ordered Thomas Partey to start warming up.

Seeing Atlético preparing to make a substitution, Guardiola also called out a few names, getting ready to make changes of his own. "De Bruyne, Son Heung-min, start warming up!"

Unlike Atlético's direct substitution, Manchester City was planning to bring on two players at once, both of whom were attacking players rather than defenders. When the TV commentators saw the players warming up on the sidelines, they were surprised. "It looks like Manchester City is planning to continue attacking!" "De Bruyne's ability to deliver dangerous passes is excellent, and Son Heung-min's speed is a major threat on the counterattack!" "But the question is, with City already leading, shouldn't they be playing more conservatively to secure the win?"

To the commentators, it seemed that as long as Manchester City continued with their current tactics, they were likely to win. However, if they really made these substitutions, bringing on two attacking players at the expense of defensive stability, it could backfire. Most teams make substitutions to bolster their attack when they are behind, but Guardiola, leading, was still looking to strengthen his attack—something very few would do. "Is Guardiola planning to go all out and finish the job in one go?" Another commentator, watching from a different stand, saw the two Manchester City players warming up and chuckled, giving Guardiola a nod of approval. Whether or not Guardiola's plan succeeded, the boldness to continue attacking in such a situation was commendable.

"Atlético played hard in the first half, and their stamina might become an issue in the second half. If Guardiola times his substitutions well, he could break them when they start to tire," said Bayern's defensive coach, a veteran who had worked with three different head coaches, including Guardiola. "Yes, that's possible. But if the timing isn't right and Atlético still has some energy left, it could backfire!" The second half could have been a straightforward affair, with Manchester City comfortably securing a win and two-goal advantage. However, Guardiola's potential decision to make substitutions could upset the balance, leading to a major shift in the game's dynamics. This made the upcoming minutes even more exciting.

By the 67th minute, Atlético made the first move, substituting the exhausted Koke for a young Thomas Partey, born in 1993. Though young, Thomas had great potential and had already been noticed by the Ghanaian national team, earning a call-up. As an African player, Thomas, like many of his peers, had excellent stamina and a strong physique. Simeone's intention in bringing him on was clear—to use his abundant energy and aggressive style to limit Lin Quan's influence, preventing him from organizing City's attacks. After all, without a traditional attacking midfielder, City relied heavily on Lin Quan for creativity. If Atlético could shut him down, City's attacking threat would be significantly reduced. This would ease the defensive pressure on Atlético and allow them to focus more on their attack.

For Atlético, winning this game seemed unlikely, but scoring an away goal was still within reach. If they could manage that, they would keep their hopes of overturning City alive in the return leg at home. However, if they were shut out, their chances would be slim.

Thomas was also crucial to Atlético's attack. His speed and power, along with a decent long shot, meant he could surprise everyone with a goal. Before coming on, Thomas was eager to prove himself against Lin Quan. He had heard of Lin Quan's reputation and saw this as a golden opportunity to test his skills against one of the best players in the Champions League semifinals—a valuable experience that could aid his growth. Of course, that was assuming he could defend against Lin Quan without being completely outclassed.

However, Thomas wasn't too worried. First, he relied on his physical attributes, believing his height and strength would give him an advantage in duels. Second, with nearly 70 minutes played, the starting players were all tiring, while he was coming on fresh and full of energy. With a fresh player against tired ones, there shouldn't be much suspense, right? Confident in his abilities, Thomas entered the game with a relaxed mindset. It was a classic case of youthful overconfidence, or perhaps just inexperience.

As soon as he came on, Thomas was eager to make an impact. Seeing Lin Quan appear to "lose control" of the ball, he quickly went for the tackle. As he made his move, he was already thinking about how he would launch a counterattack, dribble past multiple opponents, and help his team equalize or even turn the game around—becoming the hero in the process. However, his dreams were quickly shattered. His foot missed the ball entirely, and it vanished before his eyes! "Oh dear, Thomas is too young. How could he reach out for a tackle like that?" "Exactly! Lin Quan is known for his feints. Experienced defenders know better than to be tricked by him—they don't stick a foot out easily because once they do, they'll get beaten!"

Lin Quan was a bit surprised at how easily he succeeded. He had seen that Thomas was a newcomer and decided to test him with a feint. To his surprise, it worked. Without wasting any time, and before any nearby Atlético players could react, Lin Quan accelerated and charged toward Atlético's penalty area with the ball. "Idiot!" Simeone, furious on the sidelines, cursed. Thomas had been far too reckless. If top defenders and holding midfielders couldn't take the ball off Lin Quan, what made this kid think he could?

Simeone couldn't help but feel a twinge of regret. Was it wise to bring Thomas on in such a crucial moment? Savic, Giménez, Gabi, and Saúl all sprinted towards Lin Quan, cursing Thomas in their minds for his rashness. They knew all too well the consequences of letting Lin Quan build up speed. The two goals in the first half had proven that. They had hoped the coach's substitution would lighten their workload, but instead, it had made their job even harder, draining their already dwindling stamina.

Atlético's defenders scrambled to get back. Lin Quan didn't cut inside but instead carried the ball down the wing as if he was preparing to cross. Seeing this, Atlético's full-back relaxed slightly and maintained a distance of two to three meters from Lin Quan, enough to block any passing lanes. However, underestimating Lin Quan was a mistake that would soon be punished.

Realizing the defender wasn't pressing him, Lin Quan quickly changed his strategy, driving the ball along the byline towards the penalty area. The defender, caught off guard and wrong-footed by one of Lin Quan's trademark feints, was left behind as Lin Quan surged into the box. Atlético's center-back Savic had no choice but to leave Agüero and move to block Lin Quan, despite the tight angle he had to shoot from. He couldn't allow Lin Quan to continue advancing, as the closer he got, the greater the danger.

The moment Savic moved, Lin Quan passed the ball, slipping it right between Savic's legs and onto Agüero's feet. It was a golden opportunity! Agüero, eyes wide, struck the ball without hesitation. The shot was fast and accurate, leaving the goalkeeper little time to react. But Atlético's keeper, Oblak, somehow managed to dive and make a miraculous save, stopping what seemed like a certain goal. Agüero, who had already started to raise his hands in celebration, was left stunned when he saw Oblak had saved it. The smile froze on his face, and his raised hands instinctively went to his head in disbelief and frustration. How did that not go in? Was their goalkeeper even human?

Even Lin Quan, who had been closely following Agüero's shot from a distance, was amazed by Oblak's incredible save. His reaction speed was extraordinary! And to think, this wasn't even Oblak at his peak. Between 2017 and 2019, he would become even stronger, with his market value reaching €100 million. For a goalkeeper to be valued at €100 million was a testament to his abilities.

Right after Agüero finished lamenting his missed chance, Guardiola substituted him. On the sidelines, the fourth official held up the board, signaling Manchester City's substitutions: De Bruyne came on for Agüero, and Son Heung-min replaced David Silva. As Agüero saw himself being subbed off, especially with De Bruyne as his replacement, he was shocked. The fans and commentators watching the match were just as surprised as Agüero. What was Guardiola planning? If Son and Silva were like-for-like swaps, what did replacing Agüero with De Bruyne mean? Was Guardiola planning to use De Bruyne as a center-forward? That seemed unlikely!

(End of Chapter)

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