Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 503: Is Barcelona's Legacy at Manchester City? The Most Beautiful Passing Game Since the Galactic Team!

Although Guardiola had anticipated that Atlético Madrid would use a high press, he was surprised by the areas where they applied pressure.

It seemed that Atlético had adjusted their pressing strategy based on their experience from the last match. They realized they couldn't win the midfield battle against City, so they pushed their pressing line higher.

Atlético's players began to press heavily in Manchester City's defensive third, especially targeting the two center-backs, making it difficult for them to pass the ball out from the back. This forced City to rely on long passes under pressure.

While long balls might seem like a way to get the ball out of danger, they're much harder to control than short ground passes. Opponents have a better chance to contest for the ball, so often long passes result in turnovers and the loss of possession.

For Atlético, regaining possession meant one thing—counterattack. This was exactly what Simeone had instructed, and it's what Atlético executed.

They took advantage of the large space between City's defensive midfielders and the backline, particularly around the edge of the penalty box. These counterattacks were incredibly dangerous. If Atlético could pass the ball into this space, they could easily create a 4-on-4 or even a 4-on-3 situation in the attacking third.

In the first 15 minutes of the match, Atlético successfully launched two such threatening counterattacks. If it weren't for standout performances from Van Dijk and Navas, who each stopped a dangerous attack, City might have already conceded a goal.

"Simeone has definitely prepared something new for us!" Guardiola remarked, noticing how Atlético had adapted their pressing strategy.

He had studied Simeone's defensive tactics, knowing that the Argentine manager favored a high press. Guardiola had made preparations for this, but Atlético's approach was slightly unexpected.

Simeone had adjusted where his team pressed and when they retrieved the ball, abandoning a midfield battle in favor of pressing near City's penalty area.

Clearly, Simeone wanted his players to apply pressure as close to City's goal as possible, not in the midfield.

This approach had several advantages: pressing so close to the goal meant that any successful steal would immediately threaten City's goal, giving them little time to reorganize their defense or for the goalkeeper to react. The more sudden the attack, the higher the chance of scoring.

Moreover, pressing near the box also reduced the running distance for Atlético's players, conserving their energy and preventing the kind of physical collapse they experienced in the last 10 minutes of the previous match.

As Guardiola pondered these changes, the referee's whistle blew again. Kroos had been fouled by an Atlético player and lay on the ground, clutching his leg in pain.

Guardiola hadn't seen the foul clearly, but seeing Kroos injured and on the ground immediately enraged him. He stormed over to the fourth official to protest and apply pressure.

In the past few minutes, Atlético had committed several fouls in City's defensive half. Desperate to win the ball from City's defenders, they were resorting to increasingly aggressive tactics.

This infuriated Guardiola. City had recently been hit hard by injuries, with many key players missing matches as a result. Guardiola was already on edge about injuries, and now, with the Champions League final approaching, the last thing he wanted was for his players to get hurt.

If any of his players were to suffer a serious injury now, they might miss the final in a few weeks. Worse yet, a more severe injury could even keep them out of the European Championship this summer.

Whether it was for the sake of his team's success or the players' careers, Guardiola desperately wanted to avoid any more injuries. But Atlético's rough play was significantly increasing that risk, especially for key players like De Bruyne and Kroos, who were being targeted the most due to their frequent possession of the ball.

Worried about the situation, Guardiola quickly made an adjustment. During a stoppage in play, he called Lin Quan over and gave him some instructions.

After the game resumed, Atlético's coach, Simeone, soon noticed a change in City's tactics.

Guardiola hadn't made any drastic changes to the team's overall setup. He had slightly reduced the number of times his full-backs pushed forward, but this wasn't the most significant shift. What really caught Simeone's attention was the adjustment to City's attacking players.

Lin Quan and De Bruyne had swapped positions. Lin Quan had moved from the wing to the center, taking on the role of an attacking midfielder, while De Bruyne was now playing on the wing.

What impact would this positional switch have on the game? Simeone was curious.

The change was immediately apparent. Lin Quan was much harder to dispossess than De Bruyne. Atlético's players, naturally wary of Lin Quan's skills, shifted their defensive focus onto him. Meanwhile, with less pressure on him, De Bruyne began to shine on the wing.

While De Bruyne didn't have Lin Quan's ability to cut inside and shoot, his crosses were extremely dangerous. He didn't need to dribble down to the byline; a slight opening was enough for him to deliver a piercing cross.

In the 22nd minute of the first half, De Bruyne received the ball on the wing. Just before the ball reached him, he quickly surveyed the positioning of the players in the box. Then, without hesitation, he delivered a precise, 30-meter low cross into the area.

This type of cross is usually a lofted ball, giving defenders plenty of time to position themselves and block it. But De Bruyne's choice was different—he sent a sharp, curling ground cross.

These types of passes are common in the Premier League and frequently lead to spectacular goals.

Atlético's defenders clearly hadn't anticipated this. They didn't apply enough pressure on De Bruyne, allowing him to deliver a high-quality cross.

Agüero, who had been level with the defenders, accelerated the moment De Bruyne got the ball. He managed to break through Atlético's backline just as De Bruyne's pass arrived.

The pass was perfectly placed for Agüero, who effortlessly controlled the ball. Atlético's players immediately raised their hands, signaling for offside, but the assistant referee kept his flag down.

Ignoring the protests, Agüero surged into the box. Atlético's goalkeeper, Oblak, rushed out to close him down like a wolf pouncing on its prey.

Agüero, surprised by Oblak's speed, decided not to dribble any further. Fearing he might lose the shooting angle, he opted to take the shot.

Oblak, with lightning reflexes, guessed the direction of the shot and reached out to block it.

Agüero, seeing his shot saved, clutched his head in frustration. He felt he had let De Bruyne down by wasting such a good chance.

De Bruyne also shook his head, disappointed. But he didn't blame Agüero. He knew the Argentine was a top player; Oblak had simply reacted incredibly quickly, and there wasn't much Agüero could have done better.

Of course, if Lin Quan had been the one receiving the ball, things might have turned out differently. De Bruyne knew that Lin Quan, when facing an onrushing keeper, usually either dribbled around them or chipped the ball over, leaving no chance for a save.

Guardiola reacted the same way as Agüero—he raised his hands to his head, frustrated that such a great opportunity had been wasted.

Meanwhile, Simeone broke out in a cold sweat. That attack was incredibly dangerous.

If City had scored, Atlético's hopes would have been completely extinguished.

Oblak had just saved the day!

When Courtois left Atlético, Simeone had been worried about filling the goalkeeper position. But Oblak's timely arrival had put his mind at ease.

However, a goalkeeper's brilliance often signals that a team is on the back foot, and Atlético's defense had shown weakness in that last attack.

That kind of play was too dangerous. If City tried it again, they might very well score.

From City's last attack, Simeone had become fully aware of De Bruyne's threat. Now he understood why Guardiola had abandoned the three-defensive-midfielder system from the last match to include him.

With De Bruyne on the field, City's attack became much more dangerous, making this match significantly harder for Atlético's defense than the previous one.

Still, neutralizing De Bruyne wasn't impossible. The solution was simple: mark him tightly.

For the first 20 minutes of the match, De Bruyne had been ineffective because Atlético had limited his space. Since that approach had worked, Simeone decided to stick with it.

Simeone's decision didn't surprise Guardiola at all. In fact, it was exactly what he had been hoping for.

Atlético had fallen into his trap!

With that in mind, Guardiola walked to the sideline and gave the signal for the players to switch to their second game plan.

The players understood his instructions immediately. They adjusted their strategy, focusing their attacks down the left flank.

Lin Quan, after receiving the ball, no longer passed to De Bruyne but instead linked up with David Silva, executing a series of one-twos with him.

David Silva's style was completely different from De Bruyne's. While De Bruyne excelled at delivering long, lethal crosses, Silva was a master of short passing, especially in tight spaces.

Although Silva wasn't as tall or physically imposing as De Bruyne, he was actually better in terms of ball control under pressure. Silva could hold onto the ball, shield it from defenders, and make quick turns, even when being pressed.

When City shifted their attack to the left, the fans at the Calderón Stadium and those watching on TV suddenly felt like they were watching Spain's national team in the World Cup. They were witnessing the same fluid passing combinations that had characterized that legendary team.

Lin Quan and Silva repeatedly exchanged passes in tight spaces, playing one-twos that cut through Atlético's defense.

Silva could run, pass, and dribble, and so could Lin Quan. But Lin Quan also had explosive speed, making the two of them an even more formidable duo. Together, they formed an unstoppable combination, overwhelming Atlético's defenders.

The defenders were having a nightmare trying to contain them, but the fans were mesmerized by the beautiful football unfolding before them.

What they were witnessing was a masterpiece of passing football! Only Spanish players could pull off such exquisite moves.

Many were reminded of Barcelona's golden era, four or five years ago, when players like Messi and Iniesta used to perform similar passing sequences on the pitch.

After a series of mesmerizing passes, City had worked the ball into Atlético's penalty box without anyone realizing it.

And now, to make matters worse for Atlético, the ball was at the feet of City's number 10—Lin Quan.

The moment this dawned on them, Atlético's defenders felt a chill run down their spines. Instinctively, they shifted their focus to marking Lin Quan.

With the penalty box so crowded and space so limited, surely City couldn't keep up this passing game, right?

But to their surprise, Lin Quan continued the passing moves.

Rather than try to dribble or shoot, he passed the ball to Agüero, who was positioned in the center of the box.

Agüero, with his back to goal, didn't control the ball. Instead, he quickly played a one-touch pass to Silva, who had just entered the box.

Silva, also opting for a one-touch pass, sent the ball straight back to Lin Quan.

By this time, Lin Quan had already shaken off his marker and was now one-on-one with Oblak.

Oblak's heart raced.

It's here! He's here!

Oblak composed himself, lowering his stance and preparing for the shot.

Left or right?

It was too late to rush out and close the distance. Oblak could only guess the direction of the shot and hope for the best.

Although Oblak wasn't as famous as some other keepers, his skills were top-tier. His footwork, reflexes, and shot-stopping ability ranked among the best in the world.

In these two games alone, Oblak had already made several crucial saves, denying shots from Agüero and even Lin Quan himself.

Lin Quan knew better than to underestimate Oblak. He respected his abilities.

Seeing Oblak shift slightly, Lin Quan feigned a shot, causing the keeper to hesitate.

Although Oblak didn't move much, his balance had shifted.

That's exactly what Lin Quan was waiting for!

Without wasting another second, he powered a shot to the right side of the goal. To make sure Oblak couldn't stop it, Lin Quan struck the ball with extra force, sending it flying like a bullet.

Oblak reacted instantly, diving in the right direction and even managing to get his fingertips on the ball.

But the shot was simply too fast and too powerful. Oblak's fingers weren't enough to stop it.

With a swish, the ball hit the back of the net!

City led 1-0, and the aggregate score was now 5-1!

(End of Chapter)

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