Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 506: Ronaldo's Last-Minute Goal! Real Madrid to Face Manchester City in the Champions League Final!

Zidane's adjustments left many puzzled, but on the field, the changes quickly proved effective. Real Madrid's attacking power surged, and Cristiano Ronaldo, who had struggled in the first 30 minutes, began to find his rhythm. Isco also started to improve, using his excellent dribbling and footwork to create opportunities.

Suddenly, Real Madrid launched a wave of attacks, pushing Bayern Munich back. Although the score was level, if Madrid could score just one goal at the Allianz Arena, it would essentially count as a two-goal lead due to the away goals rule. Before the rule was abolished, away goals held incredible value!

Sensing danger, Bayern's coach, Jupp Heynckes, quickly made tactical adjustments. He instructed Bayern's wide players to press Madrid's players on the ball more closely during defense, forcing them away from the center and toward the flanks. Bayern concentrated their forces along the sides, cutting off passing options and trying to force Madrid into sending long balls forward.

This was a high-pressing tactic commonly used by Atlético Madrid in La Liga, and Bayern had faced similar tactics in the Bundesliga. Seeing the game slip away, Heynckes decided to use it to disrupt Madrid's flow, giving Madrid the same feeling they might have facing their city rivals.

Everyone knows that the longer the pass, the more likely it is to be intercepted. Bayern's strategy was clear: pressure Madrid into making mistakes, regain possession, and quickly counterattack.

However, Zidane smirked. This tactic had already been used by Atlético Madrid in their recent match against Manchester City, and City had broken through it. For Bayern to try the same trick against Real Madrid? Zidane felt they were underestimating his team.

He made another adjustment, instructing his players not to have the defenders initiate passes. Instead, they should pass back to the goalkeeper, allowing the ball to be played from safer positions.

Bayern's pressing had limits; only four players—two wingers, Lewandowski, and Müller—were involved in the high press. Adding more players would leave Bayern's defense vulnerable to counterattacks.

With Real Madrid's goalkeeper involved, along with four defenders and Bale dropping back, there were six players available to pass. This gave Madrid five passing options for whoever had the ball, making it nearly impossible for Bayern's four attackers to cover all outlets.

Bayern's tactic was neutralized.

However, it wasn't completely ineffective. With Madrid's fullbacks forced deep into their own half, it was difficult for them to push up and contribute to the attack. This meant Madrid's offensive threat down the flanks was reduced, and the match returned to a stalemate.

Just when it seemed the first half would end 1-0, a sudden turn of events unfolded!

In the 44th minute, during a Bayern corner, Javi Martínez prepared to jump for the ball in the box but was brought down by Real Madrid's center-back Pepe, who bear-hugged him to the ground.

The referee, with a keen eye, saw the entire sequence and had no hesitation. He blew the whistle, showed Pepe a yellow card, and awarded Bayern a penalty.

Zidane was furious. He leapt up from the bench, protesting to the fourth official, claiming the penalty was a clear mistake. A nearby Bayern assistant coach wasn't having it and shouted back:

"Are you blind? That was an obvious foul! I'm seriously questioning your eyesight!"

Zidane, never one to back down, fired back. The argument escalated, with both men looking like they were ready to throw punches. Seeing the head coach of Bayern acting so rudely, the Bayern fans in the Allianz Arena responded by booing Madrid's bench loudly.

The fans, feeling that their team was on the verge of gaining the upper hand, relished the idea of seeing Real Madrid frustrated and flustered.

On the pitch, Ronaldo stood with his hands on his hips, breathing heavily as he scanned the stadium. In his mind, he wasn't sure what to think. So far, his performance had been underwhelming, and he hadn't yet found the back of the net.

Madrid was just one goal away from securing a spot in the final. Even if Bayern converted the penalty, one away goal from Madrid would still put them in a strong position to advance.

But Bayern was proving to be a tough opponent. Ronaldo had given everything, yet he still hadn't managed to break them down.

Would he really let it end like this?

No.

"I refuse to lose here!" he thought.

"My journey doesn't end here. I still need to get to the final stage and take my revenge on that guy!"

Determination surged through Ronaldo's veins. His eyes hardened, and his body radiated a fierce, unstoppable aura.

Meanwhile, in the box, Lewandowski and Thomas Müller debated who should take the penalty. By rank, Müller was Bayern's first-choice penalty taker, so he should take the shot. But Lewandowski, feeling confident and backing his own shooting skills, tried to convince Müller to let him take it.

After a moment's hesitation, Müller shook his head. As a veteran of the team, he felt it was his responsibility to take the penalty in such a crucial moment. He didn't want to hand that burden to someone who had only been with the team for two years.

Müller stepped up to the penalty spot, while Courtois, Madrid's goalkeeper, hopped up and down on the line, trying to unnerve him. However, Müller was too experienced to let Courtois' antics distract him. He glanced toward the bottom right corner of the goal and aimed to shoot in that direction.

But Courtois had noticed the glance. He wasn't sure if Müller was bluffing or if he was being straightforward. Based on Müller's simple, honest demeanor, Courtois figured he wasn't the type to overthink things.

Courtois dove to his right—he guessed correctly!

Müller's shot headed straight for the bottom right corner, but Courtois got there first and saved it!

The crowd gasped in disbelief. Müller had missed the penalty.

Müller stood there, frozen, realizing he had made a grave mistake. That missed penalty wasn't just a failed shot—it might have cost Bayern their place in the final and their chance at the Champions League title.

Both teams were shaken by the miss, but while Bayern's morale took a hit, Real Madrid's spirits soared.

Just nine minutes into the second half, in the 54th minute, Zidane's decision to move Bale into a deeper role paid off. Using his trademark pace, Bale charged from defense into the attacking third and whipped in a cross.

Benzema rose high to head the ball back toward Ronaldo, who was positioned just outside the penalty box. Ronaldo controlled the ball with composure, sidestepped a defender, and calmly slotted the ball into the net.

Neuer stretched out as much as he could, but Ronaldo's shot was perfectly placed. Bayern's goalkeeper couldn't reach it.

1-1. Real Madrid had equalized.

Now, with an aggregate score of 2-1 and an all-important away goal in their favor, Real Madrid had taken the advantage. Bayern now needed to score two more goals to advance, a daunting task with less than 40 minutes remaining.

Zidane and the Real Madrid coaching staff celebrated jubilantly on the sidelines, knowing that this goal might have just booked their ticket to the final.

On the field, Ronaldo sprinted toward the corner flag, performing his iconic "SIUU" celebration, his way of marking such a crucial goal.

Nearby, some female fans screamed out in excitement, "Ronaldo! We love you!"

Male fans cheered and tried to leap over barriers to hug their hero. In such an important match, anything felt possible.

Ronaldo, brimming with confidence, felt as though he had turned back the clock to his peak form from a few years ago. It was a moment he had longed for.

In the VIP box, Lin Quan and Guardiola exchanged knowing glances.

"It looks like Real Madrid will be our opponent in the final," Lin Quan said.

"Yeah, it seems unlikely Bayern can turn this around now. Real Madrid will probably focus on defense and won't give Bayern many chances," Guardiola replied.

Once a top-tier team decides to park the bus and defend at all costs, breaking them down becomes almost impossible.

Bayern's situation was further complicated by Ribéry and Robben's decline. They no longer carried the same threat they did three years ago. At 33 and 32 years old, respectively, their pace, stamina, and explosiveness had diminished. Years of wear and tear, coupled with accumulated injuries, had clearly taken a toll on them.

If they had been a few years younger, Madrid's defense might have been torn apart by now.

As expected, Real Madrid began retreating, tightening their defense. Bayern pressed forward relentlessly, but their aging wingers couldn't deliver the same dangerous balls they once could.

Then, in the 74th minute, Bayern finally broke through. Ribéry sent in a cross, and Vidal headed it back toward Lewandowski, who coolly nodded the ball into the net from less than two meters out.

2-1.

The aggregate score was now 2-2, and Bayern had a glimmer of hope. Lewandowski rushed to grab the ball from the net, sprinting back to the halfway line to save as much time as possible.

The Allianz Arena erupted with applause for Lewandowski and the team, hoping they could find a way to score another goal in the remaining 20 minutes.

The match was back on a knife-edge. With their spirits lifted, Bayern launched wave after wave of attacks, while Real Madrid clung desperately to their lead.

Guardiola and Lin Quan, who had been preparing to leave, sat back down to watch the tense final minutes unfold.

"Can Bayern pull off a comeback?" Guardiola wondered.

Lin Quan shook his head. "It'll be tough, even though they're only one goal away."

Bayern's goal had been as much a result of Madrid's brief lapse in concentration as it was of their own efforts. When Ribéry crossed the ball, Madrid's defenders were too focused on Vidal, leaving Lewandowski unmarked.

Madrid wouldn't make the same mistake twice.

Even though Bayern's wingers were past their prime, their experience still made them dangerous. A last-minute surge from Ribéry or Robben wasn't out of the question.

But the miracle didn't happen.

For the remaining 20 minutes, Bayern bombarded Madrid's goal, but Courtois stood firm, keeping them at bay. When the final whistle blew, the score remained 2-1.

Though Bayern had won the match, they were once again knocked out of the Champions League by Real Madrid, just like the previous year.

Real Madrid advanced to the final, setting up a highly anticipated clash with Manchester City.

In 20 days, the two giants would meet at the San Siro to battle for the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League trophy!

(End of Chapter)

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