2-2!
It was level!
This was another Champions League quarterfinal match, held at the Camp Nou in Barcelona at the same time.
Barcelona drew 2-2 with Paris Saint-Germain at home.
In order to accommodate both star strikers Ibrahimovic and Cavani, Ancelotti set up in a 4-3-1-2 formation.
Argentine talent Pastore played in the hole, while Chantôme, Matuidi, and Beckham formed the midfield trio.
This setup allowed PSG to withstand Barcelona's overwhelming pressure at the Camp Nou.
In the 31st minute, Messi broke the deadlock with an assist from Dani Alves.
But no matter how hard Barcelona pushed afterward, PSG held firm and survived until the second half.
First, Ibrahimovic equalized in the 80th minute. Then, in the 89th minute, Sanchez set up Xavi to restore Barcelona's lead, seemingly securing the win.
But in the final minute of stoppage time, Ibrahimovic assisted Cavani to score the decisive goal.
2-2. Ancelotti's team left the Camp Nou with a draw.
More importantly, they carried home two valuable away goals.
Not only did the attacking stars perform, but PSG's center-back pairing of Benatia and Thiago Silva was excellent, leaving a deep impression.
Ancelotti's choices may have looked conservative, but to leave the Camp Nou unscathed with two away goals spoke volumes.
What mattered most was that PSG's massive investment was beginning to pay off.
…
At the Bernabéu, Gao Shen received the news. After returning to Valdebebas, he dismissed the players but stayed with his staff to watch the replay.
The winner of these two teams would be Real Madrid's opponent in the semifinal.
For now, things were still unclear, but Ancelotti's tactics and the result gave PSG a slight advantage.
Barcelona's problems remained obvious.
Their attack lacked penetration, while defensive flaws were exposed.
On top of that, Messi was injured in the first half and replaced by Fabregas at halftime.
That cast serious doubt over Barcelona's second leg in Paris.
"Fatty An's defensive organization is unquestionable."
That was Gao Shen's main impression of Ancelotti's PSG.
Italian coaches are tactical masters, each with unique defensive and attacking concepts. Ancelotti is among the very best. Back when he coached Juventus, he was known for his conservative style.
"This match exposed Barcelona's weaknesses and gave Paris a slight edge, but it also revealed Paris' own problem."
"Midfield organization," Zidane noted.
"Yes. Ancelotti tried to use Beckham as the organizer, but it didn't work," Gao Shen replied.
He had coached Beckham in his first spell at Real Madrid and knew the Englishman's strengths. At his age, his mobility had dropped sharply. His passing remained excellent, but he was not a deep-lying playmaker.
In short, Beckham was no Pirlo.
"In a 4-3-1-2 system, one of those three midfielders has to be a true organizer like Pirlo."
To be honest, Ancelotti would probably curse Gao Shen for saying that.
Because Ancelotti originally wanted Verratti from Napoli.
But thanks to Gao Shen's intervention, Verratti joined Real Madrid instead of PSG.
That left Ancelotti searching the market for a deep-lying playmaker and finding no one.
Players like Pirlo, Verratti, Xabi Alonso, or Carrick were rare.
Bastian Schweinsteiger at Bayern Munich was another example.
When Bayern's management had to choose between Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos for a deeper role, they decisively picked Schweinsteiger.
The hottest player on the market was Dortmund's Gündogan, but he was already attracting Barcelona, Arsenal, and Manchester United.
Gao Shen had spoken with Madrid's technical staff and was interested in him.
Gündogan's market value was around 30 million euros.
But to buy from Dortmund, you never paid less than that. Once a bidding war started, the price would only rise.
The transfer market is like a battlefield. When supply is scarce, the price depends on determination, not value.
That's why clubs selling star players often try to bring in as many bidders as possible.
Another emerging option was Leeds United's Jorginho, though he was still a step below Gündogan.
He was younger and had played only one Premier League season. His performances were promising, but not convincing enough yet.
Still, players of this type were extremely rare.
Another headline for the summer was Monaco.
After being taken over by Russian billionaire Rybolovlev, they were set to return to Ligue 1 and had already promised a massive spending spree to rival PSG.
Meanwhile, Leeds United were battling Monaco for the signing of young French talent Mbappé.
Both clubs, along with other European giants, were very keen, even Real Madrid.
Mbappé had even visited Madrid, but Gao Shen had been too busy to meet him.
Now, Leeds' technical director Borrell had already traveled to France three times personally.
…
"If we face Barcelona, we'll have the advantage," Gao Shen said confidently.
If word got out, it would cause an uproar, but it was true.
"But against PSG, our midfield will be more dominant. The key is breaking down their defense."
Benatia was a player trained by Gao Shen himself, and he knew exactly how strong the Moroccan was.
And Thiago Silva needed no introduction, a world-class defender.
Together, PSG's central defense was elite.
Add three defensive midfielders in front, and breaking them down would be no easy task.
On the bench, they also had Sakho, Alex, Van der Wiel, Ménez, and Lucas Moura.
Lucas Moura was a player Gao Shen had admired before PSG snapped him up. Leonardo, PSG's technical director, had a sharp eye for young talents.
"Handling their counterattacks would be the big issue," Zidane agreed.
No one could afford to underestimate Cavani, Pastore, or Ibrahimovic.
Barcelona had just been punished with two goals.
"So, I'd rather face Barcelona," Gao Shen admitted with a smile.
Pick the softer opponent.
Zidane, Carlo, and the others all laughed.
"Barcelona will cry. After four meetings already this season, and another one?" Carlo joked.
Hierro added, "Barcelona will say, 'If you come here again, we're calling the police!'"
After beating Juventus 3-0 in the first leg, it was natural for Real Madrid to look ahead to the semifinal.
Gao Shen was not worried about stumbling in Turin.
He would not allow it.
…
Real Madrid beat Juventus 3-0 at home.
Barcelona were held 2-2 by PSG at home.
Two games on the same night with opposite outcomes created a huge stir in Spain.
Real Madrid's 3-0 win all but secured their semifinal place, sending fans into wild celebrations.
AS editor-in-chief Alfredo declared that Madrid had shown supreme dominance.
Especially with Marcelo back, Madrid's wings were unstoppable, and Juventus had no way to defend.
Marca also noted that this was the first time Gao Shen's Real Madrid had played with a full lineup, and they delivered a near-perfect performance.
"There is no doubt, this team is thrilling to watch!"
While Real Madrid drew praise, Barcelona faced heavy criticism.
Their home match ended 2-2, handing PSG two away goals. For the second leg, Barcelona would need to attack.
But judging from the first leg, they had no real answers for PSG's defense.
Worse, Messi's injury ruled him out of the return match, a huge blow.
If even with Messi they couldn't crack PSG, what could they do without him?
Bookmakers across Europe shifted the odds, making PSG favorites to advance.
Clearly, Ancelotti's team had earned more recognition.
The Italian coach was rebuilding at PSG after a difficult stint at Chelsea.
…
Although Barcelona struggled in the Champions League, they were still dominant in La Liga.
In Round 30, at the Camp Nou, they beat Mallorca 5-0, with Sanchez scoring a hat-trick and Fabregas a brace.
All five goals came in the first half.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, beat Levante 5-1 at home.
Gao Shen rotated heavily. Ronaldo played only the first half and scored once. Higuaín netted twice, while Kaka and Jesé added one each.
After the 30th round, Real Madrid traveled to Turin, while Barcelona headed to Paris.
Unlike Madrid, brimming with confidence, Barcelona looked more like a team heading into a life-or-death battle.
(To be continued.)
***
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