Goalkeeper: Alisson.
Defense: Robertson, Ruben Dias, De Ligt, and Alexander-Arnold.
Midfield: Kimmich sitting deep, with Milinkovic-Savic and Bernardo Silva ahead.
Forwards: Mbappé, Vardy, and Dembélé.
This was the starting lineup Pochettino selected for Leeds United tonight.
It was clear that he had taken Gao Shen's previous advice to heart and was looking to make a breakthrough in this match.
As the Leeds United players entered the stadium one by one, each player's information, photo, and live footage from the tunnel were displayed on the circular screen above, creating a stunning visual for the entire stadium.
With the stadium announcer's voice echoing through the stands, the crowd erupted in waves of cheers, driving the atmosphere to a peak.
The head coach of West Ham United was Gao Shen's old acquaintance, Pellegrini. There were also several familiar faces in his squad, including former Arsenal players Wilshere and Fabianski.
Both were well-known names in English football.
Gao Shen stood in the stands, applauding and cheering loudly for the Leeds United players.
At the same time, he noticed that the electronic advertisements surrounding the pitch had begun to move.
This was another technological innovation of Leeds United's new stadium, developed through a collaboration between a British company and a Chinese LED sponsor. It was called Digital Billboard Replacement Technology, or DBR for short.
The main feature of this system was that during live TV broadcasts, virtual reality technology could overlay advertisements onto the on-field environment.
The benefit was that fans inside the stadium would see the physical boards as usual, while TV audiences in different regions would see different brands and languages on the same boards.
This allowed Leeds United to display multiple versions of advertising content at once, increasing both flexibility and revenue potential.
With the Premier League's global reach, this innovation greatly enhanced Leeds United's commercial appeal.
Furthermore, the club worked with advertising agencies to auction off specific moments, such as highlight plays or goals, as premium ad slots. These moments carried high visibility and even higher commercial value.
It could be said that this was another important source of revenue for the club.
Leeds United's new stadium was the first in European football to use DBR technology.
At that moment, Gao Shen only saw one version of the billboards, while viewers around the world saw advertisements tailored to their regions and languages.
This was one of the so-called "black technologies" of Leeds United's new home.
…
At the start of the match, Leeds United sought to control possession while pressing West Ham United aggressively.
Playing away in their first game of the new season, the Hammers were conservative, staying compact and organized. They focused on maintaining their shape but looked to counterattack whenever possible.
That was the hallmark of a Premier League side.
In the Premier League, such tight and disciplined defense was rare, which was why the league was so fast-paced and exciting.
During the first round, few teams had gone all-out in attack, with both sides generally cautious.
But from the fifth minute onward, Leeds United increased their intensity in the attacking third.
After a successful midfield interception, Kimmich launched a long pass to the right flank.
Vardy sprinted forward, used his body to shield the defender, and brought the ball under control, but was quickly surrounded and unable to pass.
Leeds United immediately pressed to win the ball back.
Vardy and Dembélé both fought for possession up front. When West Ham tried to advance along the wing, Bernardo Silva, Alexander-Arnold, and Dembélé combined to win the ball and launch another quick counterattack.
Leeds United's transition play was lightning fast, forcing West Ham's defense to retreat in exhaustion.
However, they were unable to create a clear threat, as center-back Balbuena intercepted the ball and launched a long pass to initiate a counterattack.
Before the ball could cross midfield, Robertson anticipated it perfectly, controlled it on his chest, and passed to Milinkovic-Savic.
Using his strong frame, Milinkovic-Savic held off the defender and laid it off to Bernardo Silva before turning and running forward.
Bernardo reacted instantly, returning a quick pass to Milinkovic-Savic, forming a smooth one-two.
Milinkovic-Savic surged forward and fed the ball to Dembélé on the right edge of the box.
After controlling the ball, the French winger sidestepped his marker. Mbappé had already made a diagonal run into the penalty area, drawing a defender with him. This opened up space on the left, where Vardy slipped into position.
Dembélé sent a diagonal pass, but under defensive pressure, Vardy failed to control the ball cleanly, allowing Fabianski to claim it.
The entire move unfolded in a flash, drawing gasps from the crowd.
Gao Shen clapped and cheered along.
The big screen immediately replayed the attacking sequence, showing Leeds United's quick, fluid, and technical play.
Leeds United were anything but a rough side. Their attacking buildup was as smooth as ever.
Watching the slow-motion replay, Gao Shen noticed that if the West Ham defender hadn't nudged Vardy from behind, the striker would have had a clear shot on goal.
Sometimes, football comes down to a single second, even half a second.
"Phew!" Gao Shen exhaled deeply, applauding again. "Watching from here is really thrilling!"
Su Qing, Lucas, Borrell, and the others nodded in agreement.
Who could deny it?
Not only could they feel the live tension of the stadium, but they could also see every detail of the match. It was the perfect blend of live atmosphere and broadcast precision, an unmatched experience.
"Our matchday experience here was voted the best in Europe. Even UEFA praised it," Lucas said proudly, as Leeds United's CEO.
When Gao Shen had first proposed investing heavily in this massive circular screen, many thought it was unnecessary and too expensive, especially since they had opted for custom development.
But when the results came out, everyone was stunned.
The experience of watching a match here was on another level.
Compared to the small screens used in other stadiums, this panoramic display offered an entirely new dimension of engagement.
Once fans experienced it, it was hard to go back to anything else.
"Then let's talk to UEFA and ask them to let us host another Champions League final!" Gao Shen laughed.
For Leeds United, hosting a Champions League final not only boosted reputation but also brought massive commercial benefits.
"Yes, by the way, who did you vote for earlier?" Su Qing asked with a smile. "I voted for Vardy."
She had become a loyal fan of Vardy and bet on him to score first.
She still remembered going to that small, struggling club to sign him.
No one would have imagined that in 2018, Vardy would help Leeds United win the Premier League and even earn a call-up to the England national team for the World Cup. That only deepened Su Qing's admiration for Gao Shen's eye for talent.
"I voted for Mbappé, and I put the score at 3-0," Gao Shen said with a grin.
"Isn't that a bit too optimistic?" Lucas asked, surprised.
Was Gao Shen really that confident in Leeds United today?
"I think a two-goal win would be enough," said Borrell.
Lucas shook his head. "I believe in a 1-0 mentality."
"Too conservative," Gao Shen said with a laugh, pointing at the two of them.
They were talking about the prediction game pushed by Leeds United's official app.
Fans who guessed both the first goalscorer and final score correctly would receive a special prize.
Leeds United had put real thought into these rewards.
Just then, Arnold received the ball on the pitch and delivered a long pass to the unmarked Dembélé ahead of him.
Dembélé controlled the ball on the right side, but the West Ham defender quickly closed him down.
The Frenchman feinted toward the byline, then stopped and laid the ball back to Arnold.
Arnold didn't hesitate. Before the defender could get close, he sent a precise cross into the middle.
Bernardo Silva sprinted forward to meet it. With defenders on both sides, he shifted the ball to his left foot, took a step sideways, and lofted a perfectly timed pass toward the left side of the penalty spot.
Mbappé darted into the box at full speed to chase it, but Fabianski reacted just as quickly and got there first.
The two nearly collided. Mbappé pulled back in time, and Fabianski secured the ball.
The crowd gasped again.
It was so close.
As Mbappé jogged back, he gave a thumbs-up to his teammate.
It was an excellent pass, just a bit too strong.
If it had been slightly lighter, Mbappé could have reached it for a shot. But if the pace was slower, the pass might have been intercepted.
"Today, the players are in great form," Gao Shen said with a broad smile, applauding again.
That was a well-worked move, and Bernardo Silva's creativity stood out.
"I'm still sticking with my bet. Mbappé will score first."
Everyone laughed.
This kind of prediction always had a bit of gambling to it. After all, anything could happen in football. Who could really say?
At this point, both Mbappé and Vardy looked the most likely to score.
It was now clear that Leeds United were dominating the match.
Under intense pressure, West Ham United dropped deep, compressing their defense near the edge of the penalty area while Leeds continued to circulate the ball outside, probing for openings.
(To be continued.)