Leeds United beat Barcelona 4-0 at Camp Nou.
This result once again sparked heated discussions among media and fans worldwide.
Even the most optimistic Leeds United fans could not have imagined a four-goal win at Camp Nou. It was unbelievable.
The Catalan media had been full of confidence and arrogance before the match. Afterward, they were devastated.
They immediately began pointing fingers, trying to assign blame for each goal and mistake. Head coach Valverde was not spared and faced immense public pressure.
In contrast, Busquets' error that led to the fourth goal was ignored by many outlets.
The Catalan press has always been relatively "objective and calm" when judging their own.
The British media, on the other hand, were full of praise for Leeds United.
In last season's Champions League, Leeds United beat Real Madrid at the Bernabéu. Gao Shen was still at Real Madrid then. That win made Leeds United famous, but also brought Gao Shen overwhelming criticism.
Now, Leeds United have reproduced last season's brilliance, only this time the opponent was Barcelona instead of Real Madrid.
After defeating PSV Eindhoven and Barcelona in the first two group matches, Leeds United's path in the group has become much clearer. The British media generally believe Leeds United have continued last season's excellent form and stand a good chance of going far in the Champions League.
Of course, the key lies in the next two matches against Inter Milan. As long as they can top the group, their knockout draw will be much more favorable.
But challenges remain.
…
While media and fans around the world were praising Leeds United, and the club's supporters were celebrating the team's triumphant return, Pochettino and the squad went straight back to the AXA Center upon arriving in Leeds.
Three days after facing Barcelona, Leeds United would play Manchester City, the Premier League leaders and their biggest title rivals.
This was the final fixture in Leeds United's recent brutal run.
Since the international break in September, Leeds had faced Tottenham Hotspur, Eindhoven, Southampton, Chelsea, Barcelona, and now Manchester City. In just over half a month, they had encountered one tough opponent after another.
This schedule was a massive test for Leeds United.
The 0-2 defeat away to Chelsea was a heavy blow.
Fortunately, Pochettino's team emerged from that shadow with the 4-0 win over Barcelona in the Champions League.
But the upcoming top-of-the-table clash with Manchester City was crucial.
Anyone familiar with European leagues knows that if you want to win the title, head-to-head clashes with rivals are unavoidable hurdles.
Matches between Leeds United, Manchester City, and Chelsea are not just about three points or morale.
They can reshape the entire title race.
For example, after losing away to Chelsea, Leeds surrendered top spot.
If they lost to Manchester City at the Amazon Stadium, the points gap would widen from one to four.
On the other hand, a win over Manchester City would flip the situation from trailing by one to leading by two.
This completely transformative swing is the value of these heavyweight encounters.
But how easy is it to beat Manchester City again in such a punishing run?
More importantly, this would test Leeds United's rotation mechanism.
With back-to-back matches, especially Chelsea and Barcelona in succession, the squad's energy had been heavily taxed. Rotation was necessary.
If rotation is handled well, the team benefits. If not, it can lead to major setbacks.
For example, full-backs Robertson and Arnold, outstanding over the past two seasons, had spent enormous energy and had to be rested.
But could Ashraf, Cucurella, and Reece James fill the gaps?
Alphonso Davies was only 17. According to Leeds United's plan, he would not feature in cup matches until he turned 18 to gain first-team experience. For now, he only trained with the senior squad.
Pochettino was clearly aware of the hidden risk.
Rotation was necessary.
That was the problem.
…
Since leaving Barcelona and later Bayern Munich to coach Manchester City, Guardiola himself had changed a lot.
Although he did not live in Cheshire, he had visited Gao Shen there whenever time allowed this season.
From a few conversations, Gao Shen sensed the transformation.
For instance, Guardiola said he now better understood Gao Shen's pragmatism.
When the whole world expects you to insist on possession, it becomes dangerous.
Last season, Manchester City suffered heavily at Leeds United's hands. That was proof.
So now, Guardiola sometimes became more pragmatic, even shelving his obsession with possession.
In the eighth round of the Premier League, away to Leeds United, Guardiola clearly went pragmatic, even conservative.
Perhaps he was also stung by Barcelona's crushing defeat.
At the Amazon Stadium, Guardiola rotated his starting lineup.
Goalkeeper: Ederson.
Defense: Benjamin Mendy, David Luiz, Stones, Cancelo.
Midfield: Fernandinho sitting deep, David Silva and Rakitic central.
Forwards: Sterling, Harry Kane, and Mahrez.
This was a very Leeds United-style lineup. In some ways, almost a replica, with seven of the starting eleven former Leeds players.
It was quite something.
Many say Leeds United are the arsenal for the Premier League's elite, producing stars for them.
Hazard, Suárez, and Gareth Bale all started and played full matches in midweek Champions League games, so Guardiola's rotation here was thorough.
But because of the large-scale rotation, Guardiola set up with a defense-first strategy at the Amazon Stadium.
Pochettino also rotated heavily.
Goalkeeper: Alisson.
Defense: Cucurella, Rúben Dias, Militão, and Ashraf.
Midfield: Kimmich holding, with Bernardo Silva and Valverde ahead.
Forwards: Mbappé, Rashford, and Sancho.
Aside from Alisson, Rúben Dias, and Mbappé, Pochettino rotated eight players, a rotation comparable to Guardiola's.
There was no other choice.
With the current congested schedule, expecting players to start every match is unrealistic.
Pochettino even wanted to rest Mbappé, but the Frenchman asked to play.
In hindsight, that was unwise.
Mbappé looked sluggish on the pitch.
It is normal for young players to fluctuate. After his stunning display against Barcelona, his energy had been greatly depleted, and Manchester City played defensively at the Amazon Stadium.
Could you imagine Leeds United having 58 percent possession to Manchester City's 42?
That was the reality of this key match.
Guardiola's plan was clear, using Mahrez against Cucurella and Sterling against Ashraf.
In the match, Ashraf was very active, while Cucurella struggled against Mahrez's dribbling.
Mahrez became Manchester City's most dangerous and eye-catching player.
It was 0-0 at halftime.
Leeds United had four shots to Manchester City's two.
The data showed a drab game for both sides with low attacking efficiency.
Not long into the second half, Guardiola made the first change, replacing Sterling with the German youngster Sané.
Ashraf was Leeds United's most potent outlet. The youngster kept breaking through and was very active down the right, so Guardiola wanted Sané to pin him back.
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Pochettino replaced Mbappé with Grealish, mainly because Mbappé's display was poor and he was tightly marked by Cancelo.
However, the targeted substitutions had little effect, and the match remained dull.
For both sides, a 0-0 draw was more acceptable than a defeat.
After all, a goalless draw meant the league positions remained unchanged.
…
Inside the Amazon Stadium, Leeds United fans roared their support.
Gao Shen, accompanied by his wife and children, Lucas, and Borrell, sat in the directors' box.
The match was dull and not exciting. Even the tactical content was limited. Both managers had laid their cards on the table, resulting in a calm game with little suspense.
If there was a flaw, it was Cucurella's poor performance, which allowed Mahrez to threaten repeatedly, especially after the 70th minute when Mahrez cut through twice and almost scored.
Alisson's display was outstanding, denying Mahrez.
Ashraf was also excellent, frequently providing width, though still short of perfection.
Sancho did not perform well in this attacking setup.
Guardiola had anticipated this, so he made his change and seemed unwilling to adjust further.
Guardiola has always been willful with his substitutions and usage.
"Is Vardy not ready?" Gao Shen asked curiously.
From the second half onward, Vardy had been warming up frequently, but he still had not come on.
Many fans were chanting Vardy's name, hoping the local striker could strengthen the attack.
"I guess he's not fully fit," Borrell suggested.
Gao Shen frowned. "Or Pochettino is saving him to unleash for the last twenty minutes or so."
"Our right-side attack looks active but lacks real threat. It is all down to Ashraf. Sancho cannot get the better of Benjamin Mendy," Lucas analyzed.
Gao Shen nodded. These were all former Leeds players, so they knew each other well.
"That depends on whether Pochettino dares to take a gamble," Gao Shen said with a smile.
"At Camp Nou, he took a risk and won. Will he dare to place a big bet again this time?"
It might be better to call it taking a risk rather than gambling.
(To be continued.)