In Spain, Suker had just finished training and was on his way home when he received a call from Zorancic.
"The old man is too cautious. I almost talked myself hoarse, and only now is he considering signing with me!"
Listening to Zorancic's voice on the phone, Suker said in surprise, "He signed?"
"Considering? Do you know what 'considering' means?" Zorancic sighed, "He gave me a task. If I do this well, he'll sign with me!"
Suker couldn't help but smile, "You want to sign a top Head Coach, so of course you have to pay a price!"
Zorancic nodded, "However, it's still easy to solve. It's just about extracting Ancelotti without damaging his reputation from Paris!"
"Is he afraid of being cursed by Paris Saint-Germain fans if he leaves?" Suker asked.
Zorancic nodded, "That's right, but it's not a huge deal. After all, Paris Saint-Germain fans are all blasting Zlatan Ibrahimović right now!"
Suker was stunned for a moment.
He remembered that Zlatan Ibrahimović had only joined Paris Saint-Germain a short while ago, and when he joined, he was very popular with Paris Saint-Germain fans.
Why did they suddenly start blasting him?
"I've also looked into the situation. I heard that Zlatan Ibrahimović was unhappy with a ruling and cursed at the referee, saying 'France is a shitty country.' Of course, the full text also includes 'I've never seen such a bad referee, Ligue 1 doesn't deserve Paris Saint-Germain,' but his words were taken out of context by the media. At first, all Paris Saint-Germain fans were blasting him, and now it's clarified, but he's still being insulted by some extreme fans!"
Suker curled his lips, "Putting aside everything else, Paris does have a lot of bird droppings!"
"But you can't just blurt it out without covering your mouth. There's no way to argue it!"
Zorancic: "Anyway, this matter is still relatively easy. I'm going to the Paris Saint-Germain club for negotiations now. Wish me luck!"
Suker smiled and nodded, "Good luck!"
The two ended their call, and Suker also arrived at his villa.
In the yard, Sukic and Luca were having a great time playing with the dog.
Seeing Suker come home, Sukic stood up and greeted him, then rushed back to play.
Suker didn't say anything and walked straight into the house.
The house had a wood-burning heating system, so it was extremely warm.
Suker made himself a cup of hot milk, then opened his tablet and started watching Paris Saint-Germain's match.
No matter what, Paris Saint-Germain is still a relatively threatening team; they can't be underestimated.
What's more, Suker really couldn't trust Zidane and Leidup's tactical arrangements.
Their combined experience and tactical skill couldn't compare to Ancelotti's.
At the beginning of the season, Mourinho was still in charge, able to counter Ancelotti's moves, but in this Champions League knockout match, they could only tough it out.
Also, there was the XJBT tactic; Suker didn't know if Ancelotti had figured it out.
If he had, they might have to revert to Mourinho's previous system.
Anyway, it was a pile of problems.
After watching for a while, Suker made dinner and ate with Sukic and Luca.
Luca also packed a box of food for his old father who was lying in the hospital bed.
Inside Kaka's villa, the guy had clearly gained several pounds, giving off a greasy feeling.
There was no way around it; the recovery medication contained hormones, which contributed to weight gain, and this wasn't something that could be controlled just by wanting to.
Kaka was still using crutches and a wheelchair; it would be some time before he fully recovered.
But even after recovery, Kaka would need to be tested because of the hormone-based drugs injected. If the levels were too high, he couldn't immediately participate in matches.
Fortunately, Kaka's mental state was still good.
"I feel like I can return to the field by the end of the League," Kaka said with a smile after finishing his meal.
Suker looked at Kaka, "Find some time to shave your beard!"
Kaka had a full beard, which looked really awkward.
His face had become rounder, and he looked greasier, as if he had fermented.
This goes to show that Suker's baby face still gives people a fresh feeling, even now.
If he hadn't deliberately kept a stubble, some people might even believe him if he said he was 18!
"The boss might be coming!" Suker said.
Kaka was surprised, "Really? That's great news!"
Suker: "Although it's not yet confirmed, it's basically agreed upon."
Real Madrid's invitation to Ancelotti this time was truly sincere.
Not only did Florentino personally talk to him multiple times, but he even used Suker as a lobbyist.
In front of such an enthusiastic Real Madrid, Ancelotti was swayed, and coupled with Zorancic's persuasion, the current situation was finalized.
"The boss is best at maintaining dressing room relationships; he gets along very well with the players," Kaka said with a smile.
Speaking of the coach best at dealing with superstars, Ancelotti can never be overlooked.
It was true at Milan, and it will be true at Real Madrid in the future.
Of course, there are exceptions!
That would be Bale!
To be written about by Ancelotti in his book with continuous criticism shows how rigid their relationship was back then.
However, the current Bale has also become much more cheerful and willing to share his feelings, unlike in the original timeline where he was alone , who couldn't even speak Spanish well.
Suker believes that the probability of such conflicts erupting will be very small.
Furthermore, Suker's own dominance suppressed Bale.
This suppression was even more severe than Cristiano Ronaldo's in the original timeline, so it was difficult for Bale to have other thoughts. Florentino also regarded Suker as the star player, and if anyone touched Suker's position, he would be the first to object.
"My current task is to recuperate well, then strive to recover as soon as possible. I don't expect to return to my best form, but at the very least, I want to participate in the 2014 World Cup!"
Kaka had a prediction for the extent of his recovery from this injury.
Returning to peak performance was absolutely impossible.
He just hoped his form wouldn't drop too quickly!
He would actively prepare during recovery training, striving to reach his best condition.
"Keep it up." Suker patted Kaka's shoulder, "If you don't come back soon, Kroos will almost take your place."
"It's okay, I just need a spot in the starting lineup, or at worst, as a substitute!"
Listening to Kaka's words, Suker frowned, "You and Srna, why are you both the same?"
Kaka shrugged, "I'm 31! What do you want me to do?"
Suker left angrily.
Kaka awkwardly scratched his cheek and stretched his neck, shouting, "Is there still food tomorrow?"
Suker turned his head and held out his hand.
Thumps!
Kaka smiled as he watched Suker leave.
"Looks like there's food!"
February 11th, La Liga Matchday 23.
Real Madrid hosted Granada.
This was the last League match before the Champions League knockout stage.
Real Madrid was extremely serious and easily secured a victory.
Meanwhile, in the Paris Saint-Germain conference room, Ancelotti pointed to a paused screen on the large display.
"Real Madrid will use chaotic passing and movement to disrupt your judgment, but there's a key in this aspect, and that's Suker's movement!"
Ancelotti pointed to the big screen and said, "Srna makes a cross from the right towards the penalty area. At this time, Bale, Benzema, and even Kroos are all in front, and the opponent's attention will be drawn to them, but you can't ignore the overall picture because of local issues!"
Ancelotti zoomed out the screen, and soon the full view of the front field appeared.
In the frozen image, the sound of Suker about to start was incredibly clear.
"Look!" Ancelotti pointed at Suker, "He's already started to make a sneaky run."
The video played again, and Benzema flicked his head to pass the ball to Suker.
Suker, still on the move, directly swung his left foot, taking a volley shot, and scored.
Ancelotti froze the screen again.
"Real Madrid plays very chaotically, but you only need to remember one thing: no matter when, Real Madrid will always look for opportunities to pass the ball to Suker."
Zlatan Ibrahimović raised his hand and said, "If we clear it at that point, there won't be any danger afterwards."
Ancelotti nodded, "Yes, that's the best outcome, but what if Real Madrid finds an opportunity to pass? Will Suker give us a chance to rdo it?"
Thiago Silva and others thought of Suker's scoring efficiency and couldn't help but curl their lips.
Suker wouldn't give them any chance!
"So, we need to defend well within the penalty area, and at the same time, keep a close eye on Suker!"
Ancelotti said seriously, "Among us, one player needs to sacrifice himself for the team. His task is simple: to stick with Suker, whether it's pulling him or holding him, just slow down his starting timing!"
"Most importantly," Ancelotti pointed to the Granada defenders on the screen whose attention was diverted, "Never let your attention be diverted; your eyes must always be on Suker."
"What if the marking player is bypassed?" Thiago Silva asked.
Hearing this, Ancelotti smiled: "Suker doesn't hold onto the ball. To increase concealment, Suker always touches the ball with one touch, so don't be afraid of being bypassed, because he won't attempt to dribble past you. Once Suker holds onto the ball, it means their pre-match arrangements have completely failed, and we will take the initiative, understand?"
The Paris Saint-Germain players nodded in unison: "Understood!"
As the players dispersed, Ancelotti specifically sought out Thiago Silva, meticulously informing him of Suker's shooting range and how to deal with him.
Even with this, feeling it wasn't secure enough, he called over Matuidi and instructed him to support the marking player, even if it meant fouling to stop Suker if necessary.
Despite these layered instructions, Ancelotti still felt a sense of unease in his heart.
But he could no longer make any better arrangements.
"Is this really necessary?"
Ancelotti's son walked over, confused; "Our combat strength is still considerable. Even if it weren't, we could still go head-to-head with Real Madrid."
Ancelotti sighed in response: "You don't understand Suker. He is an all-rounder in the true sense of the word!"
"He can play any position, and he possesses powerful finishing ability and the ability to drive the game!"
"If my approach isn't extreme enough, just give Suker a tiny chance, and he can turn the game around."
Davide raised an eyebrow, a gesture almost identical to Ancelotti's.
"Moreover, even with this, I'm not confident I can completely restrict him." Ancelotti rubbed his temples, a bit of a headache; "So, I plan to even play ugly to stop Suker, and I've devised some tactical fouls."
Davide grinned, thinking, "Isn't this a bit exaggerated?"
Although he knew Suker was strong, he hadn't experienced it firsthand.
In the pre-season warm-up matches, Suker's performance was also very good, but it didn't seem so difficult to deal with.
However, players don't go all out in warm-up matches, which is understandable.
But he still felt it was a bit exaggerated.
Nevertheless, he also trusted Ancelotti's judgment; his father was a cautious coach who wouldn't do something like this without reason.
Since he did it, it meant Suker was indeed very tricky.
Even beyond his own imagination!
Furthermore, Ancelotti had coached Suker, so he had more say than others.
From the League to the Champions League, there was only one day of preparation time.
On Tuesday, February 11th, the entire Real Madrid team flew to Paris, the Capital of France.
Here, they also received a huge welcome.
Under successful commercial promotion, Real Madrid fans are spread all over the world, and no matter where they go, they can find their own fans.
And not only local fans, but also loyal fans who traveled long distances.
With the support and embrace of these people, the entire Real Madrid team headed towards the hotel.
Upon arriving at the hotel, the players checked in and then reassembled to go to the training ground.
Winter in Paris is a bit colder.
The highest temperature in Madrid in February can reach around 16 degrees Celsius, but in Paris, it is currently only 5 degrees Celsius.
For this reason, when the players warmed up, they were fully dressed to prevent catching a cold.
Suker even put on a hat, scarf, and gloves.
He felt like he was done for!
When he was in Croatia, this bit of cold didn't affect him at all; he played just the same.
But now he was a bit less tolerant to cold, easily getting cold hands and feet, which then affected his warm-up progress.
For this reason, Suker needed to spend more time warming up.
After the training camp, Suker found Zidane, Benzema, and Bale.
"Tomorrow's match, if things go wrong, we'll immediately revert to our previous defensive counter-attacking tactic!"
Suker's expression was slightly solemn.
Paris Saint-Germain's combat strength was decent, but the most crucial factor was Ancelotti's tactical arrangement ability.
During his time at Milan, Suker had deeply experienced this issue.
Under the old man's wild imagination and endless tactics, many strong teams were tormented by Milan at the time.
Among them, Bayern Munich was the most miserable!
The 'Double Ghosts Knocking on the Door' tactic with Inzaghi and Suker gave the aging Lion King Kahn a constant headache.
Suker was unsure if Ancelotti knew the core of their tactics.
But better safe than sorry. Facing such a Head Coach, and without a top-tier renowned coach on their side, they had to be extra careful.
The other three also immediately nodded, and Zidane said; "I've also thought about this issue. I will make appropriate personnel changes!"
Suker had great confidence in Zidane's ability to read the game.
Furthermore, Real Madrid's bench did not lack players with distinct technical characteristics, so they could employ many tactics and different offensive patterns.
The last day of training in Paris concluded, and now it was time to await the match.
After a two-month hiatus, the Champions League fire reignited.
And as the opening match of the 2012/2013 Champions League Round of 16 knockout stage, the Real Madrid vs. Paris Saint-Germain game naturally attracted a lot of attention.
Real Madrid had just undergone a coaching change during the winter break, and there was internal strife before Christmas. Their current League form was acceptable, but what kind of performance they would deliver in the Champions League remained a question mark.
But after all, they were the defending Champions League champions, so Real Madrid would naturally still be taken seriously.
The next day, the entire Capital of Paris entered a tense atmosphere of preparation.
Although Paris Saint-Germain had been loudly proclaiming their rise recently, showcasing a unique style in the League, and having ended Lyon's dominance over Ligue 1, they were subtly no longer content with internal control within Ligue 1, but rather expanding towards the Champions League.
However, the Paris fans' hearts were still somewhat hollow.
Throughout Ligue 1, only Marseille had won the Champions League so far!
Speaking of heritage, Lyon was even more glorious than them!
Paris Saint-Germain was more like a nouveau riche, and thus was mocked by many.
But they didn't care about that; anyway, they performed very well in the League, and they had to step out of the League and clash with the European powerhouses!
In the group stage, Paris Saint-Germain also delivered good results.
They and Porto both advanced with an undefeated record of 4-2-0.
Only their goal difference was slightly behind, so they were only second in the group, but their overall performance was indeed excellent.
This also boosted their morale.
Now, facing Real Madrid in the knockout stage, they didn't think it was a bad thing.
Firstly, this was not last season's Real Madrid, which didn't have such strong dominance.
Secondly, their own abilities could also be tested!
If they won against Real Madrid, it would further boost their confidence.
Even the Paris Saint-Germain fans hadn't considered the possibility of losing.
They just felt they could win!
Their reasons were also very simple!
Real Madrid had just had internal strife, and the locker room was unstable.
Real Madrid had just changed Head Coach, and there was internal turmoil!
Kaka was injured, and the midfield was chaotic!
Combining these factors, they definitely had hope of winning.
Paris Saint-Germain fans not only said this but also spread it widely online, which annoyed Real Madrid fans.
However, they didn't argue, because for Real Madrid fans, this was just a nouveau riche with no historical heritage.
To put it bluntly, they looked down on Paris Saint-Germain.
In Ligue 1, Real Madrid only recognized Lyon.
After all, Lyon had beaten Real Madrid, and not just once or twice; this was respect earned through sheer strength.
Not like Paris Saint-Germain, using talk! Using hype!
Of course, strategically there was disdain, but the match itself still needed to be taken seriously.
Real Madrid could not underestimate their opponent!
The wheels of history rolled on, and Real Madrid had overturned many times due to underestimating opponents.
One could even say, losing was acceptable, losing with dignity was also fine.
But if they lost due to underestimation, due to being too arrogant, that was unacceptable.
When Real Madrid fans started to criticize, they were very intense!
Regardless, in such an atmosphere, the Champions League Round of 16 opening match was about to begin.
#1056Chapter 1023 Old Fox! Ancelotti! (Second update, please subscribe!)AI Model: gemini-2.5-flash
Paris, Parc des Princes.
France is a romantic country, but sometimes it can be a bit too romantic, leading to abstract situations.
For example, at the Parc des Princes, during the warm-up session, to liven things up, the stadium DJ organized some "Kiss time" activities.
A couple would be locked onto by the camera and displayed on the big screen.
It was supposed to be a fun activity, but then an abstract scene unfolded.
The figures of two men and one woman appeared on the big screen; all three were very happy when they were locked onto, and then the abstract scene occurred.
The woman kissed one man while secretly holding hands with the man behind her.
Immediately, the entire stadium erupted.
Cheers and boos filled the air!
The sudden surge of noise caused the players on the field to instinctively turn their heads towards the big screen.
Suker looked and was immediately dumbfounded.
"Are all French people… this casual?"
Suker turned his head to look at Benzema.
Benzema was also wide-eyed.
"We're not like that!" Benzema quickly explained, but the problem was that the woman on the big screen was still excitedly waving at the camera, even pointing to the man holding her hand behind her.
The audience and players were collectively bewildered.
What kind of relationship is this?!
Fortunately, the stadium quickly changed the camera angle and found the next couple.
Things became much more normal after that.
While Real Madrid was warming up, on the Paris Saint-Germain half, Ancelotti was still repeatedly emphasizing the issue of man-marking.
Since the morning, he had been fixated on this issue, clearly, he was very wary of Suker's individual ability.
Only Head Coaches who had coached Suker understood what kind of performance Suker could deliver in a match with his skills, so they could not be careless.
Under Ancelotti's repeated emphasis, the Paris Saint-Germain players also frequently nodded, indicating their understanding.
Some Paris fans might be getting carried away, but that doesn't mean the players are too.
Although their performance was good, their opponent was Real Madrid, and they had to remain vigilant.
"Everything that needed to be arranged has been arranged, but the match is for you to play. The players' performance is crucial. I have only laid out the general framework; the content of the match still needs to be created by you." Ancelotti looked at the players and slowly said, "Show your performance and let the world see how Paris Saint-Germain plays football!"
Ancelotti's words were not overly passionate, but the match itself had already excited the players.
Soon, both teams' players walked out of the players' tunnel led by the Referee, causing waves of cheers from the crowd.
The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:
Paris Saint-Germain (4-4-2):
Goalkeeper: Sirigu.
Defenders: Jallet, Alex, Thiago Silva, Maxwell.
Midfielders: Lucas Moura, Motta, Matuidi, Pastore.
Forwards: Zlatan Ibrahimović, Lavezzi.
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Kroos, Khedira.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Both teams completed the entrance ceremony, and the match was on the verge of starting.
The players all took their positions on their respective halves, awaiting the start of the match.
Paris Saint-Germain kicked off the first half.
"Ancelotti has deployed a large number of players in the midfield, intending to limit our advances with this," Zidane narrowed his eyes slightly. "In the midfield, they will have Beckham and Matuidi rotating, playing different tactical combinations."
Leidup sighed, "Beckham is 38 years old, and he's still playing in the Big Five Leagues!"
When Beckham played for AC Milan, many people already commented on his enduring vitality.
And now, at 38, Beckham is playing for Paris Saint-Germain, which is no longer just about enduring vitality, but about maintaining his form incredibly well.
Players from his era have mostly been outlasted by him.
At the very least, it's extremely rare for someone at 38 to still appear on the stage of the Big Five Leagues, let alone the Champions League.
The camera also gave Beckham some close-ups.
From the data, it was clear that Beckham was not just bought by Paris to be a mascot.
This old guy still retained good combat effectiveness!
The camera quickly turned, and Suker's voice appeared on screen, eliciting waves of cheers from the crowd.
Even as an away player, Suker received a lot of cheers.
Paris Saint-Germain, apart from a few extreme fans, were otherwise very good.
However, they were easily led astray by these extreme fans, unable to form normal fan groups apart from these extreme fan organizations.
This was the period when Suker won his fifth Ballon d'Or; Europe respects the strong, and football is no exception.
Therefore, no matter where Suker went, he would receive his share of respect.
Of course, the other Real Madrid players were still booed as usual.
The Referee began to withdraw from the center circle, a signal that the match was about to begin.
"This is the opening match of the 2012/2013 Champions League Round of 16 knockout stage, with Paris Saint-Germain hosting Real Madrid!"
"Historically, these two teams have rarely played against each other, and in recent seasons, there's almost no data to support any predictions, so we cannot make predictions based on this."
"Paris Saint-Germain has now become another new powerhouse in Ligue 1 after Lyon, while Real Madrid remains the giant team standing at the pinnacle of European football."
"Facing such a strong opponent, can Paris Saint-Germain secure a victory at home?"
As the French commentator was warming up before the match, the Referee decisively blew the whistle to start the full match.
Beep!
A sharp whistle cut through the sky.
The match has begun!
Bang!
Zlatan Ibrahimović immediately kicked off, and after the kick-off, Paris Saint-Germain did not rush forward, but instead kept their overall formation extremely compact.
As for Real Madrid, they had already charged forward the moment the match started.
Suker quickly ran forward, intending to press!
But soon, a figure appeared beside him.
Motta immediately stuck to Suker and marked him throughout.
The most crucial thing was that at this point, Paris Saint-Germain was in possession, but Motta still disregarded everything; he seemed to have detached from the team, focusing solely on Suker.
Wherever Suker ran, he ran.
Sometimes he would even use his body to block Suker's running direction.
Suker frowned; he pulled towards the wing, and Motta quickly followed, his eyes intently fixed on Suker.
Suker blinked; he said in Italian, "Hey! You guys are in possession!"
Motta nodded, "I know!"
Suker grinned.
Damn it!
An Fatty has assigned a 'bodyguard' to me!
Suker stopped and started walking around the field.
And Motta stood about half a meter away from Suker, even with his arm half-raised, always ensuring he could touch Suker.
If he couldn't keep up with Suker's burst, he could also ensure he could pull Suker down.
Ancelotti watched this scene from the sidelines and nodded slightly.
Motta could not be considered a top midfielder, but his fighting spirit was strong, and he was also very obedient.
Whatever he was told to do, he did.
Therefore, he was very suitable for the 'man-marking' position.
Suker turned and retreated.
At this point, Paris Saint-Germain's first offensive attempt had ended, and the ball was transferred to Real Madrid's feet.
Suker ran towards Khedira, actively asking for the ball.
Behind him, Motta was marking him tightly.
Before Suker touched the ball, on both his left and right, Kroos and Marcelo were also making forward runs.
Suker turned to look at Marcelo, wanting to draw Motta's positioning towards the wing.
Suker also revealed some vulnerabilities, just to see if Motta would take the bait.
But the answer was obvious; this guy was completely unmoved.
Suker could only grin, he hooked the ball with his foot and passed it directly to Kroos in the middle.
Kroos received the ball, turned, and transferred it to the right side.
As Suker just turned, he was immediately blocked by Motta's arm.
Suker reached out and shook off his opponent's arm.
The next second, Motta immediately stuck to Suker, his right hand pulling Suker's jersey.
Although there was no violent tug, Suker could still feel that this guy was always ready to pull.
"So many little fouls!"
Suker sighed to himself.
Suddenly, it made him feel like he was back playing in Serie A, as those old Serie A veterans used to deal with him this way.
However, he was not to be trifled with either!
Suker quickly accelerated, starting to run frequently from side to side.
Motta was still interfering with him, but without Suker pushing forward, he didn't pull hard.
Suker ran frequently and touched the ball a lot.
Every time he ran to a position, he touched and went, sometimes he would be interfered with, but Suker was always able to pass the ball accurately to his teammates' feet.
"Paris Saint-Germain's midfielder Motta kept running with Suker, but this couldn't limit Suker." The Spanish commentator González said with a proud expression.
This was Real Madrid's true core!
How could he be so easily limited!
On the coaching bench, Ancelotti calmly looked at the field and said to Davide beside him, "When Suker is under pressure, he will frequently run left and right, using his passing to connect the team and constantly improve his condition. He did this in Milan when facing those Italian defenders!"
"We call this a 'rabbit,' with agile and quick movements, precise one-touch passes, and a touch-and-go playing style that will give opponents a headache. However, this also precisely shows that we have found the right direction—Suker is feeling the pressure!"
"And the best way to hunt a rabbit is not a shotgun, but…" Ancelotti narrowed his eyes slightly, "a trap!"
Suker ran to the left rib area, creating space again.
He immediately turned his head to look at the opponent's full-back, and at the same time turned to demand a pass.
Marcelo immediately passed the ball forward to Suker.
But just after completing the pass, Marcelo suddenly exclaimed, "Watch out behind you!"
Suker didn't know what was happening behind him, but it didn't prevent him from making a quick decision.
Suker immediately ran forward, actively meeting the ball.
This move allowed Suker to evade the encirclement of Jallet behind him, Motta beside him, and Zlatan Ibrahimović who was about to rush over.
Suker met the ball and immediately made a long pass.
This was a big switch, accurately landing at Bale's position on the other side.
After completing the pass, Suker turned to look at Paris full-back Jallet.
"So fast!"
Suker had confirmed Jallet's position before receiving the ball, but he still kept up.
"So alert!"
Ancelotti also shook his head slightly; Suker almost fell into the trap, but Marcelo's reminder and Suker's instant decision foiled the encirclement.
Beside him, Ancelotti's son Davide's mouth was slightly agape.
It seemed like a simple transfer, but it was incredibly dangerous.
If Suker had lost the ball in that position, Paris Saint-Germain could have quickly launched a counterattack.
At this point, most of Real Madrid's players were in an attacking posture, and if things went wrong, Paris Saint-Germain could easily break through their defense.
But Suker held steady!
A miss by a hair's breadth is a mile wide; this one transfer alone was enough to show Suker's quality.
As time passed, Davide became even more nervous.
"So hard to win the ball!"
Davide couldn't help but grin.
On the field, Suker constantly fell into the encirclement deliberately created by Paris Saint-Germain, but he was always able to react in advance and get the ball out before the encirclement closed.
This also led to Paris Saint-Germain's difficulty in winning the ball.
Davide had also played professionally, and although he retired early, he knew that under this kind of pressure, it was like dancing on a tightrope; one wrong move could lead to utter destruction.
But Suker not only held on but also performed very well.
However, Paris Saint-Germain's effect of curbing Real Madrid's attack was also achieved.
The most crucial thing was that they couldn't get "chaotic"!
Paris Saint-Germain played too methodically, making it difficult for Real Madrid to impose their rhythm on them.
Instead, they were subtly influenced by Paris Saint-Germain's rhythm.
"Slowly! Slowly! Don't rush."
Ancelotti pursed his lips and whispered, "Our real target isn't Suker; we need to patiently interfere with them."
As he spoke, Ancelotti's eyes were constantly fixed on Srna.
When Real Madrid's attack in the front field was blocked, they would be very willing to involve their full-backs.
This was the killer move Ancelotti was aiming for!
Indeed, at 21 minutes, Srna began to run forward.
At the same time, Paris Saint-Germain's striker Lavezzi, who had not been active, positioned himself behind Srna.
He didn't drop back but ran to an area with loose defense.
"Pass it here!"
Srna ran to the front field's rib area, raising his hand for the ball.
Bale immediately passed the ball.
Just then, Paris Saint-Germain's full-back Maxwell suddenly stuck out his foot and lightly touched the ball.
Although he couldn't intercept the ball, he changed its rolling direction, making it closer to their own Lucas Moura.
"Oh no!"
Srna quickly rushed towards Moura.
Even if it meant a foul, he had to intercept the opponent's counterattack in the front field.
Moura received the ball and looked forward at Lavezzi.
But his foot gently pushed it sideways.
At this moment, Srna had already slid in, directly tackling Moura, but the ball had already been sent out.
Verratti sprinted rapidly, reaching the front of the ball, and kicked it forward.
The Referee extended both hands forward, indicating advantage.
Paris Saint-Germain's players quickly rushed forward.
Their counterattack had begun!
Roar~~~~!!!!!!!!!
"Charge!!!"
"Go!!!"
"Goal! Goal!"
Paris Saint-Germain fans were also ignited.
They saw the counterattack and became agitated.
The ball was passed forward to Lavezzi. With Srna unable to track back, Ramos and Casemiro closed in, but Verratti again passed the ball along the sideline.
Zlatan Ibrahimović was seen running diagonally, chasing the ball.
Pepe didn't dare to chase deep, otherwise, the middle would be empty.
After passing the ball, Verratti immediately sprinted towards the center, pulling the defense with him, and quickly rushed into the penalty area.
Zlatan Ibrahimović also cut into the penalty area from the side, pushed the ball horizontally, adjusted his steps, and unleashed a fierce shot with his right foot.
A precise ground ball, hitting the bottom left corner near the post.
Casillas made a desperate save, and the ball clanged off the crossbar and bounced back.
Just then, Paris Saint-Germain's midfielder Pastore appeared on the edge of the penalty area line, and with a gentle flick of his foot, he chipped the returning ball.
The ball sailed over the defense and dropped into the goal.
At 24 minutes, Paris Saint-Germain surprisingly scored first!
"Goal!! Goal!! Goal!!"
"Pastore's chip shot gave us the first goal, breaking the deadlock!"
"In this counterattack, all our players performed exceptionally well. Zlatan Ibrahimović's shot was also decisive and accurate, and finally Pastore scored on the rebound!"
"Paris Saint-Germain 1:0 Real Madrid!!!"
Amidst the French commentator's shouts, the entire Parc des Princes erupted.
Paris fans cheered excitedly without stopping.
That's right!
This was the game they wanted to see!
Although the two sides had been fiercely entangled for over 20 minutes, Paris Saint-Germain still seized the opportunity first.
Ancelotti on the sidelines also clenched his fists tightly.
Got it!
Srna's forward run was certainly an advantageous attack, but at the same time, it was also a hidden danger.
Of course, Marcelo pushed forward even more frequently.
But the reason he didn't choose Marcelo's left side was that if he didn't draw Srna out, he wouldn't be able to interfere with Real Madrid's two center-backs!
Ancelotti had analyzed Real Madrid's defensive issues.
Both Ramos and Pepe trusted Srna greatly.
Therefore, if Srna, the full-back, had stayed back just now, Pepe would have confidently rushed towards Zlatan Ibrahimović.
Even at the risk of getting a card, Pepe would have rushed forward without hesitation, because he knew that even if he didn't succeed, he would still interfere with the opponent.
And with Srna's ability, after the interference, Srna could clear the ball.
But the problem was, it was Marcelo who stayed back!
Srna was drawn out.
It's not that Pepe didn't trust Marcelo, but in terms of defense, he was definitely not as stable as Srna.
Ancelotti's pre-match plan was exactly this.
By limiting Suker, putting pressure on Real Madrid, increasing defense on the left wing, forcing Real Madrid to attack from the right wing, and thereby drawing out Srna.
Fortunately, their intercepting counterattack worked in one go, helping them score a goal.