"Djokovic?"
Suker was stunned; "The Serbian tennis player?"
Zorancic nodded; "That's right, he probably watched the match live and posted that message. We also responded via social media, but as soon as he posted it, he was immediately criticized by some extremists and politicians within Serbia!"
Suker nodded.
During the World Cup, Djokovic had praised Croatia for reaching the semi-finals, and he was heavily criticized for it at the time.
After all, due to the war in the Balkans, there are many conflicts between Serbia and Croatia.
It's like the matches between Dinamo Zagreb and Red Star Belgrade; many people don't like to comment on the other side.
However, Djokovic still did it.
For Suker, the war was a thing of the past. Croatia and Serbia still had some animosity, but these issues mostly stemmed from extremists and political groups.
Both Suker and Djokovic had lived through the Yugoslavia era. Although they were very young at the time, they shared similar experiences, and as athletes, they had both achieved glory in different fields, so mutual admiration was not an issue.
"Let's go watch some tennis sometime!"
Suker said casually.
"You play tennis?" Zorancic asked.
Suker shook his head; "No, but I feel it's similar to table tennis!"
Suker played table tennis, even at a championship level within Real Madrid and Milan.
Of course, this was also a case of being the best among the worst; everyone else played poorly. Suker's technique wasn't that impressive, but he could still execute serves with topspin and backspin, loops, chops, forehand drives, and so on.
Therefore, he believed he could also play tennis!
"This match was not easy for you guys!" Zorancic said; "I watched your game, and you were heavily suppressed in the first half, which was very uncomfortable."
Suker nodded; "Boss played some mind games and set up some tactics, but the squad gap was there. Even if they had taken the lead, it would have been difficult for them to win."
"However, it was also due to falling behind and the turbulent situation that our period of strength was delayed, and we couldn't win the match!"
Zorancic; "The Champions League rules changed again this year, right?"
Suker nodded: "Yes, they canceled the upper and lower halves."
Last season, the Champions League adopted a system with upper and lower halves, which were determined during the round of 16 draw, allowing teams to know their opponents in advance.
But this approach really reduced a lot of excitement.
And it was very unfriendly to dark horse fans.
To restore the fairness and excitement of the Champions League, the upper and lower halves were canceled, and a full draw system was adopted.
However, Suker felt it would change again next season!
Anyway, UEFA is currently trying every possible way to stir up the Champions League, making it as exciting as possible.
In an era where commercialized football is rampant, UEFA also wants to make a huge profit through broadcast rights.
After a Champions League match, a summary meeting is usually held.
Moreover, this Champions League match was played very passively, and there were many problems.
However, Leidup was slacking off, and Zidane also didn't want to overly restrict the players, so no summary meeting was held.
In the end, there was no choice but for Suker and Ramos to take the lead in holding a summary meeting the next day.
In the tactics room, Zidane held a notebook and discussed the issues.
He remembered everything in great detail. These points were originally intended to be individually addressed during training, but since a summary meeting was being held, he could just bring them up directly.
"The first goal conceded in the last match occurred when Srna pushed forward, and an interception happened during the pass from Bale to Srna."
Zidane looked at Bale and said; "Your passing intention was too obvious. This must be improved!"
Bale also nodded in understanding.
He also knew that his pass was intercepted in that match, leading to the goal conceded.
"For the second goal conceded, the defense was completely disrupted. Casemiro, you failed to mark Beckham and gave him the opportunity to pass."
After Zidane finished speaking, Casemiro said: "I thought he was going to pass to the wing."
"But no matter where he passes, you need to react, not just watch him pass. You need to put pressure on him."
Zidane said sternly; "I know what you're afraid of. You're afraid of being dribbled past, so you intend to hold your position and not let the opponent break through."
"But Beckham is not a breakthrough player, or rather, he is currently unable to break through, so what you need to do is assess the situation. You need to interfere."
Casemiro thought for a moment, then nodded and said; "I understand!"
Zidane continued to discuss other issues.
Suker, meanwhile, looked at Casemiro.
He felt that ever since Mourinho left, Casemiro seemed to be feeling somewhat insecure.
This was a very normal thing.
Mourinho promoted him, trusted him, and constantly gave him opportunities.
But now that Mourinho was gone, he couldn't know what the new coaching staff's intentions were.
If he made a mistake, would they give him a chance like Mourinho did?
Thinking about such questions too much led to inner anxiety, which was also a reason for his declining performance.
Compared to Casemiro, Kroos's performance was much better.
Perhaps because the team adopted a more offensive stance, Kroos's attacking desire gradually began to increase.
He even became more proactive in making offensive passes, and through successive passes, Kroos's form was visibly excellent.
In the match against Paris Saint-Germain, Kroos demonstrated excellent pressure resistance.
Especially when suppressed in the first half, Kroos used his footwork and passing to create some breathing room for Real Madrid's midfield.
As for Khedira, Mourinho's departure and Kaka's injury brought some peace of mind to the German midfielder.
His fighting spirit had somewhat recovered, but his form had declined.
However, Real Madrid couldn't find a good replacement in the short term, so they could only continue to use Khedira for now.
Suker also felt a bit emotional.
Last season, Real Madrid's midfield was still a combination of Kaka + Alonso + Khedira.
But in just one season, too many things had changed.
First was Alonso's departure, then Kaka's injury, and Khedira also became less effective.
Real Madrid was forced to make extensive rotations in the midfield, and with Mourinho's previous support, they reshaped the midfield combination.
Suker believed Kroos and Casemiro were very lucky.
If it were before, they would definitely have to endure some time on the bench before getting a chance.
But now, Real Madrid's midfield was almost devoid of options, so they naturally inherited these positions in order.
After the summary meeting ended, the Real Madrid players had a training session, and then they all returned home.
In the evening, Suker, Srna, Bale, and Benzema gathered at Suker's house to watch the Champions League match.
Today's Champions League match was very interesting.
Arsenal played Bayern Munich at home!
Suker felt that Professor's Arsenal was truly miserable!
Last season, they had just finished playing against a fully in-form Real Madrid, and this season, they turned around and played Bayern Munich in the round of 16.
It seemed like every season, the team in the best form had to play against Arsenal.
It could be said that in the draws of these two years, Arsenal had been very unlucky, constantly experiencing bad fortune.
Although Arsenal also tried very hard to get the top spot in the Champions League group to overcome the problem of not being able to break through the round of 16.
But losing a captain every year, these things greatly depleted Arsenal's foundation.
Especially Van Persie this year, it was even more regrettable.
Just as they were about to reap the benefits, Van Persie transferred to Manchester United, and Professor could only swallow his bitterness.
"Arsenal is tough to play against!"
Looking at Bayern Munich's lineup led by Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema couldn't help but grimace.
Upfront were Cristiano Ronaldo, Mandžukić, and Robben.
In midfield, Schweinsteiger partnered with Alonso, and Muller stood in the attacking midfield position.
They could attack and control, and their impact was incredibly fierce.
Sure enough, just seven minutes into the match, Cristiano Ronaldo, on the left wing, unleashed a powerful shot, scoring the opening goal.
Cristiano Ronaldo's goal made Arsenal nervous.
Between the 15th and 28th minutes, they received three consecutive yellow cards, using foul tactics to forcefully halt Bayern Munich's offense.
But even so, in the 31st minute, Alonso delivered a chipped pass from outside the box, Cristiano Ronaldo made a diagonal run forward, and headed the ball in with power, scoring again.
"This guy can really score!"
Srna frowned; "His form is too hot."
Suker remained silent.
He could feel that Cristiano Ronaldo was truly on fire at this moment, as if he wanted to unleash all the pressure he had accumulated in the Premier League.
In six group stage matches, Cristiano Ronaldo had already scored 10 goals.
In the first knockout match, he had two goals so far, bringing his total to 12 goals.
Meanwhile, Suker only had 8 goals in the Champions League at that point.
In the 55th minute of the second half, Arsenal clearly made a tactical change, and relying on Wilshere's breakthrough in midfield, he assisted Podolski for a goal.
Wilshere is one of the few technical English players, and he is undoubtedly Arsenal's crown prince!
However, as soon as Arsenal completed their adjustment, Guardiola strengthened control of the midfield, using fluid passing to slow down the pace of the game.
With their midfield completely devoured, Arsenal were forced to retreat.
Bayern Munich, after incorporating technical passing and control, became even more adept at controlling the ball.
"This game is over!"
Suker shook his head directly.
Seeing this, the outcome of the match was basically clear.
Arsenal had almost no chance of a comeback.
Guardiola not only brought technical prowess to this Bayern Munich team but also taught them how to secure victory in matches.
It can be said that this Bayern Munich team now understands even better how to win.
They are also better at playing games!
The match ended with Bayern Munich ultimately defeating Arsenal 5:1.
The process of the match had little to offer in terms of highlights; Arsenal made a few good attacking plays, but they had no way to counter Bayern Munich's relentless offensive onslaught.
And with the defensive pressure, Arsenal gradually retreated, eventually being pinned back into their own penalty area and mercilessly crushed by Bayern Munich!
In this match, Bayern Munich's dominance was the most astonishing, even subtly reminiscent of Real Madrid from last season.
They were complete in many aspects, with virtually no discernible weaknesses or flaws.
After this match, other Champions League fixtures continued.
In the match between Barcelona and AC Milan, the former once again secured a victory.
However, the process was not so easy; Pato threatened Barcelona's goal multiple times, almost causing problems for Barcelona at their home.
But fortunately, Messi's two consecutive goals in the second half helped Barcelona stabilize the situation and simultaneously deflated Milan's morale.
The current Milan gives the impression that they can no longer handle tough battles.
During Suker's time, the greater the pressure applied by the opponent, the sharper Milan's counterattacks became; they could never be suppressed.
Like a highly resilient spring, the greater the pressure, the greater their rebound.
But the current Milan has long lost its former spirit and condition.
Borussia Dortmund was the most surprising team.
In their match against Juventus, many believed that Borussia Dortmund might falter there.
But the Black and Yellows displayed a mad-dog-like attacking style in this match, with frequent counterattacks after tackles or interceptions, making Juventus extremely uncomfortable.
Juventus relied on Pirlo's passing and the passing of Pogba, Kovacic, and others to organize their attacks, with a slower tempo.
But Borussia Dortmund, after winning the ball, immediately launched counterattacks.
This was like an experienced master encountering a hot-blooded young boxer; no matter how much experience you had, the opponent's unreasonable, wild punches would simply leave you dazed.
After 90 minutes, Borussia Dortmund secured a clean 2:0 victory at their home.
This also caused a collective uproar in the Italian media.
AC Milan was one thing.
But Juventus was the number one seed in Serie A.
Yet, when facing the number two seed from the Bundesliga, they not only failed to show dominance but were also completely dazed by their opponent.
They could not accept this result!
Consequently, the verbal attacks and criticisms against Juventus became even more severe.
Many media outlets began to reminisce about the past again.
'The glory of the little world cup,' 'Milan's record of consecutive Champions League titles,' and so on.
The glory was clearly in the recent past, but all they saw was a pitch-black future.
Complaints and curses targeting Juventus were also inevitable.
For example, 'experts in internal battles, amateurs in external ones,' 'a Zebra Legion that only bullies at home,' and so on.
It can be said that as arrogant and excited as they were before the match, they were equally distraught now.
But the outcome was already determined.
Juventus lost the first leg, and they could only place their hopes on the second leg back at their home.
As for Real Madrid, they also placed great importance on the Champions League now.
However, their biggest task at the moment was to close the points gap with Barcelona.
A total difference of five points.
At the very least, Barcelona had to lose one match!
But currently, there aren't many teams that can defeat Barcelona.
Therefore, more hope was placed on those relegation-threatened teams!
With the ferocity of relegation teams, they would fiercely interfere and defend at their home, all for the sake of securing a single point.
They didn't even aspire to win all three points at their home; just securing one point against these powerful teams at their home was enough.
Of course, Real Madrid faced similar pressure.
Therefore, in the points scramble of the second half of the season, it wasn't about who was better at crushing weaker opponents, but rather, in a chaotic situation, who was better at scoring goals.
But in this regard, Real Madrid clearly had an advantage.
The reason was simple: Real Madrid's style of play was more direct and brutal!
Suker's heading, set-piece, and dribbling abilities.
These were all high-intensity factors linked to physical fitness; no matter how tactics were arranged, if you couldn't keep up, you couldn't keep up; if you couldn't jump high enough, you couldn't jump high enough.
Therefore, when Real Madrid faced those tough relegation teams,
They mostly employed technical players.
For example, Di Maria, Suker, Kroos, and others would relentlessly penetrate, winning penalties, set-pieces, and corners.
At the same time, they utilized Suker's extraordinary individual ability to secure victory in matches.
Just like in La Liga's 25th round, when Real Madrid faced Deportivo de La Coruña, Suker, within the penalty area, used his jumping advantage to launch an aerial bombardment.
Under continuous bombardment, Suker transformed into a bomber.
Every jump was a dive-bomb!
Even when Deportivo de La Coruña sent three players, they still couldn't prevent Suker from heading the ball.
And relying on Suker's powerful physical jumping ability, he managed to breach Deportivo de La Coruña's goal in the 76th minute.
Swish!
Suker landed, his jersey covered in grass clippings, his white shirt almost dyed green.
His chest heaved violently, but his eyes were filled with a terrifying sense of oppression.
Suker looked around, and the surrounding Deportivo de La Coruña players were all bewildered.
They had defended with all their might, but they still couldn't stop a monster like Suker.
The entire Deportivo de La Coruña home was also silent.
It wasn't that Deportivo de La Coruña's players played poorly; it was simply that Suker was too strong.
In the 80th minute, Suker was substituted.
In this match, Suker expended a lot of energy; in order to catch up in points, Real Madrid had to ensure victory in every match.
Especially against relegation teams like Deportivo de La Coruña, they were tough nuts to crack.
As Suker walked off the field, he also looked back at Deportivo de La Coruña.
He still remembered Super Depor's excellent performances in the Champions League.
At that time, Deportivo de La Coruña was also a strong team in La Liga capable of threatening Real Madrid and Barcelona.
However, with the impact of money football, Deportivo de La Coruña continuously lost key players, the club lacked successors, and they also encountered some financial problems, leading to poor results and forced relegation.
And when they returned to La Liga, they had already lost their former competitiveness!
At the front of the stadium stands, the banner emblazoned with 'Let us return to glory!' fluttered in the wind, but it appeared particularly desolate.
This could only be a beautiful wish of Deportivo de La Coruña fans!
The current European football scene was no longer the chaotic period of the early 2000s.
Miracles were gradually moving away from the mainstream League, and big clubs dominated the transfer market through economic hegemony.
Inability to retain core players and stars meant they would have no future!