"Juventus currently primarily uses a three-center-back formation, which has become their main formation since the Champions League."
Leidup was explaining Juventus' tactics.
To be honest, the three-center-back system has never been a primary system, but with the frequent use by Head Coaches like Conte and Guardiola, this tactic has gradually become well-known and accepted by the public.
Juventus' three-center-back system is mainly based on Pirlo's arrival, establishing the core concept of an Italian-style deep-lying playmaker.
Strengthening the midfield, wing-backs push forward.
"This is a lineup that emphasizes midfield reinforcement, with a defense composed of three center-backs with distinct styles and an excellent Goalkeeper."
"Chiellini, fierce in defense and active in tackling!"
"Barzagli, experienced and good at commanding and coordinating the defense!"
"Bonucci, deep-lying sweeper, precise positioning, and an excellent long-pass technique!"
"These three center-backs, plus Goalkeeper Buffon, form the current Juventus defense."
At this point, Leidup got stuck.
He was just explaining, but when it came to solutions, he truly had none.
Suker and the others also grimaced; this guy really was just slacking off, but he was slacking off too much.
Fortunately, Zidane immediately took over the topic and continued: "Juventus simplifies the defense and strengthens the role of the midfield, revolving around Pirlo, pushing forward with two forwards, Vucinic and Quagliarella!"
"The most crucial part is the five-man midfield; this is the line we must pass through before we can threaten the real defense!"
"Juventus definitely wants to control the tempo of the midfield, so we must try our best to avoid this situation."
"There are two options,"
Zidane suggested: "First: use high pressing to continuously pressure their defense; after all, it's a three-man defense, and one less person can easily cause problems with ball distribution. As long as we apply appropriate pressure, they will have a hard time. Of course, we also need to be careful of Pirlo dropping back to receive the ball; he always goes back to support and help the defense receive the ball."
"Furthermore, Bonucci's long passes also have the ability to directly find the forwards, which requires our defense to constantly pay attention to them."
"Second: defensive counter-attack, play the game with them using our most accustomed method, using the speed of Bale and Suker to forcefully attack their defense!"
Suker felt it was messed up!
The match was tomorrow, and the final tactics had not yet been decided.
This was the drawback of a slacking Head Coach and a chaotic command system.
Ultimately, Real Madrid chose the first option; they still didn't want to solve the problem through defense.
They also didn't want to play passively!
After the tactical meeting, Zidane found Kroos alone.
Kroos looked at Zidane in front of him, a bit puzzled.
Zidane pulled up a chair and sat in front of Kroos, saying earnestly;
"The tactics have been set, but facing Juventus' midfield, I still feel it's not enough!"
"Toni!" Zidane looked directly at Kroos: "In a clash of top-tier midfielders, what do you think is the most important?"
Kroos paused for a moment, then replied: "Game reading ability, tempo, and organizational skills!"
"That's technical!" Zidane extended his index finger and pointed to Kroos' left chest: "Do you feel its strong beat?"
Kroos nodded.
Zidane: "Let it calm down! This is what you need to do. The midfield is different from other positions; as a midfielder, you must be the calmest person on the field!"
"Forwards can use passion, anger, and other emotions to enhance their attacking power, and the defense can also motivate themselves in similar ways, but the midfield cannot!"
"You must always understand that the midfield is the brain, the command center. If you are chaotic, the whole team will be chaotic!"
"I know Pirlo has put a lot of pressure on you. Undeniably, he is a top-tier midfield maestro. I can organize the game tempo in an orderly manner. He possesses powerful tempo control. He is commanding on the opposite half. If we want to win this match, the most crucial person is not Suker, but you!"
"Only if you withstand the pressure from Pirlo, disrupt their rhythm, and allow us to maintain an attacking channel, can we create offensive opportunities!"
"Me?" Kroos subconsciously pointed to himself.
"You lack confidence?" Zidane looked at Kroos: "Strong individuals are not afraid of challenges. Don't use terms like young or growing to mislead yourself. You must constantly compare yourself to those top-tier midfielders. You must constantly think, compare previous matches, find problems, and make yourself even better!"
"Toni! Take this step, on the Champions League stage, tell the world that you are also a top-tier midfielder. I believe you can do it!"
Kroos was somewhat bewildered.
In Bayern Munich, he was always denied, but after transferring, he was met with constant affirmations.
However, at the same time, there were intense challenges!
Kroos didn't doubt his talent; given time, he could challenge Pirlo.
But... Zidane told him that now was a good opportunity to challenge!
Could he really do it?
Pirlo!
This was Italy's absolute midfield core, the tactical cornerstone of the Milan Dynasty, and currently the only active midfield maestro!
But just as Zidane said, if he didn't challenge this authority, his team would fall into a passive state.
So, he had to do it.
Zidane walked out of the tactical room; he didn't interrupt Kroos' thoughts.
"Can Kroos really do it?" Leidup leaned over and asked.
He knew what Zidane was trying to do; if Kroos and Pirlo could stand their ground, then Real Madrid's match would be much easier.
"I don't know." Zidane shook his head: "No one can know the result before the match ends, but I want to believe in him; he can make a breakthrough."
"Isn't he too young?" Leidup said.
Zidane frowned: "This is the current problem. Young doesn't mean weak. Youth is synonymous with struggle. When we were young, our goals were always those top-tier players. We would compare ourselves to them, make up for our shortcomings, instead of using youth to comfort ourselves. Every challenge we face is with all our might, striving for better performance, until we defeat them!"
Leidup nodded; "However, we cannot weaken Suker's tactical resources because of this."
"Of course!" Zidane nodded: "I just hope Kroos can perform better and play with more confidence!"
"Professional players can only break through themselves in matches! This is something that training cannot achieve!"
The next day, Turin, Italy, Juventus Stadium.
The black and white striped color scheme is Juventus' color, and also the origin of the Zebra Army.
Juventus Stadium also shares the same color scheme as their home jersey, primarily black and white.
Wednesday, Champions League match day, bustling with people.
Tens of thousands of Juventus fans poured into the stadium to cheer for their Champions League match.
Although their opponents were formidable, Juventus, on the path to revival, was fearless.
This was a team that had experienced lows and desperate situations, yet stubbornly and tenaciously completed its revival and once again stepped into Europe's top League.
They would lament that dark period, but they wouldn't dwell on it.
Because Juventus deserves a better future!
Forza Juventus!!!
Juventus for ever!!!
The entire stadium was filled with intense cheers. Relegated in the 2006/2007 season, promoted in the 2007/2008 season, and won the Serie A in the 2011/2012 season!
They had walked this path for a full six years!
But the great Zebra Army would not die.
Juventus always shines brightly in the Serie A.
After enduring hardships, Juventus seemed to have become even more resilient!
Although the overall combat strength of Serie A had declined, Juventus was one of the few teams that retained its combat strength.
While they had declined compared to their peak, they believed they could restore their glory.
Waves of cheers impacted the stadium.
Kroos stood in the stadium, looked around, and then looked at the opposite half of the field.
Long hair and a thick beard, looking a bit old, but with agile movements—this was the universally recognized midfield maestro in football today, Andrea Pirlo!
Under his perpetually furrowed brow were bright eyes, constantly observing and analyzing.
Even when walking normally, his head would subconsciously turn from side to side; this was a common habit among midfielders, subconsciously observing their surroundings.
Compared to the world-renowned Pirlo, Kroos was definitely a young player.
Whether in terms of experience or other aspects, Kroos understood that he had many shortcomings.
But Zidane was right, youth is not an excuse!
How old was Suker when he played for Milan?
At that time, this guy was able to dominate various front lines, almost monopolizing the top scorer list, and from 2007 onwards, he became a major monopolizer of the Ballon d'Or.
So, youth is not an excuse!
In the locker room, Suker was explaining some of Pirlo's issues to Kroos.
"Andre dislikes confrontation, so he is often assigned a bodyguard role. Therefore, you can try to stick to him when playing."
"His ability to get rid of a single opponent is very good, but it's limited to one person. To get rid of a second person, he often needs more agile physical conditions, but this is not Andre's strong suit. Therefore, after getting rid of one person, he will immediately pass the ball!"
Kroos listened very carefully.
"Third is defensive ability. Of course, Andre's defense isn't that bad, but as a defensive midfielder, it's clearly not up to par. However, he has a bodyguard, you know!"
Listening to Suker's explanation, Kroos was also constantly thinking and seeking targeted solutions.
In terms of matchups, Pirlo was a defensive midfielder and he was a central attacking midfielder, so their positions would overlap. For this, he needed to frequently cause trouble for Pirlo.
It could even be said that Kroos's performance, whether good or bad, was related to suppressing Pirlo's effectiveness.
On the other side, Ramos had also finished his pre-match pep talk. Just as everyone was about to leave, Kroos suddenly called out to them.
"I will observe more in the first half, combining with our rhythm, to press more actively. And when I think it's necessary, I hope everyone can trust me and pass the ball to me."
Kroos's sudden words made everyone pause.
In their impression, Kroos was a stubborn German who rarely spoke, and even less so would he proactively say anything during a pre-match pep talk.
He couldn't be described as rigid, but he was quite a stubborn person.
Now, he suddenly spoke up and made some requests, which also surprised everyone.
Of course, this was not a bad thing. Communication could inherently promote the progress of the game. What's more, Kroos proactively saying these things meant he probably had some ideas.
"Understood!"
Suker clapped his hands and said, "You observe as much as possible, and when you find a breakthrough, tell us."
The others had the same idea.
Everyone had different game strategies, and only through communication could they reach an agreement.
Kroos took a deep breath, "I will perform."
Ramos smiled, turned his head, and said, "Let's go! It's time for us to face them."
In the player tunnel, both teams stood in two lines.
A tense atmosphere had already begun to permeate.
Entering the Champions League quarter-finals, the intensity of the matches had begun to gradually increase.
After all, one more step would be the semi-finals, and this was an opportunity that all teams wanted to seize.
Under the camera, both players silently awaited the start of the match.
The entire player tunnel carried a suppressive atmosphere.
The Referee received the notification, he let out a breath, turned his head and said, "Ready to enter the field!"
Soon, both teams, led by their respective captains, walked out of the player tunnel.
The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:
Juventus (3-5-2):
Goalkeeper: Buffon.
Defenders: Chiellini, Bonucci, Barzagli.
Midfielders: Padoin, Pogba, Pirlo, Marchisio, Asamoah.
Forwards: Quagliarella, Vucinic.
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Diego López.
Defenders: Srna, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Kroos, Khedira.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Kroos kept taking deep breaths to calm his emotions.
No matter how nervous or excited he was, he had to force himself to calm down.
Looking at the opposing lineup, it was a 3-5-2 formation, just as they had previously predicted.
However, Vidal was replaced by Pogba in the midfield.
Kroos had also paid attention to this young French midfielder.
Despite his youth, he had a rich imagination, exquisite long-pass technique, and excellent footwork.
His physique was indeed tall, but he was extremely agile.
Especially learning to play alongside Pirlo, his overall performance was very outstanding.
In addition, there was also a Croatian player named Kovacic, who was also very good.
However, he was not seen on the bench, possibly due to injury.
Kroos took another deep breath, the match was about to begin.
He must play well in this match!
Juventus kicked off the first half, and both teams had already taken their positions in their respective halves.
With the sound of the whistle.
The 2012/2013 Champions League quarter-finals kicked off!
"The match begins, the match begins! Juventus hosts Real Madrid at home!"
"Both teams have fielded their best lineups. For Real Madrid, apart from Kaka who is injured and has not yet returned, Pepe has been replaced in the defensive line by Varane, who has been performing well recently, for the starting lineup."
"Juventus's midfield lineup has also seen some changes, with the impressive young French player Pogba once again gracing the Champions League stage!"
While the commentator was introducing, Juventus was already passing the ball in their backfield.
With a large number of players accumulated in the midfield, they could have multiple passing options.
Pirlo dropped back to receive the ball as usual and advanced with it.
Of course, if he encountered high pressing, he would immediately pass it away.
Seeing Kroos run towards him, Pirlo passed the ball to Pogba next to him. Just as he was about to continue running forward, Kroos, without slowing down, bumped into him.
Bang!
A light collision, but it made Pirlo look displeased.
This was intentional!
Kroos also turned his head to glance at Pirlo, said nothing, and continued to stick by Pirlo's side.
Soon, Pirlo realized that this German midfielder was sticking to him.
However, with Pirlo's ability, he was still able to control the ball and dictate the rhythm.
Moreover, the pressure Kroos was applying was not significant.
Kroos's head kept turning left and right, observing, and at the same time, he was also paying attention to Pirlo's movements.
Kroos believed that attacks were always traceable.
When a certain point was reached, Juventus would suddenly push forward.
This was also Juventus's fixed style of play: casually passing the ball in the backfield, but being decisive in crucial moments when pushing forward.
And what Kroos was doing was stubbornly sticking to Pirlo, constantly interfering with him.
He didn't expect Pirlo to make a mistake, after all, this kind of pressure was nothing for a midfielder of Pirlo's caliber.
Kroos was mostly observing.
Observing the opponent, and also observing his teammates.
Bang!
Suddenly, Juventus launched an attack, initiated by Pogba.
After all, he was young and couldn't quite hold his composure.
But a probing attack was still very necessary.
However, the problem was that Pogba chose to attack down the left wing, which was Real Madrid's right wing.
In that position, Srna had already blocked Vucinic's wing channel, forcing him to slow down and buy time for Ramos to clear the ball.
Ramos was not hesitant either, immediately reaching the landing spot, jumping up to head the ball, all in one fluid motion.
The ball was passed to Casemiro's feet, and Casemiro immediately sent it forward to Suker.
Suker dropped back to receive the ball near the midfield line, and when he turned around, Juventus's midfield line had already retreated completely.
"So fast!"
Suker couldn't help but grin.
He didn't try to break through either, mainly because the attacking positions on the left wing were all blocked.
Khedira also received the pass from Suker and continued to pass it backward.
At this point, Kroos actively left the attacking third and ran towards his own half.
Seeing this, Zidane's eyes lit up.
"If you can't find a receiving position, then actively drop back. Although it will increase the running distance, it's fine for a young person to run more."
Zidane believed that there were many ways to solve problems, but it was about taking action.
A clumsy method is also a method!