On the day of the Champions League Semi-Final, the entire city of Munich was already buzzing with excitement.
The match between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, in particular, attracted a lot of attention.
This match was a star-studded affair and garnered extremely high interest.
It could even be said that the winner of this match would have a very high probability of winning the Champions League.
Some media even hailed this match as the 'Champions League ahead of schedule'.
Cristiano Ronaldo rubbed his neat, short hair.
To prepare for this match, he had a special haircut, making his image even more clean and sharp.
He attached immense importance to this match, which is why he cut his hair short, removing all factors that might hinder his performance in this game.
He had to deliver a spectacular performance; only then could he defeat Suker.
"Everyone, get ready, we're heading to home soon," Guardiola said, glancing at Cristiano Ronaldo and nodding slightly.
Cristiano Ronaldo's expression was already solemn.
Guardiola didn't pay much attention to this.
If others showed nervous or solemn expressions, he would offer comfort and relieve their pressure.
But Cristiano Ronaldo didn't need it; the greater the pressure, the better he performed.
Therefore, he believed it was appropriate to give Cristiano Ronaldo some pressure.
Of course, for this match, he didn't need to say much; the name Suker was already enough to pressure Cristiano Ronaldo.
After how many seasons, another direct confrontation!
Cristiano Ronaldo had been waiting for this moment for a long time.
Real Madrid also departed from their hotel and headed to Allianz Arena.
The journey was quiet, with almost no one speaking; after entering the Champions League Semi-Final, the atmosphere had become exceptionally solemn.
Moreover, this time they were facing a formidable opponent.
Last season went smoothly, but this season, it had been a bumpy road, and Real Madrid had entered a state of self-doubt several times.
However, they still persevered, and now, they had no reason to give up.
No matter how difficult, they had to grit their teeth and endure.
Munch!
Munch!
Suker sat on the bus, munching on a banana.
His habit was not to eat before a match to reduce the burden on his stomach, but he couldn't eat nothing at all; to increase satiety, bananas were always on hand.
After eating one banana, although he wanted another, Suker resisted.
He would eat again after the match; now it was time to adjust his state.
Closing his eyes and reviewing his previous matches was Suker's unique method of adjusting his state.
He used meditation and recollection to make his mental state agitated, thereby igniting his fighting spirit.
Just as he was meditating, a sudden burst of cheers erupted beside his ears.
Suker slowly opened his eyes; he knew the bus had arrived at the 'battlefield'.
He turned his head to look, and Allianz Arena stood in the distance down the road.
This was Real Madrid's decisive battleground tonight!
As the bus arrived at the entrance, Leidup stood up and shouted, "Do not accept any interviews! Go directly into the stadium, and the accompanying staff will move all our belongings to the locker room!"
After Leidup shouted, Zidane clapped and said, "GO! GO! GO!"
The Real Madrid players walked directly into the stadium, remaining silent when faced with reporters' questions along the way; generally, they do not accept any interviews before a match.
Upon arriving at the locker room, the equipment was quickly wheeled in.
The players each picked up their training kits and put them on.
The starting players put on their match uniforms and then left the locker room to warm up.
Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Allianz Arena was packed, with tens of thousands of Bayern fans gathered, forming waves of sound.
This made Wednesday night in Munich incredibly lively.
Suker was warming up, and he could feel the cheers roaring from all directions.
Thanks to Bayern Munich's excellent performance during this period, their morale and confidence were no joke.
Especially after Bayern Munich's massacre of Barcelona in the previous round, this momentum reached its peak.
Forward!!!!
Munich!!!!!
Forward!!!!
Munich!!!!!
Tens of thousands of people shouting at the same time, fierce slogans echoing in the stadium, even the ground was trembling.
Flags fluttered in the stands, countless fans raised their hands, like a forest of arms, cheering and shaking violently.
The sound of tens of thousands of people clapping together, the synchronized claps exploded like thunder.
Boom boom boom boom boom!!!
This dense wave of sound was even more intense and captivating than before.
"This morale is no joke!"
Srna approached Suker and said, looking at the boiling stands.
Fans are the most direct expression of a team's state.
For teams that perform poorly or lose frequently, their fans will appear very subdued, and the home atmosphere will be as quiet as a library.
Of course, there are exceptions due to unique fan cultures, but these are a minority.
However, for teams that are constantly winning and performing excellently, their fans will be particularly fervent, and the home atmosphere directly transforms into a devil's home, with the excitement and exhilaration in their shouts being unmistakable.
And at this moment, the Bayern Munich fans gave off that exact feeling.
This was almost identical to the Bernabéu stadium last season.
Even though the Bernabéu stadium is still very lively now, it ultimately lacks some of that unwavering determination and crazy mentality.
And the Real Madrid players understood this very well, so they also realized how fervent the morale of this Bayern Munich team was.
"Alright, we should head back and get ready!"
Suker waved his hand, and everyone followed him towards the players' tunnel.
On the other side, the Bayern Munich players also walked in simultaneously.
The two teams converged at the locker room entrance but kept their eyes straight ahead, ignoring each other.
Their gazes had become incredibly resolute.
Warm-up was over, and the match was about to begin.
The tense moment had arrived.
For Real Madrid, could they withstand this Shock and reach the Champions League for the third consecutive year?
Or would Bayern Munich defeat Real Madrid and fulfill their long-cherished wish?
All of this would gradually be revealed.
"Folks! The moment of madness has arrived! This is the stage for the 2012/2013 Champions League Semi-Final!"
"After a grueling schedule, the competition has finally reached the semi-finals. I believe this moment is what both sets of players have been looking forward to, but there will only be one winner, and only one spot in the final!"
"And they will need to fight for it, stepping over each other's bodies to enter the hall of glory!"
"I believe they are all ready. Now, let's turn our cameras to the players' tunnel ahead."
The camera switched, showing the players' tunnel where both teams were neatly lined up.
Ramos and Lahm, as the captains, stood at the very front of their respective teams.
Behind them were the Goalkeeper, defenders, midfielders, and forwards in order.
At the very end of the line, the camera provided two close-ups.
Suker and Cristiano Ronaldo both stood at the very back.
One wore a red Bayern home jersey, with a large number 7 on his back.
"Cristiano Ronaldo, a superstar from Portugal, has won the Premier League multiple times and lifted the Champions League. He is also the top scorer in both the Champions League and Bundesliga this season!"
"Undoubtedly, Ronaldo has become the most influential number seven currently playing, and also the best number 7!"
The camera turned, and Suker's image appeared.
Neat, short hair, a robust physique, and a number nine on his back under a white jersey.
"A superstar from Croatia, the best active player, a five-time Ballon d'Or winner. Many say that forwards born in the same era as Suker are tragic, because they will have to endure suppression from Suker their entire lives!"
"Thanks to his outstanding performance, Suker has already won five Ballon d'Or awards. Countless forwards have tried to challenge him, but very few have succeeded, and even if they succeeded once, they were quickly defeated by Suker again!"
"Suker's power is continuous, and his dominance is also continuous!"
"This match is a confrontation between two superstar forwards. Can Ronaldo defeat Suker, break through his limits, and shatter Suker's monopoly over the honors of the entire European frontline?"
"At the same time, can Suker defend his honors against the formidable Ronaldo and Bayern Munich?"
A sudden, fierce cheer erupted from the stadium, and with a signal from the Referee, both teams stepped onto the field.
The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Neuer.
Defenders: Lahm, Van Buyten, Dante, Alaba.
Midfielders: Robben, Alonso, Muller, Schweinsteiger, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Forward: Mandžukić.
Real Madrid (4-4-2):
Goalkeeper: Diego López.
Defenders: Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Coentrão.
Midfielders: Di Maria, Casemiro, Kroos, Khedira.
Forwards: Benzema, Suker.
"From every angle, this match is an attacking battle!" a German expert analyzed; "Bayern Munich's style of play is offensive. For our tactics to gain an advantage, we must attack forward, constantly pressing the opponent's midfield through continuous attacks, gaining a rhythm advantage and scoring goals!"
"As for Real Madrid, during Mourinho's era, they still played a defensive counter-attacking style, but this season, they have also changed their approach to an offensive style similar to ours, which is evident from their squad changes!"
"The 4-4-2 system doesn't increase the defensive capability of the central defense; instead, it uses a diamond midfield to send Kroos into a more dangerous area. Suker is hidden behind Benzema, ready to threaten our backline at any moment."
"Real Madrid wants to attack, and we also want to attack. So, the key is who can score first in the attack!"
As the analysis concluded, the match on the field also directly kicked off.
The moment the whistle blew, both teams immediately sprang into action, rushing towards each other's half.
Just as the German expert stated, both teams went straight for a head-to-head battle after the kickoff.
Bang!
Alonso, from the backfield, launched a long ball forward, looking for Cristiano Ronaldo.
As soon as Cristiano Ronaldo received the ball, he was immediately entangled by Casemiro and Srna.
But Cristiano Ronaldo was decisive; before they could fully close in, he quickly passed the ball away and simultaneously ran into the next open space.
After the kickoff, Bayern Munich didn't probe; they launched an attack directly.
Real Madrid also quickly moved horizontally, constantly blocking the opponent's attacking channels.
At the same time, they also needed to be wary of their own positions.
Especially with Alonso and Schweinsteiger's passing, combined with Muller's runs, Bayern always managed to create some magical attacking variations.
"Careful! Alonso is about to pass!"
Seeing Alonso aiming forward, Suker immediately yelled and quickly closed in.
Real Madrid's formation also quickly pressed forward.
Just then, Alonso pulled the ball back, turned sideways, and gently pushed it horizontally.
He pushed the ball to his side, where Lahm instantly surged forward, meeting the ball and slotting it forward.
The ball pierced through Real Madrid's midfield line and accurately reached Muller's feet.
But after Muller controlled the ball, he didn't dwell on it; he immediately surged forward.
And the ball, left in place, saw a figure burst out from the side, taking a touch forward, followed by a long-range shot.
Bang!
The ball rocketed towards Real Madrid's goal like a cannonball.
"Ronaldo!! Shot!!"
The Spanish commentator González exclaimed.
The quality of this long-range shot was very high!
Bang!
In the nick of time, Real Madrid Goalkeeper Diego López made a sudden save, tipping the ball out for a corner with his palm.
"Oh~~~ My God!!!" González couldn't help but gasp.
Cristiano Ronaldo's sudden shot startled him.
And the quality of this long-range shot was also very high; if Diego López had reacted any slower, Real Madrid would have conceded.
"López is very focused, which is good news for us, but at the same time, we need to be more careful. Bayern Munich is playing these through balls, and of course, we need to limit Ronaldo!"
On camera, Cristiano Ronaldo clapped his hands together, showing a look of regret.
But very quickly, his face was filled with a smile.
His first shot felt great!
"This is Ronaldo! He, like Suker, possesses extremely refined shooting skills with a wide range. No matter where Ronaldo appears, we must be careful!"
Bayern Munich gave Real Madrid a warning shot right at the start of the match.
Cristiano Ronaldo's long-range shot made López break out in a cold sweat!
The other Real Madrid players also looked horrified; this long-range shot reminded them of Suker.
One Suker was already terrifying enough!
And now there's another guy with such terrifying shooting skills.
If López hadn't been pulled aside by Suker before the match to train long-range shots for a period, he probably wouldn't have reacted in time.
"Damn it!"
Suker couldn't help but curse.
This warning shot was really annoying!
"To the left!"
Suker roared.
Soon, Real Madrid kicked off and successfully launched an attack down the left side.
Bayern Munich was on high alert.
Suker saw Lahm's movement and actively dropped back to receive the ball.
Lahm also quickly followed up.
At this moment, Coentrão passed the ball to Suker along the sideline. Suker suddenly accelerated, which also made Lahm quicken his pace.
Just then, Suker made a sudden stop, placing the tip of his foot on the ball's path. When the ball rolled onto his instep, he suddenly flicked it up.
Since he was facing away, blocking Lahm's view, Lahm couldn't make a judgment immediately.
And when Suker turned around, Lahm's head was spinning.
Swish!
Suker forcefully bypassed Lahm on the wing.
During this, Lahm tried to hold Suker back, but the latter suddenly dodged with a sidestep.
Being interfered with during a strong breakthrough wasn't a first or second time for Suker; he was very experienced in this.
Although this did slow down the timing of the attack somewhat, it was harmless.
Suker quickly caught up to the ball.
Di Maria and Benzema had already rushed into the penalty area, ready to contest for a header.
But Suker didn't cross; instead, he suddenly struck the ball with his foot.
"Long shot!! Suker!!!"
González roared again.
The ball smashed towards Bayern Munich's goal. Neuer quickly dived, but the ball still did not graze his palm.
Oh no!
Neuer's heart was in turmoil.
Just then, with a 'ding', the ball hit the post and flew out for a goal kick.
And this crisp sound was like heavenly music to Neuer's ears.
"Oh~~~ The post!!! What a tricky shot!!!"
"Suker's long-range shot was of very high quality. After Ronaldo, Suker also showed his exquisite shooting skills!"
"The two best strikers in the Champions League are having such an intense battle."
"I think the fans watching this match will also have a feast for their eyes. The game just started, and Real Madrid and Bayern Munich are already going head-to-head. Both teams' shots have been on target, posing absolute threats."
"After the kickoff, the match immediately entered a white-hot phase. I look forward to even more exciting performances from them in this match!"
On the field, Cristiano Ronaldo watched Suker from afar, frowning deeply.
His shot was saved by the Real Madrid Goalkeeper, but Suker had beaten Neuer's outstretched hands and hit the post.
He felt that in terms of shooting angle, he was not as good as Suker.
Cristiano Ronaldo had extremely strict demands on himself, demands that even reached an obsessive level.
But he knew that only by doing so could he keep up with a monster like Suker.
"Keep it coming!"
Suker also yelled at the top of his lungs.
Cristiano Ronaldo had given them a warning shot, and he immediately returned one.
Come on!
Bring it on!
Suker roared: "Vamos!!!"
The eruption of both teams' star players immediately sent the match into a frenzy.
Especially with the incredibly morale-boosting long-range shots from both sides, their fighting spirit and passion were ignited.
The struggle in the midfield became even more intense!
Suker and Cristiano Ronaldo were also constantly running, both looking for a more suitable opportunity to pierce through the opponent's goal.
Beneath the intense match, the cheers of the entire stadium's fans came in waves.
The pace of the game was too fast.
Both commentators were almost out of breath from shouting.
But they still had to shout, still had to roar.
At this moment, not only the players on the field, but even the fans and commentators were competing.
It was as if if they paused for a moment, the players on the field would lose momentum, so they all held their breath, faces red, but still shouting at the top of their lungs.