"For the first match, I hope everyone isn't too nervous. Just show the results of our training," Ancelotti emphasized. "No matter how the opponent plays, we only need to remember one thing: don't be disrupted by their rhythm. We will only play our own rhythm. Controlling the midfield is key!"
Ancelotti turned to Suker: "In this match, your role is more of a decoy, but of course, if you get a chance, don't hold back."
Suker shrugged, indicating that there was no problem.
On the contrary, everyone else suddenly felt immense pressure.
Suker feinting for them meant he was assisting their attack. If they still couldn't perform under these circumstances, the fans would curse them to death.
However, this was also a necessary process.
The forward combination couldn't rely solely on Suker as a strong point; they needed to cooperate and do their respective jobs.
Benzema and Bale had played supporting roles too many times before. To say they had forgotten how to attack was a bit far-fetched, but at the very least, they always relied on Suker's efficient shooting and stability when it came to the final touch.
And Ancelotti wanted them to break free from this pattern.
The Real Madrid Ancelotti wanted to build was not a team that only relied on a left-sided cannon and Suker's strong performance to win matches.
He hoped for multiple points of attack. After Suker attracted enough defensive attention, Benzema in the central axis and Bale on the right wing both needed to take on the task of finishing attacks.
Pato wore his brand new Real Madrid white jersey.
He stood next to Suker, and although he didn't start, he was still full of fighting spirit.
If he had to be a substitute for Bale, he wouldn't accept it.
But being a substitute for Suker, he was more than willing!
For Pato, Suker was the most special one.
Since he joined Milan, Suker was the player who had the greatest influence on him.
They say you become like the people you hang out with.
Pato's nature was undisciplined, flashy, and lacked self-control, but his inherent talent was extremely high.
Therefore, under Suker's guidance and influence, Pato was able to achieve his current accomplishments.
Sometimes Pato also wondered, if there were no Suker, could he have resisted the beautiful models who came with fame, could he have offset the sense of superiority that came with a sudden surge in popularity?
If there were no Suker, what would he be like now?
Pato knew his own temperament, which is why he was even more grateful and reliant on Suker.
"Come on! Boss, beat them!"
Pato loudly cheered for Suker, who didn't look back and walked out of the locker room.
The other Real Madrid players smiled as they watched this scene.
Since Pato joined, the locker room had become much noisier, but also much more interesting.
Pato and Marcelo, laughing and joking!
Pato and Casemiro, laughing and joking!
Pato and Benzema, laughing and joking!
Pato and so-and-so, laughing and joking!
In short, Pato was always there. Although he had only joined for a short time, based on Pato's outgoing personality and Suker's help, he integrated into the team very quickly.
This was also good news for Real Madrid.
Of course, professional players still have to speak with their strength.
However, as Milan's former core, was Pato's ability poor?
Naturally, he couldn't compare to Suker, but he was already enough to be a key force for Real Madrid.
Used properly, he could also enrich the team's tactical system.
Soon, both teams gathered in the player tunnel.
Real Betis was nervous. Their first leg was an away match against Real Madrid.
If there were no surprises, this would likely be a loss.
Losing the first match of the season would have a great impact on morale, but there was no way around it; they were just unlucky.
With a command from the Referee, both teams entered the field.
The starting lineups were as follows:
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Kroos, Casemiro, Kaka.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Real Betis (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Anno Sen.
Defenders: Chica, Perki, Paulao, Perez.
Midfielders: Matilla, Berdu, Nosa.
Forwards: Moreno, Molina, Mabwati.
"This is the first round of the 2013/2014 La Liga season, Real Madrid at home against Real Betis."
"After a holiday, what changes will Real Madrid show under the guidance of new coach Ancelotti?"
"Also, what kind of tactical system will Ancelotti, known as a tactical master, bring to Real Madrid?"
Commentator González mainly focused on Real Madrid; compared to Real Betis, the former naturally had more influence and attention.
In the Spanish Super Cup, Real Madrid showed some unique tactics.
However, that match wasn't as exciting as it could have been.
Barcelona had many problems, so Real Madrid won the match relatively easily, which didn't allow them to feel too many changes.
Although Real Betis was weaker than Barcelona, precisely because of this, Real Madrid might try their brand new tactics.
After all, for these wealthy clubs, the first half of the season is almost a process of adjustment.
Without 'jumping the gun,' they will proceed step by step, trying various new playing styles and solidifying their tactical arsenal.
Before long, both teams were ready.
Cheers erupted at the Bernabéu Stadium.
Although it had only been three months, fans felt too dull during days without matches, so every season's first round was an exciting moment for these fans.
Moreover, Real Madrid had many changes this season, so they naturally had more expectations.
Both teams were ready.
Real Betis kicked off first.
With the whistle, the match began.
"The match has started! The match has started! This is the first round of the 2013/2014 La Liga season."
González broadcasted as per tradition, and at the same time, on the field, Real Betis quickly spread out their formation.
They collectively moved inward towards the center, strengthening their control over the central axis.
Real Betis was a team willing to use their number 10, Berdu, to organize attacks.
As a Spain player, Berdu possessed excellent footwork, strong dribbling and ball control abilities, and a through ball that could always help the team push forward with attacks.
Therefore, after the kickoff, Real Betis immediately wanted to find Berdu.
But they quickly found that Berdu was being marked.
Kroos and Kaka were both in positions around Berdu, supporting each other and ready to double-team at any moment.
As soon as Real Betis showed any tendency to pass to Berdu, these two would immediately close in.
This forced Real Betis to distribute the ball to the wings, thereby stretching the field and also helping Berdu shake off the defensive pressure.
However, he did shake off one defender, but only one.
When the ball went to the right, Kaka ran to take position, while Kroos continued to mark Berdu.
When the ball went to the left, it was Kroos's turn, while Kaka continued to mark Berdu.
In short, Berdu couldn't receive the ball comfortably.
Berdu also saw this and felt a bit anxious.
Suddenly, he quickly started moving, retreating while reaching out for the ball.
Real Betis also saw this and immediately passed the ball.
Before receiving the ball, Berdu turned his head to observe Kaka's position.
But at that moment, he heard the sound of wind and footsteps near his ear.
The next second, the ball that should have been passed to him was intercepted.
"Suker!!!—"
González shouted in surprise.
Suker had actually moved proactively towards the center and anticipated this pass, intercepting it in advance.
Suker gently cushioned the ball with his right foot, just as he stabilized his body.
He was immediately met with intense high pressing from Real Betis.
high pressing was no longer a new thing in European football, especially since this was in Real Betis's half.
Everyone expected Suker's spectacular dribbling performance.
But Suker simply turned around, with his back to the attacking player, separating the ball from the opponent's pressing player, and at the same time, passed the ball back to Kaka with one touch, cleanly getting the ball out.
After completing the pass, Suker did not return to the wing, but instead moved to a central position, raising his position slightly.
As soon as Suker approached the central axis, Real Betis's two defensive midfielders became restless.
Matilla and Nosa quickly followed, flanking Suker and forming a left and right escort, following him closely.
But Suker was not in a hurry, he just leisurely led the two men around.
And in this process, both wings were almost undefended.
At the very least, the defense on the midfield line was drawn away by Suker.
Kaka immediately passed the ball to Kroos.
Kroos advanced with the ball.
Now Real Betis, or rather Nosa, faced a dilemma.
Should they continue to follow Suker, or run over to restrict Kroos?
Just as he hesitated, Kroos suddenly threaded the ball diagonally forward.
He actually slipped the ball to Suker's feet in the middle of the crowd.
"A mistake?"
Nosa's eyes lit up.
But just as he and Matilla were closing in on Suker, the latter gently laid the ball forward again.
The ball landed about three meters in front of Suker.
And there, Kaka quickly followed up, lightly flicking the ball with his foot.
The ball immediately soared over the entire defensive line and dropped into Real Betis's penalty area.
And there, Bale suddenly surged in from the side, and looking at the falling ball, Bale chose to sweep it while falling!
He tightened his core as much as possible, keeping his body stable while sliding.
His left foot was raised high, the instep straightened, trying to press down on the point of impact to prevent the ball from flying over the crossbar.
Bang!
His instep struck the ball hard, and the ball immediately flew towards the far post.
Real Betis's Goalkeeper had just begun to move his feet when, with a 'swish', the ball was already in the net.
Wow!!!!!!!!!!
A fierce cheer erupted throughout the stadium.
The Real Madrid fans suddenly erupted in excitement.
"Goal!! Gareth Bale! In the new season, Bale has scored Real Madrid's first goal!"
"Kaka assisted Bale, a light flicked pass tore open Real Betis's defense, and within 5 minutes of the match, Real Madrid scored!"
"Suker, in this attack, voluntarily acted as a decoy, attracting too much defensive attention, which prevented Real Betis from making quick decisions. Real Madrid seized this opportunity and scored!"
"Well, this kind of cooperation is an attacking method that Real Madrid had not tried before, and it tests the players' off-ball movement ability extremely well, but this time, they completed the task cleanly and efficiently!"
Along with González's cheers, the heat of the match was quickly ignited.
Ancelotti on the sidelines also nodded slightly; he was very satisfied with Bale's movement and decisive shot in this instance.
The match restarted.
After scoring a goal, Real Madrid took advantage of the momentum to launch continuous attacks again.
Suker continued to be the decoy, drawing a large amount of Real Betis's attention, thereby freeing up Benzema and Bale's attacking channels.
Kroos and Kaka continuously delivered passes forward.
Sometimes, Suker would also take on the role of a conveyor belt.
At 12 minutes, only 7 minutes after the previous goal, Suker suddenly pulled the ball, turned, and broke free, then poked it with his toe, allowing Benzema to surge forward and create a one-on-one situation.
"Benzema! One-on-one!"
Benzema carried the ball into the six-yard box, and facing the flustered Goalkeeper, Benzema calmly dribbled past him, then with a small-angle cut with his left foot, the ball hugged the goalpost and once again found the back of the net.
Real Madrid 2:0 Real Betis.
The third goal was initiated by Bale on the right wing; after getting to the byline, he successfully passed the ball diagonally.
The ball was then struck into the goal by Marcelo, who had followed up from behind.
At 24 minutes, Real Madrid led by three goals.
With three goals scored, Real Madrid had completely opened up the game.
But it wasn't over yet!
At 38 minutes, Real Betis began to waver; they had been watching Suker, but others were scoring goals left and right, which was not good for them.
With doubt, actions naturally become sluggish.
Suker seized this opportunity, feigning a pass, but then suddenly stomped his foot, completing a V-pull to break free.
He broke through horizontally along the edge of the penalty area, and after creating a shooting angle, he suddenly curled a shot.
The ball formed an arc, bypassed the opposing center-back, and precisely nestled into the right side of the goal.
At halftime, Real Madrid led Real Betis 4:0.
With a four-goal lead, Real Betis was somewhat bewildered.
But Real Madrid was still attacking; they had found a rhythm in their offense and naturally wouldn't give up now.
However, Real Betis began to retreat and narrow, parking the bus in front of their goal.
After several attempts at attack, Real Madrid realized they couldn't break open this turtle shell in a short time, so they gave up.
The match then entered halftime.
In the first half, Real Madrid scored four goals, which basically secured the victory.
"Gentlemen, you played very well. We now have four goals. Next..."
In the locker room, Ancelotti saw a group of players looking eagerly at him.
Especially players like Bale and Benzema, they had found their rhythm and looked like they wanted to keep attacking.
Ancelotti smiled knowingly and shrugged, saying, "Alright, we can play even more freely!"
Everyone immediately cheered.
They had just found their rhythm, and being told to stop at that moment would definitely be a very frustrating thing.
"However, we also need to address some details, Bale! When you attack, you can't always go straight up and down the wing. You need to pay attention to Benzema's position; when Benzema moves closer to the left, you also need to move closer to the center." Ancelotti paused, then half-jokingly said, "What? Don't you want to score more goals?"
Hearing this, Bale quickly shook his head and waved his hands, saying, "No, no, no! I'll do it! As long as I score more goals, you can make me do anything!"
Ancelotti smiled; "All I can give you are rewards. How about this, if you can score three goals in this match, next Monday I'll hold a special experience class and take our players to the golf course next door, how does that sound?"
Bale immediately felt his fighting spirit max out, his eyes gleaming.
He loved playing golf!
And being able to show off in front of his teammates was an irresistible attraction.
Bale went straight to Benzema.
"Assist me! You can do whatever you want, just let me score!"
Benzema stroked his chin: "Then you have to give me Susei's number!"
Bale's girlfriend was named Emma, his childhood sweetheart and classmate.
Emma had a friend named Susie, who was beautiful and exquisite, and Benzema had set his sights on her.
Bale also knew this, but he also knew that Benzema was a playboy, so he had been reluctant to agree.
"I can ask her out to dinner!" Bale was troubled for a moment, but in the end, he couldn't resist the temptation of showing off his golf skills.
Just as Benzema was about to agree, he was kicked in the backside.
"Don't you dare mess with your friends' friends!" Suker said grumpily; "Go find your models and internet celebrities!"
With that, Suker said, "I'll assist you, don't do anything that goes against your principles!"
Hearing this, Bale breathed a sigh of relief; he really didn't want to introduce Susie to Benzema, given the latter's character, something would definitely go wrong.
Benzema, on the other hand, looked a bit awkward.
But with Suker intervening, he couldn't say anything more.
Ancelotti continued: "Pato, go warm up. I'll give you a chance to play at 70 minutes!"
Hearing this, Pato also happily ran out.
After completing their preparations, both teams' players returned to the field, ready for the second half.
But there was almost no surprise.
Real Madrid dominated throughout.
Before the 70th minute, Suker and Kaka each provided an assist to Bale, helping Bale complete his first hat-trick since joining Real Madrid!
"Bale is very excited. After joining Real Madrid, many people hoped Bale could show the performance he had at Tottenham, but previously, Bale's performance indeed didn't meet expectations."
"However, the current Bale has adapted to Real Madrid's tactical style and has fully integrated into the team!"
"A hat-trick in the first match shows that this season, Bale is also in excellent form."
"Look! He's so excited he's even making a golf swing motion! Is this his new celebration?"