"So many people!"
As soon as they arrived near the Calderón Stadium, Srna saw a large number of fans outside through the bus window.
These Atlético Madrid fans also saw the Real Madrid bus and gave them their most 'cordial greetings'.
"Atlético Madrid takes this match very seriously. Their club executives said in an interview before the match that they wanted to defeat us," Ramos pouted.
Dream on!
"However, we cannot underestimate Atlético Madrid either," Ramos said gravely.
Although he didn't think much of Atlético Madrid, these guys were indeed very dangerous.
What's more, after this match, the Champions League would immediately follow.
If they lost, it might also affect their morale in the Champions League, so they had to be prepared.
Suker also looked at the Calderón Stadium not far away.
He had scored many goals there, giving Atlético Madrid nightmares.
However, it seemed that this pressure was not enough now.
He had to score more goals and use more intense suppression to make Atlético Madrid completely afraid of him.
Suker did not expect to conquer Atlético Madrid.
After all, they were arch-rivals, and it was not easy to conquer these guys.
But he had to suppress his opponents and make them fear him.
Screech!
The braking sound of the bus was a bit harsh.
The bus had arrived at the stadium entrance, and led by Ancelotti, Real Madrid players walked into the venue one after another.
And as they were about to enter the venue, a loud cheer came from the other side.
This cheer exploded like thunder, filling the entire area in an instant.
No need to think much, Atlético Madrid had arrived!
"Go, guys! Take down those Real Madrid bastards!"
"We came to see you win!"
"Take them down! You can do it!"
"Koke, perform like you did against Barcelona, we'll cheer for you!"
"Go! Guys!"
"Go! Atlético Madrid!"
The cheers of tens of thousands of people made the Atlético Madrid players feel the enthusiasm from the fans. The match had not yet begun, but their passion had been completely ignited.
This was especially true for the young player Koke.
Koke was a product of Atlético Madrid's youth academy and was the most amazing young player in recent years.
In the past six matches, Koke had scored three goals and provided three assists!
This was already an excellent performance for a young player.
He had a neat buzz cut with two lines shaved on the sides, showing his personality.
Koke enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention. Of course, he also knew that this was the applause and cheers brought by his performance.
"Let's go!"
Gabi pushed Koke's shoulder, preventing the young man from getting carried away.
Along with performance, some pride and complacency are bound to arise.
Koke was showing this tendency now.
However, based on his hard training and serious play, they did not over-intervene.
"Captain, just watch, I'll show Real Madrid a thing or two!"
Koke said excitedly, "I feel great!"
Gabi smiled slightly, but his heart was a little heavy.
Koke was, after all, a young player and had not experienced Real Madrid's long-standing suppression of Atlético Madrid.
He officially joined the first team in 2009, and after finishing his loan spell, he returned to Atlético Madrid again in the 2012/2013 season and delivered an impressive performance.
He had not experienced Atlético Madrid's low point. After he joined, the team's performance had always been excellent.
Therefore, he was very confident!
Gabi didn't dislike this feeling. Being proud of his team was fine, and should even be encouraged.
Moreover, they did not have too much psychological pressure on Real Madrid's oppression.
This was also a good thing!
After all, pressure can affect performance, just like their generation, who always lived under the shadow of Real Madrid, and always had some fear in their hearts.
Gabi hoped that the new era of Atlético Madrid would no longer fear Real Madrid.
And these problems could only be solved by matches and goals!
Upon arriving at the locker room, Simeone, dressed in a black suit, was already standing in the middle with his hands on his hips.
Looking at Simeone's oppressive eyes, the players immediately became quiet. They silently changed their jerseys, and the entire scene was orderly, without any chaos, and even very few people whispered.
Simeone's management of the team was based on this strict model.
He believed that only in this way could a formidable army be forged.
Discipline was not only reflected on the field, but also in all aspects of life and training, starting from small details.
Throughout the warm-up process, Atlético Madrid once again demonstrated that discipline.
No one spoke, and no one slacked off.
Even the substitutes warmed up seriously.
Although they were unlikely to play, they were preparing for any unforeseen circumstances.
As for the starting players, their movements were uniform, and under the guidance of the Assistant Coach, they warmed up like an army.
Real Madrid, on the other half of the field, was also very disciplined, but compared to Atlético Madrid, they were always a bit less organized.
"They're really like an army!" Marcelo couldn't help but complain as he watched Atlético Madrid's disciplined warm-up.
"But precisely because of that, they can make those synchronized recovery choices," Srna said. "Be careful, they're not easy to play against!"
Soon, amidst waves of cheers and boos, both teams finished their warm-up and returned to the locker room for final preparations.
Simeone stood in the middle and said loudly;
"Everything that needed to be done has been done, and everything that needed to be arranged has been arranged. The battle is about to begin, and I hope you remember that only those who possess courage, fighting spirit, and decisiveness can achieve victory."
"For a long time, we have been suppressed by Real Madrid. When Madrid is mentioned, people talk about the Bernabéu, not the Calderón!"
"We are the overlooked side, why? Because we are not strong enough, because we cannot win!"
Simeone clenched his fists tightly and waved them, saying, "People don't understand us, it doesn't matter, because we will use the match to tell them what 'Iron-Blooded Atlético' means!"
"No matter who the opponent is, here, we will only make them taste defeat!"
Simeone's voice grew louder:
"Unleash your fighting spirit, break those prejudices, and create our own legendary story with victory!"
"Go, guys, let's not be supporting characters anymore."
Whoosh!
Simeone pointed to the door, and said in a heavy tone: "Walk out of here, then defeat the opponent, and tell the world that Madrid still has a strong team!"
The entire locker room suddenly fell silent.
The players felt their hearts burning, a surge of passion welling up inside them.
As Captain, Gabi took a deep breath and roared, "Ready to fight!"
With that, he clapped his hands forcefully, then took the lead and walked out of the locker room, followed by the others.
When they arrived at the player tunnel, Real Madrid was already there.
Ramos, Suker, Kaka, and others were all turning to look at them.
Their eyes were indifferent, but they carried immense pressure.
These were all top football stars, each of them having stood at the peak multiple times. It was not easy to defeat them, but they had no choice but to fight.
Gabi walked forward with his head held high, and the Atlético Madrid players followed suit.
The entire player tunnel was silent, but a suffocating atmosphere permeated it.
Red and white striped jerseys, nicknamed 'Iron-Blooded Atlético' - Atlético Madrid.
Pure white jerseys, nicknamed 'Galácticos' - Real Madrid.
They were also the first and second-placed teams in the La Liga standings.
It could be said that this match was also a battle for the top spot.
Would Iron-Blooded Atlético break Real Madrid's suppression of themselves?
Or would Real Madrid continue its dominance?
The match was about to begin!
"This is the 7th round of the 2013/2014 La Liga season, with Simeone's Atlético Madrid facing Ancelotti's Real Madrid!"
"This is also a focal point in the Madrid Derby. In the past few seasons, the Argentine has transformed Atlético Madrid, giving them passion and a foundation for victory, and now, after defeating Barcelona, they have set their sights on Real Madrid!"
"In past matches, Atlético Madrid has lost more than won against Real Madrid, and in recent seasons, only one draw was considered their best result. But we can see Atlético Madrid's growth and changes this season. Can they defeat Real Madrid at home, break their nightmare, and become another title contender in La Liga?"
"For this important match, Real Madrid is also fielding their full main squad. Ancelotti hopes to secure three points away from home, but can they get what they wish for?"
Amidst the commentator's passionate voice, the starting lineups for both teams were announced.
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Kroos, Kaka.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Atlético Madrid (4-4-2):
Goalkeeper: Courtois.
Defenders: Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, Filipe.
Midfielders: Koke, Tiago, Gabi, Arda Turan.
Forwards: Costa, Villa.
The players from both teams entered the field, the captains exchanged pennants, and shook hands for the coin toss.
Atlético Madrid won the right to kick off first.
Real Madrid chose the left half of the field.
Both teams took their positions on the field, and a tense atmosphere immediately spread.
Throughout the Calderón, tens of thousands of Atlético Madrid fans cheered and shouted non-stop, making the atmosphere even more heated.
Not only the fans inside the stadium, but also Atlético Madrid fans gathered outside were shouting without pause, creating momentum for the stadium.
Real Madrid remained very composed; they wouldn't be intimidated to the point of weakness by this level of pressure.
In this match, Real Madrid deployed a double defensive midfielder formation.
With Kaka partnering Casemiro as the defensive midfielders.
Of course, Kaka can drop back to organize and provide more defensive contributions, while Casemiro has a greater defensive responsibility.
This was also in response to Atlético Madrid's counterattacks.
Otherwise, Ancelotti would still have insisted on a single defensive midfielder setup.
Atlético Madrid forced Real Madrid to change their formation, which also revealed that Real Madrid was very wary of Atlético Madrid's counterattacks.
"Villa! An experienced striker!" Ancelotti narrowed his eyes slightly.
Speaking of Villa, one cannot help but recall his brilliant performance in the 2010 World Cup.
When Torres was in a slump, he successfully shouldered Spain's attacking finishing ability.
And subsequently, he had many excellent performances at Barcelona.
Now, after joining Atlético Madrid, with his accumulated experience, he is also an extremely important threat.
"Diego Costa!" Ancelotti's tone became even more serious.
Atlético Madrid has transitioned from the second generation of star strikers, the Falcao era, to the third generation star striker, the Costa era.
Diego Costa!
Beneath his 'Beautiful Beast' appearance is a body as strong as an ox; he is truly a powerful center forward, and also a battering ram.
Costa is most adept at using his physical ability within the penalty area to threaten the opponent's goal.
Especially after Falcao left, he gained a lot of firing power and is now Atlético Madrid's top scorer.
Currently, on the scoring chart, Messi has scored eight goals, ranking first.
Suker is temporarily second with six goals.
Diego Costa, five goals.
The key is, Suker has one penalty, and Messi has two penalties.
Whereas Costa has no penalties and has scored five goals!
Besides that, they also need to be wary of Arda Turan; the Turk is extremely skilled at dribbling, with delicate footwork, and he is key to Atlético Madrid's counterattacks, capable of delivering brilliant passes at any moment.
Even in chaotic situations, he can retrieve the ball for the team and relieve pressure.
The young Koke, Atlético Madrid's biggest surprise.
Koke has performed exceptionally well this season; despite being young and playing impulsively, his style complements Atlético Madrid's approach, leading to an excellent chemical reaction.
Koke's continuous breakthroughs on the left wing often contribute significantly to Atlético Madrid's offense.
Of course, speaking of Atlético Madrid, defense is key!
Gabi in the defensive midfield position!
The central defensive pairing of Godin and Miranda.
Both full-backs can go up and down the flanks.
Moreover, Atlético Madrid is derived from the Netherlands' total football, with sharp counterattacks and even more aggressive tracking back.
Therefore, even if they take the lead, they still cannot relax.
Ancelotti silently reiterated these points to himself, to better understand the opponent and thus better judge the situation on the field.
Of course, Atlético Madrid is indeed difficult to deal with.
But Real Madrid is not to be underestimated; at the very least, Atlético Madrid has struggled to win against Real Madrid in recent seasons.
Breaking this psychological pressure is not an easy task.
Just then, a sharp whistle sounded, interrupting Ancelotti's thoughts.
At the center circle, after Costa kicked off, Real Madrid quickly pressed forward.
After a series of back passes, Atlético Madrid's center-back Godin directly sent a long ball forward to find Costa.
Costa held his ground at the landing spot, and Casemiro immediately stuck close to him.
He suddenly charged forward.
Bang!
Casemiro's body swayed, but he didn't fall.
Costa even took a moment to turn his head and glance at Casemiro, with a hint of mockery in his eyes, which greatly annoyed the latter.
But the next second, a figure suddenly sprang up from behind Costa, almost riding on Costa, and headed the ball away.
Ramos completed the aerial challenge and landed, he looked at the frowning Costa, and slightly raised his chin, as if provoking him.
'You're faking it!'
Costa didn't respond, immediately running to the next position.
Ramos then looked at Casemiro and shouted: "Be resolute! If you hold back, you will never get past that guy!"
"Foul! Foul when necessary! Don't hesitate, and don't be afraid of getting a card!"
Ramos clapped his hands in encouragement: "Come on! Get your spirits up!"
Casemiro also nodded vigorously, then continued to chase Costa to mark him.
After Ramos's clearance, the ball also fell at Real Madrid's feet.
Atlético Madrid does not value possession as much; they are not a team that excels at passing and controlling the ball.
Therefore, losing possession was not a big deal for them.
And when Real Madrid had possession, they also began to press intensely.
The entire defensive line formed different zones at various positions, constantly crashing towards Real Madrid players like waves.
Real Madrid players were constantly making one-touch passes, but even so, Atlético Madrid was still able to arrive at the pressing positions at just the right time.
Moreover, their pressing was not merely pure pressing; they were also blocking Real Madrid's forward passing channels, forcing Real Madrid players to constantly shift the ball left and right.
"Pass it here!"
Suker ran to the half-space and called for a pass.
Kaka immediately threaded it through; the ball was almost intercepted but still successfully reached Suker's feet.
But as soon as Suker received the ball, he was met with pressure from Arda Turan. Suker shifted the ball horizontally and cut inside, using his explosiveness to barely get away.
Just as he was about to control the ball again, Gabi quickly followed up, forcing Suker to poke the ball with his toe, dribbling past him once more.
But this time, the ball had slipped out of Suker's control. When he tried to catch up to the ball again, Godin immediately appeared in front of the ball and kicked it away.
Seeing the clearance, Suker couldn't help but frown.
He finally understood what "wave-like pressing" meant.
One wave after another, giving Suker no time to catch his breath or control the ball, using continuous, segmented pressing to force the ball out of Suker's control area, while allowing other teammates to disrupt.
It must be said, this type of defense is very effective; even Suker found it difficult to adapt at first.
Conversely, Atlético Madrid used this opportunity to launch a quick counterattack.
Using swift off-ball movement, they continuously opened up Real Madrid's defensive gaps, helping Costa successfully make a forward run.
However, Casemiro was extremely decisive.
The moment Koke was about to pass, Casemiro directly slid in and committed a foul, preventing Atlético Madrid from connecting and threatening Real Madrid's goal.
Beep!
The Referee pointed to Casemiro and ran over to give a verbal warning.
Casemiro accepted this readily; he had even prepared himself for a card, so just a warning was already good.
Atlético Madrid, on the other hand, was not pleased, constantly surrounding the Referee, insisting on a card and applying pressure.
However, the Referee did not change his decision, only awarding Atlético Madrid a free-kick in the attacking half!