Even the Italian media were shaken.
What kind of genius dares to do this in a Champions League match?
A reporter from Tuttosport looked pale—
They had been hoping Kai would underperform this match…
So they could criticize him and defend their own Italian prodigy—
"How could this Arsenal midfielder steal Balotelli's Golden Boy award!?"
But in this match—
Kai not only didn't flop…
He completely outclassed Italy's legendary midfielder Pirlo!
The Italian media was deathly silent.
On the sidelines, Wenger was beaming, full of praise:
"He's a genius! Absolutely brilliant!"
Faced with Milan's tactical changes, the Arsenal manager didn't need to counter anything.
Because Kai was a tactical weapon capable of adapting to anything.
On the pitch—
Milan's adjustment, pushing Pirlo forward to the attacking midfield role, achieved nothing.
Kai dropped into Arsenal's holding midfielder role.
At that moment, his Kanté module kicked into full effect!
He transformed into a ball-hunting defensive midfielder—
Using his terrifying vision and stamina,
He rampaged across Arsenal's defensive third like a whirlwind,
Systematically cutting off all connections in Milan's attack!
Pirlo was lost.
For the first time, he felt truly powerless.
Even though he was now in a more threatening position,
His passing lanes were repeatedly shut down.
Those dreamy passes that Milan fans longed for—
All vanished in the face of Kai's relentless pressing.
In the stands, Milan supporters were stunned.
It was as if Gattuso himself had appeared in Arsenal's lineup!
But compared to Gattuso's 1.78m frame—
The tall, long-legged Kai was tearing through Milan's midfield like a meat grinder!
Gunners fans erupted!
Forget Gattuso—Kai was the real midfield butcher!
42nd minute!
Pato called for the ball in the box.
Ibrahimović dropped deep to receive.
Pirlo passed a short ball forward,
Hoping to do a one-two with Ibra and slip a through pass to Pato.
But Kai instantly read Ibra's movement.
He positioned himself right in the passing lane between Pirlo and Ibrahimović.
And then—he shouted to Koscielny, who was stepping up from the back line,
Instructing him to cut off a potential chipped pass Pirlo might attempt under pressure.
All forward options were sealed off.
Pirlo frowned.
He half-turned and passed the ball back to Ambrosini for safety.
But at that very moment—
The San Siro crowd gasped!
Even Pirlo's safe back pass was sniffed out by Kai's godlike vision!
He spun around, brushing past Ibra's shadow,
And in the instant Pirlo passed backward—
Kai launched into a sliding tackle!
Cleanly intercepting the pass before it reached Ambrosini!
Milan fans screamed!
Pirlo had been dispossessed—again!
Their revered midfield maestro, once again broken under Kai's pressure.
Arsenal fans roared in celebration!
"Our captain is a god!"
"He does it all—attacks, defends, commands!"
Kai swept the ball to the flank.
Ambrosini sprinted toward the loose ball.
But Gibbs got there first, shielding it with his body.
Kai climbed off the ground,
And Gibbs quickly returned the ball to him.
As Kai advanced—
Arsenal's formation instantly shifted into attack!
Once again, the Gunners' Youth Storm was sweeping San Siro!
On the touchline, Allegri clutched his head.
"Pressure him! Block his space!"
"Don't give him time to shoot!"
He was visibly panicking, his face flushed red.
As far as the eye could see—
Kai calmly dribbled across midfield.
Faced with a challenge from Gattuso,
He did a slick side-step dribble in place,
Gliding past Gattuso with ease.
Milan's beastly enforcer might be fierce on defense—
But his footwork was lacking.
And now—
Kai's dribbling and control were at an elite level.
After dodging Gattuso,
He glanced up.
In his vision, a golden path briefly flickered—
Van Persie was adjusting his run, seeking space.
Just as Kai was about to thread that killer pass—
Someone suddenly yanked his shirt from behind!
Pirlo, furious from his earlier dispossession, had sprinted back on defense.
But Kai had already left him far behind.
In desperation,
Pirlo grabbed his jersey, hoping to prevent another lethal through ball from the Arsenal midfield genius.
But Kai didn't go down…
But the referee's whistle immediately blew.
Foul!
A free kick for Arsenal near the final third!
The away section of the stadium erupted in loud boos.
"Another mistake? What's wrong with Pirlo?! Is he sick? Or has he lost his mind?"
Milan fans were furious.
Their proud midfield maestro—
Had been completely dismantled by Kai in this match!
Whether Pirlo played as a defensive midfielder or as an attacking one,
He was relentlessly chased, pressured, and cut off by Kai.
If Pirlo hadn't pulled Kai's shirt in desperation just now,
Milan fans didn't even want to imagine what might've happened…
"Has Pirlo gotten old?"
The Rossoneri faithful struggled to accept his poor performance tonight.
Last season, Pirlo was still leading Serie A's Team of the Year.
At just over 30, he should've been in his prime as a midfielder!
But they were slowly being forced to face a hard truth:
Pirlo was still world-class,
But tonight, he faced someone even more terrifying.
Pirlo, panting heavily, walked with his teammates to the edge of the box.
It had been a tactical foul, a necessary evil.
Fortunately, the foul had occurred far from goal.
In the box, Nesta shouted instructions as he reorganized the defense.
Arsenal players crowded the box, jostling for position.
Over 80,000 eyes locked onto that black-haired young figure standing over the ball.
On the sidelines, Allegri's face was pale, clearly flustered.
Suddenly—
A terrifying thought struck him.
That Arsenal midfield genius—
All of his incredible plays tonight had defied common sense!
He stared at Kai, who stood over the ball.
A chilling idea flashed across his mind:
"No way… He's not thinking of… shooting directly from here, is he?"
Allegri's eyes widened in fear.
"Impossible! It's over 40 yards from goal—he's definitely sending it into the box!"
"A direct shot?! What, does he think our keeper is a fool?!"
He clenched his jaw tightly.
Under the night sky of Milan—
The San Siro boiled with tension and noise.
The referee blew his whistle!
In the box, bodies collided in chaos!
All eyes locked onto Kai.
Amid the roars of tens of thousands,
Kai took a deep breath.
Run-up!
His thigh exploded into motion!
On the sidelines, Allegri's face instantly contorted in horror!
"He really is shooting directly?!"
The crowd gasped in unison!
Kai's instep tightened—
And from forty yards out, he unleashed a devastating strike!
In that instant—
His full set-piece stats exploded into action!
The football blasted off his boot,
Rising steeply from the ground,
Soaring over the entire front edge of the penalty area,
Climbing to the highest point above the Milan box—
And then suddenly dipped violently!
On the sideline, Wenger was shocked!
Milan fans' eyes widened.
They couldn't believe what they were witnessing!
The ball carried terrifying power—
A spinning storm of unstoppable energy!
At its peak, it plummeted like a missile—
BOOM!
It smashed into the top corner of Milan's goal!!
The net billowed high like a wave crashing against the sea!
In front of goal, Abbiati froze on the line—no reaction at all.
The Milan goalkeeper's eyes were vacant.
The brief silence was instantly shattered—
And then…
San Siro exploded in a storm of deafening roars and screams!
~~----------------------
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