"Alright, all players are in position. The atmosphere here in Munich is electric, let me now introduce the starting lineups for both teams."
The voice of Zhan Jun, China's premier football commentator, echoed through the LeSports broadcast studio in Beijing.
It was 3:00 AM, but his energy was infectious.
"In red are the hosts, Bayern Munich. Jupp Heynckes has deployed a classic 4-1-4-1 formation. Sven Ulreich starts in goal..."
"Bayern has stuck with their familiar formation and regular starters. However, there is a notable absence. Due to a back muscle strain, David Alaba will be sidelined for two weeks. So, Rafinha starts as Bayern's left-back today. He has excellent technical skills and ball control, but let's be honest, he often falls short in defense and supporting the attack. This could be a vulnerability."
"In the black away kits are the visitors, Manchester United. Jose Mourinho has set up a 4-2-3-1 formation with David De Gea in goal..."
"The lineup is largely unchanged from the previous match against Liverpool, except for one key alteration. Phil Jones has replaced Eric Bailly as the right center-back to add more aerial presence."
"And here is the matchup everyone is watching: Ling starts as the left midfielder. He will be up against Joshua Kimmich today—another young and talented player whose market value has skyrocketed to €55 million this season."
"What kind of clash will we see between these two prodigies? Who will dominate the flanks?"
"I believe the wing battle today will be absolutely thrilling!"
Across China, nearly ten million fans were glued to their screens.
They had waited for this moment.
Manchester United had faced small teams like Basel and CSKA Moscow in the group stages, and a stubborn but unremarkable Sevilla in the Round of 16.
But this? This was the true Champions League.
This was a clash between royalty.
Bayern Munich was a galaxy of stars.
The legendary "Robbery" duo—Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery—who had terrorized fullbacks for a decade.
Thomas Müller, the space investigator, a World Cup Golden Boot winner.
Robert Lewandowski, the Polish machine who cant stop scoring goals.
James Rodriguez, the Puskas Award winner with a left foot made of velvet.
Fans waited until their families were sound asleep before sneaking into living rooms, turning the TV volume down to a whisper, and cracking open cans of Heineken.
They watched the players' faces flash across the screen, hearts pounding.
When the camera focused on Ling, staring intensely at the Allianz Arena turf, millions of fists clenched in unison.
The live comment feed on the streaming platforms fell like heavy snow.
@RedDragon7: "Go Ling! Show them what you're made of!"
@TacticalPanda: "Bayern won't be easy! Heynckes has 11 consecutive European victories! That old man is a wizard!"
@GermanFan: "Bayern's lineup isn't afraid of tight defenses. Heynckes gathers the midfield technicians to create threats through wing attacks, then capitalizes on collective forward runs. It's total football."
@UnitedForever: "Luckily Alaba isn't playing today, or he'd tear through United's right flank. Rafinha is the weak link!"
@AnalystWu: "But Bayern's defense isn't invincible. Javi Martinez is slow. If Ling gets isolated with him, it's game over."
@KimmichStan: "Don't underestimate Kimmich! He's nothing like Alexander-Arnold! He actually know how to defends!"
@HistoryBuff: "I heard Ribery has Chinese ancestry, is that true?!"
@FactChecker: "That's just a rumor! Focus on the game!"
...
The perspective returned to the pitch.
Thomas Müller won the coin toss and chose to kick off as he grinned at the referee, Danny Makkelie.
Beep!
The whistle blew, and the war began.
Bayern didn't waste a second.
Their formation surged forward aggressively, a red tide washing over the pitch.
The ball circulated with hypnotic precision—zack, zack, zack—players continuously repositioning themselves to create triangles.
Meanwhile, United's players decisively retreated into their own thirty-meter zone.
They formed two banks of four, actively compressing the space.
It was the classic Mourinho "Low Block."
Mourinho's intention was transparent: concede as few goals as possible away from home.
A 0-0 draw was the holy grail.
If conceding was unavoidable, snatch an away goal and run.
He aimed to prolong the suspense until the return leg at Old Trafford, turning the tie into a 180-minute war of attrition.
But Jupp Heynckes wasn't going to let him play chess.
He wanted a boxing match.
As expected, Bayern's attacks focused on their left flank (United's right).
Rafinha, Franck Ribery, and James Rodriguez combined with concise, effective passes to assault Antonio Valencia and Phil Jones.
In the 9th minute, the pressure broke the dam.
"Ribery drives forward on the wing!" Martyn Tryler shouted on the studio. "Beautiful! He shifts his weight repeatedly, shaking off Valencia! He breaks through from the outside!"
"Age hasn't slowed him down!" Neville marveled.
The scar on Franck Ribery's face appeared menacing under the floodlights, giving him the look of a battle-hardened warrior.
He was 34, and his legs had lost a yard of pace, but his football brain was sharper than ever.
He saw the gap as United's defense shifted backward.
He whipped a low, fizzing ball into the box.
Smack!
The ball skimmed across the turf at high speed, cutting out the United midfield.
"Lewandowski! The Polish striker holds off Phil Jones!"
"Is he going to turn and shoot directly!?"
No.
Robert Lewandowski was not a tap in merchant.
He was the complete number nine.
He used his immense strength to pin Phil Jones, turning his back to goal to shield the ball.
He was the pivot.
From a bird's eye view, the movement was breathtaking.
Bayern players swarmed into the penalty area, but not chaotically. James Rodriguez dragged Matic away.
Robben pulled Young wide.
They formed a network that stretched the United defense to its breaking point.
After drawing the attention of Phil Jones and Chris Smalling, Lewandowski swept the ball toward the right side of the penalty area with a blind, instinctive pass.
And at that moment, a figure darted out from the chaos.
Like a cunning fox emerging from the shadows, he suddenly bared his sharp fangs.
Thomas Müller.
He had seen the space before it existed. He made a direct run into the gap left by Smalling's movement toward Lewandowski.
Amid the roaring cheers of seventy thousand Bayern fans, Müller didn't hesitate.
He struck the ball first time.
Bang!
The shot wasn't powerful, but it was surgically precise.
The ball shot out instantly, heading straight for the bottom right corner.
David De Gea, the best shot-stopper in the world, dove at full stretch. His body was parallel to the ground, his fingertips extending like claws.
He touched it.
But it wasn't enough.
The ball took a slight deflection off his glove, kissed the inside of the post with a metallic clink, and bounced into the center of the net.
1-0 Bayern Munich!
"A beautiful goal!" Tyler roared. "Bayern's attacking trio showed incredible understanding! Whether it was Ribery's cross or Lewandowski's hold-up play, both were brilliant! And Müller's sharp instincts allowed him to find the only path to goal!"
"Less than 10 minutes into the match, and Bayern have taken the lead!"
"Manchester United are in big trouble now!"
The camera panned to Jose Mourinho on the sideline.
He stood motionless, hands in his pockets, his face a mask of stone. But his eyes were darting, analyzing the failure.
"Perhaps due to a lack of high-level Champions League matches for some time, they don't seem to have settled into the game," Neville analyzed, his voice tinged with worry. "The defenders aren't communicating effectively. Jones got sucked in too easily."
"Sigh!" Neville let out a long breath.
"Don't panic. Don't worry too much. It's still early. Mourinho should make adjustments in time. As long as they can stabilize the rhythm and not concede a second, Manchester United still have a chance. But they need to wake up. Now."
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