-Lee sport studio, China.
"Lucas' behavior is indeed very annoying, but the referee might have considered objective possibilities and didn't define it as a foul."
Zhan Jun initially tried to find an excuse but found it increasingly difficult to continue.
He simply took off his microphone and cursed under his breath.
"Fucking Lucas!"
If this weren't a live broadcast, he would have already started ranting given his temper.
Zhang Lu beside him was equally furious.
"I know I shouldn't say this, but current Atletico has nothing to do with being 'iron-willed'. Their style is simply dirty, trying to gain advantages through such methods - either by getting opponents sent off or by creating conflicts."
"Then Simeone exploits this, pushing opponents to their absolute limits."
"They're like destroyers on the pitch, taking pride in injuring opponents. Perhaps this is Atletico's unique winning formula, but please don't say this approach is worth learning!"
Zhang Lu hadn't been this angry in a long time, his chest heaving with emotion.
At this moment, he hoped Man United could capitalize on the set-piece opportunity.
....
Pogba took a deep breath, made his run-up, and struck the ball.
It curved perfectly around the wall heading straight for the goal.
Oblak demonstrated why he's the world's most expensive goalkeeper, tipping the ball over the crossbar at the last moment!
After making the save, he excitedly punched the air in celebration.
Like many players, he'd had a dream team since childhood.
However, while most people dream of playing for Real Madrid or have a Childhood Dream of Barca, his was a childhood dream of Man United.
But given De Gea's recent red-hot form, he had virtually no chance and Man United wouldn't spend 130 million euros on a goalkeeper anyway.
He could only bury his dream deep in his heart.
Next came a corner opportunity for Man United.
Mahrez's delivery was too close to the goal, punched away by the tall and long-armed Oblak.
Seeing this, Maguire could only head the ball back into Atletico Madrid's half.
Yet the coordinated defense from Koke and Rodri caught Herrera off guard, forcing a misplaced pass under pressure.
With Godín's powerful clearance, the ball soared toward the center circle.
Atletico Madrid's frenzied counterattack was underway!
Simeone's matches never consider extra time; he prefers to decide the outcome within regular time, so Atletico Madrid players never conserve their energy.
Atletico's formation resembled a heavily compressed spring, releasing just before reaching its elastic limit, with all players charging forward desperately.
"Atletico Madrid is advancing at a rapid pace!"
"Atletico Madrid excels in the crucial moments of transition between attack and defense. Their team-oriented defensive approach effectively masks individual defensive weaknesses."
The pack tactics refer not only to defense, but also to that terrifyingly extreme level of coordination!
Leading the charge, Diego Costa fearlessly charged toward the towering Maguire.
On the flank, David Luiz watched intently, gesturing for Ashley Young to mark Diego Costa.
The ball rolled perfectly into the vicinity of Correa.
Correa didn't hesitate at all, playing a straight pass along the byline.
In the blink of an eye, Griezmann dribbled to the edge of the penalty area.
Griezmann used precise positioning and two consecutive feints to wrong-foot Wan-Bissaka.
He slightly raised his left foot, feinting a pass toward the center.
He himself fiercely charged toward Griezmann, first closing the distance to prevent a shot, then using physical confrontation to disrupt—his defensive experience was equally seasoned.
Just as David Luiz shifted to block the passing lane, Griezmann suddenly cut the ball to the left, unleashing a sharp near-post shot from a tight angle near the byline!
The cheers of the Atletico Madrid fans grew increasingly thunderous, as they eagerly anticipated the moment of a goal.
Bang!
The ball shot out like a cannonball, slipping through the hands of De Gea, who was focused on defending the near post, and crashing firmly into the back of the Man United net.
0-1!!!
Griezmann ran toward the camera in the corner flag area, performing his iconic "phone call" celebration with both hands.
He even pretended to hold a phone to his ear, making a sarcastic expression.
At the stadium, Atletico Madrid fans erupted into loud cheers, jumping and singing chants.
Today, Atletico Madrid would trample last season's Champions League champions underfoot, announcing to the world the rise of Los Colchoneros and launching a renewed assault on the pinnacle of Europe!
On the sidelines, Simeone jumped up from the bench, unbuttoned his suit, and wildly waved his arms, occasionally throwing provocative glances at the neighboring dugout.
Back in 2012, they had won the European Super Cup and also claimed the La Liga championship.
And he was confident he could create an entirely new dynasty, becoming a great figure akin to the godfather of Atletico Madrid.
He believed that veteran coaches like Mourinho should have followed in the footsteps of Ferguson and Wenger long ago, stepping away from professional coaching and spending their time sparring on talk shows instead.
Beside him, Mourinho took a deep breath, forcibly suppressing the anger in his heart as he discussed tactical adjustments with Faria.
"Next, I suspect Simeone will have the team tighten their defensive lines, setting up a solid barrier around the thirty-meter zone."
"."
Mourinho gritted his teeth and tore off a note, which clearly outlined the tactical objective.
"Have Jeremy frequently drift wide, drawing Lucas into tight marking, creating space for teammates to make runs into the channels."
"If that happens, we press forward immediately, without worrying about the gaps behind, forming five players covering five horizontal zones to increase the density of the attacking line."
Faria gasped sharply, "Boss, are we aiming to ensure every position is one-on-one, relying on individual player ability to break through?"
"Exactly. Whether it's Mahrez or Pogba, both possess excellent dribbling skills. As long as they avoid being double-teamed by Atletico Madrid players, they can definitely create solid opportunities in the final third," Mourinho nodded.
"If Atletico relaxes their marking on Ling, we can also seize the chance to deliver a key through ball."
Faria murmured to himself.
The potential rewards of such a tactic were significant, but the risks were equally undeniable.
It seemed the boss had been provoked.
Mourinho handed the note to Matic, who relayed it to the Man United players.
Maguire, noticing his teammates' lack of despondency, asked curiously, "Why is everyone so calm?"
"If you experienced last season's Champions League final, you'd know what true despair feels like. This is nothing in comparison."
David Luiz clicked his tongue.
Maguire silently clenched his fist.
He still had a long way to go to become a true Red Devil and needed to keep improving his overall technical level!
He suddenly felt a surge of motivation!
Ling didn't offer any words of encouragement; he preferred to prove himself through actions.
...
Just as Mourinho had anticipated, Atletico began to drop deeper and strengthen their defense, but it differed fundamentally from Mourinho's "park the bus" approach.
It was a full-pitch, multi-layered defensive system.
Ahead of the double-layered defense led by Godín and Giménez in the backline, Diego Costa relentlessly pressed and harried in the attacking third.
This was the key to Atletico's low-block defensive strategy.
The two full-backs became the vanguard of the team's defensive efforts.
In simple terms, Atletico constructed three tight defensive lines, supplemented by a mobile, sweeping armored vehicle.
This "scorched earth" tactic made every forward advance by Man United incredibly challenging.
Man United quickly switched to an attacking formation, spreading their offensive line wide to fully utilize the pitch's width.
They deliberately abandoned connections between players to isolate Atletico's defenders.
In the 34th minute of the match.
Mahrez received the ball on the wing and faced Lucas directly.
While his speed was inferior to other wingers, how had he managed to establish himself in the Premier League?
The answer lay in using rhythm over raw pace and his flawless ball control.
It was well-known that Mahrez was a one-footed player, relying solely on making runs in behind and cutting inside from the flanks, yet defenders simply couldn't stop him.
He had a bit of Robben's flair.
After controlling the ball, he followed up with rapid touches, narrowly evading Correa's tackle, then immediately passed with his left foot in the opposite direction!
The ball sliced through like a sharp scalpel, driving straight into the right side of Atletico's half!
Ling, executing Mourinho's tactics, drifted from the central area to the right flank.
Lucas, highly focused, quickly closed him down and positioned himself defensively.
The two engaged in an intense physical battle.
Lucas felt as if a wild beast was relentlessly crashing into his back!
Seeing that he could no longer contain Ling, he had to stretch out his foot to clear the ball out of bounds early, preventing Ling from overtaking him from the side.
But at the same time, Ling intensified his physical challenge.
Lucas was shoved into a stumbling mess, falling to the ground in an utterly awkward manner.
Ling had intended to run past him, but to his surprise, Lucas clung desperately to Ling's arm, determined to stop him from chasing down the ball.
He even tried to emulate Ramos, pulling off a vicious Brazilian jiu-jitsu move on him.
Just as Ling was about to reach the ball, he lost his balance and tumbled to the same side.
Amid gasps from the Atletico Madrid fans on the sidelines.
Simeone instinctively rose from the bench, as if unable to believe what was unfolding before his eyes.
Ling's knee had slammed directly into Lucas's forehead!
The hardest part of the human body is the skull, capable of withstanding immense external force.
But Lucas felt as if he had been struck by a heavy hammer, with countless needles piercing his brain, instantly overwhelmed by excruciating pain.
His body convulsed violently in response!
The referee immediately blew the whistle to halt the match, signaling for the medical team to bring a stretcher onto the field.
The same scene played out again, but with the roles reversed—Atletico Madrid players, eyes blazing, swarmed around, hurling furious accusations.
"Are you fucking playing football or trying to hurt people?"
"This has to be a red card and a suspension!"
"You did it on purpose as revenge!"
The Man United players certainly weren't about to let Ling be bullied, bravely stepping forward to block the Atletico Madrid players.
The conflict on the pitch escalated rapidly, with Lemar from the substitutes' bench grabbing something and hurling it onto the field.
Soon, substitutes and coaching staff from both teams joined the fray.
Ling dodged a water bottle flying through the air, got up, and charged toward the bench without a second thought.
He clamped one hand around Lemar's neck, pressing his forehead hard against him!
Verbal taunts, malicious fouls, constant mockery...
He had long been boiling with anger.
And now Lemar was fucking stirring up trouble for no reason—did he really think Ling was an easy target?
If Lucas hadn't deliberately pulled him, would any of this have happened?
Evil begets evil!
He believed he had done nothing wrong.
Lemar felt his throat locked in a vise, making it hard to breathe, emitting choked, gurgling sounds.
He even forgot to fight back, seemingly stunned into paralysis.
McTominay quickly rushed over while the referee wasn't looking, using both hands and feet to pull Ling away.
"Jeremy, calm down! That kind of move will get you a card!"
Simeone tried to step in and argue, but Mourinho shoved him back, nearly sparking a full-blown brawl between the two managers on the sidelines.
"Atletico started the fouls and still have the nerve to provoke?"
"A large-scale conflict has erupted between the two sides, and the situation is completely out of control, forcing the match to be suspended."
"We can see all staff members have entered the field."
Zhan Jun slammed his fist on the table in frustration.
Tactical fouls are unavoidable, and players losing their cool in conflicts is normal, but everything mentioned falls under the category of tactical fouls or emotional clashes.
Honestly, such things happen in regular football, and occasionally rough play deserving of a yellow card is understandable.
In the end, the match was suspended for a full six minutes.
After being treated by the medical team, Lucas wobbled back to consciousness and asked.
"Where am I? Is this the European Super Cup final?"
Nearby, McTominay almost couldn't hold back a laugh.
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