Chapter 575: The Final Opponent, Real Madrid—The Formation of the Ceremonial Midfield Trio
Whether it was Manchester City making it to the final for the fourth consecutive year, or Lin Quan's incredible goal, both were heavily covered by the media after the match, quickly spreading throughout the football world.
"Lin's goal completely shattered my understanding of football!" "I can't comprehend it, really can't! How on earth did he pull that off?" "Being surrounded by five defenders and not losing the ball was already mind-blowing, but then he managed to seize the only opportunity and score by nutmegging the goalkeeper. What kind of brain does Prince Lin have? How could he stay so calm and execute with such precision, like a computer filtering out all the wrong answers and finding the only correct one!"
Before Lin Quan's shot, nearly everyone thought he was trapped in a dead end. The only hope might have been to wait for the opponent to make a mistake, like a handball or a physical collision, and then fall in the penalty area to get a penalty kick.
But not only did he avoid using any unsportsmanlike tactic that could be seen as diving, he also managed to capitalize on a fleeting, almost non-existent opportunity to send the ball into the goal.
The defenders on Juventus' backline weren't nobodies; they were all top-tier players in the football world. Even their goalkeeper is considered one of the best in the world.
Juventus didn't make any mistakes in that defensive play, but they were still outplayed.
Fans couldn't find any other words except to shout, "Incredible!"
"To be fair, Juventus was pretty unlucky in this game. That wonder goal from Prince Lin? Even if you gave him another chance, he might not be able to recreate it. But somehow, it worked against Juventus. Talk about bad luck!"
Fans who watched this match generally had a favorable impression of the Old Lady (Juventus). Juventus played really well in this game. Even though they lost, it wasn't because of poor performance. If Lin hadn't gone beast mode, the match would've been more competitive, and Juventus might have even made it to the final.
Of course, when it comes to pure strength, Juventus still lags behind top-tier teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City. Even if they had made it to the final, they probably wouldn't have been able to beat Real Madrid, with less than a 30% chance of winning the title.
It's worth mentioning that Juventus has a poor record in Champions League finals—they've lost four finals in a row. Every time they struggle to reach the final, they fall short. It's tough to watch.
After discussing Prince Lin's wonder goal, the fans naturally turned their attention to the upcoming battle for the Champions League title.
After Manchester City advanced to the final, Real Madrid defeated Atlético Madrid to once again reach the final.
This almost feels like a repeat of last year's Champions League final, as the two top teams in football will face off again. Their showdown is sure to be spectacular.
"Real Madrid's lineup has been strengthened this season. The addition of Kroos has completed their midfield puzzle. With Modrić, Casemiro, and Kroos forming the midfield trio, I believe it's currently the best midfield lineup in the entire football world, even stronger than Manchester City's!" "Exactly! Kroos was expensive, but he's worth every penny. Since joining, Real Madrid's dominance in the league and their power in the Champions League have visibly improved. You could say that even though it's the same team, this Real Madrid could beat last year's Real Madrid!"
In Kroos' first season at Real Madrid, he helped them win the La Liga title for the first time in five years. On top of that, Real Madrid powered through tough opponents like Bayern and Atlético to reach the Champions League final.
At the start of the season, some Real Madrid fans were worried about Kroos' hefty transfer fee and salary. But after just half a season, Kroos' consistent and outstanding performances won over all the fans at the Bernabéu.
Now, when Real Madrid fans talk about Kroos, they can't help but give a thumbs-up, praising President Florentino Pérez for making such a smart deal.
Because of their obvious improvements in raw strength, Real Madrid fans are confident this time.
They're coming into this final with a revenge mindset against Manchester City!
While many fans believe in Real Madrid, even more are backing Manchester City.
"This Manchester City team is ridiculously strong. Four straight years in the final? That's unprecedented in Champions League history, right?"
Manchester City's record-breaking feat thrilled their fans, who were once again witnessing history.
"Back in the heyday of Serie A, AC Milan and Juventus both made it to three consecutive finals, but Manchester City is the first team to make it to four straight finals!"
"That's not all! AC Milan and Juventus, even after making it to three finals in a row, only managed to win one Champions League title each. Manchester City, in contrast, has won three titles in four years—now that's something else!"
"If Manchester City wins again this year, that'll be four titles in four years. Wow, that's terrifying. It's almost like one team is monopolizing the Champions League!"
"So come on, Real Madrid! Don't let Manchester City dominate everything!"
Neutral fans were crying out. From their perspective, they hoped to see a more competitive Champions League, not one dominated by a single club.
Real Madrid naturally became everyone's hope.
"Real Madrid's raw strength isn't inferior to Manchester City's, but I'm afraid their mindset won't be as calm."
Last season at San Siro, Manchester City secured their third consecutive Champions League title by defeating Real Madrid.
Facing Manchester City again, Real Madrid might find themselves at a psychological disadvantage.
They've played Manchester City many times, but they've rarely beaten them. On the other hand, for Manchester City, the Champions League final has become a familiar stage—it's like returning home, so they're much more relaxed.
Manchester City doesn't have the same pressure as Real Madrid, who are desperately chasing their 10th Champions League title. With all the honors Manchester City has already won, their players have a more relaxed and open mindset, with very little tension.
"In terms of pure strength, the two teams are evenly matched, but if you consider the psychological aspect, I think Manchester City might have a slight edge."
Don't underestimate the impact of mindset on players. When two teams are evenly matched, the difference in mentality could very well decide the outcome.
"You're also forgetting the impact of the venue. This year's Champions League final will be held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, which is practically a home game for Manchester City. There will definitely be a huge influx of Manchester City fans from the UK and around the world. Even neutral fans will likely lean towards the Premier League team."
"From that perspective, it's almost like Real Madrid is playing an away game!"
Hearing this analysis, some Real Madrid fans became discouraged, feeling like their team might once again come up short.
"Don't lose hope so easily! Manchester City's record may have been insane in the past few years, but this season, from the group stage onward, they've been struggling. Their dominance isn't what it used to be!"
Some sharp-eyed fans analyzed Manchester City's performance in the Premier League and the Champions League this season and concluded that their strength has declined.
It's inevitable—after all, Manchester City has relied on the same lineup to win three consecutive league titles and Champions League trophies. That success brought them fame and glory, but it also made them the target of every other team.
Many clubs studied Manchester City's tactics and even the playing style of each individual player, trying to find ways to counter them. Juventus, in their match against Manchester City, used tactics specifically designed to exploit their weaknesses.
Real Madrid will undoubtedly do the same.
Remember how Barcelona, once dubbed the "Invincible Team," eventually fell from grace after opponents figured them out? Something similar could happen to Manchester City.
Moreover, Manchester City's lineup is aging, and many players, having already won so many titles, may no longer be as hungry for more.
Without that burning desire for victory, it's hard to expect the same level of passion on the field.
Some of the veteran players, especially those who have already achieved their dreams, might not be as motivated to give their all as they once were. They might just want to rest on their laurels and enjoy the glory they've earned.
This phenomenon isn't uncommon in football. After José Mourinho led Inter Milan to a treble, he chose to leave at the height of success because he foresaw that the veteran players, having achieved everything, would be difficult to motivate the following season.
City isn't quite at that point yet, but the trend is there.
Pep Guardiola has tried to keep the team's fighting spirit alive by bringing in new blood, hoping that the pressure from younger players might push the veterans to stay competitive.
This strategy has worked to some extent, but it hasn't completely eliminated the problem.
So, while both Manchester City and Real Madrid have psychological challenges, the nature of those challenges is different. One team might be overly anxious, while the other could be too relaxed.
The ups and downs in Manchester City's performance this season reflect this. Against weaker teams, their high baseline of talent is enough to secure victories. But when facing equally strong opponents, that approach doesn't always work.
Losses to Tottenham in the league, a draw with Liverpool, and defeats to Barcelona in the Champions League are all signs of this.
Additionally, Manchester City lost Kroos, and finding a stable midfield has been a struggle all season.
These are issues that any keen observer of Manchester City could easily notice.
And Real Madrid has clearly noticed them too!
Zinedine Zidane has paid special attention to this match. He's been coaching Real Madrid for three years now, and it's time to deliver results. If he doesn't succeed now, his career progression could be severely impacted.
Since the Champions League knockout stages, Zidane has sent scouts to study Manchester City's games—both in the league and the Champions League—hardly missing a single match.
Given Manchester City's inconsistent form this season, they've lost more games than usual.
Zidane has focused on analyzing these losses, trying to figure out how Manchester City was defeated.
After long observation and analysis, Zidane concluded that the drop in City's midfield strength has disrupted their attacking system.
This season, Guardiola has struggled to find the right role for İlkay Gündoğan, constantly switching him between central midfield and defensive midfield.
Often, City has had to rely on two defensive midfielders—N'Golo Kanté and Fernandinho.
While City boasts a star-studded forward line with Kevin De Bruyne, Lin Quan, David Silva, Sergio Agüero, Son Heung-min, Leroy Sané, and their talented 18-year-old French youngster, if the midfield can't deliver the ball to them, it doesn't matter how strong the attack is.
On top of that, City's full-backs have seen a decline in form, covering less ground and diminishing their impact on the wings.
Therefore, when defending against Manchester City, if you can cut off a few key points, you can effectively disrupt their entire attacking system.
In this regard, Juventus' tactical approach was particularly effective.
Zidane has spent a great deal of time repeatedly watching the two matches between Juventus and Manchester City, especially the second one, to understand the essence of Juventus' defensive strategy.
His plan is simple: learn from Juventus' successful tactics and merge them with Real Madrid's current defensive strategy, adapting to the strengths of Real Madrid's players to find the most suitable approach for the team.
There's an old saying, "Finals are never ordinary matches." Even though Real Madrid's attacking firepower is among the best in Europe, Zidane doesn't plan to engage Manchester City in a full-on attack in the final.
As the saying goes, "Offense wins games, defense wins championships." What Zidane wants is the coveted Champions League trophy, symbolizing the highest honor for European clubs.
While Zidane is studying Manchester City, Guardiola is also studying Real Madrid.
This season's Real Madrid is vastly different from the previous one. With their midfield trio fully established, both their attack and defense have been strengthened.
Kroos serves as the orchestrator and engine of Real Madrid's offense, using his exceptional vision and game-reading ability to control the tempo and direction of their attacks.
Modrić, with his superb ball control and dribbling, is responsible for driving the ball forward and delivering it to the BBC (Benzema, Bale, Cristiano) trio up front.
Casemiro, thanks to his outstanding stamina, wide coverage, and relentless fighting spirit, acts as the shield for the other two midfielders, providing the backbone to Real Madrid's midfield.
These three have clear roles and form an iron triangle, elevating Real Madrid's midfield to a new level.
It's safe to say that individually, these players might not be as effective. But when combined, they form the strongest midfield trio in the world—bar none!
Even someone as experienced as Guardiola can only think back to Barcelona's legendary midfield trio of Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets, or last season's Manchester City trio of De Bruyne, Kroos, and Kanté, as comparable.
Unfortunately, Barcelona's trio is long gone, and Manchester City's trio has been broken apart with Kroos' departure.
(End of this chapter)
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