Chapter 167: Even If You Don't Cheat, You Are Also The First Brother In Asia! Approximately Equal To B Fee?
"Hey everyone, I apologize for the lack of new chapters over the past few days. Unfortunately, heavy rain, power outages, and no internet made it difficult to upload."
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In fact, Real Madrid's record in La Liga this season has not been great.
They inexplicably lost to several weak opponents in the league. In the national derby, Barcelona defeated them 4-0. Coupled with Benitez's inability to control the Real Madrid locker room, he became one of Real Madrid's shortest-lived coaches, getting fired after only half a season.
Just after New Year's Day, Zidane took over as the interim coach. No one expected much from Zidane. This "rookie" coach had only led the Real Madrid B team before, with no first-team coaching experience. Coaching such a massive club, everyone was waiting for Zidane to fail.
However, after Zidane took charge, Real Madrid immediately turned things around, securing three consecutive victories! They scored 16 goals in those 3 games! The BBC combination (Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo) was fully activated, scoring 50 goals in 22 league matches!
In the recent national derby, Real Madrid beat Barcelona 2-1! Zidane even made the bold decision to bench Ronaldo, opting to use the previously unremarkable Casemiro. This move formed what would later be known as the "ceremonial midfield trio"—the combination of Kroos, Modric, and Casemiro, which became the strongest midfield in Europe!
Building on Benitez's foundation, Zidane took Real Madrid's defense to another level and strengthened their defensive counterattack strategy, a style that continued until 2023. The current Real Madrid team is a complete unit, standing at the pinnacle of European football.
Additionally, they have a kind of "metaphysical" luck. Whenever Real Madrid is in a crisis, they manage to score inexplicable goals, advancing smoothly without any major obstacles. Even the Barcelona dynasty couldn't defend their Champions League title, while Real Madrid effortlessly achieved a three-peat.
Zidane's management in the dressing room, his on-the-spot tactics, and his rotation strategy are truly outstanding. But it's undeniable that luck also plays a significant role.
Such a formidable Real Madrid was a daunting prospect for Su Luo. His first reaction was worry.
"Could it be that we'll stop at the top 8?" Su Luo wondered.
In Su Luo's original plan, he aimed to reach the Champions League final and face Real Madrid in the grand showdown. But reality often doesn't align with plans. Encountering Real Madrid in the quarterfinals meant his final would be staged earlier.
Suppose Union Berlin, in their first Champions League participation, were eliminated by Real Madrid in the quarterfinals. Then, if Real Madrid went on to face Atletico Madrid in the final and won the Champions League, no one would blame Union Berlin. Instead, the world would appreciate Union Berlin, praising Su Luo for leading them to the quarterfinals and achieving a historic milestone.
His 20 goals in the Champions League would also be historic. After a heartfelt discussion with teammates and the coaching staff, Su Luo might accept this result without too much regret. After all, the opponent is Real Madrid, a European giant, the most successful club in Europe.
But Su Luo wasn't satisfied with just that.
Real Madrid is very strong, that's true. But what if? Su Luo thought long and hard, clenching his fists in determination.
Josephine noticed Su Luo's tension since the draw. His expression fluctuated before settling into resolve. Real Madrid had truly ignited Su Luo's fighting spirit.
Josephine gently held Su Luo's clenched fist, her cool touch bringing him back to reality. They exchanged a smile, understanding each other without words. This was why Josephine was Su Luo's official girlfriend. She always supported him at the right time, giving him strength.
"Why are you looking at me like that?" she asked.
"You're even more beautiful," Su Luo replied.
"Slick talker, wasn't I pretty before?" Josephine teased. "Well, not here on the sofa."
The draw continued, and Zambrotta announced the last matchup: "Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid."
Su Luo didn't have time to watch TV after the Champions League quarterfinal draw results were out. Some were happy, some were sad. Bayern Munich and Paris Saint-Germain were undoubtedly the happiest clubs, as their opponents seemed easier.
Bayern had a 91% chance of winning, and Paris had at least a 73% chance. Bayern Munich was almost certain to secure a spot in the semi-finals, where they would compete against the winner of Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid. Paris Saint-Germain, in the bottom half, would face the winner of Real Madrid vs Union Berlin.
Paris fans had mixed feelings.
"We will likely meet Real Madrid in the semi-finals. We'll probably be in the top four," one fan said.
"Breaking into the top four is good. After all, the opponent is Real Madrid," another agreed.
"But the competition hasn't started yet. Berlin also has hope. Maybe we can meet Berlin in the final!" one hopeful fan suggested.
"Hahaha, they can knock out Real Madrid? How is that possible?" another scoffed.
"Why not? The captain of Huaxia has scored 20 goals. Berlin is strong!" a fan defended.
"Yes, have you not watched football in the past two years? Don't you know Berlin's strength?" another retorted.
Ligue 1 netizens were in a heated debate on social media, arguing whether Union Berlin could eliminate Real Madrid. Most believed Real Madrid had a better chance of advancing, while some felt Union Berlin was strong enough to make it a 50-50 match.
The outcome was indeed unpredictable.
On the other side, Bayern fans were also discussing the draw.
"It seems we will meet Barcelona in the semi-finals. The MSN trio won't be easy to handle."
"I think it will be tough to get revenge given the current state of our team."
"It's all Berlin's fault for demoralizing us."
In the 2014/15 UEFA Champions League semi-finals, Barcelona beat Bayern 3-0 at Camp Nou and went on to win the Champions League. Now, they are set to face Barcelona again this season.
Bayern fans are understandably worried. It's difficult for Guardiola's Bayern to compete with Barcelona now. They are no longer the iron-willed Bayern that swept Barcelona 7-0 three years ago.
While they were engrossed in their discussion, a netizen suddenly raised a point.
"The quarter-finals haven't started yet. What if we meet Atletico Madrid in the semi-finals?"
This comment was quickly questioned.
"How is that possible? Barcelona is currently No. 1 in La Liga and has double-killed Atletico Madrid in the league."
"Yes, how could Atletico win?"
This tweet gained so much popularity that even Su Luo noticed it. He found it amusing.
If Bayern fans found out that their mighty team was eliminated by Atletico Madrid, their reactions would be priceless. Of course, Su Luo didn't have time to participate in the online discussion, nor did he want to make prophecies on Twitter and get caught up in "netizen predictions—validation of prophecy—Su Luo getting slapped in the face."
Instead of wasting time on the internet, Su Luo preferred to immerse himself in his training and learn more tricks from Ronaldo and others. This season had seen many high-level matchups, with consecutive encounters with Manchester City, Juventus, and Arsenal in the Champions League. Su Luo mostly relied on his basic skills during these games. He felt that even without his special abilities, his overall level had greatly improved.
By the end of the day's training, Su Luo took his teammates to a nightclub, intending to test his skills in the illusion. After entering the illusion, Su Luo immediately arranged a duel. He led the original Union Berlin against Arsenal! Neither side had special star players.
Ronaldo, Haaland, Inzaghi, and others lined up on the sidelines to watch the game. After 90 minutes of intense play, Su Luo's Mirage Union Berlin lost 3-4 to Mirage Arsenal. This result was unexpected but reasonable. A fully-formed AI Arsenal was indeed formidable, with peak Özil, Cazorla, Giroud, and Sanchez providing firepower that even Barcelona and Bayern would fear.
From the backfield to the frontfield, their seamless passing and goal-scoring were overwhelming. Su Luo struggled without using his possession and passive abilities, playing more passively. It wasn't until the second half that he found his rhythm and completed two assists, but he didn't manage to score a goal. They barely managed three goals thanks to the AI versions of peak Pole King and Sane.
Currently, even without his passive aura, Su Luo's overall score had reached over 80 points, comparable to Bruno Fernandes at Manchester United. While not exceptionally strong, it was enough to secure a firm position among the giants. Considering he only started playing football three years after his rebirth, having been in the Evergrande youth team then, his progress was remarkable.
Even without extraordinary abilities, Su Luo was a major player in Asia. Compared to peak Son Heung-min, his dribbling and speed were slightly inferior, but his shooting and passing were on par. Thanks to the subtle influences of Inzaghi and Modric's passive aura, Su Luo's playstyle was constantly evolving. This was the most significant value of his passive ability!
After a thrilling match, Su Luo lay down on the fantasy turf to rest for a while. Before leaving, he glanced at the illusion once more.
"Oh? More than 90%?"
After the first leg against Real Madrid, there might be a chance to unlock it early!
Su Luo's confidence increased by several points.
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