Attack to Death

Gao Shen's first reaction when he saw Barcelona's starting lineup was that he had guessed wrong.

Goalkeeper Valdes, a backline of Van Bronckhorst, Marquez, Puyol, and Belletti, Van Bommel as a holding midfielder, Deco and Xavi in front of him, Ronaldinho, Eto'o, and Messi up front.

Gao Shen had predicted Messi correctly but got four others wrong, particularly the center back and right back.

Rijkaard had replaced Edmilson with Van Bommel and Oleguer with Belletti.

This was a very clear signal.

He wanted to attack, and keep attacking until the end!

Upon realizing this, Gao Shen couldn't help but take a deep breath.

At that moment, the players on the field were doing their warm-up exercises, while Lucas, Buenaventura, and others were waiting for Gao Shen to make the final decision, as they had guessed the Barcelona starting lineup incorrectly.

Do not underestimate this.

There are only eleven players in the starting lineup, and getting two wrong can have a significant impact.

"Rijkaard is like a gambler who's now desperate and has nothing left to lose." Gao Shen smiled bitterly.

Dealing with such a gambler isn't that difficult; the challenge lies in the fact that he leads one of the most powerful teams in world football.

It was as if Rijkaard was saying to Gao Shen, "I'm going to attack to the death!"

So, what would Gao Shen do?

Facing a formidable Barcelona, all Gao Shen could do was defend.

The key was to withstand the pressure.

"It's evident that losing La Liga has had a significant impact on him, a huge blow to Barcelona," Lucas analyzed.

As a top student from a prestigious school, Lucas was very intelligent. After coaching with Gao Shen at Real Madrid for three months, he went to Loughborough University for further studies. He quickly adapted to the role and became increasingly proficient.

People outside couldn't fathom what was happening in Barcelona's locker room, and could only analyze from various clues.

Gao Shen guessed that Rijkaard was under immense pressure.

But Barcelona was still very strong.

...

When the Real Madrid players finished their warm-up and returned to the locker room, Gao Shen and the coaching staff were already waiting.

Gao Shen had even written out Barcelona's starting formation on the tactical board.

As soon as the players came in, after a brief rest, Gao Shen immediately began explaining the opponent's starting lineup and tactics.

"It's pretty much the same as before, but this time we need to pay special attention to the flanks. Watch out for Van Bronckhorst and Belletti's overlapping runs; we need to be very mindful of that."

"Raúl, Beckham," Gao Shen pointed to the two superstars, "Both of you must track back to defend as soon as possible, no matter what. We can sacrifice some offense, but defense must be ensured at all costs."

"Remember, our opponents are desperate, so the most crucial point in this game is that it will be a test of patience. We need to be more patient than our opponents. More importantly, this formation from Barcelona tells us that we'll have plenty of opportunities to counterattack."

"So, when the critical moment comes, don't get too caught up in pushing forward. Retreat to defend in time!" Gao Shen instructed.

Raúl and Beckham both nodded.

"When Barcelona is in possession and attacking, the fullbacks will definitely press forward aggressively, leaving a lot of space behind them."

Gao Shen looked at Negredo, "I want you to stay up top in this match. When transitioning from defense to attack, based on the situation, make runs behind their flanks, fight for the first ball, and wait for your teammates to support you in the second wave. Understand?"

Negredo nodded.

Previously, Gao Shen had assigned him to target Van Bronckhorst, but now he had more freedom, able to attack from both sides. This was both an opportunity and a challenge.

Negredo was confident that when facing Puyol and Marquez, he had a physical advantage and could handle the tasks Gao Shen had set for him.

"Finally, I'll repeat what I've said before: order, order, order!"

"Everyone stay calm, be patient, and avoid making mistakes, got it?"

"Understood!"

The players responded in unison.

...

Because it was the 50th anniversary of the European Cup, the organizers had specially arranged a short and brilliant performance before the match.

Football legends Beckenbauer and Platini were in attendance to watch the game, making the Stade de France star-studded with celebrities from politics and business gathered.

Fifty years ago, the first European Cup winner was Real Madrid.

At that time, Real Madrid won five consecutive European Cups, completing an unprecedented five-peat.

Fifty years later, Real Madrid has been reborn in an incredible way, reaching the Champions League final once again.

If Real Madrid wins the title tonight, it will also become a classic in the history of the European Cup.

Tonight's referee is Hauge from Norway.

Fans familiar with the Champions League won't be strangers to him, as he was the referee who sent off Del Horno at Stamford Bridge in this season's round of 16, leading to much controversy after the match.

Mourinho even blasted Hauge, accusing him of "helping" Barcelona to win.

Gao Shen was also very cautious, repeatedly reminding his players before the game to be mindful of their actions and avoid getting booked.

He clearly remembered that Arsenal lost a Champions League final because goalkeeper Lehmann was sent off. The timing wasn't clear, but it seemed to be very early in the game.

In other words, Arsenal lost 1-2 to Barcelona after playing most of the match with ten men.

Of course, as time passed, Barcelona's starting lineup for this match was no longer the same as in Gao Shen's memory, and the situation was entirely different. Rijkaard's tactics were also likely not the same.

But in any case, it's better to be cautious.

Gao Shen would rather concede a goal than lose a player.

...

With a whistle from Hauge, the game officially began.

After the kick-off in the center circle, Messi passed the ball to Eto'o, then quickly moved towards the right side of the frontcourt.

Eto'o passed the ball back to Ronaldinho, who was just outside the center circle. The Brazilian controlled the ball, glanced forward, made an angled pass to the right, sending it to the fast-advancing Belletti.

However, Felipe intercepted the ball with a header.

Barcelona pushed the ball over the midfield line, applying pressure on Real Madrid's midfield and backline.

Gao Shen stood on the sidelines, closely monitoring the action on the field.

As Belletti advanced, Raúl promptly followed to defend.

Although the ball was on the right, Van Bronckhorst on the left also pushed past the halfway line, and Beckham tracked back in time.

Real Madrid's overall defensive quality and tactical discipline were still very high. Now that the players were fully convinced of Gao Shen, they executed his tactics meticulously.

After observing the team's overall defensive formation, Gao Shen nodded in approval, feeling reassured.

As expected, Barcelona attempted several attacks, trying to break through Real Madrid's defense, but to no avail.

Finally, Marquez attempted a long pass, trying to find Eto'o directly up front, but Casillas rushed out decisively, catching the ball right at the edge of the penalty area.

The Real Madrid goalkeeper held the ball with one hand and signaled his teammates to calm down with the other.

This prompted a satisfied nod from Gao Shen on the sidelines.

Barcelona was in a hurry, but Real Madrid couldn't afford to be rushed. They needed to control the tempo, letting Barcelona make mistakes in their urgency.

As long as Barcelona made mistakes, Real Madrid would have counterattacking opportunities.

...

From the beginning, the game was one-sided.

Barcelona pressed high, while Real Madrid retreated across the board, preparing to counterattack.

The first shot of the game came from Barcelona, but it wasn't threatening.

Real Madrid's defense wasn't to be underestimated. The team had reached the Champions League final on the strength of their defense.

This caused the game to enter a stalemate.

But after Barcelona's repeated attacks failed to break through Real Madrid's defense, the Madrid team, who had been dormant since the start, suddenly seized an opportunity.

In the 13th minute, after De la Red intercepted the ball in midfield, he quickly sent a long pass to the right side of the frontcourt.

Negredo anticipated the ball's trajectory, rushed forward, used his body to push Marquez aside, shielded the ball, and passed it back to Beckham, who had followed up in time.

Beckham controlled the ball, evaded the chasing Van Bronckhorst, and crossed the ball.

Zidane, positioned near the top of the arc in the penalty area, stopped the ball, bypassed Van Bommel, and suddenly took a shot at goal.

A powerful long-range shot, like a thunderbolt, flew directly towards Barcelona's goal.

Valdes dived to his side and managed to block the ball with one hand.

At this moment, Raúl rushed in and, under pressure from Puyol, took a shot with his left foot, aiming for the bottom right corner.

Unfortunately, the ball skimmed just past the post.

Gasps echoed throughout the Stade de France.

Real Madrid's shot was just a hair's breadth away from the goal.

Raúl roared in frustration, turned, and ran back, shaking his head as he did.

His shot angle was blocked by Puyol. He aimed to avoid Valdés and attempted a tricky shot but ended up missing the target and the ball.

On the sidelines, Gao Shen applauded Raul's attempt vigorously, shouting, "Nice job, Raul! Keep going!!!"

The Real Madrid players on the field were confident. Barcelona had controlled over 70% of possession since the start, and Real Madrid had only managed one shot so far. However, that shot had been very close to scoring and was more threatening than Barcelona's attempts.

Barcelona had yet to create a truly threatening shot, proving that Real Madrid's advanced tactics were effective.

"Don't rush! Stay focused and maintain the current rhythm!" Gao Shen's deep voice resonated through the stadium and reached the players, who nodded in acknowledgment.

The coach's instructions were reassuring at this crucial moment.

...

The game restarted.

Despite Barcelona nearly conceding a goal, it didn't deter them; instead, it fueled their determination.

Ronaldinho and Messi were active on both flanks, frequently taking the ball and trying to cut inside. However, their attempts were thwarted because Real Madrid had heavily fortified the areas in front of the penalty box.

The double midfielders and backline were tightly organized, leaving minimal space. As soon as Barcelona received the ball, at least two Real Madrid players were on them, pursuing and intercepting.

Belletti and Van Bronckhorst were consistently tracked by Raul and Beckham. Real Madrid's defense remained solid and of high quality.

This reassured Gao Shen on the sidelines. He believed that as long as the team maintained their current rhythm and avoided mistakes, it would be difficult for Barcelona to breach Real Madrid's goal.

The remainder depended on Real Madrid capitalizing on their opportunities to score against Barcelona.

But then, a major change suddenly occurred on the field.