Positioning balls were a key area of practice before the final, perhaps even the largest proportion of pre-match preparation.

Of course, "positioning balls" included not just corner kicks, but also free kicks and penalty kicks. Furthermore, it wasn't limited to attacking drills; defense was also essential.

Moreover, with several players in Liverpool's squad possessing excellent heading skills, failing to take advantage of set pieces would be a waste.

In the past two seasons, when Liverpool struggled to break the deadlock due to the opponent's stubborn defense or other reasons, positioning balls were their best option.

Now, in the final, after more than thirty minutes, they still hadn't scored. Barcelona firmly controlled the ball, with possession reaching as high as seventy-three percent at one point.

In this situation, if they wanted to score, they had to make good use of this corner kick.

Chen Hero stood in front of the goal. Whether he was the actual header or not, he wouldn't lack defenders around him. Because the opponents couldn't ignore him and go defend players who "might threaten the goal."

Chen Hero was someone who "certainly could threaten the goal."

Pique and Busquets gathered around Chen Hero.

At the same time, Pepe, Skrtel, and Inler stood in the penalty area, ready to head the ball.

Other Barcelona players rushed up to surround them.

If they couldn't compete in heading ability, they could at least interfere with their headers by using their numbers.

Apart from that, there were no other Liverpool players in the penalty area.

The rest of the Liverpool players were outside, their purpose being to prevent Barcelona's quick counterattacks.

However, the Liverpool players felt that the few people currently in the penalty area were enough to cause trouble for Barcelona's defense.

After all, aerial defense had always been Barcelona's weakness. Mainly because their height was too short. Only Pique was the tallest in the defense, reaching one meter ninety.

His central defender partner, Fontàs, was one meter eighty-six, which was considered good. In the past, his partner was Puyol, who was less than one meter eighty.

Another tall guy was Busquets, at one meter eighty-nine, but heading was not his specialty.

Only these three had the ability to compete with Liverpool players for high balls. The others were completely useless.

Now, all three of them were around Chen Hero.

As for Skrtel, Pepe, and Inler, they didn't even glance at them.

In their view, Chen Hero was the most threatening.

Not only did they think so, but the Barcelona fans in front of the TV and in the stands also believed so.

They shouted, "Mark Chen Hero! Kill him! Freeze him!"

Pique even grabbed Chen Hero's jersey.

Chen Hero glared at him.

Pique ignored it and continued to pull on the jersey.

Then Chen Hero pushed Pique away with force.

Pique immediately screamed and fell to the ground, but he forgot to cover his face, so the effect was a little worse—the referee noticed the situation, but did not show Chen Hero a card, instead signaling Pique to stand up, and then giving both of them a verbal warning.

Pique didn't really restrain himself. After the referee left, he grabbed Chen Hero's jersey again.

Are you kidding me? Chen Hero is such a great header, why would I let him run? As long as the referee doesn't give me a red card and send me off directly, I'll keep pulling!

But this time Chen Hero didn't bother with him.

However, everyone saw the entanglement between him and Pique in the penalty area.

Everyone was even more convinced that Chen Hero would be the target of Liverpool's corner kick, responsible for heading the ball.

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The entanglement in the penalty area continued, and then Gareth Bale kicked the corner kick.

Chen Hero suddenly broke free from his defense and rushed to the near post!

Pique accidentally didn't hold on, and when he saw Chen Hero rushing to the near post, he shouted inwardly, "Damn it!" and then chased after him.

Not only him, but all the other Barcelona players followed, and for a moment Chen Hero led a group of people behind him.

However, he didn't jump...

He just ran forward, the ball flew over his head, and he was still running forward... This scene stunned many people—was Chen Hero stupid or blind? Didn't he see the ball go past?

All the Barcelona players who were chasing desperately behind him were stunned.

Not only him, even the commentator didn't expect it: "Hero didn't jump... What's going on?!"

The answer was revealed immediately.

The camera lens quickly shifted to the far post, only to see Pepe rise high, overpowering Fabregas, who couldn't threaten him at all... and then a diving header!

Because almost all of the Barcelona players' defensive attention was on Chen Hero, Pepe was almost unguarded, and he headed the ball very easily!

"Pepe—goal... goal!!!"

With the commentator's roar, the ball flew into Valdés' goal...

The first goal came so casually and unexpectedly that many people didn't expect it.

Many Barcelona players were stunned in place, still unable to react.

And Chen Hero, who had been running all the time, glanced at the ball in the goal, then opened his arms and accelerated towards Bale in the corner flag area—it turned out that he had planned to run to Bale for a hug from the very beginning!

Using Chen Hero's huge influence in heading to feint an attack, attracting the attention of Barcelona players, was planned from the beginning.

Even if the opponent knew that Chen Hero was feinting, they wouldn't dare not defend, wouldn't dare to defend less.

Then the other Liverpool players could take the opportunity to get a more relaxed heading environment.

Pepe and Skrtel's headers are not just for show, they are also real weapons!

This time it was so successful!

Chen Hero has scored too many goals this season, sweeping goals in all lines and breaking various records.

Liverpool's league goal total this season is one hundred and seven, which is the total goal of the whole team. Chen Hero alone scored sixty-two, more than half. Not counting the final, the team scored thirty-three goals in the Champions League, and Chen Hero alone scored eighteen, almost two-thirds. As for the League Cup and the FA Cup, it was almost Chen Hero's solo performance, especially the FA Cup. Liverpool scored a total of eighteen goals in the FA Cup, and Chen Hero alone scored fourteen in this competition...

He is so capable of scoring that everyone has unconsciously formed an illusion that as long as Liverpool scores, it must be Chen Hero's goal.

But in fact, even if he scored sixty-two goals in the league, there are still forty-five goals scored by his teammates.

This time, Chen Hero fully utilized everyone's illusion and played a perfect supporting role! Looking at his entanglement with Pique in the penalty area, such a dedicated performance, he can simply compete for the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor...

"Hero... Hero is actually responsible for feinting an attack!"

The commentator slapped his forehead after the initial shock—why can't Chen Hero be a supporting actor?

This is a normal thing, but why do we feel surprised?

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Not only these commentators, but the fans in the stands and the audience in front of the TV also found it very strange—this goal was not scored by Chen Hero?

Which opening goal in an important game was not scored by Chen Hero?

Why this time, the one who scored the opening goal for Liverpool in such an important game as the Champions League final was... Pepe?

No one could figure it out, although Pepe scoring a goal was a very normal thing, they just felt that such a goal should be scored by Chen Hero to be in line with common sense...

Who would have thought that Liverpool would seize this habitual mentality of people and score a crucial goal!

Now Liverpool is leading, Barcelona can no longer continue to pass the ball back and forth outside their thirty-meter area.

This is forcing Barcelona to speed up the pace, to try more shots, to enter the fast lane!

And in this way, Liverpool will have more opportunities.

The first goal was so important that Martin O'Neill had to sacrifice Chen Hero. Who made Chen Hero so famous?

Everyone knows to mark him, and they are negligent to the other Liverpool players.

But Liverpool actually doesn't just have one Chen Hero!

This is the end of you only valuing Chen Hero and underestimating Liverpool!

After Pepe scored the goal, Martin O'Neill excitedly rushed out of the coaching bench and waved his arms wildly, roaring to the sky. He wasn't so happy even when Chen Hero scored a goal.

But he had a reason to do so, because Chen Hero's goals always made him feel that he didn't contribute much in it, and the sense of accomplishment after scoring a goal was not deep. Even others would think so. After Chen Hero scored a goal, everyone praised Chen Hero in droves, but had anyone praised Martin O'Neill, who arranged the tactics?

But this goal was different. Pepe's goal fully reflected his role in this scoring tactic—he came up with this tactic.

His sense of accomplishment directly reached the maximum value!

He used Chen Hero's fame, used Chen Hero's heading ability, and accurately grasped the psychological misunderstandings of the world, and successfully used them. Can he not be happy?

I, Martin O'Neill, am not here to make soy sauce! I am the coach of Liverpool!

The team's victory and championship are not just Chen Hero's credit alone, but also mine!

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Chen Hero hugged Bale, Pepe was hugged by other teammates, and then the two sides merged together and hugged each other to celebrate the goal.

Opening the scoring is Liverpool's favorite way to start a game.

The next game will be their favorite rhythm.

The Liverpool fans in the stands let out huge cheers. They didn't care whether the goal was scored by Chen Hero or not, as long as Liverpool scored a goal. After all, although they all like Chen Hero very much, they are Liverpool fans first.

Just like Chen Hero once said in Naples, the future of a team cannot be because of a certain great player, but should be great enough in itself. Because great players will transfer and retire, but great teams will still be there in a hundred years!