Chapter 1 The Interlude Before the Match

The little interlude before the match ended.

When the two teams’ players walked onto the field, fire practically spewed from the eyes of the Atlético Madrid players.

But not everyone could keenly perceive this. In their view, this wasn't any different from entering any other Champions League match.

Only when Zhou Yi shook hands with each Atlético Madrid player could he feel their animosity.

He certainly knew why, but it didn't affect him internally.

Just kidding, Zhou Yi was someone who had seen great storms. Would the opponent’s hostility make his legs go weak?

Heh.

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After going through all the pre-match formalities, the two teams’ players stood in their respective positions. This highly anticipated match was about to begin.

Atlético Madrid won the right to kick off. Falcao and Diego Costa stood in the center circle, waiting to start the game.

When the referee Thomson blew the whistle to start the match, they kicked the football out and then passed it back. The match began just like that.

Atlético Madrid, with the advantage of the kickoff, unleashed the anger that Zhou Yi had provoked from the first second of the match toward Borussia Dortmund's penalty area.

In the second minute, Falcao completed a high-quality shot, forcing Weidenfeller to make a very thrilling save, pushing the football out of the baseline. The match had only just begun for two minutes, and Atlético Madrid had already earned a corner kick.

During this corner kick, Atlético Madrid's captain Godín leaped high, heading the football toward the goal before Subotić. It was just a pity that this header was slightly high… but it still startled the Borussia Dortmund fans in the stands into exclaiming.

“Oh, oh, oh! The Atlético Madrid players are in high spirits and entered the match very early!” The Spanish commentator said excitedly. This was something he was very happy to see, but he didn't understand why.

Probably no one but the Atlético Madrid players and Zhou Yi knew why Atlético Madrid was so aggressive after the start of the match…

Oh, no, Reus also understood.

Watching Atlético Madrid have two threatening shots in less than three minutes after the start of the match, Reus frowned.

Zhou Yi and Sun Pan's bet seemed to have aroused a backlash from Atlético Madrid…

Subsequently, although Borussia Dortmund gained possession of the ball, the Atlético Madrid players on the field were like mad dogs, pressing Borussia Dortmund in the middle and front courts, creating a lot of trouble for Borussia Dortmund.

This made Simeone, who was directing the match from the sidelines, very happy. He had repeatedly told his players during the pre-match arrangements to launch a fierce attack on Borussia Dortmund's goal at the beginning of the match.

Because the time right after the kickoff and near the end of the match were when the team’s attention was the least focused. If they could enter the state earlier than their opponents at this time, they might be able to score a goal.

He didn't intend to defend for a 0-0 draw in the away game and finally drag the match into a penalty shootout, relying on Sun Pan alone to eliminate their opponents. It didn't fit his personal aesthetic to be a coward for the previous one hundred and twenty minutes.

So, of course, they had to attack in the away game, get an away goal, and score first before talking about consolidating defense.

Now Atlético Madrid's performance was very much in line with Simeone's expectations. His team was indeed entering the state very quickly.

Of course, he felt that this was his credit.

Simeone certainly didn't know about the little interlude that happened in the player tunnel before the match. Perhaps that was the reason why the Atlético Madrid players entered the match so quickly…

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Atlético Madrid's fierce offensive finally reaped their dream goal in the eleventh minute.

Falcao's shot caused Weidenfeller to fumble, and Adrián in the penalty area made a clever follow-up shot. The football flew into the goal.

“Adrián!! Adrián López!!” The Spanish TV commentator shouted excitedly. “He scored the first goal for Atlético Madrid! This is a very important goal! Atlético Madrid got an away goal!!”

After scoring the goal, Adrián ran to the corner flag area, followed by his teammates who embraced him in a group. They celebrated the goal to their heart's content below the south stand of the Westfalenstadion, not caring at all about the huge boos echoing above their heads.

“They conceded a goal first at their home stadium… Borussia Dortmund is in trouble…” Marcel Reif said regretfully.

“Borussia Dortmund's defenders missed someone while defending in the penalty area. Why was Adrián unmarked?” He Ping questioned. “But before that, Atlético Madrid's offensive had already been very fierce. Their series of attacks made Borussia Dortmund's defense a little flustered, and Adrián also got the opportunity because of this… Borussia Dortmund may not have expected Atlético Madrid to enter the state so quickly in this match… They entered the state almost immediately after the match kicked off, without any warm-up or probing…”

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While the Atlético Madrid players were celebrating the goal, Zhou Yi was pulling a few people aside for a small meeting.

He was looking for Lewandowski, Götze, and Reus, who made up Borussia Dortmund's attacking lineup in this match.

“It's okay, we also have opportunities. When they press up to attack, there are actually a lot of gaps behind them. This is an opportunity we can use to hit them on the counterattack.”

Zhou Yi said to his three teammates.

“But Zhou Yi, they already have a goal. There's no need to continue attacking. If they shrink back to defend, how can we have a chance to counterattack?” Lewandowski expressed his doubts.

Zhou Yi smiled slightly: “I don't think they will retreat so quickly. Think about it, their momentum is so good now. If I were them, I wouldn't choose to shrink back to defend after just scoring a goal. Of course, I would continue to attack and try to score another one in a short time!”

After Zhou Yi said this, the others also felt that it made sense.

That's right, when the team's momentum is good, why shrink back to defend? Of course, you have to continue attacking! At this time, if you ask the team to shrink back to play defensive counterattacks, probably not many players will listen.

So Zhou Yi's analysis made sense.

“As long as they continue to attack, it will be our opportunity, but we won't have many opportunities. If we waste them, it will arouse their vigilance and they will immediately retreat. Then it will be really impossible to launch a counterattack.” Zhou Yi continued to analyze.

Reus knew what Zhou Yi meant, so without waiting for Zhou Yi to continue, he said: “Don't worry, Zhou Yi. We won't waste opportunities easily.”

Götze and Lewandowski also nodded in agreement.

So, while Atlético Madrid was still celebrating the goal, and other Borussia Dortmund players were still regretting the goal they had conceded, Zhou Yi had already pulled a few people aside and simply explained how to play after conceding the goal.

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When the match restarted, sure enough, just as Zhou Yi had said, after Borussia Dortmund completed an attack, Atlético Madrid continued to bombard Borussia Dortmund's goal, with absolutely no difference from before. The offensive was even fiercer—this was easy to understand. The entire Atlético Madrid team, having just scored a goal, was in a very excited period, with high morale and full of confidence.

If Borussia Dortmund couldn't withstand their attack, it wouldn't be a pipe dream for Atlético Madrid to concede another goal in a short time.

Weidenfeller had just saved a very threatening shot from Diego Costa, but the football didn't fly directly out of the baseline. Instead, it was blocked back into the penalty area, and Adrián wanted to repeat his old trick. This time, his follow-up shot was blocked by Hummels and flew out of the baseline.

Although the ball didn't go in, it made the Borussia Dortmund fans in the stands and in front of the TV sets have their hearts pounding and were frightened enough.

Because Atlético Madrid's offensive was too fierce, it was very difficult to keep Lewandowski or Reus and others in front to launch a counterattack—Borussia Dortmund was already under a lot of pressure in defense. How could they keep two people in front and not come back?

Not to mention Reus, even the center forward Lewandowski had to retreat behind the center circle to participate in the defense.

Even if Zhou Yi had the ball at his feet, it was impossible for him to just kick it up.

Borussia Dortmund was right to launch a counterattack, but not this kind of simple and crude counterattack.

But if they kept waiting, it would be too passive. What if the opponent scored before they could get a chance?

Although the match had only started for more than ten minutes, there wasn't much time left for Zhou Yi and Borussia Dortmund.

So, instead of passively waiting for opportunities, it would be better to actively create opportunities.