"Spain in possession."

"Right from the start, the German team hasn't retreated defensively, but has instead moved their entire defensive line higher up the pitch!"

"Löw is taking a big risk."

"Oh? Isco can't get through; the German midfield's lateral movement to block and double-team is layered and flexible."

"There's no opportunity to play a one-two; Hummels, positioned deeper, has excellent defensive awareness."

Isco has no chance to pass the ball forward.

Kimmich, Brandt, and Hummels quickly form a defensive shape, forcing him towards the wing.

*Pa!*

The Real Madrid midfielder has no choice but to pass the ball back.

The "stability" of tiki-taka is at odds with "risky attempts," unless Spain has its full-strength lineup from the European Championship.

With one touch, Li Kang passes the ball diagonally to Fàbregas, who's dropping back to support.

Busquets also moves forward in time.

The three are about to form a triangle for passing.

The instant Fàbregas receives the ball...

*Pa!*

The ball is poked away by Kroos and rolls towards Spain's back line. Piqué controls the ball just ahead of Werner.

"That was close."

"Before Fàbregas received the ball, Kroos, Havertz, and Reus immediately closed in!"

"Now they've spread out again."

"Piqué passes the ball to Busquets—oh no, Werner and Havertz are closing in again, and Kroos is approaching Li Kang nearby."

"Spain can only pass the ball back again with one touch."

"Bayern, under Heynckes, once used this high-pressing defensive coordination to intercept and block, resulting in a 7-0 thrashing of Barcelona with Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets."

"Back then, only Heynckes' Bayern dared to confront peak tiki-taka with a high defensive line."

Time passes, second by second.

Spain can only pass the ball back and forth in their own half.

The La Masia triangle is impossible to create. The high defensive line constructed by Germany is extremely flexible, forcing Spain's passing to become faster and faster.

For example:

Other teams either park the bus with a low defensive line, retreating and preventing Spain from controlling too much space in positional attacks, thereby creating counter-attacking opportunities.

Or they run and press frantically, putting pressure on the Spanish midfield's passing, thereby seizing opportunities for errors in passing.

Heynckes' Bayern is different. When La Masia creates a numerical advantage in a localized area for passing, the German stars also use flexible containment to form a numerical advantage and adjust the high defensive line to block the opponent's forward passing routes.

Barcelona could only find excuses and shift the blame to: "Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets" reaching the end of their careers.

In reality, in the 7-0 aggregate classic battle, "Xavi, Iniesta, and Busquets" briefly played at their peak, but it was no use.

Meanwhile.

Bayern fans in the German stands have mixed feelings:

Clearly, the Heynckes defensive line is so simple, brutal, practical, and unsolvable, and it fits the players who grew up under the German youth training system. Why change coaches and tactical systems to rebuild after winning the treble?

Which club would destroy its original system after winning the treble and just about to dominate European football?

Bayern Munich.

On the bench.

Del Bosque looks serious, observing the dynamics on the pitch with rapt attention.

Thirteen years later, the German team, infused with the Heynckes gene and anchored by Kroos, has gradually become the nemesis of tiki-taka teams.

Minaño is very calm:

"Löw's mind is getting clearer and clearer; he's learned from the lessons of the European Championship."

"As it stands, Bayern only has 36% possession, but we can't create threatening attacks."

"It's still because of the absence of Iniesta, David Silva, and Cazorla."

"Boss, we're about to..."

"Wait a little longer."

On the other side.

Löw touches his nose, resisting the urge to put his hand back in his pocket.

The 18th minute of the match.

After shaking off Kimmich, Li Kang spots a flaw in the German defense.

*Pa!*

He sends a through ball.

The ball is like a sharp blade, piercing through the opponent's high defensive line.

"A surgically precise pass!"

"Morata's timing for the run is perfect!"

"He's not offside!"

"A one-on-one—fantastic, goalkeeper Neuer!"

Morata hasn't even touched the ball yet.

The tall German goalkeeper, as if having already predicted the defensive loophole, turns his big butt and charges out of the thirty-meter area, meeting the ball with his foot!

Applause thunders through the Saint Petersburg Stadium.

This attacking and defensive contest is so exhilarating.

Great pass.

Great defense.

"According to the data from the past two seasons, Bayern is the best club in Europe at disrupting through balls."

"Neuer's presence completely eliminates the space for opponents' through balls to be effective."

"And the most common ground-based finishing method used by tiki-taka teams is the through ball."

"It can be said that Bayern's suppression of through balls has increased the offensive weight of full-backs throughout the Bundesliga."

"Beautiful."

"Neuer's long pass is exquisite!"

"He's found Reus on the left wing in the attacking third!"

"The Dortmund rocket!"

After controlling the ball, Reus doesn't immediately sprint, doesn't "run and bomb" with the overall German formation, but maintains a steady pace forward.

He's very clever.

After attracting most of the Spanish players in the thirty-meter area on the left, he doesn't choose to break through himself, doesn't play a one-two with Havertz, who's supporting, and doesn't play a long pass to Werner in the middle.

*Pa!*

Turns and passes it back diagonally.

Passes the ball to his soulmate - Kroos.

"Cruise missile!"

"Kroos' switch!"

"Without any adjustment needed, the ball flies to the right wing in the blink of an eye."

"The weak side of the Spanish defense!"

The ball leaves Kroos' white shoe, spinning towards the right!

Brandt slows down.

Facing the descending ball with his back, he lifts his right foot to cushion it.

Before the ball lands, he turns and passes it to Kimmich on the right side of the Spanish penalty area with his left foot!

*Clang!*

The Bayern youngster unleashes a long shot!

The ball spins towards the upper left corner of the goal.

"Danger!"

"Great save, De Gea!"

The purple gloves hold the ball firmly.

Rüdiger and Werner, who were trying to follow up, couldn't stop and both tumbled into the net.

Busquets is still shaken, inadvertently recalling the fear of being dominated by Heynckes' Bayern: In the defensive phase of transition attacks, Barcelona was helpless against this kind of speed impact from "run and bomb" combined with shifting from side to side.

Even if Barcelona had 70% possession, they were still slaughtered by Bayern.

Not to mention that the Spanish team now has Li, back then Barcelona still had Xavi and Iniesta.

Tiki-taka is dead.

It died at the hands of Heynckes' Bayern.

Fortunately, other teams don't have this special overall collaborative ability of the German team.

The players cultivated by the German youth training system are not assembly line products, but the ability to collaborate has been melted into their blood.

Li Kang bends down and adjusts his shin guards.

The God's-eye view doesn't show any red lines.

There are few opportunities to break the deadlock in national team matches.

Because there are many trump cards and rich combat forms.

His Spanish teammates quickly noticed the change in his gestures.

On the bench.

Minaño exclaims excitedly, "Boss, Li has no intention of vindicating Barcelona's tiki-taka at all, according to the pre-match plan..."

Del Bosque nods in satisfaction.

(End of chapter)