"Spain's ball."

"Right from the kickoff, Germany isn't turtling back, but pushing their entire defensive line high up the pitch!"

"Löw is taking a risk."

"Oh? Isco can't get through. The German midfield's lateral movement and closing speed are just too good."

"No chance for a one-two pass. Hummels is positioned perfectly at the back."

Isco had no way to thread the ball forward.

Kimmich, Brandt, and Hummels quickly formed a defensive wall, forcing him towards the sideline.

*Thwack!*

The Real Madrid midfielder had no choice but to pass back.

The "stability" of tiki-taka is at odds with "risky attempts," unless Spain has its full-strength Euro Cup lineup.

Li Kang passed the ball with one touch, diagonally to Fabregas, who was moving up to support.

Busquets also moved forward in time.

The three were about to form a passing triangle.

The instant Fabregas received the ball...

*Thwack!*

Kroos poked the ball away, and it rolled back towards the Spanish defense. Pique controlled it just ahead of Werner.

"That was close."

"The moment Fabregas received the ball, Kroos, Havertz, and Reus immediately swarmed him!"

"Now they've spread out again."

"Pique passes to Busquets. Oh, Werner and Havertz are closing in again, and Kroos is approaching Li Kang."

"Spain is forced to pass it back again with one touch."

"Bayern under Heynckes used this kind of high-pressing, double-teaming tactic to intercept passes and completely overwhelm Barcelona, with their 'Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets' midfield, 7-0."

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

Time ticked by.

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

The La Masia triangle connections were impossible to establish. Germany's high defensive line was so flexible, forcing Spain to make faster and faster passes.

For example:

Other teams either park the bus, defend deep, and move their lines back, denying Spain too much space in positional attacks, and try to hit them on the counter.

Or they run and press like crazy, putting pressure on the Spanish midfield's passing, trying to capitalize on any mistakes.

Heynckes' Bayern was different. When La Masia created a local numerical advantage, the German stars also used flexible positioning to create their own numerical advantage and block the opponent's forward passing lanes with their high defensive line.

Barça could only make excuses, blaming it on "Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets" being past their prime.

In reality, in the 7-0 aggregate classic, "Xavi-Iniesta-Busquets" were actually playing at their peak, but it didn't matter.

Meanwhile...

The Bayern fans in the German stands had mixed feelings:

If the Heynckes system was so simple, effective, practical, and unbeatable, and aligned so well with the players developed in the German youth system, why did they change coaches and tactics after winning the treble and start rebuilding?

What club would destroy its own system after winning the treble, just when it was about to dominate European football?

Bayern Munich.

On the sidelines...

Del Bosque watched the action on the pitch intently, his expression serious.

Thirteen years later, a German team with Heynckes' DNA, led by Kroos, had gradually become the nemesis of tiki-taka teams.

Miñano was very calm.

"Löw is getting his head on straight. He's learned from the Euros."

"So far, we only have thirty-six percent possession, but we can't create any dangerous attacks."

"It's still because Iniesta, David Silva, and Cazorla are missing."

"Boss, we should probably..."

"Wait a little longer."

On the other side.

Löw scratched his nose, fighting the urge to put his hand back in his pants.

The 18th minute of the match.

After shaking off Kimmich, Li Kang spotted a gap in the German defense.

*Thwack!*

He sent a through ball.

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

"A surgical pass!"

"Morata times his run perfectly!"

"He's onside!"

"A one-on-one! It's Neuer, the sweeper-keeper!"

Morata hadn't even touched the ball yet.

The tall German goalkeeper, as if he had anticipated the defensive breakdown, turned his big butt and rushed out of the thirty-meter area, meeting the ball with his foot!

The Saint Petersburg Stadium erupted in applause.

This attack and defense was too exciting.

Great pass.

Great defense.

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

"Neuer's presence completely negates the effectiveness of through balls from the opposition."

"And the most common way for possession-based teams to finish attacks on the ground is with a through ball."

"You could say that Bayern's suppression of through balls has increased the attacking importance of full-backs throughout the entire 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 didn't immediately sprint down the wing, or join the rest of the German team in their "run-and-gun" attack. He maintained a steady pace forward.

He was very smart.

After attracting most of the Spanish players to the left side of the thirty-meter area, he didn't choose to dribble past them himself, or try a one-two with the supporting Havertz, or pass long to Werner in the center.

*Thwack!*

He turned and passed it back diagonally.

He passed the ball to his like-minded best friend, Kroos.

"A cruise missile!"

"Kroos' switch!"

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

"The weak side of the Spanish defense!"

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

Brandt slowed down.

With his back to the falling ball, he lifted his right foot to cushion it.

Before the ball hit the ground, he turned and used his left foot to lay it off to Kimmich on the right side of the Spanish penalty area!

*Bang!*

The Bayern youngster unleashed a long shot!

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

"Dangerous!"

"Great save, De Gea!"

The purple gloves securely caught the ball.

Rüdiger and Werner, who were trying to follow up for a rebound, couldn't stop their momentum and both crashed into the net.

Busquets was still shaken, and unintentionally recalled the fear of being dominated by Heynckes' Bayern: in the defensive phase of transition, Barça had no way to deal with the speed of their run-and-gun attacks combined with their switches from side to side.

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

Not to mention Spain having Li now, Barça had Xavi and Iniesta back then.

Tiki-taka is dead.

It died at the hands of Heynckes' Bayern.

Fortunately, other teams don't have the same overall special ability for coordinated operations that Germany does.

The players produced by the German youth system aren't carbon copies, but the ability to work together is ingrained in their blood.

Li Kang bent down and adjusted his shin guards.

God's perspective didn't generate any red lines.

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

Because there are more trump cards and a richer variety of combat forms.

His Spanish teammates quickly noticed the changes in his gestures.

On the sidelines...

Miñano said excitedly, "Boss, Li doesn't want to vindicate Barcelona's tiki-taka at all. Let's go according to the pre-match plan..."

Del Bosque nodded in satisfaction.

(End of this chapter)