Chapter 1 The Imminent Clash

In the player tunnel, the Spanish members of Real Madrid's squad shook hands and embraced Li Kang, a tense atmosphere quickly spreading throughout the vast passage. Some stars, no matter how many times they stood on the Champions League final stage, would feel immense pressure. Marcelo, for example, had been so nervous these past two days that he had chewed all his fingernails off. He even told the media before an interview that he was a little short of breath and kept needing to go to the bathroom. But there were exceptions. Isco pulled Li Kang's zipper up on his jacket.

Diego Costa patted Casemiro's backside. Cristiano Ronaldo touched a young ball boy's head, then suddenly turned around and stared at Li Kang with a very sharp look. The director's camera captured this moment in time, and the fans in front of the TV immediately perked up. 'Death stare!'

Full of competitive spirit!

In Li Kang's vision, a ghostly image gradually coalesced, a figure in white and gold striking the "siu" pose.

Even when competing against himself, he has such a strong desire to win?

Li Kang smiled. Cristiano Ronaldo immediately turned his head away. A moment later, the referee team led the players from both sides onto the steps at the exit of the tunnel. The dazzling lights on both sides of the wall seemed to separate the tunnel from the stadium into two different worlds. In an instant.

The cheers and applause of the Olympic Stadium poured down like a vast avalanche from all four stands, instantly swallowing the players on the field.

Li Kang brushed past the Champions League trophy. A system notification quietly sounded: [Ding! Task triggered: Establish and Destroy.] [Task Description: The brilliant stars at the peak of Europe will be dimmed tonight!] [Task Reward: Champions League Champion Treasure Chest.] "Now, let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides."

"Chelsea, wearing blue jerseys, are lined up in a 4-3-3 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: Buffon."

"Defenders: Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Cahill, Rudiger."

"Midfielders: Li Kang, Kante, Fabregas." "Forwards: Hazard, Diego Costa, Willian."

Livestream room.

-【Another golden era for the Blues.】-【The last championship run was an old boy's fairytale, this time it's a… a young man's unstoppable momentum!】

-【This midfield configuration is too broken in the game.】-【Li Mingdeng + Kante, this historical-level midfield combination is simply too perverted in the game.】-【Heard Hazard is going to join Real Madrid?】-【Hazard's Champions League knockout stage goal count this year is two! More than the previous five years combined. Real Madrid shouldn't even think about buying him without offering two hundred million! Weekly salary of at least 400,000 pounds!】-【Whether or not they fork out two hundred million, Real Madrid wants to observe Isco's performance next season. There are still many candidates for the new king of the Bernabéu.】-【Isco is not good, he's been secretly eating vegetarian this season, and his form has declined a lot… influenced by that girlfriend of his.】"Real Madrid, wearing white jerseys, are lined up in a 4-4-2 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: Navas."

"Defenders: Carvajal, Varane, Ramos, Marcelo."

"Midfielders: Isco, Modrić, Casemiro, Kroos."

"Forwards: Cristiano Ronaldo, Benzema." Livestream room.

-【The Galactic Battleship!】-【The strongest lineup in Europe!】

-【The classic midfield trio!】-【I can close my eyes and know Zidane's adjustments: diamond midfield four before 70 minutes, take off Isco after 70 minutes, replace him with Bale, and change to a 4-3-3.】-【Hopefully Real Madrid can win their twelfth Champions League title in team history this year!】-【Remember Pepe from last year's final, elbowing Li Kang's face, stepping on the back of his hand, and making a gesture to cripple him.】-【Bale once said that his childhood dream was to join Munich 1860, but he was slapped in the face by a player from that club.】With the referee's whistle, the match officially began.

The Olympic Stadium erupted once again in an earth-shattering roar. Real Madrid with possession.

Benzema kicks off and passes back to Varane.

Chelsea quickly launched a pressing attack. "Two passes."

"Then pass the ball to Kroos."

"Excellent vision, quickly passed to Carvajal, who is surging forward on the right wing in an open area."

"Modrić moves to the left sideline, opening up space."

"Casemiro comes to the top."

"Real Madrid's speed of horizontal ball transfer is very fast! Completing the transfer from right to left in an instant!"

The range of position rotation in today's classic midfield trio is also very large.

"Chelsea's intercepting net is also tilting very quickly!"

Modrić's ability to hold the ball with his back to the goal is world-class.

This does not refer to the traditional center forward's pivot back to the goal.

The premise for midfielders to resolve encirclement while holding the ball with their back to the goal is to maintain a good distance and passing axis with their teammates, thereby influencing the entire team's advancing framework. For example, ordinary midfielders need the team's support to make reasonable passes while holding the ball with their back to the goal, but players like Modrić, Busquets, Pogba, and Li Kang are different. The former two can independently complete the back-to-goal multi-on-one through technical connections, searching for the optimal solution for advancing and attacking. The latter two can solve the problem by simply relying on body balance, control radius, and explosive power. In this historical period.

Only these four top midfielders in Europe possess this excellent ability. Kante promptly presses against the Croatian midfielder's backside. Modrić does not forcibly turn around for a technical breakthrough, nor does he use feints.

Why?

Because in this historical period, the five midfielders with the strongest ability to defend against pressing in Europe are: Kante, Kroos, Modrić, Li Kang, and Pogba.

In a side-on state, only one person stands alone: Pjanić of Juventus. "Did not confront Kante head-on."

"Modrić is very clever, taking the ball back a few steps, circling in broken steps." "This retreat makes Kante afraid to continue chasing, chasing will expose the gap behind him."

Kante didn't expect the other party to handle it this way. His brain diverged, and his little black eyes rotated left and right, predicting Real Madrid's next advancing path, adjusting in broken steps, ready to lunge forward and intercept at any time. "Marcelo moves forward!"

"And Modrić switches positions in rotation. Chelsea's forward interception line is mobilized at this moment."

The formation's center of gravity continues to tilt to one side. Something unexpected happened. Modrić did not pass the ball there, nor did he pass it back to the defender, but found an unconventional passing path. Bang!

"Beautiful!"

"Outside of the foot, a long ground pass with an arc!"

"Like a dining knife, precisely cutting open the cake in the middle."

"A perfect combination of penetration and concealment."

"According to the newly launched 20-zone division concept, Modrić's pass penetrated zones 4, 5, 6, 13, and 1!"

"An unpredictable passing path!"

"This is the awareness and decision-making of a top midfielder."

"Kroos!"

"The Galactic Battleship speeds up at this moment! The space for advancement has also opened up all of a sudden."

The classic midfield trio breaks the pressing, without needing the forward teammates to retreat for support.

The audience in the Olympic Stadium had not yet reacted. In the VIP box, Beckenbauer couldn't help applauding, looking at Cruyff, and marveling, "This Real Madrid kid not only looks like you…" Cruyff remained expressionless and did not respond. The moment Kroos received the ball, the Chelsea defense had already responded. David Luiz stuck close to Benzema.

Cahill maintained a distance from Benzema, his body facing the end of Isco's forward insertion path. If the picture were frozen, it would be found that the empty space area that Isco was trying to insert into would be in danger of being blocked by Cahill and Rüdiger at any time. "Kroos didn't pass the ball immediately!"

"Continue dribbling to the center!"

Easily got rid of Fabregas!

"Can pass now!"

The characteristic of Latin midfielders is: after the opponent's defense is in place, I will use unexpected means to break through.

The characteristic of German midfielders is: after the opponent's defense is in place, I will use the simplest means to break through. Kroos is the most perfect German midfielder. A few steps of dribbling.

Changed the passing angle directly in front, disrupting Cahill and Rüdiger's "Isco insertion" empty space co-defense package. The answer to passing the ball remains unchanged. "The distance between David Luiz and Cahill shrinks!"

"Beautiful!"

"Kroos' scalpel-like through ball, looking for Isco!"

"The intention is really too obvious."

"Isco!"

"One-on-one!"

"Slipped!"

Isco almost stepped on the edge of the penalty area line and fell on the grass. Rüdiger cleared the ball with a big kick!