Capítulo 185: Chapter 185: Champions League Semi-Final Strikes! Atletico Madrid Is The Devil Team?
Su Luo's display of Ronaldinho-like skill was just a small test as he led Union Berlin to an easy victory over Dortmund, maintaining their 3-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga standings.
With only four rounds left in the league, Bayern Munich's chances to catch up were slim. Additionally, Bayern was competing on three fronts, having reached the final of the German Cup and the semifinals of the Champions League, which was bound to impact their league performance.
Union Berlin's task was clear: win their upcoming matches against Bremen and Mainz. After these two games, Bayern might find themselves in a difficult position.
Following the Borussia Dortmund 1:3 Union Berlin match, the media reported on Anya's story. Many people who were previously unaware learned about Union Berlin's heartwarming gesture for a fan. Union Berlin fans spontaneously organized efforts to support Anya, and many people wanted to help by donating bone marrow. Eventually, a match was found, and the transplant surgery, initially planned for over two weeks later, was quickly arranged for the next week.
This development gave Uncle Hans newfound hope for Anya.
"Next week, isn't that when we play Atletico Madrid? I won't be able to watch the game..." Anya pouted, a little unhappy.
Hans patted her head and said with a smile, "We won't tell you the result until after your operation. You can watch the video later, and it'll be like a live broadcast."
"Okay! That's a deal."
Union Berlin hosted Mainz in round 31 of the Bundesliga. Three days later, they would travel back to Madrid for their away game. The last time they played in Madrid, they defeated the mighty Real Madrid, shocking the world. Could they create another miracle this time? The German media and fans had high expectations.
Due to their previous ironclad performance against Real Madrid, many fans who initially disliked Union Berlin gradually fell in love with this underdog team. Even many Bayern fans said that Union Berlin represented German football better than Pep Guardiola's Bayern.
Against Bremen, due to Su Luo's strong request, Coach Neuhaus still let him start.
"Is it really okay? I was going to let you rest a little longer."
"Don't worry, Coach, my physical fitness is enough for two matches a week."
The fitness coach also gave feedback, saying, "After this test, Su's physical fitness has improved a lot. It seems our training plan over the past two years has finally paid off."
Indeed, when Su Luo ran more than 14,000 meters, he was still able to complete an 80-meter sprint in stoppage time. His physical fitness had significantly improved.
In the first half, Su Luo received a cross from Forsberg, used an exquisite flick to get past the defender in the penalty area, and scored the first goal.
"1-0!"
Later, Bremen strengthened their defense, and Union Berlin slowed down to conserve energy and didn't score again for a while.
In the second half, Su Luo launched another attack. From a 45-degree angle, he sent an arc pass with the outside of his foot—a move reminiscent of De Bruyne! The football penetrated Werder Bremen's defense and landed at Quinin's feet.
Quinin took advantage and scored! Union Berlin led 2-0!
Thanks to Su Luo's continuous assists, Quinin had scored 15 goals in the Bundesliga this season, becoming the team's second-top scorer. This was the highlight of Quinin's career, and he expressed his gratitude to Su Luo with a celebratory bow.
Then Neuhaus replaced Keita and Rudiger, giving the main players some rest. Union Berlin maintained their 2-0 lead until injury time.
Su Luo stole the ball in front of the penalty area and dribbled all the way down the field! Bremen's players couldn't keep up with him. Could he still sprint like this after running the whole game? Was he even human?
Su Luo passed through the defense, using Ronaldinho's finesse and Ronaldo's explosive acceleration, and calmly swung past the goalkeeper to score an empty net goal.
"3-0! Union Berlin beat Werder Bremen and successfully secured the points!"
Now the pressure was on Bayern. Bayern Munich's game was the next day, and they were likely feeling the heat. Union Berlin, however, couldn't worry about that—they left for Madrid the next day.
This was Su Luo's second visit to the city. After their victory against Real Madrid last time, he vividly remembered the excitement of meeting Swift at a nightclub and then finishing the night at a hotel with her.
This time, there was no such luck. Josephine was busy in Milan, and Erica had gone to Australia for a track and field competition. If they won the game in two days, Su Luo would only be able to celebrate by dancing with his teammates. The nightclub on the 7th floor was quite lively, but winning was the priority.
Atlético de Madrid seemed unassuming, but they were actually the biggest threat in this year's Champions League, even scarier than Barcelona.
On the plane, Coach Neuhaus was discussing the upcoming game with his staff. "I feel like Atletico Madrid is harder to play than Real Madrid. Their defense is really tough."
"We have Su Luo, so it shouldn't be a problem, right?"
"Indeed, Su Luo can create chances in tight spaces... but he's bound to face a lot of pressure in this match."
"Let's hope he doesn't get injured..."
Before Hofstede could finish, Neuhaus slapped him on the back. "Don't jinx it!"
The professional football circle is quite superstitious, and talking too much about potential problems is considered bad luck. Realizing his mistake, Hofstede quickly shut up.
"He definitely won't get injured. Su's only been injured once in two seasons..." Neuhaus said, though he couldn't shake a feeling of unease.
There was a lot of tension and anticipation between Real Madrid and Union Berlin ahead of the game.
At that time, the media gained substantial traffic, and fans were eagerly following the events.
The atmosphere of the Champions League quarter-finals had been sufficiently hyped before the match began. After all, Real Madrid is a high-profile team, and UEFA focuses on it as the center of attention.
As for Atletico Madrid, even their pre-match press conference was as unpretentious as their style of play.
When Real Madrid was eliminated, the media quickly picked up the news. The reporters' questions were relatively straightforward.
"How do you view Union Berlin and Su Luo, their key player?"
"Bandit leader" Simeone answered seriously, "Su Luo is a very good player, comparable to Messi in terms of threat. In some cases, he even surpasses Messi. Union Berlin is a very tough team. To be honest, I'd rather face Real Madrid than them."
Simeone's remarks made the reporters smile knowingly. Indeed, Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid had played many times, and they knew each other's tactics well. Facing an unfamiliar Union Berlin introduced variables, which Simeone disliked.
"Do you have confidence in reaching the final in these two rounds?"
Simeone shook his head, "Honestly, I don't know. As long as Su Luo is on their side, no one can guarantee a win. We can only do our best. This is not a game; this is war!"
"Assuming we make it to the final, I am confident we can win the championship."
Simeone's humility initially concealed his confident, aggressive spirit—much like his team, which seems ordinary but hides lethal intentions.
Next, it was Union Berlin coach Neuhaus's turn. He was equally cautious.
"The last time we were here, we came back victorious, but we didn't expect to return so soon. The opponents in the semi-finals are all strong, and we will approach this game more seriously than we did with Real Madrid."
It was clear that both coaches were very cautious. One more step meant the final, and another step meant the championship. They were so close to the throne of Europe that no one wanted any regrets.
With that, the first leg of the decisive battle between Atletico Madrid and Union Berlin began!
"After eliminating Real Madrid, Su Luo led Union Berlin to unprecedented heights!" the commentator said.
On April 28, 2016, the Champions League semi-finals kicked off!
He Wei was in the studio of CCTV 5, single-handedly commentating on the semi-finals. Ma Fanshu sat in the rest area, staring at the TV screen, feeling depressed. This was obviously the semi-finals of the Champions League—was it less important than other sports events? Yet, the leaders at Taili didn't approve her traveling to cover the match, reasoning:
"Xiao Ma, our focus is on preparing for the Rio Olympics. You should stay and participate in pre-Olympics activities. This is also good for your future development. The Champions League happens every year..."
Ma Fanshu was speechless. The Rio Olympics were still more than three months away. Why the rush? The higher-ups prioritized other projects over football, which was seen as less important.
In fact, most people in China didn't care much about football. They cared about wins, gold medals, and championships, not the specifics of the sport.
On the big screen, Su Luo's handsome face appeared. He led Union Berlin, wearing a black away jersey, into the Calderon Stadium.
"The away game against Atletico Madrid is quite a challenge for Union Berlin," He Wei commented. "Atletico Madrid is fielding their strongest lineup."
Before the whistle blew, He Wei introduced the starting lineups of both teams. Many fans got up in the middle of the night to watch the game, so introducing the lineups was essential.
"Atletico Madrid are using their familiar 4-4-2 formation. The goalkeeper is Oblak; the back line is Juanfran, Savic, captain Godin, and Filipe Luis. The midfielders are Saul, Gabi, Koke, and Augusto. The two strikers are Griezmann and Fernando Torres."
"Let's look at Union Berlin's lineup. Their three-back system may not be stable yet. The goalkeeper is young Pickford; the defenders are Pavard, Rudiger, Lisandro Martinez, and Ake. The midfielders are Kimmich, Naby Keita, and Forsberg. The forward trident consists of Sane, Weghorst, and Su Luo."
Due to Mahrez's mediocre performance in the last two games, Neuhaus intended to use him as a surprise player in the second half. Sane, Su Luo, and Forsberg moved flexibly, able to find breakthroughs individually or work together in small areas for targeted attacks.
Su Luo stood in the center of the field, stepping on the ball and getting ready. Before the referee blew the whistle, he looked at the opposing side. All Atletico Madrid players were strictly disciplined, more like an army, in line with the red and white stands of the Calderon Stadium. A strong sense of oppression swept over him, reminding Su Luo of the devil team in "Shaolin Soccer."
If any team in recent years was like the devils, it had to be Atletico Madrid. As for Union Berlin, were they the Shaolin team? Su Luo wasn't sure.
In any case, this battle leading to glory would be a tough one!
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