Chapitre 228: Chapter 228 Free Kick Master Su Luo! Easier Than A Penalty Kick!
"...And now, we bring you a special bulletin.
"At 3:00 AM Beijing time on January 25th, the European Football Ballon d'Or Awards Ceremony will be held in Paris."
"Chinese player Su Luo has triumphed over Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi to win the Ballon d'Or! Su Luo is officially the best player in world football for 2016."
"Since the Ballon d'Or was first awarded in 1956, Su Luo is the first Asian player to receive this prestigious honor."
"This is a historic moment for Chinese football and a proud achievement for Chinese players..."
The day after the Ballon d'Or ceremony, the world was abuzz.
Platforms like Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram were flooded with discussions about Su Luo's victory. The image of Su Luo holding the Ballon d'Or became iconic, garnering over 100 million likes on Instagram alone!
Public opinion on the internet was overwhelmingly supportive. Su Luo's performance last year was unrivaled; there was no room for doubt. Even many fans of Messi and Ronaldo had to concede.
CCTV 1's News Network also covered Su Luo's shining moment.
That's News Network—a program even those who don't follow football watch. Now, everyone knew Su Luo, proving that Chinese players could indeed stand out on the world stage.
Su Luo's individual brilliance has greatly elevated the image of Chinese players worldwide. After his win, his acceptance speech was shared widely:
"It's an honor to win the Ballon d'Or. This is my first, and I hope it's just the beginning.
"Thank you to Union Berlin for giving me the opportunity to start my professional career, and to Chelsea for bringing me here.
"Thank you to all the fans, especially my compatriots in China.
"I'm not satisfied with today's achievements; my goal is to surpass Messi and Ronaldo in the number of Ballon d'Ors!"
What began as a standard speech quickly turned into a bold declaration. Su Luo was telling the world that he intended to surpass Messi and Ronaldo—and everyone knew he wasn't joking. He meant it.
Back in London, more and more fans gathered daily outside Chelsea's training base, hoping to catch a glimpse of their new Ballon d'Or winner. The entire club was buzzing with excitement when Su Luo brought the trophy back. The young Mason Mount, in particular, was captivated by it.
"I want to win the Ballon d'Or someday too!" he exclaimed.
But the excitement didn't last long. Chelsea was about to face tough matches against Liverpool and Arsenal in the same week, so the team quickly turned their focus back to training.
On match day, the Chelsea squad was ready to head to Stamford Bridge.
Last time at Anfield, Chelsea, led by Su Luo, defeated Liverpool. This time, as they prepared to face Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, even the usually confident Klopp seemed humbled.
"First of all, congratulations to Su on winning the Ballon d'Or. He was truly the standout player last year, and I believe he will surpass Messi and Ronaldo in the number of Ballon d'Ors."
"This time, our focus will be on defending against Su Luo. Our goal is to secure at least 1 point."
Klopp's cautious tone stunned Chelsea fans. When had he ever been so humble? It was clear that Su Luo's Ballon d'Or win had left a mark on their opponents.
Facing a Chelsea team with 22 consecutive victories, any bravado without preparation was a sure way to invite defeat.
"Welcome everyone to LeTV Sports. I'm your commentator Zhan Jun, and beside me is Director Zhang Lu.
"We've been eagerly awaiting this clash between red and blue. Su Luo, fresh off his Ballon d'Or win, leads Chelsea against Liverpool!"
"Actually, Klopp's team has been strong in recent seasons. He's faced the Premier League's Big 6 teams 15 times—Arsenal, Tottenham, the Manchester clubs, Chelsea—and has only lost once, a narrow defeat to Chelsea."
"The rest of the time, Klopp's teams have remained unbeaten. Chelsea must not underestimate them at home.
"This match also marks David Luiz's 100th appearance for Chelsea and Lovren's 100th for Liverpool."
"After the Africa Cup of Nations, Liverpool's star Mane has returned to the starting lineup, adding a significant threat to Chelsea."
As usual, Zhan Jun provided a thorough analysis of both teams' statistics before introducing their starting lineups during the coin toss.
"The home team, Chelsea, will stick with their familiar 3-4-3 formation this season."
Goalkeeper: Courtois; defenders: Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Rudiger;"
Midfielders: Matic, Kante, Marcos Alonso, Moses;"
Forwards: Hazard, Lukaku, and Ballon d'Or winner Su Luo!"
Every mention of Su Luo was filled with pride. Recently, it all felt like a dream come true. A Chinese player winning the Ballon d'Or? It was monumental.
Zhang Lu couldn't contain his smile. "Hehehe, Su Luo is really something special. He absolutely deserved the Ballon d'Or. His performance last year was way better than Ronaldo's and Messi's!"
To be honest, watching Su Luo play is a joy. Zhang Lu hated nothing more than players who lacked focus or direction, who hesitated in crucial moments. But Su Luo was different. He was always alert, making the most logical and threatening decisions with every touch, pass, and shot.
His creativity on the pitch was sometimes astonishing, though he occasionally attempted audacious volleys or long-range shots. Yet, Su Luo's confidence in his ability to score was undeniable.
"Now, let's take a look at Liverpool's starting XI. Klopp is going with a 4-3-3 formation."
Goalkeeper: Mignolet;
Right-back: Nathaniel Clyne; center-backs: Lovren and Matip; left-back: veteran Milner;
Midfielders: Henderson, Emre Can, Wijnaldum;
Forwards: Coutinho, Mane, with Firmino at the top."
"The bench includes players like Lallana, Naby Keita, Sturridge, Lucas, and Moreno."
Though Zhan Jun is a Liverpool fan, he couldn't help but notice the lack of superstars in Liverpool's lineup. These players were, at best, upper mid-tier in the Premier League.
In contrast, Chelsea had not only the reigning Ballon d'Or winner Su Luo but also several other world-class players.
How would Liverpool handle this?
As the new season approaches, Liverpool is considering bringing in some heavyweight players, including Salah, who has been making waves in the Bundesliga recently.
Since his transfer from Chelsea to Union Berlin, Salah has been a standout player, leading Union Berlin to an impressive second-place finish in the Bundesliga. He also ranks second on the Bundesliga's top scorers list, with 17 goals in 19 matches, trailing only Lewandowski.
While Salah hasn't managed to lead Union Berlin to a league title like Su Luo, he's been nothing short of remarkable. Liverpool sees potential in him to elevate their game even further.
However, Liverpool's past signings from Union Berlin haven't all been successful. Naby Keita, for instance, struggled to make an impact. While he frequently delivered key passes to Su Luo at Union Berlin, in Liverpool, his defense has been average, and his offensive contributions have been lackluster. Most of the time, he finds himself on the bench, with Wijnaldum and Henderson starting instead.
It could be that Su Luo's exceptional movement made Keita's passes look better than they were. Additionally, young Trent Alexander-Arnold, who recently started, was benched after being outplayed by Su Luo and Ajar in the first round. Klopp decided to trust "Iron Man" Nathaniel Clyne more for this match. Although Clyne's talent isn't on par with Arnold's, his work ethic and aggressive play make him a solid defender, even if he's weaker in attack. Klopp hopes Clyne's defense can stifle Chelsea's left-wing offensive.
As the game began, Liverpool pressed high to suppress Chelsea. Chelsea kicked off and passed the ball back, but Liverpool's formation pressed forward aggressively. Firmino, Mane, Coutinho, and Emre Can closed down the Chelsea defenders, cutting off their link to the midfield. Henderson, Wijnaldum, and Milner focused on blocking Su Luo's passing lanes, while Liverpool's three defenders held their ground as insurance in front of the goalkeeper. It was almost a 3-3-4 defensive configuration.
Chelsea's options were limited, and they had to pass the ball back to Courtois, who then launched it forward towards Lukaku. However, Liverpool had learned from their previous defeat and tightly marked Lukaku. Milner stuck to Su Luo, limiting his chances to receive the ball.
Whenever Liverpool regained possession, they transitioned quickly from defense to offense, surging towards Chelsea's penalty area. In the first 10 minutes, Chelsea managed just one shot—a long-range attempt by Su Luo from outside the box. It was clear Liverpool had put in significant effort to study Chelsea's tactics and players.
In the 12th minute, Liverpool launched a counterattack. Coutinho found an unmarked Wijnaldum in the middle, who took a shot without hesitation. The ball seemed destined to score, but Courtois made a stunning save, tipping it just past the post. The crowd at Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers as Liverpool came close to breaking the deadlock.
Coutinho continued to threaten, this time setting up Firmino for a shot. However, Firmino's attempt was too central, and Courtois blocked it again. With Liverpool piling on the pressure, the media and commentators began to speculate whether they could end Chelsea's winning streak.
"Could this be the day Liverpool stops Chelsea's run?" Andy Gray, the commentator, mused, with a hint of anticipation. English football has almost turned Chelsea into a public enemy, with many hoping someone can finally hold them back. Could Liverpool be the team to do it?
Unfortunately for Gray, Liverpool couldn't capitalize on their dominance. In the 24th minute, Su Luo was dribbling in the front line when Henderson brought him down with a hard tackle. Henderson, Wijnaldum, and Milner had all been playing Su Luo physically, fouling him repeatedly without consequence. However, this time, the foul was too blatant to ignore, and the referee had no choice but to blow the whistle.
Su Luo calmly placed the ball for the free kick, took a few steps back, and sized up the goal. Liverpool's goalkeeper Mignolet looked nervous, frantically organizing the defensive wall. The commentator Zhan Jun couldn't resist praising Su Luo's remarkable free-kick accuracy.
"Before this season, Messi had the highest direct free-kick conversion rate among active players, at 40%! But Su Luo has scored 4 out of 5 direct free kicks this season—a staggering 80% success rate! It's a stat that leaves even the best free-kick takers in the dust."
"Just three years ago, Su Luo was a rookie who didn't know how to take free kicks. Now, he's a world-renowned free-kick specialist! This speaks volumes about how hard he trains in private."
If Su Luo had heard Zhan Jun's comments, he might have felt a bit embarrassed. In reality, he spent more time dancing at nightclubs than practicing free kicks. But in his dreams, he had practiced plenty, learning from the likes of De Bruyne, Ronaldinho, and Zlatan Ibrahimovic, blending their styles into his own unpredictable free-kick technique.
Su Luo took his run-up and delivered a textbook knuckleball free kick. The ball flew over the wall with blistering speed and dipped sharply. Mignolet couldn't reach it as it curled into the top corner.
"The ball is in!!! Su Luo's direct free kick finds the back of the net! It's almost easier for him than taking a penalty!" Zhan Jun exclaimed. "Chelsea takes the lead, 1-0!"
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