章 192: Clash of Titans
On October 2nd, the second round of the Champions League group stage kicked off.
In another match in the same group, CSKA Moscow secured a precious three points with a narrow 3-2 victory over Viktoria Plzeň, thanks to an own goal from their opponents.
Manchester City paid close attention to this match because if they couldn't beat Bayern Munich, CSKA Moscow would become their biggest rival in the group.
"CSKA Moscow doesn't seem very strong, does it?"
"Yeah, if it weren't for the own goal, the outcome of this match could have been different!"
"Don't underestimate them. It's not winter yet when they can really show their strength at home."
"True, by the time we play them, Moscow will be much colder, and anything can happen!"
Everyone nodded in agreement, acknowledging that traveling far and dealing with harsh weather made this away game particularly tough.
"Alright, stop worrying. Let's focus on our own match. If we win, we don't need to look at others; instead, others will have to look at us!"
"Yes, if we beat Bayern, not only can we advance, but we could even become favorites to win the championship!"
"Haha, let's not get ahead of ourselves. Reaching the quarter-finals this year would be enough."
"Don't underestimate us. With our strength, as long as we don't face top-tier teams in the knockout stages, we have a good chance of reaching the quarter-finals!"
Several matches in this round of the Champions League attracted significant attention.
In the "group of death," Arsenal's home game against Napoli, Paris Saint-Germain's clash with Benfica in Group C, and Porto's match against Atlético Madrid in Group G were all considered to be balanced matchups with unpredictable outcomes.
Moreover, these matches would greatly impact the group standings, as victories in these head-to-head encounters would grant teams control over their destiny.
However, the match between Manchester City and Bayern Munich garnered even more interest.
There were several reasons for this match's appeal: both teams boasted numerous star players. According to data from Transfermarkt, the combined market value of the two teams exceeded 1 billion euros. This staggering figure reflected the luxurious lineups of both teams.
Secondly, it was a clash between an established powerhouse and a rising force.
Bayern was a traditional giant in the Bundesliga, while Manchester City was a newly rich team in the Premier League.
One had decades of strong heritage, while the other had just risen, with an empty trophy cabinet.
This match could be seen as a collision between the old and new forces in football.
Would the traditional giant, with its deeper heritage, prevail, or would the newly wealthy club, with its vast financial resources, overturn the giant?
This was one of the match's main attractions.
Additionally, there was another key point of interest:
This was the first competitive match between Guardiola and Lin, a father-son duo, and everyone was curious to see who would come out on top.
"Of course, it has to be Guardiola. There's no doubt about it."
"Exactly. Bayern's strength compared to Manchester City's... there's no contest."
"Bayern's main squad hasn't changed much this season, and they've added players like Götze and Thiago. Plus, with a renowned coach like Guardiola, they might be even stronger than last season. I don't see how they can lose."
In pre-match polls, most fans favored Bayern to win.
Objectively, Bayern was indeed stronger.
Moreover, they had more experience in the Champions League.
Manchester City had only participated three times before, and they didn't even make it out of the group stage the first two times. Their experience was far behind that of the reigning Champions League winners.
However, Manchester City wasn't without its supporters.
"Count on Lin. He led Werder Bremen to topple Bayern, so why wouldn't he be able to do it with Manchester City?"
"Right, Bayern is strong, but football is unpredictable. Strong teams don't always win. Bayern even lost to BATE Borisov in last season's group stage!"
"Another important point is that Guardiola has adjusted Bayern's tactics since taking over, but the team hasn't fully adapted to his style yet. This might be a weakness, so Bayern might not be as strong as we think!"
Overall, while Manchester City had supporters, they were in the minority.
Betting companies also favored Bayern, with the initial odds showing Manchester City as slight underdogs at home, indicating a preference for Bayern to win away.
Influenced by this, the general sentiment was even more pessimistic about Manchester City's chances.
After all, betting companies are professionals in this field and are generally more accurate than regular fans.
...
An hour and a half before the match, the buses of both Manchester City and Bayern Munich left the Carrington training base almost simultaneously, heading for the Etihad Stadium.
The streets leading to the stadium were packed with Manchester City fans dressed in sky-blue jerseys.
"Play well, we have to beat them!"
"Lin, show them what you're made of!"
"Agüero, score a few more goals, don't go easy on them!"
Fans shouted various cheers and slogans, encouraging their players.
From their expressions, it was clear that Manchester City fans were also very nervous.
They knew this match was possibly the most important one for Manchester City this season.
If they couldn't win at home, they were likely to repeat the failures of the past two years and fall at the group stage of the Champions League once again.
Thus, countless fans came to support the team, hoping to help them secure victory.
The enthusiasm and expectations of the fans created an invisible pressure on Manchester City's players.
Tension began to spread within the team.
After arriving at the stadium, the players changed into their kits and gear, then silently walked out onto the pitch for their pre-match warm-up.
Fans were also slowly filling the stadium. The Etihad was turning blue, except for a small red area in the away section where 3,000 Bayern fans were seated.
It was admirable that they had come, considering the notorious reputation of English football hooligans.
Watching a game away from home could easily lead to clashes with home fans. If a brawl broke out, the smaller number of Bayern fans could be at a significant disadvantage.
Of course, UEFA had anticipated this, and there was a strong security presence at the match, with police patrolling and guarding outside the stadium.
Football hooligans posed a threat not only to Manchester's public safety but also to England's reputation, so they were always dealt with severely.
At 19:40, the players from both teams, led by the referee, walked onto the field holding the hands of the mascots.
The match hadn't even started, but the Etihad Stadium was already echoing with Manchester City's anthem—"Blue Moon."
This song's rhythm was neither intense nor rousing; instead, it had a soothing and gentle feel.
But at this moment, the soothing melody helped to calm the anxiety and tension within Manchester City's players.
They mouthed the words, softly singing along.
The players held hands, forming a circle.
There were no high-fives, no shouts.
Only the song flowed gently.
Beep!
A loud whistle blew.
The match began!
"The match is officially underway. The home team, Manchester City, in blue jerseys, is attacking from left to right. The away team, Bayern Munich, in red jerseys, is attacking from right to left."
In the CCTV studio, He Wei perked up. The much-anticipated clash of titans had finally begun.
He flipped through the starting lineups of both teams while introducing them:
"Before this match, both teams had the same points and goal difference, so this match will determine the top of Group D."
"That's right, so this match is crucial for both teams!"
Xu Yang quickly chimed in.
"Let's look at the starting lineups. Pellegrini has started Richards in defense, probably to limit Bayern's key player Ribéry."
"Ribéry's performance in last season's Champions League was outstanding. No team can afford to underestimate him when facing Bayern."
"Exactly. Bayern has also made a notable move by starting Javi Martínez in midfield. Guardiola probably wants him to limit Lin!"
"Haha, Heynckes tried that before, and it didn't work very well. Let's see if Guardiola has any tricks up his sleeve."
"Manchester City's defensive setup is cautious. They didn't rush to attack after kickoff. Judging by their formation, they don't plan to compete with Bayern for possession. Instead, they'll focus on defense and counterattacks, waiting for Bayern to make mistakes."
"Bayern, on the other hand, is playing a strikerless formation, which isn't surprising. This has been Guardiola's usual approach since his time at Barcelona. However, Bayern is not Barcelona, so whether this tactic will succeed with Bayern remains to be seen."
"Before the match, many thought Guardiola might play it safe in such a crucial game by sticking to Heynckes' established tactics. But clearly, they were wrong. Guardiola hasn't adopted a conservative approach despite the importance of this match."
"In this regard, he's the complete opposite of Mourinho!"
"Both teams have impressive league records. Bayern has five wins and one draw, remaining unbeaten. Manchester City has six consecutive wins. Both teams are in top form."
"But there's one point worth noting. Pellegrini has faced Guardiola eight times before, with seven losses and one draw, never winning. While this partly reflects the teams' relative strengths, it also suggests a possible tactical mismatch between the two managers."
"Haha, that doesn't seem like good news for Manchester City!"
On the sidelines, the home team's bench, Pellegrini looked tense.
The commentators weren't entirely accurate. He had managed Real Madrid in the 2009-2010 season, and both home and away games against Guardiola's Barcelona had ended in defeat.
Pellegrini had always been wary of this rising star in the coaching world.
This was also why he chose
to play defensively at home, planning to counterattack.
Given Manchester City's current defensive capabilities, trying to outplay Guardiola's team would be foolish!
In the opening minutes, both sides tested each other with limited attacks.
In the 5th minute, Agüero's long-range shot was saved by Neuer, earning Manchester City a corner.
Lin walked to the corner flag, took a few steps back, and glanced at Bayern's penalty area.
Bayern's defenders were tall and strong, making it difficult for City's forwards to get to the ball.
So he aimed for the far post, targeting captain Kompany for a header.
Lin's corner kick found Kompany perfectly, but his header was directly caught by Bayern's goalkeeper, Neuer.
Neuer wasted no time, quickly running out of the goal and throwing the ball to a teammate on the flank.
This ball was aimed at Ribéry. Manchester City's defense was wide open. If Ribéry got the ball, he could charge forward and threaten City's goal.
Fortunately, Richards stayed focused, contested the ball, and headed it out of bounds, nullifying Bayern's counterattack.
Pellegrini applauded Richards' clearance from the sidelines. Although it seemed like Ribéry was far from City's goal, the situation could have been dangerous if he had the ball. If Ribéry picked up speed, that distance wouldn't matter.
After five minutes of probing, Bayern launched a full-scale offensive.
From then on, Ribéry, Robben, and Müller became more active.
In the 7th minute of the first half, after a series of passes in their half, Bayern's defender Rafinha suddenly delivered a long ball down the right.
It was perfectly placed, finding Ribéry up front.
Ribéry held the ball, used a change of pace to get past a pressing Manchester City player, and quickly dribbled inside.
Meanwhile, Müller and Robben were making forward runs. With three Bayern attackers charging, Manchester City's penalty area was under severe threat.
Ribéry glanced at his teammates, seemingly ready to pass but suddenly shot.
Joe Hart didn't expect a near-post shot and wasn't prepared. He hurriedly tried to save but only managed to get his fingertips on the ball. Ribéry's powerful shot found the net despite Hart's touch.
Bayern 1-0 Manchester City!
Ribéry's quick shot gave Bayern the lead away from home.
Ribéry was thrilled with the goal, rushing to the away fans and celebrating with a knee slide.
As Bayern's key player in their Champions League victory, there were rumors he could win the Ballon d'Or this year in the absence of major tournaments like the Euros or World Cup.
The Ballon d'Or's allure needed no explanation. Ribéry naturally yearned for it.
After five years of the award being dominated by Messi and Ronaldo, winning it would greatly elevate Ribéry's status, placing him among the top-tier superstars.
But these were just rumors. Until the Ballon d'Or was awarded, no one knew who would win.
Therefore, Ribéry had to deliver stellar performances before the Ballon d'Or ceremony to impress the judges, garner more votes, and outshine his competitors!
And leading his team to dominate in the Champions League was undoubtedly the best way to do that!
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