บท 216: Chapter 216 Pochettino’S Mentality Has Collapsed, And The Top 16 Of The Champions League Is Out
Tottenham Hotspur couldn't stop Chelsea's momentum. After Su Luo's remarkable zero-angle goal in the first half, the game completely shifted into Chelsea's control. They used a high press in the front to disrupt Tottenham's backline. Whenever Tottenham tried to bypass the press with long balls to Kane, Kanté was there to close him down, giving him no chance to turn and create.
Chelsea's defense was impenetrable. Dele Alli and Son Heung-min, both in their prime, found themselves tightly marked. Matic effectively neutralized Alli after his return, and Su Luo would often track back to assist Ivanović in marking Son. Despite not being a professional defender, Su Luo's positioning made life difficult for Son, who struggled to find any space to break through.
With Tottenham's offense stifled, Chelsea continued to create threats. Every counterattack was orchestrated by Su Luo, showcasing Chelsea's fluid transition from defense to offense. Chelsea's tactical superiority was evident, and even the likes of Real Madrid and Barcelona couldn't match their current form.
In the 40th minute, Chelsea's second goal came naturally.
"Son Heung-min dribbles, tries to pass... Su Luo intercepts! Ivanović quickly takes the ball away!"
"Su Luo's vision is impeccable! He finds Ajhal up front!"
"The Su Luo-Ajhal connection is Chelsea's sharpest attacking weapon!"
"Ajhal dribbles down the left side, but Kyle Walker is fast, closing down the space!"
In the past, Su Luo's passes to Ajhal easily breached the opponent's right-side defense. But today, Tottenham's right flank was well-guarded. Kyle Walker, the fastest player in the Premier League, was a formidable opponent. His peak speed reached 37.31 km/h, and even in his 30s, he could still hold his own against the likes of Mbappé and Vinícius.
Despite trailing Ajhal by three positions, Walker managed to catch up and block him in front of the penalty area. Ajhal, unable to break through, decided to cross towards Lukaku instead. However, Vertonghen's marking made it difficult for Lukaku to get a clean header. He could only try to knock the ball back.
A blue blur darted in, arriving at the perfect spot.
"Su Luo! He sprinted 70 meters from the back! What incredible speed!"
"Dele never expected Su Luo to be this quick!"
"Su Luo goes for the shot... No, he passes back! He fooled the keeper and Vertonghen!"
"Lukaku is wide open! But... what happened?!"
Director Zhang couldn't contain his laughter.
Su Luo's pass to Lukaku caught everyone off guard, including Lukaku himself. The ball bounced awkwardly off Lukaku's foot, almost as if he had miscontrolled it on purpose. It ricocheted back to Su Luo, who calmly slotted it in with his left foot, scoring his second of the night.
"Su Luo scores again! What a bizarre play!"
"Lukaku couldn't convert the easy chance, but Su Luo was there to finish it off."
Even the commentator, Zhan Jun, struggled to hold back his laughter.
Lukaku's unpredictable moments are legendary. Whether with the Belgian national team or Inter Milan, he always managed to steal the spotlight—sometimes in unexpected ways.
In the second half, Tottenham's offense showed signs of life. Dele Alli, at his peak, demonstrated his skill. In the 56th minute, Tottenham's attack was straightforward yet effective. Under Chelsea's high press, they passed back to their goalkeeper, Hugo Lloris. Lloris launched a long ball straight to Harry Kane up front. Kane, one of the best in the Premier League at holding up the ball, cushioned it perfectly for Alli, who had made a late run.
Alli weaved past David Luiz with a series of quick moves and unleashed a low shot, beating Courtois and pulling one back for Tottenham.
Su Luo couldn't help but feel a bit nostalgic. Alli was so strong back then—how did he fade so quickly in just two or three years? Frequent injuries and nightclub visits were part of the problem, but perhaps it was more about his mentality. Resting on his laurels, without the drive to improve, he eventually hit a wall.
Alli's goal didn't shake Chelsea's confidence. They quickly responded. Su Luo continued to create chances with his exceptional vision. In the 72nd minute, he delivered a through ball out of nowhere while dribbling across the front of Tottenham's defense. The ball slipped between Wanyama's and Dembélé's legs, piercing through the defensive line.
Ajhal, timing his run perfectly, shook off Kyle Walker and cut inside, evading Wimmer. With a delicate chip, he sent the ball into the corner of the net, beating Hugo Lloris for the third time.
Chelsea's "Su Luo-Ajhal Connection" had once again showcased its deadly potential.
"That's the nail in the coffin!"
Tottenham's coach, Pochettino, was left in disbelief. Before the match, he and his staff had devised countless strategies to contain Su Luo. They had carefully planned to disrupt the Su Luo-Ajhal link-up. Kyle Walker had effectively neutralized Ajhal for most of the game, but Su Luo always found a way to break through Tottenham's defense, defying expectations.
It's no wonder that coaches who face Su Luo often find themselves questioning their own tactics. No matter how well-prepared, they inevitably feel the sting of defeat.
The match ended with a 3-1 victory for Chelsea. Tottenham never truly threatened this Chelsea side. Among the Big Six teams—Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United, Tottenham—the only one left that could challenge Chelsea was Manchester City.
And the next round? It was the much-anticipated clash of the titans in the Premier League.
After the match, Tottenham's coach Mauricio Pochettino reflected on the loss:
"The players gave their best, and our tactics were executed well. The loss is mainly on me. I couldn't come up with a better plan to contain Su Luo. He's truly the best player in the Premier League. Hopefully, next time we meet, we'll have a way to restrain him. As for the Premier League title this season, I can predict that as long as Chelsea doesn't suffer a spate of injuries, no other team stands a chance."
Son Heung-min also shared his thoughts in an interview:
"Su is undoubtedly the number one player in Asia. He's set a new standard at every level. I'm fortunate to compete with him and have learned a lot."
Though the South Korean media often hypes up Son Heung-min, he remains humble. He knows that Su Luo is a mountain he may never surpass, but he keeps striving to get closer.
Harry Kane was equally candid:
"As for goals, don't compare me to him. There's no comparison. I just hope to help Tottenham secure a top-four finish and a spot in the Champions League next season."
After defeating Tottenham, Chelsea maintained their perfect record, leading Europe with 39 points from 13 rounds. The team had scored an astonishing 50 goals, with Su Luo contributing 28 of them—more than Manchester United's entire team.
With their unstoppable momentum, Chelsea was set for a showdown with Manchester City at the Etihad Stadium. Both teams were on a winning streak, and something had to give.
To prepare for this crucial match, both teams sacrificed their final Champions League group stage matches. Chelsea had already secured the top spot in their group with 15 points from five games, allowing them to field a full bench for the last round and give young players like Mason Mount and Ruben Loftus-Cheek their first Champions League experience. The game ended in a 1-1 draw against Spartak Moscow.
On the other hand, Manchester City lost to PSV but managed to scrape through to the last 16 of the Champions League by drawing with Barcelona and defeating Dortmund twice. They were fortunate to advance, avoiding the embarrassment of being eliminated from the group stage in favor of focusing on the Premier League.
With the Champions League group stage concluded, the top 16 teams were announced. In Group A, Arsenal topped the group, with Paris Saint-Germain finishing second. Group B saw Napoli and Benfica advance together. In Group C, the "group of death," Barcelona came out on top, followed by Manchester City, while Tuchel's Dortmund was relegated to the Europa League. Group D was dominated by Real Madrid, with Union Berlin, surprisingly strong even after losing Su Luo and other key players, finishing second. The combination of Sane and Salah became the new stars of Union Berlin's attack.
Upon seeing Salah's success, even Chelsea coach Antonio Conte felt a tinge of regret. Letting Salah go now seemed like a significant oversight by the Chelsea board. Conte had a feeling that Salah's achievements were just beginning.
In Group E, Chelsea topped their group, with Monaco unexpectedly finishing second after double victories over Leverkusen. With only Bayern Munich and Union Berlin surviving, the Bundesliga saw two teams eliminated. Group F saw Atletico Madrid and Bayern Munich advance without much drama, with Atletico slightly edging Bayern. Since Union Berlin's shock victory two seasons ago, Bayern Munich had lost their dominance, and even Ancelotti couldn't revive them.
In Group G, Leicester City finished first, with Porto second. The Premier League champions seemed to be focusing more on the Champions League, as their domestic performance had declined. Finally, Group H saw Juventus win first place, with Sevilla coming in second. The results largely matched media predictions.
On the night of the Champions League Round of 16 draw, Su Luo followed his Union Berlin tradition by inviting his Chelsea teammates to his London mansion for a barbecue party to watch the draw together. Despite not being the captain, Su Luo's influence was undeniable. Players like Hazard, Lukaku, Willian, Fabregas, Kante, Rudiger, Azpilicueta, and Mount all attended, many bringing their partners along. Mount, particularly, was thrilled to be invited by Su Luo, feeling as nervous as a fan meeting his idol.
However, the focus of the evening quickly shifted from the draw to a surprise guest. When Su Luo walked into the backyard, holding a mysterious guest's hand, the wives present were instantly captivated, and the Chelsea players were left stunned.
The guest? None other than Taylor Swift.
This marked the second time Su Luo publicly appeared with Taylor Swift, reigniting rumors about their relationship. Initially, Su Luo had planned to invite Josephine, but she was unavailable, and Taylor Swift happened to be in London and joined Su Luo's party.
Chelsea's players had heard the rumors but never expected them to be true. With this revelation, Su Luo's teammates looked at him with newfound respect.
After all, dating Taylor Swift was the pinnacle of admiration among the team, earning Su Luo the highest honor: "You're amazing!"
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Thanks to [BR]for joining my Patreon page!🎉 Your support means the world to me. 🙏
You can visit my Patreon page:
Patreon.com/PhoeniXcel
I upload 2 chapters daily on Patreon!
There are 120+ advanced chapters available for you to read.
Your support would be greatly appreciated.
Check out my new Naruto fanfic!
[Naruto: I Have Doraemon]
สถานะพลังงานรายสัปดาห์
-- การจัดอันดับด้วยพลัง 
-- หินพลัง