章節 251: Only Two Games Away from the Title!
"Camp Nou Falls!" "Manchester City 3:2 Comeback Victory over Barcelona, Barca Might Miss Out on the Semifinals!" "Lin Defeats His Old Club, Scores Twice to Lead His Team to Conquer Camp Nou!" "The End of Tiki-Taka? Should Guardiola's Style Be Abandoned?"
The news of Manchester City's victory over Barcelona spread like wildfire, both online and offline, the moment the match ended.
Before the game, most people believed Barcelona had the advantage, but the final result was a surprise.
Barcelona dominated possession with 71% of the ball, took 21 shots with 7 on target, but only scored 2 goals. Manchester City, on the other hand, showed incredible efficiency, with only 12 shots and 5 on target, scoring 3 goals.
Half of Manchester City's shots came after the 85th minute when they mounted a relentless assault on Barcelona's goal. In other words, they scored 3 goals from just 6 shots!
This terrifying scoring efficiency was unmatched across the top five leagues.
Manchester City's victory didn't come easy.
At Camp Nou, both teams committed a combined 48 fouls, and the referee handed out 8 yellow cards, 5 of which were given to Manchester City. The match was so intense that players from both teams were injured and had to leave the pitch—it was a brutal battle, fought with everything.
After the match, the media universally praised Manchester City.
El Mundo: "It was a brilliant clash, with Manchester City holding off the pressure at Camp Nou, using efficient counter-attacks to defeat a powerful Barcelona. Lin was undoubtedly the best player on the pitch."
Sport: "Neymar's goal gave Barcelona hope, but City's No. 10 crushed those hopes with two devastating counter-attacks, sending Barca to the brink of elimination."
Even though Sport is a pro-Barça outlet, they didn't shy away from offering suggestions to the club: "Perhaps Barca should consider focusing on a single competition. If they continue fighting on three fronts, they might end up with nothing."
Mundo Deportivo: "Manchester City showed immense fighting spirit. Barcelona had a chance to win the game in the first half, but Lin's defense on Messi significantly weakened their attack. Maybe we should support Bartomeu's proposal—it's time to bring back Lin, the jewel of La Masia, to Camp Nou!"
In contrast, the Real Madrid-supporting media were more blunt.
Marca: "Lin's presence made Messi uncomfortable, and City's core led them to victory. Martino's poor decisions cost Barca the game. An aging Xavi clearly cannot handle an entire 90 minutes at this intensity. Congratulations to Manchester City; they're on the verge of making history by reaching the semifinals. Next week's match at the Etihad is merely a formality to seal Barcelona's fate."
AS: "As long as Lin is around, Manchester City remains indestructible."
AS focused less on mocking Barcelona and more on praising Lin, possibly because Real Madrid still had a keen interest in signing him.
At the post-match press conference, Martino had no choice but to admit: "Without a doubt, Lin is one of the best players in the world."
A British journalist asked, "Coach Martino, if Barcelona fails to reach the semifinals, would that be considered a failure for both you and the club?"
Martino nodded, "If we don't make the semifinals, it's definitely a failure. If my team gets knocked out, I will submit my resignation to the club."
His words shocked the reporters. Martino still had more than a year left on his contract, yet he was already talking about resigning?
"So, to keep my job, I will lead the team to a comeback at the Etihad!"
Martino's resolve was commendable, but such words might come back to bite him. If they couldn't beat Manchester City at home, how did they expect to win at the Etihad, scoring at least 3 goals or winning by 2?
Pellegrini arrived later, looking far more relaxed than the somber Martino. The Chilean coach was in high spirits and showered his team with praise, particularly highlighting Lin and De Bruyne.
"Lin's performance didn't surprise me. He's always been a phenomenal player who can create magic whenever he's on the pitch!"
"De Bruyne was outstanding, and that pass he made was crucial for our victory. I'm very optimistic about his future at Manchester City."
"However, a 3-2 scoreline isn't a guarantee. We're up against a powerful Barcelona, and if we become complacent, we could face a disaster. My team will be well-prepared for the second leg at the Etihad."
After one victory over Barcelona, Pellegrini's fear of the Spanish giants had lessened considerably.
Lin didn't attend the post-match press conference. Instead, he went to the hospital with his teammates to check on Kompany, who had been taken for an MRI scan. The initial diagnosis was a mild concussion, requiring 2-3 weeks of rest, which ruled him out of the next leg against Barcelona.
Compared to Kompany, Piqué had it much worse. He was diagnosed with a severe head injury and would need at least three months to recover. Not only would he miss the second leg of the Champions League, but he might also miss the World Cup later that year.
…
While Manchester City celebrated their win at Camp Nou, results from other matches also came in.
At Old Trafford, Manchester United was held to a 1-1 draw by a 10-man Bayern Munich, failing to secure a win and conceding an away goal in the process. This result made things difficult for United, as they now faced a daunting trip to Munich's Allianz Arena.
However, Bayern's star midfielder, Bastian Schweinsteiger, received a red card and was suspended for the next game, adding some uncertainty to Bayern's lineup.
In Paris, PSG and Real Madrid played to a 3-3 draw. Zlatan Ibrahimović and Cristiano Ronaldo both found the net, with Real Madrid taking the lead three times, only to be pegged back each time. Although Real Madrid didn't secure a win, they had three away goals, which put them in a strong position going into the second leg at the Bernabeu.
For PSG, it was do-or-die in Madrid. They had to win or they'd be eliminated.
Compared to the other matches, the clash between Borussia Dortmund and Atlético Madrid was much less eventful. Dortmund dominated for most of the game but couldn't break through Atlético's rock-solid defense, ending in a 0-0 stalemate.
Atlético's goalkeeper, Thibaut Courtois, was undoubtedly the standout performer, making a series of crucial saves to deny Dortmund. Without his heroic efforts, Atlético might have been swept away by Dortmund's relentless attacks.
After the match, Dortmund coach Jürgen Klopp and Atlético's Diego Simeone expressed mutual admiration for each other's coaching abilities. Despite their vastly different styles—one favoring attack and the other defense—both had managed to lead relatively modest squads to great heights.
This result gave Atlético a slight advantage heading into the second leg at home, where Dortmund would find it even harder to break down their defense. However, the bright side for Dortmund was that they could now focus on the Champions League, having fallen 23 points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga.
Like Barcelona, Atlético was also heavily involved in the La Liga title race, which would drain their energy for the second leg.
Following the quarterfinals' first leg, bookmakers quickly updated the odds for each team's chances of winning the Champions League.
Real Madrid was now the favorite, ranked first as the leading contender to win the tournament.
Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich ranked second, although their odds were noticeably longer than Madrid's, given the loss of key player Toni Kroos, which dampened expectations for a title defense.
Barcelona, who had been third before their loss, saw their odds drop significantly, falling to fifth.
For the first time, Manchester City moved into the top three, just behind Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
Trailing them were Atlético Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Barcelona, PSG, and Manchester United.
Though both PSG and Manchester United had drawn their games, the odds suggested that most people believed they were effectively out of the tournament, having drawn two of the strongest teams—Real Madrid and Bayern Munich.
After the first round of matches, the Champions League scoring chart was updated.
With his two goals at Camp Nou, Lin took the top spot in the scorer rankings for the first time!
He was now tied with Cristiano Ronaldo with 14 goals apiece, sharing the first place on the list.
Though tied, it marked Lin's first time leading the chart—a milestone moment for the young player.
"Lin is unbelievable! It's his first time in the Champions League, and he's already on his way to the Golden Boot!"
"Not to mention, most of Lin's goals aren't penalties, making them all the more impressive."
"Lin's great, but let's not forget there are still four matches left in the tournament. The ranking isn't final yet."
"True. Even if Lin gets past Barcelona, the next round might see them face Real Madrid, which will be a tough challenge."
"Or what if they get lucky and face Bayern?"
"Ha! If that happens, get ready to watch Lin lead City to the final!"
…
Before heading back to Manchester, Lin received a phone call from Pep Guardiola.
"Hey, how does it feel to score at Camp Nou?" asked Guardiola.
"Not bad," Lin replied. "Why, are you worried about your old club?"
Guardiola had played for Barcelona for over a decade and later managed the club for four years. His connection to Barcelona ran deep, far deeper than Lin's.
Watching Lin score at Camp Nou had left him with mixed emotions. He felt pride in Lin's achievements but also a twinge of sadness, as Lin's goals had come against the club he had once fought to protect.
"Barcelona has no place for me anymore. Feeling sorry won't help," Guardiola said.
The way he said it, it almost sounded like a jilted lover filled with resentment.
"Alright then, so what's this call about? I'm about to board my flight," Lin said.
"Can't a father have a chat with his son?" joked Guardiola.
"Fine, fine. What do you want to talk about, 'Dad'?"
After a moment's pause, Guardiola continued. "Laporta reached out to me. He's going to run for president again in the election later this year."
"Don't tell me he wants to bring you back to Camp Nou if he wins?"
"Yes, but not just me—he also wants to bring you back to Barcelona."
"No thanks, I'm not interested in going back to Barça. And I'd advise you not to get involved either. Anyone can see that Barcelona's squad is aging, and their strength is waning. Madrid is at their peak, and Atlético is on the rise. If you go back, it'll be much tougher than it was before."
Barça fans missed Guardiola because of the glory he brought them, but if he returned and failed to turn the club around, the love they had for him would likely evaporate, leaving him the scapegoat instead of the savior.
"Yeah, I understand."
Guardiola was still a rational person, though torn between his emotions and logic. Lin's advice tipped the scales, and Guardiola decided to give up the idea of returning to Barcelona.
"Alright, 'Dad,' I really have to go now. Talk to you later."
"Okay, take care."
"Oh, and by the way, congratulations on leading Bayern to set a new record by winning the Bundesliga with seven games to spare!"
Lin hung up the phone before Guardiola could respond with a "thank you." Hearing the dial tone, Guardiola smiled and shook his head. Why did it feel like Lin was the parent, and he was the child getting a lecture?
…
After returning to Manchester, City took two days off.
On April 5, they hosted Southampton at home and won 4-1, further solidifying their lead at the top of the Premier League table.
With five games left, City, having played one less match, held a 7-point lead over Liverpool.
Their next league match would be a visit to Anfield, a top-of-the-table clash with Liverpool.
The last time these two teams met, Liverpool ended City's perfect home record at the Etihad, leaving City eager for revenge.
This time, visiting Anfield, Manchester City was determined to right that wrong.
If they could beat Liverpool, their lead would extend to 10 points, leaving them just one win away from securing the title with three games to spare.
In other words, City was just two games away from winning their second Premier League title!
"If we hadn't postponed the Aston Villa game, we'd already be 10 points ahead. That way, if we beat Liverpool at Anfield, we could win the trophy right on their home turf. Just thinking about the look on Liverpool's faces makes me excited!"
"Actually, winning at home wouldn't be so bad. Lifting the trophy in front of our home fans is better than getting booed by theirs!"
Winning the league at Anfield would certainly earn them boos from Liverpool fans, and they wouldn't be able to celebrate too openly for fear of provoking the home crowd.
"Yeah, that's a good point. Let's beat Liverpool and then celebrate in front of our home fans!"
"Yes! Beat Liverpool and lift the trophy at home!"
The players were in high spirits, teasing and bantering with each other.
It was clear the team was relaxed. They were cruising on all fronts.
Winning the league seemed inevitable, they were on the verge of the Champions League semifinals, and only two games away from lifting the FA Cup.
At the very least, City was guaranteed two trophies this season. If luck was on their side, they could even win the Champions League and achieve a historic treble.
But even they knew it wouldn't be easy. The next round of the Champions League would pit them against some of the toughest opponents in Europe.
Pellegrini walked onto the training ground, clearing his throat to get the players' attention. He opened his notebook and began outlining his strategy for their upcoming matches.
"You played very well in the last match, and I'm proud of you!" he said.
The players knew he was referring to the game against Barcelona, and they stood a little taller, their chests swelling with pride.
"But we made plenty of mistakes in that game, mistakes we need to fix. If we don't, our next opponent could take advantage of them, and that could cost us the match."
The players quickly shifted their focus, listening intently.
"You've all felt the pressure of facing Barcelona's possession-based football, haven't you?"
The players nodded, remembering the first 30 minutes of the game when Barcelona had them pinned down, leaving them feeling helpless.
"It's a normal feeling. Every team that faces Barcelona feels the same way."
Many of the players seemed confused, unsure of what Pellegrini was getting at.
"When facing Barcelona, don't panic. Panicking drains your energy faster and leaves you more vulnerable to being overwhelmed. You know this already, right?"
The players nodded again. Staying calm before a big game was easier said than done, especially when your goal is under siege.
"The solution is simple—use your attack to threaten Barcelona's goal, and make them feel the pressure instead!"
Pellegrini quickly drew up a new game plan on the tactical board, laying out Manchester City's strategy for the second leg against Barcelona.
"This is how we'll play in the next match!"
Looking at the plan Pellegrini had drawn, some of the players were skeptical.
"Can such an old-school tactic really work against a top team like Barcelona?"
(End of Chapter)
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