Chapter 484: Neymar Wants Revenge, Neymar Misses the Penalty!

Chapter 484: Neymar Wants Revenge, Neymar Misses the Penalty!

Manchester City's arrival put Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on high alert. Seeing City's star player casually signing autographs and taking photos with fans at the airport, showing no signs of concern for the upcoming match, made PSG's mood even more complex.

As the biggest star in Ligue 1 and the player set to go head-to-head with Lin Quan, Neymar was under immense pressure. PSG fans, his teammates, and even the entire French league pinned their hopes on him to lead the team against the formidable opponents.

Neymar himself understood the significance of this battle. If he could lead PSG to victory over Manchester City, he would not only win the hearts of countless fans but also prove himself as a true superstar.

Although he holds the record for the highest transfer fee in football history, making him an undisputed superstar in financial terms, his on-field performances still needed to substantiate that status. After joining PSG, the lower competitive pressure in Ligue 1 and his star status led to various indulgences, including frequenting nightclubs in Paris.

However, after drawing Manchester City in the Champions League, Neymar underwent a complete transformation. He stopped visiting nightlife venues and became extremely dedicated in training, even adding extra sessions after regular practices.

The driving force behind Neymar's change was his deep-seated desire for revenge against Lin Quan. Since their first clash in the 2013 Confederations Cup, Neymar had always come out on the losing end against Lin Quan. Emerging as Brazil's prodigy and once touted by Pelé as the next great player, Neymar found himself overshadowed by Lin Quan after repeated defeats.

Determined to escape Lin Quan's shadow and assert his own greatness, Neymar was eager to lead PSG to victory. His newfound dedication pleased PSG's coach and the club's executives, knowing that Neymar's peak form would significantly increase their chances of success.

Having already secured the league title, PSG spent the week leading up to the match resting and preparing for the upcoming battle.

...

On April 7th, at 19:45, the whistle blew, marking the start of the Champions League quarter-final, first-leg match.

PSG fielded a 4-3-3 formation with Neymar, Cavani, and Di María forming the front three. The midfield trio consisted of Matuidi, Motta, and Rabiot. The defense was held by Maxwell, David Luiz, Thiago Silva, and Aurier, with Trapp in goal.

Manchester City countered with a 4-2-3-1 formation. Jesus was at the front, supported by Lin Quan, Son Heung-min, and De Bruyne. Kroos and Kanté formed the double pivot in midfield. The defense included Zabaleta, Demichelis, Rüdiger, and Clichy, with Navas as the goalkeeper.

Compared to PSG's full strength, City's squad was not at its best due to injuries, with four key players missing. This was seen as an opportunity for the home team.

As the match began, PSG kicked off amidst the fervent cheers of their home fans. However, within ten seconds, they lost possession. City surprised them with a fierce press, aiming to seize an early advantage. Caught off guard, PSG quickly lost the ball. They attempted a counter-press, but City's rapid attack brought the ball to PSG's penalty area, with Lin Quan in control.

David Luiz rushed to tackle Lin Quan but was deceived by a skillful feint, allowing Lin Quan to slip past him. In frustration, Luiz brought Lin Quan down from behind, committing a foul just 23 seconds into the game.

The referee immediately blew the whistle and approached, reaching into his pocket for a card. Realizing his error, Luiz pleaded with the referee while trying to help Lin Quan up, fearing a potential red card. The referee showed leniency and issued a yellow card instead.

Seeing Luiz's attitude shift, Lin Quan was speechless. A yellow card was too lenient; if it had been any other City player, they might have been stretchered off.

"Too bad, if you had taken one more step, it would have been a penalty," De Bruyne remarked as he positioned himself for the free kick, glancing at the edge of the penalty area.

"This free kick is good enough; it's still very threatening if hit well," Lin Quan replied, not regretting the missed penalty opportunity. In the penalty area, facing the world's top center-back Thiago Silva, scoring would not be easy.

Lin Quan allowed De Bruyne to take the free kick. De Bruyne aimed for the top corner but narrowly missed, sending a scare through the home fans. Conceding an early goal would have been disastrous for PSG.

Shaken by City's aggressive start, PSG became more cautious, avoiding reckless advances. Both teams began probing for weaknesses in each other.

As the game settled, the tension remained high. Both sides exchanged possession and tactical adjustments, preparing for a tightly contested match.

During this time, Neymar wasn't very active on the flank, almost making people forget he was on the field. However, when PSG resumed their attack, Neymar's threat became immediately apparent.

In the 13th minute of the first half, PSG launched an attack. Neymar broke through on the wing and cut inside to the edge of the penalty area. Rüdiger, thinking Neymar would shoot, moved in to intercept. But Neymar instead passed the ball through to Cavani behind Rüdiger. Cavani received the ball, half-turned to shield it from Demichelis, and prepared to shoot. However, whether due to a slip or something else, he suddenly fell in the penalty area.

The referee immediately blew his whistle and pointed to the penalty spot, awarding PSG a penalty. This decision sparked strong protests from the Manchester City players, who surrounded the referee, demanding an explanation. Demichelis tried to explain to the referee that he hadn't fouled Cavani, who had simply slipped. But the referee stood by his decision and even handed out two yellow cards, one to Demichelis and another to Clichy.

On the sideline, Guardiola, who rarely cursed, was so furious with the penalty decision and the yellow cards that he let out an F-bomb. The penalty alone wouldn't have angered him so much, but the yellow cards to two of his defenders significantly impacted City's defense. With yellow cards, they would be more cautious in defense, and PSG would likely target them, which was bad news for City.

With concerns about the defense, Guardiola was worried that City wouldn't be able to keep a clean sheet and that conceding a goal was just a matter of time. He wondered if the attacking players could score enough to compensate for the defensive weaknesses.

...

While City's players were still arguing with the referee, Neymar, holding the ball excitedly, was already in the penalty area, ready to take the penalty. Cavani, dusting off the grass from his shorts, looked like he wanted to say something but remained silent. He had earned the penalty and felt he should take it, as he was the team's main striker. However, accustomed to playing second fiddle, Cavani didn't dare to confront the team's star player. So, he stood by helplessly, watching Neymar take his opportunity.

By the time the referee calmed the situation with yellow cards and allowed play to resume, Neymar had been standing at the penalty spot for several minutes. With the game still in its early stages, City's goalkeeper Navas wasn't fully warmed up. Given that penalties are notoriously difficult to save, PSG players were already prepared to celebrate as Neymar stood ready to take the kick.

The referee blew the whistle, and Neymar began his run-up. One step, two steps, three steps... He aimed for the bottom right corner. But Navas had read Neymar's intentions, moved early, and dived to save the shot, deflecting the ball away. Neymar stood stunned, unable to believe his shot had been blocked. Meanwhile, City's defenders cleared the ball before Neymar could react.

The Parc des Princes fell silent, with thousands of fans staring in disbelief at the deflected ball. They were shocked: How did that not go in? It's a penalty!

The players were equally surprised. Cavani, in particular, after a moment's hesitation, glanced at Neymar, who was on his knees clutching his head, and couldn't help but feel a bit gleeful: Serves you right for taking my penalty and missing it!

Missing the penalty was a significant blow to PSG's morale, while Navas' save greatly boosted City's confidence. After the restart, City's players seemed revitalized, and even their defense steadied.

In the 35th minute, Lin Quan broke through on the wing and passed to De Bruyne, who sent a through ball to Jesus. Jesus laid it back to Lin Quan, who, after drawing in defenders, faked a shot and instead passed into the box to the onrushing De Bruyne. De Bruyne shot without hesitation, catching the goalkeeper off guard, and the ball hit the net.

The score was 0-1, with Manchester City taking the lead away from home!

The stadium fell silent, with PSG fans in disbelief, staring at their goal. Did they just concede?

PSG players were equally stunned, with some returning from the front line, hands on their knees, looking at the ball in their net with despair.

De Bruyne's goal was like a cold shower for PSG, chilling them to the bone. The away goal was crucial; even if PSG equalized, they would still be behind on aggregate. Even if they scored twice to take the lead, City's away goal remained a significant threat.

While PSG was under a cloud, City was jubilant.

"Great shot!"

"It was your pass!"

After De Bruyne's goal, Lin Quan ran to him, jumping on his back.

"If you hadn't run forward, my pass would have been wasted, so the credit is yours!"

Lin Quan wasn't just being modest. If it had been another teammate, he might have shot himself. Without enough mutual understanding, such passes could lose possession to the opposition, leading to a counter-attack. But Lin Quan knew De Bruyne would move forward, regardless of the pass, allowing him to deliver the ball where it needed to be.

De Bruyne didn't disappoint, understanding Lin Quan's intention, exploiting the defense's gap, and delivering a lethal strike. It was a goal born of their combined effort!

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