Chapter 339: Lin Quan's Revenge - The Third Attribute Exchange

Chapter 339: Lin Quan's Revenge - The Third Attribute Exchange

The referee was uncompromising, issuing yellow cards to Ramirez for fouling, David Silva for pushing, and Yaya Toure. By halftime, a total of six yellow cards had been distributed, with four borne by Manchester City players. This troubled Pellegrini, who worried about the two defensive midfielders already booked. Looking ahead to the second half, he contemplated substitutions to prevent midfield defensive vulnerabilities.

Turning his attention to the substitutes' bench, he noted three midfield options: Kroos, Fernando, and Lampard. Indeed, Lampard, once a legend at Chelsea, was now with City. This summer, after his contract with Chelsea expired and was not renewed, he moved to play in Major League Soccer. However, NYCFC loaned him back to the Premier League, and just before the transfer window closed, he was signed by City on a temporary deal. Lampard would play until January of next year, at which time his performance would dictate whether he stayed or returned to New York.

Kroos, not known for his defensive prowess but excellent in attack, could enhance City's offensive play if he came on. Both Lampard and Fernando were stronger defensively; should City gain the lead, either could be used to stabilize the situation. With these options in mind, Pellegrini planned his substitutions based on the unfolding second half, but it was critical that no more cards were incurred in the meantime.

Inside Etihad Stadium, the heated gameplay and frequent fouls shifted fans' focus from the match to antagonizing the opposing players and fans. The atmosphere was charged; both teams played with noticeable emotion, an environment perfectly suited for Chelsea's forward Diego Costa, known for his dirty tricks during physical confrontations. He had a knack for subtle provocations that enraged opponents, like when he goaded Zabaleta into a foul that earned the latter a yellow card.

Seeing the defenders burdened with yellow cards, Costa consciously sought them out for physical confrontations, using his cunning tactics to provoke further. City's defenders, irritated by his antics, responded aggressively; Demichelis, in particular, retaliated with a tackle that earned him a yellow card, increasing City's total to five.

"Kid, this is just a lesson. If I catch those tricks again, watch your legs," Demichelis warned fiercely after the foul, glaring at Costa who lay on the ground grimacing. The tackle was harsh—realizing it was no joke, Costa significantly reduced his provocations.

Although City's players were enraged, they still managed to suppress Chelsea in the first half. Mourinho had placed Ramirez as an advanced midfielder and dropped Fabregas to a defensive role. This tactical shift made it difficult for Chelsea to control the midfield; Willian's tendency to hold the ball too long became problematic. Whenever he received the ball, he would delay passing, allowing City's defense to regroup, making it hard to create scoring opportunities.

Not just Willian, but Hazard too was underperforming. Chelsea struggled to launch effective attacks, their previously fluid combinations and formidable firepower seemingly neutralized by City. On the sidelines, Mourinho frowned. While his psychological tactics had worked to unsettle City, the lack of threat in Chelsea's play was concerning. If City regained their composure, their attacking potential could pose a serious threat, especially with a player like Lin Quan on the field.

Thus, Mourinho knew they had to continue targeting Lin to fully provoke him. In the 41st minute, Ivanovic knocked Lin down just outside the box, earning the game's eighth yellow card—Chelsea's third severe foul against Lin in a short time. Yet, to Mourinho and Chelsea's surprise, Lin appeared neither injured nor enraged. Quickly getting up, he set the ball for a free kick, his calm demeanor unshaken.

Courtois felt uneasy about the free kick's position, sensing the potential danger. "Damn, how can't we knock him down?" Mourinho wondered, doubting his strategy as Lin, stable and unaffected, prepared to take the shot. "Need me to create a diversion?" De Bruyne approached, offering to assist. Recently successful with free kicks, he suggested he could confuse Courtois by lining up alongside Lin.

"No need, I got this," Lin assured, eyeing the Chelsea goal and meeting Courtois's gaze. Courtois, alerted by Lin's confident smile, braced himself. Could it be a knuckleball or a curveball? Both were Lin's specialties, both highly effective.

However, Courtois's predictions were off. As the referee prepared to whistle for the free kick, Lin had already decided his approach. He retreated, accessed the system's store interface, and spent points to acquire Roberto Carlos' powerful shooting technique, enhancing his strength attribute to maximum.

Ready to perform, Lin exited the system and continued retreating, increasing his distance from the ball. Chelsea's players, noticing his extensive run-up, grew anxious. Was this serious? Such a long run-up suggested a powerful shot was coming.

Chelsea's wall braced themselves, praying Lin's aim was true and wouldn't target them—such a hit could be painful, even injurious. Courtois, though skeptical of Lin's heavy artillery tactics, remained vigilant, aware that his lack of direct experience with Lin's powerful shots didn't mean they weren't coming.

As Lin charged, the pace of his run sent chills through Chelsea's players, their fear palpable. Courtois watched intensely, his instincts on high alert. As Lin struck the ball, the Chelsea wall flinched, covering vital areas, dreading the impact.

A loud bang followed by a scream indicated someone hadn't dodged in time. Relief mixed with curiosity filled the air as Chelsea players turned to see Matic doubled over in pain, his agony clear. The ball had struck him hard, a deliberate act by Lin, seen as retribution for earlier fouls. The Chelsea players looked on, realizing the dangers of provoking Lin—his response was not just skillful, but fearsome.

The referee, seeing no immediate need for medical attention, allowed play to continue, but the message was clear: Lin Quan was not a player to be trifled with.

Matic, the midfielder from Chelsea, was writhing in pain, clutching his stomach and curled up like a shrimp. The cold sweat on his face and his open, silent scream of agony sent shivers through his teammates. It was a stark act of retaliation. Matic had fouled Lin Quan first and had spoken rudely. Now, Lin Quan's free kick seemed deliberately off-target, perhaps even aimed at Matic. This realization filled Chelsea's players with a mix of horror and fear. Lin Quan was fearsome indeed. And now, they were powerless against his method of revenge.

Chelsea's medical team rushed onto the field, examined Matic, and confirmed he could no longer continue the game. Mourinho, his face ashen, saw his plans thrown into disarray with Matic's unexpected exit. He was forced to substitute Matic with Miguel. The intimidation from Lin Quan's revenge significantly deterred Chelsea players for the rest of the game, especially from committing fouls against Lin Quan. Nobody wanted an outcome similar to Matic's.

Chelsea became more cautious, but Manchester City did not let up. In the final moments of the first half, City intensified their attacks on Chelsea's goal. In the 44th minute, Silva made a cross from the left, and Lin Quan, narrowly missing a goal, heightened the pressure. A minute later, Yaya Toure split the defense with a pass; Kolarov dashed from the left and sent a cross that Jovetic headed against the post. The rebound fell to De Bruyne, who either passed deliberately or misfired a shot that instead found Silva on the right. Silva deftly threaded the ball between two defenders back into the box.

An empowered Lin Quan shoved past a defender, broke into the box, and poked the ball into Chelsea's net. In the final minute of the first half, City broke the deadlock, making it 1-0. The timing was crucial, only seconds away from the halftime whistle. The goal unleashed a torrent of pent-up frustration from City players, who ecstatically rushed towards Lin Quan.

Even the usually composed Lin Quan got caught up in the moment, stripping off his jersey to reveal a chiseled torso, running to the sidelines, spreading his arms wide, tilting his head back, and closing his eyes in front of the roaring stands. Etihad Stadium erupted in deafening applause and cheers, a cathartic release for the City fans enraged by Chelsea's earlier fouls. Had it not been for the security personnel, they might have stormed the pitch to confront the Chelsea players directly.

Amidst this tumult, Pellegrini felt a rush of exhilaration and leapt from his seat to embrace his assistants joyously. Meanwhile, a frustrated Mourinho kicked a water bottle fiercely after seeing Lin Quan score. Cursing the ill-timed loss, he pondered what went wrong with his strategy that had seemed so effective until then. Confounded by Lin Quan's unshaken composure despite the fouls, Mourinho worried if the intensity of the fouls had been insufficient. Yet, escalating the fouls risked red cards for Chelsea.

Determined to remain composed, Mourinho reminded himself that his tactics had not yet failed, with the second half still to play. He left for the locker room without looking back, his mind on adjusting his strategy for the remaining 45 minutes.

During the halftime break, the tension between the teams nearly escalated into a physical altercation in the tunnel, only avoided thanks to the timely intervention of officials and stadium staff. The hostility from the game had now deeply entrenched a rivalry between Manchester City and Chelsea. The players exchanged harsh words peppered with vulgarities about each other's incompetence and cowardice outside the locker rooms.

Lin Quan, disinterested in such exchanges, returned to the locker room. There, he first noticed Lampard, sitting quietly in a corner, caught in an awkward position given his long history with Chelsea and current allegiance to City. Respecting Lampard's situation, Lin Quan did not bother him. Instead, he approached Aguero to inquire about his injury. "How are you doing?" Aguero, trying to smile through his discomfort, admitted, "Not great. I've got a ligament tear in my left thigh. I'll be out for six to eight weeks." Lin Quan patted his shoulder, comforting, "Take your time to heal. We'll be waiting for you to come back."