Chapter 142 Su Luo Is The First To Push Juventus To Such An Extent!

"The Champions League group stage has progressed, and the situation in Group D, known as the 'group of death,' has gradually become clear.

"Surprisingly, Union Berlin, initially considered cannon fodder, tops the list!"

"They won all three games, accumulating 9 points! They've defeated Manchester City and Juventus in a row!"

"Juventus has 2 wins and 1 loss, ranking second with 7 points!"

"Manchester City has only beaten Sevilla, with 1 win, 2 losses, and 3 points!"

"La Liga powerhouse Sevilla has become the weakest team in the group. They have lost all three games and are on the brink of elimination!"

"Union Berlin has a high probability of securing a qualifying spot. If Manchester City wants to qualify, they not only have to hope that Union Berlin defeats Juventus twice, but also need to beat Juventus away."

"Who would have thought that this 'group of death' would target Manchester City, Juventus, and Sevilla!"

Before the Union Berlin vs. Juventus match, commentator Zhan Jun shared his thoughts.

"After the draw, the mainstream view in Europe was that Juventus and Manchester City would qualify together. Sevilla was expected to compete for the Europa League, and Union Berlin was expected to enjoy their Champions League experience."

"But Union Berlin, the least favored team, has turned the tables and put the other three teams under pressure! They are indeed the biggest dark horse in this Champions League!"

Zhan Jun couldn't help but wonder what kind of opponents Union Berlin would face in the knockout rounds and what kind of exciting matches would unfold.

"Judging by the starting XI, Juventus has the same lineup as the last game," Zhan Jun said, while Director Zhang Lu analyzed the lineups of both sides.

"It seems Allegri has no plans to surprise. Zaza and Dybala are on the bench. He still trusts Mandzukic and Morata."

"So, Juventus's strategy is likely to defend and counterattack. Judging from their performance in the last game, they achieved good results. If it weren't for Su Luo's left-footed long-range shot, they might have had a chance."

"Yes," Zhan Jun agreed. "Neither side has made personnel changes, consistent with the previous matchup. The players have entered the field... Su Luo! The captain of Union Berlin, leading his team through all obstacles!"

"Can they create a miracle today and secure the qualifying spot? It all depends on this heavyweight matchup!"

Paul Pogba admitted he had underestimated the enemy before. What kind of impact could a team that was still playing in the Bundesliga two seasons ago have? He thought he could easily defeat them, but the last game proved him wrong, and Allegri taught him a lesson.

After being scolded, Pogba contacted his agent, Mino Raiola.

"Mino, I want to transfer," Pogba said.

Raiola didn't ask much. He was happy to facilitate a transfer if the player wanted to leave.

"Where do you want to go? Barcelona, Real Madrid, Paris, Chelsea, Manchester City... you pick."

"I don't know, I just don't want to stay at Juventus anymore."

"Okay, I'll arrange it for you," Raiola said, feeling helpless.

Despite both being his clients, Su Luo was much more mature than Pogba, who always acted on impulse.

After experiencing the last defeat, Pogba was ready to leave. He was in a confused mood as he walked out of the player tunnel.

Then, he raised his eyes and saw a giant tifo on the opposite stand: an Asian teenager with black hair and yellow skin, holding a sickle in one hand and a hammer in the other, with a fierce look in his eyes, staring down all opponents.

"Welcome to East Berlin! This is the Iron Union!"

The impact made the entire Juventus team tremble. The small stadium with 20,000 people created an atmosphere as intense as any of the giants' home grounds.

And the fierce figure in the tifo was obviously Su Luo!

Juventus felt the pressure double!

"Is he so popular?" Pogba was dumbfounded. He had never seen such support for a player at their home stadium. He had been at Juventus for years and never received such treatment.

Pogba was envious for the first time. After the game started, both sides didn't test each other like in the first round. They knew each other's abilities well. From the first minute, Juventus shrank back, continuing to use their tight defensive formation to limit Union Berlin's space.

Union Berlin took possession in midfield, patiently looking for the right chance. The game developed similarly to the last one, with both sides slowing down the pace. The first 10 minutes seemed relatively flat, with Union Berlin yet to form a shot, while Juventus completed a threatening counterattack.

Director Zhang tactically explained the game to the fans.

"We can see that Allegri has fine-tuned their defense," he said. "This time, Juve's defensive formation is more concentrated. The wing-backs are pulled in to help defend, and the forwards are more involved in pressing. This allows the three midfielders to focus more on limiting Su Luo."

"If Union Berlin wants to cross from the wings, let them. So far, this strategy is working."

"Look at this play: Cuadrado completely blocked Forsberg from finding Su Luo."

Union Berlin maintained possession in the front, but Su Luo was heavily marked. The potential passing routes were blocked, forcing Union Berlin to seek opportunities from the wings.

Kimmich sent a pass to the left. Forsberg took the ball to the edge of the penalty area, facing Barzagli with Cuadrado close by. He pretended to cut inside, but Cuadrado stuck to him, preventing the move. Khedira tightly marked Su Luo to prevent him from receiving the ball.

Seeing the center heavily guarded, Forsberg sent a through pass. Left-back Ake stepped in and crossed. Su Luo tried to rush in, but Marchisio blocked him. Bonucci jumped and headed the ball clear.

Su Luo was frustrated. He was surrounded by defenders, receiving almost nanny-level care. Chiellini provocatively spoke in Italian.

"You should be happy, Asian boy. We don't even guard Messi this closely!"

Su Luo turned and replied in Italian, "Then you didn't defend well enough."

Chiellini was stunned, almost angry, but Bonucci intervened.

"Say less and focus on defense," Bonucci advised. "Where did this kid learn Italian?"

Su Luo felt Juventus targeting him. They let the wings open but crowded the center, with three or four players contesting headers against him. Surrounded by black and white jerseys, Su Luo seemed caged by Juventus. Even when he moved out of the penalty area to try a long shot, Juventus didn't give him space. They pushed Su Luo 40 meters from the goal, leaving him only room to touch the ball in the middle circle.

"Hmph, let's see how you take long shots this time," Chiellini thought to himself.

In the 39th minute of the game, Su Luo retreated to his own half to collect the ball.

Being so far from the goal, Juventus's defense relaxed slightly. Khedira, marking him, didn't press too much to avoid losing his position.

Then, unexpectedly, Su Luo dribbled just past the center line and suddenly unleashed a powerful shot!

Boom!

"Here we go! Su's Cannon!"

The shot roared through the dense Juventus defense, straight towards the goal.

The ball was so fast that an ordinary goalkeeper might not have been able to react. But luckily for Juventus, they had Buffon.

"A world-class save! Buffon jumped and punched the ball away!"

"Su Luo's shot was incredible, and Buffon's save was equally brilliant!"

"That's the kind of duel you get with world-class players!"

Although the entire first half had been dull, Su Luo's attempt sparked the enthusiasm of the audience. Uncle Hans led the fans in singing the team song, and the Iron Union chants resounded throughout the stadium.

"Su! Su! Su!"

Seeing the audience's admiration for Su Luo, Buffon struggled to get up, feeling a mix of relief and concern.

If it weren't for his experience and anticipation, that shot might have gone in!

"What kind of monster is he?" Buffon wondered.

The first half ended in a goalless draw, 0-0. Juventus's solid defense left Union Berlin without many opportunities, and Juventus didn't dare to attack, fearing Su Luo's counterattack. Morata and Mandzukic were largely neutralized by the midfielders.

"To be able to force Juventus, last season's runner-up, to this extent is already a success for Union Berlin," said Sauer in the German TV studio. He was joined by Kahn and guest Ballack for analysis.

As a former star of German football, Ballack was now participating in his first live commentary on one of Su Luo's games.

To the casual observer, apart from Su Luo's long-range shot, the game might seem boring. But to insiders, the midfield battle was captivating.

"Football is a competition for space. To limit Su Luo, Juventus has basically sacrificed their offensive capabilities," Ballack explained. "Even so, Su Luo managed a high-quality long shot from 40 meters out."

"This Chinese player is truly terrifying," Ballack added, reminiscing about his own days as a long-range shooter. He admitted that in Su Luo's position, he wouldn't have had the courage to take such a direct shot.

Kahn and Sauer, accustomed to Su Luo's miraculous performances, remained calm.

"Yes, he's that kind of player. The question now is, how can Union Berlin break through Juventus's blockade?"

"Honestly, there's no easy way to counter Juventus's full-strength defense," Ballack said, scratching his head.

"Unless someone can act as a pivot for Su Luo and completely free him up," he suggested. "To be honest, Su Luo's best position isn't center forward; he should have more freedom."

For the first time, Ballack proposed a new concept: liberate Su Luo. A frontcourt libero.

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