Chapter 262 Hat-Trick Captures Camp Nou! Messi Knelt Down

"Hey, Neymar..."

"Leo, I know what you're going to say, but it's pointless, you know?"

"Yeah, I guess you're right."

The heated exchange between Neymar and Enrique had cast a dark cloud over the Barcelona players. If Su Luo knew that he had nearly driven Barcelona into internal strife, who knows how he'd feel?

As for Messi, he wanted to calm Neymar down, keep him from acting on his emotions. But after thinking it over, Messi realized that Neymar's move to Paris was practically set in stone. Plus, Enrique might not be sticking around for the next season either. Perhaps their argument was long overdue, and at this point, it didn't really matter.

After all, Iniesta was the captain, not Messi. Besides, Messi wasn't great with words and couldn't think of the right thing to say. He could only sigh silently.

Fortunately, Neymar was a perceptive player. He noticed Messi's unease immediately.

"Don't worry, Leo. I know I wasn't in the right frame of mind earlier. I'll step up in the second half. I'll create chances for you—get ready to be the hero!"

Neymar gave Messi a reassuring pat on the shoulder.

Though Messi wasn't the official captain, he was still the heart and soul of Barcelona. Neymar wanted to ensure that, at the very least, their final games together would leave some good memories.

While the two were talking, they didn't notice Suarez standing nearby.

Suarez had originally planned to step in and try to calm Neymar down. After all, they were part of the MSN trio—brothers on the pitch. But when Suarez saw Neymar cool off, he breathed a sigh of relief.

Having moved from Liverpool to Barcelona, Suarez had finally won the Champions League. But even now, he wasn't satisfied. At 30 years old, he knew his career was entering its final stages. This year's Champions League might be his last chance to relive the glory of 2006, and Suarez was determined to give it everything he had.

Su Luo, however, was the most dangerous player Suarez had ever faced.

But!

We're the MSN trio!

Before their era ended, Suarez was ready for one last blaze of glory.

"Suarez, moving with intent! Dribbling forward! He plays a clever backheel to Neymar!"

"Neymar without hesitation! A brilliant through-ball! Messi shoots with his left foot! So close! Just wide of the post!"

Barely a minute into the second half, Barcelona nearly pulled one back. Chelsea had narrowly avoided disaster.

Su Luo, standing further back, noticed something different. The MSN trio was playing with a new energy. Their mindset had completely shifted from the first half.

In Su Luo's memory, Barcelona had been eliminated by Juventus in the 2017 Champions League quarter-finals. Juventus had thrashed them 3-0 in the away leg, and Barcelona could only muster a 0-0 draw at home. Back then, MSN was sluggish, even Messi seemed out of sorts.

After the first half, Su Luo had thought he was playing out the Juventus script—dominating the first leg and cruising to an easy win.

But now... it seemed MSN had found their fire.

What Su Luo didn't realize was that he had indirectly caused this revival. His dazzling performance had created a "catfish effect," spurring the MSN trio to dig deep and rise to the challenge.

The 20-year-old Su Luo was shining so brightly that Barcelona's 30-year-old veterans couldn't allow themselves to be outshone by a youngster.

With MSN now fully activated, Barcelona's attack came alive. No matter who had the ball, their individual skills and seamless coordination posed a constant threat to Chelsea's defense.

Kanté, who had enjoyed a relatively stress-free first half, now felt the full pressure of facing one of the world's top attacking trios.

For a while, even Courtois was being kept busy.

"Neymar! Such quick feet! He's passed Azpilicueta!"

"He cuts it back with a perfect inverted triangle pass! Suarez!!!"

"Courtois makes a huge save!"

"Before Barcelona can reset, Courtois launches a quick goal kick!"

"Matić to Kanté... and immediately to Su Luo!"

"Su Luo surges forward! He's flying down the right flank, leaving Jordi Alba in the dust!"

"Umtiti moves in to challenge... what a strike!!!"

"Su Luo's brilliance slices through the defense! Lukaku is in position! He's through on goal!"

"Lukaku one-on-one—"

"Oh no! It hits the crossbar!"

"Barcelona narrowly escape!"

What had seemed like a one-sided match was now a chaotic battle!

Both sides had thrown caution to the wind, attacking relentlessly.

Whether it was Barcelona's fluid combination play or Chelsea's lightning-fast counterattacks, each team had multiple chances to score.

The frantic pace had fans on the edge of their seats—some of the older ones even clutching their chests from the excitement.

This was heart-pounding football!

If Barcelona could pull one goal back, a 1:2 scoreline would feel much more manageable. It would certainly boost their morale, and who knows, maybe they could go on to score a few more and stage a dramatic comeback.

After all, Su Luo had scored six goals in five minutes against Atletico Madrid—wasn't that a miracle?

Sure, Barcelona might not score six goals in five minutes, but three or four in the next 30 minutes? That wasn't out of the question.

As the MSN trio continued to press, the Barcelona fans at Camp Nou started to sing once more. The excitement was palpable.

For the first time in a long time, there was a glimmer of hope shining through the darkness.

"Another attack from Barcelona!"

"Chelsea's players are struggling with their stamina. It's impossible to maintain high pressure for a full 90 minutes."

"At the start of the second half, they've fallen back to a more conservative defensive strategy."

"Barcelona are taking advantage of their superior possession now, starting to play their signature passing game!"

"Busquets has the ball in midfield..."

Busquets, Barcelona's midfield maestro, was often underestimated. People who didn't understand his game thought he was just a boring player, always passing sideways or backward.

But now, he was in his element, orchestrating from the center of the pitch, distributing the ball with precision.

"Rakitic to Iniesta, Busquets, back to Piqué, then to Busquets, and back again to Ter Stegen..."

Barcelona seemed to be trapped in their own half, passing the ball without much threat. Busquets made a seemingly harmless pass to Iniesta, but suddenly, Iniesta picked up speed!

A sharp pass split Kanté's defensive zone and found Messi up front!

"It's showtime!"

Messi took the ball and quickly shifted his feet, effortlessly gliding past Matić. He burst into the right side of the pitch.

Marcos Alonso and Rüdiger closed in to double-team him, but Messi, fully focused, flicked the ball past them with his quick footwork. He then adjusted his position smoothly, slipping past Rüdiger.

"Messi's in! This is dangerous!"

"He shoots!!"

"Brilliant save!!! David Luiz makes a crucial tackle, poking the ball away just in time!"

Chelsea nearly conceded, but they escaped, with the Barcelona players pleading for a penalty. However, the referee waved them off. He had seen it clearly: Luiz had cleanly tackled the ball, even though his momentum carried him into Messi. No foul.

After the last "Stamford Bridge Controversy 2.0," Champions League referees had improved a lot, striving to be fair and impartial. No one dared take sides openly anymore.

Barcelona took a quick tactical corner, with Messi pulling away and sending a cross into the box. Suarez came close to heading it into the net, but Chelsea managed to clear.

Barcelona was steadily gaining momentum, and the home crowd sensed it. Things were beginning to turn in their favor.

The Barcelona fans could already see a bright future ahead. But lurking in Chelsea's formation was a real nightmare—a player who haunted the dreams of opposing fans.

"Playing like this, huh? Interesting."

As Barcelona intensified their attack, Su Luo knew he couldn't just sit back and watch.

On defense, Su Luo was helping Matić and Kanté, covering the danger in front of Chelsea's penalty area. But they couldn't just defend forever; they needed to counter!

This corner was the perfect opportunity.

Courtois saw the chance and quickly kicked the ball out. Piqué and Umtiti didn't have time to get back into position!

Lukaku rose high in midfield, winning the aerial duel and decisively passing the ball to Su Luo.

It wasn't that his teammates were blindly looking for him—it was Su Luo's football intelligence. He always knew where to be at the crucial moments, making himself the ideal target for his teammates.

As Su Luo received the ball, Jordi Alba was nearly in tears.

"Seriously? Are you coming for me again?"

If Barcelona lost to Chelsea tonight, Alba feared he'd be blamed once again. This time, he decided to play it safe. Instead of charging in, he kept his distance, waiting for Su Luo's move.

But!

Su Luo didn't rush forward. Seeing that Alba wasn't pressing him, Su Luo had all the time in the world to observe the field. He waited for his teammates to make their runs before delivering a perfectly curved pass to the left!

Piqué, desperate to stop him, lunged in to foul Su Luo, but it was too late—the ball had already been sent forward!

Behind Umtiti and Sergi Roberto, Ajar was waiting. He received Su Luo's long pass perfectly, needing no adjustment as he broke into the penalty area!

"Ajar!! He's got it! The Su Luo-Ajar connection comes to life!"

"Ter Stegen rushes out... Ajar's going for the far post... no, it's a fake!!"

"He cuts back with an inverted triangle pass!"

Ter Stegen, already on the ground and completely out of position, could only watch in despair as the blue-shirted number 7 charged into the box.

Su Luo had taken complete control of the game!

"Su Luo!!! He scores again!"

"A hat-trick at Camp Nou!!!"

"Barcelona's relentless attack has failed to break through, but Chelsea's counterattack strikes once more!"

0-3! Chelsea had a massive lead away from home!

"Su Luo's hat-trick is monumental!"

"Only Diego Forlán had scored a hat-trick at Camp Nou in the 21st century, and now Su Luo joins him!"

"Camp Nou, the once untouchable fortress, has been conquered... by a Chinese sensation!"

TV commentator He Wei was ecstatic!

He was overjoyed to witness this historic moment, thrilled that China had a true football superstar to celebrate.

The small spark of hope that Barcelona fans had clung to was snuffed out, extinguished by Su Luo, the villain of the night.

It was truly bittersweet.

The Camp Nou fell as silent as a library, with only the cheers of the Chelsea fans breaking the stillness.

"Are the Chinese really unstoppable?"

Messi, filled with self-doubt, could only wonder.

Why was it so easy for Su Luo to score, while he struggled so much?

Was he really getting too old?

The director zoomed in for a close-up of Messi. His eyes, once filled with determination, now seemed lost and confused.

The fire that had burned within him at the start of the game had flickered out, and the MSN trio—Messi, Suarez, and Neymar—had fallen into another slump.

That last surge of energy might have been Barcelona's final fight, their last stand before tumbling from their peak.

In the final 30 minutes, Barcelona couldn't organize any serious attacks. Chelsea, comfortably ahead, didn't recklessly push forward. They defended solidly, holding their ground until the final whistle.

When the referee finally blew for full time, the Barcelona players stood frozen in disbelief.

"The match is over!! In the first leg of the Champions League semi-final, Chelsea demolish Barcelona 3-0 away, with Su Luo netting a hat-trick!"

"Under Su Luo's leadership, Chelsea have one foot in the final!"

"Now, all eyes are on the return leg at Stamford Bridge. Can Barcelona turn it around?"

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