Valid
Messi is indeed tough!
Felipe Luis often finds himself thinking this after having to defend against Messi.
Before the match, head coach Gao Shen had repeatedly emphasized how incredibly difficult Messi would be to handle. Felipe had watched countless videos of Messi, understanding that the young Argentine was a formidable opponent. However, it wasn't until the game started that he truly realized how elusive Messi was—like a slippery eel.
No wonder players like Del Horno had struggled against him.
Fortunately, Felipe was not one to back down easily.
During the months under Gao Shen's leadership at Real Madrid, Felipe had been utilized extensively, honing his skills and improving his game significantly.
He remained cautious and alert, ensuring that Messi had limited opportunities.
As for that goal conceded earlier—it was Ramos' fault!
After conceding, Barcelona tightened their offense, clearly unsatisfied with just one goal. They seemed eager to score another.
But that was underestimating Real Madrid!
Felipe Luis felt a surge of determination.
Just because they scored once, thanks to Ramos' error, did they really think Real Madrid's defense was easy to break?
Most of Real Madrid's players felt the same way and quickly regained their composure.
With the help of Gravesson, Felipe managed to contain Messi, preventing him from making another impact.
However, Barcelona's attacks remained relentless.
Not only was Van Bronckhorst aggressively pushing forward on the left, but Belletti was also advancing rapidly on the right.
On one occasion, when Belletti crossed the center line, Felipe noticed Raul's defense lagging. He immediately moved to intercept, but Belletti was already prepared, passing the ball ahead to the space where Messi was sprinting.
Felipe quickly turned and ran back.
Messi had just controlled the ball and turned, with Gravesson nearby.
The Danish player, known for his flexibility despite his average height, quickly closed in on Messi, forcing him to move wide.
At the same time, Felipe returned to his defensive position, teaming up with Gravesson to block Messi from both sides.
Just as the two Real Madrid players cornered Messi, the Argentine suddenly lost his balance and fell to the ground. Gravesson managed to poke the ball away, and Felipe immediately turned to chase it.
A chorus of boos erupted from the stadium, likely from those believing the two Real Madrid defenders had committed a foul.
Messi's fall seemed to confirm that belief.
But referee Hauge did not blow his whistle.
As Felipe caught up with the ball, he didn't hear the whistle, so he quickly looked ahead and kicked the ball forward with a powerful strike.
The ball flew down Real Madrid's left side and landed around the 30-meter mark in Barcelona's half.
Negredo had already moved toward the left flank after Raul retreated. As soon as he saw the pass, he rushed to receive it, using his body to block Puyol and protect the ball. He then took a step back, passing the ball to Raul, who was cutting inside.
As soon as Raul stopped the ball, Puyol abandoned Negredo and closed in on him.
The Real Madrid captain chose to pass the ball back to Negredo, glanced at the left side, and quickly moved forward into the penalty area.
On Real Madrid's left side, after passing the ball forward, Felipe sprinted along the sideline. Negredo received Raul's pass, and without slowing down, Felipe continued to charge past the Real Madrid forward.
Negredo's pass was deftly nudged forward by Felipe, who was running at full speed. He quickly outpaced Puyol, then lofted the ball into the left side of the penalty area.
By this time, Raul had also reached the left side of the penalty area. As he controlled the ball, he noticed Marcos rushing in. With experience on his side, Raul looked as though he was about to shoot with his left foot, which made Marcos attempt a block. However, Raul cleverly feinted, shifted the ball, and then made a delicate pass.
From the top of the arc, a white figure raced forward, meeting Raul's pass with a clean strike.
The shot was powerful and well-placed, sending the ball straight into the bottom right corner of Barcelona's goal.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Zidane!!!"
"In the 34th minute, Zidane equalizes for Real Madrid!"
...
"Yes!!!"
As soon as Zidane scored, Gao Shen jumped up excitedly, shouting with joy.
"Well done, Zinedine!"
Gao Shen had already been thrilled when Gravesson and Felipe intercepted the ball earlier.
Negredo's ability to shield the ball was part of the plan, followed by Raul's support and a pass back to Negredo, allowing Felipe to burst forward, set up a cross, and Raul to assist Zidane's goal.
This sequence was the result of the players' in-game decisions.
Gao Shen, despite being a coach, couldn't predict every move. He could only plan certain sequences and instruct the players on how to execute them, focusing on attacking specific areas.
But the players' improvisation on the field was beyond his control.
Just as he couldn't control Ramos' earlier mistake.
Barcelona's players swarmed referee Hauge, protesting that Messi had been fouled by Gravesson and Felipe, making Real Madrid's subsequent counterattack invalid.
Gao Shen saw the Barcelona players crowding the referee and wondered if the goal would be overturned.
But then, Raul and the other Real Madrid stars stepped in.
Raul quickly approached, separating the Barcelona players from the referee, urging them to keep their distance.
The rest of Real Madrid's stars also gathered around.
After the referee managed to free himself from the Barcelona players, he listened as Gravesson repeatedly insisted that he hadn't committed a foul. Messi had simply lost his balance while dribbling—there was no foul.
Gao Shen wasn't sure if it was a foul or not, but at that moment, it didn't matter.
The fans were booing from all corners of the stadium.
Both Barcelona and Real Madrid fans were expressing their displeasure.
After freeing himself from the Real Madrid players, referee Hauge signaled to both teams that the goal was valid.
The previous defense was not a foul.
Gao Shen, watching from the sidelines, raised his hands in applause, smiling broadly.
The scoreboard quickly reflected the new 1-1 score.
In reality, Gravesson and Felipe had indeed made contact with Messi. In such situations, it's often difficult to determine whether a foul occurred because Messi had intended to win a free kick.
However, experienced defenders always find ways to disrupt their opponents without committing fouls.
Especially considering that while Messi's technique is outstanding, his physique is still relatively slight.
In the coming years, he would need to further develop his upper body strength to truly dominate.
...
...
"Who would have thought that the superstar-laden Galácticos would resort to defensive counterattacks?"
In the chairman's box, football legends Beckenbauer and Platini watched the game unfold, both struck by how surreal it felt. If someone had suggested this in the past, who would have believed that Real Madrid would play a defensive, counterattacking game?
Even more astonishing was how solid Real Madrid's defense was.
"This Gao Shen has proven to be quite astute," Platini commented with a smile.
Beckenbauer nodded in agreement. "He's still a bit inexperienced, and Real Madrid's lineup limits him."
"Franz," Platini asked curiously, "if you were coaching Real Madrid, what tactics would you employ?"
Beckenbauer adjusted his glasses and smiled wryly, "I would probably also resort to defensive counterattacks."
After a pause, he added, "But I wouldn't use Negredo. I'd go with Ronaldo. He'd make the counterattack more lethal, and I wouldn't use Raul on the left; he's not quick enough for counterattacks."
Speed is a crucial element in a counterattack, and without it, the threat diminishes significantly.
Unfortunately, Raul wasn't the ideal player for such a role.
"If Real Madrid had a pacey player, Rijkaard wouldn't be so bold," Platini noted, showing his admiration for Barcelona's possession-based play, which aligned with his own stylistic preferences during his playing days.
In contrast, he wasn't as fond of Real Madrid's defensive approach.
Geniuses often sympathize with each other.
Platini supported Zidane but didn't appreciate Real Madrid's defensive strategy—there was no contradiction in that.
"Rijkaard is a bit anxious tonight, likely due to losing the La Liga title. Although they scored a goal, Barcelona's tactics have been stifled," Beckenbauer observed keenly.
Platini nodded in agreement. "The timing of the conflict between Rijkaard and Ten Cate was unfortunate. He could use someone by his side to assist him."
Beckenbauer concurred.
No one is perfect; everyone has their flaws and weaknesses, necessitating a strong team around them.
"Real Madrid's counterattack has been very efficient. Look at that young man; he's still making adjustments." Platini's gaze followed Beckenbauer's direction, landing on the home team's bench, where he noticed Gao Shen standing at the sideline, raising his right hand above his head, and making circular gestures, as if signaling something to the players on the pitch.
Who knows if this was their secret code?
The scene was quite bizarre.
After all, Gao Shen was so young.
Never before in Champions League history had a manager been this young.
What's more surprising was that Gao Shen had led Real Madrid to the Champions League final.
Watching him direct and adjust tactics for a group of superstars, most of whom were older than him, was a paradoxical sight.
Yet, the Real Madrid players on the pitch appeared to trust Gao Shen completely.
Barcelona launched another attack on the right.
Belletti was noticeably more active than Van Bronckhorst, pushing forward frequently. When Belletti passed the ball to Messi, Felipe quickly intercepted it.
Messi immediately tried to counter, pressing Felipe closely and attempting to regain possession. However, Felipe adjusted quickly, abandoning the idea of launching a quick counterattack. Instead, he used his body to shield the ball, keeping Messi at bay, and passed it back to Gravessen, who had moved up to provide support.
As soon as Gravessen received the ball, he didn't hesitate. Before Messi and Xavi could close in on him, he executed a long pass with his right foot. The ball soared across most of the field from Real Madrid's crowded left side and landed on the right side of the pitch.
Arbeloa, unmarked and advancing near the center line, controlled the ball with his chest, pushing it forward, and began dribbling over the halfway line.