April 3, Madrid's Bernabéu Stadium.
The second leg of the Champions League quarterfinals saw Man City challenge Real Madrid away from home.
Having lost the first leg 4–1 away to Man City, Real Madrid was shrouded in sorrow before the match. Although head coach Pellegrini and the club's many executives repeatedly stressed that Real Madrid still had a chance at the Bernabéu, both the media and the fans were generally pessimistic. After all, winning by three goals was extremely difficult.
Especially since they couldn't afford to give Man City a chance to score an away goal.
Who could guarantee that his team could score three against Man City without conceding to Su Dong?
Pessimistic as they were, Real Madrid's fans still gave everything they had.
Long before the match began, the fans in the South Stand had arrived at the Bernabéu Stadium and spontaneously unveiled a massive banner. It displayed the English letter C and the Arabic numeral 7, clearly meant to encourage Real Madrid's star player, Cristiano Ronaldo. They hoped he wouldn't lose heart, would keep pushing forward, and would lead the team to overturn their opponents.
The Real Madrid fans in the stadium were equally fired up, constantly cheering and encouraging their team.
The roar of the Bernabéu had barely stopped from the moment the players entered the pitch to warm up.
The fans were bursting with enthusiasm, all of them cheering for their team.
According to the creed of Real Madrid's fans, at the Bernabéu, even if they truly had to lose, they had to lose standing tall.
That was why Guardiola had been so certain before the match that Real Madrid would attack with everything they had at the Bernabéu.
That was what people called tradition.
*I can lose, but I absolutely cannot be defeated—especially not