"It was already incredibly difficult for us to reach the Champions League semifinals."
Before the team departed for Barcelona, Spain, at the regular pre-match press conference, Yang Yang announced the eighteen-man squad and accepted interviews from the media, setting the tone for his trip to Camp Nou.
"Without a doubt, in our eyes, Barcelona is a top powerhouse so strong that they are almost invincible. They have a group of the most outstanding superstars in the world. On top of that, the first leg will be played at Camp Nou, which will be an enormous difficulty for us—even a life-or-death challenge."
"Looking at the schedule, the semifinals consist of two legs. But for us, there is only one decisive battle: the first leg at Camp Nou. We have to beat our opponents in that match to have any chance of advancing. Hoping to win and advance in the second leg at home is unrealistic."
The reporters at the scene were all surprised by Yang Yang's remarks, because they were clearly somewhat unexpected.
The semifinals were played over two legs, so why was Yang Yang placing such emphasis on the first leg?
And why the first leg at Camp Nou?
A reporter immediately raised his doubts and asked Yang Yang whether he intended to gamble everything on the first leg.
"This isn't a gamble. We have no choice. We can't pin our hopes on the second leg at home; that's too far away. We have to show our strength and determination at Camp Nou. We have no way out. Only by defeating our opponents at Camp Nou can we advance."
"I think the hope of advancing to the final by relying on the second leg at home is extremely slim!"
Another reporter immediately asked, "Yang, do you believe that the first