A Tackle and a Shot-Tang Long Puts on a One-Man Show! Guardiola Is Stunned!
This was the first time in his life that Guardiola had stood on the grass of the Etihad Stadium.
On Wednesday night, the bright spotlights illuminated the entire stadium as if it were daytime, making Guardiola's bald head shine even brighter than a hard-boiled egg.
However, given that half of the UK population is bald, Guardiola glanced back at the stands and suddenly felt a sense of familiarity, "Oh, they're all like me!"
The head coach's handshake before the game.
Guardiola was very enthusiastic, stepping forward to shake Pellegrini's hand tightly.
"Ah, Manuel, how long has it been since we last met?"
The two men faced off in La Liga once, as managers of Barca and Real Madrid respectively, back in the 2009-2010 season, six years ago.
For Pelle, although coaching a super club like Real Madrid was a major leap in his career, the final result was far from satisfactory.
That season, from the very first round of the league, Real Madrid and Barca were neck and neck in the standings;
After a long 38 rounds of league play, Real Madrid lost to Barca by only three points, 96 to 99, finishing as runners-up in the league!
In the UEFA Champions League, Real Madrid didn't even make it to the quarterfinals, suffering a shock defeat and losing to Lyon in the first knockout round, becoming a laughing stock.
It's worth noting that Galacticos had ambitious plans during that summer transfer window, bringing in superstars like Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, and Benzema, aiming to dominate Europe football.
The result was utter emptiness, with nothing gained.
What Real Madrid's management found most unacceptable was that not winning the title was one thing—after all, it was only their first season in charge of Real Madrid, and there should have been an adjustment period—but being defeated twice by Barca Real Madrid the two Derby d'Italia Spain matches was an utter disgrace. Who could bear that?
So as soon as the season ended, Pelle was sacked, barely settling in before he was gone.
Six years later, they met again. Although in Guardiola's mind, Pellegrini was just an insignificant figure among the many managers he had faced in his life, for the Chile, it was like meeting an old enemy, with eyes blazing with hatred!
Six years ago, your double victory over Real Madrid in a single season forced me to resign in disgrace;
Six years later, you're still trying to steal my Manchester City managerial position!
Pep, are you deliberately trying to get involved with me?!
When Guardiola extended his hands in a warm gesture, Pellegrini merely touched them politely before turning away without uttering a single word.
"Zhuang'er TV!"
"Zhuang'er TV!"
"You are now watching the first leg of the 2015-2016 UEFA Champions League semi-final, Manchester City vs. Bayern at Old Trafford!"
"Both teams employ a possession-based style of play and are top teams in their respective leagues!"
"A clash of titans—we care about the final outcome, but we also eagerly anticipate the process."
Who will play the most beautiful passing and possession football tonight? Let's wait and see!
The referee blew his whistle, and the match began!
Manchester City manager Pellegrini stood on the sidelines, looking at Guardiola beside him with eyes full of resentment.
He was unwilling to accept it, truly unwilling.
I haven't even left yet, and everyone's already saying you'll be taking over from me next season;
That's one thing, but then you suddenly bring in Gündoğan in the winter transfer window, and he can only play in the league, not even qualify for the UEFA Champions League. What does that mean?
Are you planning your squad setup for next season in advance? Haha.
Pellegrini clenched his fists inwardly, vowing to deliver a crushing defeat to Bayern at home. As long as he remained in the Manchester City manager's seat, this was his team, and no one could control it!
"Get moving! Everyone, get moving!"
Despite Manchester City's players starting the game with great enthusiasm, with forwards like Tang Long, Sterling, and Agüero consistently employing a high-pressing tactic;
However, Pellegrini seemed unsatisfied, constantly urging them to continue putting pressure on the opposing defenders who had possession of the ball.
He was so anxious that when assistant coach Raymond tried to confirm the previously prepared substitutions for the second half with him, the Chile, engrossed in directing the game, pushed him away.
Guardiola stood with his hands in his pockets, looking completely calm.
"You just want to steal the ball in my half, huh? Fine, let's see if you can do it."
Guardiola's speculation was exactly the tactical intention that Pellegrini had laid out before the match.
Even this usually composed veteran coach couldn't help but let his emotions get the better of him when facing his rival, Guardiola, as he directed the team.
Generally speaking, when our forwards and midfielders press the opponent high, the goal is to force the opponent to be hesitant to control the ball in their own half, forcing them to hastily clear it with long kicks, allowing our defenders to regain possession and immediately launch an attack.
This is already a very successful high press; the chances of directly stealing the ball are still quite slim.
However, Pellegrini judged that Guardiola would absolutely not allow his players to launch long balls from the backfield!
Even under pressure from Manchester City, Bayern players will likely continue passing the ball around.
Therefore, under these circumstances, Manchester City, playing at home, cannot back down in any way. They must continue to apply pressure and press relentlessly. You don't want to kick the ball long, do you? Fine, I'll force you into a situation where you can't pass the ball and steal it away!
"Vidal! Get me!"
Facing a double-team from Toure and Sterling, Alonso quickly passed the ball to midfielder Vidal, who came to provide support.
As soon as Vidal, sporting a mohawk, received the ball, he saw Tang Long charging towards him.
"Huh? It's you!"
The two locked eyes, their gazes sharp as swords, the air thick with tension.
These two people have a long history.
Chile fighter Arturo Vidal only transferred to Bayern last season, after spending four years at Juventus. He had several encounters with Tang Long in Serie A last season.
In that year's Coppa Italia final, Tang Long intercepted Vidal, then assisted Bonazzoli, who scored the winning goal and lifted the trophy!
So this time, Vidal encountered Tang Long right at the start of the match, and his emotions got the better of him, and he got a little carried away.
Instead of relying on the muscle memory he had developed in training to pass the ball to Alaba on the wing and shift the control of the pressing player, he engaged in a one-on-one battle with Tang Long.
Vidal is not a player whose strength lies in dribbling; his footwork is average.
However, his physical attributes are among the best, even in the Bundesliga.
Although he is 184 cm tall, which is not particularly tall, Vidal has very strong muscles and can often unleash amazing power to send his opponents flying in an instant.
Vidal moved sideways towards Tang Long, neither trying to get past him nor passing the ball, but instead slammed his body heavily into Tang Long's chest, bumping into him with his back!
Bang bang bang!
Vidal struck Tang Long three times in quick succession, Tang Long felt as if his body was being hit by steel plates, causing him excruciating pain.
Tang Long shifted his attention downwards, intending to sneak up and steal the ball from his groin;
But Vidal was not unprepared; he maintained excellent distance with his back to the goal, separating Tang Long from the ball, making it impossible for Tang Long to reach it even with his legs outstretched.
His Bayern teammates were yelling for him to pass the ball, but Vidal just wouldn't; he was thoroughly enjoying the thrill of physically dominating Tang Long.
Hehe, I can't get past you, but you can't steal my ball either. Come on, try and steal it from me!
Seeing that Tang Long couldn't do anything to him even after he bumped into him three times, Vidal felt a surge of satisfaction, avenging the loss of his arrow in last year's Coppa Italia final on the Apennine Peninsula;
He decided to give Tang Long one last hard bump, then pass the ball away and taunt him a few more times.
He'd already prepared his sarcastic remarks. "Weak! With a body like yours, you think you can play in the Premier League? Hahaha!"
Tang Long had suffered a silent loss, being deliberately bumped into three times by Vidal. His body was indeed no match for Vidal. Not to mention himself, even if it were Toure, he probably wouldn't be able to beat him.
But then Vidal's body lurched forward, as if he was about to strike a fourth time?
"Damn, you're coming back?"
Tang Long had a sudden inspiration. Instead of standing still and continuing to clash head-on with Vidal, just as Vidal's body was about to make contact with him, he used the Lingbo Weibu) to suddenly flash back a step.
Vidal never expected that Tang Long, who had just been right next to him, would suddenly dodge away.
This fourth impact was more powerful than the previous three. It was delivered with maximum force, but it hit nothing but air. Due to the immense force of inertia, the unsuspecting Vidal cried out in surprise and fell backward to the ground!
As I fell, my arm instinctively pushed down to brace myself.
If he hadn't braced himself, he might have rolled on the grass and dissipated the impact. But because of that brace, a crisp "crack" immediately came from his wrist, making Vidal's heart pound, as if something had broken.
Tang Long leaped over Vidal without hesitation, grabbed the ball, and charged forward!
This interception caught Bayern's players off guard. Tang Long dribbled forward at a speed like a whirlwind carrying sand and gravel. The fans only saw a blur before their eyes, and in the blink of an eye, he had reached the edge of the penalty area.
The worst thing for a team is for a player who holds onto the ball too long to be dispossessed, especially in a defensive midfield position like Vidal. If he doesn't lose possession, all is well, but if he does, it's a fatal mistake.
Despite Alonso and Thiago's quick recovery, they could only chase after Tang Long.
As Tang Long sprinted forward, he caught a glimpse of Sterling and Agüero rapidly pulling along the sideline. Instead of cutting diagonally into the middle, they cleverly drew away Bayern's defensive players.
As they ran, they turned their heads and exchanged knowing glances. Tang Long instantly understood—they were handing over the right to fire to him!
Now, shoot!
Tang Long drew his bow and nocked an arrow, unleashing a low, Low-trajectory Curve Shot from the edge of the penalty area!
Swoosh--
The football roared out, skimming the grass like a sharp blade. It bounced lightly at first, kicking up a small clump of grass, but its momentum didn't diminish. It flew past Neuer's outstretched arm with lightning speed and accurately plunged into the bottom left corner!
The net shook violently from the impact, making a joyful "whoosh" sound, as if cheering for Tang Long's sharp shot!
Manchester City took a 1-0 lead at home after just 7 minutes!
(There's one chapter that's only a little over a thousand words long and not finished yet; I'll post three chapters tomorrow.)