Guardiola and Tang Long Mysteriously Disappear, Manchester City Rewrites the Game in Five Minutes Upon Return!

At halftime, the atmosphere in the away team's locker room was somber.

The Manchester City players sat huddled together, their faces filled with anxiety, as if shrouded in gloom.

At the start of the first half, the situation looked very promising.

Manchester City, employing a 3-5-2 formation, dominated the pitch like a master, firmly controlling the game.

Tang Long provided a brilliant assist to Mkhitaryan, who converted the shot!

However, his good fortune didn't last long. Two experienced defenders from the opposing team, like two stubborn pieces of chewing gum, kept a close eye on Tang Long.

Since then, Manchester City's fierce attacks have gradually slowed down.

Despite Manchester City maintaining control of the game thanks to their strong midfield ball control and exquisite passing system, their star player Griezmann scored a crucial equalizer near the end of the first half, showcasing his superb shooting skills.

Starting goalkeeper Bravo was filled with extreme self-blame at this moment.

He knew in his heart that he had judged the direction of Griezmann's shot correctly and had prepared to make the save in advance.

However, his rather short arms became a fatal weakness at this crucial moment.

Despite his extensive experience in major competitions, Bravo, who is only 1.83 meters tall, can only lament that "when you need something, you realize how short you are."

He watched helplessly as the ball curved at a tricky angle, unable to stop it.

Bravo huddled alone in a corner of the locker room, filled with frustration, a ridiculous thought constantly replaying in his mind, "If Onana had been eligible to play, would he have been able to save that shot?"

Bravo's teammates quickly noticed his dejection and rushed over to comfort him.

Even Onana, who wasn't selected for the match but still traveled with the team, quickly walked to the veteran's side and whispered:

"Cheer up! Two years ago you were a key player in Barca's treble-winning season, what's a little setback? That goal really wasn't your fault!"

However, at this moment, most of the teammates' eyes were anxiously fixed on the locker room door.

Everyone had returned to their positions, but Tang Long was nowhere to be seen, and head coach Guardiola had also disappeared.

This is so unusual!

It's worth noting that Guardiola would usually return to the locker room a few dozen seconds before the end of the first half to carefully plan his tactics and welcome his players back.

But today, they seemed to have vanished into thin air.

"Where did those two go? Did they go to the bathroom?" someone muttered.

"Aguero, hurry up and check the restroom, call them back, it's urgent!" Agüero extremely anxious, his voice filled with worry.

Why are you disappearing at this time?!

This Manchester City is currently a force to be reckoned with in the Premier League, but in the UEFA Champions League, they are still newcomers.

Although these players have competed in the UEFA Champions League every year, their best result has only been reaching the semi-finals; they have never won the coveted title.

Therefore, at this moment, everyone in the team's locker room is eagerly hoping for the appearance of Guardiola and Tang Long, hoping to get reassurance from them.

Just as everyone was at a loss, a clear sound of footsteps came from the corridor outside the changing room, accompanied by hearty laughter.

Everyone looked on in astonishment to see Guardiola affectionately embracing Tang Long. The two strolled leisurely into the locker room as if taking a walk in their own backyard, their faces beaming with relaxed smiles, appearing to be chatting and laughing.

"Boss, Tang, where did you guys go? We were so worried!"

Agüero, with his impatient nature, rushed forward and shouted in a questioning tone.

Guardiola's gaze slowly swept over the crowd, and from their anxious eyes, he understood their urgent feelings.

He and Tang Long exchanged a smile, and he said:

"What's the rush? I've already talked to Tang. Aren't Saúl and Godin determined to keep Tang at bay? Let's see how they plan to do it."

Upon hearing this, everyone was overjoyed.

It seems the head coach has a plan in mind and has devised a solution.

Everyone fell silent instantly, pricking up their ears to listen intently as Guardiola explained the tactical arrangements for the second half.

On the other side, Atlético Madrid's players walked confidently out of the locker room and returned to the pitch.

They were greeted by a deafening roar of cheers from the fans inside the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium!

From falling behind at the start to successfully equalizing before the end of the first half, Atlético Madrid's morale soared, like a burning flame.

In particular, the team's star striker, France star Griezmann, made a brilliant performance in the first half, making him the team's hero and giving fans confidence that overtaking the score and taking the lead in the first leg was just a matter of time.

Griezmann specifically ran up to his teammates Godin and Saúl, patted them hard on the shoulders, and said loudly:

"Great job in the first half! With you two on the court, I have complete peace of mind!"

Veteran Godin, brimming with confidence, patted his chest forcefully and responded decisively:

"Don't worry! We've laid a trap for Tang Long. Even if he becomes Lionel Messi, Manchester City won't be able to break through our defense again!"

"Lionel Messi? Haha!" Griezmann's lips curled up slightly, revealing a disdainful smile. "He's still playing in the UEFA Europa League, how could he possibly break through Atletico Atlético Madrid's defense in European competition?"

However, these individuals clearly overlooked a crucial issue.

Lionel Messi is undoubtedly great, but he is ultimately a forward, and his position is relatively fixed.

Tang Long, however, is extremely versatile, like a phantom on the football field, making him unpredictable.

The referee blew his whistle, and the second half of the match officially began.

Godin and Saúl, like hungry wolves spotting their prey, their eyes gleaming, charged towards Tang Long with lightning speed, preparing to close in on him and lock him down completely.

But the next second, they were shocked and their eyes widened – Tang Long's position had actually been moved back!

This retreat wasn't the usual move from the forward line to the attacking midfield position; it was a deep drop, where he positioned himself firmly in front of Stones and Kompany.

"Huh? How did he end up in the back half?" Godin muttered to himself, his face full of confusion.

"This is way too deep, should we follow?" Saúl, equally shocked, turning to look at Godin.

They never imagined that Tang Long would actually drop back from the attacking midfield position to the defensive midfield position in one go.

As agreed before the match, Saúl and Godin were to press Tang Long throughout the game, both to prevent him from turning and to cut off his passing lanes.

Saúl is at least a midfielder, so executing the play is relatively easy for him, but Godin is a center-back!

Normally, he marks the striker, and it's not unusual for him to follow the striker when the striker drops back to midfield.

But now Tang Long has dropped back to the defensive midfield position, almost to his own defensive zone, which puts Godin in a dilemma.

Following suit is too risky; a slight misstep could completely breach our defenses.

If we don't follow suit, it will directly disrupt our established tactical plans.

In the instant Godin hesitated, Tang Long had already begun to systematically direct the operation from the backcourt, like a general in control of the entire area.

Following the established tactical plan, Saúl charged towards Tang Long without hesitation, preparing to seize the opportunity.

But as he ran, he suddenly realized that there was no one beside him. He looked back and saw that Godin had retreated to his original center-back position and had not followed him.

"Go! Why aren't you going?" Saúl shouted anxiously, his voice full of confusion and worry.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a red and white figure shot out from the side like lightning—it was Griezmann!

He shouted, "Saúl, let's attack together and see how he tries to dodge!"

Saúl paused slightly, then followed Griezmann's command. The two of them, one in front and one behind, like a pair of pincers, surrounded Tang Long.

The goal in the first half boosted Griezmann's confidence, and his pride was palpable.

At this moment, he was riding high. Not to mention Tang Long, even Lionel Messi, who was playing in the UEFA Europa League, was nothing special in his eyes.

Griezmann didn't think Tang Long was anything to be afraid of; defending against him would be a piece of cake.

So he and Saúl formed a temporary two-person team and charged towards Tang Long with great momentum.

However, Griezmann is, after all, a forward, and in terms of physical strength and defensive skills, he is far inferior to his teammate Godin.

He rushed towards Tang Long, trying to steal the ball.

Seeing this, Tang Long's lips curled up slightly. With a simple pull-back and turn, he easily bypassed Griezmann as if he were walking around a harmless wooden stake.

Saúl inwardly groaned!

Originally, when he played with Godin was the main defender, whose main task was to force Tang Long to turn his back and prevent him from turning around. He would never rashly try to steal the ball.

Griezmann's charge was clearly aimed at intercepting the ball, but he simply didn't have the ability.

After breaking through Griezmann's pressure, Tang Long executed a smooth one-two pass with Ranocchia, easily getting past Saúl.

After the two players successfully broke through, Atlético Madrid's central defense was instantly left wide open.

Seeing this, the Atlético Madrid players quickly retreated, trying to fill the gap behind the two players and stabilize the defense.

Meanwhile, on the other side of the field, Stones dashed forward like an arrow, quickly moving from the center to the wing.

Tang Long reacted quickly and passed the ball to him precisely.

In an instant, a huge gap appeared on the right flank, as if it were an empty space.

Stones dribbled forward at high speed, a scene that had never occurred in the first half.

It's worth noting that Griezmann, playing on the left wing in the first half, acted like a wall, firmly blocking Stones' side and making Stones hesitant to make any forward runs.

But at this moment, after Tang Long had outmaneuvered Griezmann and Saúl, Stones suddenly found himself with a completely empty space in front of him!

Atlético Madrid is known for its compact defensive formation, outstanding player running ability, and excellent teamwork in defense.

Their defensive system is a tight network formed by the close coordination of the front, middle, and rear lines.

However, Griezmann has now made a mistake, leaving a gap in the defense.

Stones seized the opportunity, took long strides, and sped through the gap, advancing the ball into the attacking third in the blink of an eye.

On a regular basis, young Stones has often humbly sought advice from Ranocchia on how to play as a center-back who passes the ball out.

Ranocchia, an expert in this field, provided him with meticulous guidance.

After several days of guidance, Stones, the young England, finally got it.

At that moment, after drawing the attention of two Atlético Madrid players on the right flank, he quickly lobbed the ball across the field.

Amidst the dense crowd, Tang Long moved like a black lightning bolt, rushing forward in a single stride. With a gentle tap of his left foot, he skillfully bypassed the inward-curving Carrasco, ball and all.

As the saying goes, "A thousand-mile dike can be breached by an ant hole."

Because of a small defensive error on Griezmann's side, Manchester City's back and midfield lines surged forward like a tidal wave, launching a fierce attack on the gaps in Atlético Madrid's defense.

After much hesitation, Godin finally gritted his teeth and stepped forward.

When Tang Long was in the backcourt, he dared not risk going forward rashly;

But now that Tang Long has moved to the attacking midfield position, as a center-back, he must step up and protect the defense!

Tang Long's passing skills are unparalleled, incredibly skillful, and unpredictable.

He not only has an accurate ability to anticipate events, but his footwork is also delicate and precise.

More importantly, when Tang Long is in midfield, he can not only break through the defense with his excellent dribbling skills, but also deliver exquisite passes.

This caused headaches for the defenders, who had to be constantly on guard against his passes and also carefully deal with his dribbling, often finding themselves in a dilemma.

Tang Long dribbled the ball to the right and quickly flicked it, the movement seemingly casual, but unexpectedly getting close to Godin.

Upon seeing this, Godin's heart tightened. In an instant, he aimed at the football and, without hesitation, launched a sliding tackle to try and stop Tang Long.

With a crisp "snap," Tang Long reacted swiftly, deftly slicing to the left.

Godin couldn't stop in time, and he slid out of control, missed his target, and fell to the ground in a sorry state.

"That's incredibly stupid!"

Seeing the usually composed Godin so recklessly, another center-back, Savic, couldn't help but frown.

He quickly gave a wink to full-back Juan, signaling him to move closer to Agüero, and then he and another midfielder Gabi, quickly moved closer to Tang Long.

The two players knew that Tang Long had entered a danger zone within 25 meters of the goal, which was within Tang Long shooting range;

If we allow him to shoot from long range, the consequences will be unimaginable.

At that moment, three passing routes flashed through Tang Long's mind.

One option is to pass to Kolarov on the left wing.

Indeed, Kolarov had already seen his teammates making forward runs and, unable to suppress his strong desire to join the attack, he had already rushed to the left flank.

The Serbia full-back possesses a precise and powerful cross from the wing; once the ball is passed to him, it can unleash a barrage of crosses into the air.

The other route was assigned to Navas on the right flank.

Navas is also a sharp weapon on the wing. His signature feints and dribbling are like a ghost, often leaving opponents dizzy and disoriented.

Although his crosses are relatively slow, their placement is extremely precise, comparable to hand throws from the wing. Once he finds an opportunity, he can deliver a fatal blow to the opponent.

However, Tang Long made a bold decision and chose the third route, which was also the most dangerous and difficult.

He lobbed the ball high into the penalty area!

He gently lifted his right foot and flicked the ball forward. The football traced a beautiful arc in the air, like a dazzling shooting star, flying towards the penalty area.

Seeing this, Juan Fran quickly stretched out his hands, like pincers, to block Agüero from taking another step.

Agüero was frantic and tried to push Juan Fran away, but he couldn't budge him.

Just when everyone thought that Agüero in the penalty area would have no chance of receiving Tang Long's seemingly outrageous pass, they overlooked a key figure - Ranocchia who made a run from behind!

Ranocchia moved with incredible speed, his long legs flashing across the grass, leaving a trail of afterimages. He instantly accelerated, executing a beautiful late run, and charged straight into the penalty area.

The ball arrives, and the player arrives!

When Tang Long passed the ball, although he didn't turn around to look at Ranocchia, he heard the sound of wind behind him.

He deliberately paused twice, precisely timing his move to Ranocchia forward.

"Mine!"

Ranocchia shouted, his voice echoing throughout the entire venue.

His sudden run caught the Atlético Madrid players off guard, and none of them managed to defend him effectively.

Ranocchia, his body turned to face the incoming ball, didn't opt for his usual header, but instead made a stunning move—

He leaped high into the air, his body stretching out in mid-air, his leg lashing out like a deadly whip at the football!

"Bang!"

With a deafening roar, Ranocchia launched a powerful and devastating ballistic missile!

He is tall and jumps very high, hitting the ball almost 1.5 meters above the ground, slamming it hard into the ground.

The ball bounced with tremendous force at the penalty spot, causing Oblak, who was in an excellent position, to be momentarily blinded by the sudden bounce and misjudge the situation. The ball, like a cannonball, whistled into the net!

"Bang!"

Immediately afterwards, Ranocchia's massive 1.95-meter-tall body fell heavily from the sky, crashing onto the grass and kicking up a cloud of grass clippings.

All the Atlético Madrid players were stunned!

They watched Kolarov on the left wing, Navas on the right wing, and Agüero in the middle, but they never expected that Tang Long's seemingly blind and unbelievable lob pass would actually find Ranocchia making a precise run into the box.

"It's in!"

"Manchester City took the lead just five minutes into the second half!"

"Ranocchia made a late run and received an assist from Tang Long, then volleyed a side hook into the net!"

"Divine soldiers descended from the sky! They truly descended from the sky!"

"Anything is possible if you put your mind to it!"

"Tang Long and Ranocchia, these two former Inter Milan teammates, delivered a spectacular connection!"