Under the Gaze of Seventy-Five Thousand Fans, Tang Long Uttered a Single Word: "Do It!"
"Dry!!!"
Under the watchful eyes of 75,000 fans, Tang Long uttered only one word!
There is no subject, no object, only a huge and powerful verb!
A thousand words are contained in this one "gan" sound!
This impassioned shout was like a bombshell, exploding instantly in the vast Cardiff Millennium Stadium. The enormous sound seemed to break through the stadium's dome and soar into the sky!
In the stands, a young Manchester City fan, his face flushed with excitement, gripped the back of the seat in front of him tightly, his body trembling slightly with overwhelming joy. He couldn't believe his eyes, muttering to himself:
"This is unbelievable, are we dreaming?"
His eyes were filled with surprise and disbelief, as if he were in a fantastical dream.
"Tang is our God! He single-handedly took on Real Madrid's defense!"
A fervent fan wearing a Manchester City blue jersey and with the team's crest painted on his face suddenly stood up, clenched his fists, raised them high above his head, and shouted at the top of his lungs;
His voice was hoarse with excitement, but it did not diminish his enthusiasm in the slightest.
Inspired by him, the Manchester City fans around him joined in the chanting, the waves of sound growing louder and louder, as if they were about to overturn the entire stadium.
"Tang!"
"Tang!"
"Chinatang!"
Tang Long shouted three times again!
"With him here, the comeback is just around the corner!" An elderly fan with gray hair, his eyes glistening with tears of excitement, clutched his chest tightly with both hands, as if afraid his heart would leap out of his chest at this sudden joy.
He recalled his years of following Manchester City, and all the past disappointments and regrets seemed to vanish in this moment, replaced by endless joy and hope. Looking at the clock, he couldn't help but think:
"Could it be that we're about to win our first-ever UEFA Champions League?"
In his eyes, Ranocchia and Tang Long were heroes on the field and saviors of Manchester City.
At this moment, the director seemed to notice the fans' enthusiasm and deliberately gave Cristiano Ronaldo a close-up.
As the camera zooms in, you can see that beneath the Portugal star's rugged face lies an expression that looks like he's really eaten shit.
What a huge, smelly pile of poop!
His brows were furrowed tightly, like two small hills, and his eyes drooped involuntarily, revealing endless anger and resentment.
His lips were tightly pursed, the corners of his mouth were slightly downturned, and he looked like he wanted to explode but had nowhere to vent his anger.
"What the hell? That was awful!" He spat heavily.
Cristiano Ronaldo knew that this goal had completely disrupted Real Madrid's rhythm, putting them on the defensive from their initial advantage.
Let alone Cristiano Ronaldo, even Real Madrid's manager Zidane, who was strategizing on the sidelines, was completely dumbfounded at this moment!
He sat on the coach's bench, scratching his signature bald head incessantly with both hands, as if he wanted to scratch his scalp raw.
He never imagined that Ranocchia would actually "come back to life"!
In his original plan, Ranocchia, with his head injury, should have already lost his fighting ability, but unexpectedly, he delivered such a brilliant assist at this crucial moment.
Zidane inwardly groaned, "The situation has changed. If we want to win, we must make adjustments as soon as possible!"
In a studio in Beijing, thousands of miles away, commentator Huang Jianxiang was overjoyed.
His already passionate face now radiated even more excitement.
A surge of passion welled up within him, and a surge of power burst forth from his throat, as if he had returned to that sweltering summer of 2006, to the World Cup stadium that had ignited his passion!
"The great Italy defensive midfielder Ranocchia Gattuso at this moment!"
Huang Jianxiang's voice became high-pitched and loud with excitement, and he waved his hands in the air as if he were a player on the field.
"His precise steal rendered Modric's attack futile!"
"The great Italy defensive midfielder Ranocchia is channeling Pirlo at this moment!" Huang Jianxiang's voice rose another octave!
"His surgical through ball instantly tore apart Real Madrid's seemingly impenetrable defense!"
"Ranocchia! Ranocchia! He is not fighting alone at this moment!"
Huang Jianxiang's voice was already somewhat hoarse, but he continued to shout relentlessly.
Fans all over China were watching this match, and Huang Jianxiang's passionate shouts pushed the game to an unprecedented climax.
Splash splash splash--
In front of their televisions, fans cheered and applauded the Italy midfielder who delivered a brilliant through ball to China player Tang Long!
However, just as the cheers had completely subsided, Ranocchia suddenly tripped and fell flat on his backside.
The Manchester City players all wanted to run over and celebrate with Ranocchia, with Tang Long, the fastest runner, almost jumping on Ranocchia.
Upon seeing this scene, everyone was startled, and their smiles instantly froze.
"Andre, are you alright?" Tang Long slammed on the brakes, rushed to Ranocchia's side, squatted down, and looked at him with concern in his eyes.
Even with thick bandages, Tang Long could still clearly see the bleeding spot on Ranocchia's head; the red dot had deepened in color, resembling a blooming flower of blood...
Ranocchia sat on the ground, panting heavily, his eyes vacant. His eyes were rolling back in his head.
His body trembled slightly, as if he had fallen into an ice cave.
Tang Long knew that the tackle and through pass just now, which seemed elegant and graceful, had actually used up all of Ranocchia's strength.
It's a miracle he's held on this long, considering he suffered a severe head injury over the past 90 minutes.
Tang Long quickly waved, signaling the team doctor to come onto the field.
The team doctors quickly carried a stretcher onto the field, carefully lifted Ranocchia onto the stretcher, and then hurriedly ran to the sidelines.
Seeing Ranocchia lying on a stretcher, being carried directly to the ambulance like a dead man, a fierce flame ignited in the hearts of the Manchester City players.
"Fight for Ranocchia!"
Everyone thought to themselves in unison.
They knew that Ranocchia had sacrificed so much for the team, and they couldn't let him down!
The whole team must carry on with Ranocchia's spirit and continue fighting.
Seeing this, Zidane clapped his hands and beamed with joy.
Although he hoped the Italy defensive midfielder was not in mortal danger, with the opponent forced to play with 10 men against a 2-3 deficit in extra time, what better time to equalize or even take the lead than to be down 2-3?
Real Madrid's chance has arrived!
With only time left, there's only one path to take on Mount Hua: a fierce attack.
He quickly stood up, walked to the sidelines, and shouted loudly at the players on the field, directing them to adjust their tactics.
With Isco, the player who remained on the field, exhausted, Zidane finally played his last card, bringing on Spain striker Morata!
"They're going to switch to a four-striker formation, Pep. We're going to have a very tough time."
Manchester City assistant coach Chivu frowned and said worriedly, a sense of foreboding rising in his heart.
"It's alright, we'll hold out with 10 men until the end of overtime!"
Manchester City manager Guardiola stood with his arms crossed, his eyes resolute.
The exchange between Chivu and Guardiola on the sidelines highlighted the intensity of the remaining 20 minutes of the match.
After Ranocchia was substituted, Manchester City were down to ten men, and with extra time approaching, everyone's energy was running low, including Tang Long.
Guardiola was forced to involve his players in the recovery process.
All forwards tuck in!
Tang Long, in particular, although he started as a left winger, had played as a defensive midfielder for a considerable period during Pellegrini's era, so he was no stranger to the defensive midfield position.
He didn't hesitate to replace Ranocchia in the defensive midfield position.
Except for Sane, who is known for his speed, who moved slightly forward to draw away the opponent's last center-back Varane, the rest of Manchester City's players, except for the goalkeeper, almost formed a small square in the middle.
They kept a wary eye on Real Madrid's players, their aim being to protect the central defense as much as possible.
"You can definitely do it! Keep it up, guys! Today you are the most handsome boys in the world!"
The team doctor, Gracie, was standing on the sidelines, his hands trembling uncontrollably.
Due to excessive tension, her chest heaved violently, and she even had difficulty breathing.
Her eyes were fixed on the players on the field, and she silently prayed for them.
She recalled her time joining Manchester City's medical team and the days she spent fighting alongside the players, which filled her with affection for the team... She hoped the players could persevere and win this match!
The team doctor's colleague noticed Gracie's unusual emotional change, came over, patted her on the shoulder, and said softly, "Gracie, go back to the locker room, get some water, and rest. We'll take care of things here."
Gracie shook his head and said firmly, "No, I want to sit on the sidelines and watch the whole extra time. I want to witness my club win its first-ever UEFA Champions League title at the Cardiff Millennium Stadium, Wales."
Manchester City fans at Cardiff Millennium Stadium were singing their hearts out, their voices loud and passionate, igniting the entire stadium.
They waved their flags and held their fan scarves high above their heads!
Real Madrid fans, already restless, erupted in even louder noise than Manchester City fans due to their numerical advantage, rallying support for their team.
"Brothers, if you're a man, shout it out!" Real Madrid shouted hoarsely, trying to suppress the Manchester City fans' momentum!
Although Manchester City's players were united in their efforts, Real Madrid were not to be underestimated, especially given their greater depth of experience and superior Manchester City UEFA Champions League expertise.
Many players in the team, such as Marcelo, Ramos, Cristiano Ronaldo, and Benzema, are veterans of the UEFA Champions League, and they know how to handle such crucial moments.
Real Madrid took full advantage of Manchester City's disadvantage of being down to ten men and unable to cover the width of the pitch, frequently sending the ball to the flanks of Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Bale, like two sharp swords, darted back and forth on both sides of Manchester City's defense, searching for opportunities to score.
The two players were incredibly fast, keeping Manchester City's defenders constantly on their toes.
With 14 minutes and 52 seconds left in the first half of overtime, just before the end of the game, Bale made a violent overtake on the wing!
His body moved like a ferocious beast, instantly breaking through Kolarov's defenses!
After getting past Kolarov, he immediately delivered a flat kick.
This powerful, fast flat shot was like a shot and a pass at the same time; the ball flew like a cannonball towards Manchester City's penalty area!
Manchester City's defenders rushed forward, trying to intercept the ball.
The football, by some strange twist of fate, slid through the legs of two defenders and flew towards the center.
Before Benzema could react, the ball struck his ankle, and he forcefully knocked it into the goal!
3 to 3!
Real Madrid finally equalized in the 15th minute of extra time, bringing both sides back to square one!
(I still haven't finished writing two chapters. I was especially tired on the last day of the holiday, so I'm missing one chapter. I'll make up for it when I have some free time in the next few days.)