Timely Defense (Seeking Collection and Recommendation)

With Messi absent, the designated penalty taker for Barca is Griezmann.

Having gone three matches without a goal, Griezmann hoped to use this penalty to break his scoring drought.

However, Li Mingyu already had two goals to his name; if he were to take this shot, he might just complete a hat-trick.

For a newcomer to complete a hat-trick in two consecutive matches—that would surely be a record!

Yet, when Griezmann handed the ball to Li Mingyu, Li Mingyu surprisingly refused.

"Antoine, the coach arranged for you to take the penalty!"

Looking at the puzzled Li Mingyu, Griezmann said with a bitter smile, "Li, if you take this penalty, you can get your hat-trick!"

Li Mingyu blinked, waved his hand, and said, "I don't like completing a hat-trick this way. You take it!"

A surge of excitement filled Griezmann; he truly needed this goal to solidify his position, so he stopped hesitating.

Li Mingyu stood outside the penalty area, watching Griezmann place the ball, a wry smile tugging at the corner of his mouth.

What "don't like this way to score"?

Isn't a goal a goal?

Aren't penalties sweet?

If someone were to ask the youth team coach of Barca this question, they would likely understand the reason.

When Li Mingyu was in the youth team, he was always the primary penalty taker. However, once, while facing the Real Madrid youth team, the opposing goalkeeper saved three of his penalties in a single match. Ever since then, Li Mingyu had never dared to take a penalty again.

Even in training, whenever it came to penalty practice, the shots Li Mingyu sent out were always soft and powerless.

A tiger in open play, a lamb at the penalty spot.

Penalties had become a psychological shadow for Li Mingyu.

With a whistle, Griezmann used a feint to deceive the goalkeeper and slotted it home.

The score became 1-3, with Sevilla playing at home trailing by two goals.

This goal did not dampen Sevilla's morale; instead, it made the opponents even more furious.

As soon as the ball was kicked off, Sevilla began a fierce assault on Barca.

Leading by two goals, Barca was in no rush, with everyone dropping back to defend—except for Li Mingyu, who hovered near the center circle, preventing Sevilla from truly committing to an all-out attack.

The first half ended after a long-range shot from Sevilla sailed over the crossbar.

Li Mingyu and his teammates walked slowly off the pitch, heading toward the locker room.

Once inside, Koeman first checked on Li Mingyu's physical condition.

Li Mingyu nodded and said, "Coach, I can keep going!"

Koeman looked at Li Mingyu with a gratified expression and said, "You need to manage your stamina in the second half. Don't worry about tracking back; I need you to stay in the midfield and attack to occupy their attention."

Li Mingyu listened intently and nodded.

Koeman said, "Everyone, the performance in the first half was good. Please continue in the second half. The opponent's attacking methods are quite singular; just watch the connection between Jordan and En-Nesyri. In the second half, you must cut off the passing lane between these two."

"After kickoff, be sure to strengthen your defense. I believe they will launch a surprise attack right at the start, so everyone must stay focused!"

Fifteen minutes passed in a flash.

The second half was about to begin.

Li Mingyu stood near the center line, watching the two opponents whispering to each other inside the center circle as they prepared to kick off.

A whistle blew.

Jordan pushed the ball gently, and En-Nesyri, like a coiled spring released, charged forward with the ball along the center-left channel.

Although Koeman had reminded everyone during the break that the opponent might launch a surprise attack at the start of the second half, everyone had forgotten the moment they stepped back out.

In football, goals at the start of either half are very common, mostly because the opposing side is mentally lax and lacks concentration, allowing them to be caught off guard.

That was exactly the case here; En-Nesyri had already broken through the midfield defense and was facing Barca's backline directly.

Ter Stegen shouted loudly, urging the defenders to stay alert and to step up to defend and provide cover.

Seeing a gap in Barca's defense, En-Nesyri immediately cut inside, preparing to head toward the center.

If he reached the center, with the defensive line compressed and no defensive midfielder to protect them, he would be facing the goal directly.

Although there were still defenders, if he could unleash a high-quality long-range shot, the defenders would be powerless to stop it.

However, just as En-Nesyri made his cut, a roar came from behind him: "Careful!"

En-Nesyri was already preparing to shoot after cutting inside, but the moment the ball left his feet, he felt a green figure slide past his hand, kicking the ball back toward the defensive line.

The center-back quickly controlled the ball, and the goalkeeper wiped the cold sweat from his forehead.

That position had been incredibly dangerous; it was equivalent to a long-range shot in training, with no protection from his own defenders in front of him, and the potential for them to even obstruct his line of sight.

The person who had tracked back was none other than Li Mingyu.

When the ball was kicked off, Li Mingyu had seen Jordan and En-Nesyri whispering to each other and immediately recalled the words of head coach Koeman during the halftime break.

Therefore, after the kickoff, Li Mingyu did not step into the opponent's half, but instead retreated to his own.

As he had guessed, En-Nesyri took the ball and charged straight into the heart of Barca's defense.

Li Mingyu sprinted back in pursuit, finally managing to disrupt the ball just before the opponent could take a shot.

After completing the clearance, Li Mingyu did not stop; he turned around and immediately began running toward the opponent's half.

Alba passed the ball to the midfield, finding Busquets, who played a short pass to the team's engine, De Jong.

De Jong threaded a through ball to Dembele, who was sprinting forward.

Dembele charged toward the opponent's byline like a thoroughbred.

A series of brilliant combinations tore through the Sevilla defensive line.

The Sevilla defense began to panic.

On the left flank, Dembele performed a flashy step-over to cleanly beat his marker before driving to the byline and crossing.

The high-quality cross caused chaos in the Sevilla penalty area.

Griezmann lunged forward, drawing two defenders with him, but the ball sailed right over his head.

A massive gap opened up at the back post.