Griezmann saw the opponent intercept the pass from midfield to Li Mingyu and quickly stopped his forward run, turning back.
Even Sevilla's players thought Barca's attack was over.
They switched from attack to defense.
Sevilla's players began edging forward, waiting for Moreno to bring the ball down and pass it to midfield so they could sound the charge and launch an attack.
But no one expected the ball to become a fifty-fifty aerial duel—and for Barca's Chinese-born kid to win the better position.
Sevilla defender Fernando hurried forward, ready to double-team Moreno and win the ball.
Griezmann spotted the gap in the opposition's defense. As if struck by inspiration, he sprinted toward the space behind their left back.
Li Mingyu saw a flash of green at the corner of his eye. He whipped his head around and sent the ball toward Griezmann.
The ball flew over Moreno and Fernando, who was rushing in to help, at tremendous speed.
Fernando felt his scalp tingle. He quickly stopped and turned to chase.
But no one could overcome inertia.
By the time Fernando turned around, Griezmann was already racing down the touchline with the ball, like a wild horse breaking free of its reins.
Just as Fernando was about to rush in and defend, he suddenly felt a gust of wind sweep past him.
A flash of green shot toward the middle, like lightning.
It was Li Mingyu.
After completing his flying header, Li Mingyu landed, then sprang up as if he had springs in his feet and raced forward to join the attack.
Moreno and Fernando could only chase after him in despair. The gap between them and Li Mingyu didn't shrink; it slowly widened.
De Jong, Dembele, and Li Mingyu charged into the heart of Sevilla's defense like three sharp blades.
Sevilla had only three defenders left to face them, trembling in fear.
Center-back Gomez saw Griezmann preparing to cut inside and had no choice but to step up and stop him.
Barca had four attackers against three defenders. Sevilla's back line had been squeezed into a flat line, leaving no depth. It was like a sheet of paper; if Griezmann could deliver a good pass, any of the three players in the middle had a great chance of scoring.
Griezmann kept an eye on the action in the middle. When he saw Li Mingyu racing forward, his eyes lit up, and he sent a very cleverly disguised low cutback across the ground.
But the opposing center-back, Gomez, was experienced and had already guessed that Griezmann might make that pass.
Unable to shift his weight in time, he stretched his right foot behind him—and managed to touch the ball.
Gomez felt the ball hit his heel and couldn't help feeling pleased. As he fell forward, he looked back toward the middle.
Griezmann's pass had been hit with great force. Although it had clipped Gomez's heel, it still flew toward the middle at speed. But the deflection had turned it from a ground pass into a waist-high ball, heading toward the edge of the penalty area.
The ball was about chest-high, making it very difficult to reach with a foot.
And because it was a cutback, the two Sevilla defenders who had charged almost into the box could only watch helplessly.
Li Mingyu arrived just in time. He pushed off with both feet and launched himself like a whale leaping out of the ocean, meeting the incoming ball and smashing his forehead into it.
The ball had already been traveling at tremendous speed. With that extra force behind it, it shot off like a cannonball, heading straight for the top-right corner of the goal.
Sevilla goalkeeper Bounou watched in shock as the ball flew into the net behind him. He stood there like a statue, mechanically waving an arm and turning his head.
The Ramon Sanchez Pizjuan Stadium, which moments ago had been erupting like a volcano, fell silent as if someone had pressed pause.
As Li Mingyu landed, he braced himself lightly with both hands, sprang straight back up, and raced toward Griezmann, who stood near the touchline looking stunned.
That goal had been absolutely breathtaking.
This was what violent beauty looked like.
Koeman, on the sidelines, couldn't help covering his forehead. This kid really knew how to surprise him!
Messi, seated in the stands, looked equally stunned. That goal had been incredible.
Headers had always been a weakness for the short-statured Messi, but his footwork was so nimble that no one really cared whether he could head the ball.
Still, anyone who saw a diving header with that much visual impact would have leapt to their feet and cheered.
Sevilla's defenders watched the young man who had leaped onto Griezmann's back, and a chill ran down their spines.
Li Mingyu was over the moon. It was his first goal as a starter, and such a beautiful one, too. Many thanks to Ivan the Terrible.
The game restarted with a kickoff.
Conceding such a spectacular goal less than five minutes into the match was a huge blow to Sevilla's morale.
But the coach's timely encouragement from the sidelines helped settle the players.
Meanwhile, buoyed by the goal, Barca's players began swarming Sevilla in midfield, sparing no effort.
Sevilla's players grew rattled. They were afraid to do much with the ball, and their usual combinations simply wouldn't come together.
Li Mingyu used his speed to press the opposition in their own half.
As expected, Sevilla made a mistake. A defender overhit a pass to midfield, and De Jong, who was nearby, intercepted it.
The moment De Jong won the ball, the three players up front switched from defense to attack, splitting into three lanes and surging forward.
De Jong made a stylish turn on the spot, evading the player who rushed in to tackle him. He looked up, then sent a beautiful lofted pass over the top to Griezmann, who was racing forward.
Griezmann lifted a foot and brought the ball down from the air with such a soft touch that it seemed to stick to his boot.
But the opposition's two center-backs had already closed in. Griezmann didn't get greedy; with a gentle flick of the outside of his right foot, he chipped the ball to Li Mingyu, who was making a forward run.
Li Mingyu received the ball with only the goalkeeper in front of him.
Goalkeeper Bounou charged out like a furious lion, trying to cut off Li Mingyu's shooting angle.
And then the classic scene played out again.
Bounou followed Li Mingyu's movements. A slow-motion feint to the left, then to the right; a slow-motion replay from right to left. He ended up sitting flat on the ground.
Neto, on the substitutes' bench, quickly covered his eyes. That was too cruel!
Poor guy.
Li Mingyu faced an open goal and calmly tapped the ball in.
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