A Midfield Prodigy Like This Can't Start?

Leo Kang made several hand signals.

His teammates nodded one after another, understanding what he meant.

Though they looked down on the mute Chinese player, they still had to obey the coaching staff's tactical arrangements. They had that much professionalism.

The assistant coach was a little dumbfounded.

He hadn't told Leo Kang about any tactical changes.

Those hand signals meant: "Pass me the ball! Keep up the high press!"

Oh no.

The assistant coach hurriedly roared at the players.

Don't listen to him!

But his faint voice was quickly drowned out by the thunderous cheers of tens of thousands of fans at Old Trafford.

The match continued.

Borges took the throw-in.

After receiving the ball on the flank, Brandt was immediately closed down by Lingard and Varela.

On instinct, he knocked the ball sideways into the middle!

Leo Kang gently brought the ball under his foot.

In God's Perspective,

he had every bit of information on the pitch under his control.

He suddenly leaned back.

And forcefully held off Herrera.

Leaving the Manchester United midfielder completely unable to interfere!

Then he turned and swung his leg!

Before Fellaini could close in,

Leo Kang lofted a long ball over the top!

Then he quickly surged forward.

Herrera rubbed his shoulder in pain. How was this kid so strong?

"Not bad! His physicality is solid!"

"Beautiful! What a pass!"

The ball spun violently through the air.

It dropped precisely into the open space on Manchester United's right flank!

Son Heung-min suddenly accelerated.

The instant he brought the ball down,

he secretly marveled, Leo's passes are so comfortable!

He barely needed to adjust at all.

He carried the ball forward in stride and cut toward Manchester United's penalty area!

On the touchline,

Van Gaal frowned. "What's going on? Are you sure he came from La Masia Academy? Why doesn't he have any technique at all?"

The Manchester United manager recalled the group of Barcelona prodigies he had promoted years ago. If it had been them, they would have dazzled Herrera senseless with delicate, flashy footwork!

Giggs flipped through the file and muttered, "His vision, awareness, and that pass... they absolutely show the standard of La Masia's youth training."

On the other side,

Schmidt and the assistant coach were also somewhat stunned.

"That kid was probably just lucky."

"Coach, we should focus on defending now, and on the second leg."

"Damn it, look at him still making hand signals! He's directing the players at the back to push forward!"

On Bayer Leverkusen's bench,

BellArabi looked displeased. "If that mute Chinese player knew what was good for him, he'd serve us properly—"

Çalhanoğlu shook his head, his gaze fixed firmly on the pitch.

Of course, Leo Kang couldn't direct the other teammates to push forward.

He could only direct Kramer.

Son Heung-min burst into the penalty area.

Manchester United's defense frantically collapsed inward.

De Gea did not come off his line, instead standing firmly in front of goal.

Blind and Carrick also cut off his passing lanes!

There was no way to pass!

Son Heung-min feinted toward the byline and shook off Blind.

He viciously curled his left instep around the ball!

Bang!

The ball rocketed toward the far corner of Manchester United's goal!

"Beautiful!"

"Can this go in?!"

Gasps of amazement erupted from all four stands!

Manchester United center back—Smalling—threw himself in front of the shot.

Using his big backside, he blocked the curling effort!

Son Heung-min helplessly clutched his head. He was just about to give Leo Kang a thumbs-up.

"What a shame!"

"Manchester United aren't out of danger yet!"

The ball bounced out of the penalty area!

And dropped right to Kramer!

The Bayer Leverkusen defensive midfielder controlled it with his chest.

He drew back his right leg.

Just as everyone thought he was going to shoot from distance,

he laid the ball off to the top of the penalty arc!

An unmarked area.

A black-haired figure took three steps.

His body tilted at an incredibly exaggerated angle!

His left leg swung high!

Like a god descending to earth!

It was a shooting form so flawless that even the most demanding Premier League commentator could not find a single fault in it!

The sound of boot striking ball

seemed to hammer against the heart of every Manchester United fan.

It instantly rang through the night sky above Old Trafford.

The ball violently deformed.

Like a shell from heavy artillery!

Carrying an unimaginable, tyrannical force!

It tore through Manchester United's defensive line.

Turning into a black blur in midair!

It screamed toward Manchester United's goal!

Instinctive fear made De Gea's save a step too slow!

When the ball clung to the net,

Manchester United's goal frame shook violently!

2:1!!!

The entire stadium fell silent.

"Unbelievable!"

"Terrifying!"

"A thunderous long-range strike!"

"Inconceivable! Chinese youngster Leo Kang! In his Champions League debut, he scored less than three minutes after coming on!"

"Kramer set it up! Leo Kang scores from distance! The deficit is cut! This match still has suspense!"

"Bayer Leverkusen have seen a glimmer of hope!"

"And let's add this: De Gea and Leo Kang are teammates on the Spain National Youth Team. After such a long time apart, this was Leo Kang's way of saying hello—with a cannonball straight at goal!"

In the China livestream chat,

the viewers were stunned as well.

-

[At first, I thought the highlights were fake. That long-range cannon was insane! Batistuta?]

-

[Brother Leo's shot seems even more powerful than it was in the youth league.]

-

[The key isn't just the shot! Watch the replay: Leo Kang launched the attack with that initial turned long pass, directed his teammates to make late runs while moving into position, and then showed that sense of positioning before his final run-up and shot! A midfield prodigy like this doesn't deserve to start for Bayer Leverkusen? What the hell is Çalhanoğlu good for?]

-

[Where's that guy who said he'd livestream himself eating thirty jin of shit?]

-

[Someone calculate the area of De Gea's psychological trauma.]

-

[How did a midfield prodigy like Leo Kang join the Spain National Youth Team? That means he can never represent the China National Football Team in his life!]

On the touchline,

Van Gaal's mouth hung open in shock.

Giggs loosened his grip, and the folder fell to the ground.

On the other side,

Schmidt felt a wave of dizziness.

He hurriedly grabbed the assistant coach by the shoulder. "Damn it, why hadn't the coaching staff discovered his—"

BellArabi and Çalhanoğlu looked as though they had eaten shit.

Old Trafford's DJ remained silent for a long while before finally calling out the scorer's name.

Bayer Leverkusen's teammates rushed over.

But they saw Leo Kang pick the ball out of the net.

He raised a hand, refusing to celebrate.

Son Heung-min froze for a moment, then said, "There are still a few minutes left! Leo means we can equalize, maybe even turn it around!"

As he spoke,

the teammates followed the Chinese youngster and sprinted wildly toward the center circle.

De Gea bent slightly, both hands resting on his knees.

He watched the back of Bayer Leverkusen's number 10.

Deep in thought.

The match continued.

Manchester United restarted from the center circle.

In God's Perspective, Leo Kang completely failed to understand Van Gaal's tactics.

Manchester United's attacking core seemed to be the "big circle tactic" built around Fellaini.

But the real organizer in the final third was Herrera.

Defensive midfielder Carrick's ability to dictate play was also exceptionally high.

But why was Blind the one playing the ball out from the back?

No wonder he was a world-class manager.

In the 87th minute,

Leo Kang helped Kramer defend and intercepted Lingard.

Bayer Leverkusen's counterattack

was here again!

Thanks to 0oxiao Jian, Book Friend 160907165010051, and Bailiff Roar Roar Roar for the monthly tickets and rewards. Thanks as well to everyone who votes every day.

Thanks to everyone who offers suggestions and criticism.

I read all of your feedback seriously.

But my abilities are genuinely limited, and my writing isn't very good.

I hope this book can bring everyone even a little happiness.