So My Teammates Were This Strong?

"We can see that Bayer Leverkusen are deliberately slowing the tempo."

"This style of play is quite common among La Liga teams."

"Leo Kang has quietly become Bayer Leverkusen's midfield core. His positioning, movement, and choice of passes are all extremely sensible."

"Manchester United's high press is completely ineffective. The key is that Leo Kang is positioned very deep!"

"A deep-lying playmaker—Coach Topp has something to him! As expected, changing managers is like changing blades. We're seeing a different Bayer Leverkusen!"

Duan Xuan and He Wei were somewhat excited.

Although Leo Kang was not a Chinese national,

he had still proven that Chinese people could play football well and establish themselves in top-level leagues!

Time ticked away.

Rooney was furious.

He felt like a dog,

being toyed with by Bayer Leverkusen's midfield and back line.

He kept running back and forth to press.

He was simply being made to waste his stamina.

Even though Van Gaal had assigned the pressing matchups before the game,

it was useless.

That Chinese kid's movement, awareness, passing speed, and passing lanes were simply too sensible.

Just like that sissy Fàbregas!

After another fruitless press,

Rooney stopped in a huff.

His face twisted with anger as he spread his hands toward his teammates at the back!

"Ten minutes into the match, Manchester United's possession is somehow still zero! They can't touch the ball at all!"

"If Bayer Leverkusen keep slowing the tempo like this—"

By the pitch,

in Bayer Leverkusen's coaching area,

Dino said excitedly, "Boss, our old youth-team routine works just as well in the Champions League!"

Old Topp calmly replied, "We only have the advantage of two away goals. We aren't Barcelona. As time goes on, the other players will inevitably make mistakes in their passing and receiving."

"Look, the prey has taken the bait!"

On the other side,

Van Gaal eagerly rushed from the bench to the technical area.

With a sweep of his hand,

he signaled for the team to commit more players to the high press!

The two fullbacks pushed forward!

Even Herrera was driven upfield!

"That old bastard Topp actually copied my tactics from Barcelona!"

"Do your Bayer Leverkusen players have Barcelona's consistency on the ball? Let's see how long you can last. A team whose passing success rate was only seventy percent last season wants to play technical possession football?"

Manchester United's formation pressed forward like mad.

Their defensive line kept moving higher as well.

The instant Herrera ran to the center circle,

the ball returned to Leo Kang's feet.

In God's Perspective,

the simplest attacking route had already revealed itself!

He lightly raised a hand.

Making an attacking gesture.

Bang!

The ball left his left foot.

In an instant,

Bayer Leverkusen's players seemed to have been injected with adrenaline.

They surged forward wildly!

The two teams' formations

seemed to collide head-on!

The drowsy fans perked up at that moment!

The stands on all four sides of BayArena erupted!

"Leo Kang is like Bayer Leverkusen's gearbox!"

"He decides the timing and direction of the team's attacks!"

"Beautiful!"

Son Heung-min was eager to make his move on the left flank.

He had previously played on the right for Bayer Leverkusen.

But old Topp had discovered that he was better suited to the left!

Leo Kang's pass effortlessly tore through Manchester United's two lines in midfield and attack!

It even pierced the space behind fullback Varela!

It rolled perfectly onto Son Heung-min's favored foot!

"Beautiful! That simple transitional forward pass looked just like Rui Costa's long-range through ball!"

"Bayer Leverkusen's attacking storm!"

After receiving the ball, Son Heung-min suddenly accelerated.

Charging down the left flank at high speed!

Manchester United's players desperately tracked back.

Almost every Bayer Leverkusen player was charging forward!

In Manchester United's half, they formed an attacking fan shape with multiple supporting options!

Van Gaal's face darkened. "You call this sissy football? They're like a pack of rabid dogs! Aren't they considering what happens defensively if we intercept the ball?"

Giggs's mouth twitched.

Old Van, you're the only one calling Bayer Leverkusen's football sissy!

"BOSS, they're too fast—"

Son Heung-min tore down the left flank with no one able to catch him!

Manchester United's back line had no way to stop him!

Carrick and Blind also had to keep an eye on Bayer Leverkusen's other attackers!

Especially that black player named BellArabi!

He was even faster than Son Heung-min!

The task of stopping Son Heung-min fell to Smalling!

The two met at the edge of Manchester United's penalty area!

"Is he going to cut inside?!"

"Manchester United's other defenders haven't gotten back that quickly!"

"What an opportunity!"

Facing Manchester United's last "light of the defense,"

Son Heung-min had no choice but to slow down!

A shoulder drop and step-over.

Smalling was not fooled!

Son Heung-min immediately swept the ball across!

He was extremely decisive!

At this attacking and defensive tempo, only strikers in football novels could spend ages performing flashy feints before dribbling past someone and shooting!

The ball rolled along the grass toward the middle!

BellArabi muscled Blind aside!

He gained position!

His huge dark leg swung out!

And smashed into the ball!

Bang!

"An absolute rocket!"

"This shooting chance was created entirely through speed and physical advantage!"

The ball roared toward the upper-right corner of Manchester United's goal!

De Gea made the save attempt!

He seemed to be flying through the air!

His red gloves sealed off the shooting lane!

Bang!

Another huge crash rang out!

The ball slammed heavily into the crossbar!

And bounced out beyond the penalty area!

The entire stadium was in uproar!

BellArabi helplessly clutched his head!

Old Topp cursed in rage.

Bayer Leverkusen's fans gasped again and again!

But—

Manchester United's fans had no time to breathe.

Van Gaal's face had turned red!

He nervously watched where the ball would fall!

Players from both sides had almost all gathered in the dangerous area outside Manchester United's penalty box!

The ball dropped right into the crowd!

Chaos erupted!

At that moment,

Rooney jumped first!

The spotlight above Bayer Arena reflected off his slightly balding head.

Just when everyone thought he would clear the ball,

an even taller figure rose into the air. That big curly-haired head reached the ball first!

Kießling!

The Bundesliga's heading monster!

He did not choose to shoot himself!

Instead, he laid the ball into Manchester United's penalty area!

"His leap and aerial ability are too strong! He jumped later, yet he still got to the ball first!"

"If Rooney had been just a little taller!"

The camera followed the ball's trajectory!

All the viewers in front of their televisions

saw a black-haired figure.

Bayer Leverkusen's number 10!

The instant the ball hit the ground,

he lightly lifted his foot!

Bang!

The ball was pushed toward the lower-left corner of Manchester United's goal!

Everything happened too fast!

De Gea had no time to rush from the right side of the goal to the left!

Even as he stretched his body to the limit,

he still could not touch the ball!

When the white net billowed up!

The entire stadium gasped!

"Goal!"

"Leo Kang! When did he make that late run into the box?!"

"He started the attack! And he finished it too!"

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