What, This Is Improved Catenaccio?

Bayer Leverkusen had possession.

Kießling kicked off and passed back to Leo Kang.

The Roma players did not press at all.

Pjanić and Džeko instead kept dropping deeper.

Leo Kang tapped the ball to Son Heung-min.

After carrying it forward a few steps, the latter looked up briefly and backheeled it to Hilbert, who was advancing down the flank.

The ball began moving back and forth across the pitch.

The buildup was extremely slow.

From God's Perspective.

Roma's formation was arranged into two "chains."

De Rossi, Nainggolan, Pjanić, and Keita formed the first central defensive line.

The four defenders formed the second line.

Džeko, the elite striker, operated at the very front of the defensive shape.

Salah kept roaming near the center circle.

They moved in perfect unison as the ball changed direction.

Every pair of Roma players maintained an exquisitely delicate distance between them.

"The tempo is slow, but it isn't dull!"

"As modern football developed, Simeone once sparked a period of discussion across European football about defensive layers!"

"Looking at Roma's formation, though, it has absolutely nothing to do with the word 'layers'!"

"Chain defense! Garcia has brought this ancient tactic to life on today's Champions League stage!"

"Watch the shifts in their two defensive lines!"

Brandt and Son Heung-min surged forward at speed down both flanks.

Kießling passed back to Leo Kang again.

From God's Perspective!

The "first chain" of Roma's formation began to contract, while the "second chain" began to spread out.

The spacing and movement between the players.

Changed noticeably!

For a moment, Leo Kang could find no space to play a forward ball over medium or long distance.

He tried to carry the ball forward.

Džeko and Salah quickly came over to interfere!

Salah had not yet reached his full potential, so he was nothing to fear.

But Džeko's ability to play as a "striker-defender" was a bit absurd.

Leo Kang decisively sent the ball wide to Borges, who was charging up the right flank.

After receiving it, the latter began driving forward furiously!

Roma's formation did not fall into any disorder.

Salah turned and tracked back.

The "first chain" began to tilt!

Nainggolan and Keita sealed off Bayer Leverkusen's fullback's route forward!

At the same time, they locked down his passing lanes ahead!

"With Salah behind him, Borges had no choice but to pass the ball back to Kramer, who had moved into a supporting position."

"Roma achieved decent results in Serie A last season precisely because of this tactical style!"

"Garcia preferred attacking football during his time coaching in Ligue 1, but after coming to Roma, it took a season of adjustment between his coaching staff and players to build this retro defensive system."

China's livestream chat.

The comments gradually dwindled.

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[This is way too boring! What kind of football is this? Bayer Leverkusen, attack already! Stop dawdling! Make runs! Drive forward!]

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[With this starting lineup over the past two seasons, Roma could hold their own for a while even against the Galacticos! They're so damn cautious!]

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["Luo Xiaoping" isn't a nickname he got for nothing! Watch the positioning of the midfielders and defenders! It changes depending on which Bayer Leverkusen player has the ball! Loosening and tightening in turns, they've snuffed out Bayer Leverkusen's forward runs, through balls, and long passes.]

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[Roma's and Atlético Madrid's defenses are two extremes. One emphasizes width and movement, the other vertical pressure. Roma uses a nonstick pan to block and screen every which way, while Atlético Madrid uses a cleaver—block a few moves, then start hacking at you like mad.]

-

[I'm coughing up blood! Watching this kind of match is a waste of time! A waste of life!]

The dullness did not last long.

In the sixth minute.

Leo Kang received Kramer's return pass around forty meters into Roma's half.

A powerful figure in orange suddenly crashed into him!

Nainggolan!

Džeko had long since dropped back to fill the midfield position, freeing up this good boy who loved smoking, tattoos, and dyed hair!

A muscular build.

A ferocious appearance.

Invisibly.

This Roma midfielder exuded the aura of a wild boar!

He charged straight at Leo Kang!

At the same time, his right foot jabbed at the ball!

"A clash between Roma's enforcer and Bayer Leverkusen's prodigy!"

"That was too fierce!"

"Bayer Leverkusen might lose the ball here!"

Bang!

The advanced close-range audio equipment carried the sound of bodies colliding to the ears of viewers in front of their televisions!

Old Topp's expression was grave.

Garcia stood with his arms crossed, looking relaxed as his thumb and index finger rubbed lightly together, ready for his team to counterattack at any moment!

Olympic Stadium.

Roma's fans erupted in deafening cheers!

Bayer Leverkusen's fans could not help but worry:

Although Leo Kang was not bad in a physical duel!

His opponent was Nainggolan, a whole size stronger!

It was no surprise he could knock over those skinny little Japanese kids, but could he knock over this tough European?

There was no expected scene of bodies tumbling everywhere!

Leo Kang braced himself with his back!

His knees bent slightly!

He held off Roma's enforcer!

With a hard push from the inside of his left foot!

The ball skimmed across the grass and instantly pierced through Roma's midfield line!

The "first chain" had snapped!

The opening was Džeko, who had yet to fully settle into position!

Son Heung-min made a run into the area thirty meters from Roma's goal!

After receiving the ball, he shook off Keita!

He went down the outside!

And charged at full speed along the right flank!

"Beautiful!"

"You really couldn't tell how Leo Kang held off Nainggolan, who was a whole size bigger than him!"

"Morata got bumped once by a Roma midfielder last season and called for the team doctor on the spot!"

Nainggolan smoothed his multicolored rooster-comb hair.

His gaze swept over Leo Kang's feet.

Could this kid have Balanced Feet?

No wonder he adjusted his balance so quickly.

By the sidelines.

Neither manager had any mind to dwell on that earlier collision!

They kept directing their players!

Son Heung-min drove the ball forward furiously down the right flank!

Roma's defensive formation quickly recovered to its original shape!

The right end of the "two chains" closed in on Son Heung-min at the same time!

Like a pair of pincers!

Ready to clamp down on the South Korean winger!

Florenzi, De Rossi, and Keita coordinated their three-man press with remarkable chemistry!

One took the outside.

One took the inside.

One went straight into a sliding tackle.

Kießling pulled wide on the left!

Brandt switched into the middle and raised his right hand high!

Son Heung-min decisively chipped the ball!

At the instant the three-man press was completed!

He lofted it toward the edge of the penalty area!

"Beautiful!"

"Brandt!"

"One-on-one!"

"Huh?"

The assistant referee raised his flag!

The referee blew his whistle.

Signaling that Brandt was offside!

Son Heung-min shook his head and gave Leo Kang a thumbs-up.

Brandt wanted to argue with the assistant referee, but Kießling wrapped him up and pulled him away.

Leo Kang froze for a moment.

From God's Perspective, he had grasped every detail of that attacking sequence.

Roma's defensive system.

Was even harder to deal with than it looked in the footage.

No wonder they had managed to set a record of nine consecutive draws.

By the sidelines.

Old Topp looked toward Roma's manager in the distance and said angrily, "That guy is so disgusting and cowardly! Does he want to come away with a draw at Olympic Stadium?"

Dino carefully looked Garcia over in his neat attire and asked blankly, "Boss, you mean their style of play, right?"

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There are probably some omissions. I'll make them up in the next update.