Chapter 891: Champions League Champion vs. AFC Champions League Champion

Today is a very important day: the Club World Cup final between Manchester United and Al-Hilal.

Al-Hilal is actually a rather unfamiliar opponent for Manchester United, as they are, after all, a team from the Middle East.

But if you started watching football a year or two ago and have been following Tang Ye, you might even know Al-Hilal very well.

The current starting lineup value of this team is only about 80 million euros, less than 100 million. However, Saudi Arabia's petrodollar football plan has already been unveiled; barring accidents, Al-Hilal's starting lineup value will reach at least 250 million euros within three years.

In other words, the opposition is actually a team with great potential; they just haven't fully matured yet.

"Tang Ye to Al-Hilal? How would Tang Ye go to Al-Hilal? Honestly, Tang Ye going to Al-Hilal would be worse than going to Al-Nassr. I checked the situation in the Saudi League; Al-Nassr can never beat Al-Hilal. My brother Ronaldo is in big trouble; he hasn't won a single trophy."

"Al-Nassr can't afford to buy players anymore..."

"Hey, don't say that, bro. You really shouldn't say things like that."

Wang Chao looked extremely serious: "Newcastle is an example. You never know how much money those guys wearing headscarves can pull out. Buying Tang Ye would just be poor value for Al-Nassr because they already have Cristiano Ronaldo, but that doesn't mean they can't afford him."

"Let's just see how this match goes. For Al-Hilal to reach the Club World Cup final, they must have some substance."

【Holy crap, I just realized this is Tang Ye's first time playing in the Club World Cup.】

【What's there to say about the Club World Cup? It's just a cool name; it lacks real weight. The Champions League winner just hands it over as a gift.】

【Al-Hilal wants to give Tang Ye a $300 million annual salary; is this real or fake? It's fucking ridiculous...】

【Manchester United fans, don't panic. Money can be earned when you're older. Let Tang Ye retire from the Premier League at 40, go to Saudi Arabia, play until 60, and he'll directly become a multi-billionaire with ten billion dollars.】

【6666, they're really treating our Ball King like a workhorse.】

"Okay, the match is about to begin! Let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides!"

Al-Hilal (4-2-3-1)

Goalkeeper: Abdullah Al-Mayouf

Defenders: Al-Dawsari, Al-Breik, Jang Hyun-soo, Abdulhamid

Midfielders: Mohammed Al-Kanno, Vietto, Cuéllar

Forwards: Al-Dawasari, Mitrović, Carrillo

Head Coach: Ramón Díaz

"Beep!"

The match has begun.

Compared to Manchester United's side, where every player is overpowered, Al-Hilal's lineup is quite interesting, relying entirely on Mitrović as a single core to lead the team.

Al-Hilal is also being abstract, copying their neighbors Al-Nassr by buying a top-tier striker.

But Al-Nassr didn't just buy a striker; they bought players for other positions too. If Al-Hilal only buys one striker, what use is that?

Well, actually, it's not because Al-Hilal's management is stupid. According to the original plan, they were 100% certain to secure Tang Ye before the winter transfer window closed.

One Mitrović isn't enough, but Tang Ye plus Mitrović would have been perfectly sufficient!

Unfortunately, however, Tang Ye did not come.

"Dalot, push up on the wing. Oh, Dalot has been getting a lot of camera time recently."

"To De Jong!"

"Nice!"

"De Jong, holy crap, what the hell was that!"

De Jong originally planned to make a pass, but Al-Kanno lifted his leg and blocked the ball directly.

!

Realizing something was wrong, De Jong immediately chased back.

The Manchester United defensive midfielder is very fast; he had almost caught up with Al-Kanno just after starting his sprint.

"Pass quickly!"

His teammates were urging him; knowing he couldn't let De Jong catch him, Al-Kanno hurriedly passed the ball forward to Al-Dawasari.

Al-Dawasari controlled the ball and began drifting toward the center.

"Hoo, hoo hoo..."

Pa!

Passed to Mitrović!

Bang!

Varane kicked the ball away directly.

"See, I told you. Al-Hilal has only Mitrović as a core; Manchester United would never let Mitrović receive the ball."

"Trust me, brothers. Al-Hilal is definitely done for today. What's the use of signing only one striker?"

The ball flew out from the backfield, and Manchester United immediately launched a counterattack.

Rodri stopped the ball and passed it forward to Bruno Fernandes.

"Go yourself!"

Tang Ye shouted, and Bruno Fernandes started running down the flank.

After running only a few steps, Bruno Fernandes passed directly.

The pass accurately reached Kane at the very front.

"Come!"

Kane laid the ball off, targeting Tang Ye who was making a supporting run.

Bang!

Tang Ye was quickly marked; Cuéllar was beside him, constantly annoying him.

Raising his arm to protect his body, Tang Ye lifted his center of gravity and quickly shook off his opponent with a "V"-shaped drag.

Pa!

The pass went to Dembélé, who was making a run on the right flank.

"Wow!!!"

Dembélé drove powerfully down the line and delivered a cross straight into the box, finding Kane.

"Kane!"

"Jang Hyun-soo is trying to interfere from the side, but it seems useless."

"Jang Hyun-soo is completely no match for Kane!"

"Brothers!"

Boom!

"Goal!"

"Kane!"

"Goal! 1:0! Team China—oh, no, Manchester United!"

"Manchester United takes the lead! Nice, brothers!"

After scoring, Kane immediately sprinted toward the sideline, roaring to express his excitement.

Clap clap clap clap!

Ten Hag was clapping incessantly on the sidelines.

Sitting Like seemed already prepared to welcome his second Club World Cup title!

Live match report: Dembélé delivers a precise cross, Kane scores, Manchester United leads Al-Hilal 1:0. Is Kane about to break his trophy-less curse?

"..."

"Tang Ye, move to the right and swap positions with Dembélé."

"Damn, what teamwork. Haha, that number 6 on the other side is completely bewildered."

"Come on, pass it to Tang Ye."

"Hit a 45-degree cross!"

A 45-degree cross from Tang Ye, once again targeting Kane inside the box.

The Manchester United striker leaps into the air.

A header!

"Goooo——aaaa——llll!!!!"

Goal!

Harry Kane scores his second!

Manchester United leads 2:0!

"United!"

"Man United!"

"Forever Man United! (Forever Manchester United)"

The fans at the stadium shouted with passion, yet at this moment, many sensitive Chinese supporters noticed something.

Hiss... Does it feel like ever since Cristiano Ronaldo left, Ten Hag has started prioritizing the striker position even more?

This season, Kane's goal-scoring efficiency is absurdly high; with the assistance of three creative geniuses—Tang Ye, Bruno Fernandes, and Dembélé—the Manchester United striker sits atop the league's scoring chart.

Is this because Kane is superior to Cristiano Ronaldo?

Apparently not.

Damn it, it's because the priority of the striker position at Manchester United has been elevated this season!

It was Erik ten Hag pulling the strings behind the scenes!

"This... brothers, I feel like Cristiano Ronaldo should have won the Premier League Golden Boot last season while at Manchester United; Ten Hag sabotaged him."

"Holy crap, I absolutely have to stand with Cristiano Ronaldo on this. Actually, I was neutral to begin with, but damn it, Ten Hag definitely stole at least ten goals from Cristiano Ronaldo."

Ten Hag's entertainment value is just too exaggerated.

By the 35th minute of the first half, amidst Manchester United's fierce attacks, the opposing Al-Hilal defenders were retreating step by step, seeing almost no chance for a counterattack.

As stated before, among all teams participating in this Club World Cup, Manchester United's strength is in a league of its own; one could even say they are at least three tiers ahead of Al-Hilal.

"..."

"Tang Ye, pass to Dalot!"

"Shoot directly!"

"Wow! 3:0! It's 3:0, brothers."

"I feel like we can cash out at 5:0 today; I'm not joking, we're simply crushing the Club World Cup runners-up."

"These Saudi people are truly dull; insisting on buying a striker. Wouldn't buying a midfielder at the same price point be much better than the current situation?"

"Brothers, let me tell you something."

Wang Chao acted as if he knew everything about football and began sharing his insights with the livestream audience: "If a team is weak but has one exceptionally outstanding player, that player should ideally be a midfielder; midfielders are the best, followed by wingers."

"Look at the Russia World Cup; Cristiano Ronaldo played as a striker and was incredibly fierce, yet Portugal's final result wasn't even as good as ours. That's because our strength here in China lies in the midfield; the midfield is far more important than the striker. I'm not bragging at all; I, Tang Tang Qiuwang, am a natural savior."

He couldn't keep bragging; if he continued, he'd probably end up concocting something like "Tang Ye's birth was accompanied by celestial phenomena."