Chapter 292

The first half of the match ended.

The score was 3:1, exceeding everyone's expectations.

Barcelona fans were angry yet bewildered: You Arsenal have already qualified, so why are you still going head-to-head with us?

They hurled debris violently, cursing La Masia's traitors in Catalan.

The targets of the abuse paid no attention to these sounds.

Arsenal fans hysterically shouted Li Kang's name.

"Lee!

!"

"Lee!

!"

"Lee!

!"

Media reporters wrote in succession:

"The Gunners at home displayed the spirit they should have!"

"Li Kang led the ten-man Arsenal remnants, ruthlessly pressing Barcelona into the ground and rubbing them in."

Some were delighted.

Some were saddened.

Li Kang was surrounded by teammates, enjoying the applause and cheers from the home stands.

Yinniesita's old knee injury flared up, and he limped off the pitch supported by Busquets.

His mood was like the heavy cloud layers in the night sky.

Time flies.

The former little white has become old white...

He is no longer the big-game Mr. who could save the world in life-or-death or crucial matches... but still, many Yinniesita Peninsula starlets have openly expressed their desire to spend a good night with him.

Suarez touched Neymar's back of the head.

The whole world is discussing the Samba genius's transfer rumors; he recently said: "If Neymar stays at Barcelona, he will surely lift the Ballon d'Or..."

Ballon d'Or my ass.

Now even the hope of qualifying from the Champions League group stage is extremely slim.

Barcelona locker room.

Enrique stood aside, expression grave, his pen-holding hand constantly trembling, the scratch paper filled with numbers about "points" and "goal difference"...

Calculating points, the more he calculated, the more hopeless it became.

If Barcelona still had Harvey controlling the midfield, how could they have fallen to such a state?

No.

The first thing I did when I took over Barcelona back then was to remove Harvey from the starting lineup, abandon possession play, and insist on a counter-attacking tactic led by the front line...

How is Harvey doing now?

Old horse in the stable.

Middle Eastern football sage.

Wensuwe tapped the tactical board and said loudly:

"Arsenal's overall strength has not undergone a qualitative change; they will definitely maintain low defensive positioning next. Our first-half attack intensified their physical exhaustion, and after 60 minutes, Barcelona will take control of the game."

"Including Li's stamina—he simply cannot sustain consecutive high-intensity rushes!"

"Be patient!"

"Stay calm!"

"Break through Arsenal's low defensive block!"

"Don't worry about points—just enjoy the game, even if we get eliminated! We must also secure a victory! Leave North London with heads held high and chests out!"

"We are Barcelona!"

Messi covered his face with a hot towel, silent and speechless.

Arsenal locker room.

Boerde stood to the side.

Wenger put on his glasses, his fingers moving the magnetic flags on the tactical board.

Like an old teacher holding chalk in class.

"Even leading by two goals, we do not need to maintain low defensive positioning."

"From Barcelona's first-half attacking routes, we can judge: Messi no longer has Alves behind him, yet he must also undertake midfield organization, so his local threat has greatly diminished."

"Yinniesita cannot persist in the match, so Neymar and Suarez almost certainly cannot both make overlapping forward runs."

"They were sent off a center-back; no matter how Enrique adjusts, they cannot guarantee control of the midfield and backline."

"Higher-intensity pressing!"

"Press them!"

"If we gain possession, there's no need to rush into counter-attacks."

"At this moment, Barcelona is very fearful of positional siege!"

"How to press? How to besiege? Pay attention to Li's gestures!"

No one questioned this tactical deployment.

Including Li Kang.

Wenger's opening setup and strategic planning were truly historic in caliber.

There was no motivational pep talk.

The Arsenal coaching staff urged the teammates to make the most of their time, relax, and adjust their condition.

Welbeck tightened his shorts, waddling out from the restroom and sidling up to Morata, asking in a low voice:

"What did the boss just say? I was on the toilet and didn't hear anything!"

"Nothing much. In the positional play phase, just push into Barcelona's penalty area!"

The fifteen-minute halftime break passed in a flash.

Players from both sides returned to the pitch.

The stands of the Emirates Stadium buzzed with rising noise.

"Good evening, viewers, welcome back."

"You're watching live coverage of the final matchday of the 2016/17 UEFA Champions League group stage."

"Arsenal at home versus Barcelona in the second half!"

"After 45 minutes of intense battle in the first half, the score is tied at 3-1!"

"Enrique has made a substitution!"

"André Gomes comes on for Yinniesita!"

"Wenger has also used his second substitution slot!"

"Ramsey comes on for Chamberlain!"

Beep!

The main referee blew his whistle!

The second half officially began!

Arsenal possession.

Morata kicked the ball back to Li Kang!

No unnecessary buildup or organization.

Li Kang controlled the ball, facing the unstoppable Suárez activated within twenty meters, calmly tapped it, and elegantly shook off his opponent.

Immediately after.

He led the Gunners in a fierce assault on Barcelona!

Busquets wore a look of terror, quickly directing the formation to fall back.

"Arsenal, leading by two goals, has no intention of holding back!"

"This surge of momentum!"

"Barcelona simply cannot unleash the La Masia pressing system!"

The football philosophy of La Masia is not merely triangular passing and control.

It also includes triangular pressing.

One player disrupts head-on.

One player handles cutting the 45-degree angle's "preferred foot passing lane."

One player is responsible for sweeping and seizing the ball opportunistically.

La Masia's players have practiced this since childhood, able to effortlessly form pressing runs in any environment.

The problem arose.

At this moment, the Arsenal commander understood this football philosophy even better than most players in Barcelona's lineup.

"Gomes was juked."

"Rakitić pressed forward, lost position, and misjudged."

"Has the Bat Legion genius and Sevilla core still not integrated into Enrique's system?"

"Barcelona's midfield defensive line has been torn apart!"

"Busquets and the back line are stationed in parallel!"

CTV5 broadcast studio.

A chorus of ghosts wailing and wolves howling.

-【What the hell, is Barcelona being crushed by Arsenal?】

-【The wind on the rooftop is quite noisy.】

-【Gomes and Rakitić gave chase hard, but couldn't catch up.】

-【Li Mingdeng is absolutely monstrous tonight—ball control, dribbling, organizing progression, quick changes of direction, distributing attacking resources... even peak Xavi and Pirlo coming over couldn't match him!】

-【He's destroyed Barcelona's pressing system—watch closely, his passing lanes, movement, prevent Barcelona from forming a triangular pressing structure.】

-【La Masia turncoat ninja!】

-【Uchiha Li!】

-【Orochimaru Li!】

Forty-meter zone.

After several quick passes.

The football returned to Li Kang's feet.

In God's perspective.

Roberto also retreated to the defensive line.

Adding Busquets.

Barcelona's defensive line now had four players at this moment.

Morata and Welbeck temporarily find it hard to create space.

As Wenger predicted, the match will enter a positional battle phase!

"What an abnormal phenomenon!"

"The tides of fortune turn."

"Barcelona is being besieged by the opponent using their own strongest method!"

"Don't talk about advancing—first think about how to regain possession!"

"Ramsey's trap is beautiful!"

"Passed to Li Kang!"

"Set up the cannon!"

"Thirty meters from the goal!"

"One explosive shot!"

"Super straight heavy cannon!"

"Too terrifying!"

"Momentum like a rainbow!"

"Eh?"

"How unfortunate! Ter Stegen blocked the ball out!"

Li Kang's long-range shot exuded an aura that looked down on the entire field!

"Arsenal's corner kick opportunity!"

"Eh, what's wrong with the Barcelona goalkeeper? Is his hand dislocated! The referee raised his hand to signal the team doctor onto the field!"

"Adding insult to injury!"

"Who could have predicted before the match that a full-strength Barcelona would be stuck in a mud pit at the Emirates Stadium!"

At the other end of the pitch.

Cech gazed helplessly at the suffering Ter Stegen, and his palms also went numb.

He is the first person in European football history to catch a heavy cannon with one hand.

But in regular training, he also couldn't handle several of Li's heavy cannon long-range shots.

Is the heavy cannon long-range shot invincible?

Of course not.

In the last century, Europe dispatched man-marking midfielders to restrict the opponent's attacking players' long-range shots.

Now, with the evolution of defensive concepts, more reliance is placed on defensive line positioning to block.

Does overall defensive positioning block long-range shots?

No joke.

Southampton's youth academy early instilled this holistic defensive mindset in young players.

Entering the first decade of the twenty-first century, aside from that South African World Cup, the number of long-range goals in world football has been decreasing, incomparable to the last century.

Cech drew a conclusion: Ter Stegen shouldn't bear this blame; it's Roberto and Busquets' defensive positioning that's at fault! Other Barcelona players' slow recovery speed gave Li the opportunity to fire long-range shots.

The team doctor left the field.

After simple treatment and examination, Ter Stegen insisted on standing in front of the goal.

"According to related media reports, the gloves worn by the Barcelona goalkeeper are specially customized by Adidas."

"Roller-cut, larger contact area, excellent grip... first see how Arsenal handles this corner kick!"

"Maguire also came up!"

"At this moment, multiple red-and-white high points stand in the Barcelona penalty area!"

Corner flag area.

In Li Kang's vision, the white No. 8's phantom gradually coalesced.

He raised his left hand, lightly tapping to dispel.

Two steps of run-up.

Thud!

The football left the ground.

Violent rotation.

As if tearing through the North London night sky like a meteor.

Tens of thousands of fans on site couldn't help but exclaim in astonishment.

Perfect trajectory.

Unbelievable speed.

The football seemed endowed with light, irresistibly smashing through the Barcelona penalty area.

Enrique's heart was like dead ashes.

He had anticipated everything that would happen next.

Inside the penalty area.

Piqué and Busquets respectively marked Welbeck and Morata.

Times have changed.

Morata's physical confrontation, ball trajectory judgment, and leaping ability have greatly improved.

He and Maguire are like two stirring sticks, throwing the opponent's defensive line into chaos.

Li's pass was not aimed at himself.

The football plummeted.

No one contested the near post.

Zakaria's figure miraculously appeared at the far post.

Standing at 1.85 meters, the Arsenal defensive midfielder with a mere 30 jumping in the FIFA game is a super weakling in aerial duels.

Yes.

Just a weakling.

But beside him stood only a diminutive Mascherano.

Thud!

Leveraging his height advantage,

Zakaria remained stationary as the football struck his forehead, ricocheting and blasting through Barcelona's goal!

Ter Stegen's outstretched body had not yet landed.

4:1!

!

At the Emirates Stadium, silence hung for two seconds before erupting into cheers... like a flood.

"The ball went in!"

"Li Kang's pass was like a dazzling gemstone!"

"He killed the match!"

"The Battle of Divine Ascension!"

"La Masia discard, slaughtering Barcelona, blood flowing like rivers!"

"Zakaria, Zakaria scores his first Champions League goal for Arsenal!"

"Barcelona collapsed!"

"Such a sudden collapse!"

"After a red card sent off a central defender, the coaching staff failed to make timely defensive adjustments, allowing Li Kang to easily tear through the defense!"

"Unimaginable!"

"The former cosmic team will face a massacre at the Emirates Stadium!"

"The camera panned to the away stand where Barcelona fans sat... their eye sockets red, dazed and disbelieving, unable to accept the reality before them."

CTV5 livestream.

The barrage went wild.

-【Crazy!】

-【Li Mingdeng went berserk!】

-【A god descended to earth!】

-【Barcelona bloodily abused!】

-【1 million euros! Installment payments! Burying the peak dream of the four dynasties! Burying Champions League qualification hopes!】

-【Rakitic's substitute!】

-【Damn it, Barcelona spent 150 million euros on a bunch of trash!】

-【On one hand, Li Mingdeng's passing has reached perfection; on the other, Barcelona's defensive problems are severe.】

-【Just got home, is the score written backwards?】

-【Fixed match! How could Barcelona's full starting XI possibly be slaughtered? Even a Segunda División team coming over and parking the bus couldn't possibly be slaughtered by Arsenal! Sevilla, Celta, Villarreal, Athletic Bilbao—these teams coming to the Emirates wouldn't be slaughtered either!】

-【Bayern: Do you like drinking Sprite?】

-【Fixed match! Messi couldn't possibly play in the Europa League; Messi has never played in the Europa League in his lifetime!】

-【Still dreaming of the Europa League? Barcelona might not even get to play in the Europa League! Damn it, this group's calculation is too complicated!】

-【Arsenal depleted? As long as Li Mingdeng stays uninjured, what depletion?】

VIP box.

Krulen's figure had long since vanished.

Bartomeu's face was ashen, his whole body trembling with rage.

During my tenure, Barcelona actually failed to advance from the Champions League group stage?

"How much did we spend in the summer window?"

"1.5 billion..."

"1.5 billion plus the existing squad, and still got slaughtered by Arsenal?"

"Enrique is utterly incompetent!"

"His experience in Rome destined this outcome!"

"Trash!"

"Quick!"

"Get him and Robert out! These two are Barcelona's sinners!"

"We must find a way to bring back the mute... our La Masia prince, to Camp Nou!"

Pitchside.

The Barcelona technical area, silent as if someone had died.

Unintelligible Valencian:

"Impossible..."

"Li cannot maintain high intensity for 90 minutes..."

On the other side.

Wenger raised both arms.

The red-and-blue nightmare that had weighed on his heart for years vanished like smoke.

Time passed minute by minute, second by second.

Barcelona was still under siege by Arsenal!

Rakitic gave his all, running tirelessly across the field.

Busquets flicked his fingers rapidly, directing troops and maneuvers.

Even Messi joined in the defensive positioning.

It was useless.

All restrictions on Li Kang had no effect whatsoever.

They vaguely felt... Barcelona was facing an all-powerful Super Hexagon Warrior.

Physical confrontation.

Explosive speed.

Passing.

Ball control and dribbling.

Positional movement.

Vision.

Awareness.

All attributes maxed out!

How to stop him?

Can't stop him!

65th minute of the match.

Morata withdrew from Barcelona's penalty area, dragging out Piqué.

Li Kang surged forward accordingly.

Ramsey and Cazorla executed a series of wall-pass combinations.

The ball was lofted to the right side of the penalty area.

Welbeck headed the ball for a flick-on.

Twelve-yard position.

Li Kang, carrying Gómez, leapt and fired a volley.

Thud!

The score was changed again!

5:1!

"Massacre!"

"A horrifying massacre!"

"Mercurial passing and cutting!"

"Arsenal's beautiful football!"

"Hat-trick!"

"Li Kang personally broke Barcelona's goal for the third time in this match; he can take the match ball home!"

72nd minute of the match.

Cazorla, in his duel with Suárez, collapsed in pain and could not continue.

Li Kang's "Turning the Tide" module shone with golden light.

【Ding, congratulations on obtaining: Balanced Feet LV4!】

Thirty meters from Barcelona's goal.

He unleashed a stunning "Bogwart Missile" with his right foot!

6:1!

!

It rained at the Emirates Stadium.

Rain woven from Catalonia's tears.

Finally.

Beep! Beep-beep~

The main referee blew the whistle signaling the end of the match.

Arsenal 7:1 Barcelona!

Catalonia's cosmic team, eliminated from the 2016-17 UEFA Champions League!

This match, forever etched in football history.

The Emirates Stadium tragedy.

Became the god-defining battle for Arsenal's number 10!

La Masia castoff, blood-slaying Barcelona!