Chapter 502: The Final Peak Showdown (Daily Transition)

A few days later.

The UEFA Champions League semi-finals are approaching.

Germany, Munich.

Under the night sky, the Allianz Arena resembled a radiant spacecraft, like a giant gem.

Outside the stadium, the five-meter-tall 'Berni Bear' enthusiastically welcomed the throngs of visitors.

Clad in red, Bayern Munich fans sang and drank beer.

Red banners, red flags, red jerseys.

In West German culture, red symbolizes passion, joy, and vitality.

Pre-match press conference.

Tuchel nudged the Paulaner beer and Coca-Cola on the table.

His gaze swept over the tiered seats to the huge Bayern Munich crest on the opposite wall: a laurel wreath representing victory, and the blue-and-white Bavarian state flag.

Reporters eagerly posed questions.

Chelsea's head coach replied succinctly:

"This match will be tough."

"Our players will give it their all!"

On the other side.

Heynckes said slowly: "I don't want this to be the last UEFA Champions League match of my coaching career."

Player tunnel.

Buffon and Neuer bumped fists and embraced; the two have shared many epic dialogues on the pitch.

The German goalkeeper, having recovered from injury, returned full of vigor.

"Good luck!"

"Good luck!"

Alaba enthusiastically patted Li Kang on the shoulder, squeezing out a Chinese phrase: "Li, go for it!"

Everyone burst out laughing.

Bayern Munich valued the Chinese market highly; the whole team was supposed to learn Chinese, play table tennis and mahjong, but they were screwed over by Asia's agent operators.

Li Kang smiled and nodded seriously.

As he stepped onto the Allianz Arena to warm up, a golden phantom of Beckenbauer appeared in the God's perspective, toppling the 'Tactical Palace'.

Fearless.

The system notification tone also sounded softly at this moment.

【Ding, mission triggered: The Final Peak Showdown.】

【Mission briefing: This is the toughest battle you have experienced in your career, the ultimate showdown! A heroic duel that showcases courage! An extreme tactical duel!】

【Mission reward: Beckenbauer's 'Football Emperor' module (Epic)!】

"CTV5! CTV5! Good evening, viewers."

"We are now live broadcasting the second leg of the 2017/18 UEFA Champions League semi-final."

"Bayern Munich hosts Chelsea at home."

"In the first leg at Stamford Bridge, Chelsea, thanks to youngster Li Kang's brace, took a 2-1 lead."

"Qualification remains uncertain."

"The Bundesliga giant, holding an away goal, remains threatening even at home."

"What will be the outcome of this match? Who will reach the pinnacle of Europe? Let's wait and see!"

The commentator lowered his eyes to glance at the starting lineup.

He couldn't help but reveal a look of surprise.

At the Allianz Arena, a massive TIFO unfurled!

Red big-ear cup pattern, vivid Bayern Munich crest; in the night breeze, they resembled a lighthouse in a sea of red.

The stirring UEFA Champions League anthem floated above Munich's skies.

The star-spangled banners slowly withdrew.

The referee crew led both teams' players out of the tunnel.

All camera positions' lenses gently swayed in the grand momentum.

"Next, we'll introduce both sides' starting lineups."

"Bayern Munich lines up in a 4-1-4-1 formation!"

"Goalkeeper: Neuer."

"Defenders: Alaba, Hummels, Boateng, Kimmich!"

"Defensive midfielder: Martinez."

"Midfielders: Ribery, Muller, Vidal, Robben."

"Forward: Lewandowski."

"The camera panned to the stands."

"Wow! Beckenbauer, surrounded by a group of German legends!"

【Unfortunately the commentator isn't Zhan Jun, otherwise he could surely shout out each legend's name and toss in a few anecdotes.】

【Bayern's formation is very solid; initially a single defensive midfielder, in practice whether Alaba or Kimmich cuts inside or Vidal drops back, they can flexibly form a midfield barrier.】

【What's the use of Bayern being so stable? Others eliminated you twice before!】

【Shut up! Don't go on like that—it's too filthy there!】

Chelsea's formation is 4-4-2!

Goalkeeper: Buffon.

Defenders: Marcos, Rudiger, David Luiz, Azpilicueta.

Midfielders: Drinkwater, Bakayoko, Kanté, Li Kang.

Forwards: Morata, Diego Costa.

The starting lineup is out.

The barrage exploded.

【Not a diamond 4-4-2! It's a flat 4-4-2! APZ and Li Mingdeng have been switched to the right flank?】

【Can Water-drinking Brother play left midfield? He actually seems able to.】

【Tuchel is just messing around, giving up! So cool.】

【What the hell? I put all my year's savings into raising pigs, and Chelsea advanced!】

【Smoke bomb, as soon as the match starts, Li Mingdeng's position will definitely rotate.】

【Don't panic, even Heynckes couldn't solve this problem!】

On the sidelines.

Tuchel had his hands in his pockets, his eyes resolute.

In this match, facing the Bundesliga giant with the strongest defensive-breaking ability, Chelsea cannot just sit back and defend!

The coaching staff no longer obsesses over how to break down Hai Clan Bayern.

But they want to devise a strange formation that Hai Clan Bayern cannot break.

On the other side.

Heynckes furrowed his brow.

He didn't think too much.

In this match, as long as it's 1-0, Bayern Munich can advance thanks to the away-goal advantage, eliminating Chelsea.

The guessing segment ends.

The referee crew and players from both sides gather together.

Staff members support a sick child as they walk to outside the center circle.

The fourth official places the ball at the child's feet.

Smack!

The sick child gently kicks the ball toward the referees, weakly and powerlessly.

At the Allianz Arena, applause erupts like a tide.

After this segment ends, the players from both sides then scatter their positions on the pitch.

Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The match officially begins.

Chelsea in possession.

Morata kicks off with his weaker foot, passing back to David Luiz.

Players from both sides swiftly dash across the pitch.

"Bayern's high press is very distinctive; their timing seems half a beat early, and their runs always manage to intercept Chelsea's next receiver."

"Vidal looks a bit unaccustomed, because Li Kang is active in the right half."

"Chelsea's ground passing is a bit risky; they haven't been forced to shift backward."

After the ball goes through several passes,

it returns to David Luiz's feet.

As a distributor.

He launches a long ball straight to Li Kang making a forward run on the flank!

Li Kang rushes past the center line, eases his speed, and settles the ball.

Ribery and Muller quickly close in to double-team.

"Nice."

"Accelerate, sharp turn!"

"Martinez also steps up, while Vidal frantically drops back to cover!"

"After shaking off his marker, Li Kang passes the ball to Azpilicueta making an overlapping run!"

Li Kang did not use God's perspective.

As usual.

He might, after drawing the right-side defense, shift the attack to the weak side the moment he gets free.

Not this time.

Azpilicueta didn't hold onto the ball.

After Li Kang's "reverse overlap," he quickly slipped the ball through!

Vidal, who had frantically dropped back to cover, after running diagonally, tried to cut off Li Kang's path early.

No physical contact.

Instead, he lowered his center of gravity and began a localized attack-defense duel.

Li Kang stopped the ball.

He slowed his steps.

He flicked the ball outward with the inside of his right foot,

The center of gravity shifts right.

Vidal still hasn't moved his foot, Martinez is about to rush in: Slow down! The main idea of Hai Clan Bayern's interception is to slow down Chelsea players advancing with the ball!

The problem arises.

Li Kang slowed down, but there's still nothing we can do about him!

Immediately afterwards, the Allianz Arena burst into exclamations of amazement!

Li Kang's right foot made another shuffle, and his center of gravity suddenly shifted left.

He pulled the ball with his left foot and changed direction.

Vidal still hasn't moved his foot, Martinez is in position for the assist defense, forming an inside–outside double team.

The True Eye gushed out.

"Li Kang made a shoulder dip and a step."

"He hooked the ball and made a sudden stop."

"He instantly adjusted his body orientation."

"He initiated a left-leg lunge."

"He pushed the ball with the outside of his right foot."

"He rushed past. Go wide? Wow! His explosive power is terrifying!"

"Li Kang displayed the Blues' intimidating power!"

Tuchel and Dino bent over excitedly, clenching their fists.

Heynkes looked bewildered: "I can't solve this problem either! Who would waste Li Kang on a wide midfield position!"

The live broadcast.

Comments flew thick and fast.

【Idiotic commentary: clearly the move could be summed up as a 'shoulder dip, small step + change of line', yet they insist on dragging it out with so many sentences!】

【So handsome!】

【He ate two top-tier intercepting midfielders raw!】

【A high-spec Bale!】

【He crushed one flank of Bayern!】

【Look, the other side of Bayern is open; Li Mingdeng didn't cut inside but went wide to execute a Mismatch Bombardment, striking Bayern's weak side! This is the most stable approach!】

【What nonsense? He rushed to the edge of the penalty area, then suddenly cut inside!】

Alaba wasn't fooled by Li Kang's wide route; he shifted laterally inward and stood ready.

At the same time.

Chelsea players were not idle either.

Diego Costa and Morata were in the activated state of the 'Double Ghost Knocking on the Door'.

It wasn't a simple simultaneous jump.

But rather, they used crossing shuffle steps to adjust their position, doing their utmost to disturb Hummels and Boateng's judgment.

Rüdiger also pushed up from the back!

Despite the risk of losing possession and being crushed by a counterattack, they also had to seize the opening!

In the second leg, Chelsea never play probing!

The right diagonal of the front edge of Bayern's penalty area.

Li Kang and Azpilicueta executed a simple wall-pass combination, breaking through Bayern's partial encirclement.

The ball returned to his feet again.

He dribbled it sideways.

"Chelsea's attacking rhythm is a bit dragging."

"Speed up!"

"Change line!"

"Cut inside!"

Alaba struggled to observe Li Kang's footwork.

His brain could keep up.

His center of gravity couldn't keep up.

He still strove to follow Li Kang's sideways dribbling rhythm, trying to maintain his center of gravity and adjust his defensive position.

He couldn't keep up!

Li Kang's left foot tapped the ball, stepped, then tapped again.

His extremely concise touches turned Bayern's direction topsy-turvy!

"Wow!"

"He's too sticky on the ball!"

"If he keeps dribbling sideways, he'll take it from the right flank to the left!"

"Carry it all the way through!"

"Li Kang is surrounded by people! Full of big guys!!!"

"Wow!"

Alaba lost his balance while laterally shifting to block, and watched helplessly as the ball left Li Kang's left foot!

"Shot. It's a through pass!"

A tall, handsome, suave figure appeared in the area left of the twelve-yard mark in Bayern's penalty box.

Diego Costa!

Morata? That guy blocked the gap in Hummels' cover.

Bang!

Chelsea's godlike striker faced Neuer at close range.

Boomed out a mighty, heavy close-range cannon shot!

Great force brings miracles!

By the time everyone came to, Bayern's net had already been pierced!

0:1!!!

Lewokusen

Wo Le Er poked Professor Belenta with his elbow.

"You didn't say this match would be very tense?"

Professor Belenta looked astonished, stretched out his fat hand, and lifted his glasses: "Chelsea is crazy! Li made many mistakes in the goal-scoring process! He didn't shift in time, didn't pass in time, didn't decisively cut inside and shoot, avoiding all optimal solutions! But damn it, he still scored!"

"The attacking tempo was dragging, and it produced a wonderful effect."

Wo Le Er nodded: "Someone has done this before, defeating Michel and Cruyff, who had left no stone unturned, with the wrong method; this takes great courage."

Wishing everyone a happy Mid-Autumn Festival and a happy National Day!