Chapter 532

Moscow suburbs.

The Jerusalem Monastery, built in 1656, has been quite lively lately.

Because nearby is the heavily guarded base of the French team.

During the World Cup group stage, an amusing incident occurred: French Football Federation official Noël Le Graët, having forgotten to bring all his documents, was actually turned away by base security.

The base meeting room.

A dim haze, only the light from the LED screen illuminated Deshang's facial features.

Deshang finished watching the first half of the Xiban'ya–Agenting match.

Rubbed his temples.

He had a dream last night: he dreamed that the Faguo team's opponent in the Round of 16 knockout was actually Agenting; Meixi put up impressive stats: 2 assists, 33 key passes, 6 dangerous-area breakthroughs, 4 successful tackles; even though the Faguo team possessed Kante's world-class 'fast-hard-high super-spec defensive line,' they could not stop the unstoppable Meixi; the Faguo team even fell behind at one point, fell into difficulty, but fortunately Meixi eventually exhausted in the second half. Faguo team 4-3 won the match.

Fortunately, it was just a dream.

Li Kang and Meixi, these two monsters, encountering carnage in the Round of 16 knockout, is a good thing for other teams.

Smack!

The black assistant coach turned on the light.

The seats lit up row after row of little black eggs.

Bogeba crossed his arms over his chest, arrogant expression: 'What Li and Meixi can do, I can also do.'

The sound wasn't loud, allowing Kante nearby to hear it clearly.

Kante smiled, showing a mouthful of white teeth, nodded firmly: 'Mmm, Boluo! You're also great!'

Upon careful thought, it's indeed true: in today's football world, other top midfielders excel at using space to exploit gaps; only Li, Meixi, and Bogeba can create space in solo form.

At the corner.

Mubapei reminisced about Li Kang and Meixi's peak showdown, his heart surging.

Kasan Stadium.

Halftime break.

Substitute players came on one after another to warm up, eliciting rounds of cheers from the audience.

Xiban'ya locker room.

Miniano loudly boosted morale:

"Agenting's defense is usually sparse; it's just Mascherano's last-ditch effort."

"They won't last long in the second half, especially after 70 minutes, and Meixi's attacking threat will also greatly diminish."

Moments later.

Bosque, while reviewing the attacking chain, indirectly praised Keke, Kawhaer, Sawer, and others' performances.

Li Kang? Is Li Kang still being praised?

Defensive end. The coaching staff had a headache: they didn't expect Sangbaoli to suddenly see the light, and would use midfield Mei like Valverde.

Li Kang lay prone on the bench, the team doctor was massaging him.

In this match, no legendary apparition appeared.

Agenting locker room.

Sangbaoli spoke with an excited tone, eyes frenzied:

"Agenting will not fall here!"

"You performed exceptionally well, we leveled the score, we will surely turn the tide!"

"No matter how the opponent adjusts their defense, they cannot withstand our offensive!"

After dishing out the chicken soup, he had the assistant coach review the first half, and he himself called Meixi aside to communicate.

Other national team head coaches rarely hold as much power as the Faguo team-Deshang.

The Agenting Football Association, after Gerlandona's death, became extremely chaotic; during this World Cup's qualifiers, the media exposed that Meixi personally paid the team's security wages! And in the friendly matches, the media again exposed: it was Meixi who paid for the airfare, and there was even compensation for terminated commercial matches!

The fifteen-minute break ended quickly.

Both teams returned to the pitch.

Kasan Stadium resumed its clamor.

"Good evening, friends, welcome back!"

"Now broadcasting to you is the 2018 World Cup Round of 16 knockout."

"The second half of Spain versus Agenting."

"The temporary score is one to one."

"Bosque was the first to make a substitution adjustment, the Bayern Munich midfield enforcer Thiago came on for Iniesta!"

"This way, Xiban'ya's formation could very well become 4-4-1-1, Li Kang and Molata up front, while the others strengthen the encirclement of Meixi and Dimaliya."

"Sangbaoli has not made any substitution adjustments yet."

Accompanied by the referee's whistle.

The second half officially began.

Agenting possession.

Yiguayin kicked off, squarely passing to Dimaliya.

Dimaliya, like a kid playing a FIFA game, took a few steps forward and flicked past the pressing Molata.

"Agenting's formation pushed forward significantly."

"Sangbaoli wants to unleash a full attacking chain in this time node! The longer the stalemate drags on, the worse it is for Agenting's stamina!"

"Beautiful!"

"Dimaliya's performance on the left flank!"

Watching this type of player play is simply a pleasure; even the overlapping full‑back Taliafico was brought up to a top‑level wing‑back by him.

Messi went invisible?

No.

He changed form again!

Strictly speaking, this historical period refers to the 17‑18 and 18‑19 seasons; in the build‑up phase, his role could switch back and forth between 'midfield Messi' and 'retreating‑attacking Messi'.

During the team's buildup, Messi would sometimes pause, sometimes stroll, sometimes accelerate.

His activity range became fragmented and scattered between the right flank and midfield.

This gave the Spanish midfield a bit of a headache.

"Messi receives the ball, one touch, and slides it to the advancing Banega."

"Pay attention to his next run."

"Get between the two lines."

"He pulled out again."

"Drop back."

"With the Argentine defence pushing forward, Messi's position in the formation structure grew ever deeper, making the opponents uncomfortable."

"Di María gets the ball again; he's so composed on the ball that he's now switched to a midfield role."

"The match is about to enter a positional battle phase."

Argentina's counter‑attacking posture had the fans roaring with delight.

Who said the World Cup is a stage for low‑block defence?

Higuaín led the line, chatting with Piqué and Ramos.

Mercado no longer cut inside; instead he became a right‑forward.

Banega and Mascherano leaned left, strengthening their passing links with Di María and Taliafico.

Even the defender Otamendi pushed up to the edge of the 14‑yard zone.

"Sampaoli's football philosophy was on full display during this period."

"Aggressive!"

"All‑out attack!"

"Argentina sped up!"

"Busquets, no longer lingering in a distant stare with Messi, quickly filled the gap on the right flank."

Taliafico and Di María executed a lovely one‑two.

He burst into the left side of the box and laid it off to Di María again.

Carvajal's defensive positioning was perfect.

As for Real Madrid full‑backs' one‑on‑one ability, going by the actual objective video footage, even Ribéry would come off worse when facing him, whether in his Leverkusen days or his Real Madrid days.

Ribéry once got so angry he slapped him in a match.

But.

Di María is even more amazing; in his career, whenever he faced any contemporary 'world‑class full‑back', he could hold his own fifty‑fifty!

"Inertial feint!"

"No, it's a double feint!"

"The ball is at his feet."

"I slowed my steps."

"Angel's wings!"

Carvajal remained very calm; his centre‑of‑gravity control was extremely strong, and he didn't get sucked into the opponent's rhythm changes.

One second.

Two seconds.

Three seconds.

The Real Madrid full‑back suddenly realized something was off.

This Di María fellow isn't here just to dribble past.

But to draw the defence and reopen the space in the indirect arc‑top area.

Off camera.

"The withdrawn Messi had already kicked off early."

Messi's ability to read the defence and sniff out gaps has reached perfection.

Back in his La Masia false‑nine days, he had already honed a top‑level thinking of dropping deep and then surging forward.

On the touchline, Sampaoli was beside himself with excitement.

What football philosophy?

The aggressive positional push‑forward also aims to create a weak side in the opponent's defence, all to serve Messi!

"Di María couldn't get past Carvajal!"

"No need!"

"Double back‑to‑body feint!"

"Wow!"

"Explosive outside‑of‑the‑foot strike!"

"A picture‑perfect pass!"

"Space!"

The vacancy in Zone 14 has been announced!

Messi appeared in the Zone 14 vacancy!

Messi!!!

Lionel Messi!!!

In this era, fans who often watch matches frequently have an illusion: once players like Messi and Hazard receive the ball in a dangerous zone, you get a premonition that the ball will go in!

This premonition is often accurate.

On the contrary, players like Benteke, Sturridge, Batshuayi, Sterling, Lukaku, Morata, Cavani, Wu Lei, and Gao Lin are these 'happy' players.

Spanish fans, watching Messi's airborne volley, fell into despair!

Bosque unconsciously covered his chest.

De Gea felt great pressure.

At this moment, he is facing: the man who is the most lethal at long-range shots in Europe's top five leagues, Messi!

In a daze.

A black-haired figure stepped in front of Messi.

Spain number 6 versus Argentina number 10.

It seemed as if all the spotlights above the Kazan Arena were shining only on them.

The breeze by the Kazan River fluttered their clothes.

Messi's footwork changes too fast.

Fake shot, real pull.

Dreamlike footwork.

Left foot, left foot, left foot, right foot!

Li Kang's bodily flexibility and control radius

The commentator's words came in a rapid barrage, incoherent, utterly unable to keep up with the two players' movements.

Li Kang ignored Messi's change in step frequency.

Close-pressure tackle.

Stay wide, defend inside.

Messi's speed did not slacken in the slightest, he surged forward diagonally.

Li Kang pushed off with his left foot, attempting a right-footed slide tackle.

Messi touched the ball instantly, slightly altering his path.

Li Kang's right foot slid through empty air.

He wasn't taken down.

After his right foot slid through empty air, he barely managed to maintain his body posture, using his landing right foot as a support, pushing off again with a left-footed slide tackle!

Smack!

Messi lost control of the ball and stumbled to the ground.

All of this happened within just a few seconds.

Ramos quickly booted the ball to clear it.

The nearest De Gea stared wide-eyed.

Bosque was stunned.

Sampaoli was stunned.

Fans watching worldwide on TV were also stunned.

The commentator stammered out a sentence: 'This kind of bodily flexibility.'

The head referee quickly gestured to the sideline medic, knowing Li Kang might have strained something.

The livestream.

The slow-motion replay showed the moment of Li Kang versus Messi.

【Am I watching a sci-fi movie?】

【It's not a sci-fi movie; back when whoever was defending against the big Ronaldo, there were similar chain tackles, this move has been incorporated into Southampton's training material, but ordinary players don't have Li Mingdeng's freakish physique.】

【Freak.】

【Awesome.】

【A savage yet elegant side-body double-strike flying tackle.】

【Argentina's attacking chain deployment this time is strong; Messi's understanding of space is deep, he holds back then makes forward runs to capture attacking spaces, but unfortunately Li Mingdeng destroyed the finishing move at the last moment.】

【'Holding-back Messi' versus 'Destroying Li'.】

【De Gea immediately went forward to check on Li Kang; he must be saying: Li, I must bear some responsibility alone, you don't have to work so hard.】

【De Gea: Li! Save me!】

Kazan Arena.

Tens of thousands of spectators involuntarily raised their hands.

Smack!

Smack smack smack!

Applause like thunder erupted from all sides of the stands, unceasing.

Messi got up and went forward to check on Li Kang's injury.

Li Kang felt his waist about to break, his right ankle shot with sharp pain, and his left thigh also faintly felt a tearing sensation.

In the past, when facing Messi in open space, he could gain an advantage either by Nesta's phantom descending or by exhausting a few deficient modules.

A moment later.

He got up again.

Bo Si Ke and the coaching staff members breathed a sigh of relief.

On the stands.

Ma La Duo Na looked worried.

I certainly hope Argentina wins, but I don't want that black-haired kid to leave the field!

Having an opponent like this is a blessing!

We must defeat him fair and square!

Well, fair, open and aboveboard!

The mouths of the Argentine legends twitched.

In 1990, Summer in Italy, Argentina vs Brazil, Brazil defender Bu Lan Ke drank water handed over by an Argentine player, then the whole stadium went into a 'dreamwalk', turning into a wooden post.

In 2004, when Ma La Duo Na accepted an interview, he said: 'Haha, I gave Bu Lan Te a drug, and afterwards he became an idiot, unable even to touch the ball!'

When the interview program aired, Bu Lan Ke's grievance was redressed: 'I really was poisoned; back then my teammates even doubted, given my level, how could I throw a match in the World Cup?'

However.

Most Argentine media thought Ma La Duo Na was just spouting nonsense for the show's ratings, because this guy is a bit unreliable, and too many false reports have been exposed.

The match resumed.

Sang Bao Li gestured excitedly on the sidelines, telling his players to increase their movement and again raise their positional switching rate!

He really likes players constantly shuttling back and forth on the field.

Even if he understands some players skilled at 'dynamic anticipation' and their fighting style, he still doesn't like that kind of player.

Just like when you're at work, your girlfriend knows you're at work, yet she'll still complain: 'Why won't you keep me company?'

If the World Cup pressure weren't so great.

Sang Bao Li would rather take off the European star and bring on the Argentine league player Mei Sa.

Time passed.

Argentina's positional switches became more frequent, their stamina gradually declined, and the exposed gaps grew more numerous.

Even Ma Si Qie La Nuo couldn't plug the hole in time.

Minute 64 of the match.

Li Kang received the ball in the opponent's half, forty-meter zone, accelerated again, and easily shook off Mei Xi and Ba Nei Jia.

Here it comes!

Central breakthrough!

Facing the interceptions of Luo Sai Er Suo and Ma Si Qie La Nuo!

Left foot continuous steps.

Adjust the center of gravity!

Spin to shake off!

The Argentine players got hold of him. Really can't hold him!

Li Kang created space and delivered an inswinging long pass.

Sa Wu Er had been waiting for a while.

Ka Wa Ha Er made an overlapping run down the flank.

When Li Kang attracted most of the defense, the two again staged a complete domination two-on-one situation on the flank.

Spain had multiple attacking points, widened the width, and advanced toward the Argentine penalty area.

Bo Si Ke jumped up and down on the sidelines, gesturing for his players not to play too complicatedly; against Argentina's defense in this state, a hard approach would do!

Sang Bao Li was extremely tense; he could do nothing now.

The flank is clear.

Sa Wu Er still wanted to find Li Kang, but playing too complicatedly!

Li Kang let it through.

Wow! Ke Ke!

The connection of the Atletico Madrid double stars!

Long shot!

Played beautifully!

Ka Ba Lie Luo's divine save! Excellent!

He let go.

Mo La Ta!

Pa!

Mo La Ta got ahead of Ao Ta Men Di, in one swift motion, hammered the loose ball into the Argentine net.

2:1!!!

(End of chapter)