Chapter 71: Damn oppressive feeling!

Dino trembled and said, "Boss, this must be the tactic you tailored for Li Kang—it's too concealed..."

Tuopu Laotou coughed heavily twice, his old face flushed, and he hurriedly interrupted: "Don't think about all that nonsense; let the kids ease up the pace!"

The assistant coach nodded seriously, making a double-hand-down gesture toward the Leverkusen players.

Shortly after.

He shouted Li Kang and Kramer's names twice, then raised his index and middle fingers.

On the other side.

Uncle Martin's long hair was disheveled in the wind.

He waved to summon Muto Yoshiki and Marle, then said quietly:

"Don't rush, calm down!"

"We'll slow the advance in the forty-meter zone, then speed up in the thirty-meter zone! After breaking through Leverkusen's ribs, we'll shift the attack point to the flanks!"

The match continued.

Mainz's advancing speed was not fast.

Under Marle's organizing and linking,

Leverkusen's front-field players' "passive" pressing had little effect.

"Coach Tuop must be considering the Champions League group stage against Barcelona in three days, so he deliberately had the players conserve energy."

"Understandable, Leverkusen has a two-goal lead!"

"Over in La Liga, Barcelona easily defeated Málaga away, and most of the starters got rotated!"

"We're really looking forward to Li Kang's return match at Camp Nou!"

Mainz advanced into the thirty-meter zone.

Suddenly they quickened their passing tempo!

Muto Yoshiki received a pass from Fre.

He turned and flicked the ball to the right flank's Klemens.

One fluid motion.

It made Kramer lunge at empty air!

All of Mainz's front-field players began a frantic sprint.

Leverkusen's formation steadily withdrew, showing no sign of panic.

Klemens dribbled forward a few steps, then encountered Boles's interception!

No head-on clash!

Because Marle came over from midfield to support!

Smack!

Klemens decisively passed the ball over!

In Mainz's attacking system, Marle is the key core.

Six years ago, he won the U17 European Championship alongside Gotze and Ter Stegen.

A few standout performances this season have led Bundesliga media to dub him: "The next De Bruyne."

He had just received the ball.

He immediately felt a strong sense of oppression!

He was preparing to cut the ball and turn to shake off the opponent.

But his foot found nothing beneath him!

His whole body felt like it had slammed into a steel wall, shaking him all over.

"That's unreasonable! Again, pure physical domination!"

"Li Kang's interception was timely, easily completing the steal!"

"Marle fell to the ground, Mainz players began complaining! The referee ignored them!"

-【It's not pure physical domination; Li Kang timed his steal perfectly—watch the slow replay and you'll see: it happened the instant Marle was cutting the ball and turning to shake off the defender.】

-【Stealing looks simple but is actually complex; you must anticipate the attacker's movement intent, changes, and distance.】

-【Plus, Li Kang's follow-up after the steal is very seamless—you couldn't tell he's a 17-year-old rookie.】

-【In three days we'll find out; I want to see if he can hold off Yinniesita and Neymar, Messi...】

After Li Kang gained possession,

From the god's-eye view, there wasn't a good forward passing lane.

The ball lightly left his left foot.

It rolled toward Havertz near the center circle.

Jiateralinge relied on his physical advantage, trying to shove the young Leverkusen prodigy aside!

All that could be seen was Havertz, back to the ball, flicking the incoming ball upward.

Then he turned again!

His body leaned left.

Jiateralinge was fooled!

Havertz swiftly swept past him on the right, trapped the ball with a lifted foot, and surged toward Mainz's half!

"Beautiful!"

"Sixteen-year-old Havertz again used a change of rhythm to shake off his defender!"

"One can't help but anticipate what achievements he'll achieve in the future!"

Bù Lántè ran again toward the middle lane, taking Bèn tè sōng with him! He's only 19 this year too!

"Lewokusen's age structure in this season's lineup is astonishing!"

Bayer Arena.

Lewokusen fans cheered wildly.

They couldn't help but make a comparison in their hearts.

Havertz could shake off Gatlin, which is enough to astonish.

But Marler... a midfielder who has long proven his excellence on the Bundesliga stage, his static dribbling ability can be called superb.

Why, in front of Li Kang, does it seem like a paper lake?

Dino asked doubtfully: "Boss, why? I really don't get it!"

Tuopu Laotou explained: "It's still vision and awareness; before pressing into the thirty-meter zone at Mainz, he had roughly anticipated the opponent's attacking routes—Lama Asia indeed once trained him as a number four... As for the timing of close tackles, he might have learned it from opposing players in the match against Mönchengladbach!"

Dino suddenly understood.

In the positional play stage of the previous round against Mönchengladbach, Li Kang was indeed constantly marked.

"Strange, who would train him as a number four? When Li joined Lewokusen, he still had many bad habits, uh... Kai too!"

Havertz has a kicking habit that accompanies his career.

During the process of advancing with the ball at high speed.

He really likes to take the ball to the right flank.

Fortunately, Brandt and he have good chemistry, always pulling the opposing full-back away early, running to the center, creating space for a sprint.

Uncle Martin had already made the arrangements.

When he coached the youth team, he already knew Havertz very well.

Fre quickly blocked Havertz.

The veteran midfielder of Mainz has somewhat unusual talent.

To deal with a player skilled at using his own rhythm to get past defenders.

His eyes are fixed on the ball!

When Havertz touches the ball, sometimes slow, sometimes fast.

Smack!

Fre flicked with his foot.

And won the ball!

He cannot handle Brandt's South American style, nor the Europeanized Son Heung-min.

But a weird defensive midfielder is well suited to deal with a weird Havertz.

The ball again attacked into Lewokusen's half.

Marler has learned to be smart this time!

He began constantly making lateral shuttle runs, trying to shake off Li Kang!

Thud!

At the moment of receiving the ball.

His body swayed.

His footing gave way!

Marler was dazed.

He was tackled again by Li Kang!

What the hell is up with this guy?

I clearly ran to a good receiving spot!

Muto Yoshinori, who came over to support, immediately launched a counter-press!

Li Kang's movements were seamlessly connected.

With a smack!

The ball was passed to near the center circle.

Muto Yoshinori, unable to brake, crashed headfirst into the chest of Lewokusen's number ten, instantly seeing stars and falling forward!

Li Kang instinctively pulled up his shorts.

Such intensity of interception is easy for him.

Marler, compared to the 27-year-old Kryuchkov in the 'Freeze' module, is far too inferior.

ESPN livestream.

Park Ji-sung muttered: "Li Kang, his marking ability is very like mine when I was young! Back then I met Pirlo..."

Nakata Hidemasa furrowed his brows and immediately retorted:

"Back then you just clung to Pirlo like chewing gum—that was a swap tactic."

"Marking and tackling are like the difference between kabuki and female warriors! Your interception anticipation, compared to Li San, is far too inferior."