SWR: Chapter 1162/1164

Chapter 1162: Tonight the Bernabéu Belongs to You

Bayern had possession at the back, and Vidal passed the ball to Rafinha.

Lahm moved up to receive it and dribbled forward. Toni Kroos tracked back and defended well, forcing Lahm to protect the ball with his back to goal.

It went to Thomas Müller on the wing.

Real Madrid's defense stretched, and Götze dropped back.

…

Almost at the moment Götze retreated, Lahm suddenly accelerated forward, crossing paths with him.

Thomas Müller immediately understood the movement and quickly sent a diagonal pass behind him, straight to the baseline, aiming for Lahm.

Lahm burst forward, racing toward the byline.

At the crucial moment, Courtois decisively left his line, rushed out of the six-yard box, and got to the ball first, diving down to collect Müller's pass into his arms.

Lahm reacted swiftly, leaping to avoid colliding with the diving Courtois.

A wave of exclamations echoed throughout the Bernabéu Stadium.

This was the threat of Guardiola's tactical style.

Through continuous player movement, especially those confusing overlapping runs, the defensive shape gets pulled apart, creating danger in attack.

It was entirely predictable that if Lahm had reached the ball first and Courtois hadn't come out, he would have delivered a cross.

Mandzukic in the middle and Ribéry at the far post would have both posed a serious threat.

This kind of play is extremely difficult to defend.

…

Guardiola grabbed his head with both hands, looking at the pitch with a touch of frustration.

Courtois' timing was perfect.

If he had been a bit slower or more hesitant, Bayern would have created a major chance.

Opportunities like that rarely come by. Miss it once, and who knows when the next will appear.

That cross-movement between Götze and Lahm required great understanding and precise timing.

More than ten minutes had passed since kickoff, and this was the only time Bayern managed to execute it successfully.

"Courtois is tall, but his coverage area is huge," Torrent said, unable to hide his disappointment.

On that play, Real Madrid's defensive line was broken, but the goalkeeper made up for it.

This is the value of a goalkeeper.

Often, a defensive system and its goalkeeper complement each other.

"It's rare for someone nearly two meters tall to have such quick reactions and flexibility, and to get down so fast," Planchat added in admiration.

Bayern lacked a top-class goalkeeper at the moment.

Although they had already signed Ter Stegen, he wouldn't be available until next season.

"He made huge progress during his year at Leeds United. Gao Shen brought in an Italian goalkeeping coach specifically to improve his reactions on the ground and his defensive range. For a keeper of his height and ability, it's remarkable to be that quick and agile."

Guardiola paused, then said, "It's just his passing that's not good enough."

Planchat and Torrent exchanged bitter smiles.

A goalkeeper like Courtois would be perfect if he also had elite passing ability.

But perfection doesn't exist in this world.

Besides, Courtois' passing wasn't actually bad. Compared to many top keepers, his passing was quite solid. After all, at Manchester City, Leeds United, and Real Madrid, he was shaped under Gao Shen's tactical system, so his distribution had improved a lot.

What Guardiola meant by "not good enough" was in comparison to goalkeepers known for their exceptional passing.

As he spoke, Courtois was holding the ball in the box. Upfield, Ronaldo was positioned centrally, near Lahm and Schweinsteiger, constantly waving and shouting for his teammates to play the ball to him.

"Tonight, Ronaldo's position is much closer to the center. He's been staying near our two defensive midfielders," Planchat observed.

"Same for Benzema. It's uncomfortable," Torrent muttered.

No one would feel comfortable with two world-class attackers pressing them like daggers at their throats.

"4-4-2. When defending, Real Madrid uses this formation, with Toni Kroos staying close to the left," Guardiola said, frowning slightly, still trying to figure out Gao Shen's tactical setup tonight.

Di Maria dropping back to play as a right midfielder made sense.

That winger was incredibly versatile. His defensive support and late runs were major assets. Real Madrid had used that tactic many times in the past two seasons.

Sometimes Gao Shen would even swap Di Maria and Modric's positions, not to mention the frequent switches among the front three.

Even as an opponent, Guardiola had to admit that Gao Shen managed Real Madrid with great boldness and flair.

Of course, it helped that the team was versatile and well-balanced, allowing Gao Shen to experiment freely.

What if Bayern tried the same?

Their player profiles determined how complex their tactics could be. Right now, Guardiola was suffering from that limitation.

"There are also three midfielders who rotate forward often, so we need to stay alert," Guardiola reminded his staff.

…

On the pitch, Courtois quickly distributed the ball to Ramos, who launched a long pass forward.

It was clear Ronaldo had been calling for it, but when he jumped for the header, Vidal beat him to it and nodded the ball back.

The Portuguese forward could only look helpless.

However, Real Madrid recovered possession, and Toni Kroos picked up the ball.

The German midfielder chested it down, controlled it with his right foot, and steadied himself.

There were no Bayern players nearby. His former teammates were all retreating, reorganizing their defensive shape.

Toni Kroos immediately understood their intent, but at the same time, he remembered what head coach Gao Shen had told him earlier that morning.

"I think you haven't been brave enough, Toni. You're holding yourself back."

"Being rational and calm is important, but that leaves no room for surprises or change on the pitch."

"Sometimes, you have to quiet your mind and listen to your inner voice."

"Especially when you're orchestrating an attack."

Gao Shen had been encouraging him to open up, to release his passion, and show his talent. But that wasn't Kroos' usual style.

He had never played football that way since childhood.

His parents, teachers, and coaches all told him football was a team game, and that he should always prioritize the collective, restraining personal impulses.

But the person encouraging him now was Gao Shen.

It had been almost two seasons since Toni Kroos joined Real Madrid. Under Gao Shen, he had become one of the world's top midfielders, but people still criticized him for being too steady, too predictable.

He wasn't as strong defensively as Xabi Alonso, nor as mobile as Modric.

He was like a wall, always passing, passing, and passing again.

Every pass was smooth and accurate, but never surprising.

At some point, Gao Shen began advising him not to be so rigid, not to fear mistakes. He even told him that to reach the next level, he had to play more freely.

But he had never truly managed to do it.

Now, against his old club—the team he once thought he'd play for his whole life but never truly fit in—an unfamiliar desire began to burn inside him.

"I have a feeling, Toni. Tonight, the Bernabéu will belong to you!"

Those were Gao Shen's words when he hugged Kroos in the locker room before the match.

The coach always gave encouraging hugs before games, but tonight's words were different.

Kroos believed them.

Now, standing at the Bernabéu, as he took down Vidal's header with no opponent around him, he found a brief moment to think.

Memories of the conversation, the years at Bayern, and everything that led him here flashed through his mind.

He felt an urge he had never felt before.

Something rare.

He was impulsive.

Normally, in such situations, he would suppress that impulse to stay calm and rational.

But tonight, he listened to his heart.

…

Marcelo surged forward.

Toni Kroos didn't even have to look. Out of the corner of his eye, he sensed the Brazilian's movement.

Almost instinctively, he played a forward pass into Marcelo's path, allowing him to catch up and reach it in stride. It was a setup to give Marcelo space to run.

After releasing the ball, Kroos immediately sprinted forward himself.

That movement stretched Bayern's defenders and increased the pressure.

Sure enough, as Kroos made his direct run through the left channel, Bayern's defense shifted focus.

From a bird's-eye view, Xabi Alonso's position remained deep. Since Kroos pushed forward, Modric, who had initially planned to advance, stopped and instead drifted back toward Xabi Alonso.

It was the perfect display of Real Madrid's midfield understanding.

Kroos didn't need to look. He trusted his teammates completely.

Just as he would retreat if Modric or Xabi Alonso pushed up.

At this moment, Real Madrid had transitioned from defense to attack. Di Maria on the right immediately advanced, switching decisively into attack mode. That was another product of long-term chemistry.

Marcelo caught up with the ball and sent a diagonal pass toward Kroos.

Under pressure from Schweinsteiger, Kroos stopped it with his back to goal, shielding the ball and turning toward the middle. This instantly drew the attention of Schweinsteiger and Lahm.

But suddenly, instead of turning inside, Kroos flicked the ball to the outside and spun away. The quick change startled Rafinha, who had been marking Marcelo, and Thomas Müller, who was tracking back.

In an instant, three Bayern defenders formed a triangle on the left edge of the box.

Just as they were about to close him down, Kroos made a swift, subtle movement with the outside of his right foot, poking the ball toward the byline.

On the flank, Marcelo was sprinting at full speed, racing past Rafinha to chase down Kroos' pass.

Bayern's defense was broken.

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1163: Completely Enlightened

When Marcelo burst onto the left side of Bayern's penalty area and reached Toni Kroos's pass, all of Bayern's defenders crowded the central and near-post zones inside the box.

Ronaldo and Benzema were both there, ready to meet Marcelo's cross at any moment.

As Marcelo caught up with the ball and saw Rafinha turn to chase, he made a quick decision and crossed immediately with his left foot.

The ball flew over the heads in the penalty area. Ronaldo, Benzema, Vidal, Dante, and the others all leapt to challenge for the header, only to find the ball was too high.

What was that?

Was the cross overhit?

Just as that thought flashed through everyone's mind, the ball dropped toward the right side of the box.

A white shirt sprinted onto it, and as Marcelo's cross came down, he killed it with a first touch.

The control was perfect. Marcelo's cross had already begun to drop, and the touch was so clean it seemed to glue the ball to his foot.

Di Maria paused on his left foot, made a slight adjustment, then whipped his left foot through the ball.

It was a powerful shot, arrowing toward the left side of Bayern's goal.

Tom Starke moved across, trying to get his hands to it, but there was nothing he could do.

The ball flew straight into Bayern Munich's net.

"Goallllllllllllllllll!!!!!"

"Di Maria scores!"

"Real Madrid take the lead in the 19th minute!"

"An attack from the left, Di Maria's late run to the back post, a cushioned control on the chest and a fierce left-foot strike breaks the deadlock. It's 1-0!"

Di Maria sprinted to the touchline, formed a heart with his hands, and roared with excitement.

The entire Bernabéu erupted, Real Madrid fans chanting Di Maria's name.

…

Gao Shen stood in front of the home dugout. When he saw Di Maria score, he punched the air with his right fist, then clapped hard, celebrating the goal.

"Marcelo's cross was beautiful," Hierro said with a smile.

"The key was Toni Kroos's forward run," Zidane added, glancing at Gao Shen with admiration. "Looks like your pre-match talk worked."

Gao Shen smiled and nodded.

He spoke with Toni Kroos often and knew Kroos had complicated feelings toward Bayern.

How to put it?

Toni Kroos was from East Germany and grew up there. Although East and West Germany had long been reunified, there was still a gap, more or less, between people from the East and the West, especially in places like Munich.

So at Bayern, Toni Kroos always felt somewhat isolated.

He wanted to integrate, but never quite managed it, and Bayern never seemed to treat him like a fully recognized member of the team.

For example, Kroos once said that after the World Cup in South Africa, he signed a contract extension with Bayern, but regretted it after just ten minutes.

Because he felt some of Rummenigge's words were insulting, as if the contract was a gift from Bayern rather than something he had earned.

Maybe Rummenigge only meant to show a bit of humor and to pua this gifted young man, but he did not expect Toni Kroos to take it so seriously.

Of course, it is also possible that Toni Kroos was not wrong at all. Who knows?

But when facing Bayern, Toni Kroos really was fired up.

"This kid is incredibly well-rounded. He's strong in every aspect, especially the way he controls the ball. That feint was brilliant. And his ball protection. He has excellent physical strength and strong ball retention. He may look a bit clumsy, but it is hard to take the ball off him," Zidane analyzed.

Modric's greatest strength is losing his marker. His first touch and escape often change the tempo.

Toni Kroos does not excel at getting away from pressure, but he almost never loses the ball because he protects it so well.

Just like the attack just now, whether playing in Marcelo or driving forward, many midfielders could do that, including Pogba and Verratti.

But Toni Kroos shaped the first touch to draw in Schweinsteiger, then suddenly turned left, protected the ball between three defenders, and released Marcelo for the cross.

The whole sequence was the best display of Toni Kroos's qualities.

"This kid always holds back when he plays, which I really don't like. We should let him off the leash. We need more moves like that one just now, then our midfield level will go up another notch," Gao Shen said with anticipation.

Carlo laughed. "You're asking a lot of him. He's only 24."

Gao Shen and Zidane looked at each other and laughed.

Isn't that true?

Sometimes, watching Toni Kroos, not just the media and fans, even experts can misjudge him and think he is very mature, because that is how he plays.

But in reality, he is still very young.

For a playmaker, 24 is just the threshold of his prime, far from the true golden years. Toni Kroos still has plenty of potential to unlock.

What about Modric?

He is nearly 29 and already as mature as they come.

"From the way things look now, over the next few years, as long as our players stay disciplined, it will be hard for any team to match us in midfield," Zidane said happily.

Especially after seeing Gao Shen open this door for Toni Kroos tonight, the German midfielder would soon step out of his constraints and into a new realm.

That is what people call complete enlightenment.

…

After Real Madrid broke the deadlock, the flow of the match shifted quietly.

Especially for Bayern Munich. They had wanted an early goal, but not only did they fail to score, Real Madrid struck first. That was a heavy blow.

Even so, their approach did not change.

For Bayern away from home, a 1-1 result is usually very good. Back at the Allianz Arena, they could play with more composure.

So Bayern stuck with their initial plan and kept attacking Real Madrid.

Even with the lead, Real Madrid stayed steady, continuing with their opening tactics and counterattacking Bayern whenever the chance appeared.

Toni Kroos, Xabi Alonso, and Modric also took turns pushing forward, harrying and squeezing Bayern's midfield.

This allowed Bayern to have nearly 80 percent possession, which was very high.

But possession is only one side of the story. The danger created did not match their share of the ball. The truly threatening attacks all came from Real Madrid. Bayern mostly kept the ball, recycled it, and recycled it again, but could not create real danger.

Their tempo did not vary much, and they struggled to penetrate Real Madrid's defense effectively.

In the 27th minute, Real Madrid launched another quick counter from the left.

Toni Kroos, Marcelo, and Ronaldo tried to combine behind Bayern's back line, but when it did not break, they recycled to Toni Kroos outside the box.

At that moment, Bayern's defensive shape had tilted toward Real Madrid's left, leaving the right side completely open.

When Toni Kroos received Ronaldo's return, he stood side-on with his back toward the left touchline, took the touch, then switched play with a direct diagonal.

The ball flew across the pitch and dropped perfectly on Real Madrid's right.

Carvajal advanced, took Kroos's pass cleanly, and dribbled toward the right corner of the penalty area.

Di Maria curved his run from the right side of the penalty spot, pulled out of the box, and pointed ahead, signaling for Carvajal to play it into his path.

Di Maria is left-footed. Once he gets the ball and turns, he is a danger.

Especially with that left-foot strike.

At the start of the season, Gao Shen bet that Di Maria would hit 20 goals and 20 assists, which caused quite a stir.

But as the season went on, the Argentine winger showed stunning form. He not only surpassed 20 assists, becoming the assist king among Europe's top four leagues, he also raised his goal tally. His form was off the charts.

In this situation, how could Bayern possibly allow Di Maria to receive the ball on the edge of the area?

Dante tracked Di Maria out, but beside him Benzema made the opposite movement, darting diagonally into the box.

Almost simultaneously, Carvajal struck the ball with his right foot.

David Alaba rushed across, but before he could get there, Carvajal's clipped pass dropped toward the right side of the penalty spot.

Benzema arrived, cushioned it on his chest, and moved forward. Before the ball hit the turf, he swung his right foot through it on the volley.

Vidal was pinned behind Benzema, and Tom Starke came off his line, but Benzema's strike was quicker, flashing past Starke and into the right side of the goal.

"Goalllllllllllllllll!!!!!!!"

"2-0!!!"

"Real Madrid score again!"

"Benzema with the goal!"

"What a surprise. Real Madrid switched it long in an instant. Carvajal's delivery from the right, and the crossover movements from Di Maria and Benzema disrupted Bayern's defense."

"It was just like the cross-run between Lahm and Götze earlier, but Real Madrid's combination was even more dangerous this time."

"2-0!"

"In under ten minutes, Real Madrid are two goals up, both from counterattacks."

The Bernabéu was a sea of noise, Real Madrid fans in full voice.

Benzema and his teammates sprinted to the touchline to celebrate, while Bayern's players looked dejected and frustrated.

They had all the possession, yet struggled to create real danger.

It looked very similar to Barcelona in recent years.

Could it be that Guardiola's football is really out of date?

(To be continued.)

Chapter 1164: The Only Thing That Can Defeat Them Is Time

"Pepe's long pass went to the right side of the front line and found Di Maria."

"But Bayern's defensive recovery was very quick, and we see Alaba is already there."

"Di Maria could not turn, so he took it down, cut inside, and passed to Modric."

"The Croatian midfielder continued to carry it across and played it to Toni Kroos."

"Toni Kroos drives forward."

"Real Madrid's front three are all pushing up."

"Toni Kroos plays a diagonal to the left, again targeting Rafinha's side."

"The Brazilian right-back's forward runs have been dangerous, but he has not been active enough on the recovery, forcing Lahm to cover that flank. Even so, Real Madrid keep exploiting the gaps on the right and attacking there."

"This is an old problem for Bayern."

"Watch this Real Madrid attack."

"When did Benzema and Ronaldo swap positions?"

"We can see Benzema is now on the left. Without taking a touch, he back-heels and plays a diagonal toward the penalty spot."

"Neither Ronaldo nor Dante can cut it out…"

"A direct finish!"

"The ball is in!"

"Real Madrid score again!"

"3-0!"

"Oh my God, a goal in the 40th minute of the first half."

"It was a quick Real Madrid counter. They moved at pace. When the attack down the right did not open up, they immediately switched to the left."

"Toni Kroos's diagonal behind the line was beautiful. Benzema then squared it diagonally into the middle, letting Ronaldo arrive and hit it first time. So crisp and clean."

"This is Real Madrid."

"Continuous passing and movement, very fast and very sharp."

"Dante and Vidal were clearly caught off guard and did not track Ronaldo in time."

"The Portuguese forward's burst was too quick. With that sudden surge, Bayern's two center-backs were left behind."

"Real Madrid's front three keep rotating positions, it is really hard to pick up."

"From the slow-motion replay, even if Ronaldo had not reached it, Di Maria was still arriving at the far post."

"This is a hallmark of Real Madrid's attack, commonly known as double insurance."

…

The entire Bernabéu was in a frenzy.

Countless Real Madrid fans were cheering and shouting at the top of their lungs.

Everyone was chanting Ronaldo's name and celebrating Real Madrid's brilliant display.

3-0.

There was basically no suspense left in the match.

No one expected Real Madrid to put three past Bayern in the first half. This was beyond all expectations. Even the most die-hard Real Madrid fans would not have imagined it.

But that is football.

It always keeps you guessing.

In truth, the game was effectively over at this point.

For the rest of the time, the only questions were whether Bayern could score one back, or whether Real Madrid would add more.

As for who would win or lose, there was nothing left to say.

Given Guardiola's meticulous coaching style and personality, a miraculous comeback was essentially impossible.

So the fans at the Bernabéu were ecstatic.

It felt as if the final was beckoning and they already held tickets to Lisbon.

…

"Did you see that? We let Xavi slip away from Bayern!"

Guardiola turned, staring darkly toward the Bernabéu's live broadcast camera.

Perhaps because they lacked belief in getting a result tonight, Bayern's top brass did not travel with the team. Even so, Guardiola was sure they were watching the broadcast.

That was what he wanted to tell them.

Although Toni Kroos was not sold while he was in charge, he still felt deep regret.

Many people saw the goals from Di Maria, Benzema, and Ronaldo in this first half, and the quality from Marcelo and Carvajal. Guardiola saw Toni Kroos breaking out.

All three goals essentially stemmed from Toni Kroos's orchestration.

That was no coincidence.

Over the past two years he had kept improving under Gao Shen, but most of that had been incremental.

When enough incremental gains add up, they become a qualitative change.

Like tonight. Toni Kroos looked completely different, more aggressive and more varied.

The first goal showed it, and the long pass after that was deadly. The most recent diagonal came at the exact moment Rafinha could not recover.

If it had been slower, Rafinha would have gotten back. If it had been earlier, Benzema might not have been able to make that diagonal ball across.

The timing was perfect, and it made Benzema's touch and pass so easy.

That is the quality of a top-class passer and organizer in midfield.

This is also the midfielder Guardiola had dreamed of since taking over Bayern.

But before that could happen, Bayern had let him go.

"Do you think they will regret it?" Guardiola asked, almost poetically.

Torrent and Planchat looked awkward.

How do you answer that?

Maybe they would, maybe they would not. Who could say?

For club executives, players are like goods on a shelf, constantly moving in and out.

Even if you occasionally feel you overpaid for one, or sold another too cheaply, does that count as regret?

If it does, it is fleeting, perhaps just a moment.

"In the next few years, no team in Europe will be able to stop Real Madrid," Guardiola said with certainty.

His assistants were stunned.

"Toni Kroos is transforming and will only get stronger. Add Modric, and Xabi Alonso still has at least two glorious years in him. Gao Shen has already brought in Casemiro and Illarramendi at the right time."

"Casemiro defends well, very strong, and passes well. He adds steel to Real Madrid. Illarramendi is very similar to Xabi Alonso. If he plays two or three more years, he can take over from Xabi Alonso."

"There are also Pogba and Verratti. They are the two strongest of the new generation of midfielders."

Guardiola shook his head and sighed. "Five years. At least five years. No one will stop Real Madrid."

After a pause, he added helplessly,

"This might be the most powerful team in football history. The only thing that can defeat them is time."

Torrent and Planchat were both shocked.

Guardiola's evaluation of this Real Madrid side was extraordinarily high.

…

No one knew what Guardiola said to his assistants.

Real Madrid went into halftime 3-0 up.

After the break, Guardiola still made no changes, continuing to rely on passing and possession to attack. Gao Shen's team, after scoring three, still played steadily.

Bayern learned from the first half and strengthened the right side of their defense, particularly with Lahm frequently tucking in to support the flank.

By the 60th minute, seeing that the right side was still under threat time and again, Guardiola finally replaced Rafinha with Khedira and moved Lahm back to right-back.

That stabilized Bayern's overall shape.

However, while the midfield trio of Khedira, Schweinsteiger, and Götze defended well, their passing and control dropped significantly, and errors began to creep in. As a result, Bayern's share of possession in the second half, especially after the changes on 60 minutes, fell rapidly.

From the previous 75 percent, it dropped to just over 60 percent after the hour.

Gao Shen quickly made a change too, replacing Ronaldo with Isco.

The Portuguese forward had been very active and was buzzing after his goal, but Gao Shen needed to save some of his energy. There was a league match at the weekend, and the trip to the Allianz Arena next Wednesday.

As the team's top scorer and most important attacker at the moment, Ronaldo's threat level remained immense.

More importantly, after bringing on Isco, Real Madrid's approach shifted.

Isco and Di Maria tucked closer to midfield, increasing Real Madrid's control in the center.

Soon after, Gao Shen made his second substitution, taking off the outstanding Toni Kroos for Pogba.

As he walked off, the Bernabéu rose to applaud the German midfielder.

Clearly, everyone recognized Toni Kroos's performance and the role he played, especially his organization in midfield.

On the touchline, Gao Shen opened his arms and hugged him warmly.

"Well done. This might be your best match since joining," Gao Shen praised.

Toni Kroos kept his calm expression, neither elated by praise nor bothered by criticism. He nodded to Gao Shen, then stepped in to hug him. "Thank you, Boss."

That was his best way to show emotion.

Of course, if he were extremely excited, he might be a little more unrestrained.

Gao Shen made a third change in the 81st minute, replacing Benzema with Jesé.

From there, Real Madrid leaned into a false-nine setup, relying on midfield control to probe Bayern.

Interestingly, from Isco to Pogba to Jesé, Real Madrid's possession steadily increased. In the final 15 minutes, they had as much as 64 percent to Bayern's 36.

Real Madrid had six attempts, Bayern had four.

This also confirmed Gao Shen's earlier conviction.

If Real Madrid really chose to contest possession, they might not lose to Bayern. But that style brings little benefit to Real Madrid.

If you clearly have a pistol, why fight your opponent with a bayonet?

Sophisticated, but not foolish.

When the final whistle blew, this world-renowned clash came to an end.

Real Madrid beat Bayern Munich 3-0 at home, thanks to goals from their front three.

This win all but announced that Real Madrid had one foot in the Champions League final.

More importantly, the whole world once again saw that Real Madrid are the strongest and most dominant team in football today.

No doubt about it.

This match was destined to cause a huge reaction around the world.

(To be continued.)