SWR:Chapter 773/775
Added 2025-06-01 12:32:50 +0000 UTCChapter 773: No Enemies, No Gathering
"UEFA Coach of the Year for the 2010â2011 season, Gao Shen!"
When Platini stood on stage and loudly announced Gao Shen's name, the entire Grimaldi Forum suddenly erupted in thunderous applause. Many attendees even stood up and clapped enthusiastically.
Among them were the Manchester City players seated nearby.
Even though he had already known the result and was mentally prepared, Gao Shen was still quite emotional in that moment.
As he stood up, he immediately turned and embraced Su Qing beside him. Then, he waved to the Manchester City players in the distance, bowed deeply to the audience, and quickly made his way to the stage.
"Congratulations, Gao!" Platini handed him the trophy with both hands.
"Thank you." Gao Shen accepted it and hugged Platini politely.
Standing before the microphone on the podium, the usually eloquent Gao Shen suddenly found himself at a loss for words.
"I need a moment to compose myself," he admitted.
Another round of enthusiastic applause followed.
"This is the first major professional award of my coaching career. I'm very grateful to UEFA and to Michel!"
Gao Shen had met Platini several times before and often called him Michel in private.
"We've achieved some incredible results over the past two years, like the club's first-ever Premier League title, our unbeaten run last season, and the Treble. But these achievements belong to the players and the staff. Without them, none of this would've been possible."
As soon as he finished, the audience broke into warm applause again.
"The Champions League is an extremely difficult competition. Winning the title is challenging for any team. I'm very happy that we spent two years working tirelessly to accomplish this goal."
"I want to thank all the players who currently play or have played for Manchester City, especially our current first-team squad. They're all top professionals, incredibly dedicated, and I'm proud of them."
"I also want to thank my staff, including Fernando Lucas, Rodolfo Borrell, and Sarri, who have since left, as well as all my assistants. Only with their support have I been able to manage the team effectively."
"I want to thank the club owner Sheikh Mansour, chairman Khaldoon Al Mubarak, the CEO, the rest of the management, staff, and employees. The team's success comes from the silent, collective efforts of everyone behind the scenes."
"I know many people say we're a team built with money, but I want to take this opportunity to tell everyone: Manchester City's success isn't just about money."
"I hope in the coming season, we can prove that with even greater and more brilliant achievements!"
Finally, as Gao Shen bowed deeply, the audience erupted again in thunderous applause and cheers.
Three Champions League titles!
Gao Shen was unquestionably deserving of the honor.
More importantly, no one doubted that he and his Manchester City side were capable of continuing their dominance.
Gao Shen claimed the Coach of the Year award, but in the Player of the Year voting, SuĂĄrez unfortunately lost to Messi.
This was actually within expectations.
Superstars like Messi and Ronaldo are always the focus of the major teams and media.
While Manchester City performed excellently on the pitch, in terms of producing global stars, they still lagged behind traditional powerhouses.
One could even argue that with Manchester City's performance last season, had they been with Real Madrid or Barcelona, they would have taken the top three places in the Player of the Year voting. They certainly wouldn't have missed out entirely.
But this is the reality.
In this regard, Manchester City is indeed not on par with the traditional giants.
Of course, Messi's numbers were beyond dispute. Fifty-three goals and twenty-four assists in one seasonâan outstanding record on its own.
SuĂĄrez beat Ronaldo to finish second in the final round of voting.
That was at least some consolation.
After the awards ceremony, the draw began.
Before the draw started, Kompany, captain of the reigning champions Manchester City, walked on stage holding the Big Ears trophy.
This is a fixed segment of the ceremony every year.
Then, before the draw officially began, UEFA displayed the current European points and rankings of the 32 Champions League group stage participants on the big screen.
An incident had occurred prior to this season's Champions League group stage.
In July, thirty individuals in Turkey were accused of match-fixing across the top two divisions last season. Among them was Fenerbahçe chairman Aziz Yıldırım.
Fenerbahçe were last season's league champions, but the Turkish FA stripped them of their Champions League qualification, awarding the spot to runners-up Trabzonspor.
This caused some controversy, and Fenerbahçe filed a complaint against the Turkish FA with UEFA.
But the matter was quickly settled, and Trabzonspor officially replaced them in the competition.
However, the Turkish teams were not the main focus.
What really drew attention was the team ranked lowest in the second pot: Real Madrid from La Liga. That was a real shock.
After all, Real Madrid boasts one of the most luxurious squads in world football.
But that wasn't even the most shocking part.
The third pot included the reigning Champions League winners, Manchester City.
The fourth pot had the Bundesliga champions, Dortmund.
That was outrageous.
Many people speculated that, given the current structure, Manchester City and Dortmund were both bound to land in a group of death. The only suspense was whether they'd end up in the same group.
And honestly, the probability was quite high.
Among the eight groups, Bayern and Leverkusen were already assigned to Pot 1 and Pot 3 respectively. That meant if Manchester City didn't land in Bayern's group, they had a high chance of ending up in Dortmund's group.
Because many overlooked how same-nation avoidance affected the draw.
In other words, once you were in Pot 3 or Pot 4, you were at a big disadvantage in the draw.
The guest for the Pot 1 draw was Figo. He had the easiest job, simply placing the eight seeded teams into eight groups.
For Pot 2, it was Bobby Charlton. Again, not much pressure.
But when it came to Pot 3, things got tense.
Zenit, Ajax, Leverkusen, Lilleânone of these teams were pushovers.
But the one team everyone wanted to avoid most was Manchester City.
And among the eight groups already drawn, apart from Porto, the rest were filled with giants from the top four leagues.
The group Gao Shen least wanted was the one with Barcelona and Napoli.
That would be a nightmare.
"If we actually get drawn into Group H with Dortmund, holy hell, that'd be insane!" Gao Shen leaned toward Su Qing and whispered with a chuckle.
That would be absolutely brutal.
To have all four teams be reigning league champions? That's a death sentence.
"No way, really?" Su Qing frowned.
"Look at Pot 3. Lille can't be drawn against Lyon or Marseille. We can't be drawn against United, Chelsea, or Liverpool. That doesn't leave us with many options."
Su Qing, a top student, understood instantly after Gao Shen pointed it out.
"If we really draw Barcelona and NapoliâŠ" Su Qing smiled bitterly.
Gao Shen gave a wry smile. If it really came to that, there'd be nothing he could do.
Fortunately, his luck was better this time.
The first team from Pot 3 drawn by Gullit was BATE Borisov from Belarus. They landed in the group with Barcelona and Napoli.
But as Gullit continued drawing teams, Gao Shen's expression grew more serious.
He realized Manchester City's options were rapidly disappearing.
Bayern and Villarreal? Or Porto and Real Madrid?
"No way we're facing Real Madrid in the group stage two seasons in a row, right?" Gao Shen muttered.
The remaining two groups both had Premier League teams and thus couldn't include Manchester City.
Gullit soon pulled out Manchester City's ball and placed them in Group D.
With Porto and Real Madrid!
Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh bitterly. He turned and saw Valdano a few rows back, whose face had also darkened.
Enemies always cross paths.
It was worth noting that Porto would also be Manchester City's opponent in the upcoming UEFA Super Cup.
Last season, Villas-Boas led Porto to win both the Europa League and the Portuguese league.
Well, now they'd be facing each other again in the group stage. What a coincidence.
Real Madrid, however, was the bigger concern.
"This is trouble," Gao Shen muttered with a bitter smile and shook his head.
The remaining teams in Pot 4 were all from weaker footballing nations, but since Bayern and Leverkusen were already in separate groups, Dortmund had a one-in-six chance of being drawn into Manchester City's group.
Not high, but definitely not low.
The guest draw for Pot 4 was German legend Lothar MatthÀus. His first draw was for Dortmund.
The audience collectively held their breath.
He went straight for the highlight. The tension was real.
After removing the groups containing Bayern and Leverkusen, MatthÀus stirred the six remaining balls in the jar.
He showed his palm to the audience, reached in, and quickly pulled one out.
When it was opened, the letter on the note made everyone gasp.
D!
Gao Shen bitterly smiled and covered his mouth with his hand, completely speechless.
He even started to suspect this whole draw was rigged by UEFA.
How else do you explain Manchester City getting drawn into Real Madrid's group two years in a row?
And both times ending up in groups of death?
Even if you get lucky with one of the Pot 4 teams, fine.
But no, this time it's Klopp's Dortmund. A nightmare matchup.
Everyone knows how tough it is to play against Dortmund.
"I'm starting to think this draw was fixed," Su Qing said to Gao Shen with a bitter smile.
Gao Shen nodded repeatedly. Wasn't he thinking the same thing?
Porto, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Borussia Dortmund.
Champions of the Portuguese league, Premier League, and Bundesliga, plus La Liga's runner-up.
And more importantly, all four teams had won the Champions League.
Who would believe there was no foul play involved?
Honestly, a little corruption would be easier to swallow.
Otherwise, Gao Shen really couldn't accept how bad his luck had become.
This was a damn setup!
(To be continued.)
Chapter 774: Barcelona, You Need to Fix This Problem
"This is a fantastic group!"
After the draw ceremony, Gao Shen was interviewed by reporters on site. He expressed high praise for the group with calm confidence.
"We're in a group with four very strong teams, champions of the Portuguese league, Premier League, and Bundesliga, not to mention Real Madrid, the most successful club in Champions League history. All four teams have won the Champions League."
When he said this, Gao Shen smiled confidently. "Yes, the competition will be very intense. I truly believe all four teams have the ability to advance, but the harsh reality is, only two teams can qualify."
"Manchester City will be one of them, no doubt!"
What made things even more interesting was that, based on the fixture schedule UEFA had arranged in advance, in the first round of Group D's group stage matches, the Pot 1 team would play away against the Pot 4 team. That meant Porto would visit Dortmund.
The Pot 3 team would host the Pot 2 team at home. In other words, Manchester City would host Real Madrid.
It was practically a repeat of last season's Champions League group stageâalmost exactly the same.
In a later interview, Valdano also expressed helplessness over the draw.
"Facing such a strong opponent in the group stage for two consecutive seasons is really tough."
If there were still people last season who believed Manchester City was all hype and looked strong on paper but weak in reality, that illusion no longer existed.
Although Manchester City didn't bring in new signings during the summer, they extended contracts with several core players. This ensured that their overall strength had not declined. As the players gained more experience, the team would undoubtedly be even stronger than last season.
That alone made them a nightmare opponent for every team in the Champions League.
And the first to face this challenge would be Mourinho's Real Madrid.
Following the draw, another segment took place. UEFA's Referees Committee chairman, the renowned bald Italian referee Pierluigi Collina, made an important announcement.
Starting this season, players who crowd the referee would face heavy penalties, potentially even red cards and immediate dismissals.
This clearly demonstrated UEFA's determination to uphold referee authority.
The team most affected by this policy, of course, was Guardiola's Barcelona.
Everyone knew they were the team most prone to surrounding the referee.
But starting now, that bad habit would have to stop.
Gao Shen also took time to meet with his old friend Collina.
Back when he coached Napoli in Italy, he had interacted with Collina frequently. At that time, Collina had even subtly "helped" Napoli. Now, Gao Shen asked him about whether UEFA's new regulations would also lead to adjustments in officiating standards.
After all, Manchester City played in the Premier League, where the refereeing style was notably different from that of the Champions League.
Changing this wouldn't be easy, because the Premier League involves far more physical contact.
"There will be adjustments, no doubt. Eduardo da Silva's broken leg shocked the world. Ever since, we've been studying how to reduce that risk. Whether intentional or not, we don't want to see such serious injuries on the pitch."
Gao Shen fully agreed with Collina's view.
Injuries like that are highly damaging to the development and image of professional football.
"Still, we have to be careful not to overdo it," Gao Shen joked.
Collina understood what he meant.
If things swung too far in the other direction, Premier League teams would suffer.
"Don't worry, we will stay neutral," Collina replied with a smile.
Gao Shen got the message and thanked him with a grin. "If you ever come to Manchester, I'll treat you to Chinese food."
"Absolutely," Collina replied without hesitation.
That wasn't against the rules.
Su Qing hadn't fully followed the technical discussion between Gao Shen and Collina.
So Gao Shen explained it to her in detail. He even pointed out that if a referee really wanted to manipulate a match, the disadvantaged side wouldn't even be able to tell in a high-level competition like the Champions League.
Sound absurd?
Football is full of physical contact. A referee who wants to intervene doesn't need blatant misjudgments. Just subtle decisions are enough to affect the rhythm.
Blow the whistle during a promising attack. Stop play just as a counterattack starts. Call a foul at a critical moment.
It would make your attacking play disjointed and completely ruin your rhythm.
"Maybe we don't need favoritism from referees, but it's still very important to build good relationships and treat them well," Gao Shen reminded Su Qing.
Being kind doesn't mean you'll be taken advantage of, right?
Su Qing, with her background in public affairs, immediately understood Gao Shen's point.
"I get it. I'll make improvements in that area. We'll redesign the referee's lounge at Elland Road, and also upgrade the matchday hospitality."
Gao Shen smiled and gave her a thumbs-up.
Talking to smart people really does make life easier.
In fact, Fernando Lucas already understood this and was acting on it.
Thanks to Lucas's strong relationships with mainstream media outlets in continental Europe, Leeds United now had a great media reputation. Otherwise, any news from Leeds would've triggered a media storm.
Running a football club, especially one with big ambitions, isn't easy.
August 26, evening. Stade Louis II, Monaco.
European Super Cup: Manchester City vs Porto.
Unlike most venues, the player tunnel at Stade Louis II exits from a corner. The organizers lined the exit with flag bearers holding the team banners and laid a red carpet on the grass.
The two captains, Kompany and Helton, carried the Champions League and Europa League trophies, respectively, leading their teams out onto the pitch.
There were only 18,000 spectators, mainly because of the stadium's limited capacity.
The crowd was small but the stands were packed and the atmosphere electric.
After Villas-Boas left for Chelsea, Porto promoted his assistant coach VĂtor Pereira to head coach. The team still maintained the tactical system from the Villas-Boas era.
Porto starting XI:
Goalkeeper: Helton.
Defenders: Fucile, Otamendi, Rolando, Sapunaru.
Midfielders: Belluschi, Souza, GuarĂn.
Forwards: Cristian RodrĂguez, KlĂ©ber, Hulk.
Among this lineup, Gao Shen was most familiar with Otamendi and GuarĂn, not to mention Hulk, who had become quite familiar over the years. Hulk now played as a right winger.
This posed a major test for Manchester City's left side.
Given Hulk's strength and speed, Gao Shen didn't start Leighton Baines. He gave the start to Felipe.
Also on Porto's bench were Fernando, who would later join Manchester City, and Belgian midfielder Steven Defour.
Defour had just joined from Standard LiĂšge for âŹ5 million, down from a valuation of âŹ11 million.
Back then, Defour, Witsel, and Fellaini formed a dominant Belgian midfield trio for Standard LiĂšge, winning the league and rising to prominence overnight.
But having just arrived, Defour had yet to earn VĂtor Pereira's trust and remained on the bench.
Manchester City starting XI (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Neuer.
Defenders: Felipe, David Luiz, Kompany, Lichtsteiner.
Midfielders: David Silva, Javi MartĂnez, Rakitic.
Forwards: Gareth Bale, SuĂĄrez, Robben.
After missing the Community Shield and the first three rounds of the Premier League, Robben was cleared by the team doctors and traveled to Monaco. Gao Shen didn't hesitate to start him.
Players like Robben don't need warm-up time. Their presence alone creates danger for the opposition.
It was also worth noting that Porto's top scorer from last season, Falcao, had moved to Atlético Madrid.
Without the prolific Colombian striker, Manchester City's defense would be under less pressure.
Gao Shen didn't start the match with his usual aggressive pressing but opted for a more cautious approach.
Even though this was a clash between Champions League and Europa League winners, the strength gap wasn't always massive.
In fact, in many previous Super Cups, Europa League champions had pulled off upsets.
Though Porto had lost Falcao, this was Manchester City and Gao Shen's first appearance in a European Super Cup. Caution was wise.
Porto, continuing with the aggressive tactics of the Villas-Boas era, took the initiative from kickoff, pressing hard, trying to seize control and gain the upper hand early.
But the absence of Falcao left a gaping hole. Most of Porto's attacks came from the wings, with little support through the middle.
They tried to build through the center early on but failed.
Javi MartĂnez held firm just in front of the penalty area, making it extremely difficult for Porto to create opportunities.
They then shifted their attack to the flanks, taking a few narrow-angle shots, but none posed a real threat.
Especially in the eighth minute, Hulk muscled past Felipe on the rightâCity's leftâreceiving the ball, turning, and shaking off the defender. He then cut into the box, slipped past David Luiz, and attempted a lob.
But David Luiz had read it well and positioned himself just right, causing Hulk's shot to miss wide.
After two fruitless attacks, Porto's momentum faded slightly. Manchester City took the opportunity to settle down, control the midfield, and slowly shift the tempo in their favor.
The balance of the match began to tip.
Manchester City soon created their first real opportunity. After intercepting the ball in midfield, Rakitic chipped it over the top into the penalty area.
SuĂĄrez timed his run perfectly, shaking off his marker and darting forward.
(To be continued.)
Chapter 775: Winning with the Right and the Unexpected
"Manchester City plays a lobbed ball over the top... SuĂĄrez beats the offside trap!"
"Porto's in danger!"
"Helton comes off his line!"
As more than 18,000 fans at the Stade Louis II cried out in excitement, Porto goalkeeper Helton, charging out of his goal, leapt to snatch the ball out of the air just ahead of SuĂĄrez. When he landed, the ball was already close to the edge of the penalty area.
It was a tense moment.
SuĂĄrez shook his head helplessly and smiled bitterly, then gave Rakitic a thumbs-up from a distance.
He had tried to reach the ball as quickly as possible, but it was still just a second too late.
The problem was that it was hard to deal with.
Helton could have used his hands after rushing out, but because Rakitic's pass was a lob, SuĂĄrez had to try to head it. He was a step slower than Helton. He also attempted to hook it with his foot but missed, which made it all the more awkward.
All in all, it was a great chance, but SuĂĄrez didn't finish it.
However, the attack served as a wake-up call for Porto.
Don't think just because you're gaining the upper hand early that you'll come away with the win.
This was Manchester City's debut in the European Super Cup, and they weren't about to take any risks.
Unlike Porto coach VĂtor Pereira, who stood anxiously on the sidelines shouting at Otamendi and Rolando, Gao Shen remained calm. He clapped loudly and praised his players.
"Pay attention. Keep playing like that. Take your time, no need to rush."
Gao Shen stayed patient.
Porto was anxious because they couldn't break down Manchester City in a conventional positional game. In fact, they were already at a disadvantage and had no choice but to press and take risks.
But if you can control your opponent and win by playing solid football, why take unnecessary risks?
Win by right tactics. Surprise with the unexpected.
That was exactly what he meant.
But as long as Manchester City saw an opening, they would strike without hesitation.
After working together for a long time, the players and head coach had developed a strong sense of understanding.
The players could easily read what the head coach wanted, adapting on the pitch, adjusting their own roles and the team's tactics even without direct instructions.
Just like today.
Facing Porto, Manchester City held the psychological advantage.
After SuĂĄrez's near-miss off the lobbed pass, Porto launched a counterattack and won a free-kick at the edge of the penalty area.
Javi MartĂnez committed the foul, giving Porto a set-piece opportunity in the attacking third. Hulk took the kick himself, but in an effort to avoid the jumping wall, the ball lacked enough dip and sailed high over the bar.
Porto continued attacking down the flanks, earning a few corners in succession.
Gao Shen didn't panic and remained as still as a mountain.
He had already realized that without Falcao in the center, Porto's most threatening weapon was gone. Even if their wing play looked active, it wouldn't produce much in the middle.
Hulk was active on the rightâManchester City's left. The Brazilian forward was physically dominant, fast, and agile on the ball. He posed a serious threat when cutting inside from the wing.
So Manchester City made a small adjustment to strengthen their coverage on his side.
In the 26th minute, Javi MartĂnez successfully cleared the ball in front of the penalty area.
The clearance landed at the feet of the retreating SuĂĄrez, who turned and played a pass out to the right.
Robben took off at full speed, carried the ball into the final third, suddenly cut inside and shook off Porto's left-back Fucile. Then, dribbling laterally, he evaded Otamendi's challenge.
After beating two defenders, he delivered a sharp diagonal pass with his left foot before Souza could step in to contain him.
The ball cut across the top of the penalty area, slicing through the defensive zones of Souza, Otamendi, and Rolando. Even Porto's right-back Sapunaru was caught off guard.
Gareth Bale darted in from the left like a lightning bolt, bursting through Porto's defense on the left side of the box. Without taking a touch to settle it, he struck the ball with his left foot.
Robben's diagonal pass was guided smoothly into the bottom left corner of Porto's goal.
Goalkeeper Helton was still covering the right side of the goal and couldn't get close.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Gareth Bale!!!"
"Manchester City take the lead, 1â0!"
"The goal came from the Welsh left winger, Gareth Bale!"
"And the assistâdelivered brilliantly by Dutch winger Robben!"
"What a link-up between two world-class wingers!"
"It was clever and unexpected teamwork!"
"Robben broke free at top speed down the right, beat two defenders cutting inside, and played a diagonal pass with his left foot that left Porto's defense reeling."
"This attack from Manchester City was simply beautiful!"
On the sidelines, Gao Shen raised both arms in celebration for Bale's goal and exhaled in relief.
That goal settled things.
But more importantly, it showcased the link-up between Robben and Gareth Bale.
Many fans still remember the core offensive pattern of Barcelona's Dream Team II under Rijkaard: Ronaldinho would cut inside from the left, drawing defenders toward him, before sending a diagonal pass with his right footâeither to Eto'o or the right winger, Giuly.
Every team knew it was coming, but almost no one could stop it.
Years later, in Real Madrid's midfield of ModriÄ, Kroos, and Casemiro, have you ever wondered why ModriÄ always played on the right and Kroos on the left?
The answer is the same.
A player's inverted foot gives him a better angle when cutting inside to face the goal, and makes defending more difficult.
Unless you double-mark him.
Just like Robben's cut-in just nowâhe was attacking from the right, facing centrally. His stronger left foot was on the inside, making it much harder to dispossess him. Once he used his left foot to control the ball, it became extremely difficult for defenders to challenge.
Similarly, Ronaldinho and Kroos both received the ball on the left and turned toward the center with their right foot.
In these scenarios, the defender is extremely passive in one-on-one duels.
And these players don't just shoot. They tend to pass, which makes them even harder to predict.
Gao Shen had been analyzing and refining this all summer, especially digging into Manchester City's existing squad.
For example, he had experimented with playing David Silva as a right winger or even a right-sided midfielder for the same tactical purpose.
But it wasn't quite time to fully commit to those changes yet. The team still needed more adjustment.
The combination of Robben and Bale, and even the possibility of Bale switching to the right in the future to take over Robben's role, were all areas Manchester City would continue to explore.
Because many of last season's attacking strategies had been studied and targeted by opponents, Manchester City had to keep evolving, digging deeper, and improving its strength.
That was the only way to survive in the fiercely competitive world of European football.
Rest on your laurels?
Don't even think about it!
The best example came just three minutes after Bale's goal.
After taking the lead, Gao Shen gave the signal, and Manchester City turned up the pressure in midfield and the attacking third, trying to push Porto back and land a second blow.
During one sequence near the penalty area, SuĂĄrez fed a pass to Bale.
The Welshman dribbled from the left corner of the penalty area, and as he prepared to shoot, he saw Helton covering the near post while Sapunaru blocked the far post. He had no angle left and still went for the shot, but Helton saved it.
That was proof enough.
As you study your opponent, your opponent is also studying you.
Bale's cutting runs and finishing from that side were known threats, and Porto had specifically prepared for it.
In that case, more variation was needed.
After that attacking sequence failed to produce a second goal, Gao Shen gestured for his players to ease the pressing a bit and allow Porto to come forward.
As expected, the Portuguese side was eager to level the score before halftime and launched another attack.
Manchester City held their shape and forced Porto to settle for long-range efforts.
The most dangerous was a long-range strike from GuarĂn that forced Neuer into a spectacular save.
Soon after, Manchester City intercepted the ball just outside the penalty area. SuĂĄrez dropped deep into his own half to collect it, then played a diagonal ball to Robben on the right and made a run forward himself.
Robben attracted two defenders near the center circle, then suddenly stopped and switched directions. He used his left foot to play another diagonal pass.
The ball went straight to SuĂĄrez, but Otamendi and Rolando tracked back quickly, cutting off his momentum just as he entered the final third. He had to stop and control the ball.
As soon as he did, Otamendi and Rolando closed in.
But at 25 meters out, SuĂĄrez was well within shooting range.
At that moment, the Uruguayan showed his class. Without even glancing up, he swept his right foot and played a no-look pass to the vacant left side.
While Porto's center-backs were still trying to figure out what had happened, a figure darted in from deep. He collected the pass in stride, burst into the box like the wind.
Goalkeeper Helton was stunned and immediately rushed out.
But Gareth Bale was faster. Near the top right edge of the penalty area, he reached the ball just in time and, without hesitation, lashed it with his left foot.
The shot flew past Helton and into the empty net behind him.
"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!"
"Gareth Bale! Again!"
"A brace!"
"In the 42nd minute, Manchester City double their lead!"
"Incredible! Manchester City's counterattack was lightning fast, and Gareth Bale was everywhere. Just a moment ago, he was near his own box, and now he's scoring again in Porto's!"
"2â0! Porto are in real trouble now!"
(To be continued.)
