SWR: Chapter 741/742

Chapter 741: Guardiola’s Revenge

"I don't know what tactics Barça will use."

On the morning of the final match day, during the last routine tactical meeting, Gao Shen made his final preparations before the game.

The players were slightly surprised by the head coach's straightforward words, but they waited quietly.

They all knew Gao Shen never entered a battle he wasn't confident of winning.

Not knowing didn't mean there wasn't a plan.

"The key lies in Messi and the midfield. I believe there are essentially two possibilities."

Gao Shen gestured with his right hand. "Either Messi plays on the right, or Messi plays centrally."

For both scenarios, Gao Shen had repeatedly run simulations and arranged targeted tactics in the previous days' tactical sessions. All the players were already familiar with them.

"As we discussed earlier, if Messi plays on the right, we must be wary of Alves overlapping from the back. That's very dangerous."

Manchester City had Gareth Bale on the left, a player with blistering pace. But the problem was, Barcelona would still insist on attacking.

"If Messi plays in the middle, we'll adjust our defensive structure accordingly and focus on Javi Martinez. And Rakitic, your positioning will be crucial."

The two players nodded to indicate their understanding.

Gao Shen scratched his forehead. "Other than that, there's not much else. Stick to our original plan. We'll adapt based on their actual tactics during the match."

"If we have the opportunity early on, let's hit them with a quick attack." Gao Shen couldn't help but laugh as he said it.

"To be honest, we can't match Barcelona in passing or ball control. Those guys have played together since they were kids. Their chemistry, style, and technical attributes—none of it is something we can replicate. That's their strength."

"But we also have our own strengths. Giving up possession doesn't mean we'll lose. On the contrary, if we try to fight for possession, aren't we using our weakness to challenge their strength?"

Gao Shen had a clear tactical vision, but he wasn't foolish.

He wasn't about to challenge Barcelona on ball control.

He had already laid out clear instructions in the pre-match preparations: how to play, how to defend Messi, and how to disrupt Barça's ball control.

By the day of the final, there was no need to repeat these things.

"The last, and most important thing."

Gao Shen's tone turned solemn.

"I know you're all a little nervous right now, but let me tell you this: the Champions League final is not just a test of ability and tactical execution. It's also a test of mental strength."

"Only players with the strongest minds can come out on top in a battle between the strongest."

"Barcelona clearly have more experience, but we are no less prepared. I believe you are all ready."

"And the stronger a player is, the more they need to know how to relax at crucial moments."

"After this, go spend some time with your families. Relax. Rest well. We'll meet again at noon."

"Tonight, at Wembley Stadium, a ground we know well, we'll beat Barcelona with the style and methods that suit us best. Then tomorrow, we'll celebrate the treble, collect our bonuses, and head off on a well-deserved, beautiful vacation with our wives, children, or girlfriends."

Gao Shen spoke in a deliberately light-hearted tone, hoping everyone could relax and ease the pressure.

"Boss, what if I don't have a girlfriend? Will the club arrange one for me?" David Luiz raised his hand and asked with a grin.

The room instantly burst into laughter.

"I heard the lady who does dishes at our outsourced stadium kitchen just got divorced. Want me to set it up?"

The players clapped and cheered in amusement.

David Luiz quickly waved his hands, backing off in embarrassment.

But the atmosphere in the room became warm and relaxed.

Later, some players asked about Gao Shen's wedding, saying they'd do their best to win the Champions League as a gift.

"You guys just want to force me to treat you to dinner, huh?" Gao Shen said with a smile.

After the laughter died down, Gao Shen explained he hadn't set a wedding date yet because his schedule was packed.

Manchester City's players also knew that he had acquired Leeds United, so they understood why he was busy.

"If I do have a wedding, it'll probably be a small one back in China. But rest assured, when I return to Europe, I'll treat you all to a proper feast. As for the gifts, I've already received them in advance!"

At this level, there was no need for anything too grand. In fact, the more low-profile, the better.

Why?

Because if you throw a big party, you have to invite a ton of people.

Even though he'd only been in Europe for five or six years, he started with a top club like Real Madrid and had made many friends and contacts. If he held a big celebration, deciding who to invite—and who not to—would be an enormous headache.

Rather than that, it was better to keep it simple and donate the savings to charity.

Su Qing felt the same. Coming from a government background, she wasn't into lavish affairs either.

If some friends wanted to treat them, they could simply arrange a private dinner after the wedding.

Wouldn't that be more meaningful than a grand banquet?

…

The Champions League final schedule was very tight.

Precise down to the minute.

After the lunch break, everyone was busy getting ready.

When the time came, the team boarded the bus and headed for Wembley Stadium.

At that moment, the streets of London were soaked in Champions League final fever. Fans from both sides were everywhere.

Wearing their jerseys, marching in groups, waving flags, shouting chants, they surged toward Wembley in a mighty wave.

When they spotted the Manchester City team bus, City fans erupted in wild cheers, while Barça fans hurled taunts.

If fans from both sides happened to meet, the police had to step in to keep order.

Although Manchester City was geographically closer to Wembley than Barcelona, they actually arrived a bit later.

After getting off the bus and entering the tunnel, staff who had been coordinating with UEFA came forward to explain the necessary procedures—mainly the locker rooms, warm-up areas, and final match protocol.

Gao Shen was already familiar with all of this. Nothing had changed much.

The biggest differences lay in locker room placement and tunnel layout at each stadium.

But Manchester City knew Wembley inside and out.

In the tunnel, Gao Shen bumped into Guardiola, who was on the phone.

"Hey, Pep!"

"Good afternoon, Gao!"

Guardiola smiled as he came over to greet him.

Rakitic, David Luiz, and a few other players who knew Guardiola also said hello.

Even though the two teams would fight fiercely on the pitch—and Guardiola might even put pressure on the ref for a foul—off the pitch, they were still friends.

Sure, emotions could sometimes run high and affect relationships.

But that was rare. And even when it happened, things were usually smoothed over quickly.

At the end of the day, football is a performance.

"Wow, looks like you didn't sleep a wink last night," Gao Shen said with a laugh.

Guardiola was so annoyed he couldn't speak. "I was just about to sleep when I saw your tweet. Then I couldn't sleep anymore."

Gao Shen didn't buy it for a second.

Guardiola was a worrier. He must've stayed up all night.

"Don't overthink it. Just stay relaxed and be mentally prepared," Gao Shen said confidently.

Guardiola frowned.

Why did it feel like Gao Shen was hinting that he was going to lose?

But then he realized what was going on.

"Forget it, I'm not wasting words with you. All you do is mess with my head."

With that, Guardiola waved his hand and left.

"Wait a sec, you're a Virgo. Why does it seem like he's more of a perfectionist than you?" Carlo asked with a laugh as he watched Guardiola walk away.

Gao Shen shook his head and smiled.

It was like a matryoshka doll.

I predicted your tactics...

I predicted that you'd predict my tactics...

I predicted that you'd predict me predicting your prediction...

I predicted...

Sometimes, it really was an endless loop.

Guardiola was meticulous, but Gao Shen was different. He was a top student who had gone through nine years of compulsory education. He had no time for that kind of nitpicking.

Back in school, he'd suffered plenty from being too stubborn. Why keep doing it now?

Turns out, Guardiola lacked the discipline of nine years of school beatings.

"He should be sent back to primary school for re-education!" Gao Shen said with a grin as he walked into the locker room.

Carlo looked confused.

What does that even mean?

You're in your forties and still want to go back to primary school?

…

There wasn't much suspense regarding the starting lineups.

Barcelona's starting eleven:

Goalkeeper: Valdés.

Defenders: Vargas, Piqué, Thiago Motta, and Alves.

Midfielders: Iniesta, Busquets, and Xavi.

Forwards: Sánchez, Agüero, and Messi.

This was arguably the most star-studded lineup in world football. With Villa, Bojan, Puyol, Seydou Keita, and others on the bench, it was a squad brimming with talent.

Manchester City was equally formidable.

Goalkeeper: Neuer.

Defenders: Filipe, David Luiz, Kompany, and Lichtsteiner.

Midfielders: David Silva, Javi Martinez, and Rakitic.

Forwards: Gareth Bale, Suárez, and Robben.

City's bench also featured stars like Van Persie, Hazard, and Yaya Touré. They were no pushovers.

Both sides sent out their strongest squads, with no injuries or absences. This final was bound to be a classic.

Especially for Gao Shen.

He had previously managed Real Madrid and Napoli, reaching two Champions League finals—and winning both. His final record was a perfect 100 percent. Two years ago, he had led Napoli to a 4–0 victory over Barcelona.

Now, Barça was determined to defend their crown, and Gao Shen had become the target of Guardiola's revenge.

Barcelona's strength was evident—they had reached three straight Champions League finals.

But Gao Shen and his Manchester City side were not to be underestimated.

Wembley Stadium was boiling with tension!

(To be continued.)

Chapter 742: Hello, I Am Messi, Please Help Me Call the Police

Hello, I'm Messi. I'm very panicked right now. I've been trapped by a violent gang. They won't let me touch the ball and have forced me to stay away from the rest of the team. I haven't found a way to escape. I've tried everything and can only ask the right person for help. If you see my message, please call the police!

…

That was pretty much how Messi felt once the game kicked off.

From the moment Hungarian referee Viktor Kassai blew the whistle, Messi found himself caught in the tactical cage that Manchester City had meticulously prepared for him.

He usually operated around the right half-space, but it was difficult to get the ball.

Manchester City's players had built layers of barriers around him.

Tonight, Barcelona used their traditional 4-3-3 formation, with Messi on the right, Agüero in the center, and Sánchez on the left.

But Manchester City's setup was somewhat different.

David Silva and Rakitic dropped deep, playing almost like holding midfielders.

Gareth Bale, nominally on the left, advanced aggressively, seemingly to suppress Alves, but he played more like a forward. Whenever Suárez drifted to the right, Bale moved into the center.

Robben on the right side also dropped deep.

So, with Robben, Rakitic, Javi Martínez, and David Silva, it resembled a four-man midfield.

Among them, Javi Martínez constantly shadowed Messi. Filipe pushed forward along the sideline, and with David Silva behind, it formed an effective containment structure.

It was very difficult for Barcelona to move the ball through this area.

That meant Messi couldn't get the ball unless he left his usual area of activity.

But if he did, it would disrupt the positioning of his teammates.

After the kickoff, Manchester City immediately launched an aggressive attack on Barcelona.

Barcelona wasn't surprised. They knew Gao Shen loved aggressive football.

Interestingly, in the first two minutes, Barcelona struggled to maintain possession, but Manchester City also found it difficult to break through Barcelona's defense.

Soon, as Barcelona got hold of the ball, Manchester City quickly dropped back.

When they dropped deep, it resembled a 4-4-2. Gareth Bale was very flexible. He could play wide, cut inside, and even track back with Alves.

In contrast, Robben on the right side dropped very deep. In the third minute, during a City attack, Lichtsteiner was seen pressing forward even more than Robben.

But as soon as the Swiss full-back pushed up and the attack transitioned to defense, he immediately counter-pressed with teammates to win the ball back. Robben, holding a deeper position, received the ball and cut inside, then used his left foot to send a diagonal pass toward Suárez.

Thiago Motta got there first and headed it clear, beating Suárez to the ball.

Manchester City quickly reset without delay.

Barcelona, unable to find an opening on the right, switched play to the left, trying to work through Sánchez. But Lichtsteiner made a precise tackle on the wing. Although Sánchez went down, the referee only awarded a throw-in, not a foul.

Manchester City's defense was extremely well-organized.

Most importantly, the back, midfield, and forward lines were compact, transitioning smoothly between attacking and defending.

Messi tried several times to find space, to receive and carry the ball, but his teammates just couldn't get it to him.

It kept getting passed around, and eventually, it was always forced to the left.

In the fifth minute, Alves crossed the halfway line and received a pass. He glanced toward Messi and tried a long pass over the top, aiming behind City's defense.

But before the ball could reach its target, Neuer had already rushed out. He leapt and caught the ball over Messi's head.

The German's area of control was just incredible.

Messi wanted to immediately apply pressure and force a mistake, but as soon as he had the idea, Neuer launched a long ball forward, aiming directly for Gareth Bale.

The Welshman positioned himself well, but Thiago Motta held his ground in the physical battle and won the header.

Xavi tried to pass to Messi again, but David Luiz stepped in and blocked it.

Possession continued to shift between both sides.

In the sixth minute, Filipe intercepted a pass and fed Javi Martínez, who immediately played a first-time ball forward to David Silva.

The Spanish playmaker took a couple of steps and delivered a through ball behind Alves.

Gareth Bale, like a fighter jet, burst past Alves from behind, outrunning him easily to meet David Silva's pass. He charged into the left side of the penalty area and unleashed a left-footed strike from his signature zone.

But whether it was due to aiming too precisely or nerves in the final, the shot—which was usually guaranteed—slightly missed the target.

The entire Wembley Stadium gasped.

The Welshman scratched his head and looked up in frustration.

This was the first shot of the game.

It took nearly seven minutes for either side to register a shot.

It showed just how intense and effective the pressing from both teams had been.

Messi also tracked back with the team. He had only just crossed the halfway line when he saw Bale take the shot. He let out a sigh of relief.

Thankfully, that guy wasn't in top form tonight.

If Manchester City had scored first, it would've put Barcelona in a passive position.

But thinking about it, that chance also came because Barcelona chose to play out from their left side.

And Manchester City had heavily fortified that flank.

Realizing this, Messi's face turned serious.

…

Unlike Gao Shen, who exaggeratedly opened his arms in anticipation of the goal only to sigh and stomp back in frustration, Guardiola's expression was very serious.

He clearly realized that Manchester City's tactics were highly targeted.

City weren't playing their usual 4-3-3. In fact, it didn't even look like a 4-4-2.

It was hard to tell what Manchester City's shape truly was tonight.

But one thing was clear: Gao Shen had Robben drop deeper and effectively deployed four men across the midfield when defending.

Rakitic and Javi Martínez operated like a double pivot, making it difficult for Messi and Sánchez to threaten from the flanks.

Everyone knew that Messi on the right and Sánchez on the left liked to cut inside.

Once Barcelona's attack failed to stretch the opposition, the space behind them was left exposed.

Earlier, Alves had already been outrun by Gareth Bale before he could even push forward. If the Brazilian full-back had moved higher up, who would've stopped Bale's frontal charge?

That was a real problem.

What made things worse was that Manchester City weren't even pressing high up against Barcelona's backline. Instead, they were targeting Busquets.

Gao Shen knew very well that if City pressed too high up the pitch, they'd burn out physically, and wouldn't last the full game. But by engaging from the midfield, with Suárez helping to press Busquets, Manchester City could conserve energy and sustain their intensity.

Now the pressure was on Barcelona.

They had possession, and they could pull and circulate the ball.

But they couldn't break through.

Were City being conservative?

No. Their performance tonight wasn't conservative.

But were they being aggressive?

Not exactly either.

They were just making Barcelona very uncomfortable.

"This guy is still such a pain!" Guardiola cursed angrily.

Gao Shen's biggest weapon was the speed of Gareth Bale and even Robben.

Just as Guardiola was thinking, Barcelona tried to push down their left—City's right—but the ball was intercepted by Kompany and passed quickly to Rakitic, who immediately launched a counterattack and fed Lichtsteiner on the right.

Before the Swiss full-back crossed the halfway line, he spotted Robben sprinting ahead and sent a straight pass down the right sideline into Barça's final third.

Robben surged forward and beat Vargas to the ball.

The Peruvian full-back recovered quickly and tried to mark Robben one-on-one.

But Robben didn't give him the chance. With a few signature feints, he suddenly cut to the byline, darted into the right side of the penalty area, and swung a left-footed cross just before Piqué closed in.

Suárez charged in and struck the ball off the return pass.

With a thud, the ball slammed into the right post and rebounded back into play.

The entire stadium erupted once more.

"Wow!!!"

"Oh my god, Manchester City's second shot hits the post!"

"You have to say, City's finishing hasn't been sharp tonight."

"Guardiola's defense definitely has some issues. City have generated two great chances already. They were just inches away from scoring both times."

"But Barça should count themselves lucky tonight."

"Maybe the pressure is getting to some of City's players. After all, many of them are playing in their first Champions League final, while several Barça players are here for their third and have loads of experience."

"At this critical moment, City still need to stay calm and composed."

Guardiola was also shouting angrily from the sideline.

Even though Robben had dropped deep, he still wasn't at ease, because Robben's pace made him even harder to contain when launching from deeper positions.

Just now, he had cut right through the channel between Piqué and Vargas.

He was taking advantage of the fact that Barça's defenders couldn't match his speed.

But what could you do?

That was just the reality.

Moreover, Robben had an exceptional sense of timing when making runs.

That moment, he seized it perfectly.

Gao Shen's tactics tonight were frustrating.

He trapped Messi, isolated Sánchez on the wing, and if Agüero dropped deeper, there'd be no one up top for Barça.

But if Agüero stayed high, Xavi and Iniesta would struggle to deliver the ball.

Manchester City's two banks of four, resembling a 4-4-2, remained extremely compact and cohesive.

After all, that's what 4-4-2 is all about—balance.

In simple terms, Gao Shen's strategy was to focus on defending well, disrupting Barça's rhythm, and waiting for opportunities to counterattack.

When both wingers found it difficult to cut inside, their greatest strengths turned into weaknesses.

Most importantly, because of the threat posed by Bale and Robben, Barça's full-backs didn't dare push forward freely.

This created a tactical deadlock for Barcelona.

And the root of that problem was the lack of variation in Barça's attacking approach.

(To be continued.)