Chapter 355: Goodbye, Young Archer — Fearless of Time, Fearless of the Storm!
In today's football world, there were very few managers who could still "teach Mourinho a lesson" during a match, especially in terms of in-game adjustments.
But today, Ancelotti had done it.
A late, decisive tactical shift had completely revived Real Madrid's performance in the second half!
In truth, Chelsea's coaching staff hadn't done anything wrong until now.
But Mourinho's usual steadiness today only made Ancelotti's decisiveness stand out even more.
The first half had belonged to Chelsea and Mourinho. The second half — at least up until this point — belonged to Real Madrid and Ancelotti!
Li Ang didn't complain. After all, they were not machines; neither were the coaches. Everyone made mistakes sometimes.
He and Terry immediately stabilized the team's morale, encouraging their teammates to stay positive.
Only after that did Li Ang glance towards the touchline.
Fortunately, Mourinho didn't hesitate too long.
He might regret it, might be annoyed, but at this crucial moment, he showed his own decisiveness!
"Push up! Fight them head-on!"
Seeing Mourinho's firm tactical signal, Li Ang clapped his hands vigorously and shouted, reminding his teammates that the real battle against Real Madrid was about to begin!
This was the tactical adjustment Li Ang had been expecting — and hoping for.
Ancelotti's tactical changes had made Chelsea extremely passive defensively. If Chelsea continued to sit back and play for a point, they might end up with none at all.
Real Madrid were in full rhythm now; letting them dominate possession and siege the penalty area was exactly what they wanted!
To break the deadlock, Chelsea had to push up and play high-pressing football.
If Real Madrid attacked, Chelsea would attack too. And if Real Madrid pushed too many men forward, their own defensive lines would open up, giving Chelsea opportunities for fast counterattacks.
If Real Madrid wanted to secure their back line, they'd have to allocate more manpower there, reducing their offensive numbers — which would, in turn, relieve pressure on Chelsea's defense.
Li Ang didn't believe Ancelotti would risk being stabbed on the counter just to maintain all-out attacking pressure.
Ancelotti wasn't Bielsa. His tactical decisions were bold, but he still valued balance.
When the game restarted, Real Madrid, buoyed by their equalizer, wanted to press the advantage and pin Chelsea back.
But they were surprised by Chelsea's ferocious counter-attack and intense high pressing.
Chelsea, unleashing a relentless pressing game, went all-in on physical confrontations.
Unfortunately, today's Italian referee didn't seem to appreciate the Premier League's style of physical play.
As soon as Chelsea ramped up the intensity, the referee began blowing his whistle constantly, disrupting their counterattacking rhythm.
Mourinho and Holland stood at the sideline, visibly annoyed, but they had learned their lesson — they sent Rui Faria to the fourth official to complain instead.
Of course, the referee wasn't going to change his officiating standards because of the complaints, but at least Chelsea were applying pressure in return.
On the field, Li Ang didn't mind too much.
Sure, Chelsea's counterattacks were disrupted, but Real Madrid's attacks also lost their fluency under the same whistle-happy officiating.
Thinking of it that way, Li Ang felt it was acceptable.
As long as they didn't pick up unnecessary yellow cards, Chelsea wouldn't stop their intense confrontations.
This messy style of play actually suited Chelsea.
In the chaos, Chelsea's midfielders and attackers weren't lacking players capable of holding the ball and advancing.
Real Madrid, however, were suffering.
Without control of the midfield, the fragility of their defensive setup became increasingly evident.
In messy battles, Chelsea's three-man midfield might have Kroos, who was slightly "soft" compared to others, but he wasn't weak — just a bit slower.
Meanwhile, at Real Madrid, the defensive weakness of James Rodríguez became a glaring liability.
Modrić could cover a lot of ground and defend well in support roles, but he wasn't a primary defensive midfielder.
Thus, only Casemiro provided solid defensive toughness in Real Madrid's midfield.
If Chelsea could bypass him, they could create real threats in Real Madrid's half.
Conversely, if Real Madrid wanted to stir up chaos in Chelsea's half, they would have to deal with Matic and Li Ang — two defensive beasts!
This was the biggest advantage Chelsea gained by pushing their defensive line higher.
As long as Real Madrid couldn't properly organize their attacking structure, Chelsea held a defensive edge.
This style might seem a bit "rogue," but if it helped the team gain an advantage, then it was good tactics.
Other teams might only delay their defeat playing like this, but Chelsea's squad had the stamina to sustain high-intensity running until the end of the match.
Li Ang felt confident, but to be safe, he didn't push too far forward into Real Madrid's half during the press.
He sent Matić and Kroos to pressure the midfield line, and Azpilicueta joined the high press, while he stayed slightly deeper on the right, guarding against Real Madrid's counterattacks.
Bertrand, meanwhile, was glued to Bale, giving him no space whatsoever.
He had been terrified by Bale's explosive runs earlier in the match.
Two steps, three steps — Bale could blow past you just like that. In his prime, Bale's dribbling was simple, brutal, and effective.
Before age and injury issues like calf strains caught up with him, there were almost no defenders who could stop Bale one-on-one when he accelerated.
Even if you tried to block his path, he could simply sprint around you off the pitch and still get back to the ball.
It was ridiculous!
Li Ang silently wished Bertrand good luck.
If he were tasked with defending Bale, his only options would be:
One, to try and tackle the ball out to the sideline after Bale's first touch.
Or two, commit a tactical foul and stop him in his tracks.
Li Ang didn't see tactical fouls as shameful.
If you couldn't match the speed, you had to be pragmatic.
While he pondered how to suppress Real Madrid's wing threats, suddenly — in the backfield — Ramos, having escaped Suarez's pressing, launched a long counterattack pass!
Benzema, no longer marked closely by Li Ang or Matic, made a familiar deep run into central midfield.
Li Ang's heart skipped a beat the moment he saw it!
Sure enough, Benzema stopped the ball and immediately lofted a long pass toward the wing!
Li Ang sprinted back in a straight line — he didn't immediately chase the ball's drop point because it was too close to the touchline, and Cristiano Ronaldo's acceleration was equally explosive. He didn't want to risk losing his position.
But as he prepared to block Ronaldo's dribble, he saw Ronaldo glance up and unleash a daring low cross!
"Damn it! Bale!!!"
Li Ang reacted instantly — Ronaldo's cross was meant directly for Bale!
People said Cristiano was selfish, but Li Ang knew better.
Cristiano might grumble about poor teammates, but he was never stingy when a real scoring chance presented itself.
Especially for teammates he trusted — like Benzema — Cristiano would always provide service.
And Bale was no slouch — he was the deadliest weapon on the right flank!
Li Ang twisted his body and sprinted toward the penalty area.
In his line of sight, Bertrand had already been burned by Bale's blistering pace!
Terry, who was deeper, was also struggling to keep up.
Bale, after an effortless touch past Bertrand, smoothly adjusted his body and prepared to shoot!
Oblak stayed on his line, trusting his shot-stopping ability and refusing to rush out.
But Bale was just as composed under pressure.
Seeing Oblak anchored to his line, Bale took full advantage of the open shooting angle and launched a curling shot with his dominant foot!
Bale's curling shots differed from Robben's — Robben's had elegant arcs and sharp angles, while Bale prioritized power and speed.
Oblak seemed to anticipate it, springing up and diving swiftly toward the far corner of the goal!
His height and wingspan weren't the most outstanding among elite goalkeepers, but this time, with early judgment and quick reflexes, he managed to get the slightest touch on the ball!
That tiny deflection greatly slowed down the ball, which had been flying fast toward Chelsea's far post!
However, the ball's direction didn't change much. Judging by its roll, it still looked destined to cross the goal line.
The moment he hit the ground, Oblak twisted his body and tried to scramble back up — he hadn't given up yet; he wanted to make one last attempt!
Amid the gasps of over 80,000 fans at the scene, a figure moved even faster than Oblak!
Just before the ball crossed the line, that figure twisted his body and cleared the ball out of Chelsea's penalty area!
Oblak breathed a huge sigh of relief.
Li Ang, who had cleared the ball but crashed into his own goal in the process, quickly got back up from the grass!
"Oblak got a touch! Ohhh — Li Ang!!! Chasing back, Li Ang successfully clears the ball!!! He didn't give up either! Li Ang and Oblak together have saved Chelsea! Luck wasn't on Chelsea's side this time, but their players fought and forced a reversal of what looked like an inevitable second goal!!!"
The Sky Sports commentator roared in excitement!
Li Ang was clearly emotional, exchanging a fierce high-five and chest bump with Oblak right in front of their goal!
He originally wanted to yell at Bertrand for the huge defensive error, but seeing Bertrand gasping and looking terrified, Li Ang swallowed the curses that were already on the tip of his tongue.
After all, getting destroyed by Bale wasn't exactly unexpected — even if Azpilicueta, a stronger defender, had been the one playing left-back, it might not have made much difference.
Let alone Bertrand, who was more attack-minded...
Li Ang chose to be understanding this time, but old captain Terry was not so forgiving — he immediately grabbed Bertrand and tore into him!
"...Next time, just commit a tactical foul immediately, you idiot! If you pick up a yellow card, the boss will sub you off! But if that ball had gone in just now, think about what the media would say about you tomorrow..."
Bertrand didn't dare say a word, nodding repeatedly like a student being scolded.
Seeing this, Li Ang didn't add anything, just clapped his hands and signaled to the rest of the team to stay focused and not lose their heads.
Bale was still frustrated over missing that golden opportunity.
But Cristiano Ronaldo, after glancing at Li Ang, had already gathered himself and was retreating back.
Real Madrid's sudden raid had served as a serious wake-up call for Chelsea.
On the sideline, after a round of furious shouting, Mourinho sent several key players to warm up.
In the 76th minute, Mourinho and Ancelotti almost simultaneously made double substitutions.
Mourinho brought on Salah for Kroos and Trippier for Bertrand.
Ancelotti swapped in Lucas Vázquez and Nacho for James Rodríguez and Carvajal, who was feeling calf discomfort.
Chelsea stuck to a 4-2-3-1, but De Bruyne dropped from the forward line into midfield, while Real Madrid switched directly to a 4-4-2.
Regardless of formation changes, both coaches' tactical intentions were clear:
Solidify the flanks defensively and strengthen counterattack capabilities!
Ancelotti would have preferred to bring on Isco as his tactical weapon, but Isco had been injured in the last La Liga match and needed two weeks' rest.
Thus, Lucas Vázquez was brought on earlier than usual.
Li Ang watched as two of his good friends entered the field. It wasn't the right time to say hello during the match.
But when he looked over at Nacho and Vázquez, they both happened to look back at him, and the three shared a small, wry grin.
Friends might laugh, but once the match continued, their professionalism was unquestionable — everyone fought at full strength.
By the 80th minute, Mourinho called up Llorente and Maguire from the bench to warm up, throwing out a tactical smokescreen.
Ancelotti remained calm.
He too sent Jesé and Varane to warm up — a substitute striker and a substitute center-back, equally sly moves.
Mourinho wasn't annoyed. On the contrary, he showed an amused smile.
After all, it was much more exciting to duel against an opponent like this!
After exhausting enormous energy, both Real Madrid and Chelsea's players slowed the pace of the match slightly as time ticked away.
The first group stage match wasn't a must-win. If neither side could clinch it, it wasn't worth risking everything in the final minutes.
A draw was acceptable for both teams. The real contest would come later — whoever handled matches against weaker teams better would take the initiative for topping the group. Very fair!
The fans also had no complaints — if a winner couldn't be decided today, the last group stage match would bring an even fiercer battle.
In the 85th minute, Ancelotti brought on Varane for Benzema.
As if responding to that signal, Mourinho immediately replaced Hazard with Maguire.
Commentators everywhere announced that both teams were preparing to shut the game down.
In the final minute of regulation time, Maguire collected the ball in defense and, seeing Salah eager and waving for the ball, launched a long pass forward.
It was a solid pass — Salah received it and faced Marcelo one-on-one.
The Egyptian winger didn't shy away from Marcelo's reputation; instead, he eagerly attempted to dribble past.
But with Casemiro quickly covering, Salah's effort to break through was smothered.
Forced into a corner, Salah shielded the ball and spotted Li Ang rushing over to support.
Without hesitation, he flicked the ball toward him.
Modrić immediately rushed to close down Li Ang, not daring to let him receive the ball comfortably.
But Li Ang glimpsed Modrić's movement from the corner of his eye — before the ball even touched the ground, he flicked it up and sidestepped around Modrić!
They brushed past each other, and Li Ang charged forward, cleanly entering Real Madrid's final third!
He quickly gauged his distance from goal and spotted Ramos coming up to defend.
Without hesitation, Li Ang adjusted his stride and began winding up!
His shot was unleashed in an instant — so fast that Pepe didn't even have time to shout a warning to Ramos!
The shot was taken from a full 32 meters away, but Navas felt as if it had been struck from just 20 meters!
Because the ball speed was utterly terrifying!
In shock, Navas lunged desperately toward the top right corner!
But at this moment, no matter how quick his reaction, he couldn't make up for his height disadvantage!
He chose the correct direction, but Li Ang's shot was too perfect — too sharp.
Navas flung himself with all his might, but he couldn't even get a fingertip to the ball!
The ball struck the underside of the crossbar and smashed into the back of the net!
Navas had tried his best but still couldn't keep Real Madrid's draw alive!
Cristiano Ronaldo stood in surprise, watching Li Ang.
The way Li Ang struck that ball — the technique, the power — it was almost identical to Ronaldo's own style!
It reminded him of the time, years ago, when he had taught Li Ang how to shoot from distance on the training ground…
"Li Ang adjusts his stride! Shoots—!!! Oh wow!!! Goal! Goal!!! Incredible!!! Li Ang has judged Real Madrid at the last moment of the match! With a wonder goal! Unbelievable, absolutely unbelievable!"
As commentators from around the world roared in amazement, Li Ang once again stood near Real Madrid's half, quietly raising both hands toward the Bernabéu fans in apology.
The stadium fell into another heavy silence.
And in the commentary booth, a hoarse Zhan Jun couldn't help but blurt out emotionally as he looked at Li Ang, no longer the youthful boy of old but now stronger, more resilient, and utterly powerful:
"Goodbye, young archer, pulling your bow tight! Fearless of time, fearless of the storm!"
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