The Calderón was buzzing; everyone was waiting for the game to start. In the players' tunnel, the Borussia Dortmund players were the first to line up, waiting to go out onto the field.

Then the Atlético Madrid players came out from behind them. Sun Pan was chatting with his teammates when he saw Zhou Yi standing in front.

So he quietly approached Zhou Yi from behind, wanting to surprise him.

But just as he raised his hand, Zhou Yi turned his head sharply as if he had eyes in the back of his head, and looked at him. "Yo, Panpan, what are you trying to do?"

Sun Pan was embarrassed, and he couldn't put his hand down, so he could only change it to scratching his head.

"Damn, do you have eyes in the back of your head?"

"I don't have eyes in the back of my head, but I'm not deaf either. I suggest you take off your shoes next time you try to sneak up on me." Zhou Yi pointed to Sun Pan's cleats. When walking, the cleats would make a "tap, tap, tap" sound on the hard ground, which was very obvious.

Sun Pan rolled his eyes—he had forgotten about that.

"I've told all my teammates about your characteristics, and they'll 'take care' of you, Zhou Yi." The unconvinced Sun Pan said to Zhou Yi, and he also pointed to his teammates.

When Zhou Yi looked over in the direction Sun Pan was pointing, he saw that the expressions of the Atlético Madrid players were very unfriendly.

So he turned back to Sun Pan and smiled, "What a coincidence, Panpan, I've also told them all about your goalkeeping characteristics."

Zhou Yi pointed to his teammates.

"This kind of trash talk is boring. Let's just see each other on the field." In fact, Sun Pan felt that he couldn't win against Zhou Yi in a war of words.

"Yeah, if you can use your hands, don't just talk." Zhou Yi nodded in agreement.

The two said goodbye just like that.

Sun Pan returned to his team. As the goalkeeper, he stood behind captain Gabi, waiting to enter the field.

Outside, the stadium announcer was leading the fans in chanting the names of the Atlético Madrid players.

"Sun—"

The DJ dragged out the sound.

"Pan!!!" The deafening shouts of the Atlético Madrid fans echoed over the Calderón.

In the players' tunnel, Zhou Yi heard this thunderous sound and couldn't help but smile.

Sun Pan had spent two years completely conquering this stadium, but unfortunately, his time in this stadium was limited. After the end of the season, if nothing unexpected happened, Chelsea would definitely call Sun Pan back. Atlético Madrid certainly wanted to keep Sun Pan, but they might have to pay a considerable price, a price that Simeone might not be willing to pay.

I wonder if Sun Pan himself has prepared himself for returning to Chelsea...

※※※

When the Champions League theme song sounded, the two teams, led by the referees, walked out of the players' tunnel and onto the field.

"They're here!" Commentator He Ping shouted excitedly, raising his voice.

This was the "Chinese Derby" that everyone had been looking forward to for a long time.

The TV broadcasters also seemed to know exactly what the gimmick of this game was. When the players from both sides entered the field, they gave Zhou Yi and Sun Pan close-up shots, with significantly more time than the others, highlighting their important status.

But in fact, even if it wasn't a Chinese Derby, Zhou Yi and Sun Pan would deserve to be given special attention with close-up shots.

Because they were both indispensable core figures in their respective teams.

So perhaps these two close-up shots from the European broadcasting organizations were not meant to cater to the Chinese audience?

※※※

After all the ceremonies were over, the players from both sides returned to their respective positions, waiting for the kickoff.

During the coin toss, Borussia Dortmund lost, so they now had the right to kick off.

In fact, Borussia Dortmund valued the right to kick off more. Whoever kicked off first could control the ball on their side and launch the first attack.

With a whistle from the referee, the game began!

Borussia Dortmund quickly kicked the ball out, but they were not in a hurry to move forward. After Zhou Yi received the ball passed back by Lewandowski, he did not pass the ball forward, but turned around and passed the ball to the center back Subotić behind him.

Then, the ball was passed back and forth in Borussia Dortmund's half, and it was even passed to the goalkeeper Weidenfeller at one point.

It wasn't until the Atlético Madrid players pressed up to steal the ball that Borussia Dortmund passed the ball forward. But if the opportunity to continue moving forward was not very good, they would continue to pass the ball back, or pass it horizontally, in short, they would not pass the ball forward easily.

When should the ball be passed forward, and when should it not be passed forward?

This was Zhou Yi's task.

Of course, Atlético Madrid's defense against Zhou Yi was also very tight. There would be someone next to Zhou Yi at all times, but it was not a fixed person. Whoever was closest to him was the one.

This would ensure the intensity of the close marking of Zhou Yi, while also ensuring the integrity of their own defense, avoiding being disrupted by Zhou Yi.

But Zhou Yi also had a way to deal with it. Atlético Madrid stuck to him so tightly that he had almost no room to maneuver, so he simply didn't maneuver.

He passed the ball directly.

Although most of them were horizontal passes, or even passes back. But Zhou Yi didn't care.

Borussia Dortmund didn't care either.

Borussia Dortmund's strategy in this game was to slowly grind against Atlético Madrid.

It didn't matter if there wasn't a good attacking opportunity and the ball wasn't passed forward. Zhou Yi had the final say, and everyone listened to Zhou Yi. No one would question it.

After grinding for a while, almost four minutes, Borussia Dortmund finally had their first shot.

At that time, after a series of horizontal passes, Zhou Yi suddenly made a through pass to Lewandowski. After receiving the ball, Lewandowski shot directly, and Sun Pan made a save, but didn't touch the ball, and the ball flew directly over the crossbar.

Although it wasn't a goal, it caused a collective gasp in the stands of the Calderón, and the Atlético Madrid fans were obviously startled.

This was why Borussia Dortmund had been passing the ball non-stop before, and why the Borussia Dortmund players were not in a hurry. They were all used to letting Zhou Yi distribute the ball. If Zhou Yi didn't pass the ball forward, it must be because the opportunity was not good, but as long as he passed the ball forward, it would definitely pose a threat.

This ball was like that.

So Borussia Dortmund was not playing a chaotic style of play in this game, but rather trying to compete with Atlético Madrid in terms of efficiency.

Borussia Dortmund, playing away from home, knew that there would not be many attacking opportunities in this game, so rather than squandering these opportunities at will, it would be better to refine these opportunities, actively give up some not-so-good opportunities, and then use the remaining better opportunities to score goals.

※※※

Lewandowski's shot did not result in a goal, which relieved the Atlético Madrid fans in the stands.

And what relieved the Atlético Madrid players on the field was that the ball possession had finally returned to Atlético Madrid's side. They could launch an attack on Borussia Dortmund's goal, instead of being led around by the ball like before.

That feeling before was really unpleasant for the Atlético Madrid players.

They were used to playing with "me as the main focus", but when competing with Borussia Dortmund, they had to be led by the nose by Borussia Dortmund everywhere, and that feeling was extremely uncomfortable.

Atlético Madrid's task in this game was very simple, which was to win Borussia Dortmund at home, while also ensuring that they did not concede a goal.

After Sun Pan placed the ball, he stepped back to run up, and then sent the ball accurately to Diego Costa's head with a long kick. Costa headed the ball to Adrián, who cut in from the wing. Atlético Madrid's attack advanced forward like a tide.

When Adrián passed the ball back to the center, Falcao completed the shot.

However, this shot did not pose any threat to Borussia Dortmund, flying high over the crossbar, so high that Weidenfeller did not make any movements—because there was no need...

Although there was no goal, and no threat, the Atlético Madrid fans in the stands were still very excited, constantly cheering.

※※※

After the ball possession switched to Borussia Dortmund's side, the game returned to a slow pace.

Zhou Yi led the team in constantly passing the ball back and forth. If Atlético Madrid didn't press, then the Borussia Dortmund player with the ball would let the ball stay at his feet for a while longer, until the opponent pressed up.

After passing it like this for a while, Borussia Dortmund completed another attack. It was still Lewandowski, and this time his shot was on target.

But Lewandowski's high-quality shot served to highlight Sun Pan.

Because Sun Pan made an even higher-quality save, directly pressing Lewandowski's shot, which was flying close to the ground, firmly to the ground, without letting it go out of his hands, and without pushing it out of the baseline for a Borussia Dortmund corner kick. Sun Pan's first save of the game was so solid, which seemed to indicate his state in this game...