Dear Gua
Chapter 165 Quarterfinals Draw
How could they stumble against Hoffenheim after consecutively defeating Arsenal and Chelsea in the Champions League?
During a dead-ball situation, he called Li Kang over.
"Li, I've discovered their weakness – they're short!"
"Don't overthink it, just launch long passes into the penalty area!"
"They don't have as many tall players as we do, and their defensive line's turning ability is also slow!"
"Tactics are meant to serve victory; more complex systems don't necessarily lead to it!"
Nagelsmann's newfangled approach caught the entire Bundesliga off guard.
Even the experts at the Cologne Sports University hadn't yet analyzed the tactical weaknesses.
There wasn't enough time for on-the-spot deconstruction.
...
The game resumed.
Leno launched a long goal kick.
The ball fell near the center circle, where Kießling leaped high and headed it to Li Kang.
Hoffenheim's three little forwards quickly swarmed.
Still "pressure the middle, release the sides"!
Borges once again surged forward, requesting the ball, confident that he wouldn't be intercepted this time!
Li Kang didn't pass; instead, he burst forward, dragging the ball to the wing!
During the sprint.
All of Leverkusen's attacking midfielders surged past the halfway line like madmen!
"Jin-Su Kim and Polanski are intercepting!"
"Ah! They both went down!"
"Li Kang's dribbling is mediocre, but his physical advantage is exaggerated."
"The space for a pass has opened up!"
"Lob it into the penalty area!"
Thirty meters out.
The ball left Li Kang's left foot, tracing a diagonal arc in the air, falling towards the penalty area!
Kießling pulled Süle away!
At the near post.
Havertz leaped high, heading the ball towards the goal!
1:1!!!
"Too simple!"
"Hoffenheim can't withstand Leverkusen's attacking force either!"
"Li Kang and Havertz used the simplest method to equalize!"
"Direct attacks! Overpowering force prevails!"
....
Livestream.
The screen was filled with comments.
-[Using the most brainless tactics... to defeat the genius coach's framework?]
-[Leverkusen's defense is terrible, but their attacking players are still decent!]
-[This proves that with an absolute gap in strength, all tactics are fluff! If it were Juventus or Atletico Madrid's defense, Leverkusen would definitely not score.]
-[They wouldn't be able to score against Real Madrid's defense either.]
....
Sideline.
Dino celebrated wildly.
He couldn't help but gesture towards Jonathan Tah!
Since they couldn't defend anyway, might as well add another tall player!
On the other side.
Nagelsmann's expression was calm, but his heart was complex.
Clearly, his tactical command was much stronger than Dino's, yet he still couldn't easily win the game!
If Hoffenheim had a Li Kang, they would surely win the Bundesliga title.
....
The 30th minute of the game.
Li Kang didn't use his brain; he charged around the frontcourt.
After attracting most of Hoffenheim's defensive forces.
He passed the ball to Hilbert on the wing.
The latter received the ball, then sprinted down the line and crossed it!
Inside Hoffenheim's penalty area.
Four ghosts knocking on the door! (Four attackers rushing in)
Kießling, Jonathan Tah, Havertz, Brandt!
Bang!
Before anyone could see who headed the ball in.
Hoffenheim's net rippled again!
1:2!!!
"This is football!"
"You never know what will happen in the next minute on the green field!"
"Leverkusen has taken the lead!"
"We seem to be seeing that City team in the Premier League!"
"The simplest tactics, the most effective attack!"
....
60th minute of the second half.
Kramer crossed from the flank!
A 45-degree cross!
Inside the chaotic penalty area, Hoffenheim strictly defended against Leverkusen's tall players!
But they didn't notice Li Kang surging forward!
Nagelsmann kept telling himself: That kid's heading skills are terrible!
Bang!
The ball hit the top of Leverkusen's number 10's head, deflecting towards Hoffenheim's goal!
Goalkeeper Baumann was dumbfounded!
1:3!!!
The Neckar Arena gradually fell silent.
Hoffenheim fans didn't understand.
Clearly, our tactical details are superior to Leverkusen's...
...
Hoffenheim didn't give up.
Nagelsmann knew that formations, spacing, and compressing the width were all fluff now!
Whenever Leverkusen's attack was broken up, Hoffenheim directly launched a long ball from the back!
The game gradually devolved into an aerial battle with no aesthetic value!
-[Chickens pecking at each other.]
-[Dino pulled Nagelsmann's IQ down to his level...]
-[No need to watch, Leverkusen is going to win again!]
....
72nd minute of the game.
Süle seized a set-piece opportunity!
Heading the ball past Leno's goal!
2:3!
Hoffenheim fans saw hope again, chanting slogans in unison, encouraging the players on the field.
"This game still has suspense!"
"Although the scene isn't pretty, as long as there are goals, it can stir up the enthusiasm in the stands!"
....
Li Kang silently stood in front of the defensive line.
Relying on the God's perspective and the Morata's heading attribute bonus.
Almost no one on the field could win the aerial duels against him!
Finally.
Beeep! Beeep Beeep~
The referee blew the whistle to end the game!
Hoffenheim 2:3 Leverkusen!
Dino and Nagelsmann shook hands, embraced tightly, then walked into the tunnel arm in arm.
After leaving the field, the two were still good classmates.
"Give me some advice, Leverkusen is in the Champions League semi-finals..."
"Face reality, no matter which team you meet, you have no chance of winning in a two-legged tie! Just like you used such stupid and simple tactics to defeat me!"
....
Leverkusen's team bus experienced a traffic jam on the overpass.
The already stuffy air became even more restless.
Dino patiently stood at the front of the bus, reviewing the details of the game.
Bellarabi tried to lighten the mood, laughing, "If we get beaten 7:0... 5:0 in the Champions League semi-finals, will our value plummet?"
No one responded.
There was no laughter as expected.
They conceded two goals against a rising Hoffenheim...
Facing Juventus, Atletico Madrid, or Real Madrid, what kind of torment would the defense endure?
Leno was under a lot of pressure.
It's uncertain whether others' values would drop, but his, as the goalkeeper, would definitely be the most affected!
Dino clapped his hands, encouraging the players.
"Let's calm our restless hearts!"
"The draw hasn't happened yet; who knows if we have a chance!"
As long as they didn't draw the invincible Real Madrid in foreign matches, Leverkusen still had some hope.
.....
That night.
Li Kang returned to the Leverkusen first-team dormitory.
There were too many refugee riots in Baden-Württemberg recently, and the club didn't dare let the players stay there overnight.
[Ding, congratulations on completing the Bundesliga random treasure chest weekly quest!]
[Congratulations on obtaining: Hoffenheim · Golden Treasure Chest!]
[The treasure chest is opening...]
[Congratulations on obtaining: Firmino "Link" Module (incomplete)!]
[Additional attribute reduction: All attributes reduced by 20%.]
[Special effect: Unknown.]
In today's intense matches, an incomplete module without attribute synergy was no longer very useful.
Li Kang thought for a while, summoned the module furnace, and threw it in!
Accompanied by a sizzling sound.
The system prompt sounded again.
[Ten modules have been accumulated! The level of the fused module will be greatly increased!]
All the modules tumbled on the surface of the furnace.
All Li Kang could see was boundless red light.
[Fusion successful!]
[Congratulations to the host for obtaining: Roberto Carlos "Heavy Sword, No Edge" Module! (Special)]
[If I kick it, you might die...]
[Top defenders carry knives; he carries a cannon.]
[Free kick master? 382 shots, 16 goals, hit rate as low as 4.2%.]
[Special effect: The adjustment time required to trigger this module is relatively long!]
Li Kang's left foot felt a slight numbness.
Before he could think about it.
All the surrounding things changed drastically!
...
1997, Four Nations Tournament.
Carlos completed a super long-distance run-up.
His left foot unleashed an unreplicable super cannon!
...
A few minutes later.
Li Kang came back to his senses.
Carlos's "Heavy Sword, No Edge" module took too long to charge up, so it generally wouldn't have a decisive effect in a match.
Especially with the development of football today, facing the suffocating pressure of top teams, there was hardly any chance to kick.
As for free kicks?
The hit rate was too far off from Mihajlovic's "Bogovo Missile".
Of course.
Without the system, he would be useless.
How could he dislike the module?
He had to reflect!
The "Heavy Sword, No Edge" module must have hidden other effects.
....
Old man Toppmöller was very ill.
So much so that he couldn't attend the Champions League semi-final draw ceremony.
Li Kang, Dino, and Völler came to Paris, France.
UEFA made enough publicity.
As soon as the three walked out of the arrival gate, thousands of fans swarmed over!
"Lee!!!"
"Lee!!!"
"Lee!!!"
At the same time, the nearby high-rise buildings' LED screens switched to Li Kang's photo.
Security personnel quickly escorted the three into a business car.
Dino sighed, "When did our club gain so many fans in France?"
Völler laughed, "These fans may not be able to say your names or mine, but they will definitely remember Li's birthday clearly. UEFA pays great attention to the conversion value of super rookies..."
"Last year, when we first participated in the round of 16 draw ceremony, we were ignored..."
"Who the hell would have thought we would make it to the Champions League semi-finals!"
....
Forty minutes later.
The three arrived at the Paris Convention Center.
The Champions League semi-final draw ceremony was more like a commercial money-making activity.
Canceling the division of the upper and lower brackets, using the last draw opportunity to earn enough broadcast revenue.
Li Kang followed the staff to a venue of about 500 square meters.
Media reporters raised their cameras one after another.
The flashes of the magnesium lights flashed wildly.
Buffon stood up in the front row, waving his big hand.
"Li! We were just missing you!"
...
Cristiano Ronaldo nodded simply, trying to keep a cold face.
He admired Little Li very much, but there were too many people on the scene... He had to pay attention to his image.
Griezmann's intelligence at this time... was similar to that of a low-energy villain in a film and television work. While earning Asian endorsements, he discriminated against Asians. At this moment, he simply turned his face away. Ball skills and character cannot be equated, especially for talented young players.
Buffon enthusiastically patted Li Kang's butt.
"Haha, don't mind them, they both want to draw Leverkusen!"
...
Dino sat in the coach's representative seat, very nervous.
Beside him were Simeone, Zidane, and Allegri.
The Atletico Madrid coach enthusiastically patted the young assistant coach on the shoulder:
"Don't think too much, Leverkusen has the most excellent genius midfielder."
Next came the redundant program.
Several high-level officials from UEFA and FIFA took turns to speak on stage.
The various speeches made the audience and media reporters sleepy.
But there was no way to change the channel.
Who knew when the draw ceremony would start?
.....
Barcelona.
Roberto and Enrique slumped in the meeting room.
"We still have a chance."
"We can still keep our positions!"
"Atletico Madrid and Real Madrid are going to play in the Champions League! Barca has a chance to win the La Liga title!"
"Next season! No matter where that kid goes..."
Enrique thought for a moment and said, "This summer, we need to increase our investment in signings. The problem in midfield is too serious."
Roberto nodded seriously: "The club has prepared 200 million euros for signings! The talented midfielder André Gomes that you like will descend on Camp Nou!"
.....
Paris Convention Center.
A glass bowl containing four small balls was placed in the center of the main stage.
Buffon yawned, looking at the chubby figure on the stage.
"Ronaldo?"
The two smiled and stretched out their hands, pointing at each other from across the space.
Nineteen years ago, the Inter Milan Ronaldo had broken Buffon's goal!
In the coaching area, Zidane and Simeone couldn't help but laugh.
Memories seemed to be pulled back to the distant 1990s... a brilliant era.
Only this guy Buffon... was still playing in the Champions League!
....
The draw ceremony officially began.
Ronaldo vigorously stirred in the glass bowl and took out the first small ball.
Break it open!
Unfold the paper, facing the camera.
"Real Madrid!"
Applause throughout the venue.
The strongest team on paper and the most valuable team this season's Champions League semi-final was the Galácticos!
Ronaldo didn't rest for too long; he gasped for breath and took out the second small ball.
Break it open.
Unfold the paper, facing the audience.
"Leverkusen!"
"The first matchup result is out!"
"Real Madrid vs. Leverkusen!"
Dino's eyes were dull, as if he had lost his soul.
Völler helplessly covered his forehead: They drew the hell difficulty.
....
Livestream.
The screen was filled with comments like a waterfall.
-[I started watching football late. Can someone explain whether Leverkusen can eliminate Real Madrid?]
-[You're overthinking it... Real Madrid's championship is basically guaranteed; they hardly need to exert much effort to play Leverkusen.]
-[Li Mingdeng's Champions League journey stops at the Bernabéu.]
-[Let me give you an example: The strength comparison between Real Madrid and Leverkusen is like the Chinese national team playing against Vietnam! There won't be any surprises.]
-[More than ten years ago, Leverkusen's "Treble Treble" season was eliminated by Real Madrid, and Zidane's "Flying Fairy from Heaven" shocked the world.]
-[With the transformation of football, there have been fewer and fewer dark horses in the Champions League in recent years. I hope Leverkusen plays with momentum and doesn't park the bus!]
-[It's great that Leverkusen made it to the semi-finals; don't dream of a "Treble Treble"!]
-[Little Li's Champions League opponents all the way have been so fierce: Barcelona, Roma, Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid... The semi-finals are the limit. Leverkusen's group of T2.5 teammates will be blown up in minutes.]
.....
The second matchup result was self-evident.
But it was necessary to determine the order of the home and away games according to the drawing order.
Ronaldo's chubby hand fiddled a few times.
The order result was released.
Juventus vs Atletico Madrid!
The draw ceremony did not end immediately.
UEFA staff quickly set up the venue.
Representatives of the four teams were invited to the stage to leave a valuable group photo.
Griezmann looked at Cristiano Ronaldo with a helpless expression...
He was the shortest, and the organizer specially prepared a small box for him to increase his height... but now Cristiano Ronaldo stepped on it.