Chapter 173 – This Was a Great Match! Yang Cheng: We Still Played Too Politely!
"There's a saying that goes around in the hotel industry."
The day after the FA Cup final, in the restaurant of the Royal Lancaster Hotel by the north gate of Hyde Park, the CEO of Hong Kong's Peninsula Hotel Group raised his glass toward Yang Jianguo.
"Open a hotel where there are already lots of hotels."
Yang Jianguo looked puzzled. "What kind of logic is that?"
"Right? Isn't the golden rule for hotel location: first-class commercial zone, third-rate spot?" asked the general manager of a leading domestic travel corporation, equally confused.
A first-class commercial zone means there's enough foot traffic.
A third-rate spot means lower rental costs, so the property expense for the hotel stays manageable.
The Peninsula CEO chuckled. "You're talking details. I'm talking strategy."
Everyone in the delegation was a sharp-minded businessperson. They got it right away.
"Areas with lots of hotels usually mean lots of customers. That's why, in every city, there's at least one cluster of hotels—and that spot always has the highest footfall."
"That's what defines a first-class commercial zone."
"Then, within that first-class zone, we find a third-tier location to keep costs down."
Yang Jianguo clapped enthusiastically at the insight but quickly joked, "Nice theory—but this time you might be disappointed. On our new stadium site, there's no such thing as a third-rate location. It's either first-class or ultra-first-class."
Everyone at the table burst into laughter.
When it came to business, Yang Jianguo truly had a way with words.
"Chairman Yang, I agree with you. In London, the densest concentration of hotels is right in Bayswater."
Everyone nodded.
In the past few days, they had walked around and realized just how saturated the area was with hotels—many still under construction.
From Queensway Station to Notting Hill Gate, there were already two Hilton hotels within walking distance.
And it wasn't just that—Adam Crozier from Bayswater Chinese revealed that Hilton had also contacted them about opening yet another hotel on Queensway.
It was insane.
The entire Bayswater area was packed with hotels.
Which meant one thing: fierce competition.
But it also confirmed how popular the area was—especially with the influx of global tourists and business travelers.
The biggest advantage? Unbeatable transport connectivity. Several Underground lines crisscrossed right through the area.
From there, you could get anywhere in London with ease.
Plus, it was surrounded by tourist hotspots: Notting Hill, Hyde Park, Holland Park, Kensington Palace, Knightsbridge, Baker Street—all within walking distance.
"And most importantly, Chairman Yang, the future vision your club has laid out is incredibly compelling. A stadium that holds 90,000, two or three hundred high-end VIP suites, a multi-use venue for matches, expos, concerts… That's a huge draw."
More nods all around.
With that kind of scale and location, the volume of future events and exhibitions was guaranteed to be massive.
It was a gold mine of resources.
Yang Jianguo picked up on the subtext and smiled broadly. "So, about our cooperation…"
"I'll push it forward the moment I get back. Peninsula Hotels wants to open in London before the 2012 Olympics!"
A commitment, made loud and clear.
And what truly sealed it? The influence of Bayswater Chinese, the investment strength of the club, backing from the London city government, and the attractive future painted by the entire development plan.
Four buildings. One taken by Bulgari, one by the department store group, one for Bayswater Chinese's office. If Peninsula hesitated any longer, they might end up with nothing at all.
With that agreement in place, everything else fell into place easily.
Yang Jianguo had officially connected all the dots in the business chain, closing the loop.
Next, they'd return to China to sign the deal and begin rolling out the project step by step.
Everyone at the table was thrilled.
It was a major win.
Yang Jianguo even generously invited everyone to Italy to watch the Champions League final.
"My son said it himself: I don't care if it's Barça, supposedly the best team in the world—we're still gonna take them down and win face for the Chinese!"
Everyone had watched the Chelsea match. It was thrilling.
They had also felt the impact of 90,000 roaring fans releasing their passion in the stadium.
But a trip from London to Italy just wasn't feasible for them.
Still, the praise for Yang Jianguo—and especially Yang Cheng—was nonstop.
Even though they'd only met him a few times, they had toured the new stadium site, visited the Brent training facility, watched two live matches, and seen Bayswater Chinese lift two trophies.
It truly was a proud moment for them all.
They wished they could be in Rome to witness the birth of the treble.
But time was short.
As high-ranking corporate executives, they'd already spent more time abroad than expected.
They needed to head back quickly to finalize the cooperation details.
Yang Jianguo didn't press them. He was already overjoyed.
This trip? A massive success.
Yang Cheng had really made him proud.
With such an outstanding son, all the effort and sacrifice he had poured into building this empire had been worth it.
…
Yang Jianguo and the group left the day before Yang Cheng and the team flew to Rome.
Yang Cheng made time to visit the hotel to see them off and arranged for Adam Crozier to escort them to the airport.
When he heard from his dad that the deal had gone through, Yang Cheng was thrilled.
"Once we're back, each company will start sending people to conduct further site visits and coordinate details. Make sure your end is ready," Yang Jianguo reminded him.
He had just signed a strategic partnership with China's largest high-end department store group. From now on, all Yang Real Estate commercial projects would involve that group.
That would launch Yang Real Estate to new heights.
Yang Cheng gave his dad a few final reminders and then asked about the sports apparel side of the business, warning him to start preparing for the post-Olympics economic downturn and possible overproduction issues.
"You've told me that at least ten times already. I take it seriously. Old Lin is keeping close tabs on it. Don't worry—our sportswear business is doing great. We're planning to spin it off and list it independently in Hong Kong."
In truth, Yang Jianguo had been preparing for an IPO for a while.
But the business had been booming over the past few years, and there was no shortage of capital. In 2007, when Nike acquired Umbro, the Yang Group even purchased Umbro's Greater China operations.
This IPO move was meant to strengthen R&D, upgrade the brand, and transform distribution channels—accelerating Umbro's development in China.
And all of that required a massive capital injection.
In addition to the sports company, Yang Real Estate was also preparing for an IPO.
As Yang Jianguo put it, years of steady growth had made both subsidiaries strong and mature. Once listed, they'd be ready to go all out and enter a new phase of high-speed growth.
"So, son, if you're ever short on cash—just let me know!" Yang Jianguo said with swagger, patting Yang Cheng's shoulder.
Yang Cheng almost burst out laughing—but he nodded seriously.
"Dad, now that you mention it, we just did the math. Our funding gap is at least £600 million. You don't need to cover all of it—just give me five hundred million, and I'll figure out the rest."
And then, he watched his dad's expression slowly shift from smug, to awkward, to downright gloomy.
In the end, the old man let out a long sigh—one that carried the melancholy of a father realizing his grown-up son was now beyond his control.
"You'll have to figure it out yourself. I'm heading back to China first."
With that, the old man turned and walked off without looking back.
Leaving Yang Cheng standing there, dumbfounded.
Wasn't the deal just to "let me know"?
"Did I ask for too much?" Yang Cheng tilted his head and asked Xia Qing.
She rolled her eyes. "What do you think?"
…
Ever since Bayswater Chinese qualified for the Champions League Final, Yang Cheng had poured all his energy into preparing for the match.
Facing Barcelona, Yang Cheng treated this game with utmost seriousness.
Preparation was meticulous, and every detail was accounted for.
Not only did he organize regular team sessions to watch Barça match highlights, but the video analysts also created customized clips for each player, helping them better understand Barcelona's style of play.
Yang Cheng also held regular tactical meetings where every player was encouraged to speak freely.
Meeting notes were compiled, refined, and repeatedly reviewed to ensure no detail was overlooked.
From the very beginning, Yang Cheng had set the tone for the match.
When facing a team like Barça, being conservative means death.
But blindly pushing forward and going toe-to-toe in attack would be suicide as well.
And trying to compete for possession? That was a fool's errand too.
So Bayswater Chinese had to mentally prepare for long stretches of the game without the ball.
It would be a major test for the team.
But that's just how outrageous Barça were.
As Yang Cheng put it, "Barcelona is the kind of team that can casually string together dozens of passes and we can't even get a touch."
"That means we have to keep our heads cool, stay composed, and read the game intelligently at all times."
At that moment, Yang Cheng really missed his mentor, Coach Tony.
Tony had always remained calm no matter what challenge or difficulty he faced.
Yang Cheng had the coaching staff prepare detailed reports for the players—highlighting Barça's strengths and weaknesses.
He also identified where Bayswater Chinese had the advantage, and how to make the most of it.
But all of that was just part of the prep work.
In training, Yang Cheng simulated game conditions as closely as possible to what they would face against Barça, helping players adapt early and build familiarity.
It wasn't until the day the team was set to leave for Rome that Yang Cheng revealed his tactical plan.
First and foremost: do not try to fight for possession.
Everyone already knew this.
But more importantly, in defense, don't focus on winning the ball back.
"Our goal is to disrupt their dangerous attacking buildup and break their rhythm—not to win the ball."
"So don't dive into challenges. Just hold your ground."
"Remember, their passing and movement is faster than ours, more refined."
Sound familiar?
Yes—this was the exact strategy Ferguson once used against Bayswater Chinese. And it worked quite well.
Now, Yang Cheng was taking a page from that book and turning it against Barça.
"Next," he continued, "when dealing with Messi, Iniesta, and other key players, there must be at least two defenders near them at all times."
"I don't care when or how—if they have the ball, there must be two men pressing them. No tackling, just close them down, box them in, and limit their space."
Which led to Yang Cheng's third point—the one that emphasized Bayswater Chinese's greatest strength.
Physicality.
Against a team like Manchester United, Bayswater Chinese didn't have the edge in physical battles.
But against Barça?
Against players like Xavi, Iniesta, and Messi?
They definitely had the upper hand in strength and athleticism.
So the plan was simple: compress their space, initiate physical contact, and lean into their own advantages.
And most important of all:
Transition quickly through midfield. Once the ball is lost, nearby players must immediately press. The backline must drop into position instantly.
"Barça's football philosophy is built on possession. When they win the ball back, if we press quickly, they'll prioritize keeping possession. That'll force them to play safer passes—which gives us time to reset our shape."
"But when we win the ball—we go forward fast."
"Trust me, if we get through midfield quickly, their midfield can't stop us. And once we reach their back line, they're in serious danger. Their defense is very fragile."
"So, for this match, Modrić will start. Rakitić will start. Yaya Touré will start. Bale on the left, Di María on the right."
"Our purpose is crystal clear—every player is a trigger point for counterattacks. Once we recover the ball, immediately break forward, bypass midfield, and use our pace and passing to target the space behind them."
Yang Cheng also gave players a key reminder: once Barça started passing the ball around, don't chase it.
Let them pass.
"The most important thing at that time is to conserve energy and maintain defensive shape and order."
"Remember what I'm telling you—don't constantly try to take the ball from them!"
He repeated it over and over, to ensure the players wouldn't forget.
After days of studying and internalizing, the team now had a clearer picture of exactly what kind of opponent they were facing.
And while Yang Cheng's tactical plan surprised many of them—it also made complete sense.
In terms of passing and possession, Bayswater Chinese couldn't match Barça.
But now, every player knew their specific role and what needed to be done.
…
Three days before the team arrived in Italy, the team bus had already reached Rome.
In those early days, logistics staff had moved all necessary equipment into the hotel and tested every route from the hotel to the Stadio Olimpico.
Especially during match-like hours, they ran multiple test drives to understand Roman traffic patterns.
The local police cooperated fully, providing guidance and information.
According to their feedback, they'd never seen a team prepare this meticulously before.
But after thinking about it—they admitted it was both reasonable and necessary.
When the squad landed in Rome, it was their own driver who picked them up in the familiar team bus.
By now, he knew every route like the back of his hand.
Amid cheering fans, the bus carried them to their hotel.
After a brief rest, the team dined together.
Following a midday break, they went to the Stadio Olimpico for their official pre-match training session.
It's worth mentioning that Yang Cheng had arranged extra time before and after training for fan interaction.
These weren't just any fans—they were all season ticket holders who had traveled to Rome.
With Bayswater Chinese's growing popularity, season ticket sales had risen rapidly. So the club had introduced a points system.
Buying a season ticket, spending at the stadium—these earned loyalty points.
For high-demand matches like the Champions League Final, tickets were distributed by points ranking.
So, in a way, the fans who made it to Rome were the most die-hard, loyal supporters.
After training ended, the team held a special fan session.
And just as that was happening, Guardiola and the Barça players arrived for their own pre-match routine.
It was the first time Yang Cheng and Guardiola had met face-to-face.
The two coaches shook hands and exchanged a few pleasantries on the touchline.
Their conversation was light—friendly greetings only.
Not a word about the upcoming match.
Not a single reference to their past meetings.
But later, when Yang Cheng appeared in the press conference room at the Stadio Olimpico, he spoke with unshakable confidence.
"No one understands how to beat Barcelona better than I do!"
"We've always had a psychological edge when playing Barça."
"And this match will be no different!"
The reporters in the room ate it up. Statements like that were their bread and butter—everyone was buzzing with excitement.
One journalist pointed out that Yang Cheng's passing-and-movement style of play had many similarities to Barcelona's possession-based approach. Did that mean their football philosophies were aligned?
Yang Cheng shook his head.
"If I were to explain the differences in detail, I'd need hours. But I can say with absolute certainty—our football philosophy is completely different from Barcelona's. Fundamentally different."
"In a sense, Barça's football is a form of insecurity."
"They don't trust themselves enough, so they go to great lengths to deny their opponents possession. That, in itself, is a kind of conservatism."
The press room exploded at that line.
It was blasphemous.
"I don't believe that Barcelona represents beautiful football. In fact, I think their philosophy will soon lead to football that's dull, monotonous, and downright sleep-inducing."
"Why? Because their opponents will never get the ball."
By contrast, Yang Cheng believed his team played a more confident, aggressive, proactive brand of attacking football.
"Yes, they play control-based football. We play attacking football. They are not the same."
As for whether Guardiola would adjust his tactics, Yang Cheng didn't believe so.
"And neither will we."
"We only need to play our football, and we can beat Barcelona."
"Yes, that's right—I've found the way to beat them!"
That final sentence was a psychological jab—not at the Barça players, but at Guardiola himself.
Yang Cheng was hoping Guardiola would overthink it, maybe even sabotage himself a little—ideally by dropping one of his midfield trio.
That would make the game much easier for Bayswater Chinese.
Guardiola, however, rejected the idea that Barça's football was conservative.
He also didn't believe that Yang Cheng had truly found a way to beat them.
"Nearly every team we've faced this season has claimed the same thing—but almost none succeeded."
He acknowledged that Bayswater Chinese were a team worthy of respect.
"They've made it to the Champions League Final for two straight seasons—but they won't win it twice."
When asked which Bayswater player posed the biggest threat, Guardiola didn't hesitate.
"Džeko. He's extremely dangerous. His performance could determine the outcome."
As for how Barça planned to deal with him?
"You'll see during the match," said Guardiola with a faint smile.
He didn't hide his admiration either.
"I've said many times—Džeko is the kind of player every manager would love to have. Especially me."
…
On match day, Yang Cheng and his players stayed focused and away from all distractions.
From the moment they woke up, their entire routine was geared toward the match that evening.
From meals to rest to tactical briefings—everything was part of the final countdown.
Kickoff was scheduled for 19:45.
Bayswater Chinese departed the hotel early, boarding the team bus en route to the Stadio Olimpico.
Barcelona, on the other hand, clearly hadn't scouted their route in advance. They hit Rome's rush hour traffic and only arrived at the stadium 17 minutes late, just as Bayswater Chinese were finishing their warm-up.
After returning to the dressing room, Yang Cheng played his trump card.
Just like in last season's Champions League Final, he had prepared a custom motivational video—a compilation of each player's highlights from the season, edited into a four-minute segment with the club anthem as the soundtrack.
That video had worked well last year.
This time, he doubled down—eight minutes.
It showed every battle, every challenge, every sacrifice made throughout the season.
Every player was featured.
Yang Cheng wanted them to feel that fire again. To see what they'd fought for. To remember why they were here.
And at the end of the video, one simple line appeared from Yang Cheng:
"I believe victory will be ours!"
Then came the final tactical reminders—and a passionate team huddle.
Everything that needed to be said had already been said.
Yang Cheng just highlighted a few key points—especially on how to deal with Messi.
When he finished, he called everyone over.
Players, coaches, staff—even those not in the matchday squad—all gathered together, arms locked, hearts united.
"This is a great match!"
"And victory will be ours!"
"Let's go! Let's go!! Let's go!!!"
With Yang Cheng's final roar, the players echoed his call and then scattered, ready for battle.
…
According to the pre-match draw, Bayswater Chinese would wear their red home kits.
Barcelona would wear their yellow away strip.
That night, 67,000 fans poured into the Stadio Olimpico.
The stands were split clearly—red on one side, yellow on the other. An ocean of color and energy.
Led by Italian referee Massimo Busacca, the two teams marched onto the pitch.
There were no surprises in the starting lineups.
Bayswater Chinese lined up in a 4-3-3:
Goalkeeper: Neuer
Defense: Leighton Baines, Thiago Silva, Pepe, Maicon
Midfield: Yaya Touré (holding), Rakitić and Modrić (central)
Attack: Gareth Bale, Džeko, Ángel Di María
The biggest talking point?
Walcott, fresh off his FA Cup final hat trick and hailed by British fans as a future England star—was on the bench.
That was unexpected, given how red-hot his form had been.
Another surprise was Matuidi not starting—many expected him to replace Rakitić. But in the end, Rakitić got the nod. Still, it wasn't a wild gamble; he had been a key part of the midfield all season.
Barça also fielded their strongest available XI:
Goalkeeper: Víctor Valdés
Defense: Sylvinho, Puyol, Piqué, Dani Alves
Midfield: Busquets (holding), Iniesta and Xavi (central)
Attack: Henry, Eto'o, Messi
This was as strong as Barcelona could get.
During the coin toss, Modrić lost again—this time to Puyol.
Yang Cheng and Brian Kidd exchanged a helpless look on the sidelines.
Their captain was good at everything—except coin tosses. He could never win one.
Once the toss was over, the teams took their positions.
Messi and Eto'o stood over the ball at the center circle.
And when Busacca blew his whistle to start the match, Barça passed the ball straight back to begin their familiar build-up.
Bayswater Chinese advanced cautiously.
Džeko, leading the line, pushed up just far enough to hover around Busquets' zone.
Gareth Bale and Di María stayed relatively deep, positioned almost level with midfielders Rakitić and Modrić.
The team maintained a compact formation and advanced steadily as a unit.
This was part of Yang Cheng's tactical plan.
In a 4-3-3, the distance between the wingers and full-backs can easily stretch too far.
The upside is attacking width. The downside is defensive vulnerability.
So most of the time, full-backs have to push up aggressively to close that gap.
But when they do, the space behind them becomes highly exploitable.
Against Barcelona, Yang Cheng's strategy was deliberately cautious in the opening stages.
He had designed two approaches before the match: if they could win early possession, they'd launch a quick press and attack. If not, they'd focus on maintaining defensive shape in the midfield and backline, waiting patiently for an opportunity.
As it turned out, Barcelona easily established control of the ball after kickoff.
Their endless passing made it hard for Bayswater Chinese to get even a touch.
Still, Yang Cheng's players stayed calm, holding a 4-1-4-1 shape and staying organized.
On the pitch, it looked like a balanced battle, but in reality, Barça dominated possession.
Even though Bayswater Chinese kept their line high and forced most of the action to midfield, they made no real effort to contest ball control.
They were simply following Yang Cheng's instructions.
Barcelona initially tried to go over the top, but it didn't work.
Xavi and Iniesta both attempted long balls behind the line, but Henry and Eto'o fell into the offside trap twice.
Ironically, even though Bayswater Chinese were getting out-possessed, the game's first shot on goal came from Gareth Bale.
The Welshman received a pass from Džeko and broke into the left side of the box. Under pressure from Puyol, he managed to shoot, but Valdés handled it safely.
The second shot also came from Bayswater Chinese.
Again, it started with Džeko dropping deep to link up. Bale picked up the ball near the left corner of the box and lashed a rushed shot that sailed high.
Seeing this, Yang Cheng stepped to the sideline and shouted toward Gareth Bale, signaling for him to calm down.
Bale raised a hand in acknowledgment from afar—message received.
…
"Ten minutes in," Brian Kidd reported from the bench. "Barça's possession is at 75%. Bit high."
But this didn't surprise Yang Cheng or the coaching staff.
Unless you started with a high press and dominated early, letting Barcelona own the ball was inevitable.
"Everyone expected us to come out flying, press hard, and attack early," Yang Cheng said, shaking his head. "But now it's Barça doing just that."
Guardiola clearly knew his team tended to start slow, while Bayswater Chinese were famous for explosive openings.
So what did he do?
He flipped the script. Used their kickoff to apply immediate pressure.
With Barça on the front foot, Bayswater Chinese couldn't launch their own press.
But even with this aggressive opening, Barça weren't especially sharp.
In fact, it was Bayswater Chinese who had created both of the game's first shots.
"We're playing too politely," Yang Cheng muttered, frowning.
Truthfully, Bayswater Chinese weren't the kind of team that leaned into physicality.
So Yang Cheng walked to the touchline again and signaled to his players—add pressure. Be more aggressive.
Don't just let Barça knock it around!
Guys, do you know what "disruption" means?
Disruption means being violent! You've got to show some brutality!
If they want to control the ball—hit them!
But just as Yang Cheng was diagnosing the problem, disaster struck five minutes later.
Messi received a pass from Xavi in the right half-space.
Rakitić moved inside to support Yaya Touré in defending him.
But both players were too polite. They didn't close Messi down with any real urgency, leaving a gap between them.
Messi controlled the ball and took off.
Like a slippery eel, he slithered between the two, not completely breaking through but managing to slide a through pass behind the defense.
Almost simultaneously, Eto'o made his run, perfectly timing his move to beat the offside trap.
He broke into the right side of the box and latched onto Messi's pass.
Neuer rushed out, diving low to his right—but couldn't stop the shot.
GOAL!
"Barça scores!!"
"Samuel Eto'o opens the scoring!"
"A killer through pass from Messi after a slaloming run!"
"Bayswater Chinese's defense finally buckled under the relentless passing and Messi's sharp burst!"
"Just 15 minutes in—and Barcelona lead 1–0!"
Yang Cheng stood on the sideline, at a loss for words.
He didn't even know how to describe his emotions in that moment.
Messi was elite, sure—but Rakitić and Yaya Touré had him contained.
If they had closed down tighter, Messi never would've slipped through.
Why didn't they seal off the space? Why let him poke his head through the crack and deliver that dagger?
Frustrated, Yang Cheng stormed to the sideline, shouting angrily toward the pitch.
"What the hell was that?! What did I tell you?!"
"Zone defense! Double coverage! That's what you call a double team?!"
"Ivan! Yaya! What were you doing?!"
Everyone on the pitch knew—Yang Cheng rarely blew up like this.
And if he did, it meant something had gone very wrong.
Just like now.
Before Messi's pass, Touré, Rakitić, and maybe the others hadn't realized the danger.
Maintaining shape? Sure.
But they thought they didn't need to get physical. No need to go all in.
After all, Bayswater Chinese weren't a team known for rugged defending.
But when Messi's pass landed and Eto'o scored, it was like a bucket of ice water dumped over everyone's heads.
And in December, no less.
They snapped awake.
Especially after Yang Cheng's outburst.
They realized—this was Barcelona.
The tiniest mistake, the smallest lapse, could be punished immediately and turned into a goal.
…
Conceding woke them up—but Barça weren't about to let up.
They were at their best when riding momentum.
After restarting play, Guardiola's team surged forward again, pressing hard and high.
They regained possession quickly and resumed their patient passing game in the final third.
Henry soon got a shooting chance on the left side of the box.
Neuer was ready—he caught it cleanly.
But Barça kept coming.
Still pinned in their own half, Bayswater Chinese's midfield and defense began to feel the heat.
Despite Yang Cheng's orders to push forward, Barça's constant pressure forced them to drop deeper and deeper.
And they stayed deep for ten minutes.
But to their credit, Bayswater Chinese did start defending more aggressively.
After conceding, they began putting bodies on Barça players, making tackles, getting physical.
At the very least, they stopped being so passive.
Though the box saw a few dangerous moments, Barça didn't get many clean shots.
And as the defense settled, the players regained clarity.
Most importantly—they realized Yang Cheng's tactics were spot on, and very effective.
At That Moment, They Gave Everything They Had—No Holding Back
In the 31st minute, Messi and Dani Alves attempted a combination on the right edge of the penalty area.
But Rakitić tracked back in time to support Leighton Baines, and together they smothered the attack before it could develop.
Alves tried to recycle play with a casual back pass aimed at Xavi to reorganize.
But out of nowhere, Gareth Bale raced back and pounced from the blindside, intercepting the pass.
After stealing the ball, Bale used his body to shield Xavi and poked it with his right foot to Rakitić, who quickly laid it off to Yaya Touré.
The Ivorian, under pressure from Eto'o, held his ground, spun, and passed it back to Rakitić, who moved it along to Modrić.
The captain, reacting just before Iniesta could close him down, delivered a line-breaking pass right into Džeko's feet.
Džeko had dropped deep, with Piqué glued to his back.
Guardiola had clearly assigned Piqué to shadow Džeko tightly all match long.
But the Bosnian striker executed a brilliant touch and spin, using his right shoulder to hold off Piqué, and swept a left-footed pass diagonally behind him.
And then—like a streak of red lightning—Gareth Bale surged forward at full throttle, tearing through the line and chasing the pass.
He powered the ball forward again with one big touch, driving straight into Barça's penalty area.
Puyol rushed back to cover, keeping pace.
But as Bale reached the ball and touched it forward again, he somehow found another gear.
Puyol didn't expect that. He reached out to grab Bale's shirt—only to be shrugged off.
The Welshman broke free, striding into the box with explosive momentum, catching up to the ball he'd pushed ahead.
Valdés had already rushed off his line.
But he wasn't quick enough.
Bale got there first. Left foot. Boom.
The shot flashed past Valdés at lightning speed and buried itself in the back of Barça's net.
"GOAL!!!"
"1–1!!"
"Gareth Bale, with a lightning-fast counterattack, equalizes for Bayswater Chinese!"
"A brilliant assist from Džeko!"
"That Welsh winger is just too fast—Puyol couldn't even foul him in time!"
"Once again, Bayswater Chinese prove how deadly their offense is."
"If Barça's midfield can't hold them back, and the ball reaches their back line, it gets dangerous—fast."
"We're back to square one!"
…
Yang Cheng leapt into the air as the goal went in, fists clenched in celebration.
Brian Kidd and the other assistants were just as ecstatic.
One of them even grabbed Yang Cheng's shirt and shouted, "You were right, Yang! Barça's defense is made of paper!"
It sounded exaggerated—but it wasn't wrong.
If Bayswater Chinese could break through the midfield quickly, Barça's backline couldn't stop them.
The problem, however, was stopping Barça's attack first.
That required more than individual brilliance—it was a test of their entire tactical system.
The earlier goal was a perfect example.
And after conceding, Barça came back even harder.
Especially Messi.
The Argentine star dropped deep to pick up the ball.
Once he had it, he surged forward.
In the 35th minute, Messi received the ball in the right half-space, danced past three defenders, and slipped a pass through just outside the penalty area.
Neuer charged out, reading the play perfectly, and slid to smother the ball just ahead of Eto'o.
Eto'o had to pull his foot back at the last second—any later and he might've kicked Neuer instead.
Yang Cheng immediately adjusted from the touchline, signaling Rakitić to stick closer to Messi and apply pressure.
Barça kept the ball patiently, weaving short passes around the final third.
At times, their sequences were so tight and controlled that Bayswater Chinese couldn't touch the ball for stretches at a time.
This constant movement, paired with elite technique, took a visible toll on the players—both physically and mentally.
But this was where Yang Cheng's pre-match preparation paid off.
His players understood—Yang Cheng had predicted this exact scenario and given them a tactical blueprint to survive it.
And thanks to their intensive training, they had drilled for this moment.
So when Barça kept rotating possession, Bayswater Chinese didn't panic.
They kept running, shifting, staying disciplined and compact, denying any space for forward passes.
Messi had to drop back again to find the ball.
But in the 39th minute, as he turned with possession, Rakitić lunged in—tight, physical, relentless.
He used his body to pressure Messi, got his foot in, and took the ball cleanly.
Messi stumbled backward, furious, and tried to regain position—but was knocked off balance and went down.
Barça players screamed for a foul.
Messi rolled on the turf.
But referee Busacca waved it off—no whistle.
Unbothered, Rakitić passed to Modrić, who quickly offloaded to Di María.
The Argentine flubbed his first touch, nearly losing control, but spun around, shielded the ball, and shifted it out wide.
Maicon came storming forward on the right, launched the ball ahead of himself, and charged down the sideline.
He broke into Barça's final third and picked his moment, whipping in a diagonal cross toward the far edge of the six-yard box.
Gareth Bale was already sprinting at full pace, leaving Piqué behind as he caught up to the ball.
He jumped—not to shoot—but to head it back across goal.
A grounded header, precisely placed.
In the middle of the box, Džeko, slightly slower but persistent, barged past Puyol, got in front, and launched a one-touch stab at goal.
Valdés, positioned slightly to the left, reacted instantly—but at such close range, he never had a chance.
The ball smashed into the back of the net. Again.
Both Džeko and Puyol crashed into the net after the ball.
Busquets and the rest of the Barça players turned to the referee, voices raised.
But Busacca pointed calmly to the center circle.
Goal stands.
And Rome's Stadio Olimpico erupted.
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