The deep anxiety gripping the Sevilla fans stemmed largely from the nightmares of the previous season.
Back then, Theodore Bjorn was still wearing the colors of Aston Villa when they clashed with Sevilla in the Europa League semifinals.
In that match, Theodore had been completely unstoppable, spearheading a ruthless demolition of Sevilla on their own turf.
His performance had been dazzling, single-handedly dismantling Sevilla's entire defensive line.
That masterclass left a permanent scar on the minds of the home support. Even with a full season gone, the mere sight of Theodore back at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán filled the stadium with a lingering dread.
And reality quickly proved their fears were entirely justified.
The next second, Theodore threaded a precise pass straight to Vinícius Jr. on the front line, slicing cleanly through Sevilla's midfield.
As Real Madrid's sharpest winger, Vinícius' recent form had been under heavy scrutiny.
Tonight, the Brazilian was desperate to showcase his attacking flair!
Matching up against him was the veteran Jesús Navas.
At thirty-four years old, Navas was a man who had spent his prime years winning titles with Manchester City before returning to where his dream began.
While he no longer possessed the blistering pace of his youth, his defensive anticipation had grown immensely.
Navas chose to strike first.
The moment Theodore released the ball from midfield, Navas anticipated the pass and closed down Vinícius.
Before the winger could fully control the ball, Navas extended a foot and cleanly knocked it away, snuffing out the counterattack.
"Vinícius loses possession once again!" Rob Palmer noted on the broadcast. "His recent form has dropped off significantly, and he's struggling to offer any real threat to this Sevilla back line."
"I'm surprised Zidane opted for Vinícius over Ødegaard tonight given their recent performances," Terry Gibson added.
As the match progressed, Sevilla gradually settled into their passing rhythm.
Under Julen Lopetegui, the hosts had heavily prioritized ball retention.
After a quick triangle exchange in the center of the pitch, the ball found Ivan Rakitić.
The experienced midfielder was the heartbeat of Sevilla's transition.
Much like Navas, Rakitić had made his name here before moving to a giant club in Barcelona, only to return home for the latter stages of his career.
At thirty-two, he still possessed elite vision.
Without hesitation, Rakitić looked up and clipped a perfectly weighted lofted pass over the top of Madrid's defense.
Bang!
The ball sailed into the heart of the Real Madrid penalty area.
Near the penalty spot, Luuk de Jong used his massive 189-centimeter frame to challenge Raphaël Varane.
The powerful Dutch striker acted as a true battering ram for Sevilla's attack.
In that crucial second, De Jong aggressively leaned his body into Varane, throwing the French defender completely off balance.
With Varane unable to disrupt the flight of the ball, De Jong met it with a powerful, authoritative header.
He fully showcased his aerial dominance, powering the ball past Thibaut Courtois before the goalkeeper could even react.
The ball brushed past Courtois' fingertips and rippled the back of the net!
1–0!
"Goal for Sevilla!" Palmer roared. "Luuk de Jong breaks the deadlock!"
"Sevilla take a deserved lead at home," Gibson added. "Real Madrid's defensive vulnerabilities have resurfaced early in this match. They've developed a bad habit of needing to concede first before waking up."
On the global live comment feeds, international fans expressed their deep frustration with Real Madrid's defensive lapse.
"What on earth is our defense doing? How do you let Luuk de Jong get a free header like that?"
"Sergio Ramos' absence is completely crippling this backline."
"We look entirely disorganized. The attack is stagnant and the defense is a total mess."
"Vinícius and Varane have been shocking in these opening ten minutes."
"Once again, we are entirely dependent on Theodore to bail us out."
"Just get the damn ball to Theodore and let him drive forward. It's the only way we score."
Inside the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, over forty thousand Sevilla fans erupted into celebration.
On the touchline, however, Lopetegui's expression remained serious.
He knew all too well that a wounded Real Madrid would immediately mount a ferocious response.
His instincts were correct.
In the 12th minute, just two minutes after the opening goal, Real Madrid ignited their attack.
Theodore actively demanded the ball in midfield, dropped his shoulder, and glided past Fernando's aggressive press.
Relying on his raw, unmatched speed, Theodore surged forward.
Because his acceleration was so intense, Sevilla's midfield could not recover in time to close the space.
Within seconds, Theodore left Joan Jordán trailing in his wake.
As Theodore neared the edge of the penalty arc, Rakitić recognized the immense danger.
Relying on his veteran instincts, Rakitić realized there was no legal way to stop the run, so he simply wrapped both arms around Theodore's waist to pull him down.
Peep!
The referee blew his whistle immediately, pulling a yellow card from his pocket.
Rakitić willingly accepted the booking to prevent a clear goalscoring opportunity.
"This is prime territory for Theodore Bjorn!" Palmer called out. "Rakitić brings him down about thirty meters from goal. It's a bit far out, but with Theodore's specialized quality from set-pieces, Yassine Bounou will be deeply concerned."
Theodore stood over the ball and took his run-up.
Facing a Sevilla wall averaging over 185 centimeters in height, Theodore adjusted his technique, striking under the ball to ensure it cleared the defenders.
Bang!
The ball curled beautifully over the wall, dipping sharply toward the bottom corner.
But luck was not on Madrid's side.
Clang!
The strike ratified violently against the post and bounced out of play for a goal kick.
"Inches away!" Palmer called out. "A fantastic effort from Theodore, completely beating the wall but denied by the woodwork."
On the touchline, Lopetegui frantically gestured to his players.
"Slow it down! Do not rush the restart! Settle the tempo first!"
Lopetegui knew Real Madrid would try to suffocatingly press them to find an immediate equalizer.
The Sevilla players executed the plan perfectly. Bounou played a short pass to his center-back, who moved it to Rakitić, before recycling it back to the goalkeeper.
They were intentionally killing time in their own defensive third.
Zidane immediately recognized the tactic and signaled for a high, aggressive press.
Real Madrid's frontline and midfield swarmed forward.
Led by Theodore, Modrić, and Kroos, the press was relentless.
The pressure paid off in the 16th minute.
Theodore anticipated Rakitić's body shape, slid in with a clean, perfectly timed challenge, and stripped the ball straight from the Croatian's feet.
With possession recovered, Vinícius, Rodrygo, and Benzema instantly darted into the Sevilla penalty area, hunting for a pass.
Theodore had options across the frontline, but he chose to keep the ball himself.
"Theodore accelerates through the middle!" Palmer shouted. "He is driving directly at the heart of the defense himself!"
The Sevilla midfield panicked.
Jordán and Fernando converged simultaneously, attempting to double-team Theodore and squeeze him out of possession.
But Theodore's reactive speed was too high. He knocked the ball forward with a quick touch of his right foot, flashing between the two midfielders like a streak of lightning before they could even initiate contact.
The pressure fell squarely on the center-backs. Jules Koundé did not hesitate.
The young French defender flew out of the box, launching into a desperate sliding tackle that took Theodore down heavily.
Peep!
The referee blew for the foul and immediately brandished another yellow card.
Within the opening twenty minutes, Sevilla had already picked up two bookings—both from desperate fouls to halt Theodore.
"Another free-kick in a dangerous area," Palmer said, his voice rising. "This one is significantly closer than the last. Theodore will almost certainly target the back of the net from here."
The home supporters responded with a deafening barrage of whistles and jeers, attempting to shatter Theodore's concentration.
But historically, a hostile crowd only fueled the teenager's focus.
Theodore calmly placed the ball on the grass, assessing Bounou's positioning.
The Moroccan international was an exceptional shot-stopper, serving as Sevilla's undisputed number one.
Theodore knew beating him from this range required absolute perfection.
Peep!
The referee blew the whistle.
Theodore strode forward and struck the ball cleanly with his right foot.
Bang!
The ball cleared the wall perfectly, but this time, it executed a wicked, sudden dip as it neared the goal line.
Bounou anticipated the flight and launched himself across his line with a full-extension dive, but Theodore's strike was locked into the absolute top corner.
It bypassed Bounou's outstretched fingertips and flew firmly into the back of the net.
1–1!
"WHAT A GOAL! DIRECT FROM THE FREE-KICK!" Palmer roared. "Theodore Bjorn hits back instantly for Real Madrid!"
"It's a masterclass in set-piece execution, leaving Bounou completely helpless in goal," Gibson added.
"When Real Madrid need inspiration, it is always Theodore who delivers."
In the traveling away section of the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán, the Real Madrid supporters erupted.
"Theodore! You are a god!"
"The undisputed king of the pitch!"
"That is how you silence a hostile stadium! Absolutely brilliant!"
"He is easily the best active player in world football. If he doesn't win the Ballon d'Or this month, the entire award is a farce!"
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