"Messi!! A sudden shot gives Barcelona a goal!"

"Just 4 minutes into the match, Barcelona has scored. This is an absolute dream start. Real Madrid suffered a heavy blow early on; they failed to quickly settle into the game, and Messi took advantage of that to score!"

"Barcelona leads Real Madrid 1:0!"

Commentator Gonzalez exclaimed in surprise.

This goal astonished even him.

In the past, Messi wouldn't have taken a shot like this. He would usually dribble into a more threatening position or get closer to the goal.

But this time, after noticing that Casillas's positioning was slightly off, he immediately decided to shoot.

Moreover, the quality of the shot was exceptional—extremely well-placed—and Casillas couldn't make the save.

All of this proved that Messi was in outstanding form.

On the sidelines, Guardiola clenched his fists tightly, celebrating excitedly.

Yes!

Exactly like this!

Since the start of the season, Messi had felt different. Whether in training or warm-up matches, Messi had become more eager to score.

He began to confront the pressure Suker placed on him and aimed to overturn it.

This shift in mentality boosted his form, fully unleashing Messi's potential.

And this goal was the best proof.

Moreover, Fabregas's arrival had strengthened Barcelona's midfield with additional support.

This transfer wasn't orchestrated by Guardiola, but there was no denying that Fabregas was very effective.

Just like this play: in a diamond formation, Xavi and Fabregas controlled the midfield, one in front of the other.

This allowed Messi to avoid dropping back to receive the ball, and Iniesta could also perform at his best.

At the same time, Barcelona had already adapted to Real Madrid's high press.

All of this culminated in this moment.

Guardiola clenched his fists tightly: "The time for counterattack has come!"

On the other side, in Real Madrid's coaching area, Mourinho frowned deeply.

The situation had changed.

Or rather, Barcelona had changed.

Although he had arranged the defense as cautiously as possible, Barcelona still managed to score.

Khedira failed to stop Messi.

But what worried Mourinho most was whether this goal was a result of luck or if Messi had intended it.

If it was the latter, the match would become very difficult.

"Retreat and defend!" Mourinho shouted toward the pitch. "Lift your arms! What are your bodies for? Put pressure on them! Physicality! Physicality! Seek contact!"

The Real Madrid players also looked grim.

After this goal, they realized that something was wrong.

Suker glanced at the celebrating Barcelona players and gritted his teeth.

As expected!

"After the match restarted, Barcelona continued to control possession. Their passing became increasingly fluid. The high press failed to completely disrupt Barcelona's passing rhythm. They used quicker and more precise passes to break through Real Madrid's high press!"

"However, Real Madrid also showed great resilience. They quickly retreated and reorganized their defense!"

Real Madrid was entirely pinned back in their own half.

After several failed pressing attempts, they didn't dare to press too aggressively, afraid that the spaces they left would be exploited by the opponent.

Barcelona, on the other hand, used their fluid passing to continuously apply pressure.

Suker stayed in his position upfront, waiting.

At this moment, Suker felt conflicted.

Should he drop back or not?

Suker turned to look at Mourinho.

Mourinho pressed his hand down, signaling him to stay put.

Suker sighed. He could only trust Mourinho and his teammates.

He had to hold his position for counterattacks.

Meanwhile, the players were still enduring Barcelona's offensive onslaught.

"Left! Left! Block him!"

Kaka and Sanchez collided fiercely.

But before the collision, Sanchez had already passed the ball to Messi.

Messi looked up toward Iniesta. Seizing this opportunity, Alonso attempted to tackle.

But Messi feinted, dodged Alonso's challenge, and suddenly accelerated, once again approaching the edge of the penalty area.

At this moment, Real Madrid's defense was on high alert.

Messi pretended to shoot.

"I've got this!"

Ramos rushed forward.

At that instant, Messi flicked the ball with his foot.

The ball sailed over Ramos's head and dropped toward the space behind him.

There, Iniesta dashed into position diagonally.

"Iniesta!! Real Madrid is in danger!!"

Boom!

Just as Iniesta was about to shoot the descending ball, a figure charged in from the side, knocking the ball away with his heel. Iniesta, seeing the chance slip away, could only reluctantly withdraw his foot.

"Srna!! He covered Ramos's position and made the block. However, the danger isn't over yet. Corner kick for Barcelona!"

In Real Madrid's penalty area, players from both sides engaged in intense physical battles.

Neither side gave an inch.

"Near post! Who's covering the near post?"

At that moment, Sanchez suddenly made a run toward the near post.

Barcelona quickly took the corner.

Just as the home fans gasped, a figure slid in, clearing the ball before Sanchez could reach it.

"Damn it!"

Suker got up from the ground.

If he hadn't dropped back, that would have been a goal.

"Stay focused! Don't leave anyone unmarked!"

Suker shouted loudly.

Approaching the 20-minute mark, under continuous pressure, Real Madrid's defense began to show some mistakes.

There is no absolute defense in this world, only relative defense!

No matter how strong a defense is, under sufficient pressure, they will make mistakes.

Just like the once-invincible Italian defense double-teaming Ronaldo, Real Madrid's defense, though solid, couldn't withstand prolonged pressure.

Suker didn't run back to the front; instead, he dropped back to help with aerial duels.

"Real Madrid's defensive pressure is too great, even forcing Suker to drop back and contest headers!"

Boom!

Ramos cleared the ball.

He passed it to Srna.

Srna received the ball and passed it forward to Kaka.

At that moment, Suker had already landed and began sprinting forward.

On the other side, Bale also accelerated quickly.

Real Madrid's two wingers were on the move.

After observing Suker's position, Kaka passed to Bale.

This was the quickest counterattack route.

Bale received the ball and immediately surged forward, but he was forced toward the byline and couldn't find a passing lane. His options to pass back were also blocked.

Helpless, Bale attempted a cross, but the ball hit Abidal's shin and went out of play.

Real Madrid won their first corner.

"Contest the header! Contest the header!"

Suker called for his teammates to attack the ball.

Mourinho watched this scene with a furrowed brow.

The rhythm had become somewhat chaotic.

The midfield couldn't control the counterattack tempo. This counterattack was forced.

Boom!

Real Madrid took the corner.

Suker jumped up among the crowd.

But as he rose, he was surrounded by three players. Suker, holding his breath, managed to direct a header toward goal.

But his body wasn't fully extended, and the ball sailed over the crossbar and out of play.

"Suker!! Even surrounded by three players, he still made contact with the ball. This corner attack gave Barcelona a scare as well. Barcelona needs to avoid these aerial balls as much as possible!"

As soon as the words were spoken, some idiot ball boy threw the ball back onto the field.

Valdes saw this great opportunity and immediately took the goal kick. After just two passes, the ball was played to the front.

"Damn it!"

Suker turned and sprinted back desperately.

But by then, the ball had already crossed into Real Madrid's half.

Just as Messi was about to receive the ball, Srna decisively slid in, taking down both the man and the ball.

Beeep!

The whistle sounded.

The referee ran over to Srna and showed him a yellow card.

Srna's tactical foul earned him a booking.

"Real Madrid is playing more and more passively; Barcelona has control of the rhythm."

Mourinho also pursed his lips, constantly thinking of countermeasures.

At that moment, Xavi passed the ball to Iniesta, who dribbled past several players, made it to the byline, and cut the ball back into the center.

Messi pretended to go for it, but let it run.

Everyone's attention was on Messi, causing Sanchez behind him to be overlooked.

Sanchez didn't waste this chance, slotting the ball home with a precise push.

The ball hit the net.

31 minutes, Barcelona 2:0 Real Madrid.

Two goals down, Real Madrid became even more passive.

Mourinho frowned deeply and suddenly walked to the sideline: "Suker! Move toward the center, help the midfield with build-up!"

Barcelona was applying too much pressure in midfield.

For Real Madrid, they had to rely on the midfield to relieve the pressure on the defense.

At the very least, they couldn't let Barcelona continue to attack like this.

Mourinho wanted to play with two flying wingers.

Therefore, he had placed excessive build-up pressure on Kaka.

Every time Kaka received the ball, he faced pressure from 2-3 players. Someone needed to help Kaka share that burden.

And Suker was the best choice.

Suker grimaced, cursing inwardly.

But he still walked over to Kaka.

"Sorry, my problem."

Kaka was frustrated.

He couldn't handle the pressure. If his distribution had been calmer, Real Madrid could have executed their two-winged attacks.

But turns out, Barcelona was targeting Kaka.

"No need to apologize! You're being targeted!"

Suker shook his head, comforting him.

Guardiola had found the key point, focusing on Kaka as the playmaker.

Of course, Alonso could also distribute, but mostly with long balls, given the distance to Suker and Bale.

Long passes had more variables.

Ground passes inevitably had to go through Kaka, the distribution hub.

Therefore, Guardiola targeted this hub, limiting Kaka while instructing Barcelona's defense to be wary of long balls, always ready to challenge for the first ball.

Real Madrid lacked numerical advantage upfront.

Suker's several solo breaks had posed threats, but this one-dimensional attacking mode was neutralized by Barcelona.

So now the problem was to help Kaka solve the distribution issue.

Otherwise, their defense would remain under constant pressure.

"Targeting Kaka like this!"

Mourinho turned to look at Guardiola. This bald guy was really annoying.

Guardiola also slowly let out a breath.

He felt much more comfortable.

Finally, a match was developing as he had hoped.

For Barcelona, it was crucial to gain an advantage in the first half. If they didn't, it would be difficult to stop the monster Suker from erupting in the second half.

Yes!

All the first-half tactic were to withstand the variable Suker brought in the second half.

"Suker is moving centrally to help the midfield with possession. This is also Real Madrid's biggest current problem. They can't let Barcelona control the rhythm; they must stabilize the game."

Gonzalez looked at the time. "There are 10 minutes left until the end of the first half. Real Madrid needs to hold on until halftime."

Mourinho's judgment was correct.

When Suker moved centrally to help Kaka relieve pressure, Real Madrid's defensive pressure eased considerably.

Previously, Barcelona pressed Kaka with 2-3 players. With Suker joining in, they had to consider him.

Suker continuously controlled the ball, passed, and switched play, helping Kaka share the burden.

Kaka was gradually escaping the quagmire.

Unconsciously, ten minutes passed.

Halftime arrived.

First half: Real Madrid 0:2 Barcelona!

In the Real Madrid locker room, Bale said agitatedly, "We had no chances at all. The midfield couldn't get the ball to the wings. We couldn't build our attacks. We had no opportunities to run."

Bale was panicking.

The entire first half, he felt utterly lost.

The whole team was at a disadvantage, so he had even fewer chances.

Most crucially, they were two goals down. He was anxious, but these guys all seemed too relaxed.

"Panicking about what?"

Srna slapped Bale on the shoulder, annoyed. "We push in the second half. We were caught off guard in the first half, but after adjustments, we will turn it around."

"Turn it around? In this situation... mmmph—"

Suker stuffed a banana into Bale's mouth.

"Shut up! Chirping non-stop, what's there to panic about? Never been behind before?"

Suker glanced at Bale and immediately turned away.

The guy with a banana in his mouth really looked like a monkey; he almost couldn't hold back his laugh.

Belle was frustrated but held back.

At that moment, Mourinho entered the locker room.

"Let's get started directly."

Mourinho pointed at the tactical board. "My judgment in the first half had some problems, leading to us falling behind. For this, the coaching staff takes responsibility."

"But next, it's time for us to counterattack!"

"Barcelona stifled our playmaker; we need to add another organizer!"

Everyone pursed their lips.

Was a substitution coming?

At that moment, Mourinho said calmly, "We won't make substitutions, but we will establish a deep-lying playmaker."

Everyone was stunned.

Suker also turned to look at Mourinho.

Mourinho looked at Srna. "Srna, you will partner with Alonso to handle the organization!"

Hearing this, Suker's mind buzzed.

A playmaking full-back?

His eyes lit up.

In European football, there is such a group of players: they are strong, yet possess delicate skills unbefitting their physique.

They are tall, yet behind their rugged appearance lies meticulous thinking.

They rarely leave their own half, yet can tear apart the opponent's defense with ease...

This is the 'playmaking full-back'.

The rise of the playmaking full-back is inseparable from possession-based tactics.

The Spanish national team and Barcelona began to dominate football, and their unique tiki-taka style gained recognition from the industry and admiration from fans.

Thus, more and more teams began to imitate and learn Barcelona's possession game, trying to find their own path to success through this method.

For a possession-based team, the ability to control the ball from their own half and build forward is essential.

This requires the team to have one or more players with excellent distribution skills in the midfield and defense, initiating attacks through these players' connections—thus ushering in the spring of the playmaking full-back.

This role first became popular among center-backs, as ball-playing defenders.

Starting from possession football, it evolved to also play an important role in counter-attacking football.

It then transitioned from center-back to full-back.

Incorporating both offensive and organizational responsibilities.

The most famous are undoubtedly the two full-backs of Klopp's gegenpressing Liverpool: Alexander-Arnold and Robertson!

This type of full-back can not only stabilize the defense but also surge forward at high speed along the flank like a sharp knife.

Previously, Srna and Marcelo had repeatedly shown the duties of an attacking full-back.

And from now on, they would use their passing more to add a deep-lying organizational point.

It could be said that once effective, even without Suker, Kaka's pressure would dissipate.

Even without substitutions, they could offset Barcelona's press and launch swift counterattacks.

Suker looked at Mourinho.

They had practiced this tactic before, but he didn't expect it to be used here, and the effect might be surprisingly good.

However, Suker was also somewhat puzzled: Was Mourinho really this innovative?

After all, in his impression, Mourinho was somewhat rigid, always stubbornly sticking to his defensive counterattacks.

But, never mind!

As long as this tactic worked.

They could quickly reverse the situation, even the score.

Most importantly, Suker wouldn't need to drop back anymore.

The halftime break ended.

Players from both sides returned to the pitch.

"After the first half, Barcelona currently leads by two goals. Real Madrid made no substitutions. Does Mourinho still intend to compete with the original lineup? Will it really be effective?"

Under Gonzalez's commentary, Guardiola also looked at Real Madrid's lineup.

No substitutions?

Guardiola thought Real Madrid would definitely use a substitution to add a playmaker.

But Mourinho didn't do it!

Mourinho stood with his arms crossed, his feelings uncertain.

After developing this tactic, it was rarely used because Real Madrid had Alonso and Kaka; the midfield wasn't so easily suppressed.

Unexpectedly, Barcelona restricted Kaka, using that to pressure Real Madrid's defense.

Without substitutions, this tactic could now show its effect.

Of course, tactics are tactics; it still depended on Srna's performance.

Step one: Use the link-up between Srna and Bale to open up attacks on the right flank.

Force Barcelona to shift their defensive focus to the right.

And when the opponent shifts their focus, Srna's diagonal cross, combined with Suker's run, will be the fatal blow.