"The game started, and after Real Madrid kicked off, they began tentatively attacking down the left flank!"
"The left wing has Suker - this is their most powerful offensive line!"
Suker received a pass from Di María in his wing position. As he controlled the ball, he immediately felt intense pressure from behind. Suker quickly made his decision and passed the ball back.
Sure enough, the pressure eased the next second.
Suker turned to look and saw Sagna still maintaining a delicate distance, ready to step up and interfere at any moment.
He immediately understood Sagna's defensive approach.
Sagna wasn't a flexible full-back. Compared to speedy, agile defenders like Srna, Sagna was slightly clumsy - not quick enough in his turns, not fast enough in his running.
But he had excellent positional awareness and defensive instincts. Following Arsenal's requirements, his passing ability and game reading were also outstanding.
To compensate for his shortcomings, Sagna chose to mark closely - intending to stick to Suker immediately and engage in physical battles.
This was the experience Sagna had developed when defending against speedsters like Bale.
Against players like Suker and Bale, if you gave them space to run, their speed and explosiveness would destroy you.
"Sagna is very experienced. He's taking the initiative to mark Suker closely so he can limit him immediately. Once Suker tries to break through, he can foul or interfere, preventing Suker from easily threatening the goal!" Wenger said slowly.
Assistant coach Pat Rice nodded: "But Suker isn't Bale. He has superb footwork!"
Wenger nodded: "That's why I have other arrangements!"
Bang!
The ball at Suker's feet was kicked hard out of bounds by Wilshere.
Suker nimbly jumped to avoid Wilshere's sliding tackle.
Suker looked at this so-called "Arsenal Crown Prince" with his arrogant expression as he walked away, and couldn't help curling his lip.
"Man-marking plus zonal defense!"
Mourinho remained calm. He glanced at Wenger - the setup was decent, but it wouldn't stop Suker. Right now Suker wasn't going all out, but once he decided to force his way through, this level of pressure wouldn't be enough.
Wenger pursed his lips and looked forward, his expression extremely serious.
Bang!
Suker received the ball again, this time actively seeking physical contact.
Many forwards appear uncomfortable when facing physical challenges, but that's because they don't know how to handle them.
Suker was experienced in this regard.
He suddenly backed into Sagna, preventing the defender from immediately pressuring him. Taking advantage of this momentary freedom, he quickly shifted the ball sideways with his foot.
Suker wanted to cut inside forcefully, but suddenly Wilshere appeared in front of him.
"Got you!" Wilshere looked excited.
Just as the professor said!
As Wilshere stretched his leg to intercept, Suker's forward-stepping left foot lightly tapped the edge of the ball, squeezing it to the right while his right foot pushed forward.
"Elastico!!! Suker! He's beaten two men!"
Suker himself was somewhat surprised.
His surprise came from Wilshere appearing where he shouldn't have been. Before receiving the ball, Suker had checked Wilshere's position and decided to cut inside accordingly. He hadn't expected Wilshere to sprint back to defend.
But Suker's ability wasn't for show. With his body leaning forward in that split second, he made a slight adjustment with his left foot, gently brushing the ball's edge to change direction forcefully.
This move wouldn't have been possible without [Ronaldinho's Ball Control].
Hats off to the football magician!
Suker burst forward, but just as he was about to accelerate, he felt resistance.
Someone was tugging hard at his jersey.
Suker struggled to continue his run, but a pair of arms wrapped around his waist and pulled him down violently.
What the hell?
Suker fell to the ground, confused.
What kind of move was this?
Did they think this was wrestling?
"Wilshere, oh! My god, this move..."
The English commentator covered his forehead. Before falling, Wilshere had bear-hugged Suker and dragged him down.
This was an obvious foul.
It was hard to imagine seeing such an ugly move from Wenger's "beautiful football" Arsenal.
Not just Suker was confused.
The entire Arsenal crowd felt the same.
Even when fouling, they weren't usually this... disgraceful!
Playing in the Premier League, physical contact and small fouls were inevitable.
But this was too much!
Peep!
The referee blew his whistle.
Pointing at Wilshere, he showed a straight yellow card.
This was clearly intentional obstruction.
"In the 11th minute, Wilshere receives a yellow card. From this we can see Arsenal's approach to limiting Suker has escalated to fouling. Or rather, apart from fouling, Arsenal has no better way to stop him!"
Suker got up from the ground, glanced at Arsenal's bench, then ran toward the penalty area.
Mourinho also looked surprised.
He hadn't expected Wenger to resort to tactical fouling. This was a last-resort tactic, indicating that against Real Madrid or Suker, Wenger couldn't find any other solution.
So fouling became the only option!
Wilshere fouled and got booked. Next it would be Djourou!
Even Fabregas or Nasri might have to foul.
And this could continue into the second half when substitutions would refresh their foul quota.
During this time, Arsenal might also score through their attacks.
Mourinho smiled.
"I always thought this Frenchman was someone who would stick to his idealistic tactics no matter what. I didn't expect Wenger to show his pragmatic side in this match. That's right! This is the only way to limit Suker - fouling is the only chance!"
"But..." Mourinho shook his head. "Suker has more weapons than that!"
Real Madrid's free kick.
Alonso delivered the ball into the box.
Players from both teams scrambled for it, creating chaos.
Eventually Koscielny got the first touch and cleared it.
Arsenal immediately launched a counterattack through Fabregas.
"Arsenal counter! Fabregas passes to Nasri, who crosses to van Persie upfront. van Persie switches play to Walcott who's..."
Bang!
At that moment, a white figure dashed in and kicked the ball out of play.
"Srna!! While everyone was retreating, Srna chose to push forward. He accurately predicted the trajectory and cleared it early, giving Real Madrid time to regroup!"
Spanish commentator Gonzales couldn't help but praise: "Srna's performances are becoming more stable and outstanding!"
"Beautiful!"
"That was brilliant!"
"Well done! Srna!"
"Amazing!!!—"
Real Madrid players all cheered loudly.
Srna got up from the ground, brushing off the grass stains. This interception was crucial, and Srna rightfully looked proud.
But then:
"Stop showing off!" Suker shouted from afar.
Srna's face fell.
What's wrong with celebrating?
Can't I enjoy making such a great tackle?
"Srna saved the day there. Arsenal's counterattack was lightning quick and they'd found Real Madrid's weak spot. If not for Srna's interception, Walcott would have had a simple tap-in. Real Madrid were in real danger!"
Gonzales exclaimed.
He felt these Croatian players were truly invaluable.
Suker goes without saying.
Srna was also excellent - defensively solid with attacking qualities, and endless stamina.
He made Real Madrid's defense even more formidable.
Arsenal missed a golden counterattacking chance, while Real Madrid's players all tracked back.
Wenger watched from the sidelines with visible regret.
It wouldn't be this easy next time - Real Madrid would be more alert to their counters.
He regretted missing this opportunity to score from a counter.
But there would be more chances!
After all, their counters were working!
But first, they had to withstand Real Madrid's intense pressing.
"Push up! Pressure him!"
While linking up with Benzema, Suker was ready to close down at any moment.
Seeing Benzema force Fabregas to hesitate on the ball, Suker immediately charged.
"Steal it!"
Noticing this, Fabregas turned but instead of passing back, he attempted a clever flick over his shoulder.
"What the—?"
As Suker pressed forward, he saw the ball looping behind him. Adjusting his footing, he stretched his right leg back and flicked the dropping ball with his heel.
"Oh!!! Suker! A scorpion kick to keep possession!"
The ball popped back in front of Suker.
Fabregas hadn't expected this. As he turned to recover, Suker met the dropping ball and played a first-time pass wide before sprinting forward.
On the flank, Kaká controlled the ball, paused momentarily, then whipped in a cross toward Arsenal's box.
"Kaká! The cross - can Suker reach it first?"
Suker accelerated into the box.
Glancing at the ball's trajectory, he timed his leap perfectly, soaring past Arsenal's center-back before powering a header toward goal.
The connection was fierce, the ball rocketing into the net before Szczęsny could react.
"Suker!!!! Goal!!!!!!—"
Spanish commentator Gonzales erupted: "That's Suker - the peerless superstar striker! In the 24th minute, Suker gives Real Madrid the lead! 1-0 to Real Madrid at the Emirates!"
"What a magnificent move!"
"Fabregas' flick was ingenious, but Suker's improvisation stunned everyone. That heel-flick kept the attack alive, and by the time Fabregas tried to recover, Suker had already played the pass and continued his run!"
"Kaká's cross, Suker's header - this is Real Madrid's counterattacking prowess!"
"High pressing to disrupt the opponent, then ruthless efficiency in transition!"
"It was all so crisp and clinical!"
The Emirates crowd was in shock.
Arsenal fans held their heads. Fabregas' skill had been sublime, but Suker had turned it into his own highlight. While aesthetically pleasing, the home supporters couldn't appreciate it given the scoreline.
Suker ran to the corner flag to celebrate.
Fabregas wanted to showcase his technique, but when it came to skill, Suker feared no one.
Mourinho glanced at Wenger, noting the Frenchman's stunned expression.
Clearly, even Wenger was amazed by Suker's solution.
"Suker is the most technically gifted player I've ever coached. Even in Spain, he'd be among the very best," Mourinho said with a smile.
"Many think Suker is just a goalscorer. His consistent output makes people overlook his technical qualities."
"But in reality, every Suker goal involves technical mastery. He's not a target man like Drogba or Costa. While physically strong, he doesn't rely solely on brute force. That's why Suker needs such exquisite technique and game intelligence!"
Mourinho grinned: "Anyone who thinks Suker is just a pure striker is a complete fool!"
Fabregas stood fuming, fists clenched.
His moment of flair had backfired spectacularly.
The most frustrating part? Even he had to admit Suker's move was fucking brilliant.
Real Madrid's players gathered, roaring in celebration.
"Hey! That heel-flick was insane!" Benzema gushed excitedly.
He'd had the best view, standing nearby.
At first he'd thought Suker would lose possession and was preparing to track back.
But Suker had somehow kept the play alive with that outrageous flick.
This wasn't the first time Suker had conjured magic in an instant.
What unbelievable technique that required!
Suker was delighted too.
That improvisation came from a whim, inspired by a Japanese football anime. The move had been replicated in real matches before.
But to execute it instinctively, under pressure?
That was only possible with [Ronaldinho's Ball Control].
This skill was fucking amazing!
"Real Madrid lead 1-0 - a dangerous situation. Over the past two seasons, Real Madrid have never lost after scoring first. When they take the lead, their win rate is 100%. Can Wenger and Arsenal break that streak and end Real's winning run?"
Spanish commentator Gonzales remarked with a smile.
His words highlighted Real's dominance while paying lip service to Arsenal.
In his view, Arsenal stood little chance.
They'd had one good counter but failed to capitalize.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, had punished them immediately.
After taking the lead, Real Madrid became more measured.
This wasn't league play against minnows.
While tempted to push for more, securing the advantage was wiser.
With about 20 minutes until halftime, entering the break ahead was crucial.
Real Madrid eased their pressing, dropping deeper.
But Arsenal's attacks grew hesitant, paralyzed by fear of Suker's counters.
Even when they pushed forward, defenders constantly checked Suker's positioning.
Wenger paced his technical area, brow furrowed.
Fabregas, van Persie, Nasri and Walcott were all excellent attackers.
But Arsenal's defense couldn't compare.
And with Suker lurking...
This was a more lethal threat than even Ronaldo at Manchester United!
Arsenal's defenders checked Suker's position every few seconds, terrified he'd slip away.
Yet Suker still created two more chances - both wasted by Benzema.
One shot skewed wide, another blocked.
The half ended with Arsenal trailing 1-0.
"First half concludes with Real Madrid leading through Suker's goal. Arsenal must change something - let's see if the Professor can work his magic."
In Arsenal's dressing room, Wenger surveyed his thin bench.
This was already his strongest XI. He lacked game-changers.
With a sigh, he turned to Alexandre Song.
"Get ready. You're going on."
The midfielder stood and left to warm up.
Wenger could only pray Song might physically contain Suker where tactics had failed.