Chapter 137: Sometimes, Charging Forward Is the Best Way to Break the Game
"Barça won again?"
"Yeah. 1–0 against Granada. Xavi scored the winner in the final minutes."
"Damn, Granada couldn't hold out, huh? That's a shame…"
On the night of September 25, aboard the team bus heading to the Estadio de Vallecas, a few Real Madrid players were chatting about the outcome of a La Liga match that had just wrapped up.
Barcelona had just secured a last-minute victory at home against Granada, making it five wins in a row to start their league campaign. Far more consistent than last season.
Back then, Barça had repeatedly stumbled right from the start of the season, and by the halfway point in the league, Madrid had already opened up a massive lead.
For several seasons now, the pattern of competition between Real Madrid and Barcelona in La Liga had largely been the same.
The years Madrid lost the title, it was usually because they'd dropped points against mid-to-lower-table teams. It was the points they should have secured but didn't.
Last year, Barça lost the league not just because of Madrid's strength and consistency—but because they couldn't beat the weaker teams consistently.
But now? Barça looked like they were back in "three-peat" form—dispatching weaker opponents with surgical precision.
Their resurgence undoubtedly meant Madrid's title defense would be that much tougher this season.
Still, this wasn't all bad news. Pressure breeds motivation.
As long as Barça kept the heat on, Madrid would be forced to stay sharp—mentally and physically. And that was actually a good thing for a team also aiming to defend its Champions League crown.
"This match tonight won't be easy, but at least the players aren't feeling any real pressure," Mourinho said from the front of the team bus, in quiet conversation with assistant coach Karanka.
Rayo Vallecano had started the season well—two wins, one draw, one loss—currently sitting sixth in the league.
Their ability to capitalize on chances and their mental toughness had impressed Madrid's coaching staff during tactical meetings. In their previous league match, Rayo had conceded four goals to Atlético Madrid… then came roaring back with three of their own in the final 30 minutes.
Teams like that couldn't be evaluated solely based on last season's league position or past statistics.
Mourinho had prepared with 100% focus.
After arriving at Vallecas Stadium, during the pre-match warm-up, Mourinho once again stressed to the squad that this opponent would not be a pushover.
Seeing their coach take a mid-table team so seriously, Madrid's players shelved any lingering complacency.
When the match began, Rayo came out aggressively, pressing high and pushing forward from the first whistle. As usual, Madrid ceded some midfield control, employing their now-familiar "bait-and-counter" setup.
The idea was simple: let the opponent push up and stretch themselves, then launch a long pass and hit them on the break once the backline was exposed.
The script seemed to be unfolding exactly as planned.
But tonight's opponents had their own plans. And in front of their home fans, they weren't content with being supporting actors.
Rayo started with a 4-2-3-1 formation and played with a ferocity that suggested they were all in.
Yes, Madrid's stars were well-rested after a week off. But so were Rayo's players—and they used their fresh legs to relentlessly press and chase.
For a team of their caliber, trading stamina for momentary equilibrium against a powerhouse like Madrid was well worth it.
Their attacking play was organized. Young forward Leo Baptistão was bold on the ball, unafraid to take risks. More than once, he managed to shake off Modrić's marking and open up space.
He was fast, fearless, and determined—a perfect fit for Rayo's direct, flank-heavy offense.
For a while, they even managed to test Madrid's back line with several headed efforts off crosses.
Li Ang wasn't worried, though. Even if Rayo had registered two shots within the first five minutes, they were aerial contests, and Pepe and Ramos had those covered.
Their striker, Delibasic, looked decent—but trying to win headers against Pepe and Ramos? Not happening.
What did concern Li Ang was Rayo's defensive setup—especially how they were locking down the flanks.
Their high-octane offense was balanced by full defensive commitment on the wings.
Baptistão and Domínguez both surged forward in attacks, but they also raced back just as quickly to support their full-backs.
In the seventh minute, Madrid launched their first long ball counterattack.
Ronaldo received it wide on the left—but was quickly closed down by both Baptistão and right-back Tito, who neutralized the move.
This level of aggressive defensive tracking made Madrid's counterattacks noticeably less effective.
So, Li Ang adjusted. After a quick chat with Alonso, he started focusing on short-passing buildup play, keeping the ball on the ground.
That's one of Li Ang's strengths—linking play with short passes from deep, orchestrating tempo without relying solely on long balls.
And truthfully, Madrid didn't have to commit to any one style of attack.
Without waiting for Mourinho's instructions, Li Ang and Alonso took it upon themselves to adjust the approach.
Modrić remained the tempo-keeper, distributing calmly and moving cleverly.
But the main engine for progression? Li Ang.
Fortunately, Rayo didn't have a world-class holding midfielder, so Li Ang found plenty of room to maneuver.
Ronaldo and Di María also started dropping deeper to receive, taking turns attacking the flanks.
Even so, Rayo's head coach Antonio didn't immediately order his forward line to drop back into a low block.
He stuck to his high-risk, high-reward approach—trusting his team's energy, unity, and hunger to keep things even for as long as possible.
Plenty of mid-to-lower-table La Liga teams had tried parking the bus against Real Madrid—only to end up crushed under wave after wave of pressure.
Rayo Vallecano's coach, Antonio, clearly had no intention of repeating that mistake. He'd learned his lesson. No matter how much pressure his back line faced, they were going to keep applying heat to Madrid's defense.
And with their towering center forward Delibasic acting as a strong aerial target, Rayo's counterattacks had a clear focal point, making their transitions more efficient and direct.
The counters were working well enough. Rayo's tenacity in seizing those few chances kept Madrid from committing too many bodies forward.
After all, Madrid couldn't just abandon their own half. They had to leave players behind to guard against Rayo's breaks.
With Xabi Alonso unable to push up past the halfway line, Madrid's offensive rhythm couldn't fully ignite. The number of attacking phases stayed low, and Rayo's back line managed to just about hold firm.
Antonio's strategy—attacking as a form of defense, trading stamina for momentum—was working like a charm.
Li Ang, watching the game unfold, felt that if they were going to force a breakthrough, they might as well go all in.
He motioned for both full-backs to push up to the halfway line. Fine, if Rayo wanted to trade punches, let's brawl. Surely they couldn't keep their back line error-free for a full 90 minutes under this kind of stress.
But Mourinho, always more cautious, chose not to make any aggressive tactical changes in the first half.
And after Ronaldo missed a golden opportunity in the box near the end of the half, the score remained 0–0 heading into the break.
Madrid's usual fluid, rapid-fire counterattacks seemed sluggish today.
In combination with Barcelona's narrow win against Granada just days before, many fans speculated that Euro 2012 had drained too much from Madrid's core players.
Most of their main starters had played deep into the summer, and the recovery window had been tight. With La Liga, World Cup qualifiers, and a grueling Champions League opener against City behind them, the squad was clearly in a transitional phase.
These fan theories had merit.
But truthfully, the players weren't that far off form.
Had Ronaldo scored that shot near the end of the first half, the narrative would already be different.
Rayo had simply done their homework. Their preparation had been meticulous, and their defending was sharp.
Madrid lacked a bit of luck—simple as that.
During halftime, Mourinho dissected Rayo's first-half approach with surgical precision.
Attacking down the wings. Defending wide. That had been Rayo's smartest tactical decision.
Avoiding Madrid's elite central midfielders and instead targeting the flanks had kept them in the game.
Mourinho respected Antonio's tactical acumen—but now that the pattern had been identified, he wasn't going to let it stand.
He made immediate adjustments. Madrid's players returned to the pitch with clarity and intent.
As the second half kicked off, Benzema began pulling wide, opening up the inside lanes for Ronaldo and Di María.
Madrid's two wing superstars began cutting inside and unleashing long shots, testing Rayo's keeper Martínez over and over.
It was simple. Brutal. Effective.
Crush the center. Win set pieces. Bring out the heavy artillery.
With Ramos, Pepe, and Li Ang all towering threats in the box, Madrid's set pieces became even more lethal.
Within just 15 minutes of the restart, the home fans at Vallecas started to shift in their seats, visibly anxious.
Antonio, cool as ice in the first half, was beginning to sweat.
He now had a choice to make.
Keep pressing Madrid's wings?
Or pull his forwards back and shore up the middle?
Let Madrid keep pounding the center, and his goalkeeper wouldn't just need quick reflexes—he'd need unshakable nerves.
But before Antonio could decide, Madrid struck again—fast.
Ronaldo, swarmed by defenders as he cut inside, couldn't shoot. So he quickly laid the ball off.
Not to Di María this time.
To Li Ang.
Rushing into position just outside the right edge of the penalty area, Li Ang saw only one defender between him and glory.
He took a touch to control.
The ball settled.
He adjusted his stance.
Twenty-two meters out. Not far. Clear line of sight. His heart pounded with anticipation. His right leg pulled back like a bowstring—
THWACK.
The sound ripped through the night air like a gunshot.
Martínez's eyes widened, but he couldn't even see the ball, let alone react.
Before he could dive, the ball slammed off the inside of the far post, making the entire frame shudder.
And when he looked again, the net was bulging.
The stadium fell silent.
Even the home fans were stunned.
Thousands of Real Madrid supporters exploded in celebration.
The commentator for Movistar lost all composure, his voice breaking with excitement.
"A rocket from Li Ang!
An absolute screamer from distance!
And the best part?
It went in! IT ACTUALLY WENT IN!"
Li Ang clutched his chest and tore toward the corner flag, yanking at his jersey and screaming in celebration.
It was the first long-range goal of his career.
It was raw. Wild. A bull charging through a wall.
And sometimes? That's exactly what it takes.
Sometimes, being reckless—being relentless—is the best way to break the deadlock.
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