Chapter 85 of 100

Chapter 85

16 min read4,075 words

Controlling the ball comes with risks, and passing must be done with caution. This is a statement that all coaches are well aware of. Compared to the theory that ball control is useless, the greatest advantage of the ball control supremacy theory lies in its ability to maximize control over the game. However, controlling the game comes at a cost, much like the famous bomb-passing game. When the bomb is in your hands, as long as it hasn't reached the explosion time, you are the safest person. The time you hold the bomb is the risk you need to bear. Because if you're not careful, the bomb might explode in your hands.

The current Barcelona's greatest success lies in their ability to always deliver the bomb into the opponent's goal at the most appropriate time. The problem now is that no matter how you try to engage, Malaga simply won't take the bait. Not only do they not take it, but they also set up layers of obstacles to prevent you from passing the bomb over, which is quite frustrating. This is why Guardiola had the idea of throwing the bomb to the other side right from the start.

However, Malaga is not Barcelona. If they were to hold the bomb, they would likely blow themselves up. But this idea was immediately rejected and even considered shameful by Guardiola.

It's not that it's unfeasible, but rather that it's not acceptable. Guardiola knows that if Barcelona were to give up ball control, they might indeed win this match, but they would lose much more. First, the tens of thousands of fans outside would never agree, as it would be like betraying their faith. On the other hand, the pride in Guardiola's heart could never be suppressed: When did Barcelona need to discard their tradition for a team like Malaga? Why should he abandon his football philosophy for just a league match?

Even if it's just temporary, it is unforgivable.

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Despite all the instructions Lin Sen gave in the locker room, which seemed to indicate a significant strategy for the match, his attitude towards the game never changed. The reason Malaga had such a smooth start was largely due to the "unfamiliarity" factor. This is true not only for the entire season but also for individual matches.

However, unfamiliarity gradually turns into familiarity.

In the second half, Barcelona clearly became more familiar with Malaga's tactics. In the first half, they acted like experienced players, using various pursuit tactics on the opposing team, expecting the other side to easily fall for it. But they found that the other side was completely unmoved. So, while they might not know what the other side likes, they at least know what the other side doesn't like.

Guardiola's new tactic was to increase inside cuts and long shots. Barcelona has the world's most powerful attackers. Messi, who was fully liberated after Ronaldinho's departure, performed well in the first half. His dribbling was still unstoppable, but Malaga had too many players in the penalty area. Often, by the time Messi had dribbled past players, he found no angle to shoot and had to take a hurried shot or pass. In the second half, Guardiola changed Messi's role from a finisher to a disruptor. As for long shots, it's actually a very unreliable offensive method. Just like in basketball, the closer you are to the goal, the higher the chance of scoring. But to break through the dense defense, Guardiola had to use some special tactics.

While Barcelona was actively changing, Malaga was also adapting. The most obvious changes were in Lewandowski and Koke. At the start of the second half, Lewandowski was like a nail, always watching for opportunities to break through the defense. Koke, who was one of the few players to challenge Barcelona's control in the first half, played much more aggressively in the second half.

At the 66th minute, Xavi was organizing an attack in the midfield. Seeing Koke move forward, he instinctively passed the ball to Iniesta, who immediately returned it to Yaya Toure at the back. This was a routine triangular pass, and the next step would usually be for Yaya Toure, with better vision, to pass the ball back to Xavi. But this time, as soon as Yaya Toure passed the ball, he saw Koke almost simultaneously rush towards Xavi.

Xavi didn't have time to pass the ball again and was tackled by Koke along with the ball.

Xavi, getting up, pushed Koke. Normally, with Xavi's experience, he wouldn't have bothered with a young player like Koke, but he had been frustrated throughout the match. Koke, despite his youthful passion, lost his anger when facing his favorite star. Gabi, who was nearby, ran over and shielded Koke, looking coldly at Xavi.

Lin Sen, on the sidelines, was surprised to see the usually calm Gabi's head suddenly turn indigo with anger. But he quickly understood the reason.

Koke and Gabi both came from Atletico Madrid.

In fact, compared to the captain Gamess, Gabi often acted more like the team leader, not just because of his playing style and personality, but also because he always stepped in first when conflicts arose, while Gamess often played the peacemaker. Lin Sen was pleased with this dynamic, as it meant one could play the good cop and the other the bad cop, and he wasn't worried about his players being at a disadvantage.

Seeing the tension, the referee quickly ran over and gave an equal ruling, giving both players a yellow card.

The Camp Nou erupted in boos, clearly thinking that Koke had fouled first and that Xavi's actions were justified and didn't warrant a yellow card.

Such a small incident is not uncommon in football, but no one expected it to be the trigger for the match's turning point. A few minutes later, Gabi received Malaga's first red card of the season.

It seemed that the incident where Gabi stood up for Koke inspired Barcelona's players to frequently attack Gabi's defensive area. Not only did Messi often target Gabi, quickly earning a yellow card, but Xavi and Iniesta also targeted him. When Lin Sen saw the usually calm Gabi slide tackle Xavi from behind, he knew it was going to be bad.

Sure enough, the red card appeared.

Lin Sen, on the sidelines, took a deep breath, walked to the edge of the field, and patted Gabi, whose head had suddenly changed color when the referee showed the card.

"Sorry, Coach."

Lin Sen heard Gabi's slightly low voice and smiled without saying a word.

He didn't blame Gabi, but Gabi should apologize. His departure not only left Malaga with one fewer player but also disrupted the defensive system Lin Sen had carefully set up. With 15 minutes left in the game, giving Barcelona an extra player for that long almost nullified all of Malaga's previous efforts.

At the 79th minute, with Gabi missing from the midfield, Malaga's defense finally showed a gap. Yaya Toure, receiving a reverse pass from Messi in front of the penalty area, calmly shot the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal.

The deadlock was broken!

At the 85th minute, Messi, after a series of feints, found Henry with a through pass. Henry's shot was out of Gordia's reach.

Barcelona secured the win.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the applause at Camp Nou left Lin Sen feeling a bit regretful. He had anticipated the无形的压力 of the Camp Nou stands, the dominance of Barcelona's players, and even the possible bias of the referee. He thought he had handled it well, but ultimately, he still lost the match. The turning point was undoubtedly Gabi's departure, but ultimately, if it weren't for Koke, Gabi might not have been provoked.

But how could Lin Sen have expected the usually calm Gabi to suddenly lose control? He wanted to blame the referee, but even he knew that was just an excuse.

Seeing Guardiola, who was not yet glowing, walking towards him, Lin Sen took a few deep breaths, put on a more composed expression, and walked forward...

"The game was exciting, and Malaga is a good team."

Hearing Guardiola's words, Lin Sen felt a bit uncomfortable. It was like being told you're a good person after a breakup.

"Thank you," Lin Sen replied politely, his tone neutral. "Barcelona is also good."

After that, the two did not speak further and went to congratulate or console their respective players.

The disappointment of the Malaga players was evident to Lin Sen. He understood their frustration. Before Gabi's departure, Malaga had almost seen a chance to leave Camp Nou unscathed, but they ultimately fell short. The true frustration of failure often comes not from despair but from seeing hope.

A moment later, as most Barcelona fans were already thinking about how to get home, Lin Sen suddenly made a move that surprised everyone and infuriated the entire Camp Nou.

He extended his right hand, palm flat, and propped up his chin...

Look up!

This simple gesture drew the attention of the entire world.

"God, does he know what he's doing? Does he know this is Camp Nou?"

"Damn clown! How dare he make that gesture here?!"

"Go to hell! Do you think you won the match?"

...

Various insults spread across the stands, and on the field, Guardiola, turning around, looked at Lin Sen with a complex expression, unlike the gleeful Barcelona players.

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