"It feels like Suker can't be stopped anymore!"
González's words carried a hint of helplessness.
At 35 minutes into the match, Real Madrid led Real Betis 3-0.
Suker completed a hat-trick within 35 minutes.
Is scoring that simple?
Yes!
Suker showed everyone that scoring is indeed that simple!
Within 35 minutes, Suker scored three goals with both his head and feet.
These three goals had completely shattered the morale of the Real Betis players.
Many of the Real Betis players were young; they had never played in such a frustrating match.
Although they had lost before, it was never this passive, unable to defend and unable to attack.
It seemed they could only watch Suker score, and as long as there was an opportunity, Suker could turn an attack into a goal.
After entering the second half of the season, Suker was also in full throttle!
The accumulation from the first half of the season completely erupted at this moment; he was like a god descending, everything he did turned into a goal.
His rampage on the left wing even made Real Betis fans afraid to look in that direction; whenever Suker got the ball, they would invariably be on edge, no matter how far away he was, he always seemed to find a way to put the ball into the net.
This feeling was one of despair; although a tiny bit of hope remained, it had now completely vanished.
If there were no surprises, this match would likely be a massacre.
Indeed, at 41 minutes, Real Madrid scored again.
But this time, it wasn't Suker who scored; it was Bale, who made a sudden lateral breakthrough from the right wing, taking a shot from a tight angle near the post, and once again blasting open Real Betis's goal.
Four goals down in the first half, the suspense of the match was essentially gone.
After the half-time break, Suker played for another five minutes, and at 50 minutes into the match, Suker was finally substituted.
"Suker has come off; after scoring three goals, he also played a bit more conservatively," González lamented, "This match has fully demonstrated how hot Suker's form is. I think those Champions League teams need to be wary again; they will once again face a fully-fit Suker!"
"Furthermore, this Real Madrid, after Ancelotti's transformation, is even more adept at attacking!"
The Real Madrid of the past was already strong enough, but whether it was during Capello's or Mourinho's tenure, this was a team known for its defensive counter-attacks.
Although there was also Pellegrini's coaching during that period, it was not a successful coaching experience.
It wasn't until Ancelotti's arrival that this Real Madrid completely unleashed an attacking surge.
Suker's offensive ability alone was already formidable, and with the added boost of the overall team, it seemed that all concepts of 'iron walls' had disappeared in front of this Real Madrid.
Even Serie A teams known for their defense would still suffer attacks from both wings when facing Real Madrid, not to mention that with Suker's change in style, Real Madrid's attacking rhythm would also change accordingly.
This Real Madrid has many tactical variations, making them even more difficult to counter.
After Suker came off, he went directly to the bench.
Having scored three goals and completed a hat-trick, he was quite satisfied.
Of course, he wasn't overly excited.
After all, he was no longer the newbie who first stepped onto the field; he wouldn't get excited just because of a hat-trick.
The media was also like this!
For Suker, his hot performance was no longer big news.
One could say that no matter how many goals Suker scored, they would consider it reasonable.
After all, Suker was challenging the record for total goals in football, and he had already become the top scorer in the Champions League.
"Hey! Reyes, snap out of it!"
Lorenzo Reyes heard his teammate's shout and shifted his gaze, but his eyes were somewhat vacant, full of bewilderment.
This was his first season joining Real Betis.
As a Chilean, far from his homeland, stepping onto the top European stage, he had hoped to make a big impact, but repeated setbacks had dealt a considerable blow to his confidence.
He was a famous prodigy in Chile, highly regarded by fans.
But after coming to La Liga, he often struggled to adapt to the rhythm here; facing other teams, they could barely manage a win, let alone playing against Real Madrid.
In fact, Reyes had been very much looking forward to the match before it started.
After all, he was going to play against Suker; he was going to compete on the same field as Real Madrid.
He also wanted to perform well and gain recognition, at least to make his idol Suker look at him a bit more.
But the reality was that they were crushed by Real Madrid.
Reyes turned his head again to look at Real Madrid's bench; Suker was sitting there drinking water, not looking particularly tired at all, calm and composed.
Yet, it was he who had tormented their defense in the first half.
They could barely touch the ball at Suker's feet, let alone win it.
He prided himself on having ample experience in professional football, but this match showed him what "world-class" meant!
No!
World number one!
Reyes felt that no one could play with the kind of oppressive presence Suker had; it was an unresisting, resigned helplessness.
After Real Madrid made substitutions, their overall rhythm finally began to slow down.
This also allowed the tense Real Betis to breathe a sigh of relief.
But once that breath was released, it was hard to regain their intensity.
Real Madrid, however, seized this opportunity; Kroos capitalized on a chance, suddenly breaking through with a change of pace in his dribbling, turning, and delivering a through ball.
Benzema surged forward, successfully received the ball, and calmly slotted it into the net from close range, scoring again.
At 67 minutes, Real Madrid scored their fifth goal.
The match had long lost its suspense, and this goal was merely a change in the score.
"Karim's in good form!"
Suker raised an eyebrow slightly.
Benzema's shot was very skillful; it wasn't a blind power shot, but rather a precise finish after observing the Goalkeeper's movement and making a judgment.
He used finesse to place it at an angle where the Goalkeeper couldn't save it, as the shot's direction was precisely where his supporting foot was.
"After entering the second half of the season, everyone has become excited!"
Casillas also nodded slightly.
This was his final season at Real Madrid, and he hoped to win more honors here.
With his departure already confirmed, Casillas had completely let go.
There was nothing to fuss about; even if there was, it was too late, so he might as well enjoy his remaining time.
Thinking this, he felt completely relaxed.
Now, Casillas truly felt he was simply enjoying the game, enjoying the feeling of victory.
For him, the final battle was the 2014 Brazil World Cup; after this World Cup, he would most likely choose a time to retire from the National Team.
Casillas turned to Suker: "Can we win the League this season?"
Suker: "If we don't win the League, what are we fighting for?"
He paused, took a sip of water, and added: "Get me to the final; I've never lost a final!"
Hearing this, Casillas couldn't help but smile.
Given Real Madrid's current form, it wasn't an impossible feat.
"It would be best to meet Bayern Munich in the quarterfinals or semifinals," Casillas clenched his fist, "Kick them out directly!"
Besides the League Championship, if he had any lingering obsession, it was to personally eliminate Bayern Munich and get his revenge.
Suker also nodded in agreement.
He felt that Real Madrid and Bayern Munich were bound to clash!
Given their strength, they had a chance to meet in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or even the final.
Of course, in the original timeline, the final was an all-Spanish affair, a confrontation between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid.
Atletico Madrid was not to be underestimated this season either, especially showing great fighting spirit in the League and Champions League.
However, as mentioned before, Atletico Madrid experienced immense psychological pressure when facing Real Madrid.
This was a small advantage for Real Madrid!
As for Bayern Munich...
Suker couldn't guarantee a victory, but this season was much better than last season; their overall form was indeed enough to challenge Bayern Munich.
Moreover, this season was just the beginning; next season would be the ultimate showdown between Real, Barca, and Bayern.
Of course, Juventus was also in the mix!
Bayern Munich's form would reach another peak next season!
According to the original timeline, with Germany's World Cup victory as a catalyst, their overall morale and form were incredibly hot.
Barcelona would also complete all tactical reforms next season, officially establishing the MSN attacking trio tactic, and Barcelona's competitive state would dramatically improve.
Real Madrid, needless to say, would maintain their form next season as long as there were no major surprises.
Juventus was relatively weaker, but still not to be underestimated!
It could be said that next season would see a complete 'Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern' European football triumvirate, clashing head-on in the Champions League.
Whoosh!!!!!!
Cheers erupted again, but this time they were mostly from Real Madrid's away fans.
Another goal!
Ramos completed a header in the 90th minute.
Real Madrid led Real Betis 6-0.
A thorough massacre!
And it was in the opponent's home; looking around, there were only a few scattered Real Betis fans left in the stands.
When the fourth goal appeared, a group left!
When the fifth goal came, most fans had already departed; they couldn't bear to watch the cruel scene.
Those who remained in the stadium were either die-hard loyal fans or some tourists.
But no matter what, the game was over!
Completely over!
Finally, the entire match ended.
In the 2013/2014 season, La Liga Round 20, Real Madrid won 6-0 away against Real Betis!
Real Betis was already at the bottom of the League table, and this massacre dealt them a heavy blow, making it very likely they wouldn't recover.
Once they couldn't recover, they might truly be relegated this season.
As for Real Madrid, they didn't care about these things; winning the match and maintaining their form was enough.
Next up was to continue maintaining their form and await the Champions League!
Before the Champions League knockout stage began, there were a total of five more League rounds, interspersed with Copa del Rey matches.
But for Real Madrid, the Copa del Rey wasn't that important.
However, Ancelotti was a cautious person; he thought that since he had just taken over Real Madrid, he should win some honors in his first season.
The safest bet was naturally the Copa del Rey!
Of course, the League and Champions League also needed to be challenged.
Therefore, even in the Copa del Rey, he would let the main players appear from time to time to ensure victory.
Based on the special nature of the Copa del Rey, there was a long gap between the semifinals and the final.
Enough time for them to adjust and deploy.
Therefore, they only needed to ensure victory in the matches before the final.
Moreover, Ancelotti felt very lucky that in the Copa del Rey semi-final draw, they were paired with Real Sociedad.
Barcelona and Atletico Madrid would battle it out!
As time entered mid-February, European competitions kicked off, and football fever completely spread across Europe.
Especially on the eve of the World Cup, the overall excitement was even higher.
Ancelotti was also preparing for the Champions League matches, strategizing his lineup.
"There are a few players in Arsenal this season that we need to be wary of!"
Ancelotti looked at the table in his hand, a cigar between his fingers, and slowly said.
Arsenal was no longer as glorious as before; their overall performance in the League wasn't that outstanding.
Although they bought German midfielder Özil at a high price this season, their overall strength hadn't improved much.
Today's Arsenal relies on midfield play!
Özil and Cazorla are their most outstanding players.
Especially the latter, Cazorla was recently rated as a 'Champions League-level' player; his sharp breakthroughs always provide Arsenal with opportunities for vertical progression.
Number 10 player Wilshere, also known as the Arsenal Prince, is one of the few technical players in the Premier League, but compared to previous Arsenal number 10s, he is still slightly inferior.
The overall strength still depends on Özil and Cazorla.
Therefore, it wasn't particularly difficult to target them!
Ancelotti did not believe that with Real Madrid's lineup, they would be at a disadvantage.
Of course, the process of the match was also crucial, but when it came to gaining an advantage and converting it into a win, no one was better at it than Real Madrid.
Therefore, Ancelotti's pressure was not great.
In contrast, Wenger had a much bigger headache.
It was that age-old problem again!
How to limit Suker!
Or even how to bypass Suker and attack Real Madrid's other positions.
Looking at the matches Real Madrid lost, they were all due to unconventional methods of bypassing Suker and exploiting other positions.
In plain terms, it was a head-on attacking battle against Real Madrid's offense, and ultimately, in that chaotic situation, Real Madrid's defense was broken first.
As for engaging in a round-robin positional battle with Real Madrid, with Suker's ability to seize opportunities, they wouldn't even know how they died!
But with the Gunners' current lineup, do they really have the ability to go head-to-head with Real Madrid?
Saying this, Wenger felt a little guilty!
Especially with an unsolvable player like Suker.
"Hoo~~" Wenger took off his glasses, rubbed his temples, and couldn't help but sigh softly; "I was once so close to him!"
He thought once again of Davor Suker coming to Arsenal to promote Suker.
People are always like this; the heavier the pressure, the more they are willing to recall the past.
And for Wenger, not having gone all out to sign Suker back then was his biggest regret.
If he had, even under the pressure of repayment, overdrawn some funds, and forcibly bought Suker, perhaps Arsenal would not be in such a predicament today.
Arsenal declined step by step, but if Suker had joined back then, even if he didn't play for Arsenal for too long, the funds he brought in would have been enough for them to deal with many things.
Look at AC Milan now; although their capital chain indeed has problems,
But with the funds from selling Suker and Kaka, they survived the most difficult period and still retain the strength to challenge for the League Championship.
Then look at Arsenal, challenging for the top four every year!
This has become a running joke among fans!
Wenger also knew that fans used this method to tease him and Arsenal.
But then again, unless it was absolutely necessary, who would want to be so stifled?
They haven't paid off their stadium loan yet, and their disposable funds are limited, so they can only grit their teeth and endure.
"Just a few more years! Just a little more and it will be fine!"
Wenger whispered, as if comforting himself.
Once they pay off the loan, all the profits from the new stadium will be invested in the team's transfers, and then they won't have such a difficult time.
This was something Wenger had thought about before; he thought the process would be difficult, but he didn't expect it to be this difficult!
Now they can only tough it out!
As long as they get through this period, he will be able to taste the sweetness of the cake.
The immediate priority was how to deal with the Champions League knockout stage.
If they couldn't get past Real Madrid, they would return to their usual rhythm.
Fighting for the top four in the League, ensuring a European competition spot!
And by the way, challenging for the FA Cup!
These were the trophies Arsenal could currently challenge for, as for the League and Champions League.
The former was basically impossible to achieve, and as for the latter,
That was even harder.
The more he thought about it, the more his head hurt, so Wenger opened the window, wanting to get some fresh air.
But as soon as he opened the window, a cold, damp air rushed in.
In February in London, sleet was falling.
The gloomy weather, with dark clouds rolling, felt like the sky was falling, bringing immense pressure, and even breathing felt stifled.
"This is truly awful!"
Wenger murmured.
It seemed he was talking about the weather, and also expressing his emotions.
On February 18th, European competitions fully ignited.
Manchester City and Barcelona delivered a spectacular opening match for the knockout stage.
Ultimately, Barcelona defeated Manchester City 1-0 away, securing the victory.
Afterward, the rising capital of Ligue 1 new rich Paris Saint-Germain defeated Bundesliga powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen 4-0 away.
Milan lost 0-1 at home to Atletico Madrid.
Bayern Munich easily defeated Galatasaray.
Chelsea drew with Schalke 04.
Time came to February 25th.
Another round of major battles was about to begin, with Arsenal challenging Real Madrid away.
Wenger led his team to Madrid; they were about to play the first round of the Champions League knockout stage at the famous Bernabéu Stadium!