The former Highbury Stadium has been leveled and rebuilt into Highbury Square, and Arsenal's home ground has become the new Emirates Stadium.
The Emirates Stadium is not far from the original stadium, just two or three streets away, and if viewed from above, it almost feels connected.
Compared to Highbury, the Emirates Stadium is larger and its facilities are more luxurious.
This was also something Wenger had to make happen, even if it meant gritting his teeth and tightening his belt.
On Champions League night, the Emirates Stadium was incredibly lively.
The enthusiasm of English fans is unquestionable, but it also includes many football hooligans.
Fans are fans, but their quality is also an issue.
Of course, among all fan groups, Arsenal fans are still well-regarded for their conduct, and there's a joke that fans who watch Arsenal matches are all blue-collar.
This also causes the Emirates Stadium to easily turn into a library.
Of course, compared to those fiery stadiums, Arsenal's home atmosphere is indeed slightly inferior.
"This is the 2013/2014 Champions League Round of 16 match, Arsenal at home against Real Madrid!"
"After the first leg, Real Madrid is temporarily leading 3:0 at home, and the second leg becomes particularly crucial."
"After a half-month adjustment period, can Arsenal change their state, and can they win this match at home?"
Arsenal is under great pressure.
After all, they conceded three goals in the last match, which means they must score four consecutive goals at home to have a chance of advancing.
Of course, this does not mean they have no chance at all, but the process is extremely difficult.
Among them, the performance of Cazorla, Özil, and even Giroud is crucial.
They are Arsenal's attacking benchmark players; only when they perform can Arsenal's overall offensive play its part.
At the same time, they also have to curb Real Madrid's attack, which means they must both restrict Suker and go forward to attack, a workload that is extremely challenging.
However, no matter how difficult it is, they have to tough it out; there is no other way.
The camera focused on Suker; even in the warm-up phase, as a player who receives attention from the world, Suker's presence is a necessary factor for every match's excitement.
Under the camera, Suker appeared very relaxed.
He did not deliberately perform any specific training; he just juggled the ball while turning his head to observe the Emirates Stadium.
He looked less like he was there to play a match and more like he was there for sightseeing.
Regarding this, the English commentator also explained: "Suker's expression is very relaxed; for a player who has won so many honors in the Champions League, he has seen too many big occasions, and he has lifted the Champions League trophy multiple times, so for him, this match may just be a process, and his goals are much grander."
"As for Arsenal, they must curb such a Suker; of course, besides that, other Real Madrid players must also be watched, such as Kroos."
Kroos's performance in the last match was impressive.
One assist and one goal, shining throughout the match.
Especially that creative pass completely ignited the match and also drove Real Madrid's attack.
It can be said that Real Madrid's easy victory in the last match, even before Suker exerted himself, was largely due to Kroos.
This German midfielder who escaped Bayern Munich has finally proven his talent on the Spain stage.
"Play more on the left wing in this match, I'll pay more attention to your position."
Kroos proactively approached Suker and said.
In an away game, they are still more willing to make use of strong points.
Moreover, Suker hasn't been exerting himself particularly during this period, and Kroos believes Suker is also holding back a burst of energy now.
"After kickoff, pass the ball directly to me," Suker said casually, "We kick off, then attack aggressively from the start!"
Kroos was stunned for a moment.
Suker's idea was aggressive; after all, they were away from home and had a three-goal lead, so playing steadily would be the best approach for them.
But Suker actually wanted to attack proactively.
Of course, Suker also had his own considerations.
Arsenal is a team that relies heavily on their form; when their passing flows smoothly, that's when the threat begins.
Therefore, it's essential to curb Arsenal's passing from the very first moment and gradually put pressure on them, preventing them from playing a comfortable match.
Arsenal is also actively preparing, especially the expressions of players like Cazorla and Giroud are extremely solemn.
They are well aware of how crucial this match is.
The warm-up session ended, and both teams' players returned to the locker room.
Suker changed into his match jersey, tucked his shin guards into his socks, and then pulled his socks up above his knees.
Some players prefer to fold their socks below their knees, but Suker likes to pull them tight.
This time, the socks weren't as tight, so Suker didn't specifically make any holes; he put on his gear, stretched a bit, and then looked at Ancelotti in the center.
Ancelotti kept repeating the key points of the tactics, instilling a sense of awareness in the players.
Although they currently have a certain advantage, they still need to be cautious; what if Arsenal suddenly exploded?
Of course, this probability is very low, and even if they did explode, Real Madrid still has the strength to fight.
Ancelotti was maximizing the margin for error!
After the final adjustments, with Ramos's call of 'Forward,' the players followed him out of the locker room.
When Real Madrid was lined up in the player tunnel, the Arsenal players arrived late.
From their expressions, it was clear that the Arsenal players had a strong desire to attack.
Their eyes were practically spitting fire!
There was no other way; they had been stuck in the Champions League Round of 16 for several consecutive seasons!
And every time the draw was just terrible!
It was either Barcelona or Real Madrid.
With these two La Liga giants repeatedly wreaking havoc, they naturally held a grudge and wanted to get even.
Amidst the intense cheers from the crowd, both teams entered the field.
The starting lineups are as follows:
Arsenal (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Szczęsny.
Defenders: Sagna, Mertesacker, Koscielny, Gibbs.
Midfielders: Cazorla, Arteta, Özil, Flamini, Wilshere.
Forward: Giroud.
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Diego López.
Defenders: Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Isco, Casemiro, Kroos.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Compared to the last match, both teams had some changes.
However, the lineup changes were not too significant.
Arsenal used Flamini to strengthen the interception and blocking in the central defense and midfield, while reducing Arteta's defensive pressure, allowing him to focus more on ball distribution.
Real Madrid, on the other hand, fielded Srna in this match, which made the right-sided defense more solid.
Although Srna is indeed not in his former state, his experience and mentality are very seasoned; he is still Real Madrid's stabilizing force on the wing.
As for the offense, Real Madrid still has their standard attacking trident: Suker, Benzema, and Bale.
This forward combination is now hailed by Europe as the most potent attacking force.
These three players will make different choices when facing different teams.
But almost all of them will tear the opponent's defense to shreds!
Sometimes, this forward combination doesn't even need much midfield support; they have a self-contained system while also being able to connect with the overall play.
Whether it's Suker, Benzema, or Bale, they can switch between being the main attacker and providing offensive support.
The three are both main attackers and can deliver beautiful assists, which makes it very difficult for the opposing defense.
They don't even know who to specifically mark.
And until the last moment, they don't know who the ball will be passed to.
This is the most headache-inducing aspect when facing this forward combination.
Benzema and Suker stood at the center circle.
They got the kickoff they wanted; Ramos had good luck and always managed to get the first attacking opportunity.
Benzema tightened the bandage on his wrist, then raised his hand and gently kissed it, whispering:
"Lady Luck is with me!"
After speaking, he looked up at Suker: "First half on the left side?"
"Play on the left!" Suker nodded without hesitation.
Benzema: "Then I'll drop back and make plays?"
Suker nodded again.
Now Benzema understood, Suker was about to explode.
Suker's tone indicated he was going to be the main attacker; previously, Suker had alternated between main attacker and assisting roles.
But with the start of the second half of the season, Suker also began to adjust to the role of a main attacker.
There was no problem with this; in fact, Real Madrid's adjustments in the early stage were also to save some energy for Suker, allowing him to explode later.
This was unlike Mourinho's era, where Suker had been in an explosive state since the start of the League.
And it was like this for two consecutive seasons!
Ancelotti still cared for Suker!
He knew that an athlete's physical lifespan had a limit, and even someone as strong as Suker, once over-consumed, his condition would plummet.
Therefore, appropriate adjustments were very important; a steady flow was the key!
Throughout the first half of the season until now, Ancelotti had kept Suker, this sharp sword, sealed in its scabbard, taking it out to sharpen it, but not allowing it to show its edge.
And now, it was finally time!
Arriving at the Champions League knockout stage, it was about time!
"What kind of performance do you think Suker will have in this match?" Ancelotti was also quite expectant.
Zidane shook his head; "I don't know either, but I always have a feeling that if he wants to score, then he will definitely score!"
Ancelotti turned his head; "What you said is a bit exaggerated."
"Exaggerated?" Zidane grinned and shook his head; "For a top player, sometimes it's just a matter of willingness or unwillingness. During my peak, dribbling past people was as easy as eating and drinking. Their movements seemed like slow motion to me. And in terms of dribbling ability alone, Suker is definitely above me.
It's just that this guy always packages himself as a pure striker."
"Of course, this might also be related to the elements of the era. After all, Messi and Ronaldo are both very good at scoring, and if Suker wants to suppress them, he must make some sacrifices. More efficient scoring is the key!"
"But now it's different; he no longer needs to play like that. And from this time on, we have gradually witnessed Suker's terrifying ability."
"A player with superb individual ability, he can even disrupt the entire defense line by himself, completely messing up the opponent's defense."
"He just standing there will attract a lot of attention from the opponent, leading to other players playing more easily."
"But the problem is, even if the opponents pay so much attention, they cannot completely restrict Suker!"
Ancelotti nodded: "During his time at Milan, he showed this kind of potential. I initially hoped he could become a player like Inzaghi, or rather, someone even more difficult to deal with than Inzaghi. Suker's speed and passing are both superior to Inzaghi's, and he can play a very good team role, but..."
Looking at Ancelotti's face full of emotion, Zidane also sighed; "This guy has become a monster!"
Suker was a truly all-around player.
This all-around ability was not about being mediocre in everything, but about being top-tier in all skills.
This was Suker's most terrifying aspect; no matter how he was restricted, he simply could not be contained.
Once this style of play was restricted, Suker could immediately switch to another mode of play, making him unpredictable.
On the field, the final preparations were over.
The Referee exited the center circle and immediately blew the whistle.
Real Madrid kicked off first.
After the kick-off, Suker immediately ran towards the left flank. After running for a while, he turned back and retreated some distance.
Kroos had intended to switch the play, but upon seeing Suker, he immediately passed the ball and simultaneously ran forward.
And Suker, after receiving Kroos's pass, gently flicked the ball with the outside of his foot, pushing it back in front of Kroos, then immediately turned and sprinted.
Kroos also noticed Suker's movement and immediately passed the ball as he met it.
Suker and Sagna had some distance between them, but Suker's speed and explosiveness were too fierce, and in just a few steps, he caught up to a parallel position.
Sagna was greatly alarmed.
Suker immediately put pressure on him right after the opening, which threw him into disarray.
He tried to push Suker out of bounds, but his speed simply couldn't keep up, so he could only passively pull Suker, and his entire run appeared extremely strained.
And Suker, taking advantage of some initiative, forcibly strode past Sagna, blocking him behind him, while controlling the ball.
Just as Sagna intended to step forward and restrict Suker.
The latter again pulled the ball longitudinally, along the byline, intending to use his speed to directly get past Sagna.
"Suker!! Attacking right from the start!"
González exclaimed, Suker attacking so aggressively at the start of the match was a rare sight.
But it was thrilling to watch!
Sagna only followed for two steps, desperately trying to push Suker out, or even pull him down.
But he didn't get his wish; instead, he lost his balance and stumbled out of bounds after Suker overtook him.
And when he looked up again, Suker had already made a passing motion.
Mertesacker immediately rushed over to block, but Suker performed an La Croqueta with his feet, easily dodging him.
He then poked the ball forward again with his right foot, adjusted his stance, and twisted his body to unleash a powerful shot.
This was a direct shot into the near corner.
Arsenal's Goalkeeper Szczęsny hadn't even gotten into the game state, at least not that warm yet, so he was completely unprepared for this sudden shot.
It wasn't until the ball entered the net that he realized what had happened.
The entire Emirates Stadium also instantly fell silent.
Arsenal fans looked at the field in a daze, then they looked up at the time.
Match time: 1 minute and 2 seconds.
Just one minute into the match, Real Madrid scored!
"Gooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!"
González leaped up, ecstatic and gesticulating wildly.
"Goal! Goal! Goal!"
"Suker! This is purely Suker's individual showtime. He performed a solo goal on the flank. In front of Suker, Sagna's weaknesses were completely exposed. He couldn't keep up with Suker, nor could he push Suker off the ball. The moment he became passive, Suker had already started threatening Arsenal's goal!"
"This attack was too decisive, no! It should be Suker's choice was too decisive. No one expected Suker to attack so fiercely at the start of the match. This is too..."
González didn't say the word 'arrogant' that followed.
But it was arrogant!
On their home ground, a solo goal was scored just one minute into the match.
This was almost like tearing off Arsenal's face and trampling on it fiercely.
Arsenal fans were somewhat at a loss due to this goal.
What did an away goal mean?
They were three goals behind in the first leg, and now with an away goal, it meant they needed to score five goals to advance.
This was almost like telling them that Arsenal was finished!
Moreover, the match had just begun, and based on Suker's performance just now, could Sagna restrict him?
That was impossible!
Being unable to restrict Suker meant that Real Madrid still had the ability to score.
So, the moment this goal appeared, Arsenal fans knew that this match was likely to end badly.
The English commentators' expressions were also incredibly pained.
Suker!
This guy had basically beaten all the Premier League teams!
Manchester United, Manchester City, Arsenal, Chelsea, Tottenham, Liverpool
Of the Premier League BIG6, except for Liverpool and Manchester United who had defeated Mila, once Suker transferred to Real Madrid and officially entered his peak.
It became incredibly difficult to defeat him again.
Just like this attack, Suker simply outpaced Sagna with sheer speed. Once Sagna's defensive position collapsed, Arsenal's goal was directly exposed to Suker.
Once Suker saw the goal, with his shooting skills, scoring was a natural progression.