The opening goal directly stunned the Arsenal players, coaches, and even the fans.
This was completely not the rhythm they had expected.
With this goal, the match would completely spiral out of control.
The goal came too quickly, disrupting all their arrangements.
Wenger also clutched his head the moment the goal went in.
Things were developing in the worst possible direction; Suker's sudden burst in the opening stages caught them off guard.
Although they had considered Suker's threat, no one expected it to come so early, and Suker's breakthrough was so sudden that once he entered shooting range, the subsequent goal seemed to be a foregone conclusion.
The most bewildered was Arsenal's Goalkeeper, Szczęsny!
He had just returned from injury, and his first game was already a tough one.
But who would have thought that Suker would score a solo goal from the wing, not even giving him any time to prepare; that shot was incredibly decisive.
Conceding a goal just one minute into the game, the situation Arsenal faced would be incredibly dire!
"This is a goal that shouldn't have happened! This is a goal that shouldn't have happened!"
The English commentator kept repeating this phrase, his expression full of anger: "They are too complacent, how could they just let Suker in like that? Don't they know Suker's threat? Why didn't they foul him earlier? They're too slow to get into the game, and in Champions League matches, such problems shouldn't occur; in Champions League, Arsenal is always like this!"
The English commentator's anger stemmed from Arsenal's consistently disappointing performance in European competitions.
At the Champions League level, Arsenal seemed to lack something; a comfortable lead was one thing, but once they fell behind, their chances of a comeback were pitifully low.
And in the current situation, Real Madrid's aggregate score was already 4:0!
There was also an away goal, which meant Arsenal needed to score five goals to advance.
Facing Real Madrid, and having conceded a goal just one minute into the game, even playing at home, scoring five consecutive goals was an extremely difficult task.
Moreover, the opponent was not some pushover team.
That was Real Madrid!
As a top European powerhouse, would they really be overturned by Arsenal?
It was impossible to even imagine; the probability was too low!
If there was even a tiny possibility before this goal, then the appearance of this goal completely plunged them into the abyss.
The expressions of the Arsenal players were also extremely pained.
Cazorla, Giroud, and other players kept shaking their heads.
No matter how hard they tried to attack, what could they do if the defense couldn't hold?
On the other side, Real Madrid's morale soared because of this goal.
Even Real Madrid's traveling fans were cheering loudly at Emirates Stadium, making it feel like home.
As for the Arsenal fans, they all fell silent, the famous library effect had kicked in.
But it was understandable; after all, seeing such a disparate score, no matter how strong their mental fortitude, it was difficult to muster the will to fight back.
Of course, there are no shortage of miracles in football.
For example, Istanbul is a direct proof, but at that time, it was only a three-goal difference, while this match had stretched to five goals; could they really see any hope?
"Arsenal's problem is still their defense; if they can't withstand Real Madrid's attack and can't limit Suker, then there's nothing they can do."
At this point, the Premier League commentator said helplessly: "At the very least, they should have delayed the attack!"
He couldn't say that Sagna was in bad form, as Sagna had been very stable in the League.
Although his shortcomings were obvious, they shouldn't have been magnified to this extent.
But this conceded goal was indeed Sagna's problem, yet putting himself in Sagna's shoes, he also felt Sagna had no choice.
What was originally a small gap was forcefully widened by Suker's individual ability, tearing open a huge hole.
Now, not only could the tactics not be executed, but their mentality also became irritable.
And this change was directly reflected in the match.
Arsenal showed a feeling of patching up one hole by creating another.
The forwards were desperately shouting for passes, constantly urging the attack.
The defenders, on the other hand, were quietly running, and their communication decreased.
As for the midfield, they were the busiest!
They had to go up for offense and drop back for defense.
If there was even a hint of laziness, Real Madrid would once again tear through their defense.
And in this situation, Arsenal played more and more chaotically.
Everyone had their own ideas, but they couldn't form a unified tactical performance, which ultimately led to a chaotic situation.
And Real Madrid was also very good at dealing with these problems.
No matter how the opponent played, I remained unshaken!
Linear defense, layered defense, organized offense, and even ball control seemed so effortless.
Real Madrid was no longer in a hurry to attack; they simply used passing to constantly wear down Arsenal's will.
Players are also human; no matter how passionate they are, under such cold treatment, they will slowly cool down.
Of course, Cazorla was an exception!
This guy was naturally energetic, constantly darting around, receiving the ball from the back and dribbling forward, making him one of Arsenal's few threats.
But the threat was not significant; Real Madrid, having long been tested by Messi, knew very well how to limit players with excellent dribbling abilities like him.
Moreover, in this regard, Cazorla still had some distance compared to Suker and Messi.
Time was constantly ticking away, and Arsenal's offense showed no signs of improvement.
After that goal, Real Madrid also focused more on midfield control, prioritizing ball possession and actively delaying time.
Unless they had absolute certainty, they would not attack rashly.
After all, every attack still carried some risk, and they were also afraid that Arsenal might suddenly find their morale.
Of course, Real Madrid's margin for error was also maximized at this point, but they didn't want to give the opponent any chance of a comeback.
"It's truly a despairing sight!"
The English commentator couldn't help but feel a sense of sorrow.
Although he kept saying things like 'keep fighting' and 'there's a chance,' he didn't believe it himself when the words left his mouth.
What chance was there?
Score, situation, performance, rhythm—they didn't have the upper hand in any of them.
Nor did they have a key player capable of turning the tide.
In such a situation, how could they turn the situation around?
Moreover, Real Madrid now gave them the feeling of that suffocating Real Madrid from two years ago.
But what was slightly different was that at that time, Real Madrid was known as the 'Wall of Sighs'; Mourinho's defensive line made everyone wary.
The current Real Madrid, however, focused more on proactivity, which meant controlling the ball.
They deployed more players in midfield, using passing to wear down the opponent's will, while also keeping danger away from their own goal.
Compared to the former, the latter was naturally safer.
Moreover, by taking the initiative, it was more efficient in killing the game.
Of course, Arsenal players would also occasionally press fiercely, cornering and pressing a Real Madrid player on the wing.
But Real Madrid was always able to escape such predicaments.
On one hand, it was due to excellent individual ability.
On the other hand, it was due to active support.
Time was constantly ticking away, and the match on the field became dull.
Soon, it was halftime.
In the camera, one could clearly see the tired and dejected faces of the Arsenal players.
45 minutes shouldn't have made them so exhausted.
But bearing the pressure of a five-goal deficit and an extremely passive situation, it greatly consumed their physical energy.
Most critically, even they didn't know what they should be doing.
They were just playing for the sake of playing, running aimlessly.
There was no hope of scoring!
And even less hope of victory!
In such a situation, it was naturally pure torment.
During halftime, inside Real Madrid's locker room.
Ancelotti told Carvajal, Pato, and other players to go warm up.
He also had a smile on his face; this match was much easier than expected.
Of course, this was also thanks to Suker's goal in the opening stages; this goal completely extinguished Arsenal's nascent morale.
Ancelotti had also put himself in their shoes; if it were him, he probably wouldn't even want to play anymore at this point.
The remaining time would be pure torment.
Ancelotti looked at Suker and said, "Second half—"
Before he could finish, Suker immediately said, "I want to finish this game!"
Ancelotti paused for a moment, then nodded gently: "Alright, I understand!"
Suker understood that Ancelotti wanted him to rest, which was in Real Madrid's best interest, as his explosive performance would be needed for the upcoming major battle.
But from Suker's perspective, he didn't want to be substituted; on one hand, it was to continue playing and maintain his form, and on the other hand, it was about scoring goals.
He had opened up the situation himself, so he wanted to enjoy the benefits.
He still wanted to score more goals in the Champions League, so he didn't want to be substituted.
As for Ancelotti, he didn't think much of it, but this was the first time Suker had shown such a strong attitude, which couldn't help but make him feel a little emotional.
The old Suker, assessing the situation, didn't have enough status back then, so whatever he said went.
But it was different now; the fledgling had transformed into an eagle, with his own ideas and thoughts, but Ancelotti still strongly supported Suker's way of thinking.
As a professional player, one must fight for every ball, and honor is the same principle.
If that competitive spirit was lost, no matter how strong one was, they would quickly collapse.
Ancelotti changed some substitution criteria.
Since Suker was unwilling to come off, they could only look to another player, and that choice was Bale.
Anyway, between Bale and Suker, one of them had to come off to rest.
One was to maintain form, the other was to give Pato some opportunities.
Pato was also considered Ancelotti's direct subordinate, so naturally, he wanted to give him more opportunities.
Of course, he wouldn't interfere with the competition for starting positions; that still depended on form and performance.
Just like Bale still firmly held his starting position.
However, Ancelotti's substitution adjustment still caused a hint of dissatisfaction from Bale.
Not only did no one want to be substituted, but Bale also felt that his form was indeed very good.
But he couldn't defy Ancelotti's wishes; his status wasn't as high as Suker's, where he could say he didn't want to come off and not be substituted.
The second half of the match had almost no suspense left.
Arsenal was in complete disarray; their tactics became more chaotic with every adjustment.
One could also see Wenger's tendency of having the will but lacking the power, as Arsenal's bench strength couldn't provide him with enough ability to implement his tactics.
Arsenal only had this one set of lineups, which was why they were fine at the start of the season, but the Gunners would easily collapse in the second half of every season.
Their bench depth was insufficient, and for exposure and money, they also needed to fight on multiple fronts.
The conditions were harsh, but there weren't many players available for adjustment.
It could be said that Wenger bringing this Arsenal team to such a level was already remarkable.
The only regret was that he failed to win the highest honor of the Champions League during Arsenal's most prosperous period.
On the field, the second half of the match began.
Suker performed with particular enthusiasm; he still wanted to score, so his positioning was even closer to the edge of the penalty area.
He could feel that the Arsenal players were a bit flustered.
If they marked him, they couldn't mark other positions.
If they marked other positions, they couldn't mark him.
Moreover, there were obvious errors in their judgment.
After thinking for a moment, Suker looked towards Bale on the far side, while simultaneously making a circling motion on his head, signaling Bale to play a high ball.
Bale saw Suker's movement, he made a sudden stop and dribbled, then immediately made a wide cross with his left foot.
"I've got it!"
Sagna spread his arms and roared.
He had excellent judgment of the ball's landing spot, so he intended to clear the ball directly there.
But just as he was about to make his move, Suker suddenly blocked his path.
This prevented Sagna from reacting in time and also disrupted his rhythm.
"Bastard!"
Sagna cursed under his breath, then Suker began to sprint towards the landing spot, and Sagna quickly followed.
Sagna was anxious!
He wanted to clear the ball, racking his brain to gain an advantage.
But Suker firmly held his position, giving him no space to maneuver.
At this moment, Sagna watched the ball descend, growing increasingly anxious, and actually extended his leg directly from behind Suker, intending to clear it.
Suker also saw this scene and couldn't help but curve his lips into a smile.
He didn't actively touch the ball, but instead gently bumped backwards.
This bump made Sagna lose his balance, and his raised foot became unsteady.
The next second, the ball almost brushed past Sagna's boot as it fell, and Suker, without touching the ball, smoothly sidestepped to evade it.
The ball bounced off the ground, passing right between Sagna's legs.
And Suker, who had already sidestepped, twisted his body and immediately accelerated.
Sagna fell backward once again, the only difference being that this time he grazed the ball.
"Mertesacker!"
Sagna cried out again in grief and indignation.
It seemed that when defending against Suker, he could only repeatedly call out to Mertesacker.
Mertesacker was German, a traditional German iron defender, stiff-bodied and incredibly slow.
Before Mertesacker could get close, Suker had already caught up to the ball, and looking at the ball still in mid-air, Suker directly turned his body and fiercely struck the ball with his right leg.
"A shot?"
The commentator was stunned.
Suker was currently in the sharp-angled area of the left side of the penalty box; the angle was poor, and it was some distance from the goal, making accuracy difficult to control.
But Suker took the shot!
But the next second, he saw the ball form a bizarre arc, curving from the left side towards the right side of the origin, and actually plummeting directly into the right-hand corner.
Swish!
The ball hit the net!
The entire stadium erupted in an uproar!
Even Arsenal fans had to admit that this shot was spectacular.
"Worldie!"
González roared.
This wasn't just a worldie, it was a miracle goal!
The aesthetic appeal of this shot, this curve, was in no way inferior to Zidane's "Volley from Heaven"!
Moreover, Suker's movement was so decisive and elegant; he perfectly combined power and aesthetics.
In front of the goal line, Arsenal Goalkeeper Szczęsny stood frozen in place.
He had conceded the second goal, but he didn't feel that sense of defeat.
No one could have saved that shot!
He was near the left post, and Suker had directly produced a bizarre arc, with the ball curving to the far right corner of the goal and dropping in. Who could have saved that?
Szczęsny helplessly spread his hands; there was nothing he could do. These two goals were each more difficult to save than the last.
Clapping!
González excitedly clapped and applauded continuously in the broadcast room.
"This is simply amazing, this shot is too crazy!"
"A worldie! And definitely a League TOP-tier goal. I think this goal might even win Suker this year's Puskas Award again!"
"This position, this volley, is not only difficult but also hard to control the angle. It requires not only skill but also a touch of luck!"
At this moment, the director also understood and immediately cut to Real Madrid's coaching bench.
A stunned Ancelotti and a continuously applauding Zidane.
Zidane even excitedly waved his arms, indicating how cool the goal was.
As for everyone else, they were already completely electrified.
The no-touch turn and dribble was already spectacular enough, but immediately following it with this volley directly elevated the entire goal-scoring process.
And at this moment, for Arsenal fans, it was the first time they truly felt what kind of opponent they were playing against.
In Suker's current form, who the hell could stop him from scoring?
Suker himself was very excited, he slid to the corner flag, jumped up, punched the air, and roared while pounding his chest.
He performed three consecutive celebratory moves.
In fact, Suker also took the shot with a 'let's try' attitude.
Anyway, at that moment, he just felt it was the right position, and he could pull off such a stunning shot.
The commentator was right, this shot indeed required luck, but at the same time, it required exquisite footwork, otherwise, he wouldn't have been able to keep the ball down at all.
Suker not only kept it down but also put a very bizarre spinning curve on it.
And this goal directly extinguished Arsenal's already dwindling thoughts of resistance.
Looking at this goal, they completely lost hope of victory.
The aggregate score was six to zero!
They needed to score seven goals at home to advance.
And with at most 45 minutes remaining, how could they possibly turn it around?!
At this moment, it was as if all their strength had been drained; one by one, the Arsenal players squatted on the ground, panting.
Their eyes were already filled with confusion about the match.
Once the hope of victory was gone, they completely didn't know what to do.
This moment was undoubtedly particularly painful!