"Charge! Charge!"
Kehl roared, but the Borussia Dortmund players' movements were somewhat sluggish.
It wasn't that they weren't active enough; it was that their physical stamina had truly reached its limit.
They couldn't charge anymore.
Even when they tried hard to swing their arms, every run was extremely clumsy, and every turn placed greater pressure on their thighs, leading to further loss of stamina.
"After the second half started, Borussia Dortmund seems to be struggling to keep up!"
González shook his head and said.
He had already anticipated this problem when they were pushing so hard in the first half.
It was like running a long-distance race; sprinting at the beginning might give you a lead, but the cost is expending all your energy prematurely.
Borussia Dortmund felt like this now; they had concentrated their burst of energy and indeed scored, but now they lacked staying power.
Pant! Pant! Pant!
Reus was breathing heavily, turning his head to find the player he needed to mark.
In Klopp's team, even forwards had certain defensive responsibilities.
However, Reus felt that his brain wasn't working as quickly as usual, and his reactions had become much slower.
He knew this was a sign of physical exhaustion!
The problem was, it wasn't just him; his other teammates were also experiencing the same issue.
And this situation was clear not only to the Borussia Dortmund players but also to Real Madrid.
"Almost there!"
Suker slowly exhaled. The match had reached 60 minutes, and Borussia Dortmund had made a substitution.
Of course, their substitution was still focused on defensive issues, a means of reinforcement, but this method of reinforcement was limited.
And Suker felt it was time to end the suspense of the match.
Taking a deep breath, Suker used a State Recovery Card.
Fatigue receded like an ebbing tide, his muscles felt filled with power, and his entire state reached its peak.
Suker turned his head and raised his hand towards Kroos.
The latter immediately passed the ball forward to Suker.
Suker received the ball along the sideline, and the moment he did, Kehl quickly closed in.
Kehl still wanted to use his old trick, using his physical confrontation and fouls to limit Suker.
But…
"How is he so fast?!"
Kehl hadn't even reached his defensive position.
Suker suddenly burst forward.
Moreover, his acceleration was too fast, not even giving Kehl time to reach out and pull him, let alone touch the ball.
Seeing Suker about to charge towards his own defense, Kehl gritted his teeth, turned, and chased after him.
"Suker! He directly broke free with a burst of speed! He's so fast!"
González's voice was excited; he knew Suker was about to unleash his burst.
Suker in the second half was always the nightmare of major teams.
When stamina is depleted, athletic performance naturally declines, but Suker seemed unaffected.
This contrast was incredibly obvious on the professional pitch.
And this was also Suker's crucial ability to turn the tide in the second half.
The entire Bernabéu stadium was roaring with cheers.
They watched Suker charge diagonally from the wing towards the penalty area.
Suker was very fast, but his dribbling was also very stable.
Each touch of the ball was small, making it difficult for defenders to stick out a leg and tackle; it was almost to the point where a tackle would be a foul.
But they also knew that if they hesitated, it would be equivalent to letting Suker enter the penalty area.
"I'll go!!"
Hummels gritted his teeth and charged forward.
Piszczek on one side also came to cover.
Just as the two were about to close in, Suker slightly turned his body, making a passing motion.
With this movement, Hummels subconsciously turned his body slightly to one side, forming an intercepting stance.
He couldn't let Suker pass the ball.
But in doing so, the timing for the two to close the gap lengthened, and the space couldn't be closed in time.
While Suker was already sideways, he guided the ball forward again with his foot, and at the same time, he suddenly pushed off a second time, and his entire body, like an arrow, swiftly darted between the two.
Piszczek frantically reached out, trying to grab Suker's jersey, but he grabbed nothing but air.
"Oh no!"
"It's over!"
At this moment, both Hummels and Piszczek were filled with immense dread.
And at this point, Suker had already surged into the penalty area, heading directly towards the six-yard box.
Borussia Dortmund Goalkeeper Weidenfeller watched this scene, his heart trembling.
He didn't know when Suker would shoot.
He didn't know how Suker would shoot.
The unknown is always the most terrifying.
Watching Suker constantly closing in, Weidenfeller's heart was pounding.
But Suker still hadn't shot, and Weidenfeller couldn't hold back any longer.
He pushed off the ground and directly lunged forward.
He hated this passive feeling, so he wanted to turn passive into active.
He wanted to actively close in on Suker, blocking more shooting angles.
And just as Weidenfeller lunged forward, Suker slightly raised his head, took a small step, made a minor adjustment, and at the same time, gently chipped the ball with his right foot.
Weidenfeller subconsciously spread his arms, squatted down, and expanded his defensive area.
But at the same time, he also looked up at the ball flying over his head, his eyes filled with helplessness.
"Chip shot!!!"
González suddenly stood up.
He saw the ball arc over Weidenfeller and nestle into the goal behind him.
And at that moment, the entire stadium erupted in cheers.
"Goal!!"
"Suker!!! His second goal!!"
"Borussia Dortmund still couldn't contain Suker, or rather, they fought hard enough, but still couldn't completely silence Suker."
"Guys, this is the ability of a five-time Ballon d'Or winner, another solo run from the wing!"
"When he was 20, he used this method to tear apart those right-backs!"
"And now Suker, at 28, is still using this method to tear apart the same wing!"
"The second half belongs to Suker, just like this goal, a clear path, no one can keep up with Suker, this is absolutely insane!"
The Bernabéu stadium was roaring with cheers.
After scoring the goal, Suker went straight to the South Stand. The moment Suker pointed to himself, tens of thousands of Real Madrid fans yelled hysterically.
These people shouted all sorts of things.
Some shouted 'Best', some shouted 'King', and some showed their love for Suker.
And their collective passion converged, like a huge wave of heat washing over him.
Suker looked at the stands, boiling with excitement because of him. Even though it had happened many times, every time he saw this scene, his heart was still surging with excitement.
"Well done!"
Benzema ran over and jumped onto Suker's back.
As the player who had the closest view of Suker's entire goal, Benzema knew best how incredible Suker's attack was this time.
In fact, even Benzema was fooled by Suker's feigned pass with a side turn; he stopped and prepared to receive the ball.
But Suker still managed to squeeze through the gap between the two.
And when Suker made his breakthrough, Benzema didn't even run.
Generally speaking, as a center forward, he should go forward and position himself.
But when the player shooting was Suker, he felt it wasn't necessary.
Because subconsciously, he believed that goal was a certainty.
And Suker did not disappoint them, with a very calm execution and a very delicate chip shot.
Now, Real Madrid had scored again, leading Borussia Dortmund 2-1 at home.
Coupled with Borussia Dortmund's obvious exhaustion, and the blow to morale from this conceded goal, it was more than just a slight impact.
If they previously thought there was a chance.
Now, there was basically no chance.
Because they truly couldn't run anymore!
Many Borussia Dortmund players were squatting on the ground, or leaning on their knees, bending over and panting.
Some even dry-heaved from time to time; their physical stamina had truly reached its limit.
"The match has no suspense left!"
Looking at the score and the state of the Borussia Dortmund players, Ancelotti exhaled.
Borussia Dortmund was indeed very resilient, and they fought very hard.
But Real Madrid was truly experienced in dealing with such hot-headed youngsters.
The Champions League dark horses over the years were all known for their fast pace.
They would use their fast-paced style to draw the opponent in, then quickly overwhelm them.
The most representative example was Dinamo Zagreb in the 2004 Champions League.
At that time, Suker and others, supported by their ability to charge, run, stable defense, and a powerful left-wing cannon, made their way into the Champions League knockout stages.
But when they faced an experienced AC Milan, with a strong midfield, who completely refused to play at their pace, they quickly ran out of steam.
And the situation in this match was somewhat similar.
Real Madrid did not play at Borussia Dortmund's tempo; no matter how much you charged, Real Madrid could always slow the pace down.
Ultimately, this forced Borussia Dortmund into continuous high pressing, prematurely exhausting their stamina.
Klopp was helpless now; he looked at the pitch, racking his brain but couldn't think of a single tactic to turn the game around.
He had no more substitutions left, and the room for tactical maneuvers was completely exhausted.
The players' stamina was also running low, all of which told him that their Champions League journey might end here.
Klopp turned to look at his bench, genuinely hoping to see Lewandowski or Götze there.
These two players could provide significant tactical assistance in their matches.
Alas, they couldn't keep them.
Looking at the sparse bench, Klopp sighed deeply; without enough funds to bring in the players he wanted, and unable to retain their tactical core.
How could they challenge for the Champions League?
At this moment, Klopp couldn't help but feel a sense of desolation; perhaps he really should move to another club.
Borussia Dortmund was being exploited too severely by Bayern Munich.
If Lewandowski or Götze were still there, Klopp's chances of winning the Champions League would be much higher.
At the very least, these two matches wouldn't have been played so passively.
And now, he truly had no other options.
For the remainder of the match, Borussia Dortmund continued to push hard; despite severe physical exertion, they did not stop.
This also earned the admiration of Real Madrid fans, as despite being suppressed to such an extent, Borussia Dortmund still hadn't given up—a truly precious spirit.
Among the teams Real Madrid had played against, it was rare to find a team that could do this.
Most would simply give up once the match seemed hopeless.
But even with all their intense effort and aggressive charges, they couldn't turn the tide.
In the 70th minute, Real Madrid made another substitution, further strengthening their defense while taking Benzema off.
Although Benzema didn't score, he was happy to see victory within reach.
However, as he walked off, Ancelotti approached him.
"Karim, after the match, come to my office!"
Benzema was momentarily stunned, looking at Ancelotti with some apprehension, wondering if he had done something wrong?
At this, Zidane walked over, smiling as he patted Benzema's shoulder reassuringly; "Don't worry, your performance was very good, it's just some tactical issues."
With that, he winked and smiled; "For the upcoming Semi-Final and Final, the boss has thought of some interesting tactical approaches!"
Upon hearing this, Benzema finally relaxed and sat on the bench to watch the match.
The match no longer held any suspense.
As the match progressed, Borussia Dortmund players were even struggling to run.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, continued to control the ball, preventing any surprises.
Time passed little by little, and finally, the injury time ended, and the entire match concluded.
Beep, beep, beep!
Under the sharp whistle, Borussia Dortmund players collapsed onto the turf.
Their bodies were incredibly exhausted, their stamina virtually drained.
But the unwillingness and regret in their hearts also brought tears of remorse.
Captain Kehl also lay on the ground; as a veteran, he had given his all in this match.
He even dry-heaved several times while running, but his pace never slowed.
It could be said that he had burned out completely.
After sitting for a while, Kehl stood up and looked at the large '2:1' on the scoreboard, shaking his head helplessly.
They lost!
The aggregate score was Real Madrid 5:2 Borussia Dortmund.
But from another perspective, they had given their all, leaving no regrets.
But... was there truly no regret?
"Hey!"
Just as Kehl was walking over to comfort his teammates, someone called out to him.
Kehl turned to see Suker walking directly towards him.
Suker immediately took off his jersey and handed it over, then gave a thumbs-up.
He couldn't speak German, so he could only express himself with gestures.
Although Kehl had fouled him multiple times, none of these fouls were dangerous actions, and from Suker's perspective, he could more directly feel that this veteran had truly put his life on the line to mark him.
At this moment, Kroos came over to act as a translator.
Suker said something, Kroos nodded, and then relayed: "He said, this was a memorable match, you made it very difficult for him to play."
Kehl's mouth opened slightly, but he didn't know what to say.
This should be considered a compliment!
After all, there weren't many players who could make Suker play uncomfortably, but on the other hand, he failed to successfully limit Suker and failed to secure victory for his team.
Ultimately, Kehl could only say; "You guys keep fighting!"
Kroos nodded, and after relaying the message, he left with Suker.
Kehl watched Suker walk away, slightly raising his arm.
All the Real Madrid fans gave a resounding applause.
Although they were also beloved in Westfalen, they couldn't give these fans the same sense of complete security that Suker could.
Kehl looked at Suker's back.
Reporters surrounded him, teammates clustered around him, and even the Head Coach affectionately patted Suker's shoulder.
It felt like the whole world revolved around him!
It felt like he was the protagonist of this world!
As if a beam of light descended from the sky to envelop Suker, while he was an inconspicuous supporting character outside the light.
Kehl grinned and shook his head.
Perhaps, this is the situation for most professional players; after all, looking across the football world, how many Suker's are there?
But there are many Kehl's!
Nyon, Switzerland, a beautiful small town.
In a hotel, as Real Madrid's draw representative, Cesc watched Real Madrid cleanly win the match, excitedly clenching his fist.
"Well done!"
Some staff members around also smiled, and applause occasionally broke out.
Cesc had a brilliant smile on his face.
As the draw representative, Real Madrid's performance directly reflected their attitude during the draw.
Of course, no one dared to underestimate Real Madrid.
But similar to last season, most people focused on Bayern Munich; Real Madrid, due to its internal conflicts, failed to make others feel too much pressure.
Cesc understood this most deeply.
And after this match, what he saw was the Galácticos setting sail again, and he believed that neither Bayern Munich nor anyone else would be able to stop Real Madrid's progress.
"Guys, get ready, we're the focus of attention for tomorrow's draw ceremony!"
Each Real Madrid staff member smiled; they also enjoyed this feeling of being the center of attention.
The next day, all Champions League Quarter-Final matches concluded.
The four semi-finalists were confirmed: Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Chelsea.
Two La Liga teams.
One Bundesliga team and one Premier League team.
However, Atletico Madrid's progression was unexpected by everyone, but Atletico Madrid used an excellent performance to defeat Barcelona 2:1 over two legs, stepping on another La Liga giant to embark on their Champions League journey.
At the draw ceremony, Cesc also attended in formal attire.
As a favorite to win this year's Champions League, Real Madrid naturally attracted immense attention.
Reporters almost exclusively surrounded him and Bayern Munich's representative, Rummenigge.
As the biggest rivals in this Champions League, there was almost no interaction between the two, not even a handshake.
But by arrangement, the two sat in the central C position, which showed the attention these two teams received.
The cameras constantly filmed Cesc and Rummenigge's faces, but their expressions were calm, both exuding confidence.
Outwardly, they were the faces of their respective teams and could not do anything embarrassing.
At this time, the Semi-Final draw began.
Portuguese star Figo, as the draw guest, drew Bayern Munich as the first team.
Immediately, the entire venue became tense.
The next team drawn was Atletico Madrid, from the other half of the bracket.
With the two halves determined, only the group pairings remained.
Rummenigge's confident expression also revealed a hint of solemnity.
Whoosh!
Figo decisively drew the opponent, and the entire venue immediately erupted.
A crest with a crown symbol; there are many such crests worldwide, but the most famous is undoubtedly Real Madrid.
The continuation of last season's grudge!
Champions League Quarter-Final revenge battle activated!
2013/2014 Champions League Semi-Final.
Upper bracket: Bayern Munich VS Real Madrid.
Lower bracket: Atletico Madrid VS Chelsea.
At this point, neither Rummenigge nor Cesc could really smile.
To be honest, they did think it would be good to meet each other before the Final.
But when it actually happened, they couldn't help but feel uneasy.
Not only did both sides not dare to say they could guarantee a win against the other!
But no matter what they thought, the fans and reporters were completely hyped.
Champions League Semi-Final, a heavyweight super showdown unfolded early.