The scorching Allianz Arena, the fervent fans, the rich football atmosphere.
The swaying flags, the high-pitched cheers, the loud singing—these collectively formed the anthem of the Champions League Semi-Final.
Arriving at the Champions League Semi-Final, especially in this super showdown between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid, the overall atmosphere had already reached its peak without any need for hype.
All fans, even those far across the ocean, would stay up to watch this match.
They also anticipated an exciting event and were drawn in by this 'revenge match'.
In the 2012/2013 season, Bayern Munich eliminated Real Madrid in the Semi-Finals and went on to win the Champions League trophy.
One season later, Real Madrid, fully prepared, once again stood before Bayern Munich.
Seasons change, and the Champions League champions of the past two years were now challengers.
They were going to challenge Bayern Munich, the reigning Champions League king, in the Champions League!
And their attitude and performance were even more 'humble', a humility reflected in their surprising tactical setup.
"4-3-1-2!!!"
"Oh my God!! Real Madrid, after playing a whole season with a 4-3-3 formation, suddenly pulled out this classic tactical system! This is something we never expected."
"But as expected from Ancelotti, a tactical master's tactical reserves are still so abundant. I believe Real Madrid wouldn't rashly bring out this style of play; they must have thoroughly tested and refined it."
"And for it to finally appear on the field, it means this tactical approach might be even more suitable for this match!"
"The appearance of this tactic might be like a sudden blow, making Bayern Munich and Guardiola feel incredibly uncomfortable!"
Indeed, when the camera turned to Guardiola, he was frowning, stroking his chin with one hand, constantly rubbing his stubble, appearing somewhat anxious.
Before the match, he had paid close attention to a lot of news about Suker and analyzed Real Madrid's tactical components.
But he never expected Ancelotti to play something so old-fashioned.
The current 4-3-1-2 formation is still prevalent in Serie A, but in other Leagues, this tactic is no longer common.
The reason is simple: this tactic is extremely, extremely, extremely demanding on the squad!
Especially the number 10 position, which is the core of the core.
"Let's briefly understand this tactic. The 4-3-1-2 originated in Argentina, and Argentina also made it famous."
"Argentina used this tactic in the 1966 World Cup."
"In the 4-3-1-2 formation, the midfield is the core, positioned in a diamond shape."
"The base of the diamond is a deep-lying defensive midfielder, the two sides of the base are two shuttlers. The shuttler midfielders' range of activity is different from wingers; they are more like two central midfielders who stay wide, while the player at the top of the diamond is responsible for imagination and creativity."
"Argentina has a name for this position called 'the hook', but there's also a more elegant title: 'the classic attacking midfielder'."
"This formation requires forwards with excellent off-the-ball movement, wide play from the shuttler midfielders, and attacking fullbacks to fully create width on the field. This is a formation with an extremely strong attacking desire; if it works, it will be unstoppable, but when the system doesn't function well, various problems will arise."
"Either there's a lack of width in attack, or mistakes occur in an attempt to create width. Therefore, for this formation to succeed, players need extremely high individual ability, and this applies to every position."
"The most classic team to use this formation was AC Milan in 2007. The base of the diamond was Pirlo, the two shuttlers were Gattuso and Seedorf, and at the top of the diamond, representing the player with the most creativity, imagination, and attacking firepower, was Suker!"
"It can be said that Suker is no stranger to this position, and many people say that it was from this time that he began to be referred to as a 'century-long problem'."
"In that era when Suker was unstoppable, AC Milan fully utilized the energy of this super player, and now, Suker, his style of play is slightly different from his early days!"
"If it were 2007 Suker, he was a crazy and unstoppable super number 10. He could create goals with his individual ability."
"He couldn't be contained, which meant AC Milan always had an inexhaustible imagination."
"And now, after completing his transformation, Suker has become more of a team player."
"We can clearly see from the data that Suker's assist count this season is unprecedented, sometimes even sacrificing some goals."
"Many people say that Suker is no longer a pure striker. Here, I want to say that he has never been a pure striker; compared to a striker, he has always been the strongest number 10!"
The Spanish commentator González spoke a lot excitedly.
He was indeed very excited.
Since the tactical mode changed and the pace gradually accelerated, the matches became more intense and fiery.
But the tactical element was no longer as brilliant.
There wasn't the exciting feeling of the past, where opposing Head Coaches would battle it out, one move after another, countering each other.
But tonight, in this match, Real Madrid added a splash of color to the unchanging Champions League tactics, making them more vivid and agile.
Regardless of the outcome, González highly approved of this action.
He believed that football should be like this; winning and losing are important, but a rich and eye-catching tactical system is equally important.
"Let's take a good look, oh my, I can hardly wait!"
González said, rubbing his hands excitedly.
The starting lineups for both teams are as follows:
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Neuer.
Defenders: Rafinha, Boateng, Dante, Alaba.
Midfielders: Robben, Lahm, Muller, Schweinsteiger, Cristiano Ronaldo.
Forward: Mandžukić.
Real Madrid (4-3-1-2):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Srna, Ramos, Pepe, Marcelo.
Midfielders: Casemiro, Kaka, Kroos.
Forwards: Bale, Suker, Benzema.
The camera was also very interesting; after a close-up of Suker, it suddenly turned to Real Madrid's coaching bench.
Zidane was also watching the match there.
Undoubtedly, as one of the most recent midfield masters and a classic attacking midfielder, Zidane had the most authority on this position.
And at this moment, Zidane's faint smile seemed to convey his confidence in this tactic and style of play.
Indeed, Real Madrid had experimented with this style of play since the beginning of the season.
It was a consensus that Suker, in addition to playing on the wing, could also perform midfield duties.
And this attacking midfield position could be said to be the core of their tactical system.
Once it was stifled, the entire tactic would not function.
But precisely this position was occupied by Suker, the one hailed as a century-long problem.
Therefore, this tactic was viable for Real Madrid because Suker would not be stifled. Real Madrid could fully utilize the imagination and creativity Suker generated for their attacks.
At the same time, the attacking abilities of Benzema, Bale, as well as the two shuttler midfielders and two fullbacks, would be fully unleashed.
As for Suker's position, it was very flexible.
Aside from having no defensive pressure, he could go wherever he wanted.
At the base of the diamond, which is the deep-lying defensive midfielder position, Ancelotti chose Kaka instead of Kroos.
It wasn't that Kroos couldn't play this position, but Kaka was more familiar with it.
After all, Kaka had worked with Pirlo, and he was more accustomed to the rotation of this tactic. He had also experienced Pirlo's style of play firsthand as a teammate in matches, and Kaka even used Pirlo as a template during his own transformation.
Therefore, from every angle, Kaka was more suitable for this position.
Real Madrid's classic formation battling modern fast-paced pressing—this style of play gave a feeling of rising to the challenge, as this tactic was somewhat well-understood.
But for Ancelotti to dare to bring it out, he must have his reasons.
"Damn it! To suddenly pull out this formation now, are they trying to annoy us?" Franck Ribéry couldn't help but complain, the scar on his cheek pulling as he spoke, adding a hint of ferocity: "The frustrating thing is, the attacking midfielder is Suker, it's really annoying!"
The other Bayern Munich substitute players didn't speak, but they shared Franck Ribéry's thoughts.
Everyone knew that to play this tactic, the attacking midfielder had to be restricted, but the attacking midfielder was Suker, and Suker couldn't be restricted.
Therefore, this tactic is simply unsolvable!
Even a strong team like Bayern Munich was in a difficult situation at this moment.
They had studied the 4-3-3 system for an entire season, preparing various countermeasures, but Real Madrid suddenly pulled out a 4-3-1-2. Isn't this just pure annoyance?
Of course, this also shows Real Madrid's rich tactical reserves.
Guardiola always felt that Ancelotti wouldn't be so complacent. As a tactical master who had created various formations, not playing some tactical tricks would be an insult to him.
However, he didn't expect Ancelotti to hold out for so long, only revealing this move until the Champions League Semi-Final.
Or rather, this tactic was specifically prepared for them.
"Do you think, besides this tactic, they might have other preparations?" Zidane turned his head and asked.
Given Suker's versatility and Real Madrid's squad configuration, there are truly too many tactics they can employ.
"What other positions has Suker played?"
"Striker? Full-back?"
"Full-back is impossible!" Guardiola stroked his chin; "Striker?"
At this moment, the whistle suddenly blew on the field.
Guardiola shook his head to clear his cluttered thoughts; now, he still needed to focus on the match.
He wanted to see if Real Madrid's tactic could really make a difference!
Bayern Munich kicked off first in the first half.
Real Madrid quickly surged forward. In a traditional 4-3-1-2 tactic, there wouldn't be such intense pressing, which indicates that this is a result of Ancelotti's improvements.
This also told Bayern Munich's players not to combine this tactic with the playing style they remembered.
"Hold steady first! Test them out!"
Schweinsteiger shouted to his teammates after passing the ball.
They didn't understand Real Madrid's current situation, so they didn't dare to attack rashly.
Once a counter-attack was launched, they wouldn't know how the match would develop.
Out of caution, they played more conservatively.
"Pass more to Robben; let him test them!"
"Muller, make forward runs to disrupt their defense, and see what these guys are really trying to do!"
Schweinsteiger issued commands; he remained very calm.
The ball was also successfully passed to Robben's feet.
Among the attacking players Cristiano Ronaldo, Muller, Mandžukić, and Robben, Robben had the best ball-carrying ability.
It's not that Cristiano Ronaldo's ball-carrying is poor, but he is a pure shooter, and carrying the ball too much easily attracts attention, preventing him from finding open spaces.
Therefore, theoretically, Cristiano Ronaldo would only execute the final shot.
As for Muller, there's even less to say; his technique is truly rough, but his awareness and positioning are top-notch.
"They're coming up! Withstand the first wave of attack!"
Kaka also loudly directed.
From his position, his vision was wider, allowing him to observe movements on both sides.
At the same time, he also called out to Ramos, constantly reminding him of his positioning.
He was afraid that his attention would be divided to one flank, causing him to neglect the other.
In the intense confrontation, Robben found it difficult to get past Real Madrid's defense in one go, so he thought about turning and transferring the ball.
But just as he turned to pass the ball to a teammate, his eyes suddenly widened.
He saw Suker actually actively moving into the position next to Lahm.
Robben: ???
What's going on?!
Brother!
You're an attacking midfielder!
What kind of defense does an attacking midfielder play?!
Suker also looked at Robben, understanding his meaning from the opponent's eyes.
Suker felt that this kind of stereotype was not good.
I play as an attacking midfielder, but when did I say I was 'classical'?
With the evolution of modern football tactics, all eleven players have defensive duties. If one person doesn't defend, the hole in the defense will be bigger.
And tactics also need to change accordingly!
Modern football indeed no longer has the environment for classical attacking midfielders to survive. The reason is simple: these players have brilliant playing styles and excellent technique, but poor defensive ability.
Therefore, it's difficult for them to be effective in a systematic defense, and they have gradually been eliminated by mainstream tactics.
Real Madrid indeed plays a 4-3-1-2 formation.
Suker is indeed in the attacking midfield position.
However, his attacking midfield style is not classical, but very modern!
He plays a modern attacking midfield style!
He can tackle, compete, dribble, pass, and shoot!
Highlighting a hexagonal all-around attribute!
Robben's momentary distraction caused him to miss a good passing opportunity, and the ball was quickly poked forward by Kroos, who had quick eyes and feet.
After poking the ball, Kroos didn't slow down and continued to run diagonally forward.
Suker saw such an opportunity, leaned back sharply, and then accelerated to receive the ball.
After being bumped, Lahm couldn't start smoothly, naturally falling behind Suker by about two body lengths.
At this moment, Lahm not only had to be wary of Suker but also had to be careful of Kroos, who was making a diagonal run from the side.
Once he stood too close to Suker, Suker could pass the ball to Kroos.
The two would execute a one-two pass.
For this reason, Lahm gritted his teeth and was willing to fall back a bit further, ensuring a central position that could cover both sides.
But at this moment, Suker actually slowed down slightly.
He made a trapping motion with his right foot, looking up towards the far end.
Lahm saw this and felt it was an opportunity; Suker seemed to have been a bit negligent.
Having made up his mind, he immediately accelerated and rushed over.
"Careful!"
Kroos shouted a reminder from the side.
But Suker was unmoved.
"Good chance!"
Lahm's eyes lit up, and he quickened his pace again.
Just as he was about to get close to Suker, once Suker settled the ball, even if he couldn't press, he could force him to pass back.
And with Suker's current posture, he couldn't pass the ball either.
Just when Lahm thought he had him figured out, Suker's raised right heel gently lifted, intentionally letting the ball pass through, while sharply turning and sprinting to chase the ball.
The entire movement was fluid, calm, swift as a startled rabbit.
This was definitely something he had planned in advance!
"What?"
Lahm was startled, but Suker's turning speed was too fast, and his body was already facing forward, with more pushing force, making it impossible for him to turn quickly.
His entire body twisted, and he scrambled on all fours, barely managing to turn around and start moving.
And at this moment, Suker had already rushed to the front of the ball.
"Careful, left—"
Before he could finish speaking, Suker's right foot lifted again, and he fiercely curled the ball with the outside of his foot.
The ball traveled in a huge arc on the ground, bypassing the entire defense and rolling towards the open space on the right.
"Oh~~~~~~~!!! Here it comes! Here it comes! Here it comes! Rainbow Pass!!"
"Suker's signature move!"
Amidst González's cheers, Gareth Bale on the right also rushed forward.
But center-back Dante was a step quicker, clearing the ball out of bounds ahead of time.
Bale, seeing that he couldn't get a shot off first, could only shake his head helplessly, then looked towards Suker in the distance.
He was about to signal that he had started too slowly, but Suker raised his hand first, making a gesture.
'I passed it too far!'
Bale was stunned for a moment, unsure how to respond.
And Suker felt a little embarrassed inside.
Although he was nominally the 'Rainbow Pass' creator, ever since he came to Real Madrid, he rarely made such passes.
He hadn't played it for too long, so he was a bit rusty.
The curve wasn't well executed; this pass was indeed his own problem, it was a bit too long.
Yet, even so, it still made the Bayern Munich fans at the stadium gasp, their hearts pounding.
As for the Real Madrid fans, cheers erupted in unison.
González also exclaimed excitedly; "It's truly been too long since we've seen Suker make such a pass. The Rainbow Pass is Suker's signature move, creating a huge arc on the ground. This is a highly artistic pass comparable to Beckham's famous curve!"
"In today's football, players like Kaka and Srna have also used this passing method, but it most frequently appeared at Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga, from the feet of Belgian player Kehl De Bruyne."
"He also once said that he was madly obsessed with Suker's pass and constantly trained, achieving his current results."
"It can be said that the 'Rainbow Pass' has become a benchmark for testing a midfielder's passing technique and vision, and also a way to show off skill."
"It's a pity that many people in football imitate the Rainbow Pass, but Suker, the creator, no longer makes such passes. But whenever he draws a rainbow on the field, it is still so brilliant and dazzling!"