"Cristiano Ronaldo! The Portugal star repays Real Madrid with an almost identical shot!"
"From an angle perspective, this shot was even more tricky. Casillas had almost no chance against such a sharp diagonal shot!"
"It's hard to imagine a single match featuring two high-quality shots that are almost identical. Of course, Bayern Munich's attacking choices were also excellent. They made adjustments and scored, and now that they've equalized, they can finally breathe a sigh of relief!"
"As for Real Madrid, there were some issues in their defense this time, especially the insufficient attention paid to Robben and Robert Lewandowski's ability to draw defenders, all of which contributed to this goal."
"Ronaldo, he just needed to stand in the most reasonable position and put the ball into the goal. Of course, he also chose a very cool way to return a goal to Real Madrid."
The German commentator was very excited, and it wasn't just about the equalizer.
When they pursue football matches, besides winning or losing, there's also the excitement factor.
And in this match, both teams performed exceptionally well in their game management.
Real Madrid's tactical approach at the start and Bayern Munich's rapid adjustments.
Both in terms of tactics and performance, the two teams were evenly matched, needle against straw.
Neither was willing to relax even a tiny bit!
They were both holding back, unwilling to let the opponent score more goals and widen the score difference.
At the same time, they were also striving to seize the initiative in the match.
Bayern Munich's goal brought the situation back. Guardiola knew very well that once the match continued like this, the consequences would be unimaginable.
Real Madrid's sense for victory is extremely keen, especially after entering the second half, even more so.
It can be said that if they fall behind in the first half and then try to equalize or reverse in the second half, it is almost impossible.
Real Madrid in the second half plays even more rigorously.
Unlike other teams that might have issues with mistakes and errors, Real Madrid in the second half is like a precise machine; they know very well how to win matches.
Therefore, Guardiola was urgently making substitutions and changing their tactical play.
There was no other way!
Entering the second half at a draw is a relatively difficult situation.
If they fall behind directly at the start of the second half, there would be almost no hope left in this match.
As Real Madrid's old rival, Guardiola was very aware of this point, and he was willing to use a substitution slot to equalize the score.
Fortunately, these players did not disappoint him; they completed the task excellently.
The appearance of this goal made him breathe a huge sigh of relief.
On the field, Suker stood with his hands on his hips, shaking his head, then shrugged towards Ancelotti on the sidelines, asking if this style of play was a bit too aggressive?
In response, Ancelotti slightly lowered his arm, soothing Suker's emotions, while signaling the players to stay calm.
"Bayern Munich clearly exploited the vulnerability of our full-backs pushing forward, but without the full-backs pushing forward in attack, the width of the field also can't be stretched."
Zidane looked at Ancelotti and said, "You should still have some tricks up your sleeve, right?"
Ancelotti smiled at this, not saying a word.
Watching Ancelotti's calm demeanor, Zidane also felt the pressure ease.
If the Head Coach isn't anxious, why should he, an Assistant Coach, be anxious?
"There isn't much time left until the end of the first half, and both teams have tacitly ceased fire, with no intention of continuing to attack. Clearly, they have placed the decision of victory or defeat in the second half!"
Accompanying the commentator's words, the last few minutes of the match were somewhat dull.
Neither team attacked; instead, they played relatively conservatively.
They were all waiting for the halftime whistle to blow.
Soon, the whistle blew, and halftime arrived.
Players from both sides entered the player tunnel one after another for their second-half tactical arrangements.
"Whew~~~"
In the stands, Bešić couldn't help but let out a long sigh of relief; watching this match had made him nervous.
There was absolutely no overwhelming advantage, nor any clear rhythm or direction.
Everything depended on performance, everything depended on tactical choices.
It can be said that these two teams truly showcased a top-tier confrontation to the fullest.
Whether it was the squad configuration, tactical choices, or on-the-spot reactions, all were extremely sharp, which led to this head-to-head battle.
"Do you want another drink?"
Bešić shook his empty cup and asked Van Stoyak.
Although he didn't shout loudly, perhaps due to the atmosphere, he felt parched.
Van Stoyak rubbed his chin, his brows tightly furrowed, as if thinking of a countermeasure.
This was an occupational hazard; seeing a match, especially an exciting one, he always wanted to make tactical predictions.
Bešić was already used to this!
When Bešić returned with two more cups of water, Van Stoyak suddenly said, "I always feel like Real Madrid is holding something back."
"What?" Bešić turned his head and asked.
Van Stoyak asked, "Don't you feel it's strange? This tactical setup is certainly effective, but it doesn't truly show that real threat. The goal in the first half was indeed uplifting, but it didn't have that feeling, you know, that oppressive feeling that makes people gasp for breath."
"Even without this tactical setup, Real Madrid could still have done this in the first half, but they chose this particular tactic."
"It gives one a feeling of something unfinished, yet also something hidden."
Bešić listened to Van Stoyak's words and couldn't help but say, "You mean, Real Madrid is still hiding some tactics?"
"I don't know!" Van Stoyak shook his head; "Maybe, maybe not! But... it just feels strange."
He paused, then took the water from Bešić's hand and drank it in one gulp.
"Thanks!" Van Stoyak exhaled and said, "Anyway, we'll know in the second half."
Meanwhile, in the Bayern Munich locker room, after explaining the second-half tactics, Guardiola went alone to a corner and fiddled with the tactics board.
Strange!
Very strange!
"What's wrong?"
The Assistant Coach looked at Guardiola's tightly furrowed brows and couldn't help but ask.
Guardiola shook his head; "It's strange, Ancelotti's usage of Suker has some puzzling issues."
"What issues?"
"If you were the Head Coach, would you let Suker play a relatively functional position?"
Upon hearing this, the Assistant Coach smiled; "How could I? If I were the Head Coach, I'd want Suker to stay right in front of the goal!"
After saying that, he also paused.
Recalling Suker's positioning and movement in the first half, and the state of play he presented, this was clearly not the performance of a primary attacker.
While Suker did very well in terms of swaying and acting as a decoy, it was simply a waste of talent.
"Isn't that too luxurious?"
The Assistant Coach clicked his tongue.
Is Real Madrid's squad that good?
Good enough to let Suker play a supporting role?
"That's impossible!" Guardiola directly shook his head.
He knew very well that it was impossible to make players like Suker play supporting positions.
Not only would tactics not allow it, but star players like Suker themselves would not allow such a thing.
Even Guardiola couldn't issue such an order to Messi, and while Ancelotti had a good relationship with Suker, it was impossible for Suker to willingly play like that.
So, there must have been some compromise!
But what kind of compromise, he didn't know.
Therefore, Guardiola was very anxious.
He felt that Real Madrid was still hiding something!
"Damn!"
He couldn't figure out the key point no matter how hard he thought, so Guardiola irritably rubbed his head.
At this moment, the match was about to begin!
If he couldn't figure it out, he would just deal with it as it came!
Guardiola led the coaching staff out of the player tunnel. When he emerged, he saw Ancelotti's Real Madrid coaching staff already seated in the dugout.
Guardiola and Ancelotti made eye contact; the latter smiled, and the former politely returned a smile.
However, Guardiola's smile was a bit stiff; he smiled reluctantly.
After returning to the dugout and sitting down, Guardiola frowned and looked at the field. Although he kept telling himself not to think, his mind always drifted in that direction.
Just then, he saw Benzema, wearing a substitute bib and looking dejected, walk out of the player tunnel.
This sight made Guardiola's mind freeze.
The next second, he immediately turned his head to look at the field and indeed saw Pato in the winger position.
And Suker... he stood in the center-forward position where Benzema should have been.
At this moment, Guardiola's mind instantly reacted, and all the questions he couldn't understand before suddenly became clear.
Real Madrid! Ancelotti! This guy is playing hard to get again.
In the first half, he made them think that Real Madrid's goal was in the midfield.
For this, he didn't hesitate to make Suker sacrifice a bit, strengthening the midfield's offensive ability, thereby making Bayern Munich constantly strengthen their midfield defense.
Even after that goal, Bayern Munich lost a substitution slot, which only then gave them a chance to equalize.
But just as they put all their attention on the midfield, thinking that the midfield was the important point of contention in the match, Real Madrid suddenly changed tactics, and decided not to play midfield with them anymore.
Real Madrid's three forwards!
Suker, Bale, Pato!
These three combinations, with their incredible speed and excellent technical ability, can instantly accelerate the counter-attack.
In the midfield, Kaka organized from deep, and Kroos was on the left.
Both full-backs, Srna and Marcelo, were outlets!
They even stopped focusing on the midfield, instead using their exquisite long-passing skills to play direct long balls.
This rendered Bayern Munich's tactical arrangements at halftime useless.
They concentrated their forces in the midfield, but Real Madrid directly bypassed the midfield and attacked their defensive line.
Now, Bayern Munich doesn't know whether to retreat or advance!
If they retreated a step, Real Madrid's midfield would press forward a step, and the danger to their defensive line would increase.
If they advanced a step, their formation would be too far forward, and Real Madrid's three speedsters would all burst out, directly tearing through their defensive line on the counter-attack.
"They've been set up!"
Van Stoyak said with a grin.
Looking at Real Madrid's positioning, he also immediately understood.
Bešić also sighed; with an experienced coach like Ancelotti, never doubt his tactical reserves.
A sudden tactical move could very well make one feel incredibly uncomfortable.
What's more, this was a chain trap!
"They were truly well-prepared; Suker played two different positions in one match. Suker in the attacking midfielder position was to attract attention, making Bayern Munich think Real Madrid wanted to play in the midfield!"
"The goal in the first half made Bayern Munich even more vigilant."
"And in the second half, Real Madrid suddenly changed tactics. It can be said that as long as this tactic works, Real Madrid can truly take three points away from home!"
Bešić exclaimed.
Ancelotti was his ideal Head Coach template: rich in tactical imagination, strong in execution, and possessing extensive tactical reserves.
He seemed to be able to mold a team's tactical system at will, changing its appearance to make the opponent play uncomfortably.
Even his predictive forward-looking vision made opponents feel uncomfortable.
With such tactical acumen, and such a grand vision.
Bešić felt that even if he and Van Stoyak were combined, they wouldn't be enough to match this guy.
"Let's see how it works; can we learn from it?"
Besides his admiration, Bešić also held a learning attitude.
If it worked well, Croatia could really learn this tactic, as their squad configuration was not bad.
The bench was a bit thin, but the starting lineup was strong enough, and the World Cup schedule wasn't long, so they could completely handle it.
Coming to watch the Champions League, this was also Bešić's way of enriching his tactical reserves and drawing some inspiration.
Bayern Munich's players also had solemn expressions.
Real Madrid's positioning felt very strange, and coupled with Guardiola's grim expression, they couldn't help but realize that something seemed amiss.
Especially Suker appearing in the center-forward position, this was something unexpected.
Bayern players were very unaccustomed to these unexpected situations.
But the fans and commentators were thrilled!
"Suker! He's in the center-forward position! This is the second time Suker has adjusted his position in this match!"
"On the Champions League Semi-Final stage, Suker didn't appear in his most familiar winger position, but instead played as an attacking midfielder and a center-forward. Both of these positions are ones Suker has played before, so I don't think he'll feel unfamiliar."
"I don't think Ancelotti will let Suker play as a target man; that would be too much of a waste. So there's only one answer, and that is Suker is playing as a true center-forward!"
A true center-forward, also known as a main striker!
Unlike the functional center-forwards popular in today's football, this type of center-forward has only one task: to score goals!
In the era of increasingly complex football tactics, the attributes of center-forwards also began to change.
From initially being all about scoring goals, they have now gradually transformed into a utility player in the attacking third.
And in this match, if Suker is playing as a true center-forward, then it is a return to basics.
Moreover, with so many outlets in the backfield and Kroos to link up with in front, Suker doesn't need to drop back.
So he must be a true center-forward!
"Pass forward! Pass boldly forward!"
After Suker moved to the center-forward position, he shouted loudly, incredibly excited.
The sacrifice in the first half was for the enjoyment of the second half!
Now that Bayern Munich had fallen into the trap, he could naturally play more freely.
The moment the whistle blew for the match, Suker rushed straight forward, not needing to worry about what was behind him; he just needed to wait for the ball in the attacking third.
And as he ran, Suker could clearly feel Bayern Munich's awkwardness.
Their tactical focus was in the midfield, but Suker pressed too far forward, and they couldn't ignore him. For this, they could only retreat somewhat, but not too much, which would lead to insufficient numbers in the midfield and loss of initiative.
This was a typical case of wanting everything.
And in the end, they might not be able to keep anything!
Suker pressed right next to Boateng; he didn't need to drop back to receive the ball, just stand there and put pressure on the opponent.
Even if he lost many chances to touch the ball, Suker's presence there kept Bayern Munich's defensive line immobile.
The full-backs wanted to press forward, but they also had to consider whether they could get back in time.
If they got back, could they still outrun the two speedsters on the wings, plus Suker, the efficient striker?
Once a successful cross was made, Bayern Munich would be in great danger.
For this, the Bayern players all perked up, trying to avoid such a situation.
They continued with the same old routine from the first half, using offense to relieve defensive pressure.
But then another problem arose.
Real Madrid had abandoned the midfield battle and played a compact defense, which led to immense offensive pressure for them; it was simply not as easy to play as in the first half.
Almost every time they received the ball and looked up, all they saw were Real Madrid players, unable to find their own teammates.
Even if they saw someone, there were Real Madrid players lurking nearby, ready to intercept at any moment.
They dared not pass!
They absolutely dared not pass!
The more they hesitated, the higher the chance of losing the ball.
And Real Madrid was good at swarming and pressing, Robben didn't even have time to release the ball before he was dispossessed.
Marcelo got the ball and immediately launched a long pass.
He aimed for the wing where Bale was, sending a diagonal long pass.
At the same time, Real Madrid's three speedsters immediately launched.
Suker pressed in the middle, putting pressure on the two center-backs, leaving them no time to worry about the wings.
Alaba could only try to mark Bale himself.
But he was too young after all; after a feint, Bale instantly accelerated and pulled away.
"Bale has created space, he's going to cross!"
The moment Bale crossed, Suker also suddenly started his run towards the near post.
Boateng immediately followed.
Both were rushing towards the near post.
Bale's cross was aimed at Suker, so it was a bit low, allowing Suker to handle it better.
Suker also quickly jumped at this moment.
He didn't jump high, but he could hit the ball.
But just as he was about to flick the ball, a force suddenly came from his waist, causing Suker to instantly lose his balance, his hands flailing wildly in the air. He barely managed to stabilize himself, avoiding a direct fall.
But this also made him lose a good heading opportunity.
Thud!
After Suker landed, he turned to look, and Boateng, with a look of lingering fear, also looked at Suker.
Clearly, Boateng had pushed him just now, but the action was very subtle, so it wasn't noticed by the Referee.
Suker also instinctively stabilized his balance, unable to show that he had been fouled.
Real Madrid's first counter-attack posed a huge threat to Bayern Munich!