Chapter 178: Give Me Leon, and Real Madrid Loses
Klopp had given himself a hard lesson with his own tactics.
He didn't win his gamble.
And today, he couldn't blame luck — not when Dortmund had already taken the lead over Real Madrid in the first half thanks to some fortunate breaks.
But that luck didn't last, and the explosive form he'd hoped for from Lewandowski never materialized.
Now, faced with the current situation, Klopp had very few tactical options left — and the situation was awkward.
He had refused to defend when he had the chance. Now, he found himself stuck between a rock and a hard place.
Mourinho, on the other hand, acted decisively, continuing to apply intense high pressing even into the second half.
At this point, Real Madrid had no interest in sitting back. They wanted more goals — more chips to carry into the second leg.
In the crucial moment, a reminder from one of his assistants brought Klopp back to his senses.
This wasn't a group stage match. It wasn't a one-off final.
He had to make calmer, more measured decisions — Dortmund's entire season hinged on whether they could take the next step here.
The first-leg loss happened at the Bernabéu. Dortmund would still have a chance to flip the script at home in the return leg.
They still had that precious away goal. The score was 1–2.
Would tightening up and parking the bus in the final minutes really be that shameful?
Not compared to conceding another late goal to make it 1–3 — that would be the real disgrace.
So Klopp didn't stay lost for long. In the 82nd minute, with a clear head, he quickly began making substitutions and pulling the formation back.
Kehl and Großkreutz came on.
Götze and Kuba went off.
Dortmund switched into a compact 5-4-1, even pulling Reus back into the left midfield line in their own half.
Up front, Klopp left only Lewandowski to lurk, hoping he might sneak in a chance on the break.
This change had Mourinho sighing with regret in his heart.
He had really hoped Klopp would stubbornly push forward to the end.
Had Klopp kept forcing the issue, Dortmund would have absolutely eaten a third Real Madrid goal today!
The addition of Kehl and Großkreutz did inject fresh legs into Dortmund's backline.
Otherwise, with the way Dortmund's exhausted defenders were dragging their feet, Real Madrid's energized attack line would've broken them down sooner or later.
With Klopp pulling back, Mourinho watched for another three minutes before signaling to his men to gradually retreat from Dortmund's half as well.
The intense clash that had lasted nearly eighty minutes finally began winding down.
Neutral fans watching were absolutely thrilled. There weren't a ton of goals, but the intensity had been cranked up to eleven.
Leaving aside Real Madrid's brutal midfield suffocation spells, the moments when both teams went full-throttle on the counter were electrifying.
Fans of both clubs, however, didn't immediately feel either thrilled or disappointed.
Instead, they collectively exhaled.
Yes — a breath of relief.
For the neutral fans, the match was exciting. For the supporters? It was an emotional roller coaster, and many felt like their hearts couldn't take much more.
There'd been an early surprise goal, a shaky defensive spell, a resilient equalizer, and a dramatic error-filled second half.
For both fanbases, the swings were almost too much to handle.
Thankfully, the final score was acceptable to both sides.
Real Madrid had managed to come from behind and take a slim lead at home.
And Dortmund had their away goal. With the return leg at home still to come, everything was still to play for.
It wasn't quite a "happy ending," but at least both sides walked away with something.
The referee didn't add much stoppage time — just over thirty seconds past the 90, and the final whistle sounded.
Dortmund's players dropped to their knees or slumped onto the grass, gasping for breath.
From the group stage to the semi-final, every time they faced Real Madrid, the physical and mental toll had been enormous.
Real Madrid's players were in better shape, but only marginally.
Leon took several deep breaths and used his jersey to wipe the sweat pouring off his face.
Today had drained him to the core.
Mourinho had pushed hard today — even to the final whistle, he didn't sub on Matuidi to relieve Leon's defensive load.
For the last ten minutes of the first half and the beginning of the second, Leon had run his legs to the limit just to shield Ramos and the back line from Dortmund's direct charges.
But exhaustion aside, Leon felt a deep sense of satisfaction.
Because he had every reason to be proud of his performance.
Go ask around — how many players in world football today could singlehandedly dominate the midfield, defend as an anchor, and still surge forward to flip the match?
At the moment, only one: Leon.
Even in the years to come, not even peak Matic or Kanté would be able to do it quite like him.
One lacked speed, the other struggled with aerial duels.
Leon? He had neither of those flaws.
His top-end speed was just about enough to scrape into the elite bracket, but his acceleration? Elite. Flat-out elite.
His burst speed — honed all season through specific drills inspired by Kaká — had now reached a rating of 87. Just two points away from the elite 89-tier.
That put him just behind the explosive freaks of the game — Messi, Robben, Bale, Ronaldo, Reus — players who could shift body angles with one step.
Against those monsters, sure, he might get shaken off occasionally.
But against most forwards with "normal" pace, Leon could hold his own comfortably.
Because defending those players wasn't about being faster over thirty meters — it was about matching their first five meters.
If he could stay close off the mark, he could stay in the duel, force them to slow down, and strike at the right moment.
That's why, during the last off-season, when it came time to draw a talent card, he chose acceleration over flat-out speed.
Not because sprinting didn't matter — but because, for him, rapid acceleration was more critical to improving his game.
And time had proven that decision correct.
Just look at his recent duels with Messi. The number of times he got blown past had dropped significantly compared to last season.
With sufficient speed and agility in the bag, Leon also had top-tier strength and heading ability — both rated 86 and 87.
His numbers were impressive, but even more so was his elite positioning and fearless tackling instinct.
He was more than capable in aerial duels.
Sure, occasionally he'd struggle when battling a massive target man dropping deep — that was physics.
At 1.85 meters tall and 83 kilograms, he wasn't always going to win against a 1.92-meter, 95-kilogram giant.
Even with great timing, you can't change body types. Sometimes you just get out-muscled.
But those situations were rare.
For a defensive midfielder, his build made him a tank.
Mobile, agile, strong, and durable.
Against lighter midfielders or playmakers? Leon crushed them.
Just ask… Götze. Ahem.
Speaking of Götze, the guy didn't come over to swap jerseys after the match. Probably too downcast again.
Reus, on the other hand, was far more easygoing.
He walked right over, and Leon, never the aloof type, chatted with him in fluent German before they exchanged shirts and hugged it out.
After the game, Leon was awarded the symbolic Man of the Match champagne.
CCTV5's He Wei wasn't the least bit squeamish — he happily embraced Leon to celebrate the victory.
Leon, shirtless, Reus' jersey draped casually over his shoulder, champagne in hand, accepted the interview with effortless style.
The sheer masculinity and athletic elegance practically exploded off the screen, sending domestic fans into a frenzy of cheers and screenshots.
Once the interview was over, Leon invited the domestic media crew out for dinner.
Since Real Madrid didn't do post-match dinners after the first leg — they usually waited until a two-legged victory was secured — Leon planned to have a relaxed meal with a few close Castilla brothers.
Duan Xuan and Coach Zhang tried to politely decline at first, but they couldn't resist Leon's warm insistence.
After a quick rinse and a few more media obligations, the group headed straight to a private French restaurant Leon had booked in advance.
He Wei even pulled out a camcorder to shoot a little vlog of the dinner.
Leon made sure to get his brothers — including Casemiro — to give a shout-out to fans back in China.
Unofficial though it was, it was still a little sneak peek — a teaser of the stars to come.
Leon figured He Wei would probably post something on Weibo after returning to China, and giving his Castilla brothers some exposure couldn't hurt. It was a good chance to boost their popularity.
By the time everyone arrived at the restaurant after the match, it was about 10:30 PM local time. They ate and chatted until midnight, finally calling it a night after a fulfilling gathering.
Leon, knowing he had to report to recovery training the following afternoon to prepare for the upcoming La Liga Round 33 clash against Atlético Madrid, went straight home to shower and rest after saying goodbye to He Wei and the others.
The CCTV5 commentary and interview team flew back to China the next morning.
However, neither He Wei nor Leon anticipated the massive wave of attention and discussion their little dinner vlog would stir up in China.
After all, the live streaming and content creation industry was only just beginning to rise, and most celebrities — especially in sports and entertainment — still had a kind of invisible wall separating them from everyday fans.
So, the natural and grounded vibe Leon and his friends displayed in the video struck a real chord with domestic audiences.
It wasn't about the French cuisine — steaks and foie gras on the table could've been swapped for Chinese stir-fries and hot pots, and the casual, friendly atmosphere would've been just as authentic.
After conquering a tough match, Leon went viral again at home — not because of a flashy play or a highlight reel, but for being down to earth.
The actual result — Real Madrid's 2–1 win over Dortmund — almost took a backseat to the dinner video.
He Wei, Duan Xuan, and Coach Zhang became the envy of Chinese fans across the board.
"Having dinner and chatting with Leon? That's the dream!"
Plenty of fans joked online that they too could've held their own at that dinner table — boasting, debating, talking football… those were innate talents, right?
But all they could do was fantasize.
Still, getting to see Leon's off-field personality — even more easy-going and kind than many had imagined — left them genuinely happy.
Because let's be honest, every fan has a bit of a filter when it comes to their idols. And Leon had always been painted in a positive light.
Up until now, it had all come through media narratives and coverage.
Now that they saw the real Leon, and he lived up to — even exceeded — their expectations, their fandom only grew stronger.
Back in Madrid, Leon had no clue about the fan frenzy back home triggered by a simple dinner video.
With just three days of rest after the Dortmund match, Real Madrid had to head out to face Atlético in an away fixture on the fourth day.
Time was tight, and Mourinho only dared to give the squad a half-day off. The players didn't waste a second worrying about media buzz.
There were postponed matches coming up too. The team's short-term goal was clear: win three in a row.
Nine points from those three games — and even if Barcelona didn't slip up, Real Madrid would have a 10-point lead.
With just four league matches left after that, one more win would all but secure the 2012–2013 La Liga title.
So yes, the final stretch was brutal.
But after this last push came the sweetness of glory.
No one in the squad wanted to be the weak link now.
By the afternoon of April 24, Mourinho was watching his entire team training with energy and focus.
Recovery sessions weren't supposed to be too intense, but the morale in the squad was through the roof — Mourinho couldn't be more satisfied.
This was the final charge of the season across two competitions. All the rotations and energy-saving throughout the season were building toward this very moment.
On April 26, at the pre-match press conference, Mourinho went as far as publicly announcing his starting eleven.
That's how confident he was.
Diego Simeone, upon hearing the news, refused to believe it at first.
He suspected Mourinho was playing another one of his tactical smoke screens or psychological tricks.
Simeone had been studying mind games too — but when it came to this kind of ploy, he had to admit, Mourinho was in a league of his own.
Just in case, he stuck with his original tactical plan, based on a cautious projection of Madrid's likely lineup.
But then, on match day — April 27 — when Real Madrid officially released their starting eleven, Simeone felt the full weight of Mourinho's torment.
"Goddammit! He really fielded the full starting squad?! Is Mourinho seriously not going to rotate ahead of the second leg against Dortmund?"
No one could blame Simeone for swearing — any normal manager would've opted for some squad rotation.
Three high-stakes matches back-to-back with the same core lineup?
Simeone thought Mourinho had lost his mind.
Expecting Real Madrid to rest a few stars, Simeone had set up a relatively aggressive opening strategy.
But that only left Atlético on the back foot right from kickoff.
Up against a fully loaded Madrid, the aggressive Rojiblancos didn't gain any advantage in midfield control.
That said, Atlético's defense did manage to hold the line.
Raúl García, Mario Suárez, Gabi, and Koke — the midfield quartet — brought grit and bite.
Raúl García clashed head-on with Leon right from the start.
With their similar builds and aggressive styles, neither gave the other an inch — and barely ten minutes in, the referee had to separate them.
After a bit of shoving, both midfield warriors were given verbal warnings.
The match was at Atlético's home ground, so it was expected the whistle might slightly favor the hosts.
Leon didn't complain. His head was cool.
He quickly realized that his usual brute-force approach wouldn't work today.
So he adapted — linking up with Modrić, they started circulating possession more quickly in attack.
Atlético's setup was aggressive and proactive; they also wanted to push forward and create threats.
That left exploitable gaps in their backfield, which Leon and Modrić were quick to target.
To handle Atlético's intense pressing, quick passing and constant movement were essential.
This demanded high technical standards — particularly for short and mid-range passing accuracy.
Fortunately, that was exactly what Leon and Modrić excelled at. And their stamina and awareness made this strategy viable.
On the sidelines, Mourinho nodded in approval as he watched the pair's smooth coordination.
Benzema began dropping deep to serve as a pivot. Ronaldo and Di María tucked inside to link up.
Real Madrid didn't press forward at top speed — instead, they transitioned into a flowing, pass-heavy attacking style, gradually dismantling Atlético's midfield block.
Simeone was livid.
No, Madrid's pass game didn't match the seamless tiki-taka of Barça at their peak — but it was more than enough for today.
And within that patient build-up, both Leon and Modrić were hunting for the kill shot.
In the 26th minute, after nearly half an hour of deadlock, Modrić broke the tension with a sudden, deadly through ball.
Benzema's run was timed perfectly, just slipping past Gabi's interception. But before Godín could close him down, he flicked the ball backward with a clever heel pass.
Miranda shouted to Mario Suárez, warning him not to let Leon get a shot off.
But Leon had no intention of shooting.
Without breaking stride, he pushed the ball laterally to Modrić — now free, having drawn Gabi and Suárez to himself.
Modrić, ever the field general, had already mapped out the movement around him.
He lifted a perfect chip behind Atlético's backline.
Before it even touched down, Ronaldo was already there — shaking off Juanfran's marking with a diagonal sprint and volleying the ball toward the far post.
Not the top corner — the bottom, inside the post.
Courtois, all six-foot-seven of him, tried to get down fast enough.
But Ronaldo had studied him well — he went low, knowing it was Courtois' blind spot.
Even with his height, the big Belgian couldn't hit the ground quickly enough.
GOAL.
Ronaldo beamed with joy. Simeone's expression darkened into a scowl.
The moment was pure poetry.
Once again, Ronaldo wore his "Atlético Killer" crown with pride.
And although the match was still in the first half, Simeone had a creeping feeling in his gut.
That sinking sense that his team was going to lose to Real Madrid again.
He looked toward Leon, celebrating with his teammates on the pitch, and couldn't hold back the thought screaming in his mind:
"Give me Leon, and it would be Real Madrid losing today!"
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 20 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10