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North London, Emirates Stadium.
Bayer Leverkusen players had previously played abroad, so foreign stadiums were nothing new to them.
During the pre-match training session to adapt to the venue, Julian Brandt, Lance, Son Heung-min, Kiessling, and other players were chatting and laughing.
Taking advantage of the coaching staff's absence, the Mexican Andrés Guardado secretly crept over, looking mysterious.
"I've asked my former teammates, there are many fun places in London. How about we check them out tonight?"
"Really?"
"Holy shit! You're a natural!"
"Of course!"
Andrés Guardado had a mysterious look on his face.
Lance initially couldn't understand why some players, facing their football dreams and once-in-a-lifetime opportunities, would not cherish them or take their professional careers seriously.
This was especially true for many South American players; despite their outstanding talent, they chose to indulge themselves, leading to a significant decline in their form.
Andrés Guardado was just like that.
When he played in the Mexican League, he was noticed by several giants like Real Madrid.
Andrés Guardado ultimately chose Deportivo La Coruña, and then moved to Valencia in La Liga.
Originally, Bayer Leverkusen loaned Andrés Guardado from Valencia in the winter transfer window last season to strengthen their squad, and Andrés Guardado did play well in the latter half of the season.
But after a few visits to German nightclubs, Andrés Guardado again became unrestrained, indulging in a life of debauchery.
He loved playing matches in Berlin the most because Berlin had the largest nightclub in all of Europe.
His relaxed attitude was mainly due to Bayer Leverkusen's real shortage of players on both flanks.
If it weren't for the signing of Son Heung-min, Andrés Guardado could still secure a starting position, not worrying about being replaced.
Moreover, South American players more or less visit nightclubs, and Andrés Guardado was already considered restrained.
If he frequented them as much as Ronaldinho, he wouldn't have lasted until he was 38 before retiring.
Seeing his expression, many Bayer Leverkusen players were eager to join.
Especially the "Nightclub Prince" Julian Brandt, he usually loved going to such places.
Everyone also liked to use his handsome face as a wingman; it was easy to attract girls to chat.
As a result, Julian Brandt's eyes lit up for a moment, then he shook his head, looking serious.
"No, we have a match tomorrow. Let's get some rest early tonight."
"Worried about the coach, right? Don't worry, I found out they're on another floor and can't control us at all."
"Yeah, anyway, the coaching staff hasn't issued a strict curfew. It's fine for us to go secretly."
Robbie Kruse and other teammates tried to persuade him.
Julian Brandt, however, shook his head resolutely.
"No, the match is important. Let's find a chance to go after the match."
"But..."
Julian Brandt being so serious made everyone uncomfortable.
As a result, everyone lost interest in going to the nightclub.
"Huh? No one's going?"
Andrés Guardado was surprised. Why had Julian Brandt changed so much?
Lance was equally surprised.
"You guy, didn't you used to go whenever you were called? Why not now?"
"First, London nightclubs aren't really that fun, not as good as our German venues. Also, we really need to focus on the match. After all, playing against Arsenal, promotion is still very much in suspense."
Wow!
Lance was truly impressed!
After training extra with him for a period, he had become so well-behaved?
"Good, Good boy!"
"Right, I said I was going to change... No, wait!"
Julian Brandt reacted.
Lance's tone just now clearly sounded like he was praising a dog!
He had been foolishly happy just now!
He had been tricked by Lance, this cunning Easterner!
Damn it!
... ...
Arsenal Colney Training Centre.
The next day was the Champions League do-or-die match.
The atmosphere within the Arsenal team was very tense.
Even Olivier Giroud, who was usually the most active and loved to joke around, wasn't smiling; his expression was unusually serious.
It was clear that the feeling of being 2-0 up and then losing 3-2 was truly unpleasant!
The expressions of other Arsenal players were also quite serious, except for Mesut Özil.
Mesut Özil always had those sleepy, fish-eyed looks, no matter when.
"Faster!! Faster!"
"Pass!! Don't hesitate!! Pass!! We need to speed up!"
Usually, this kind of shouting and directing training is the job of the assistant coach.
Arsène Wenger was so anxious, which showed that his pressure was also immense.
As the club's coach, having gone many years without a trophy and failing to get past the Champions League quarter-finals for many consecutive years, any other coach would have been fired by Arsenal long ago.
Thanks to Arsène Wenger being Arsenal's meritorious coach for 20 years, the management wouldn't fire him, but they would at least put pressure on him.
So, Arsène Wenger was incredibly nervous for this do-or-die match!
"Hopefully, this year will have a good outcome!"
If he continued to go without a trophy and fail to break through in the Champions League, Arsène Wenger himself would want to resign.
... ...
"Olivier Giroud!! That goal is in!! Aggregate score 3-3!"
"If this draw holds, Arsenal has a chance to eliminate Bayer Leverkusen on away goals!"
The 2013-2014 Champions League knockout stage still had the away goals rule.
If the aggregate score was tied, the team with more away goals would advance.
If the away goals were also tied, the winner would be decided by extra time and a penalty shootout.
At the start, Arsenal, after adjustments, regained their Premier League top-four fighting spirit!
A series of aggressive attacks at the beginning left Bayer Leverkusen unable to cope.
Arsène Wenger, after all, was "the Professor"; he made tactical adjustments for set pieces, targeting Bayer Leverkusen's two center-backs' coordination issues.
Mesut Özil's corner kick went directly to Olivier Giroud in the box.
Olivier Giroud easily headed it in!
Trailing again!
Another comeback!
You don't play the game unless you're against the wind, right?
Lance was numb.
But he had to step up!
Aaron Ramsey, Mathieu Flamini, and Mikel Arteta simultaneously restricted Lance, and sometimes right-back Bacary Sagna would also stick close to help with the pressing.
No choice, Lance was too overpowered!
A 16-year-old player making world-renowned coach Arsène Wenger so flustered was absolutely unique in football!
But the problem was, if you commit heavy forces to defend Lance, there will inevitably be a weakness!
In the 53rd minute of the match, shortly after the start of the second half, Lance seized a golden opportunity!
"In the first half, due to Olivier Giroud's goal, the aggregate score is temporarily tied at 3-3. In the second half, Arsenal's offense is equally sharp..."
"This ball!! Bayer Leverkusen's counterattack!!"
"The ball is given to Lance! The entire Bayer Leverkusen team now blindly trusts him! But there are too many people around Lance!"
Commentator Mehmet Scholl was anxious.
Passing to Lance also depends on the timing!
Clearly, the entire Arsenal team had swarmed him; at this point, Lars Bender passing to Lance was just a dangerous ball, wasn't it?
What if Lance was disrupted by Arsenal's physical challenge? Wouldn't that be dangerous?
At the critical moment, Lance actually stopped the ball with his ankle, and before Aaron Ramsey could collide with him, he unexpectedly back-heeled it to the left wing!
With just one move, Lance easily broke through Arsenal's encirclement and created a perfect shooting opportunity!
Son Heung-min received the ball, dribbled forward, and with no full-back interfering, he instantly burst into the penalty area!
Per Mertesacker came forward to intercept, but Son Heung-min cleverly evaded him again!
"Son Heung-min!! He cut inside, good!!"
The Arsenal players all thought Son Heung-min was going to shoot, but he just faked it! Returning the favor, he back-heeled the ball to the surging Lance!
"Lance--he shot directly!"
Lance cushioned the ball with his left foot, turned elegantly to shake off Laurent Koscielny, and shot!
"Laaaaaance--"
"Bayer Leverkusen successfully equalized the score! Aggregate score 4-3!"
"Facing strong opponents Arsenal, facing a do-or-die match, this young man is simply a big-hearted player! He can even be so elegant in front of the penalty area!"
At this moment, Arsène Wenger's eyes had changed from anxious to relieved.
Another season of Champions League ending in the Round of 16...
It's over, everything is over.
"If it really doesn't work out, I'll just retire."
Looking at Lance on the field, Arsène Wenger suddenly aged ten years!