At the beginning of the match, Real Madrid looked quite shaky.
It seemed like they were simply allowing Barcelona to play their game unchecked.
Even during last night's training session, some of the Madrid players still couldn't wrap their heads around Schuster's tactics.
One of them was Raúl.
Raúl, known for his exceptional tactical understanding, was skeptical about the plan Schuster had devised.
He doubted whether it would work in an actual match, especially against Barcelona.
But as the first half progressed, he began to understand.
This tactic might actually work.
And now.
[Raúl charges into the box!]
[Carlos's low cross lands perfectly at Raúl's feet!]
He realized it completely.
It worked.
Thud!
[Goal! It's a goal! Real Madrid takes the lead!]
While 100,000 home fans at Camp Nou fell silent, a wave of explosive cheers erupted from the away section.
"Eeeeeeey, Ra-ra-ra, Raúl! Raúl!"
Raúl kissed his ring in celebration.
His teammates rushed over one after another to share the moment of joy.
"Raaaúl! I knew you'd do it!"
"That's our captain!"
"Carlos, that was an incredible cross. And Zizou, fantastic killer pass. Cannavaro's tackle was top-class too."
As expected of a true captain, Raúl praised each of them, lifting their confidence.
Then, when Ho-young came over to offer his congratulations, Raúl extended his palm for a powerful high-five.
"Well done."
He had no idea that the tactic had been created based on Ho-young's suggestion.
It wasn't just Raúl.
Aside from Schuster and a few members of the coaching staff, no one knew the truth.
So Raúl thought to himself,
'Coach Schuster… he's far more brilliant than I thought.'
A master among masters.
The fact that he created such a custom tactic in just one week was astonishing.
However.
"Ho-young, great awareness. Let's try to link up again like before. We need to be an even better duo than Xavi and Iniesta."
"Understood."
"I believe in you."
Zidane was starting to catch on.
He had a sense that Ho-young had played a major role in crafting this strategy.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that.
Praise and admiration could wait until 70 minutes later.
"Alright, let's go. The match has only just begun. We've got about 70 minutes left. That's the time we need to keep them at bay, and also the time we can score again. Stick to what we practiced, and we'll be fine."
Following Zidane's words, the players calmed their excitement and returned to their positions.
1-0.
With the score tilted, the atmosphere at Camp Nou began to change.
The 100,000 Culers filling the stands were stunned.
Real Madrid scoring first was a shock.
[Has Barcelona ever conceded the opening goal at Camp Nou this season? Not once! That is, until Raúl just scored!]
[And to concede first against Real Madrid, no less. This might turn into a nightmare for Barça fans. Unless they turn this around.]
[There's still plenty of time left. Barcelona can absolutely come back. At the same time, Real Madrid shouldn't get complacent. Barcelona are strongest at the end of both halves. Los Blancos need to stay sharp.]
Barcelona fans across the world sank into despair.
Especially the two rival fan communities — RealDangsa and KoreanCule.
The two had agreed to allow trash talk for just one day, and it was KoreanCule that got hit first.
Members of RealDangsa, who had been waiting for this moment, swarmed KoreanCule like wild horses let loose.
[So all this time, Barcelona were just beating up on weak teams. Look how they go quiet against Real. Their true level is exposed.]
└Tactical cowardice. Just like Guardiola's hairline, vanishing fast. LOL.
└Hahaha. He still has a lot of hair left. Don't be too harsh.
└Loses a handful every match. Today's loss to Real must be stressful as hell.
└What nonsense. You're saying Barça only beats weak teams? They crushed Atlético Madrid.
└Yeah, and Atlético is still weaker than Real.
└Oh, so Real lost to a third-division team, Real Unión, because they're too strong to beat up on weak teams? LOL.
└Real Unión in the third division, lol. Truly royal-class.
└And Barça, the "king-slayer," just conceded first at home to that royal class. LOL.
└Tiki? Taka? What's that? Something you eat?
└Luis Figo must be so proud watching this.
Even the name "Luis Figo," a taboo in KoreanCule, was being thrown around, causing tempers to flare.
As tensions rose online, so did the atmosphere in the stadium.
Shocked Culers quickly recovered and started chanting again.
Barcelona's players, too, refocused on their play.
Led by Xavi and Iniesta, their rhythm gradually returned.
Which naturally enhanced their synergy with Messi.
[Lionel Messi cuts in from the right wing. He nudges the ball forward, making his way into the box. It's a psychological battle with Carlos.]
[Messi! Feints to the left and drives forward! Carlos sticks close, but Messi feints again!]
[And the shot!]
Thump!
Unfortunately, Messi's solo run was stopped by a great save from Casillas.
The punched ball rolled out, and Ramos quickly cleared the second ball.
Barcelona were still Barcelona.
Even after conceding first, they remained dangerous, working together to shake off the pressure.
They kept pounding on Madrid's five-man defense.
At the center of it all was Messi.
But Madrid didn't just take it lying down.
Thud!
"Ugh."
Carlos and Cannavaro began double-marking Messi, and things got physical.
Whenever that happened, Messi would tumble to the ground, and the referee's whistle would blow.
It wasn't just Messi.
Battles were breaking out all over the pitch.
As the first half neared its end, the physicality intensified.
At one point, yellow cards were being handed out every three minutes.
And soon, their determination bore fruit.
38th minute.
[Messi picks up the ball in the second line. There's plenty of space. He doesn't miss the opportunity and charges forward. Real Madrid's response is slightly delayed.]
[They need to focus. Taking your eyes off Messi when he has the ball is one of the dumbest things you can do.]
A surprise run.
With agile movements reminiscent of a prime Maradona, Messi glided past Diarra and then fooled Ramos as well.
No flashy tricks.
Just dribbling skill and fluid motion carried him into the box.
The ball looked like it was glued to his feet.
Pepe slid in for a last-ditch tackle, but got caught in the turf and slipped.
The final line of defense was broken.
After slicing through three players, Messi aimed for the open corner with his left foot.
But once again, Casillas showed supernatural reflexes.
Thump!
[Casillas gets a hand on it!]
But even goalkeepers have limits.
There's never a guarantee your team will collect the second ball, and this time, Eto'o, the Black Panther, pounced to finish it off.
Thud!
[Goal! Samuel Eto'o scores!]
[Barcelona equalize just before the end of the first half!]
"Damn it! Why's the grass so long?"
Pepe, who had slipped in the tackle, grumbled irritably.
When the grass is too long, boots can get caught, causing slips, and today was one of those days.
[Barcelona have finally managed to fully implement their own style of play. At this point, you could say the game is over. Barcelona's ruthless attack is about to begin. Madrid need to brace themselves.]
[Real Madrid are allowing Barcelona way too much freedom. They need to fix that urgently. I don't know what Coach Schuster is thinking.]
1-1.
As Barcelona regained momentum, pundits from every outlet began declaring the match over.
Letting Barcelona play their football was a massive mistake, they said.
But Ho-young thought differently.
'We'll get another chance.'
Letting Barcelona play their game was part of the plan from the start.
They needed Barcelona to play as they always did so Madrid's prepared tactics could be used effectively.
It was essentially a strategy of sacrificing flesh to break bone.
At first, they considered Klopp's gegenpressing, known as the hard counter to tiki-taka.
But that tactic demanded an immense work rate, and it wasn't something Madrid could sustain.
That's why Ho-young chose the 3-5-2 formation.
Concede possession, defend and attack with tactical precision, and expose the gaps in tiki-taka.
'But this won't last long.'
It was a formation that required extraordinary stamina from the wing-backs.
Carlos and Robben had to deliver before they burned out.
Now.
With the designated moment approaching, Madrid players picked up their tempo again.
[As we near the end of the first half, the match is heating up. Barcelona's attacks are intensifying.]
[But Madrid aren't backing down either. Whereas they were defending inside the box before, now they're pressing higher up the pitch!]
This time, they disrupted Barcelona's rhythm aggressively, catching them off guard.
Zidane and Ho-young cut off Xavi and Iniesta's passing lanes, while Diarra and Robben blocked Henry's direct runs.
Eto'o's movement was tracked tightly by Cannavaro and Ramos, and Messi's dazzling runs were gritted out by Carlos and Pepe.
Still, Messi was Messi.
[Under pressure, Lionel Messi tries to dribble past Carlos and Pepe.]
[Oh! Messi slips past Carlos with incredible agility!]
[He evades Pepe's incoming tackle as well! Messi! He's still going! Lionel Messi! Still on the ball!]
A dribble you saw coming but still couldn't stop.
It was proof he belonged to the footballing gods.
But the shot he unleashed in the box did not find the net.
'San Iker' Casillas performed another miracle to deny him.
And that led to…
"Go!"
Another opportunity for Madrid.
Modern football's buildup starts with the goalkeeper.
Proving that, Casillas launched a powerful throw straight to Ho-young's feet.
Ho-young received it with a stable first touch and looked to the side.
Zidane's sharp gaze said it all.
'Now.'
Then it began.
Tap, tap, tap.
Thud!
Tiqui-taca.
A flurry of short, sharp passes between the two engulfed the midfield.
A scene so beautiful it might never be seen again.
[Zidane and Ho-young move forward in perfect harmony!]
[Incredible. This is buildup at its finest. Zidane and Ho-young continue to exchange quick passes. The tempo is insane.]
[They've broken free from Xavi and Iniesta's pressure! Now Busquets comes in…!]
Tap.
Whoosh.
True to his reputation as the master of the Marseille turn, Zidane spun 360 degrees and got past Busquets.
Time seemed to speed up.
Ho-young's movement into space accelerated, and Zidane's passes became sharper and more powerful.
Each pass between them carried a clear message.
[Ho-young receives the 7th pass and charges into the second line!]
[Real Madrid have pierced into Barcelona's half in an instant!]
Their passing had created a golden opportunity.
Four attackers were already in perfect position.
All that remained was the finish.
Robben, Carlos, Van Nistelrooy, and Raúl.
Barcelona's defenders were scrambling to mark them all.
Gaps opened everywhere.
And Ho-young chose one.
The space between Puyol and Márquez.
"Zizou!"
As he darted into that gap, Zidane unleashed a killer pass before the word had even fully left his mouth.
The ball, slicing through the ground, stuck to Ho-young's foot like a magnet.
Thud!
And ahead of him stood Camp Nou's guardian, Victor Valdés.
(To be continued.)