Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 486: 3-2 Victory over PSG!

Neymar felt miserable. During halftime, the coach's words had barely calmed his nerves. But then, right at the start of the second half, PSG fell behind again. How could they play like this?

Neymar knew that countless eyes were on him in this match. If he didn't perform well, he would be heavily criticized after the game. Anxious, he forgot the coach's advice and tried to take on the opposing team by himself, ignoring his teammates.

Neymar's individual skills were strong, often allowing him to score in Ligue 1. However, this was the Champions League, not Ligue 1. His opponents were not second or third-tier teams but one of the top teams in the world. Relying solely on individual skills against such a team was unrealistic.

His approach not only failed to help PSG but also wasted valuable time, reducing PSG's attacking threat. Eventually, the PSG fans lost patience. When Neymar attempted another solo effort, they booed their own star.

Hearing the boos, Neymar was stunned. He never expected to be booed by his own fans. The Manchester City players were equally surprised, having never seen such a scene. Were PSG fans turning against their own team?

The only person on the field who wasn't surprised was Lin Quan. After all, even Lionel Messi, with his eight Ballon d'Ors, had been booed by PSG fans before. It was only natural for Neymar to receive the same treatment.

The boos from the home crowd dealt a significant blow to PSG's morale, especially Neymar's. He seemed lost and his performance further declined. Seizing the opportunity, Manchester City launched a fierce attack, hoping to capitalize on PSG's low spirits.

However, PSG's defense was strong, and Thiago Silva, the world's top defender, held the line. Despite Manchester City's aggressive offense, they couldn't break through PSG's defense, and the score remained unchanged.

Seeing Neymar's poor form, PSG's coach shifted the offensive focus to the right, putting Di María in charge. Di María didn't disappoint, launching effective attacks and overwhelming City's left-back, Clichy.

Clichy, who was already on a yellow card, had to be cautious, especially against Di María, who was known for his diving. This made it difficult for Clichy to defend properly. In the 62nd minute, Di María broke through again, cutting inside from the wing. As Manchester City's defenders were distracted by Cavani's movements, Di María took a shot. It was perfect in power, angle, and timing, beating Navas and tying the game at 2-2.

Di María celebrated wildly, blowing kisses to the crowd, and the PSG fans responded with loud applause and cheers. Compared to Neymar's 200 million euro transfer fee, Di María, who cost PSG only 65 million euros, was a bargain. In such crucial games, Di María proved to be more reliable than Neymar.

This made many fans believe that Di María should be given more opportunities and relied upon in attacks. Coincidentally, that was exactly what PSG's coach was thinking. He decided to continue exploiting Di María's success on the wing.

However, Guardiola was quick to respond. He substituted Clichy with Joshua Kimmich, a young 21-year-old who had rarely played for Manchester City. Despite his youth, Kimmich was calm, composed, and had a strong sense of positioning and awareness on the field.

Di María initially underestimated Kimmich but soon realized his mistake. Kimmich defended smartly, forcing Di María to either go down the wing or pass back when he had support. If Di María tried to dribble past him, Kimmich's teammates were ready to help, allowing Manchester City to launch quick counterattacks.

After several unsuccessful attempts to break through Kimmich, Di María decided to change his approach. He started moving towards the center, hoping to exploit any positional errors from the young defender. However, Kimmich's awareness and positional sense were exceptional, and he didn't make any mistakes. He passed on the responsibility to his teammates when Di María moved out of his area, ensuring Manchester City's defense remained solid.

Di María was frustrated; this young player was proving to be more difficult than he had imagined! Since this guy left his comfort zone and came to the midfield, Di María wasn't going to miss this chance. After a one-two pass with a teammate, he charged towards Kimmich, thinking he would be easier to handle in the center.

In the midfield, defensive play is different from on the wing. Given Kimmich's young age, Di María didn't believe he could defend well in the center. However, reality disappointed him again. Kimmich, being a versatile defensive player, was even more comfortable playing as a defensive midfielder than as a full-back. Seeing Di María approaching, Kimmich did not hesitate and moved to intercept him.

The center was much more crowded than the wings, offering less room for maneuvers. Dribbling at high speed was nearly impossible in such a tight space. As soon as Di María started his run, Kimmich blocked him. Under Kimmich's close marking, Di María found it difficult to break through, even to pass the ball.

Just as Di María was struggling, Kanté came in from the side and cleanly intercepted the ball. The situation was dangerous, and Di María panicked, grabbing Kanté in an attempt to commit a tactical foul. Despite being small, Kanté was incredibly stable and didn't fall at the first tug. He stumbled but managed to pass the ball.

The ball was meant for Lin Quan on the wing, but due to the interference, it was a bit too fast and poorly placed. Kanté fell to the ground, expecting the referee to blow the whistle for the foul and possibly show a card. Surprisingly, the referee allowed play to continue, judging that the advantage rule should apply.

Lin Quan had to slow down to control the ball, sensing an opponent closing in from behind. As the ball approached, he performed a rainbow flick over the defender's head, leaving the crowd at Parc des Princes in awe. The defender was caught off guard, standing still in shock. The move was not only stylish but also effective, unlike Neymar's showy but less practical tricks.

Even some PSG fans couldn't help but applaud Lin Quan's skillful play. "That was a beautiful move!" Guardiola exclaimed from the sidelines, impressed by Lin Quan's performance. This young player always managed to surprise him on the field.

With the defender left behind, Lin Quan sprinted into open space. "Stop him!" Thiago Silva commanded, directing his teammates to delay Lin Quan's advance. Silva aimed to buy time for PSG's defense to get back in position. Lin Quan knew this and swiftly used a "La Croqueta" dribble to bypass the next defender, charging towards PSG's penalty area.

In shooting range, Lin Quan decided to continue his run into the box rather than taking a long shot. Thiago Silva approached him, hands behind his back to avoid a handball, but Lin Quan skillfully nutmegged him. Silva was left both furious and embarrassed. But the humiliation wasn't over. As PSG's goalkeeper Trapp moved to cover the near post, Lin Quan nutmegged him as well, the ball rolling through into the net.

Goal! 3-2! Manchester City had taken the lead again with just ten minutes left in the match. PSG launched a desperate offensive in the closing minutes, but their attempts were either off-target or blocked by the goalkeeper. Despite their efforts, the score remained unchanged.

Manchester City emerged victorious in the away leg, gaining a crucial advantage in the two-legged tie. While a one-goal lead might not seem insurmountable, having three away goals was a significant advantage. In the era before the away goals rule was abolished, this was a substantial lead. PSG would need to score at least two goals at the Etihad Stadium to have any chance of progressing.

Given the difficulty of scoring at the Etihad, especially without conceding, the general consensus was that PSG's chances of overturning the result were slim. The media and fans alike were skeptical of PSG's chances in the second leg.

The anticipated showdown between Lin Quan and Neymar ended with Lin Quan clearly coming out on top. With a goal and an assist, as well as initiating another scoring play, Lin Quan had an outstanding performance. Neymar, in contrast, had a largely invisible game apart from hitting the post once. This left many PSG fans disappointed, feeling that the 200 million euros spent on Neymar was not justified. Critics who had previously touted Neymar as being on par with Lin Quan and Messi were now silent. The match had highlighted the gap between Neymar and the elite level of players like Lin Quan and Messi, showing Neymar still had a long way to go.

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