Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 487: Unbeatable at Home, Manchester City's Fortress

In the other four matches, Bayern Munich, missing many key players, managed a 1-0 home victory over Benfica. Barcelona narrowly defeated a ten-man Atletico Madrid 2-1 at home in what was one of the most anticipated matches of the round, second only to Manchester City versus PSG.

These two Spanish teams are well-matched and have faced each other many times in La Liga, making them very familiar with each other. In the first half, Torres opened the scoring but was sent off after receiving two yellow cards in six minutes due to his reckless behavior. When Torres was sent off, the Camp Nou erupted in boos, with nearly 100,000 Barcelona fans jeering, spitting, and cursing him. Atletico's coach Simeone furiously argued with the fourth official, believing the referee's decision was biased. It was only the 35th minute of the first half, and their key striker was already sent off, making the game much more challenging.

Simeone's fierce words prompted the fourth official to inform the referee, who then issued Simeone a yellow card as a warning. Resisting the urge to spit at the referee, Simeone stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, contemplating his next tactical move. Fortunately, the player sent off was a forward, which didn't significantly impact Atletico's defense. However, without their main striker, their counter-attacks would be less effective. Simeone hoped his players could hold on and maintain their lead until the end.

However, Barcelona didn't miss this golden opportunity. Led by Messi and Suárez, they launched fierce attacks against Atletico. In the 63rd minute of the second half, Alves crossed from the right, and Alba volleyed at the far post. Suárez nudged the ball into the net, equalizing the score at 1-1. This was bad news for Atletico. With their morale boosted, Barcelona continued to press forward.

In the 74th minute, Alves again crossed from the wing, assisting Suárez in scoring his second goal of the match. Barcelona managed a hard-fought victory at home, thanks to Suárez's brace. Despite the loss, Atletico was not entirely disheartened. Although they lost, it wasn't by much, and they managed to score an away goal. More importantly, they only lost after being reduced to ten men. Before Torres's dismissal, Atletico had been in control.

However, Atletico's aggressive defense and relentless pressing often cost them dearly against Barcelona, resulting in a high number of cards. In this match alone, Atletico received eight yellow cards and one red card. In their last five encounters with Barcelona, Atletico had received five red cards, averaging one per match—a staggering rate. Of course, Barcelona's style also played a role, as their reputation for theatrical playacting, especially from La Masia graduates, was well-known.

Torres's foul on Busquets, for example, had an element of theatrics from Busquets. After the match, Simeone and his players were very dissatisfied with the result, with Simeone vowing to give Barcelona a harsh lesson at the Calderón. As the victors, Barcelona paid little mind to their defeated opponents' threats and were already contemplating their potential semi-final opponents.

Compared to Barcelona's triumphant mood, their Spanish rivals Real Madrid faced a much grimmer situation. Having drawn what seemed to be an easy opponent, Real Madrid confidently headed to Wolfsburg only to be defeated 2-0 at the Volkswagen Arena. Not only did they fail to score, but they also conceded two goals. This left Real Madrid in a perilous position. Without any away goals, they would need to score three goals at home without conceding any to advance. If Wolfsburg managed to score at the Bernabéu, Real Madrid would be eliminated.

This sudden turn of events led many to doubt Real Madrid's prospects, with rumors circulating about Zidane's potential dismissal. These rumors, though untrue, managed to unsettle many fans. After all, Real Madrid had a history of sacking managers for less. Zidane, still a novice in the coaching world, hadn't yet proven himself as a top-tier manager.

While these rumors were baseless, they were not entirely unfounded. After the loss, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez did have doubts about Zidane. Losing to a top team like Manchester City or Bayern Munich would be understandable, but losing to Wolfsburg, considered one of the weakest teams, was hard to justify. However, due to the frequent managerial changes in recent years, sacking Zidane would likely disrupt the team's stability further, making it harder to achieve their dream of a tenth Champions League title. Hence, Pérez decided to support Zidane, hoping for a satisfactory performance in the return leg.

Real Madrid's surprising defeat and Bayern's poor form boosted Manchester City and Barcelona's odds of winning the Champions League. Manchester City's odds soared to the top, significantly ahead of second-placed Barcelona. Following Manchester City and Barcelona were Bayern, Atletico, Real Madrid, PSG, Wolfsburg, and Benfica.

Despite Wolfsburg's impressive win over Real Madrid, they were still not highly favored, with even the odds for Real Madrid being higher than theirs. This discrepancy was due to the significant gap in their inherent strengths. Even if Wolfsburg managed to get past Real Madrid, they would likely struggle in the next round. On the other hand, if Real Madrid could overturn the deficit and advance, they would remain one of the favorites to win the title.

Championship odds, however, are just numbers. The real outcome is determined on the pitch, match by match. Guardiola reminded his players not to become complacent after their victory, to stay focused, and to maintain a positive mindset in preparation for the next week's return leg. While the victory made the second leg easier for Manchester City, it was crucial to remain vigilant and not underestimate their opponents.

Despite the team's many injuries, there was hope that some players might recover for the second leg.

On April 10, the 33rd round of the Premier League kicked off. Manchester City played at home against West Bromwich Albion, a relatively weaker team, making this a manageable game for City. Guardiola decided to start Aguero, who had just recovered from injury, to assess his condition before the next Champions League match.

Aguero played cautiously at first, which is natural for players returning from injury. Overcoming this psychological barrier is crucial. To help Aguero regain his confidence, Lin Quan ceded a penalty he had earned in the first half to Aguero. Aguero didn't waste the opportunity and scored confidently.

After this goal, Aguero's mindset improved significantly, and he played with more confidence. In the 66th minute of the second half, Lin Quan assisted Aguero again, helping him score a brace and securing the victory for Manchester City. After scoring, Aguero ran to Lin Quan, knelt on one knee, and pretended to shine Lin Quan's shoe.

"Thank you, Lin. Having a teammate like you is my luck!" Aguero's gesture shocked the fans. Despite being a veteran and a key figure in City's first Premier League title, Aguero showed great respect for Lin Quan, highlighting Lin Quan's influence and status within the team.

"I'm lucky to be teammates with you too!" Lin Quan pulled Aguero up and celebrated with De Bruyne and others. Guardiola smiled with satisfaction from the sidelines and promptly substituted Lin Quan to rest him. As the season neared its climax in both the Premier League and Champions League, it was crucial to keep Lin Quan, their key player, injury-free.

Even without scoring, Lin Quan received a standing ovation from the entire stadium as he left the field, acknowledging the fans with a smile. West Bromwich players didn't rush him, perhaps glad for the break from City's relentless attacks.

Aguero was also substituted soon after, with Guardiola cautious not to overuse him. April brought more good news for City. After securing three points to maintain their lead in the Premier League, two other injured players returned to training.

David Silva's return bolstered City's attacking options, offering more tactical flexibility. But the real relief came with Virgil van Dijk's return, solidifying City's defense. Without van Dijk, Guardiola had always been wary of the defense's stability. The pairing of Demichelis and Rudiger was not as reliable as Van Dijk and Kompany. Demichelis, in particular, struggled to keep up in high-intensity Champions League matches due to his age.

Van Dijk's timely return alleviated City's defensive concerns. This good news for City was bad news for PSG. In the first leg, PSG's two goals were partly due to City's makeshift defense. With Van Dijk back, PSG's task became significantly harder.

For the second leg, PSG set up in a 3-5-2 formation, revealing their fear. Guardiola immediately sensed their hesitation and instructed City to press high and attack aggressively. David Silva's return provided another passing and organizing option in midfield, enhancing City's possession-based game. Van Dijk's presence added a strong defensive anchor, making it difficult for PSG to counterattack.

From the start, City's attacking pressure was immense. Unlike typical opening surges, City maintained high intensity from the first second. PSG's players felt enormous pressure, akin to a small boat in a storm, always on the verge of capsizing.

In the first 20 minutes, City had eight shots, four on target, and an astounding 82% possession. The game was entirely one-sided, with PSG appearing fragile under City's relentless attacks. PSG players were bewildered, questioning if this was the same City they faced in Paris. They felt overpowered and outclassed, as if they were not even in the same league.

Not just PSG's players, but scouts from other clubs were equally astonished. City's confidence and dominance at home were intimidating. They realized that even their own teams might struggle against City at the Etihad. This stadium's reputation as a fortress was well-earned. The fans might be polite and refined, but the team was formidable, inducing a sense of awe and fear.

At that moment, a consensus formed in everyone's minds: Manchester City at home was unbeatable.

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