Starting With Real Madrid

There is no perfect team in this world, but that does not stop everyone from striving for perfection.

Just like Heynckes's Bayern.

There is a relatively obvious loophole in their back line, and that is Van Buyten.

At nearly two meters tall, his movement and turning are slow, which has become a weak point in Bayern's defense.

But not every team has the ability to exploit it.

Bayern themselves are well aware of this, so Heynckes did everything possible to cover it up.

For example, when building the defensive system, he reduced the number of direct attacks on the back line through covering and expanding the defensive zone, to prevent Van Buyten's shortcomings from being exposed.

Therefore, in the vast majority of matches, and perhaps throughout an entire season, Bayern's defense is impregnable.

The center back partnership of Van Buyten and Dante is excellent.

But in a particular game, at a particular moment, his problem might be exposed and seized upon by the opponent.

That becomes a goal conceded.

The stronger the opponent, the more likely they are to exploit Bayern's weakness.

From a probability perspective, the further Bayern go in the Champions League, the stronger the opponents they face, and the more likely this is to be exposed.

Especially in the Champions League final.

When Benzema used a deft, unexpected touch to slip the ball past Van Buyten, no matter how long from now, anyone watching the goal, especially in slow motion, would find it incredible.

My God, why could Van Buyten not stop that ball?

It looked like all it took was a stretched leg to cut it out.

How did Van Buyten start and help Bayern reach the final?

But at this moment at Wembley, Benzema's pass had slipped through.

Ronaldo's shot flew into the left side of Bayern's goal.

Although goalkeeper Butt did his best to save, he was too late.

…

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLL!"

"Just over three minutes in, Real Madrid score against Bayern!"

"My God, this is unbelievable."

"Real Madrid's attacking efficiency is terrifying. Their first real threat goes straight in. A dream start."

"A wonderful combination from Real Madrid's front three. Di María clipped a diagonal ball with his left from the right, Benzema took it with his back to goal, then slipped it to Ronaldo arriving behind. The Portuguese finished it."

"1-0!"

"Real Madrid off to a flying start!"

…

Gao Shen had already tensed every muscle the moment Ronaldo struck it.

When he saw the ball hit the net, he could not help but throw both arms up and roar.

"Wow!"

He charged to the edge of the technical area, startling the fourth official, who thought he was about to run out and moved to stop him. Gao Shen turned quickly and sprinted to the bench, hugging Zidane, Carlo, Hierro, and the rest, who had long since leapt to their feet.

Even the Real Madrid substitutes rushed out.

What a start.

"Your plan worked again!" Zidane was convinced.

He did not mean that Gao Shen had instructed Benzema exactly how to pass, but that before the match, Gao Shen had specifically reminded Benzema of Van Buyten's obvious weakness. He also had Carlos Vargas prepare a video for Benzema, compiling all of Van Buyten's errors or defensive issues from the past two years.

No one knows whether Benzema drew directly from it, but his handling of Di María's pass right after kickoff was superb.

The true hero of this goal was Benzema.

But the mastermind was Gao Shen.

Not only Zidane, Carlo, and Hierro, but the other coaches and players looked at Gao Shen differently, because they all realized that his opening attacking plan had worked again.

"I said we would let Bayern taste our firepower!"

With that, Gao Shen strode back to the touchline and shouted to the Real Madrid players returning from their celebrations, especially Xabi Alonso and the others, signaling them to keep Bayern under pressure.

Push together and go for the win.

…

Play resumed.

Real Madrid continued to press Bayern, especially around halfway.

Bayern were frustrated to find that, while Real Madrid's three midfielders were technical players, their shape was so tight that Bayern could not hold the ball. Schweinsteiger in the middle could not get free, and Lahm, coming in from the right, could not either.

Under Ronaldo's relentless pressure, Lahm was forced to dribble sideways and then played it to Alaba on the left.

But as soon as Alaba took his first touch, Di María was already at him, forcing Bayern's left back to recycle quickly.

Back it went to the center back.

Dante launched a long pass, trying to find Mandžukić up top.

The Croatian striker used his body to pin Pepe, nodded it back to Ribéry.

Under pressure from Carvajal, Ribéry immediately returned it to Schweinsteiger.

The German carried it forward but was instantly tracked by Modrić. As he dribbled diagonally inside, he wanted to play it into Vidal, but Xabi Alonso stepped in first.

The Spaniard hit a long diagonal, sending it to the left in the attacking third.

Benzema pulled wide and chased Xabi Alonso's pass, but Van Buyten got there first and poked it into touch.

Real Madrid took the throw quickly, but Bayern won it back.

Upon losing it, Real Madrid counter-pressed high and immediately regained possession.

Interestingly, it was Toni Kroos who nicked it from Schweinsteiger.

This time, Kroos laid it back to Xabi Alonso, who switched to the left. Marcelo drove forward, burst past Lahm, and whipped a cross from the byline, but Ronaldo in the box was a step late and could not reach it.

The end-to-end tempo was relentless.

But Real Madrid had more of the attacking play.

Bayern's midfield struggled badly in possession.

Especially with Schweinsteiger contained and Ribéry tied down, Bayern could only look long.

The clearest example came in the tenth minute, when Bayern launched another long ball toward Mandžukić.

The Croatian won the first contact again and set it for Thomas Müller. Under pressure from Ramos, Müller tried to scoop a return toward Mandžukić on the right of the six-yard box, but Iker Casillas came off his line decisively and claimed it.

With the ball in his hands, Iker quickly released Marcelo.

Real Madrid countered immediately.

After a flurry of midfield passes, the ball was worked forward quickly. Benzema again received with his back to goal, this time laying it to Di María.

The Argentine cut inside and struck with his left, but it sailed high.

"That is the problem Bayern are facing at the moment."

"They cannot break through Real Madrid's block, and they are struggling even to create shooting chances."

"But Real Madrid can generate danger quickly through their midfield superiority and the individual quality of their front line."

"Heynckes knows very well that when Real Madrid press high, there is space left behind. If Bayern can play into that area, they will threaten."

"Real Madrid are fully aware of this themselves, and they have not allowed Bayern such an opportunity."

"In terms of attacking in the final third, Real Madrid have been better, especially in the two half-spaces."

Less than three minutes later, Bayern made another passing error in midfield.

Dante tried to play directly into Vidal, but Toni Kroos intercepted.

Real Madrid sprang forward immediately.

When Benzema fed Ronaldo, the Portuguese unleashed a shot from 25 meters, and it was of high quality.

Bayern keeper Butt flew to tip it wide for a corner.

A wave of gasps swept through the stands from Bayern fans who had just escaped.

"Shots like that are very dangerous."

"Bayern must change this trend quickly, or they will concede again sooner or later."

"The Bundesliga giants are struggling to move the ball across halfway."

A few minutes later, another midfield turnover led to Di María sliding a through ball to Benzema, who brought it down and spun on the edge of the box, but fired over.

After 20 minutes, Bayern gradually realized the problem.

Heynckes adjusted on the touchline, signaling his players to press higher to threaten Real Madrid's midfield and back line.

Obviously, the German coach knew that staying passive was slow suicide.

As Bayern increased their pressure upfield, it started to work.

Heynckes's Bayern are no pushovers, especially when pressing across the pitch. The players are fully committed.

Ribéry went down in a duel with Carvajal high on the left. Rizzoli signaled a handball by Carvajal, giving Bayern a free kick on the left side of the attacking third.

Bayern took it quickly. Ribéry laid it down the line, David Alaba swung a left-footed cross into the middle, Mandžukić met it with a header, but Iker tipped it over the bar.

That was Bayern's first shot of the match.

Bayern fans rose to applaud.

"After the adjustment, Bayern's attack is improving. Heynckes's in-game management has always been excellent."

"Here comes the corner."

To a chorus of gasps, Van Buyten's header went just over.

Gao Shen noticed the shift from the touchline and immediately walked to the edge, shouting instructions to his players to drop off a little.

The early advantage from the opening blitz had faded. The easy moments were over.

Next, focus on controlling the ball.

If Bayern want to press, then let them.

Real Madrid are not only good at high pressing. They can keep the ball too.

Let them taste Real Madrid's version of tiki-taka.

(To be continued.)