The All-Around Center Forward

Under the atmosphere of the Spanish Super Cup, Casemiro took deep breaths, trying to calm his excited mood.

His heart was still pounding, a powerful heartbeat that made him feel a little uncomfortable—a sign of excessive excitement.

Appropriate tension and excitement can promote performance, but too much is as bad as too little.

Casemiro could only try to calm these emotions through deep breathing.

Last season, he was still playing for Real Madrid's second team, but this season, he entered the first team and started in the Spanish Super Cup.

He heard the live commentator announce his name.

He couldn't get the same elaborate, eloquent commentary as Suker, just a few names, his origin, and expectations.

But that was enough!

He had truly stepped onto this top stage, making a meteoric rise!

Starting in a top-tier match like Real Madrid versus Barcelona was a huge challenge, but also a huge opportunity.

He had to seize these opportunities!

"Don't be nervous!"

Srna, behind him, softly reminded him, "Concentrate, make the right judgments, I will tell you what to do!"

Casemiro nodded vigorously.

Srna had helped him quickly adapt to the first team during this period.

At the same time, Srna also taught him many defensive techniques; he couldn't say he inherited everything, but he had made significant progress.

He couldn't guarantee that he could completely stop Messi, but he would definitely try his best to interfere with Messi.

Just then, the whistle blew.

The match began!

"The match has started! This is the stage for the 2012/2013 Spanish Super Cup final, featuring Real Madrid versus Barcelona!"

"After the European Cup, the major Leagues are about to restart, and this Spanish Super Cup will be the League's prelude!"

"Real Madrid or Barcelona, which team will claim the championship? Bringing their team the first trophy of the season?"

Accompanied by the commentator González's cheers, intense shouts surged throughout the stadium.

The moment the whistle blew, Suker suddenly rushed out.

The entire Real Madrid team, like a high-speed machine, also charged forward instantly.

Barcelona was not like other teams; Real Madrid could not afford any slack, and they started with intense pressing from the very beginning of the match!

Pure head-to-head collision!

Pure physical confrontation!

Bang!

When Suker pressed, he collided forcefully with Xavi.

But neither gave an inch; although their bodies were somewhat askew from the impact, Xavi still managed to pass the ball.

After completing the pass, they turned and looked at each other.

There was a hint of ferocity in their eyes.

At the same time, with the ball's movement, Real Madrid's pressing came like a wave.

The pressing was incredibly fierce!

The intensity of physical confrontation also continuously escalated.

"Pass!"

Messi dropped back to receive the ball.

Fabregas was about to pass when he heard intense footsteps beside him.

The next second, Fabregas, ball and all, was tackled to the ground.

"Hey!!!"

"Damn monkey!"

"What the hell do you think you're doing?!"

Angry Barcelona fans watched Bale's aggressive tackle, and they angrily cursed him.

In contrast, Real Madrid fans whistled and applauded.

"Bale! Well done!"

"That's right! Keep it up! Show some grit!"

"Kill Barcelona!"

Real Madrid fans were restless.

The atmosphere in the stadium suddenly became turbulent.

Ultimately, the Referee gave Bale a verbal warning, but he seemed not to care.

Suker gave a thumbs-up from afar, smiling.

They knew very well that even if they didn't actively seek trouble, Barcelona wouldn't let them off the hook.

When they attacked, there would be no shortage of fouls.

So, before being hit, hit the opponent first.

Call it provocation, call it arrogance!

We're coming for you!

The match had just begun, and with Bale's fierce tackle, the smell of gunpowder instantly permeated the air.

The rest of the match became even more heated.

Barcelona kicked off again, and Real Madrid quickly closed in.

The same fierce pressing, interspersed with subtle fouls.

Until Barcelona pushed the ball into Real Madrid's encirclement, where Srna completed the steal and passed it forward.

Casemiro found it difficult to adapt to the rhythm.

The pace was very fast!

And the confrontation was very intense.

He knew that training matches and real matches were not the same thing, but this level of confrontation was too high!

How could one make moves under such confrontation?

Soon, Kaka showed him how to make moves.

Kaka received the ball with his back to the goal; before receiving it, he suddenly bumped backward.

Bang!

Kaka and Xavi collided heavily; Kaka controlled the ball, feigning a turn to the left.

At this moment, Messi rushed from behind and slid in directly.

Casemiro's eyelids twitched; he could see the studs.

"Pass!"

Casemiro nervously rushed forward, ready to receive.

There's no way to break through here!

The next second, he saw Kaka look up at him, then, while battling Xavi, he stepped on the ball with his left foot and pulled it back behind him.

His ankle narrowly dodged Messi's tackle, and at the same time, as he turned, Kaka's arm, which was originally tight against his armpit, relaxed slightly, lifted, and he used his elbow to push Xavi's chest, pressing backward.

With this move, he once again isolated Xavi and completed the turn and pass.

Casemiro was a bit stunned!

Under such high-intensity confrontation, he could still make moves?

And even get past him!

But Kaka's move was nothing; as the ball was passed forward, the confrontation became even more intense.

When the ball entered Barcelona's half, he saw the usually unstoppable Suker caught between three players.

Front, left, and right—people were in all three directions, all putting pressure on him.

Any other person wouldn't be able to withstand this kind of confrontation, let alone protect the ball like Suker.

Suker continuously pulled the ball back and forth, trying to find a breakthrough in the predicament.

When Suker suddenly turned.

"He's going to break through!?"

Casemiro exclaimed in surprise.

He can break through even this?

But the next second, Suker was jointly pressed down by Alexandre Song and Alves.

Beep!!

The whistle blew.

The Referee decisively showed Alexandre Song a yellow card!

The latter didn't argue and immediately retreated.

Casemiro stared blankly at Suker.

He had watched Real Madrid's matches, but he had watched the so-called El Clásico.

But television at home simply couldn't capture these details, let alone such intense confrontations.

This could only be observed with one's own eyes!

Suker didn't succeed in breaking through, but he was already ridiculously strong.

Surrounded by three, Suker almost succeeded in breaking through and even forced the opponent to foul, earning a yellow card.

Casemiro finally understood why the world was praising Suker so much.

Why the hell wouldn't they praise him to death?

On the bench, Toni Kroos also looked at Suker.

Despite having faced Suker many times, he was still amazed by Suker's performance.

Before, he had watched Suker play from an opponent's perspective, so the pressure was immense, and he also felt a headache.

But ever since becoming teammates and observing Suker's style from a cooperative perspective, Kroos felt as if he had opened up.

Various ideas surged in his mind!

A striker indeed needs good midfield cooperation.

As a midfielder, he also needs an excellent striker.

Kroos believed that these two positions had no absolute primary or secondary relationship; they were complementary.

The striker is the sharp blade of the attack!

And the midfielder is the whetstone, sharpening this blade to its keenest!

Suker was already a sharp enough blade.

Kroos didn't know if his whetstone could be put to use, but he believed he could point Suker in some directions, directly stabbing the opponent's heart.

Real Madrid prepared to kick off again.

Kaka had already run to the penalty spot; he intended to loft it directly into the large penalty area.

Suker and others had already run to the edge of the penalty area.

Alves stared intently at Suker, muttering to himself.

From the previous confrontation, he understood that Suker was still as troublesome as ever.

Messi's peak period maintenance was already abnormal enough, but this guy Suker's form hadn't dropped since his time at Marseille.

Other people's peak periods last three or four years at most, or one year at least, and some even lose their form in a few months.

But this guy Suker had maintained it for so long, and he could still keep it up.

Those constantly emerging newcomers were still watching Suker, hoping for his form to decline.

But he felt that Suker would outlast them all; they wouldn't even get a chance to shine!

Beep!

The whistle blew, and Alves immediately stuck close, intending to body-check Suker.

Just then, Suker turned and pushed his palm against Alves's chest, preventing him from getting closer.

At the same time, Suker turned and suddenly charged diagonally towards the penalty area.

"Mark Suker!"

Alves roared and immediately followed.

Meanwhile, Kaka also delivered the set piece, and the ball flew like a crescent moon towards Barcelona's penalty area.

Suker ran all the way to the far post.

There, Barcelona center-back Mascherano looked up at the ball.

Too high!

He had no intention of jumping at all; he wouldn't be able to reach it even if he jumped.

Just then, a thud sounded beside him.

Suker had already rushed to the position behind Mascherano, pushing off with his right leg, his leg muscles surging, lifting his entire body sharply upwards.

"Misjudgment?"

Mourinho, on the sidelines, frowned slightly, but the next second, his mouth parted slightly, and he instinctively clutched his head with both hands.

Suker's body shot up like a rocket, his legs curled, his body leaning slightly back, and his core continuously exerting force.

After jumping, Suker's thighs were almost touching Mascherano's head.

The most terrifying thing was that Suker seemed to be suspended in the air.

"OH My God!"

Commentator González instinctively shouted, his gaze fixed on the flying Suker!

That's right!

He looked as if he was flying.

Suker's body was suspended in the air, and as the ball approached, Suker slightly lowered his forehead.

Bang!

The ball struck fiercely towards the near post, piercing through the Goalkeeper's hands and flying into the goal.

Swish!

11 minutes into the match, Real Madrid scored first.

Suker scored with a header!

"Gooooooooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!"

González's Spanish commentary erupted again, his excited body trembling.

"God! Suker! How high did he jump?"

"Oh my! He seemed to be suspended in the air; what incredible hang time!"

"He just headed the ball into the goal with incredible force right over Mascherano's head."

"What kind of physicality is that!"

Not only the commentators, but the entire stadium of fans were also too stunned to speak.

In their view, Suker seemed to be flying.

In the past, Suker's jumping ability was certainly excellent, but it had never reached such a monstrous level.

But this time, he really seemed to fly.

That terrifying hang time seemed to make Suker suspend in the air for a second.

This one second was enough for Suker to wait for the ball to arrive and put it into the goal.

"This is insane!"

Casemiro exclaimed in shock.

When he turned his head, he saw Srna, Kaka, and others also had the same ashen expression.

Clearly, this was not normal!

Suker had already rushed to the corner flag to celebrate, basking in the intense cheers from the crowd; the entire stadium seemed about to explode.

And Suker's face was also filled with a smile.

"Diamond Card (Special Category) Cristiano Ronaldo's Jump!"

Undoubtedly, this was an absolutely explosive physical boost.

This meant that Suker was almost unstoppable in headers.

Crosses from the wing tested the passing accuracy of the players, but even more so, the jumping ability of a striker.

Football players, unlike basketball players, do not need to jump constantly, and they often do not have outstanding jumping ability, which led to the rise of the target man position.

And Suker's jump just now was definitely top-tier.

He almost replicated Cristiano Ronaldo's incredible header for Juventus!

Such a goal left Barcelona's players collectively speechless.

Suker himself was already difficult enough to contain.

And now, seeing Suker's jumping ability, how could they defend against him?

It could be said that as long as Real Madrid played the ball from the wing, Suker's chances of winning the aerial duel would greatly increase!

"How high did Suker jump just now?" Mourinho pressed down on his arms, which were trembling slightly with excitement.

Faria, beside him, also said with a slight tremor in his voice, "I don't know! But it's definitely a record-breaker; we'll have to wait for the official statistics after the match!"

He was sure that after this astonishing jump, the League officials would react quickly.

After all, such a visually impactful scene was enough to draw the world's attention back to La Liga.

Whew~~~

Mourinho slowly exhaled.

He had always thought he understood Suker well enough.

But this guy always brought him surprises!

This jumping ability!

This heading ability!

For Real Madrid, this was nothing short of adding a huge offensive guarantee.

With Suker's jumping and heading ability, Real Madrid could devise so many tactics.

Mourinho was almost impatient.

From now on, their counterattacks would become even sharper.

Barcelona was a bit flustered.

They hadn't expected to concede a goal in just 11 minutes.

While Suker had a strong impact, the jumping ability he displayed this time was somewhat unresolvable.

Moreover, Mascherano was not tall, but his anticipation was very accurate.

But the problem lay precisely there.

Mascherano anticipated the landing spot, and his jumping timing would be later.

However, Suker, with his powerful jumping and hang time, would jump first.

In football, this almost one-second difference could be fatal!

"Stay steady! Stay steady! Control the ball!" Vilanova constantly shouted towards the field; although he was also very flustered, he had to remain calm at this moment.

"Find Messi! Pass the ball to Messi!"

Vilanova could only resort to this last option.

There was no other way; Barcelona could only advance through Messi's dribbling ability now.

Soon, the match restarted.

After conceding the goal, Barcelona's overall offensive intensity increased.

The confrontations also became more intense.

After judging Real Madrid's movements, Messi dropped deeper to receive the ball.

After receiving the ball, he did not immediately dribble past, but instead made a transfer.

At the same time, Messi's gaze was always fixed on Casemiro.

This guy had been following him since the beginning.

He had to get rid of him!

Casemiro watched Messi closely; he knew it was difficult, but he had to do it.

The ball was passed to Messi again.

Casemiro quickly closed in.

But just as he approached Messi, he saw Messi drop his shoulder to the right.

"A feint?"

Casemiro hesitated, stopping his steps about a meter away from Messi.

Sure enough, Messi stopped the ball and transferred it to the wing.

Cold sweat broke out on Casemiro's back.

If he had rushed forward just now, Messi might have gotten past him.

Mourinho, on the sidelines, also nodded slightly, watching Casemiro's performance.

Faria smiled, "Very good judgment!"

Mourinho: "What he lacks is this kind of experience; I hope he can last until halftime!"

Faria grinned, "That should be very difficult!"

It wasn't that Casemiro wasn't good, but that Messi was still at his peak; if Casemiro couldn't even get past him, what peak was there to speak of?

Indeed, after the match entered the 20th minute, Messi began to exert himself.

After several consecutive passes and dribbles, Casemiro also began to make successive errors in judgment.

Messi also used these errors to continuously pass the ball forward.

Fortunately, Srna began to intervene in Casemiro's judgment, offering reminders again and again, stabilizing the situation.

But soon, Messi began to penetrate deep into Real Madrid's territory to exchange passes.

Real Madrid's midfield had just been reorganized, after all.

Casemiro was a newcomer!

Khedira was in an unfamiliar position!

It was indeed difficult for Kaka alone to support them.

When the match reached the 29th minute, Messi's sudden change of pace with consecutive stomps caused Casemiro to lose his balance, and the former immediately poked the ball forward from the left to attack.

Messi drove all the way to the edge of the penalty area, feigning a shot, but instead poked the ball with his toe.

The ball was threaded forward to the onrushing Sanchez, who took a shot, and the ball slipped under Casillas's armpit.

Barcelona equalized!

Real Madrid 1:1 Barcelona!

This goal also made the atmosphere in the stadium even more intense, and the match became even more deadlocked.