The entire Bar?a team didn’t really care much about FC Schalke 04’s goal!

  Bar?a in 2011 was already at the peak of their game in every position.

  Their incredibly strong attacking third allowed them to cover up the holes in the backline.

  Since the beginning of the season, they had often conceded all sorts of unexpected goals.

  It wasn’t just FC Schalke 04—even when facing rookie crosstown rivals like Espanyol, they sometimes faltered.

  But after all, this was a UCL semi-final.

  The goal served as a wake-up call for Bar?a.

  Guardiola’s sneaky whispers to Busquets on the sidelines were all it took to get Busquets to focus on Su.

  He’d guessed that old fox Magath was betting everything!

  He was betting the UCL on that little guy, Su.

  A free man?

  He knew that tactic—and yes, Su was really good.

  But trying to use a free-role tactic against Bar?a?

  That was whimsical too!

  How could such an outdated tactic possibly work?

  What kind of super cosmic team did they think they were facing?

  At Camp Nou stadium at this moment,

  the FC Schalke 04 fans who had traveled all the way from faraway Germany were singing at the top of their lungs.

  Before coming to Camp Nou, they had thought their team might get slaughtered.

  But they came anyway, without a second thought!

  Schalke’s arrival at Camp Nou had been an outcome they hadn’t dared to hope for.

  As for what would happen to their beloved team in the end, they really didn’t care anymore.

  But they hadn’t expected this!

  Su!

  He had given them such a huge surprise.

  They had actually equalized—and with such a beautiful team effort!

  "Su...!"

  "Snap!"

  "Su!"

  "Snap!"

  "Su.... from China!"

  "Hard Su.....!"

  "Brave Su....!"

  On the pitch at Camp Nou,

  the most familiar anthem from the Veltins-Arena, the Song of Su, was now playing!

  The game resumed shortly after!

  Support the author by searching for the original publication of this novel.

  Bar?a wasn’t in a hurry after conceding the goal.

  Villa remained slow from the kickoff and passed the ball back to Xavi.

  Xavi didn’t linger on the ball and immediately began circulating it among his midfield teammates.

  But!

  While Bar?a didn’t play with much urgency, Schalke’s entire team had fully retreated.

  Even their forwards dropped back to press in the midfield.

  Yet it was pretty hopeless!

  Bar?a’s tiki-taka was skillful to a fault.

  No matter how desperately Schalke chased,

  they still couldn’t pry the ball from Bar?a’s feet.

  The seconds ticked away relentlessly!

  One pass!

  Two passes!

  ...

  Twenty passes!

  Twenty-one passes!

  With every exchange, Bar?a inched forward.

  Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets!

  Xavi, Messi, Iniesta!

  Xavi, Iniesta, Pedro!

  The trio’s intricate short passes dominated the Camp Nou pitch!

  From the 15th minute to the 23rd,

  for eight straight minutes, Bar?a held possession without letting Schalke touch the ball once.

  Slowly,

  Schalke’s players grew impatient!

  Especially with that Busquets guy.

  He kept luring poor Baby Baumann out of position,

  receiving the ball and delaying his pass until Baumann lunged at him.

  Once!

  Twice!

  Finally,

  Baby Baumann snapped!

  Facing Busquets’ fourth taunting dribble,

  he went straight in with a reckless challenge!

  His foot stabbed toward Busquets’ ankles—

  and a scene all too familiar to fans unfolded.

  Busquets, facing Baumann head-on,

  collapsed the instant Baumann’s boot neared him!

  Then,

  he launched into his Oscar-worthy performance!

  He covered his right foot!

  His right hand slapped the turf hard over and over again!

  Baby Baumann stood dumbfounded as he looked at Busquets writhing in apparent pain!

  "Sir, I pulled my foot back! Really, I didn't touch him!"

  But the referee wasn't buying Baumann's explanation!

  Meanwhile, Bar?a's attacking players swarmed around, pointing at the agonized Busquets on the ground while pressuring the referee!

  For Bar?a's teammates, Busquets' theatrics were nothing new - underhanded perhaps, but undeniably effective!

  The referee showed no mercy as he pulled the yellow card from his pocket and brandished it at the innocent-looking Baumann!

  Baumann was still protesting when Su rushed over and pulled him away!

  The young defender was still too naive!

  Facing Busquets' gamesmanship, even the calmest player would want to kick him this time!

  While the players argued...

  Magath on the sidelines finally erupted!

  "Shameful!"

  "Terrible acting!"

  "Did my player even touch him?"

  The furious manager charged toward the fourth official.

  Fortunately, Hughes had been watching Magath and rushed to restrain him, just as Su had done moments before!

  "Gaffer, it's okay! We still have Su! We still have our free role tactic!"

  "Su will steady the ship!"

  "I know you've got a plan!"

  Looking at Hughes' earnest face, Magath gradually calmed down!

  But as for Hughes' mention of the free role tactic, Magath had already begun reconsidering its feasibility.

  ........

  "That's unfortunate for Baumann!"

  "But let's be honest - this Busquets fellow is disgraceful! Every time he does this, deliberately provoking opponents!"

  "Baumann ultimately lost his composure!"

  "The referee didn't hesitate with the yellow!"

  "Thankfully it was just a yellow!"

  Baby Baumann's booking was just a brief interruption.

  Soon, play resumed.

  Bar?a continued their passing carousel.

  And with a yellow card to his name, FC Schalke 04's midfield and defense had to be much more careful.

  Twenty-seventh minute of play!

  After countless patient backward passes in midfield,

  Xavi spotted Messi making a surging run on the right and delivered the ball straight to his feet.

  At this point in the match, Smits was still shadowing Messi.

  But despite Smits' best efforts, he simply couldn't keep up.

  Messi was too fast!

  That kind of speed was impossible to match!

  Xavi's pass was as precise as a scalpel.

  Messi needed minimal adjustment before driving the ball into the box with his right foot.

  H?wedes saw Messi enter the penalty area and immediately charged forward.

  Yet just as he committed, Messi flicked the ball toward the center with his left foot -

  a movement so quick it was blinding.

  H?wedes was left grasping at air.

  Inside the box, Villa read Messi's cutback and made his run.

  Villa's direct movement forced Metzelder, who had been tracking Messi, to switch his focus.

  FC Schalke 04's Peer Kluge rushed to close Messi down.

  But facing Kluge's diagonal approach, Messi responded with a simple left-footed touch -

  that devastating change of direction making even the most basic move lethally effective.

  Kluge was beaten just as easily.

  And now!

  Messi found himself with clear sight of goal.

  The 23-year-old Argentinian kept his head down and swung his left leg!

  His foot connected just below the ball's equator.

  It wasn't a powerful strike,

  but the spinning ball curved viciously toward Neuer's goal.

  "Messi!!!"

  "Three defenders beaten!!!"

  "Messi!!! Left-footed curling shot!!!"

  "Danger!!!"

  "Neuer dives across!!!"

  "Oh! Messi's shot bends around Neuer!"

  "Top corner!!!"

  "Absolute top corner!"

  "Bar?a scores!"

  "After sustained buildup, Messi's unrivaled dribbling ability restores Bar?a's lead!"

  "2-1!!!"

  "Bar?a back in front!!!"

  .................