Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 115: 115. Overpowering Messi!

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Lionel Messi, Andrés Iniesta, Xavi Hernández, Sergio Busquets, Neymar...

Many FC Barcelona stars were struck by lightning! He looked at Víctor Valdés, who had collapsed dejectedly in front of the goal, then he looked at Lance, who was sprinting to the South Stand to celebrate wildly with the fans, unable to believe his eyes!

The merciless score on the scoreboard reminded them that goal just now was not a dream. This prodigy from the opposing team had indeed dribbled through the entire FC Barcelona team alone!

The most excited was not Zhan Jun of Sina Sports, nor Berenberg of German television, but Juande, the commentator for Madrid Television! A common characteristic of Spanish commentators is that the more spectacular the goal, the longer the trailing sound.

”Gooooooool——Gooooool——”

A long sound lasting over 1 minute was a huge test of his lung capacity, and at the same time, it indicated how world-shaking Lance’s goal just now was!

”A magician from the East! FC Barcelona’s defense is like a piece of paper to him!”

”Lance’s brilliant performance! An aggressive breakthrough! He is simply Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaká, and Ronaldo possessed!”

”No one can stop him! No one! Can stop this man!”

Lance scored a goal just before the end of the first half, and besides Bayer Leverkusen fans, Real Madrid fans were the happiest. This meant that their opponent in the semi-finals might not be FC Barcelona?

Real Madrid had been double-killed by FC Barcelona this season and was still a bit apprehensive about playing FC Barcelona, but as long as they played Bayer Leverkusen, Real Madrid was practically guaranteed a spot in the Champions League final! Even Real Madrid fans began to cheer for Bayer Leverkusen.

...

”Lance!! You are simply God!”

”Well done! Oh my god! Lance!”

”How did you do that! Unbelievable!”

Lance was a bit emotional after scoring and forgot his planned celebration. He instinctively rushed towards the home team stands, jumped onto the advertising board, and was surrounded by the frenzied fans.

To score a goal against FC Barcelona, and such an unreasonable 80-meter solo run breakthrough, regardless of today’s win or loss, Lance was Bayer Leverkusen’s hero!

...

After the celebration, the match continued, but FC Barcelona, who had just been furious, wanted to score another goal in one go to extend their lead. As a result, the referee’s whistle saved Bayer Leverkusen. Halftime!

Bayer Leverkusen temporarily returned to the locker room trailing 1-2. Unexpectedly, the FC Barcelona players, who were leading, looked depressed and dejected. The Bayer Leverkusen players, who were trailing at home, were actually arrogant and full of morale.

”Rubbish!! A bunch of rubbish!!!”

In the away team locker room, Gerardo Martino, the Argentine, was furious! He couldn’t understand how FC Barcelona’s world-class defense allowed a young kid to break through alone and cleanly? It made no sense!

”What are you all doing? Idiots! Idiots!”

Although FC Barcelona captain Carles Puyol was old and not playing, he felt it was necessary to help his teammates.

”Coach, we all saw it, Lance is indeed very skilled. We really underestimated him and didn’t research him enough.”

”This...”

Due to Carles Puyol’s status within the team, Gerardo Martino was speechless. What he said also made sense. The coaching staff had always conducted research based on Lance’s previous matches. There wasn’t much reference from recent Bundesliga matches, so they weren’t entirely clear about Lance’s current dribbling ability.

Defensive deployments were also aimed at controlling the ball near the penalty area. Who would have thought this kid would evolve so quickly!

”I admit, the coaching staff was negligent. In the second half, try to maintain midfield stability as much as possible, try to ensure possession, and make sure to get back into position in time for defensive counterattacks.”

Lionel Messi wanted to say something but held back. In his opinion, there was no need to back down; just go head-to-head. FC Barcelona’s attacking firepower was definitely stronger than the opponent’s!

But Lance’s counterattack just now made Lionel Messi a bit hesitant and started to fear Lance’s dribbling.

”Damn it!”

Lionel Messi vaguely sensed that, besides Cristiano Ronaldo, there might be another young genius who was about to become his opponent in football! No, he already was!

...

The second half started with a change of ends. FC Barcelona still maintained possession and pressure. They reduced risky balls behind the defense, focusing more on stable short passes to control possession.

Even Bayer Leverkusen’s coaches didn’t expect that just one player’s sharp counterattack could completely shake the opponent’s tactical deployment! The 1v8 solo breakthrough in the first half had made FC Barcelona afraid!

”Lance is like a nuclear warhead in World War II; just one attack completely makes the opponent wary.”

”Have you seen Lance dribble like that?”

”No,” Sami Hyypi? shook his head, ”He only started doing that recently in training; he never had before.”

”Good thing Lance is on our team.”

Sascha Lewandowski secretly clicked his tongue. He couldn’t imagine how much of a headache it would be to face Lance as an opposing coach!

FC Barcelona’s attacking threat decreased, and Bayer Leverkusen’s previously precarious defense improved. Everyone played with more confidence and could even put pressure on FC Barcelona!

”FC Barcelona is still controlling the ball in the front third, Neymar, trying to do a step-over... Emir Spahi?!! Successful tackle!”

Emir Spahi? regained confidence and actually dispossessed Neymar!

”Chance!! Bayer Leverkusen’s counterattack!”

In the second half, both sides were in a stalemate until the 66th minute when Bayer Leverkusen found another excellent opportunity! Emir Spahi? passed to Simon Rolfes. Simon Rolfes didn’t dare to hold onto the ball and looked around for an outlet.

FC Barcelona’s trio of Xavi Hernández, Andrés Iniesta, and Sergio Busquets had basically blocked other passing lanes. Lionel Messi, Neymar, and Pedro were also blocking return passes to the defenders.

At the critical moment, Lance stepped up again! Retreating from the forward position to the back half! Simon Rolfes decisively passed to Lance, and the moment Lance made a feint with his back to the goal, Sergio Busquets panicked and almost went in for a sliding tackle!

Once bitten by a snake, ten years afraid of a well rope! But Lance only passed back to Lars Bender and then turned and ran forward!

Lance’s movement just now not only attracted Sergio Busquets but also tricked Dani Alves into pushing forward to defend, which coincidentally gave Son Heung-min space to dribble! Lars Bender threaded a pass to the left wing!

Son Heung-min accelerated and dribbled the ball, starting his run!

”Son Heung-min!! Overtakes Dani Alves on the outside!! Cuts into the box!!”

Amidst Zhan Jun’s excited shouts, Son Heung-min used his right foot to drag the ball, attempting to cut inside and shoot. Stefan Kiessling made a forward run, drawing Gerard Piqué away, and Javier Mascherano came over to intercept him. The space at the top of the box was open!

”If nothing goes wrong, he should be there, right?”

Within a mere 0.2 seconds, Son Heung-min instinctively made a decision, passing horizontally to the vacant area at the top of the box! Sure enough! A black figure appeared where he should have been! Son Heung-min’s guess was correct!

Lance’s acceleration and forward run had not stopped, and he arrived just in time! He smoothly dribbled the ball into the penalty area! Gerard Piqué, at this moment, abandoned Stefan Kiessling and flew in with a horrified expression for a sliding tackle.

He didn’t care about getting a card for a tackle in the box, as long as he could stop this guy... Damn it! Still no good?

He received the ball, dribbled it, and entered the penalty area. The wild intuition and touch inspiration of Beast Dribbling allowed Lance to comfortably use the outside of his foot to push the ball away, creating space from Gerard Piqué.

The moment he lifted his foot to shoot, he feigned a shot and then cut, faking out the despairing Javier Mascherano who was trying to cover! Even the camera lens was fooled by Lance’s feints!

After continuous feints, the third shot was the real one! FC Barcelona’s defense was once again made to look like a monkey show by Lance!

Bang——

A clean and decisive powerful shot inside the box! Straight into the top corner!

”Lance——”

”A brace! Powerfully equalizing the score!!”

”This is Bayer Leverkusen’s resilience!”

”Among superstars like Lionel Messi, Neymar, Andrés Iniesta, and Xavi Hernández, Lance is the protagonist tonight!”