Starting as a Defensive Midfielder at Real Madrid

Left back: #5 Coentrão.

Center backs: #3 Pepe and #4 Ramos.

Right back: #6 Essien.

In midfield: #14 Alonso and #10 Li Ang sit deep.

#8 Modrić takes up the central attacking midfield role.

Flanked by #7 Cristiano Ronaldo and #22 Di María.

And up top: #9 Benzema.”

The moment He Wei finished listing Real Madrid’s starting eleven, Coach Zhang clicked his tongue and jumped in with his analysis.

”Both sides are starting with a basic 4-2-3-1, but either team can easily morph into a 4-3-3. Both Gündoğan and Li Ang are capable of stepping up into more advanced roles. The teams are really well-matched today. This is going to be a tactical chess match—Mourinho and Klopp will be looking to punish every single mistake in transition.”

Before he could finish, the referee glanced at his watch—and blew the opening whistle.

Duan Xuan took the handoff and launched into his trademark energetic opening:

”Strap in, folks! Welcome to the 2012–2013 UEFA Champions League semifinals!”

Wearing their iconic black-and-yellow kits, Dortmund kicked off to a deafening chorus of boos at the Bernabéu—and went on the offensive immediately!

Learning from their previous two losses to Madrid, Klopp didn’t have Götze orchestrating from the start.

Instead, Gündoğan dropped deep to dictate the tempo, while Kuba and Reus became the new initiators on the flanks.

Götze took on the role of a roaming second striker, playing without the ball, linking play in the final third.

This tactical shift would’ve caught Madrid off guard in the group stage.

But Klopp didn’t know that Li Ang had made a key suggestion to Mourinho before this match:

Don’t mark Götze—sweep them all.

Mourinho agreed.

Li Ang wasn’t tasked with marking Götze this time.

His assignment?

Roam the midfield, destroy everything.

Götze, Reus, Kuba—it didn’t matter who had the ball.

If they were in Madrid’s half, they were fair game.

Dortmund’s attacking philosophy was simple:

One striker and a swarm of quick, technical midfielders.

Madrid’s goals in the group stage had mostly come from Reus’s explosive drives.

Now, after two more rounds of knockout experience, Reus and Götze had grown even sharper.

If Madrid only had Alonso and Modrić protecting the backline, they might’ve been torn apart.

But there was no ”if.”

They had Li Ang—Europe’s best defender against quick, tricky players.

As soon as Dortmund started evolving, Mourinho had already prepared his trump card:

The shield that would shatter their spear.

And from the very first minute—when Li Ang slid in and shut down Reus—Klopp had a sinking feeling.

Li Ang didn’t attack.

Didn’t even think about pushing forward.

He just ran. Covered. Waited.

If Götze didn’t get the ball? Li Ang didn’t even look at him.

If Reus or Kuba started building up the tempo?

Li Ang was there. Waiting. Watching. Ready to pounce.

Mourinho hadn’t gone with a double-sweeper midfield today.

That meant even though Dortmund’s rhythm was broken up, they still managed to string together some dangerous sequences.

Li Ang couldn’t cover the whole pitch alone.

Naturally, he prioritized Reus’s left flank.

Modrić focused on playmaking and could only help out occasionally with Kuba and Götze.

With Coentrão a bit off form today, Kuba had his chances.

Mourinho frowned on the sidelines—but he still trusted Coentrão to get his head straight.

Once Madrid started stringing together their own smooth counters, threatening Dortmund’s backline, Mourinho began to relax.

Madrid was here to go toe-to-toe.

As long as Li Ang could lock down Reus and plug the central lanes, Madrid would eventually gain the upper hand.

7th minute.

Reus wasn’t convinced.

Once again, he received a pass from Götze in the center and pulled wide, looking to drive past Modrić and Li Ang.

At first, both Madrid midfielders dropped back with him, slow and steady.

But the moment Modrić stepped into the final third—Li Ang pounced.

Reus’s eyes lit up.

He cut inside.

But the light in his eyes disappeared in an instant.

Because he realized—he had walked right into Li Ang’s trap.

The tackle came fast, clean, brutal.

Reus went flying.

The ball tumbled free.

He was down, clutching his calf, but grateful—Li Ang didn’t take him out maliciously.

The ball bounced toward the center circle.

Modrić reacted fast—but Götze reacted faster.

He darted in and scooped up possession, pushing forward with intent.

Li Ang, already on his feet, tucked his head down and chased.

Reus sat up, feeling the sting in his leg, and watched the ref—no whistle.

He sighed and stood.

And that’s when the Bernabéu erupted.

At first, Götze thought the crowd was reacting to his threatening run.

Excited, he looked up, tracking Lewandowski’s run—he was about to thread a through ball.

But suddenly, a familiar pressure appeared at his side—Li Ang.

The roars weren’t for Götze’s attack.

They were for Li Ang’s ridiculous recovery speed.

”Damn it!”

Götze tried to shield the ball.

But he couldn’t.

Li Ang outmuscled him, won possession, and swept a pass wide.

Coentrão surged forward—Madrid were countering.

On the touchline, Mourinho clenched both fists and pumped them in celebration.

”Dortmund’s twin engines?

Against Madrid’s little lion?

Not today.”

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