Football: My AI System Provides Max-Level Predictions

Chapter 885 - 610: King of Adversity! A Rainbow Dribble Toying with Four Real Madrid Stars, He Becomes a Champions League Legend! (Part 2)

However, since Ranocchia was forced off due to physical exhaustion in the first half of extra time, Manchester City with ten men found themselves in an extremely difficult situation.

They had to cover more ground to make up for the personnel deficit.

Especially Tang Long, who replaced Ranocchia in the defensive midfield position, bore a heavy responsibility!

He gave it his all, exerting every ounce of energy, running tirelessly on the field.

Sweat had already soaked through his jersey, sparkling under the intense stadium lights, with salt grains crusted on his neck.

Though exhausted, he understood the importance of the defensive midfielder position, which compelled him to keep running.

What to do when stamina runs out?

Being one player down, he couldn't afford such thoughts; he would hold on for as long as he could!

If he didn't extend his coverage, it would be easy for a passer like Kroos to seize the opportunity and break through the center.

If the center was breached, both Benzema and C Luo possessed overwhelming ability to face the goalkeeper one-on-one, which would be a disaster for Manchester City's defense.

"Grit your teeth, there's only 15 minutes left until the penalty shootout. Guys, you've fought for a whole season, almost a year, can't you hold out for these 15 minutes? Absolutely impossible!"

Guardiola shouted loudly from the sidelines, trying to inspire the players' fighting spirit.

Penalty shootout?

Finally, Tang Long discerned this word from Guardiola's mouth—penalty.

According to Guardiola's perspective, with ten men on the field, Manchester City no longer had any chance to break Real Madrid's goal.

Moreover, Real Madrid had substituted fresh forces like Morata, holding a clear advantage both in numbers and stamina.

For Manchester City, not conceding a goal at this moment was a blessing; if the match was dragged into a penalty shootout, although filled with uncertainties, there remained a glimmer of hope, the outcome still unknown.

Silently pondering, Tang Long also considered whether Guardiola's viewpoint was overly conservative.

But given the current situation, this seemed to be a more reasonable choice.

After all, with Manchester City's current personnel and physical condition, defeating the formidable Real Madrid within regular time was indeed too difficult.

Captain Kompany also stood up, clapping forcefully, encouraging everyone loudly: "We know how to defend against them, we've held them off for an entire match, we can definitely drag them down!"

Kompany's rugged voice echoed around them, buzzing in Tang Long's ears, yet his thoughts remained immersed in exhaustion and tension.

As Tang Long prepared to close his eyes for the last time, using those final 30 seconds to slightly relax his body and spirit, lying on the ground, he accidentally opened his eyes, stunned by the scene before him—

With his view pressed low, chin against the grass, what Tang Long saw from his perspective was no longer the familiar turf, but a dense forest.

The grass of Cardiff Millennium Stadium was rather deep; at this moment in Tang Long's eyes, those blades of grass seemed to transform into towering trees, standing tall, almost reaching his eyebrows.

His sight was blocked by these "trees", only occasionally glimpsing the cheering figures in the stands through gaps, their noise becoming somewhat faint and distant.

In this instant, a sudden surge of inexplicable enthusiasm, like a tide, overwhelmed Tang Long's entire body!

His body began to tremble uncontrollably, an internal force erupting from deep within, akin to a long-dormant volcano suddenly spewing.

Gracie, sitting on him, also felt the tremor; before she could react, Tang Long's buttock jerked, causing her to tumble sideways onto the ground, letting out a loud "ah" scream.

But Tang Long, in this moment, had no mind to care whether Gracie was injured; he was completely engrossed in the magical scene before him as he looked from the ground.

At this moment, Tang Long experienced a strange sensation.

He suddenly realized that the field he had run through as a professional player for three years had never been a level patch of grass, but rather a dense forest full of challenges and unknowns.

Here, thorn bushes were rampant, each thorn akin to a competitor's obstruction, potentially scratching his skin at any moment, hindering his advance;

Filled with swamps and traps, each step was fraught with danger, just a single misstep could lead to an inextricable predicament;

The ground was uneven, like the various setbacks and difficulties encountered in his football career, making his path extraordinarily tough.

These dense forests blocked every forward's step, much like opponents on the field, who tried by all means to prevent him from marching toward victory.

Yet, in this three-year career, he persevered step by step through these thorns and forests, overcoming numerous hardships, to reach today, standing on the Champions League final stage.

In this forest, he had fallen countless times, each tumble accompanied by pain and despair;

He had suffered injuries, his scar-laden body a testament to his struggle;

He had felt lost, blinded by the darkness, unsure of his direction, not knowing where to go;

He had also lost his way, losing himself in a complex environment.