446 The Cycle (2/2)

”This is Barcelona's first shot at the goal since the match's beginning, in the 15th minute of the match… poor things. The mighty Barcelona is looking rather uncomfortable facing off against a crazed Nottingham Forest.”

”Beyond that, there's something else they're unused to: the field and weather. It's obvious that the field is very slippery. Before his shot, Giuly's foot slipped a little. In fact, players from both teams all had sudden slips. But there's greater impact on Barcelona, who plays with more technique and ground combinations. Meanwhile, Nottingham Forest is persisting with the strategy of playing high balls, thus reducing to its greatest extent, the impact of the field on them.”

The commentator's analysis was right on the money. But this could not help Barcelona change the awkward situation on the field. They were not proficient with the English football strategy of playing high balls; ball control on the ground was their tradition. Furthermore, it's something that had already seeped into their blood. It was impossible to change it in such a short period.

”I've suddenly remembered. Prior to the match, there was some media source that thought this match to be the finals between artistic football, represented by Barcelona, and utilitarian football, represented by Nottingham Forest. After watching 15 minutes of this match, I just can't make the connection between the team suppressing Barcelona with their attacks and 'utilitarianism.'”

The commentators laughed.

As spectators, their laughter was especially relaxed.

As the teams battled, they could not afford to ease up at all. This was the first time Tang En's team was going up against Barcelona. Before now, their understanding of the team came only from Piqué, a teammate who had emerged from Barcelona's Youth Camp.

Just when Forest's players began feeling that Barcelona was only this capable, Giuly executed a sharp breakthrough and goal shot to warn them that Barcelona was no average team.

George Wood sat in the luxury box along with his mother and the club's chairman, watching the match together. Up to this point, the impact from his absence could not be seen yet.

What Tang En had said before the match seemed reasonable. Forest was not a one-man team. One missing player was not enough to be fatalistic.

It seemed that way…

※※※

In the 18th minute, as Nottingham Forest continued its suppression of Barcelona, Barcelona suddenly executed a fast break after stealing the ball in the backfield.

The moment after Puyol passed the ball to Edmílson, six players from Barcelona rushed forward. They were so fast that Forest, who had gotten used to slow reactions from their opponents, were completely taken aback.

At this point, if they had had George Wood, he would certainly have, in the first instance, started pressing Ronaldinho. But while Forest's midfield was at a loss for how to react, Edmílson had already passed the ball to Ronaldinho.

”Ronaldinho takes possession, and there isn't a single Forest player around him!”

The impact of George Wood's absence from the team became obvious in an instant.

As Forest did not have a midfield player who specialized in defense, there was an enormous void in front of the center back. The defensive line did not have a choice but to move upwards to the midfield position to defend. In that way, there would naturally be large swathes of space behind them.

Without anyone defending closely against him, Ronaldinho did not choose to pass the ball. Instead, he continued dribbling forward, attracting Albertini and Pepe forward to defend. After pulling the focus of Forest's entire defensive line onto himself, he abruptly came to a halt and passed.

Eto'o dashed out suddenly from the diagonal. With everyone looking at Ronaldinho, fearing what magic he might be coming up with, no one had noticed Eto'o. This time, Ronaldinho was only the bait.

Eto'o rushed out from behind Pepe. Ronaldinho had just dodged Arteta's tackle from the back and shot out a direct pass.

”A one-to-one! A direct pass from Ronaldinho pierces through Forest's defensive line! It's not offside!”

Watching this scene from the manager's seat, Tang En's eyes suddenly widened, his pupils shrinking as his bottom launched off the seat.

It was too familiar.

Dammit!

Eto'o's beautiful forward cut successfully reversed the offside. When he received the ball, there were no Nottingham Forest defenders by his side.

Allowing Eto'o to go one-on-one against the goalkeeper and at the same time having a large space for acceleration, there could only be one result.

”Edwin van der Sar attacks!” In truth, after seeing Eto'o cut forward from the back, the Netherlandish goalkeeper had already predicted the situation that would follow. So, before Eto'o even received the ball, he had already rushed forward to the edge of the penalty area.

The two met on the boundaries of the penalty area. Edwin van der Sar tried dropping to the ground to block his path, but Eto'o made use of his own speed advantage and bumped the ball to his right. By that time, Edwin van der Sar had already lost his balance. Would he helplessly watch as the opponent passed him and scored?

He stretched his hand out to Eto'o, who had jumped up, catching hold of his opponent's ankle before quickly releasing it.

But it was too late. Eto'o fell over in the penalty area.

By the side, Giuly watched as the football rolled to his own foot. He kicked the ball into the emptied goal. The spectator's stands rang with the cheers of Barcelona's supporters.

But…

”Foul!”

The whistle of the main referee sounded. He ran towards the goalkeeper, Edwin van der Sar, while the other players of Forest ran at him. They surrounded the referee, pleading for mercy.

It was doubtlessly a foul. But, what judgment would the referee pass?

Without realizing, Tang En had already stood up from his seat.

The scene he was so familiar with appeared once more, gradually overlapping with everything now happening on the field before his very eyes; Ronaldinho's pass and Eto'o's run into position, even Xavi's shot after the rebound did not change. And just like Arsenal, Forest wore the yellow away jersey in this match. The only difference was that Edwin van der Sar had replaced Lehmann.

”The goal has been rendered null… it looks like the referee is about to give Edwin van der Sar a card… a red card! Oh lord, it's just been 18 minutes into the match, and Edwin van der Sar gets a red card! He's out! Pulling down Eto'o with his hands outside the penalty area… the referee shows no mercy!”

In truth, Edwin van der Sar knew that would be the result. When he stretched his hands out to pull Eto'o, he had already realized the price for that foul. But, in that instant, his mind was only filled with the thought of not wanting to lose a goal.

At that moment, he covered his face with both hands, standing apart from the group of people. Meanwhile, his teammates somewhat furiously surrounded the referee, believing the penalization to be overly severe. There were also Barcelona players surrounding the referee, wanting to demand a reason for the negated goal; they were very unhappy about it. Barcelona's people felt that the best result was for the goal to be in effect and at the same time have Edwin van der Sar be penalized by the red card.

In a fit of rage, Tang En kicked the side of the shelter beside the manager's seat, instantly shattering the windshield…

”That bastard referee! Does he even know the art of enforcement?! How are we going to keep playing?”

While he was raging, Kerslake had gone to ask substitute goalkeeper, Paul Gerrard, to warm-up.

No matter how enraged Tang En was, he could not change this result even if he took off the roof of the technical area.

Edwin van der Sar walked down from the field dejectedly. His third Champions League finals had ended just like that.

Forest needed to change in a substitute goalkeeper and, at the same time, switch out a player on the field.

Tang En chose to substitute in Paul Gerrard, changing out forward Anelka.

When the Fourth Official raised the substitution sign, Anelka, who was on the field, was somewhat in disbelief about being changed out. After ascertaining that it was no mistake, his face momentarily darkened to be even more overcast than Paris' night sky.

Albertini ran up to console him as well as hurry him off the field, but Anelka dragged his feet as he walked down. Without slapping palms with Paul Gerrard, shaking hands with manager Tony, or making any kind of greeting, he just walked directly back to the locker room.

When Anelka brushed past him, Tang En did not have the leisure time to care about Anelka's bad mood. He was staring hard at the main referee on the field who was directing the human wall to move back.

It was the same as his recollection. Was history going to repeat itself?

Without his realizing, the rain was beginning to let up.