With the sound of the referee's whistle, the match officially began.
Eighty thousand fans at the Bernabéu waved their flags and roared in support of their team.
Real Madrid needed just one goal to knock Inter Milan out!
In the sixth minute, Zidane sent a brilliant lofted pass forward.
But César reacted fast, charging out to clear the danger.
His clearance, however, didn't travel far—it dropped right to Su Hang, who had moved wide on the right.
Bang!
Su Hang went for a lobbed shot straight away.
But César, quick off his line, was just as quick to retreat, getting back in time to gather the ball safely.
He wasn't one of those third-rate Premier League goalkeepers.
Pepe Reina: ???
Pepe Reina: "Yeah, yeah, sure—brilliant job with that 1–7 loss!"
In the ninth minute, Real Madrid pushed forward again.
Su Hang dropped back to receive the ball and passed it out wide. Cicinho advanced before laying it off to Guti, who, from the right half-space, delivered a dangerous ball that was half-shot, half-pass.
But César, in superb form, managed to push it away.
It was clear why he'd kept his starting spot ahead of Toldo this season.
In the twelfth minute, Inter countered.
Cruz received a through pass from Verón and flicked it on with his heel.
Despite his 1.9-meter frame, Cruz wasn't a typical target man—he was a striker with refined technique, somewhat reminiscent of Ibrahimović.
Adriano picked up the ball and drove into the box. Facing Ramos and Helguera, he feinted before unleashing a thunderous shot.
Fortunately, Ramos slid in just in time from behind to block it.
Otherwise, that was a sure goal!
Even at the tail end of his prime, Adriano was still a terrifying force.
By the seventeenth minute, both teams had settled into the rhythm of the match.
The probing phase was over; now the real contest between the midfield maestros began.
Zidane played a back pass, seemingly to slow the tempo, but at the same time gave Guti a knowing glance.
The Golden Wolf understood immediately.
Bang!
Without stopping the ball, Guti sent a through pass straight down the middle.
The Demon Knife was unsheathed!
Su Hang dropped deep and positioned himself perfectly.
As the ball came near, he let it roll half a step past him, spun, and flicked it forward.
A Figo-flick-over dribble!
That half-turn completely locked down his former teammate Cambiasso.
One flick, a burst of acceleration—and he blew past his old teammate Samuel.
Both defenders thought the same—"He's ruthless!" Attacking your own former teammates, really?
But it also showed how much they had underestimated Su Hang.
In playing style, speed, and strength, he had improved immensely over the past two years.
Especially his fearless, aggressive approach—
a world apart from the old "shy Su" and "back-pass Su."
Bang!
Su Hang pulled Materazzi out of position and slipped the ball forward to Ronaldo.
Ronaldo, with Zanetti closing in, laid it off first-time to Zidane before spinning forward.
Bang!
Zidane, without stopping the ball, chipped a perfect pass into the box.
Ronaldo met it in stride, striking a low volley.
The ball hit the net before César could react.
"GOAL!"
"One–nil!"
"Real Madrid lead Inter Milan 1–0!"
"That makes it 2–2 on aggregate, but Real Madrid lead on away goals!"
"They've done it!"
"Simon's conservative approach at the end of the last leg was the right call."
"At the Bernabéu, Real Madrid can do anything!"
The Bernabéu exploded in celebration.
This was Real Madrid!
But more than the goal, many commentators noticed something even more remarkable.
"That goal was pure silk from Real Madrid!"
"Guti's through ball, Su Hang's run, Ronaldo's link-up, Zidane's chip… it was so smooth I thought I was watching Arsenal or Barcelona!"
"When did this Galácticos squad—built on individual brilliance—develop such chemistry?"
"Six years in the making! This Real Madrid feels different."
"Seems Simon and Su Hang's move to rein in the Brazilian clique was the right decision. The veterans and stars are finally playing as one!"
"With world-class talent and perfect team cohesion, I can't think of anything that can stop them—except injuries!"
...
By the twenty-fourth minute, Inter, now trailing, began pushing harder.
Zanetti overlapped as Recoba advanced down the flank, cutting inside before playing the ball across.
Su Hang dribbled into the box, pulling off a quick step-over before firing a powerful shot.
But Casillas, in great form himself, managed to parry it away.
In the twenty-seventh minute, Baptista intercepted the ball deep in defense, and Guti immediately launched a long counterattack.
Ronaldo broke free, racing clear toward goal—
and finished coolly.
But the flag was up for offside. The goal didn't count.
Even so, Ronaldo looked sharp against his former club.
As he sighed over the missed chance, Su Hang gave him a thumbs-up.
Ronaldo nodded.
Su Hang had called him last night, sharing his dream of conquering Europe—
and reminding him that his trophy room, as "The Phenomenon," was still missing one prize: the Champions League trophy.
In the past, Ronaldo wouldn't have cared.
Because if he wanted something, he'd just take it.
He was that strong.
But this season, Ronaldo could feel it—his body wasn't the same.
He was heavier now, slower—no longer the man who could win just by deciding to.
So this season, if there was a chance, he wanted to fight for the Champions League.
And there was no better place to chase it than here.
...
In the thirty-first minute, Zanetti combined with Recoba on the right and sent the ball back to Verón.
The White Wizard delivered a sharp through pass. Cruz dropped deep, then sent it wide to Stanković, who charged down the left, using his strength to shove Cicinho aside.
Normally Stanković played on the right, but today he was on the left—because Mancini no longer trusted the declining Kily González.
Stanković cut inside and fired a long-range shot that just missed.
The Bernabéu breathed a collective sigh of relief.
During this spell, Inter were flying down both wings, creating real danger on either flank.
In the thirty-third minute, Zanetti once again overlapped Recoba, reaching the byline to cross.
Bang!
Zanetti's cross arced into the box.
Carlos, too short, couldn't reach it.
Adriano and Cruz, both towering over 1.9 meters, leapt high.
Ramos at 1.84 and Helguera at 1.81 could only look on.
Cruz headed it in!
"Wow! One–one! Inter Milan have equalized!"
"The Bernabéu falls silent!"
"And this is exactly why Mancini started Cruz today! Real Madrid lack a dominant aerial defender!"
"Ramos and Helguera are too short, while Pavón and Bravo just aren't strong enough!"
"This has been Real Madrid's weakness since last season—and Inter have finally exploited it!"
Aerial bombardment!
Who would've thought Real Madrid would one day suffer the same fate as Barcelona?
Barcelona: ???
...
In the forty-first minute, Verón dribbled past Zidane and Guti in midfield, then fired a powerful long-range shot—showcasing his wizardry.
Thankfully, Casillas was fully alert and pulled off another great save.
When the halftime whistle blew, both sides had gone blow for blow.
In possession, chances, and the scoreline, they were almost even.
It only reinforced what the media had said before the match:
Both teams were at the very top of world football.
Real Madrid's advantage was playing at home.
Inter's was arriving with a 2–1 lead.