Chapter 108 — I Never Meant to Stir the Graceful Swallow, Yet the Swallow Entered My Heart
Pre-match press conference for Barça vs Arsenal
Tito Vilanova: "Camp Nou is a place where miracles happen. Last time we turned it around against AC Milan here; this time will be no different."
Arsène Wenger: "We have already sounded the charge. Whether Camp Nou or the Bernabéu, we have no retreat — only forward!"
Camp Nou
Before the match even started, over eighty thousand Barça fans began to sing "The Messi Song!" Although the Barça coach firmly believed they could overturn Arsenal, the fans clearly placed their faith more in Lionel Messi.
They sang the Messi song, unfurled a huge Messi TIFO, and waved Barça scarves...
Tito Vilanova did not change the lineup from the previous round; tonight's starting eleven was identical to the last match.
Arsenal's lineup was almost the same too, except Jack Wilshere was replaced by Kevin De Bruyne.
Wenger, worried Wilshere might be resentful, specially explained: "Barça will definitely throw everything at this game; tackles will be fierce. You must be calm like Xia Qi, show no emotion on the pitch.
"Wilshere, your fitness isn't fully back yet. You'll come off the bench. We have to be farsighted — a healthy body lasts longer."
…
"Penguin Sports!"
"Penguin Sports!"
"Dear viewers, welcome to the Penguin broadcast, on time for the second leg of the 2012–2013 Champions League quarterfinals.
"I'm your old friend Zhang Lu,
"I'm Zhan Jun.
"There were rumors before the match that Messi might be injured and not play tonight.
"But the starting lineup we've received for Barça is exactly the same as the last match — Messi is right there.
"Arsenal's only change is Kevin De Bruyne replacing Jack Wilshere; everything else is unchanged.
"In the first leg, Xia Qi produced a quintuple performance; Messi scored a brace; Arsenal lead Barça 5–2 on aggregate.
"Arsenal are in a favorable position to qualify, but they must not be complacent.
"This is Camp Nou, after all. In Champions League play Barça have gone 21 consecutive home matches unbeaten.
"The last time Camp Nou lost was October 21, 2009, when Barça were beaten 1–2 at home by Rubin Kazan in the group stage. (The 21-game home unbeaten run refers to the Champions League only, not La Liga…)
"Also, Barça just completed a stunning 4–0 reversal over AC Milan here, so Barça supporters remain optimistic.
"The referee blows the whistle — the match begins."
…
On the pitch
"Ding dong."
"Please host select 'Training' or 'Match' mode."
"Match."
"Please select pitch position: A Forward, B…"
"A."
"Detected the host team is currently in difficulty. Matching host attribute: [Tang Sect Hidden Weapons].
"Tang Sect Hidden Weapons: stealthy movement, leaving the enemy unable to find you, striking where they are unprepared, collapsing them in one blow…"
When Xia Qi saw the attribute matched by the system, he couldn't help but glance at Kevin De Bruyne.
Clearly the intelligent AI matched this [Tang Sect Hidden Weapons] because of De Bruyne's uncanny passing. Thinking that soon he might send one after another into the net, Xia Qi couldn't help but pity Barça.
Tonight, Camp Nou's day of suffering!
"Please choose 'Autonomous Mode' or 'One-Click AFK Mode'"
"One-Click AFK!"
…
After kickoff, Barça — trailing on aggregate — pressed actively, applying full-court pressure on Arsenal.
This was the second approach Tito Vilanova mentioned last game to deal with a super-hot Xia Qi.
If you can't stop Xia Qi, stop the players who feed him.
Whenever an Arsenal player got the ball, Barça players immediately closed him down, forcing Arsenal into hurried possessions, denying them time to think or organize...
This style would become common in the future, popular among younger coaches and epitomized by Borussia Dortmund in the Bundesliga.
In 2013 it was a rather "trendy" tactic.
Arsenal had considered many possibilities — but they hadn't expected Barça to abandon their pride and "borrow tricks" from the little brothers!
Taken unawares by Barça's intense pressing, Arsenal collapsed in many areas and Barça created numerous chances early.
Within two minutes of kickoff, Xavi slid a through ball from thirty-plus meters out into the box; Messi received in the center and pushed toward the right corner. Pedro followed in and, from only three meters out, went to ground with a shot.
But that close-range attempt was pushed out over the line by Martínez.
From the ensuing corner Arsenal's penalty area was chaotic. Piqué rose from the crowd and headed against the crossbar.
Warm applause rang out. The broadcast camera cut to Shakira in the south stand.
Latin superstar Shakira met Gerard Piqué at the 2010 World Cup. Shakira is ten years younger than Piqué; he is 1.92 m tall while she is only about 1.57 m. When their relationship came to light the media doubted it, but the two became a model couple over the next three years.
Many media and fans revised their views and began to think the pair might walk together like Beckham and the Spice Girls...
…
Martínez took a goal-kick; Arteta received but was quickly double-teamed by Messi and Andrés Iniesta and lost the ball. To stop Messi's rapid counter, Arteta committed a tactical foul and Barça won a free kick about 25 meters from goal.
"This free-kick position is dangerous — Messi has scored from this spot many times."
Hearing Zhang Lu's commentary many viewers at home tensed.
Because of Xia Qi, most Chinese fans supported Arsenal, and Arsenal's eight-year Champions League saga of heartbreak had earned them sympathy.
On the pitch Messi placed the ball carefully, took a deep breath, and backed up a dozen paces.
At the whistle Messi took measured steps and struck with the outside of his left foot.
Under all eyes, the ball traced a beautiful curve toward goal. Martínez leapt bravely but couldn't reach it.
At the moment Arsenal players felt a chill, a loud clack rang out — the ball hit the crossbar.
Arsenal had escaped!
The missed free kick made Messi more active. Three minutes later, in the 12th minute, Barça were attacking again. Messi quickly moved wide to find Xavi.
Messi's off-the-ball run pushed him high up, directly opposite Arsenal left-back Kieran Gibbs.
Faced with Messi, Gibbs perhaps felt a little nervous and did not press tightly; he dropped his center of gravity three meters away and prepared to react.
Murphy's law struck: the thing you fear most happens.
Messi leaned forward and, without warning, sent the ball behind Gibbs — then accelerated to round him from the other side.
It was textbook separation with the ball.
Against Messi's sudden move, Gibbs seemed never to have existed.
Gibbs could only shout to teammates: "Cover! Cover!"
As he cried out, a figure flashed in front of him. If that figure hadn't been in purple (the away kit), Gibbs might have thought it was an opponent.
The figure darted past like lightning. Gibbs didn't have time to read the number on the back, but he knew it was Xia Qi — because only Xia Qi would track back from the front like that.
Messi had beaten Gibbs and his attention was forward, thinking only about how to break; he never imagined danger behind him.
As the Barça supporters' cries rang out, Messi didn't yet know why.
He dragged the ball forward, ready to start a dribble.
But then a figure slid like wind into the seam — slipping between him and the ball — and that player's rear surged in with lightning speed.
Taken by surprise, Messi staggered back.
"Xia... Qi... Qi!"
"Wonderful recovery, a beautiful tackle!"
"He seized the fleeting moment as Messi rolled the ball, suddenly cut across, separating Messi from the ball — textbook positional defending."
"Messi was careless. He didn't expect Arsenal's counterpress to come from behind."
The cheers that had begun with Messi's run died instantly in Camp Nou, instantly replaced by massive boos.
Arsenal fans in the stands, seeing the scene, shouted excitedly: "Great block, brilliant block — he left Messi bawling!"
After stealing the ball, Xia Qi did not run the break himself; he passed it to Kevin De Bruyne.
Having played the ball, he immediately surged forward.
De Bruyne did not take a touch but rolled the ball forward.
Theo Walcott received on the right and drove on.
"Arsenal on the counter!"
"They move quickly through midfield."
Facing Sergio Busquets closing him down, Walcott dropped his left shoulder to lure Busquets to protect the inside, then with the outside of his right foot flicked the ball sharply right and accelerated to change direction.
He burst past.
Walcott, having beaten Busquets, saw Jordi Alba charging in and noticed a natural gap behind Alba.
Mario Balotelli was sprinting into that space.
No fancy tricks needed.
Walcott slowed slightly, adjusted his body, and with his right foot sent a diagonal pass.
The ball skidded along the grass into the space ahead of Balotelli.
Balotelli sprinted after it, with Gerard Piqué tracking him.
In 2013 Piqué's image hadn't yet tarnished; on the pitch he was Messi's good mate and off it the boyfriend of Shakira — his popularity at Barça was high.
At Camp Nou the chase between him and Balotelli was heart-pounding, whipping the crowd into hysteria.
Almost every Barça fan screamed their strangled support!
Shakira, no delicate lady in this moment, clenched her fists and hoarsely screamed, "Come on!" — her voice filled with tension.
Balotelli ran faster and faster!
But even that wasn't enough.
Walcott's pass had been a bit heavy.
The ball barreled toward the byline, almost out of play.
Balotelli and Piqué both saw the ball's blistering pace and momentarily believed it would go out.
Their character differences showed.
Piqué, the well-bred son, instinctively eased off.
But Balotelli bit his teeth and accelerated again.
In Manchester City he once looked after Xia Qi; now Xia Qi was looking after him.
Balotelli might be a bit slow mentally, but he had pride and competitiveness — he couldn't just coast on wins.
You don't know what you can do until you push yourself.
Balotelli poured the last drops of energy into one final chase and executed a sliding recovery tackle!
As the ball neared the line his right toe hooked it back onto the field.
"A tackle to keep it in!"
If Piqué hadn't given up, the ball would have been his.
Balotelli scrambled up and stepped out over the line, standing outside the touchline.
Piqué had to accelerate again — but at that moment Balotelli grinned broad-toothed.
Piqué immediately panicked, sensing something was wrong.
Balotelli, outside the line, used the outside of his foot to drag the ball back toward goal.
Piqué changed direction to follow, but Balotelli then stopped his run with a neat touch.
The fake meant to cut into the box was crucial.
It not only drew Piqué but also shifted markers inside the area.
Balotelli stopped the ball and crossed!
He lofted it in an arc straight into the middle of the box.
After the cross he lost his balance and fell, but he still looked up toward the box.
He believed Xia Qi would hear the unspoken call; he trusted that he and Xia Qi shared a tacit understanding.
But at the penalty spot only Marc Bartra was preparing to jump.
Where was Xia Qi?
Balotelli felt a little disheartened — then he felt the ground tremble.
With thunderous footfalls, a purple-black figure filled his vision and arrived like a soaring roc.
Balotelli let out a "wow."
Bartra, who had been lining up the ball, suddenly saw a shadow block his view.
"Xia Qi!"
"Xia Qi!"
"It's Xia Qi!"
The figure that flew in was exactly the one Balotelli had been thinking of.
He beat Bartra to it with a distant, full-stretch header, no extra motion — his forehead met the ball directly.
The ball sped toward goal even faster.
Valdés had been shifted by Balotelli's earlier cut and had to scramble back across the line — he was a half-beat late and couldn't reach the ball.
The ball beat him by a second and hit the net.
Barça had battered and bombarded for twelve minutes, yet Arsenal took the lead first.
"Xia Qi!"
"A header goal!"
"Xia Qi broke up Messi's attack defensively and then ran over ninety meters to score, opening the scoring for Arsenal."
"Balotelli saved the ball on the line and assisted; Xia Qi's aerial finish came amid no verbal exchange, but the two seemed to read each other's minds — classic forward play."
"Bartra never expected Xia Qi to arrive in time, to jump in front of him."
"Xia Qi didn't just jump ahead — he flew ahead of him."
Hearing Zhan Jun's words, Zhang Lu quickly corrected: "It's not that Xia Qi jumped high — he flew low."
The two laughed heartily.
For Arsenal this goal was soul-stirring, a feeling of vented pride. Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu felt any amount of praise would be inadequate.
(END CHAPTER)
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