Chapter 397: Hat-trick in the Final, Ending Barca's Dynasty!
"Goal!!!" "Lin Quan scores his third goal, achieving an unbelievable hat-trick in the Champions League final!" "This is the first hat-trick in a Champions League final since Pierino Prati's 46 years ago. It's also the first hat-trick in the Champions League final since the competition's format changed!" "Before this, only Di Stéfano, Puskás, and Prati had ever achieved a hat-trick in a Champions League final. Now, we must add another name to that list: Lin Quan!"
Fans in the Olympic Stadium and viewers around the world were all stunned. Someone scored a hat-trick in a Champions League final? Is he even human?
Scoring in a final is already extremely difficult, let alone achieving a hat-trick. Since the Champions League began in 1955, only two matches out of 60 finals saw a hat-trick: Real Madrid's 7-3 win over Eintracht Frankfurt in 1959-1960 and AC Milan's 4-1 victory over Ajax in 1968-1969. In those games, Di Stéfano scored three goals, while Puskás scored four, the only player to ever achieve a four-goal haul in a final.
But these events are ancient history, and most fans know little about those legendary figures. In the last 20 years, especially since the Champions League reform, even scoring a brace in a final is rare. Yet today, fans witnessed history with their own eyes.
"Am I dreaming? Lin really scored a hat-trick in the Champions League final, something even Messi and Ronaldo have never done!" "If it weren't for the clear pain in my thigh from pinching it, I wouldn't believe it myself. After all, this is the Champions League final, and the opponent is the mighty Barcelona!"
The record seemed so absurd that many found it hard to believe. Even Guardiola was stunned when Lin Quan actually scored.
"I was just trying a desperate move, but this kid actually did it!" Recalling Lin Quan's choices before the goal, Guardiola couldn't help but praise him: "He chose the perfect moment, acted decisively, and executed a flawless shot. If any part had gone wrong, this goal wouldn't have happened."
Barca's defense had no real gaps. If anything, Busquets should have marked Lin Quan closely instead of leaving him. But without specific instructions from the coach, he didn't dare, as it would disrupt their defensive formation, creating a massive hole that anyone from City could exploit.
"This kid, so young, yet so experienced and calm under pressure!" Guardiola couldn't figure it out. When he coached Messi, young Messi often acted impulsively and lost his cool. But with Lin Quan, he never saw such issues. Lin Quan seemed like a cold, calculating goal machine, devoid of emotions.
On the field, Messi felt a wave of helplessness and frustration seeing Lin Quan score again. Despite their efforts and hard-won lead, the opponent easily caught up.
In another box, Bayern's chairman Rummenigge and manager Hoeneß looked extremely grim. Lin Quan's three goals felt like three resounding slaps to their faces, making them feel a burning shame.
"Damn it, Enrique is useless. He's wasted such a good lineup!" Hoeneß was furious, venting his anger on Barca's coach Enrique.
Rummenigge's expression grew darker. Hoeneß's words reminded him of something unpleasant. When Guardiola was at Barca, they were the invincible "Galactic Team." Anyone facing Barca in the Champions League would be intimidated. If Guardiola were still at Barca with this lineup, they wouldn't be struggling against City.
But this only highlighted Bayern's shortsightedness, letting go of a prodigy like Lin Quan and failing to retain a renowned coach like Guardiola.
"Hmph, let's go back to the club!" Rummenigge couldn't bear watching any longer, fearing he might have a heart attack from the anger.
In another box, Barca's president Bartomeu felt like he was having a heart attack for real. Minutes ago, he was ecstatic over Suarez's goal, nearly ready to pop champagne. But City's quick equalizer doused his joy.
With the score level again, Barca had no advantage. Judging by the momentum, City, who had just scored, was peaking, while Barca's players showed a clear drop in morale. Bartomeu was deeply worried. Would they lose at the last moment?
"Haha, this kid has gotten much stronger since then. Looks like if I go to the Premier League, facing him will be quite the headache!" In the stands, Klopp stood up and applauded Lin Quan's hat-trick, muttering to himself.
City's strength seemed terrifying. Whether he went to Chelsea or Liverpool, facing City would be a tough battle with slim chances of victory. But this only fueled his competitive spirit. The Premier League wasn't like the Bundesliga, where his team couldn't compete fairly against Bayern's poaching. In the Premier League, all the big clubs were on equal footing. With strong support from the club, Klopp believed he could compete with anyone.
While Klopp admired Lin Quan, Heynckes felt only regret. He too applauded Lin Quan, but with a sigh.
He heard Bayern once had a chance to sign Lin Quan but missed it. If Lin Quan were at Bayern now, their strength would be unimaginable.
Every time Heynckes thought about Bayern choosing Götze over Lin Quan, he couldn't help but criticize the decision. Comparing their performances, Götze wasn't even worthy to tie Lin Quan's shoes. Since the World Cup last year, Götze's form had declined, and he might not even retain a starting spot next season.
On the other hand, Lin Quan's progress was rapid, and this match showed him outshining even a superstar like Messi, hinting at his potential to become the world's best player. Compared to such a prodigy, what was Götze worth? Bayern truly lost out!
As usual, after scoring, Lin Quan planned to pop his collar and celebrate like a king surveying his domain. But his teammates were so excited that they rushed over and tackled him to the ground, ruining his moment.
Damn it! A hat-trick in the Champions League final was the perfect chance to show off, and these guys ruined it. Who knows if he'll get such an opportunity again!
"Haha, great job! We tied the game again!" "Hey Lin, how was that pass? Perfect, right?" "Lin, your shot was amazing. I saw Ter Stegen give it his all but still couldn't save it. He was pounding the ground in frustration for half a minute!" "Poor grass!" "Guys, let's take this chance and finish Barca off, what do you say?" "Haha, sounds like a plan!"
Unlike Barca, who wasted time celebrating, City's celebration was much shorter, lasting about a minute. After that, all City players returned to their positions, staring down the Barca players with a fierce determination.
Now it was their turn to launch an attack.
Barca's players felt the rising momentum and killing intent from City. Having just conceded a goal, they were still a bit shaken and afraid of conceding again. They wanted to stabilize the game first. If City scored now, they would be done for. But if they could hold this score, there was still the extra time to play.
When the game resumed, spectators noticed that Barca's attack intensity suddenly decreased. They weren't as aggressive as before. On the other hand, City, energized by their equalizer, launched wave after wave of attacks on Barca's goal, determined to finish them off.
Under City's fierce attack, Barca's goal was constantly under threat. The players were on edge, terrified that a mistake would ruin all their efforts for the season. The more cautious they were, the less aggressive they became, and the less they threatened City's goal.
By this time, Messi's stamina was completely depleted. He could barely run, and without Messi's connection, Neymar and Suarez's threats diminished. The three of them couldn't create much up front.
With these three losing their threat, even City's defenders boldly pressed forward, using the familiar tiki-taka style to continuously press and attack Barca.
For the first time, Barca felt the oppressive force of tiki-taka from an opponent. It made them both angry and frustrated. Usually, they were the ones overwhelming opponents. When did it become their turn to be overwhelmed?
But their anger was futile. City had taken complete control of the game. Messi was out of stamina, but Lin Quan was still full of energy. He charged around Barca's penalty area, causing chaos in their defense.
Unfortunately, despite dominating, City couldn't score. Barca had too many defenders, blocking their shots or forcing them wide.
The game ended 3-3, and went into extra time.
During the short break before extra time, both teams huddled around their coaches for instructions.
"Their stamina is almost gone. I'll make some substitutions to keep the pressure up. Keep playing like we did before. Don't give them any breathing room!" Guardiola had no intention of being conservative. He didn't want the game to go to penalties. Seeing that Barca was on the brink of defeat, he wanted to finish them off in one go.
The players nodded. Although their previous siege didn't result in a goal, they could clearly see Barca's defense weakening.
On the other side, after giving his instructions, Enrique looked at Messi and asked, "Leo, how's your stamina? Can you keep going in extra time?"
He didn't dare substitute Messi, especially with the game tied. If City scored, Barca would need Messi to equalize.
But Enrique could see Messi was near his limit. If he stayed on, his impact would be limited.
"Coach, trust me. I can keep going!" Messi looked at Enrique with determination. He couldn't leave the field now, not when he hadn't settled the score with Lin Quan.
Seeing Messi's resolve, Enrique nodded and didn't substitute him.
The five-minute break quickly ended, and extra time began.
Both teams made substitutions. Barca brought on veteran Xavi for Rakitic. This was likely Xavi's last game for Barca, as he had already announced he wouldn't renew his contract.
City was more aggressive. Guardiola made three substitutions: Yaya Toure for Kroos, Milner for De Bruyne, and Navas for David Silva.
Using all three substitutions at once was bold but smart. With Barca's stamina dwindling, fresh players would dominate the midfield, giving City control and countless attacking opportunities.
As expected, the game unfolded as Guardiola predicted. With City's fresh legs, Barca's midfield crumbled. City's possession soared, repeatedly threatening Barca's goal.
Barca fans felt despair and suffocation as City's relentless attacks battered their defense, making it look like it would collapse at any moment.
In the 103rd minute, just before the end of the first half of extra time, Lin Quan broke into the penalty area. Mascherano, now a center-back, made a fatal mistake, tripping Lin Quan as he dribbled.
The referee's whistle blew immediately, pointing to the penalty spot. Penalty!
The crowd was in an uproar. A penalty at this moment practically decided the game. Amid the desperate gazes of Barca fans, Lin Quan picked himself up, cradling the ball as he walked step by step to the penalty spot.
Barca's so-called dynasty was about to end!