"Su Luo, how's the ball, huh?"
The familiar roar of the crowd filled the old Forest Management Stadium. Su Luo was accustomed to the deafening cheers that shook the very foundations of Berlin. Half the city was immersed in pure jubilation, with the fervor echoing through the sky.
A sea of red surged in the stands, surrounding the entire stadium. Fans sang and danced in ecstasy, but this time, it wasn't Su Luo's name they were chanting.
"Salah! Pharaoh!"
"Salah! Pharaoh!"
The teammates in red gathered around, celebrating together. As Salah passed Su Luo, he couldn't resist giving him a smug look, raising his eyebrows as if to say, "How about that goal?"
"Salah relied entirely on his individual brilliance to break through Chelsea's defense!"
"Conte failed to address the threat of Salah. No special tactics were designed to counter him."
"He effortlessly dribbled through the gap, faced the goalkeeper on the right, and shot to the far corner, finding the net!"
"In the 12th minute of the first half, the home team, Union Berlin, strikes first!"
Howe could only shake his head as Salah put on a perfect display. Chelsea's defense crumbled badly.
Chelsea had been on the attack, with Su Luo unexpectedly passing the ball to Kanté, who joined the attack from midfield and unleashed a threatening shot. But Pickford was brilliant, diving to grab the ball before launching it upfield.
Weghorst headed it forward to Salah. Despite it being a 2-on-4 situation in favor of Chelsea, with Matic and three defenders in the back, they should have had it under control.
Salah, however, sped past Matic. His quick movements left Rudiger trailing, and with a burst of pace, Salah was through. Before David Luiz could close him down, Salah had already fired a shot from inside the penalty area.
Conte looked bewildered, turning to his assistant coach.
"Why did we ever let him go?"
If Salah had stayed, the attacking trio of Su Luo, Hazard, and Salah would have been unstoppable. But during his time at Chelsea, the Egyptian Messi had never been given a real chance. No one saw his potential.
Despite conceding the goal, Conte remained calm. He gestured to the team from the sidelines, urging them to keep their composure.
"Stay focused! Stay focused!"
Playing away and then at home gave Chelsea a small advantage. A draw with an away goal would set them up perfectly for the return leg at Stamford Bridge.
Chelsea didn't panic after the goal. They continued with their high-pressing strategy, constantly disrupting Union Berlin's passing while searching for opportunities in the final third.
With so many players around the penalty area, Su Luo dropped deeper, forming a midfield trio with Kanté and Matic. His vision allowed him to orchestrate play, moving left and right as needed.
Assigned to mark Su Luo was England's future midfield star, Rice. But at just 18 years old, Rice was facing a Ballon d'Or-level opponent for the first time.
"Su Luo takes the ball near midfield, Rice tries to close him down… Su Luo uses a bull tail flick and follows up with a Marseille turn!"
"Wow! Rice never expected Su Luo to pull off such skill moves back-to-back, and he's left completely behind!"
"Hazard's calling for the ball, Lukaku's also in position. Let's see what Su Luo does…"
"He goes for the shot!!"
"Brilliant save by Pickford! He tips it out for a corner!"
"Chelsea's third corner of the first half!"
"Su Luo went for a long-range effort this time. If not for Pickford's quick reflexes, Chelsea would have equalized!"
The tension was palpable.
Just when Union Berlin thought they had the upper hand, Su Luo stepped up, reminding everyone who the real king of the pitch was.
Though he hadn't scored, Su Luo's performance was outstanding, earning him applause from the home fans.
"Lord! Lord! Lord!"
The familiar chant echoed through the stadium once again, but this time, it wasn't coming from the away section where Chelsea's fans were seated.
"What? The whole crowd is on our side?"
The danger wasn't over yet!
Pickford, drenched in sweat, anxiously directed his teammates. "Mark everyone tightly! Don't let anyone slip! Especially Su Luo!"
He knew Su Luo all too well. When Su Luo was in the box for a corner, there was a high chance he'd find the back of the net.
Salah, meanwhile, looked unimpressed, thinking Pickford was overreacting.
As the corner was about to be taken, Su Luo was closely marked by both Aké and Rice. Aké grabbed at Su Luo's shirt while Rice positioned himself to block any movement.
What could possibly go wrong?
As Hazard delivered the corner, he didn't aim directly for Su Luo but instead played it to the near post!
Lukaku, David Luiz, and Rudiger all charged towards the goal, dragging defenders with them.
Matic, unmarked, rose to meet the ball, nodding it down towards the penalty spot!
"Matic!!"
He Wei, the commentator, thought Matic was going for goal, but Matic had cleverly headed it into the space at the penalty spot.
Before anyone could react, Aké realized too late what was happening!
Taking advantage of the momentary lapse, Su Luo darted away from Aké, slipping past Rice's defense and moving swiftly to the penalty spot.
He was perfectly positioned for Matic's header!
"I knew it!!"
Aké, realizing Su Luo's intention, lunged forward, trying to block his shot.
In his mind, he was confident he could make the stop.
But instead of going for a direct header, Su Luo used his body to shield the ball, positioning himself with his back to goal as if planning to control it with his feet.
This seemed like a good outcome for Aké, who thought he could combine with Rice and Goretzka to snuff out the danger.
As the match reached a critical moment, Su Luo executed a stunning move. Instead of trapping the ball, he unleashed a martial arts-inspired backheel flick, striking the ball at an almost impossible angle with his left foot.
Before Pickford could even react, the ball had already sped past him and nestled into the back of the net!
Both teams' players were stunned, and the home fans in the stands were left speechless. Only the visiting Chelsea supporters erupted into wild cheers.
"The ball is in!! Su Luo's 'Eighteen Palms of Subduing the Dragon,' the 'Dragon Wags Its Tail,' has reappeared on the pitch!"
"He just used a martial arts move to score! What a daring and skilled player!"
"In the 19th minute of the first half, Chelsea have successfully equalized!"
"That was Su Luo's 12th goal in this season's Champions League!"
Huaxia fans who had stayed up all night to watch the game were electrified by such a spectacular goal. Any grogginess vanished in an instant as they witnessed the brilliance unfold.
Keen-eyed fans noticed that since the Christmas schedule, Su Luo had subtly changed his playing style. In the past, he might have gone directly for a header or tried to flick the ball over defenders to create a chance. But those high-risk moves often invited aggressive challenges.
Ake had already been vigilant, doing his best to close Su Luo down. But Su Luo opted for an unconventional shot, catching everyone off guard!
"Su Luo is already so strong, yet he still works so hard!"
"He must have practiced that move countless times. It's so touching to see such dedication!"
"That shot reminds me of Ibrahimovic's style—Su Luo is truly adept at studying the techniques of great players and adapting them to his game!"
"With this kind of learning ability, it's no wonder he won the Ballon d'Or before turning 20!"
Online, fans had already crowned Su Luo as the king of football, viewing him as a role model in the sport.
In truth, Su Luo had merely activated his inner 'Ibrahimovic' for that moment of brilliance. The backheel flick he executed is a common technique in UFC, Taekwondo, and Sanda. However, no professional fighter could make it look as graceful as Su Luo did—it was like something straight out of a kung fu movie.
After equalizing, Su Luo casually passed by Salah during the celebration, spreading his hands in a playful gesture as if to say, "Where's my ball?"
Salah glanced at the number 7 on Su Luo's back and fell silent for a moment. He knew this was the man who had bested Ronaldo and Messi. Su Luo's strength was undeniable, and it was no wonder the club had retired the number 10 jersey in his honor.
Typically, clubs might retire other numbers, but the number 10 carries special significance as the team's core. It's a number that can even attract star players to join a club. But Union Berlin's management was bold enough to retire their number 10 permanently as a tribute to Su Luo's achievements. Salah had once wanted to wear that number, but he had to settle for number 11.
After equalizing, both teams began to play more cautiously, conserving their energy for the second half. Union Berlin pulled back and defended in depth, while Chelsea refrained from pushing too hard, content to maintain possession. The match settled into a temporary stalemate near the midfield.
When Union Berlin defended, even Sane and Quinlin retreated deep into their half, blocking Su Luo's passing lanes and preventing Chelsea from finding a way through. Chelsea passed the ball around, left and right, causing Su Luo to frown slightly. "Have they really improved this much defensively?" he thought.
Richards and Ake were rock solid at the back, constantly neutralizing any danger. The first half ended in a 1-1 draw, with both teams heading into the break level.
German TV commentator Sauer, along with guests Klinsmann and Kahn, watched from the studio, just as they had when Su Luo was first making his name. They had witnessed his growth firsthand, and seeing him play today filled them with emotion.
"Honestly, Su Luo is the most adaptable player I've ever seen," Kahn remarked. "In another year, he'll have completely distanced himself from Messi and Ronaldo."
Klinsmann nodded in agreement. "Judging by how he improves in the second half of games... I'd say Union Berlin is in trouble."
Sure enough, just five minutes into the second half, Chelsea's slow buildup play suddenly shifted gears. Su Luo, who had been running, passing, and moving into space, adjusted the team's direction from left to right. Then, out of nowhere, he whipped in a curved pass from midfield, sending the ball sailing behind the opposition's defense!
Lukaku was perfectly positioned to meet it. He didn't have to think—he simply leapt into the air and headed the ball cleanly. The ball struck his forehead with precision and power.
"Lukaku!!! A header!"
"The second half had been a bit dull, but Su Luo's sudden acceleration caught the defense off guard!"
"Look at that curve—it's classic Su Luo!"
"Lukaku only had to finish it off!"
"Chelsea takes the lead! Two away goals!"
"Su Luo now has six assists in this season's Champions League! He's leading both the assists and goal-scoring charts!"
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