"Salah, push forward! Kante's closing in on me!" Su Luo shouted, feeling the pressure from Chelsea's defensive stalwart.
Union Berlin was trying to work the ball down the right side, but Kante read the play perfectly and intercepted the pass.
Sane was trying to dance past Azpilicueta on the wing, but the Chelsea defender stayed resolute. With no clear path, Sane was forced to cut back and pass to Salah, who tried to start a run. But before he could make any progress, Su Luo, who had dropped back to help defend, executed a perfect sliding tackle, cleanly taking the ball away from him.
Salah, who had been in incredible form recently, scoring in seven consecutive Bundesliga matches, was only one goal away from tying Lewandowski at the top of the scorer's list. Union Berlin's coach, Fischer, had placed a lot of trust in Salah, giving him more offensive responsibilities. However, Conte, Chelsea's world-renowned coach, was one step ahead tactically.
He had already stationed Kante, Rudiger, and Marcos Alonso near Salah, with Su Luo occasionally dropping back to assist. As a result, Salah found himself completely neutralized, repeatedly running into a brick wall. The Blues' defense was as formidable as it had been a decade ago.
German TV commentator Simon sighed, "Union Berlin's tactics have been thoroughly dissected by Chelsea. Their lineup makes it easy to see who the main attacker is."
"If Su Luo were still at Union Berlin, he could have maneuvered through the double-teams and created chances. But while Salah is talented, he can't replicate that level of influence."
"If Union Berlin doesn't score in the first 20 minutes, this game will only get tougher for them."
Guest commentator Summer agreed, "Berlin is being perfectly restrained by Chelsea. Their impressive performance in the first round seems impossible to replicate today. Chelsea's defense is rock solid, and with a core as stable as theirs, Berlin will have to be very careful. If they slip up, Su Luo will seize the opportunity."
Su Luo knew his former teammates well. While Union Berlin had a new coach, their style of play hadn't changed—they still loved to push forward aggressively. Su Luo lay in wait, biding his time, ready to pounce on any mistake his old club made. Union Berlin, meanwhile, underestimated Su Luo's stamina, thinking he wasn't fit for continuous battles. They hoped to capitalize on his perceived downtime.
However, in the 26th minute, their plan began to unravel. Goretzka, feeling the pressure, attempted to dribble into the box, only to have his advance cleared by David Luiz. Willian didn't waste any time on the wing and immediately sent the ball to the center.
It might have been a difficult pass for most players, but Su Luo was anything but ordinary. He wouldn't disappoint his teammates. With a subtle touch, he flicked the ball forward.
Rice, who had been prepared to block Su Luo, even considering taking him down to force a foul, suddenly lost sight of him. One moment, Su Luo was in front of him; the next, he had slipped past, and the ball was gone.
By the time Rice turned to chase him, Su Luo had already pulled away by two full strides. The audience in front of their TVs saw it clearly: with a simple, effective move, Su Luo had nutmegged Rice and then accelerated away, leaving him behind.
Now, facing Richards and Ake—two of his former teammates—Su Luo began to showcase his dribbling skills. Ake lowered his center of gravity, trying to block any potential breakthrough, while Richards focused on Lukaku.
But Pawar, on the other side, failed to return to defense in time. Su Luo glanced to the right, tricking Ake into thinking he was passing that way, but then he sent a perfectly weighted diagonal pass with his right foot.
"No-look pass!" the commentator exclaimed. "Su Luo is playing with flair! What a beautiful ball—it's pierced through Berlin's defense!"
Ajar was left one-on-one with the keeper and decisively struck from a tight angle.
Pickford had no chance. The ball hit the inside of the post and bounced into the net.
When Su Luo is on form, he's unstoppable—one of the top 5 in the world, without question. Chelsea took the lead, stretching the aggregate score to 3-1.
Desperate, Union Berlin threw caution to the wind, launching an all-out attack. Despite the deficit and the intimidating atmosphere at Stamford Bridge, they refused to back down.
The tempo of the game suddenly surged, with both sides going all out.
"Sane's challenging Willian on the left! His speed is blistering!"
"He's cutting inside! Going for a shot from a tight angle!"
"Courtois reacts quickly and blocks it with his feet!"
Chelsea wasted no time countering. They moved the ball swiftly upfield to Su Luo on the right.
"Su Luo's charging down the wing! He's taking on Ake head-on!"
"Inverted triangle to the center! Lukaku is wide open!"
"This is a sure goal... But no, it's off-target! Unbelievable!"
Lukaku's right-footed shot was poorly executed, the ball sailing past the goal.
"He should have buried that with his left foot! What a missed opportunity!"
Lukaku's miss gave Union Berlin a lifeline. Salah quickly launched another attack.
"Kante couldn't keep up, and Salah's in the box!"
"He pulls it back—here comes the shot!"
"Vital intervention by David Luiz! He pokes the ball away just in time!"
"Salah had a chance to take the shot himself but hesitated, losing the perfect opportunity."
Matic didn't hesitate as he collected the ball. When Su Luo is on the pitch, you have to find him.
Goretzka tried to intercept, but Su Luo flicked the ball with his heel, changing direction in an instant.
"Turning and accelerating away from Goretzka!"
"Shooting!"
The Chelsea fans erupted as Su Luo unleashed a 35-meter shot from outside the penalty area!
The cannonball strike sent shockwaves through the stadium.
Pickford dove to save it, managing to push the ball out for a corner—but not without crashing into the post, wincing in pain.
"Spectacular offense and defense! Su Luo's 35-meter shot was right on target—almost broke the net!" Su Dong shouted excitedly.
This is the pride of China—a player whose every move electrifies the crowd.
The fans flooded the chat with admiration.
"Su Luo is the real deal—he shoots whenever he wants!"
"His long-range shots remind me of Curry in the NBA."
"What a threat! This is the power of the world's number one!"
Since Su Luo won the Ballon d'Or, Chinese fans have been bursting with pride. His performance continues to justify the accolade, proving that he's still improving.
This long-range shot was a psychological blow to Union Berlin, making them hesitant to attack again, afraid that Su Luo would expand Chelsea's lead and crush their hopes completely.
As the first half came to a close, Chelsea led 1-0 against Union Berlin, with an aggregate score of 3-1.
In the second half, Union Berlin found themselves with limited options for substitutions. Their starting lineup was already the strongest they could field, and their bench depth was nowhere near the level of Chelsea's.
Salah continued to run tirelessly, but it was Kante who stole the spotlight, constantly positioning himself in Salah's path and neutralizing his threat. This inspired a popular meme on the internet: "There's no obstacle that can't be overcome, except for Kante."
Kante's stellar performance in midfield left Salah isolated, forcing him to battle Chelsea's defense alone.
Meanwhile, Su Luo was thriving on the field.
"Su Luo's stamina is incredible! We're 75 minutes into the second half, and he's still charging down the pitch!"
"He speeds past Goretzka, sidesteps Ake, and advances into the penalty area!"
"It's a shot! Pickford misjudges—too late to react!"
"The ball is in the net!"
Chelsea now leads Union Berlin 2-0, with an aggregate score of 4-1.
In the visiting team's stands, Uncle Hans and the others were visibly disappointed by their team's defeat. But they couldn't help but feel proud of Su Luo, who had become a core player for Chelsea, one of the world's most dangerous clubs.
After scoring, Su Luo didn't celebrate. He simply gestured with his hands, signaling his respect for Union Berlin, his former club. His connection to them remained strong.
As the game wound down, Salah was forced off with cramps, replaced by Matuschka. Chelsea also saw players struggling—David Luiz, Kante, and Lukaku were all substituted due to muscle strains and soreness from the congested schedule.
With Kante off the pitch, Chelsea's defense weakened. Quining took advantage, using his speed to beat his former teammate Rudiger and calmly slotted a goal, pulling one back for Union Berlin. The aggregate score now stood at 4-2.
Unfortunately for Union Berlin, time ran out, and they couldn't muster a comeback in the final moments of stoppage time. The referee's whistle marked another painful elimination from the Champions League for Union Berlin.
"Su, you've got to make it this time!" Quining said seriously as they walked off the pitch.
"Don't worry," Su Luo replied. "I won't let last year happen again."
Su Luo remembered the bitter defeat to Atletico Madrid in last season's semi-finals all too well. This time, he was determined to reach the final, no matter the cost.
After the game, the visiting fans began to leave. Anya, however, turned back one last time, taking a deep look at the Chelsea tifo. Su Luo, in his blue jersey, was still the most striking figure on the field.
"Su, go for it! I'll always support you!" she whispered.
With the two legs of the Champions League tie now complete, the fate of several teams still hung in the balance. Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, and Chelsea had all secured spots in the top eight, ensuring a lineup of powerhouses in the quarterfinals.
The second half of the draw would see the likes of Juventus, Atletico Madrid, or Manchester City vying for the remaining spots, promising a fiercely competitive final eight.
For Chelsea, the road to the final would be anything but easy, with some of the toughest opponents lying in wait. On top of that, they faced mounting physical challenges and injury concerns.
Su Luo, despite being unable to connect to his visions for now, was ready. No matter who their opponents were, he was prepared to face them head-on.
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