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Chapter 513: Cristiano Ronaldo's Locker Room Speech!
🕑 Added 2024-12-29 22:01:24 +0000 UTCChapter 513: Cristiano Ronaldo's Locker Room Speech!
"Great job, everyone! I'm really proud of you!"
Guardiola was very pleased with the result of the first half. Although Real Madrid had scored a goal, it didn't really affect the overall situation. As long as Manchester City kept their lead, they would still have the initiative in the second half. Guardiola had prepared several strategies before the match to deal with different scenarios, and now that they were ahead, the plan for the second half would focus on maintaining control and solidifying their advantage.
On the other side, Real Madrid's tactics were quite different.
As soon as the players returned to the locker room, Zidane's expression was serious. He raised his hand, signaling for the noisy players to quiet down:
"Take a quick rest and save your energy. Now, listen to me!"
He quickly pulled out the tactics board, found a spot where everyone could see him, and began pointing out details on the board.
"Our attack didn't flow well in the first half, and the connection in the midfield was problematic. Modric, Isco, you two need to step up and help the team!"
Hearing his name, Isco's heart sank, and he instantly became nervous.
"Yes, coach!"
Zidane nodded and drew out the attacking routes on the tactics board, explaining how Isco should follow these patterns to play better. Real Madrid's lack of attacking firepower in the first half was closely related to Isco's underperformance. To fix this, Isco needed to move more actively and break free from Manchester City's tight marking. If Isco couldn't effectively dribble or make dangerous passes, Zidane would have no choice but to substitute him for James Rodríguez, who was sitting on the bench.
As for Modric, Zidane didn't need to explain much. With his high football intelligence, Modric could figure out what was needed even without Zidane spelling everything out.
Aside from Modric and Isco, Zidane also gave specific instructions to Casemiro. He asked him to use his stamina and wide coverage to assist in defense and mark Manchester City's two most threatening players—De Bruyne and Lin Quan.
Yes, in Zidane's mind, he considered Lin Quan more of a midfielder. After seeing Lin's ability to organize attacks from the wing in a previous match against Atlético Madrid, Zidane wasn't treating him as just a winger. If Lin Quan played more of a playmaking role, Real Madrid's midfielders couldn't afford to hesitate; they would need to step up and neutralize him.
Once he finished addressing the midfielders, Zidane's eyes shifted to his defense. Ramos and Pepe had performed poorly in the first half, especially with that second goal, which was a glaring error.
"Ramos, Pepe, forget the failures of the first half. I need you to stay sharp and give it everything in the second half. Can you do that?"
Ramos and Pepe, who had been hanging their heads in expectation of a scolding, were surprised when Zidane didn't lash out at them.
"Don't worry, coach! I won't let that guy get past me again!"
Pepe immediately felt reinvigorated, acting as if nothing had gone wrong earlier. His teammates exchanged glances at how quickly his mood shifted—This guy has such thick skin!
"Lin is a strong player. Don't try to take him on one-on-one. Your job is to block him and prevent him from getting a shot off. Remember, don't just lunge in to steal the ball recklessly!" Zidane couldn't help but add, noticing Pepe's overconfidence.
"Ramos, when we get possession, don't just kick it long. We need to control the ball and make the most of every attacking opportunity."
In the first half, after falling behind, Real Madrid had become impatient, launching long balls in an attempt to quickly counterattack. But that strategy had a low success rate, and most of the time, they simply gave the ball back to Manchester City, allowing them more chances to attack.
Now, with City leading, they would likely slow the game down in the second half, controlling possession to minimize Real Madrid's chances. In such a situation, Real Madrid needed to be more efficient with their attacks.
After giving instructions to the defense and midfield, Zidane finally turned his attention to the front three—Bale, Benzema, and Cristiano Ronaldo. All three were world-renowned attackers, yet their first-half performance had been less than stellar. While the lack of support from their teammates was partly to blame, their own form also seemed lacking.
"In the second half, we need to make our attacks more layered..." Zidane spent another five minutes discussing attacking strategies before finally wrapping up.
"Does everyone understand their roles?"
"Yes, coach!"
"Good, then get some rest."
Zidane wasn't the type of coach who delivered fiery, motivational speeches. Even if he kept talking, it would likely just be more of the same: "Keep pushing, give it your all," and so on. However, this was a moment when something needed to be said. The team's morale was visibly low, and they needed someone to boost their spirits.
Since Zidane wasn't filling that role, someone else had to step up.
Cristiano Ronaldo, who had been lying down to rest, suddenly stood up and addressed his teammates.
"Listen up! I need to remind you all of something. We're only 45 minutes away from making history!"
Ronaldo's unexpected speech caught everyone off guard. The room fell silent, and all eyes turned toward him.
Ronaldo, undeterred by the attention, continued:
"We have to give everything we've got in these next 45 minutes. We need to show our full strength and drain every last drop of energy!
"This isn't just because we're wearing the Real Madrid jersey, representing one of the most historic and great clubs in the world. It's because we, ourselves, are among the best players on the planet. We can do this!"
Ronaldo's words had a visible impact, reigniting the fighting spirit in many of his teammates.
"I know many of you have never been in a Champions League final before, and you've never experienced a match as intense and nerve-wracking as this. But don't worry—I've been here before, and I will lead us to victory!"
For many of the Real Madrid players, this was their first time in such a high-stakes game. Ronaldo's speech was like a guiding light in the darkness, providing them with clarity and confidence. Some of the younger players even started applauding enthusiastically.
For the first time, they began to see Ronaldo not just as a superstar with immense talent, but as a true leader of the team.
Seeing this, Bale's expression turned somber. He realized that in his rivalry with Ronaldo, he had lost. As long as Ronaldo remained with the club, Bale would never be able to surpass him and become the leader of Real Madrid.
Satisfied with the effect of his speech, Ronaldo continued:
"For many of us, this might be the only chance we get. If we miss it, we'll regret it for the rest of our lives!"
"So, let's give it everything we've got and fight with all we have!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
"Fight!"
The Real Madrid players were now fully charged with energy, shouting as they pumped their fists, completely forgetting Zidane's earlier advice to rest and conserve their strength.
...
The visitor's locker room wasn't well soundproofed, so the noise from Real Madrid's side was clearly audible to Manchester City.
"It seems like they haven't been broken. The second half might be even tougher than we expected," Guardiola joked, having just finished his tactical talk after hearing the uproar next door.
"Haha, well then, let's beat them so thoroughly that they accept reality!"
The Manchester City players were just as fired up, not needing any extra motivation.
The 15-minute halftime break passed quickly, and both teams soon returned to the field.
Before the second half kickoff, Lin Quan felt someone's gaze on him. Looking up, he saw Cristiano Ronaldo staring at him with a challenging expression.
That look seemed to say: Let's have a proper battle in this half!
Lin Quan raised an eyebrow and smiled slightly: Why not?
Beep!
The referee blew the whistle, and the second half of the Champions League final between Manchester City and Real Madrid began!
After switching sides, Real Madrid had possession to start. Ronaldo passed the ball to Benzema, who then returned it to Isco. At the same time, Ronaldo and Bale surged forward, and not just them—the midfield and even some of the defenders were pushing up as well.
Real Madrid was launching a massive attack right from the start of the second half!
The fans in the stadium and those watching on TV perked up, eagerly anticipating Real Madrid's offensive.
"This feels a bit familiar, doesn't it?"
On the Manchester City bench, Guardiola and his assistants couldn't help but notice that this scene looked similar to the start of the first half. It seemed that Real Madrid was trying to catch City off guard by attacking hard right from the beginning.
Starting with such a high-intensity press wasn't a new strategy. Many teams used this tactic, especially to capitalize on moments when their opponents hadn't fully adjusted to the game's pace. If City wasn't focused, they could indeed be caught off guard.
There were several famous instances of teams scoring early goals using this very tactic, like when Jiangsu Suning stunned Guangzhou Evergrande by scoring just seconds after kickoff.
Real Madrid was clearly aiming for a similar effect, but their execution wasn't as successful.
Isco managed to pass the ball to Benzema, and Benzema was just about to send it forward to Ronaldo when—
Kroos slid in with a tackle, taking out both Benzema and the ball.
Manchester City used a tactical foul to disrupt Real Madrid's plans. However, Kroos received a yellow card for the challenge. As a defensive midfielder, this yellow card came at a cost, though it was fortunate that it went to Kroos and not Kante.
The foul was committed far from the goal, and after a brief discussion, Real Madrid decided that Ronaldo would take the free kick.
Ronaldo stepped back several paces, spread his legs, and fixed his gaze on the goal. His iconic stance elicited cheers from the crowd as Real Madrid fans began chanting:
"Score one!"
"Score one!"
Ronaldo's free kicks were always a threat, and his famous "knuckleball" technique had left many goalkeepers in despair. Navas knew this well from his time in La Liga and was taking the utmost care in organizing the defensive wall, aiming to block as many of Ronaldo's shooting angles as possible.
Lin Quan and Agüero, both shorter in height, were placed in the first row of the wall, close to Ronaldo, hoping to cause some interference.
Ronaldo glanced briefly at Lin Quan, remembering how this young player had knocked Real Madrid out of the Champions League with a stunning free kick at the Bernabéu—a moment that was burned into Ronaldo's memory forever.
He was determined to show Lin Quan that he, too, could score incredible free kicks and was even better at it.
Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Ronaldo began his run-up.
One step, two steps, three steps... his pace quickened as he neared the ball. As he approached, his body was fully prepared to unleash his signature powerful strike.
Boom! The ball soared over Lin Quan and Agüero's heads, whistling through the air. Neither of them had any chance of blocking it.
The ball continued to rise, even clearing the second, taller line of defense.
Many spectators started to think the ball was going too high—maybe it was going to miss?
But in the next moment, their doubts vanished...
(End of Chapter)
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