The Stade de France is unlike any other stadium in the world; the visiting team's locker room is actually the one reserved for the home team.

  Why is this?

  It has something to do with Zidane and Ronaldo.

  In the 1998 World Cup in France, both Frand Brazil made it to the final. Despite being the host nation, France was assigo the visiting team's locker room, not the home one. In that final, the French team, led by Zidane, defeated Ronaldo's Brazil to win the World Cup.

  Sihen, whehe Frenational team pys at the Stade de Frahey choose to use the visiting team's locker room.

  Tonight, that spacious and bright locker room beloo Bara.

  ...

  When Rijkaard ehe locker room, a heavy silence hung in the air.

  All the Bara pyers were still reeling from the frustration of the first half.

  They had gone from leading by one goal to g two in quick succession. The psychological blow from this reversal made it difficult for many to recover.

  As Rijkaard walked in, his eyes naturally fell on the oversized bottle of champagne promily dispyed in the room.

  This bottle had been specially ordered by Bara at great expense, meant to celebrate what they hoped would be their sed Champions League title in the club's history.

  When they learhey were assigo the visiting team's locker room at the Stade de Frahe eeam was excited, believing it symbolized home-field advantage and good luck.

  Don't ugh; luck is something highly regarded in the football world.

  For example, English football is rife with so-called curses.

  To boost team morale, Rijkaard had the bottle of champagne pced in a spicuous spot, hoping it would inspire the pyers to fight for it.

  But now, trailing 2-1, the bottle seemed more ironic than motivational.

  Rijkaard didn't o ask to know that the pyers, upoering the room earlier, must have felt deeply disheartened seeing it.

  So did he.

  But the real irony was yet to e.

  If they lost the match, what would they do with the champagne?

  Celebrate their defeat by drinking it? Or take it back?

  It was a massive bottle, and the whole world knew Bara had brought it to the Stade de France. Would they carry it back out after a loss?

  What would the media say?

  Rijkaard was a man who cared deeply about his image, and at this moment, he regretted following the club's suggestion t such a rge bottle of champago the Stade de France.

  But now wasn't the time to dwell on that.

  ...

  Rijkaard stepped to the ter of the room and faced his pyers.

  "In the first half, our offense was tightly marked by the oppo, and we didn't perform as well as we should have."

  The pyers looked up at him.

  Ten Cate, the assistant coach often seen as the bad cop, hadn't eveered the locker room tonight, much to the pyers' satisfa.

  No one liked him.

  "We know Real Madrid's defense well, but that's no excuse for our weak attack. We o make adjustments and ges in the sed half, especially in our forward line."

  Rijkaard moved to the tactical board and adjusted the markers representing both teams.

  "Real Madrid's defense is meticulous, but it isn't without fws. At the start of the sed half, Eto'o will shift to the left wing. Use your speed tet Arbeloa—you have the advahere."

  Eto'o's speed was exceptional, and while Arbeloa wasn't slow, he was at a disadvantage agaio'o.

  Of course, this meao'o would be further from the goal.

  But Rijkaard had more up his sleeve.

  He moved Ronaldinho to the ter of the forward liaking full advantage of the Brazilian's ability to hold up py.

  Many people focus on Ronaldinho's talent and footwork, but the Brazilian was also excellent at shielding the ball with his back to goal.

  Ronaldinho was a teical genius, with incredible ball trol and footwork. Once he got the ball, it was almost impossible to dispossess him. All these qualities led Rijkaard to gamble on Ronaldinho.

  "You'll occupy their two tral defenders, Ramos and Woodgate, in the middle. Depending ouation on the field, decide whether to push forward or drop deeper, but keep Ramos and Woodgate busy."

  Rijkaard moved the markers on the board to illustrate the pn.

  For example, if Ronaldinho dropped deeper into attag midfield and drew Ramos out, this would create a gap behind Ramos that Eto'o could exploit by making diagonal runs.

  This tactic had been tried by Bara before, with great success.

  "Remember, we attack hard at the start of the sed half and equalize the score as quickly as possible!"

  ...

  Gao Shen didn't know what adjustments Rijkaard had made during halftime, but as the sed half begaiced a clear ge in Bara's pyer positions.

  Ronaldinho had moved to the ter just outside the ter circle, with Eto'o on the left and Messi on the right.

  "Have their positions ged?" Gao Shen asked Lucas.

  Lucas wore a serious expression. "There have been obvious ges sihe kickoff, but we'll have to see the details unfold."

  Gao Shen nodded.

  It was too early to tell how Bara had adjusted just from the kickoff.

  But as the game progressed, Bara's midfield ges quickly became apparent.

  Ronaldinho was now operatirally, with Eto'o shifted to the left.

  This was a neroach, something Gao Shen hadn't seen before.

  But it didn't take long for the effectiveness of these ges to bee clear.

  ...

  After a failed attack, Bara were pressed by Real Madrid and had to pass the ball back to goalkeeper Valdés.

  Valdés, standing at the edge of his penalty area, surveyed the field before ung a long ball forward.

  Ronaldinho couldn't win the aerial duel against Woodgate, and the ball was headed bato midfield.

  But Bara had itted plenty of pyers to this area and quickly regained possession.

  As Xavi took trol, Ronaldinho dropped back from the forward line, using his body to shield the ball from De Red, then flicked Xavi's pass to Deco before turning and sprinting into space.

  Deoved forward and, spotting the opportunity, threaded the ball to Ronaldinho in the gap.

  The two Brazilians bined with a slie-two.

  As Ronaldinho received the ball, Ramos stepped up to challenge him, but the Braziliaro held onto the ball and flicked it past Ramos into the penalty area.

  The ball nded perfectly he penalty spot.

  Eto'o, like a bolt of bck lightning, raced towards the spot.

  The eadium gasped.

  At the crucial moment, Casils charged out, diving at Eto'o's feet and sm the ball before the Cameroonian could finish.

  Eto'o leapt over Casils, missing a golden one-on-one opportunity.

  Only after the danger had passed did the fans find their voices again.

  Bara's attack had been incredibly dangerous!

  ...

  Standing on the sidelines, Gao Shen watched the se unfold, his expression serious as he processed Rijkaard's adjustments.

  He was a bit surprised.

  He hadn't expected Ronaldinho to be so effective pying through the middle.

  Is this where Guardio got the idea to py Messi as a false nine, after seeing Rijkaard's tactic?

  "What should we do?" Lucas asked nervously.

  The st attack had been too close for fort.

  If not for Casils' quick thinking, they would have ceded.

  Lucas wasn't the only one anxious; Maqueda, Bueura, and others all turo Gao Shen fuidance.

  Real Madrid o adjust, but how?

  After a moment of thought, Gao Sheo the sideline and began giving instrus.

  "David," Gao Shen called out to Beckham.

  He signaled for Beckham to drop deeper and py as a holding midfielder, with Zidane in the ter and Raul and Negred a strike partnership.

  Though it was called a double-striker formation, in practiegredo was tasked with exploiting the gaps oher side of Bara's defense, while Raul still tracked back defensively.

  After making the adjustment, Bara did create another dangerous moment when Ronaldinho, with his back to goal, turned and pyed another ball behind the defense. But this time, Ramos was alert and cleared the ball out of bounds before Eto'o could reach it.

  Ramos, who had been criticized for his earlier mistake, received appuse from the Real Madrid fans for his solid defehis time.

  Real Madrid quickly settled into their new formation, stabilizing their defensive shape.

  By this point, ten minutes of the sed half had passed.

  Seeing that his team's early sed-half attacks had failed to yield results, Rijkaard made a bold substitution ih minute.

  Ia came on for Van Bommel, giving Bara a more attack-minded midfield. Xavi dropped deeper, with Ded Ia pying ahead of him. Rijkaard's i was clear: he was going all in.

  Xavi was experienced pying as a holding midfielder, so this wasn't an unfamiliar role for him.

  But this substitution showed Rijkaard was making a big gamble.

  Bara's ball possession had reached 75%, and they were essentially toying with Real Madrid.

  Gao Shen remained calm, tinuing to instruct his team to stay steady and focus on defense and terattacks.

  Negredo stayed high up the pitch, while Raul and Zidaively dropped back to defend.

  Real Madrid's defense had beeed by strong teams like Arsenal, Juventus, and A. Despite Bara's possession-based py, Real Madrid weren't afraid, maintaining their disciplined defensive shape.

  This left Rijkaard's team feeling increasingly frustrated.

  As the game reached the 70th minute, Rijkaard was forced to make a bold sed substitution, taking off the goal-sg hero Messi and bringing on Henrik Larsson. This ge was clearly aimed at boosting Bara's attack, particurly by enhang their ability to make diagonal runs into the penalty area.

  Despite Messi's brilliand outstanding performance, he hadn't yet reached the level of dahat Larsson, often referred to as "the King of Kings," could bring to the pit such crucial moments.

  At this juncture, Gao Shen responded decisively by making his first substitutioook off captain Raul and introduced Ronaldo, instrug the Brazilian to pair up with Negredo in a two-striker formation. This tactical shift aimed to put more pressure on Bara's defense and ter their increasing offensive push.

  Rijkaard, watg from the sidelines, was visibly frustrated by Gao Shen's quid calcuted response. But with Bara trailing and time running out, he had no choice but to push fgressively, knowing full well that there was n back.