After Leeds United took the lead, Barcelona launched a fierce counterattack.
At Camp Nou, Barcelona has never feared any opponent.
Possession and attacking football have always been their core principles.
Leeds United chose to go head-to-head, engaging in a direct attacking battle with Barcelona. Both sides played at a blistering pace, exchanging passes near the midfield and frequently turning over possession.
As the saying goes: laymen watch the excitement, experts watch the tactics.
From the stands, Gao Shen and the others saw that Barcelona's midfield offered almost no protection to their defense and failed to slow down Leeds United's counterattacks.
This is Barcelona's biggest problem right now.
By contrast, Leeds United executed their pressing game effectively.
They maintained high-intensity pressure, with the player on the ball being pressed tightly while teammates blocked surrounding passing lanes.
It was a tactic similar to surrounding the target while intercepting the reinforcements.
Barcelona's current attacking setup had a clear pattern: Griezmann on the left often dropped deep, while Alba, aging and cautious of Sancho, hesitated to push forward.
As a result, most of Barcelona's attacks were concentrated on the right flank, particularly through Semedo.
Portugal's right-back was highly active, and with Messi up front, the right wing had become Barcelona's primary source of attack.
Leeds United targeted this area specifically.
In the 3rd minute, for example, Semedo dribbled forward near the halfway line.
Vinicius closely marked him, while the other Leeds United players fanned out to block his passing options, forcing Semedo to the right touchline with no clear outlet.
Eventually, when he tried to pass to De Jong, Bruno Fernandes intercepted the ball, which was picked up by Ruben Dias, and Leeds United immediately launched a counterattack.
Barcelona's midfield quickly attempted to press and recover, but Leeds United connected several passes. Bruno Fernandes shifted the ball to the left flank, where Vinicius chased it down and passed it forward.
In just a few moments, Leeds United had transitioned from defense to attack, once again threatening Barcelona's penalty area.
But Barcelona is by no means easy to break.
They at least did well in their defensive transition.
So when Vinicius cut inside and attempted a pass into the box to find Haaland, he was blocked by Busquets just outside the area.
Barcelona countered immediately, with Roberto quickly passing to Messi, who had dropped back to receive.
Messi received the ball side-on and drove forward at once.
Declan Rice stuck with Messi the whole time, but the Argentine, full of confidence and skill, kept carrying the ball.
Leeds United's backline quickly dropped from their previously high line, with the two center-backs marking Aguero and Griezmann's forward runs.
Messi crossed the halfway line but, constantly shadowed by Rice, couldn't find a clear passing lane. Even so, Barcelona's right-side attack was swift.
Roberto surged forward while Messi dribbled diagonally toward Leeds United's left flank, drawing left-back Alphonso Davies' attention.
This young fullback has shown positional issues when defending deep.
This time, Messi pulled him out of position and broke into the final third, then quickly played a diagonal through ball to Roberto, who had burst into the penalty area.
As Roberto received the pass, Alphonso Davies realized his mistake and turned to recover. But Roberto didn't hold the ball, instead sending in a 45-degree cross toward the penalty spot.
Aguero charged in, and before goalkeeper Alisson could react, looked to strike the ball home.
Had the shot gone through, considering Aguero's efficiency, a goal would have been almost certain.
But at the critical moment, a white-shirted figure suddenly darted in and launched a sliding tackle at full speed.
Aguero's shot smashed straight into Militao's leg, deflected high into the air, and although still heading toward goal, it was caught by Alisson with ease.
Militao slid for several meters before finally coming to a stop.
Only then did the entire Camp Nou let out a collective sigh of regret.
Barcelona had just missed a golden scoring opportunity.
"Leeds United's center-back Militao tracked back with incredible speed!"
"His sliding tackle at the key moment stopped Aguero's shot."
"You can see Alisson and the others all praising Militao. That defensive action was absolutely vital, and he stayed calm the entire time."
"After De Ligt transferred to Real Madrid, Militao became Ruben Dias' regular partner in central defense, and his performances have been very impressive."
"That defensive move just now was technically brilliant."
...
Barcelona had nearly equalized. Though Aguero's shot didn't find the net, it significantly boosted Barcelona's morale.
The Camp Nou crowd in particular erupted into cheers for their team.
On the pitch, Barcelona's players were playing with passion.
Leeds United were playing a high-pressing, attacking game, which inevitably left gaps behind their backline.
Barcelona's tactics were clear — they kept attacking Alphonso Davies.
Less than three minutes later, Messi dropped deep to receive and switched the ball to the right. Roberto and Semedo combined, and Semedo sent a great through ball from the right.
Aguero beat the offside trap and was through on goal.
At the key moment, Alisson rushed out quickly and got to the ball before Aguero could.
Barcelona continued to apply pressure after that.
Messi cut in from the right and suddenly curled a shot toward the far post with his left foot. Alisson flew across goal and pushed it wide — it was just inches away from being a world-class goal.
Take your eye off the Argentine for even a second, and he'll punish you.
Of course, Leeds United were not about to back down either.
Haaland received a cross from Valverde in the box on the right side and hit a powerful volley, which Neto pushed over the bar.
This time, it was Barcelona who got a scare.
From the ensuing corner, Declan Rice's header went just over.
Both teams kept up the high tempo and attacking play, making the match extremely exciting and full of close chances.
In the 15th minute, another right-wing attack from Barcelona saw Roberto deliver a pass that Messi received on the right side. After shaking off Alphonso Davies, he cut inside into the box and, despite Leeds United's tight defense, found space near the penalty spot to shoot with his left foot.
Alisson reacted quickly and caught the ball once again, preventing the goal.
The head-to-head battle between the two teams was thrilling to watch and incredibly tense.
Leeds United focused on defense, targeting Barcelona's tactical weaknesses. Meanwhile, Barcelona kept attacking Leeds United's left flank, putting pressure on Alphonso Davies.
It was clear that both sides were exploiting each other's weaknesses.
...
"Pochettino must stay calm at this critical moment."
From the stands, Gao Shen watched the ongoing danger from both teams and already had a read on the situation.
The bigger the waves, the pricier the fish.
Barcelona may seem dominant right now, but aren't they also treading on thin ice?
Today's Barcelona has long lost the essence of its former possession-based play.
It's hard to pinpoint exactly when it started — maybe it was after Xavi and Iniesta left, or maybe even before that.
Offensively, Barcelona's passing looked smooth, but the number of genuinely threatening passes had decreased.
Defensively, although the players appeared to be pressing and tackling hard, the impact was negligible. In fact, the entire midfield failed to intercept or delay Leeds United effectively.
Leeds United's problems were limited to Alphonso Davies' inexperience and defensive flaws at left-back.
But Barcelona's problems were systemic.
Leeds United's issues could be fixed with tactical tweaks or individual performances. Barcelona's problems, however, were unfixable.
Right now, it looked like a close contest, maybe even slightly tilted toward Barcelona.
But in truth, the momentum would only swing further in Leeds United's favor.
Not only because they scored early, but also because Leeds United had younger, more energetic players who could sustain the pace. Barcelona's older players would struggle to keep up and eventually wear down.
This aging Barcelona squad would eventually crack.
In fact, for a team like Barcelona, the smartest approach would have been to sit deep and play on the counter, just like Gao Shen did in his final season coaching Real Madrid.
It might not be a good look, but there's no choice.
When you can't afford to look good and win at the same time, you have to choose.
But Barcelona still chose to press forward.
If you lack the ability and still try to win with style, you'll only lose more miserably.
Leeds United's plan was to stay patient, keep up the pressure, and wait for Barcelona to make mistakes.
If Pochettino backed off now, they'd be throwing away a great opportunity.
"Let's bet. How long do you think Barcelona can hold out?" Lucas asked with a grin.
Before Gao Shen and Borrell could respond, he added, "I'm betting they'll concede again within 30 minutes."
Borrell nodded. "I say it'll be 2-0 in the first half."
They both looked at Gao Shen, mocking expressions on their faces.
It really did seem like the most likely outcome.
"You're gambling on football. I'm going to report you to UEFA!" Gao Shen feigned outrage and flipped the table.
Damn it, is this a trap?
"Report us later. First place your bet," Lucas urged.
"Yeah, come on, place your bet," Borrell echoed.
I give up. You guys are already acting like the second goal is guaranteed. What can I say?
"Fine. I bet we'll score at least two more goals."
Lucas and Borrell both burst out laughing. That was impossible.
The two of them were already thinking about which fancy restaurant Gao Shen would take them to.
Not far from them, Barcelona president Bartomeu and the others were whispering, still expecting Barcelona to score.
Given the current situation, it wouldn't be surprising if Leeds United made a mistake and gave them a chance.
Just then...
(To be continued.)