With a goal from Haaland, Leeds United defeated Tottenham Hotspur 1-0 at Wembley Stadium to win the League Cup, their first trophy of 2021.
However, the team did not have much time to rest. They returned to Leeds immediately, had a brief rest, and then headed south to Madrid, Spain, to take part in the first leg of the Champions League semi-final at the Bernabéu.
Unlike Real Madrid, who had a full squad, Leeds United encountered many problems going into the match.
For instance, midfielder Valverde was still recovering from injury.
In addition, the team's recent multi-front campaigns and intense matches against strong opponents had taken a toll.
This forced Leeds United to make adjustments and rotate their squad.
In the recently concluded League Cup final, Pochettino had arranged for Pedri to play in midfield.
This away game at the Bernabéu held extraordinary significance for Leeds United.
Last season, they had been knocked out of the competition at this very stadium.
Valverde's absence significantly affected Leeds United, particularly in terms of midfield balance.
The Uruguayan midfielder had become an indispensable part of their setup. More importantly, Enzo Fernandez had played the full 90 minutes in the League Cup final.
How can they beat Real Madrid?
This was the question on everyone's mind ahead of the game.
Pochettino's answer, however, surprised everyone.
He actually deployed a 3-4-3 formation at the Bernabéu in this highly anticipated encounter.
Goalkeeper: Alisson.
Defense: Gvardiol, Ruben Dias, and Militao.
Midfielders: Alphonso Davies, Camavinga, Declan Rice, and Reece James.
Forwards: Rashford, Haaland, and Sancho.
Everyone was surprised upon seeing the starting lineup.
Three at the back is nothing new in European football, and many teams have used this system. Leeds United had also experimented with a back three before. But the question was, was it too risky to use it in such an important match, especially with a 19-year-old like Gvardiol?
Even more surprising was that Pochettino's tactical approach looked bold and aggressive.
There had been many calls to abolish the away goals rule in the Champions League. UEFA had been carefully analyzing, discussing, and researching this issue.
Based on the current developments, the rule would most likely be abolished starting next season.
Such major reforms usually require a period of adjustment and transition.
For example, the five-substitution rule had already been confirmed and announced, but not yet officially implemented. This was to allow clubs time to prepare.
Hence, major European teams had been actively recruiting recently.
Now, Pochettino had adopted a tactic that resembled a high-risk gamble, going all out against Real Madrid.
Interestingly, Zidane also opted for an aggressive approach, using a back-three formation.
Goalkeeper: Courtois.
Defense: Nacho, Van Dijk, and De Ligt.
Midfielders: Marcelo, Toni Kroos, Casemiro, Modric, and Carvajal.
Forwards: Mbappe and Benzema.
Real Madrid deployed a 3-5-2 formation, which bore some similarities to Leeds United's 3-4-3.
This revealed the essence of the matchup.
Both managers had chosen to go on the offensive.
As the most successful club in Champions League history, Real Madrid would never be outdone at home.
Judging from Zidane's lineup, he had been continuously rotating his squad, aiming to ensure his three starting midfielders were in optimal condition.
Bernardo Silva, Marcos Llorente, and others were on the bench.
It wasn't that Zidane made the wrong choice with his personnel. Rather, at such a critical moment, he placed his trust in the experience and chemistry of the trio.
...
"Just by looking at both lineups, you can tell this match won't disappoint."
In the stands at the Bernabéu, Gao Shen sat beside Florentino and the others, laughing heartily.
"They're all targeting each other. They both want the other dead!" Valdano said with a chuckle from the side.
The Argentinians had it the easiest.
What does Real Madrid fear the most?
Youth, pace, and aggression.
So, even in an away match, Pochettino was determined to go all out against Real Madrid.
You could even say that this was the only way Leeds United had any hope of winning.
Why had they repeatedly lost to Real Madrid last season and in past encounters?
Because Real Madrid's greatest strengths were stability and experience.
No matter what happened on the pitch, they remained composed like a rock. Their experience was immense.
Moreover, although Zidane appeared to be using a 3-5-2 formation, once the two wing-backs dropped deep, it effectively became a five-man defense.
Sometimes, it's not about the formation listed on paper, but how it's actually executed during the match. That's the key.
"If the schedule hadn't been so packed and the pressure hadn't been so great, Pochettino probably wouldn't have dared to make this decision," Gao Shen said.
Valdano nodded. "That's true."
Sometimes, managers are simply forced into these choices.
"How's Camavinga?" Butragueño asked with curiosity.
Gao Shen glanced at Butragueño's expression, which was almost like that of a scout, and couldn't help but laugh. "You'll see soon enough."
Camavinga was only 19 years old. Still very young, yet he had already made a name for himself at Leeds United, mainly because of his flamboyant style. He was the kind of player you'd like at first glance.
His footwork was excellent, but his passing could be a bit loose. He looked like a flair player, but in reality, his defensive awareness and ability to intercept were outstanding. So he was a rather contradictory mix.
At the moment, Leeds United didn't have a fixed role for him. The player was still gaining experience, slowly exploring and discovering his position, which was common among young players.
Especially for well-rounded players like Camavinga, who were effective in both attack and defense, finding the most suitable role could be even more challenging.
If we're talking weaknesses, his right foot was one.
However, Leeds United had been working on strengthening his right foot over the years, so it was no longer a major liability.
As for how well he would perform at the Bernabéu tonight, who knew?
"If Camavinga performs well tonight, I think it'll be an excellent battle," Valdano said with great anticipation.
Everyone nodded in agreement.
Leeds United had made their intentions clear. They were determined to fight Real Madrid head-on.
Real Madrid were at home, and they had no choice but to face their opponents directly.
Zidane's decision to start with a Benzema-Mbappe pairing made his stance very clear.
...
From the opening whistle, Leeds United pushed the tempo aggressively.
Especially in midfield and attack, they applied immense pressure on Real Madrid.
Leeds United's strategy was clear: take full advantage of their youth and energy to overwhelm Real Madrid with high-intensity attacking and pressing, or at least drag them into a physical battle.
This caused major problems for Real Madrid. Under Leeds United's high-speed pressing, it became very difficult for their players to play out from the back.
Camavinga, in particular, was very active, covering large areas, defending fiercely, and displaying excellent footwork.
In the 8th minute, a sudden tackle from Camavinga forced Casemiro into a passing error. His ball to Modric was intercepted by Camavinga.
Although Modric recovered quickly, Camavinga's footwork was spot on. He stumbled but managed to pass the ball to the left side of the attacking third.
Rashford drove forward with the ball, rapidly breaking through along the left flank and into the left side of the box.
Facing De Ligt in a one-on-one, Rashford advanced, then came to a sudden stop, cutting inside and halting again.
De Ligt responded quickly, staying close to Rashford and preventing him from taking a clear shot.
Rashford didn't shoot. Instead, he chipped the ball with his right foot toward the far post.
Sancho sprinted in and, just as the ball dropped, flicked it back into the middle.
Haaland, who had been waiting eagerly, charged in and struck a powerful shot with his right foot, smashing the ball into Real Madrid's net.
1-0!
The entire Bernabéu erupted with screams.
Everyone in Leeds United colors celebrated wildly, thrilled by the perfect start.
The match restarted, and Leeds United continued their fierce attacks.
In the 16th minute, Haaland dropped deep to receive the ball, passed it back to Camavinga, who, under pressure from Modric, played it back to Ruben Dias.
The Portuguese center-back found space, and before Benzema could close him down, launched a long ball into the attacking third, sending it behind Real Madrid's backline.
Rashford burst forward like a rocket, getting ahead of De Ligt. He controlled the ball at the edge of the box and pushed into the area. Then he stopped suddenly, switched from his left to right foot, feinted, and cut inside before blasting a shot with his right.
The ball rocketed into the right side of the goal again.
2-0!
The entire Bernabéu fell into stunned silence.
Real Madrid fans stared in disbelief at the scoreboard.
In just over ten minutes, their team had conceded two goals.
How was this match supposed to continue?
Could it be that Real Madrid would suffer a humiliating home defeat to Leeds United, just like Barcelona had?
Forget the fans in the stands. Even Florentino and the club's executives were starting to grow uneasy.
If he suffered a crushing defeat like Barcelona did, his tenure as president would effectively be over.
To everyone's surprise, Real Madrid's players remained calm after the restart.
Their midfield continued to control the ball at a deliberate pace, gradually stabilizing the rhythm and the game.
Despite the intense pressure from Leeds United, Real Madrid's players showed enough technical ability to maintain possession.
They didn't panic, executing the game plan methodically.
It gave off a certain feeling.
Real Madrid were waiting.
Once Leeds United's initial burst faded, once they needed to catch their breath, that's when Real Madrid would strike back.
(To be continued.)