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"Robben's been kept absolutely quiet tonight!" Martin Taylor's voice rang out as the camera cut to the Dutchman, hands on his hips and visibly frustrated again after another interception.
"And that tells you everything about Arsenal's game plan," Alan Smith added. "They've built their defensive shape to contain him, and so far, it's been executed brilliantly. They're doubling up when needed, Kai's patrolling that midfield pocket, and Robben just hasn't had the room he craves."
On the touchline, Arsène Wenger exhaled heavily, arms folded but with a flicker of relief in his eyes. His plan had worked—at least for now. The single pivot role, carried by Kai, had been the gamble. If he'd been exposed, Arsenal would have been wide open. But instead, the young midfielder had stood tall, refusing to be bullied or dragged out of position.
Compared to last season, Kai looked far more assured against Robben. His reading of the game, his timing was there as before, but his gas tank had leveled up.
But Bayern Munich weren't blind. They had recognized the problem quickly and adapted with cold efficiency.
"Switch the play!" came the instruction from Pep, and within moments, Toni Kroos was urging his teammates to use the right-hand side.
Robben's path was blocked, so Bayern looked to Mario Götze instead.
The 37-million-euro signing from Dortmund had been waiting for this. Götze's form in Bavaria had been inconsistent, and he'd felt suffocated in Robben's shadow.
But now? This was his moment. Kroos caught his eye and nodded.
"Mario, it's yours now," Kroos muttered under his breath next to the former Dortmund man.
Götze's eyes lit up.
"No problem!" he replied, already buzzing with energy.
This was his chance to remind everyone why Bayern had brought him here.
As Bayern worked the ball across the pitch, Arsenal's shape instinctively shifted towards Robben. Even Kai leaned that way, reading Kroos' body position. But just as Kroos released the pass, Kai froze mid-stride. His Foresight saw the eventual ball trajectory—this wasn't going left.
He snapped his head, spun around, and barked at the top of his lungs: "Right side!"
The roar cut through the noise of the pitch like a siren. Arsenal's entire defensive block tilted instantly, surging across to smother the threat.
The ball landed at Götze's feet, and before he could even settle, Kai was already there—closing him down, snapping at his heels, delaying just enough for Arsenal's back line to slide across.
"Brilliant anticipation!" Martin Taylor exclaimed. "Kai read that like an open book. The moment Kroos looked to switch, he was already moving."
"His defensive instincts are frightening," Smith agreed.
Still, Götze had pace and guile. Twice he twisted, leaving Jenkinson off balance, and burst down the flank before whipping in a dangerous cross.
Mario Mandzukic rose to meet it, but Per Mertesacker towered above him, timing his jump perfectly to head clear.
Relief swept through the Arsenal players, Kai in particular. He slowed to a jog, eyes narrowing on Götze. The little German wasn't tall, but his feet were lightning-quick, and his confidence was growing with every touch.
If Kai hadn't reacted as quickly as he had, that could easily have been a goal.
Arsenal must be wary of Götze." Taylor said.
"And that's the problem," Smith added, voice tinged with concern. "Arsenal are so focused on Robben that they're in danger of underestimating Götze. Bayern now has threats on both flanks, and that stretches the defensive line horribly."
Guardiola's intentions were clear. He was using Götze to stretch space for Robben, forcing Arsenal to cover both sides at once.
Kai adjusted his positioning, no longer chasing individuals but anchoring himself centrally. He knew he couldn't win every sprint—his lack of raw pace was the one weakness opponents would always look to exploit. Instead, he played conductor, directing traffic with shouts and gestures, covering angles, delaying attacks until reinforcements arrived.
But the cracks were beginning to show.
"Arsenal are under real pressure now," Taylor noted. "Kai's done superbly so far, but he's being stretched. You can see him working overtime, constantly scanning, adjusting."
"Guardiola knows it," Smith said. "He's waiting on the touchline for the breaking point. He's targeted Kai's lack of pace, spreading the play wide and forcing him to cover huge amounts of ground. That's clever play."
On the sideline, Wenger frowned. His young midfielder had the heart, but not yet the full experience to manage situations like this.
He caught Theo Walcott jogging back and leaned in quickly: "Tell Kai to sit deeper—he's too high up the pitch."
But before Walcott could deliver the message, Bayern had already restarted with a quick throw-in. Kroos received, turned sharply, and zipped the ball straight into Götze.
Kai charged at him, determined to cut off the danger.
Götze stopped suddenly, pivoted, and swung his boot with all his weight behind it.
Kai's eyes went wide. "Damn it!"
The ball was already flying over him.
Kai's calves tightened, and he drove off the ground with a sudden burst, accelerating like a sprinter and cutting straight into the ball's path.
As the pass rolled closer, Kai threw himself into a sliding tackle, stretching his right foot as far as it would go, desperate to hook it with the tip of his boot.
There was contact—just a faint brush on his toes.
For a split second, he thought he had it.
But no—the ball didn't change direction; it only slowed a touch. Not enough.
Robben spotted the chance immediately, darting in with that trademark burst, and got to the ball near the edge of the penalty area. He shaped his body, the signal of a shot coming.
Koscielny lunged in to block, but Kai, scrambling back to his feet, shouted at the top of his lungs:
"It's a dummy!"
Too late. Robben chopped the ball onto his left, slipping into space, and then whipped his shot low.
Everyone in red held their breath.
The strike skidded tight along the grass, arrowing towards the far corner.
The angle was vicious.
Szczesny flung himself across, fingertips outstretched, but he was a fraction short.
Swish.
Net bulged.
Goal.
The Allianz erupted in a roar.
Twenty-six minutes gone, and Bayern had broken through. Götze's vision, Robben's finish—it was a move Arsenal couldn't contain.
The German commentator's voice thundered:
"Robben! Was für ein Traumtor!"
(Robben! What a dream goal!)
Another added, almost scathing:
"Die Verbindung zwischen Götze und Robben zerreißt Arsenal! Wenger vertraute dem jungen Kai in dieser defensiven Rolle, aber Robben ließ ihn dafür bezahlen. Er ist erst zwanzig – lernt noch. Er kann mit jemandem wie Robben noch nicht umgehen!"
(The link-up between Götze and Robben tears Arsenal apart! Wenger trusted the youngster Kai in that holding role, but Robben made him pay. He's only twenty—still learning. He can't handle someone like Robben yet!)
Inside the stadium, Bayern's fans were electric, chanting Robben's name over and over, bouncing in unison. The Dutchman sprinted to the corner flag, sliding on his knees as teammates mobbed him in celebration.
Kai pushed himself off the turf, fists clenched tight, jaw locked with frustration. The play had gone through his zone, and Bayern had punished it.
As he turned away, Walcott jogged up beside him.
"Kai!"
Kai exhaled sharply. "That was on me. I'll make it right, I promise."
Theo blinked, then cracked a small smile. "Relax, mate. You've done more than enough already. I'm not here to lecture youCoach asked me to pass something on."
Kai tilted his head. "What is it?"
"The professor says you need to drop deeper. You've got great positioning, but sometimes you get dragged into battles you don't need to fight. If you sit back more, you can read the play and cut them off before it gets dangerous."
Kai frowned, glancing toward midfield. "If I do that, my link with Cazorla breaks. Our build-up loses a gear."
Walcott shrugged. "Don't overthink it. Santi will handle it—he always finds a way. That's the point, isn't it? We're a team. You don't have to solve everything by yourself."
There was a pause. Then Kai nodded slowly, breathing out the tension. "Alright. I'll stay anchored. I'll focus on shutting them down. But then you lot—" he looked around at his teammates gathering back— "it's on you to put the ball in the net."
Walcott grinned, clapping him on the shoulder. "Deal. We'll get you covered."
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