The second leg of the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 was a crucial challenge for Real Madrid.
In the past three Champions League campaigns, they had always fallen at the Round of 16 stage.
For a club as elite as Real Madrid, this was unacceptable, but they couldn't seem to break the curse.
A string of unfortunate issues had left them stuck—not just standing still, but regressing.
This was painful not only for Real Madrid's fans but also for the players.
This season, they had signed Robben, Sneijder, Pepe, and other notable players.
Robben joined Real Madrid for a hefty fee of €35 million, but his performance still failed to satisfy the fans.
Real Madrid fans are the most demanding in the world—They have witnessed the peak of world football,They've had the best players on the planet,So their expectations for glory and player performance are ruthlessly high.
Robben had been average at best.But "average" doesn't cut it for Real fans.They won't wait for Robben to slowly mature and reach his peak.
"Arjen Robben!"
Inside the San Siro, the stadium speakers echoed his name.
Immediately, a wave of boos erupted from the AC Milan fans for this uninvited guest. Even the few Madrid fans present didn't offer much support.
"Robben, stop being so selfish!"
"Quit dribbling so much! Learn to pass!"
"Remember! This is Real Madrid! If you're not good enough, pass the ball!"
Madrid fans shouted at Robben relentlessly.
They were fed up with his ball-hogging.
He always tried to dribble down the flank by himself—Yes, it worked sometimes,But more often than not, he failed.
Robben was fast, and his dribbling skills were solid,But he had yet to hit his peak, and couldn't become a decisive factor on the wing.
As the players entered the pitch, Suker looked over at Robben.
This was the Dutch winger who would one day rise to glory.
Robben at his peak was unstoppable."Everyone knew Robben would cut inside, but no one could stop him."
That quote defined peak Robben better than anything else.
You knew what he would do,And yet you still couldn't stop it. Only defenders would understand that kind of pain.
But the current Robben was still too green.
His head still had patches of thin hair, though the signs of balding were already there.
"A hairy Robben isn't strong."
"Only the bald Robben becomes unstoppable."
Thinking of this, Suker sighed.
"Some get stronger when they go bald…"
"Meanwhile, our own Nesta's hairline is retreating because he's getting old."
Starting lineups:
AC Milan (4-4-2):
GK: Dida
DEF: Oddo, Nesta, Šimunić, Jankulovski
MID: Kaká, Ambrosini, Pirlo, Seedorf
FW: Pato, Suker
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
GK: Casillas
DEF: Miguel Torres, Ramos, Cannavaro, Heinze
MID: Guti, Gago, Diarra
FW: Robben, Van Nistelrooy, Raúl
After the coin toss, the players took their positions.
Before kickoff, Suker approached Ambrosini.
Though their relationship had improved, they rarely spoke.
But this time, Suker made the effort.
"Robben loves to cut inside.He's very dangerous when he does.Try to limit him and keep him stuck on the flank.Also—he doesn't like to pass. Use that against him."
Ambrosini nodded seriously.
This was the Champions League—there's no room for jokes.
And a talented player like Robben deserved attention.
"Don't worry. We'll handle the defense—you guys just focus on attacking."
Suker nodded and returned to the front line.
By now, the players were all lined up in formation.
Real Madrid's 4-3-3 setup was known as a balanced formation, often called the "big club setup."
It was a system with no glaring weaknesses, relying heavily on individual brilliance to create chances.
Most average teams couldn't pull it off—only elite clubs could try it.
Real Madrid brought out this setup at San Siro, and even started both Robben and Van Nistelrooy.
That clearly showed:
They were going all in.
Their attacking intent was on full display.
On the other side, AC Milan stuck to a safe and steady 4-4-2.
They hadn't used the Christmas Tree formation in a long time.
But that was for a good reason—
The Christmas Tree sacrificed some defensive strength for attacking power.And right now, Milan's back line couldn't afford that.
So they stuck with a solid defensive system and the direct "dog-fetching-frisbee" tactic.
It wasn't the prettiest style of football—but it worked.
Between aesthetics and victory, Ancelotti chose victory.
Fat Carlo wasn't the type to fake it.He wouldn't go for flashy nonsense—he focused on getting the job done.
The referee made his final checks and stepped out of the center circle.
The whistle blew.
A Champions League Round of 16 second leg in Milan's night—A match that could be Real Madrid's last hope of redemption—Had begun.
"Robben dribbles down the wing! He's fast—Real Madrid players are following up—but he still doesn't pass! He's trying to cut inside again!"
From the start, Real Madrid focused their attacks down Robben's right wing.
His pace was electric, his footwork rapid—But he still couldn't get past Ambrosini.
Yes, Ambrosini's solid positioning was part of it,But there was another problem.
"Not decisive enough,"
Suker muttered from the front line.
When cutting inside, the key is decisiveness.
If you hesitate—If you don't even trust your own move—Your footwork will be awkward and full of delays.
That's exactly what Robben was doing.
After a feint, he should have immediately gone for the cut-in.
But instead, he always paused for a split second.
Suker didn't know what was going through Robben's mind,But it allowed AC Milan's defenders to easily hold their positions.
Suker turned to observe Real Madrid's back line.
All four defenders were watching him.
Cannavaro kept him in his line of sight the whole time.
Ramos was starting, but Pepe didn't even make the squad.
Suker wasn't sure if Pepe had gotten into trouble again,Or if Madrid thought playing both Ramos and Pepe would be risky.
But for Suker, that was good news.
Pepe on one side and Ramos on the other—Neither was elite right now, but both were definitely dirty.
"Jankulovski makes the tackle!"
Robben loses the ball—AC Milan take possession!
Suker instantly turns and bolts forward—Cannavaro glued to him.
The ball goes to Pirlo.
Pirlo sees the field, doesn't hesitate—a long diagonal pass forward.
The ball arcs toward open space on the right.
"Heinze! Watch your side!"
Cannavaro shouts.
The ball is out of Suker's immediate reach—But he's sprinting hard anyway.
At the same time, Pato races toward the drop point.
He gets there first, using the inside of his foot to stop the ball three meters in front of him.
Heinze is caught off guard by how smooth the trap was.
Pato uses the opportunity to burst past Heinze—Then whips a low cross across the box.
Suker, who had been sprinting diagonally, cuts into a straight run.
He's moving so fast that Cannavaro ends up stuck behind him.
The cross reaches the box—Suker powers forward.
"Suker!! Diving header!!"
His body goes airborne in a straight line—Eyes locked on the ball—A slight tilt of his head—And he glances it toward the far post.
It's a fast ball.
But Casillas reacts quickly too.
He stretches his right arm and uses his wrist to deflect it!
Smack!
The ball drops inside the box.
Ramos rushes in and boots it away.
The ball soars toward midfield.
Kaká and Raúl both leap for it—It bounces off their shoulders and lands right at Pirlo's feet.
Pirlo controls it cleanly.