Schalke 04, a team located in the Ruhr area of Germany, forms the famous Ruhr area Derby with Borussia Dortmund.
Due to their location in Europe's coal mining heartland, they are also nicknamed 'The Miners'.
Speaking of Schalke 04, they are currently one of the strongest teams in the Bundesliga.
They, along with Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund, form the top three in the Bundesliga and maintain good combat effectiveness.
However, compared to their 'neighbors' who are gradually moving towards the top European stage, repeatedly showcasing exciting matches and unearthing talented players, Schalke 04 has fewer advantages.
Although they also threaten Bayern Munich's Bundesliga dominance, unlike Borussia Dortmund, who have repeatedly won the Bundesliga title through concrete actions, Schalke 04 has always been suppressed.
Even when it comes to the Champions League, their performance has not been as stunning as Borussia Dortmund's.
Of course, the current Schalke 04 is considered glorious.
Because in the future, they will become even more dismal, especially after being relegated to Serie B in the 20/21 season, they can't even see any sign of returning to the top League.
Of course, the current Schalke 04 is still that powerful Ruhr area team.
However, this power is relative.
On the Bundesliga stage, against relatively mediocre teams, they definitely possess super strong competitiveness.
But in the Champions League, facing a top team like Real Madrid, they are somewhat outmatched.
Nevertheless, Schalke 04 still has a 'draw swords' spirit when facing Real Madrid; even in an away game, they did not adopt a conservative defensive tactic but instead attacked proactively.
The 2013/2014 Champions League group stage third round, Real Madrid home against Schalke 04, the starting lineups are as follows:
Real Madrid (4-3-3):
Goalkeeper: Casillas.
Defenders: Srna, Pepe, Varane, Ramos.
Midfielders: Kroos, Casemiro, Kaka.
Forwards: Bale, Benzema, Suker.
Schalke 04 (4-2-3-1):
Goalkeeper: Hildebrand.
Defenders: Atsuto Uchida, Höwedes, Matip, Ogo.
Midfielders: Draxler, Jones, Boateng, Neustädter, Fuchs.
Forward: Szalai.
"Schalke 04 faces another tough battle. In the League, they just drew with Bayern Munich, but at the cost of their top scorer Huntelaar getting injured. Now, in the Champions League, they face the perennial Champions League powerhouse Real Madrid again, which makes their situation even worse!"
"Hopefully, their substitute striker Szalai can put in an excellent performance and fill Huntelaar's position!"
The Bundesliga commentator's tone was a bit downcast. There was no way around it; even at their peak, Schalke 04 had trouble playing against Real Madrid, let alone with their top scorer Laporte injured.
Losing a major threat point in the front field means this game will be more about defense!
But the problem is, Schalke 04 did not adopt a conservative tactic; instead, they were prepared to go head-to-head with Real Madrid in an away game. Their morale was high, but how would they deal with defensive issues?
On the field, both teams had already lined up, and the match was about to begin.
The entire Bernabéu Stadium erupted in thunderous cheers.
With the conclusion of the World Cup qualifiers, Spain successfully advanced to the World Cup, and they poured all their passion into the League.
Last season, they failed to win the Champions League, and this season they are bound to make some breakthroughs.
Moreover, since Ancelotti took over this season, Real Madrid's overall style has changed considerably.
Their playing style is no longer so conservative, nor is it so superficial.
Instead, it is exciting and magnificent!
This Real Madrid under Ancelotti can be described as ever-changing.
You never know what tactics he will employ; they can play possession football, counter-attacking football; he can play aerial bombardment over your head, and also use continuous and swift penetrating passing to break through your defense.
It can be said that this Real Madrid excels in its comprehensiveness!
What's more, the players in every position for Real Madrid are top-tier.
Coupled with the super strong offensive players on both wings, few teams can withstand Real Madrid's attack.
Even before the match began, the Schalke 04 players were already a bit nervous.
Especially Szalai, as a substitute, he had been suppressed by Laporte for many years, with few opportunities to play.
Now, with Laporte injured, he finally got his chance.
But a chance is just a chance; only by proving himself with his performance can he earn the opportunity to compete with Laporte for a starting spot.
Therefore, he must perform well in this match.
That being said, their opponent is Real Madrid!
Szalai looked across at the Real Madrid players in their white jerseys.
Everyone has a 'Real Madrid dream', and Szalai had joined Real Madrid B team in 2007. If he performed outstandingly, he could be promoted to the first team and wear that coveted white jersey.
But not everyone succeeds, and he is not Suker!
Until he left, he never got the chance to be promoted to Real Madrid's first team, let alone wear the white jersey.
Now, looking at the glittering superstars on the opposite side, Szalai's eyes were filled with longing and desire.
He once wanted to be like these people.
But now, he is still struggling in the Bundesliga, seeking an opportunity to make a name for himself.
Szalai clenched his fists tightly; he had to fight hard in this match.
On the other side, Suker was jumping in place, his movements attracting the attention of many opposing players.
Needless to say, Suker was naturally Schalke 04's primary target for attention, but trying to limit Suker was somewhat wishful thinking.
After all, since Suker's debut, aside from a few extreme tactics, Suker has rarely been restricted.
However, whenever extreme tactics are used, it will cause other positions of Real Madrid to erupt one after another, and they will ultimately lose the match.
Therefore, when playing against Real Madrid, the prerequisite is not defense, but the ability to engage in an intense offensive battle with Real Madrid.
The best defense is offense!
Blindly pursuing defense will only lead to Suker and Real Madrid's frontline repeatedly tearing apart the backline.
Soon, a fierce cheer suddenly erupted throughout the stadium.
Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Along with this earth-shattering roar, the whistle for the start of the match also sounded.
In the first half, Real Madrid kicked off first.
"The match has begun! This is the 2013/2014 Champions League group stage match between Real Madrid and Schalke 04. After the major Leagues paused for World Cup qualifiers, the season has now restarted, and Schalke 04 has successively encountered strong opponents in both the League and the Champions League!"
"In the League, they had a dull 1-1 draw with the formidable Bayern Munich at home, but in the Champions League, they are now facing Real Madrid!"
"This match will not be easy for Schalke 04, and for Real Madrid, they also need to remain vigilant and not be complacent in the slightest."
After Real Madrid kicked off, they maintained their original stance, with the midfield dominating possession.
Suker did not participate in this phase; although Schalke 04 is a strong team in the Bundesliga, on the Champions League level, they are not that strong, not to the extent that Suker needs to drop deep to receive the ball.
He remained active on the wing, linking up with Bale on the right, forming a two-line threat on the flanks.
Suker and Bale played very wide, fully expanding Schalke 04's defensive shape.
This also gave Real Madrid's midfield more passing space and distance.
Schalke 04 dared not tuck in directly, mainly fearing that their two wings would be exploited.
Atsuto Uchida was one of the first large-scale waves of Japanese players to play abroad. He, along with Shinji Kagawa, Hidetoshi Nakata, and others, formed Japan's generation of hope.
Naturally, many Japanese fans were watching this match.
After all, this was an opportunity for Atsuto Uchida to play against Suker; he didn't need to perform too well, just being able to hold his own would be a sign of Atsuto Uchida's success.
But the problem was, Atsuto Uchida quickly became somewhat dazed.
Suker exerted immense pressure on the wing.
Dropping back to receive, pressing forward!
Atsuto Uchida had to stick to Suker immediately; even a slight lapse in concentration would result in Suker dribbling past him directly.
His eyes were fixed on Suker, paying attention to every detail of his opponent's movements.
At this moment, Kroos suddenly made a long pass directly to Suker from the other side of the field.
"Chance!"
Atsuto Uchida quickly made a judgment and pressed forward.
He knew that as an attacking player, as long as he pressed forward, the opponent would feel a slight pressure, and their movements would not be as fluid.
He could use this opportunity to interfere, or even contend for the second point.
He had tried this move many times in the Bundesliga!
Atsuto Uchida charged forward rapidly, almost reaching Suker.
At this moment, Suker actually turned his head to look at him.
Atsuto Uchida was clearly stunned for a moment, but still accelerated his charge.
"Uchida-kun presses forward! Facing the world's number one Suker, he didn't choose to sit idly by, but took the initiative to attack!"
The Japanese commentator also shouted excitedly.
Atsuto Uchida and the ball arrived almost simultaneously.
Suker slightly extended his foot as if to stop the ball, and Atsuto Uchida seized the opportunity to immediately extend his foot, attempting to tackle.
Just then, Suker's left foot slightly turned outwards, making an angled motion towards the byline. After touching his foot, the ball passed through Atsuto Uchida's legs at this angle, while Suker lightly retreated, pushing off with his standing foot, instantly completing the evasion.
Atsuto Uchida: "!!!"
What the hell kind of stop was that?
"Oh!!! Suker!! A world-class ball control that directly bypassed Uchida-kun!"
After completing the dribble, Suker caught up with the ball in two steps, his entire movement incredibly fluid.
After bypassing Atsuto Uchida, Schalke 04's entire backline instantly became unstable.
They watched Suker charge towards the penalty area, their eyelids twitching.
"Go up! Tie him down!"
Matip roared.
As a center-back, Höwedes immediately rushed forward, full of momentum. Even if he was bypassed, he would bring Suker down and end the opponent's attack.
But at this moment, Suker's footwork showed a clear change in rhythm, and he also looked up towards the center, where Kroos was moving forward to receive.
"Pass?"
Höwedes was momentarily dazed, a fleeting moment of hesitation, but it was this instant that made his movements less decisive, and his footwork became disorganized.
And Suker, seizing this opportunity, suddenly pushed the ball forward, directly entering the penalty area.
"Don't even think about it!"
Höwedes directly reached out and pulled Suker's jersey.
Suker's body was slightly pulled backward, but he strained his core, directly swinging his left foot to shoot.
"Suker!!!!!!!—"
At this moment, the entire Bernabéu Stadium erupted in cheers.
The ball, like a precisely guided missile, flew straight into the net along the left goalpost.
Just 4 minutes into the match, Suker performed a dribbling show on the left wing and scored the first goal.
"Gooooooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!"
González's Spanish echo erupted as he shouted excitedly into the microphone.
"Suker! The unstoppable Suker!"
"From the moment he bypassed Atsuto Uchida, the outcome was already decided! Höwedes's hesitation led to Suker's dribble, and once inside the penalty area, Suker's shooting threat greatly increased!"
"Most crucially, this goal was scored amidst intense interference. Suker's jersey was pulled so long by Höwedes, but it still couldn't shake Suker's stability. He perfectly kept the ball down and scored this goal!"
"This is Suker, he can convert any slight chance into a goal!"
"Atsuto Uchida was a bit too aggressive. This Japanese player was confident in his judgment, but he overlooked that Suker is a player who cannot be judged by common sense!"
Suker scored the first goal, and the entire Bernabéu Stadium entered a celebratory mode.
Tens of thousands of fans cheered and shouted, erupting in continuous cheers towards Suker in the center of the field.
Suker spread his arms, as if to embrace the stadium, like a king presiding over the field.
Excited fans almost shouted the word 'King'.
The Bernabéu has many princes, and Raúl is one of the representative players.
But as for 'King', so far there has only been Santiago Bernabéu himself!
The Bernabéu Stadium is also named after him!
But now, Suker's various performances and statistics, coupled with the brilliant goals and honors he has brought to Real Madrid, are gradually moving him out of the realm of a 'prince' and towards the direction of a king!
Unlike other clubs, Real Madrid's selection process for a 'King' is extremely strict.
If one hasn't achieved the best in history and made sufficient contributions, it's an impossible feat.
But Suker, despite only being at Real Madrid for a short four years, has won countless honors.
As the representative star of Real Madrid today, everything about Suker seems to be intertwined with Real Madrid.
Undoubtedly, externally, Suker has already been labeled with Real Madrid.
And Real Madrid, based on Suker, has re-entered the Galácticos era.
Of course, the title 'King' is still a bit too early.
Perhaps when Suker wins the World Cup, or perhaps when Suker wins a few more Champions League and La Liga titles, he might truly be crowned King at the Bernabéu!
In the VIP box, Florentino applauded with a smile.
He didn't mind individual fans calling Suker 'King'; if it could further enhance the club's influence, he would be pleased.
Of course, he wasn't so petty as to think that Suker becoming 'King' would affect him.
Suker was a player personally invited by Florentino, and this was the foundation of everything.
Suker and Florentino were already tied together, a single interest group.
Unless one day, Suker openly opposed Florentino, or directly cursed him out in front of the media.
As long as it wasn't such an extreme situation, the higher Suker's achievements, the more status and resources Florentino would gain.
He would even be willing to personally promote this matter and crown Suker as King if necessary!
"Mr. Santiago passed away in 1978, and Real Madrid also lost its 'King' for 35 years." Florentino looked at Suker on the field and couldn't help but turn to ask, "What do you think of him?"
The secretary didn't speak; he didn't know how to answer.
Nor did he know if Florentino had a hidden meaning in his words.
Florentino also smiled, turned to look at the field, his gaze fixed on Suker, revealing a relieved smile.
"Since I returned to the Real Madrid presidency, the most correct decision was to bring Suker to the Bernabéu! Look, how great he is!"
Casillas looked at the thunderous cheers on the field, and couldn't help but feel a pang of sadness.
As the captain of Real Madrid, he had also fantasized about his own future.
He didn't ask to become a symbol of Real Madrid like 'Raúl', or a 'Prince' of the Bernabéu.
But he also wanted to become an excellent captain in the mouths of fans.
However, some unfortunate experiences and choices at the end of his career made him lose these opportunities.
Now, looking at Suker, he couldn't help but feel a hint of envy.
Suker was definitely the recognized 'Prince' of the Bernabéu at present!
No one in the outside world or media would find fault with this.
However, this guy was slowly breaking through this boundary, moving towards being a 'King'.
The moment he is crowned King, his status at Real Madrid will be infinitely elevated. Combined with his brilliant player career, even if he retires in the future, he will have an undeniable position at Real Madrid.
The celebration ended.
This goal left Schalke 04 a bit stunned.
But the worst was yet to come!
In the 18th minute, just 14 minutes after the previous goal, Bale replicated Suker's goal on the right wing.
With his superb individual ability and speed, he directly broke through Schalke 04's defense and scored.
With two goals conceded, Schalke 04 became even more passive.
In the 31st minute, Casemiro scored his first goal since joining Real Madrid from a corner kick.
The score was extended to 3:0, and the entire match entered Real Madrid's rhythm. Schalke 04's defense was repeatedly torn apart, and the defenders were now dazed.
There were even several mistakes; if Real Madrid had played more decisively, it wouldn't have been just three goals conceded.
However, after leading by three goals, Real Madrid clearly eased off, not applying greater offensive pressure.
And the first half ended with this score!