While Guardiola's brain was running at high speed, Chelsea also continued to play threatening offense.
In fact, in addition to the compatibility of tactics, there is another factor that cannot be ignored.
That has been Bayern Munich's advantage since the start, which is based more on physical running coverage and desperate high-position pressing.
But these will continue to be lost as the game progresses and physical energy is consumed.
This is why Guardiola desperately wants to score a goal first, and then seek a balance between tactical pressure and physical distribution.
It's just that even now it's only the first half of half-time, and the physical energy consumption of Bayern players is also very high.
It's a bit like participating in a 5,000-meter or 10,000-meter race, but if you run 400 meters or even 100 meters in the first few laps, you will definitely be unable to keep up later.
So now that Pan Yi has changed his style of play and focused on wing attacks, Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso can also get frequent opportunities to step in.
This is because the physical energy of Bayern Munich players is very high, which is no longer enough for them to cover and run like they did at the beginning.
Whether it is Alaba or Lahm, after many sprints, they now need to slow down.
At this time, Azpilicueta and Marcos Alonso are pressing forward. If they try to defend, they will feel a little powerless.
Of course, this physical factor is also considered by Pan Yi when he changes the tactical formation.
Just take advantage of your illness to kill you!
And as Bayern's physical strength continues to be consumed, such opportunities will become more and more obvious, and Chelsea will attack more and more times.
In the 35th minute, Hazard took a corner kick from the left, and Van Dijk grabbed the first spot in the middle and headed the goal!
But the ball was a little too high and flew directly over the crossbar and landed on the top of the net.
Neuer took a goal kick and handed the ball to Ram on the wing.
But as soon as Ram handed the ball to Xavi Alonso in front, it was intercepted by Kante who was actively attacking. Then Kante took a step forward and directly took a long shot!
This shot was very powerful, but the angle was too right and Neuer missed it.
Chelsea's offense was getting higher and higher, and the continuous shots posed a threat, which also greatly excited the Blues fans at the scene.
After being silent for most of the game, they also began to wave the flags and scarves in their hands, shouting loudly to cheer for their team!
The main reason is that the half hour after the opening was really depressing.
The whole Bayern Munich team was playing like a chicken to the bone, suppressing Chelsea in a very embarrassing situation, and the front of the goal was even more dangerous.
Well now, half an hour has passed, Bayern Munich's physical fitness has begun to decline, and after many exciting games between Guardiola and Pan Yi, Chelsea has gradually begun to find the feeling of the game.
This is the Chelsea that Blues fans are used to seeing!
Chelsea, who have remained unbeaten in the Premier League and Champions League for two seasons!
Chelsea is competing for the glory of seven crowns!
Only Chelsea like this can really excite fans!
On the field, Chelsea also played more freely amid the cheers from the fans.
Just three minutes after Kante's long-range shot, Chelsea once again created a chance.
After David Luiz intercepted the ball in midfield, he quickly handed it to Seat B.
Seat B moved forward after receiving the ball, and before Vidal could get close to press him, he hit a through ball.
The ball was sent forward along the turf, just behind Boateng and Harvey Martinez.
This is the change in Pan Yi's wing attack routine.
Mainly playing on the wing, but when you see Bayern's defensive forces leaning towards the wing, they will combine the wing and the center, focusing on attacking in the east and attacking in the west!
It is precisely because of this that Bayern's two central defenders are positioned relatively close to the two wings at this time, resulting in a relatively large space between the two.
Seat B also wisely sensed this gap and accurately delivered a through ball.
On the other side, Chelsea center Lukaku, who was at the front, started quickly like a sharp arrow!
He passed between two Bayern Munich defenders, successfully countered offside, received the ball before anyone else, and entered the penalty area.
This is a one-shot!
At this time, the only thing standing in front of Lukaku was Neuer.
The fans at the San Siro Stadium couldn't help but stand up.
"Bernardo Silva made a direct pass, single-handedly!"
"Lukaku is very fast. He cuts into the penalty area and faces Neuer directly!"
"He feinted a shot, faked a shot. Neuer fell to the ground!"
"Lukaku threw the ball out, trying to pass Neuer and then hit the empty goal. But Neuer's second reaction was very quick. He was still lying on the ground, but he swung his right hand and touched the ball!"
"Lukaku had no choice but to chase the ball, but in this way, the best opportunity to shoot was missed. Boateng and Javi Martinez also returned to defend in place."
"In desperation, Lukaku had no choice but to pass the ball back and handed it to Hazard who followed behind."
"Hazard shot directly! He wanted to shoot quickly before Neuer returned, but he pursued the angle a little too much and the ball missed the post. What a pity!"
"It can be said that this was a direct contest between the striker and the goalkeeper, but Neuer won. This time he decisively abandoned the goal and showed the decisiveness and calmness of the German goalkeeper."
"On the court, what we see is an action that happens in a split second, but through slow-motion playback, we can see that Lukaku made at least two false shots to confuse the goalkeeper before passing the ball, and even one of them was deceived. Pass Neuer and let him fall to the ground."
"But Neuer's reaction was really too fast! He also predicted the direction of Lukaku's ball, and before the ball was about to cross his control, he barely touched the ball."
"This is a very crucial touch! Lukaku and Hazard look very regretful because Chelsea once again missed a great scoring opportunity."
"But judging from the course of the game, after 30 minutes, Bayern Munich's physical fitness declined. Chelsea not only stabilized their position, but also played a wave of threatening offensives, and made several consecutive shots very effectively. The threat, especially Lukaku’s single shot and Hazard’s subsequent shot.”
"Now it's Guardiola's turn to reconsider Bayern Munich's tactics."
"At the beginning of the game, Bayern was able to contain Chelsea with their abundant physical fitness and the efficient tactical execution of the players on the field. Guardiola also took the lead in changing formations."
"But now with the decline in physical fitness, the offensive and defensive effectiveness of Bayern players has declined, and Pan Yi's 4-3-2-1 flat Christmas tree formation also makes it easier for Chelsea to pull through the combination of wings and center. Get an opening and create a killing opportunity.”
"It can be seen that Chelsea is getting better!"
——
Pan Yi on the sidelines couldn't help but hold his head and felt deeply regretful when he saw Lukaku miss a single shot.
But there's no way around it, it's just the reality, especially when you're facing the best goalkeeper in the world.
This is not nonsense by Pan Yi. In the 2014 World Cup, Neuer was the best goalkeeper and also ranked among the top three in the Ballon d'Or selection.
Moreover, in the subconscious mind of ordinary fans, it feels that it is very easy to score with a single sword, and basically all good forwards can score.
But what about the reality?
Statistics show that in the five major leagues, the average single goal rate is only... 32%!
In other words, if these players who can play in the best league in the world can score one goal when they get three goals, they are already average.
Generally speaking, if you can score two points with one sword, you are a master!
Looking at history, the player with the highest single-handed success rate should be Ronaldo.
Although there is no data to support it, he has the title of alien, has superb shooting skills, and likes to pass the goalkeeper before shooting, so it should be taken for granted that he has a high success rate.
Having said that, Lu Yuanwai is certainly not as good as Ronaldo, so it is indeed understandable that he missed a single shot when facing Neuer.
As long as your mentality is not affected, it’s okay, just come back next time!
When Pan Yi looked at Lukaku again, he saw that he was indeed a little regretful at first, but he quickly got up from the ground, ran back quickly, and rejoined the game. He looked very calm.
This made Pan Yi on the sidelines very satisfied and applauded vigorously:
"Well done, that's how you play! Take your time, don't be in a hurry, more opportunities are waiting for you!"
Pan Yi shouted this so loudly that even Guardiola in front of the visiting team's coaching bench heard it.
Guardiola touched his bald head and stood up immediately.
He knows that the game is now beginning to tilt in Chelsea's favour.
And of course, he had already prepared in advance the changes after his physical fitness declined at the beginning.
Now is the time, otherwise it will be too late.
This 4-2-4 formation has too many loopholes under the opponent's attack!
What Guardiola was thinking deeply about just now was how to reduce his own physical consumption and better deal with Pan Yi's 4-3-2-1 tactics...
Now he has thought about it.
After Guardiola kept shouting and gesticulating on the court, Bayern Munich changed their formation again.
Ribery and Robben returned to the midfield position, while Xavi Martinez, who was originally at the center back position, moved forward to form a three-back midfielder with Xabi Alonso and Vidal, and Chelsea's three midfielders. Fight against each other.
And Thomas Muller on the striker also returned to the attacking midfielder position again, and Bayern's overall formation became a 3-5-1-1 position.
As a result, the two full-backs Alaba and Lahm move more in their ribs, and are actually more like "side midfielders".
This, combined with the three defensive midfielders and two full midfielders originally in the midfield, formed a dense iron wall at the front of the penalty area.
This is not the same as a bus tactic. Due to the offensive attributes of the defensive midfielders and full midfielders, coupled with the supporting midfielder Muller and forward forward Lewandowski, Bayern can still launch a quick and effective attack in an instant.
As a result, the tactical battle between Pan Yi and Guardiola officially entered the third round!
4-3-2-1 VS 3-5-1-1!
However, although Guardiola's tactics can inhibit Chelsea's three midfielders from controlling the midfield and wing to a certain extent, Bayern players' ability to execute tactics has also dropped a lot due to their declining physical fitness.
Therefore, in the final stage of the first half, Chelsea was still the main attacker and Bayern was the main defender.
"Harry Kane got the ball and shot! Oops the ball was a little high."
"Lukaku headed the ball! But Neuer saved him."
"Hazard curled the ball into the far corner! Neuer made another wonderful save."
"Starting from the 30th minute, Chelsea gradually regained the feeling of the game and launched a wave of fierce offensive."
"Chelsea's two wings were very active. Harry Kane and Lukaku both frequently created threats, including Hazard."
"But Chelsea also missed several excellent scoring opportunities, and now the two sides are still zero to zero."
"Ah, a whistle! The referee finally blew the whistle to end the first half."
"Zero to zero, the two sides ended in a goalless draw, and no one was able to score the opponent's goal."
"Judging from the performance in the 45 minutes of the first half, both sides played well."
"Bayern Munich created opportunities continuously after the opening, but failed to break Chelsea's goal. The Blues, on the other hand, exerted their strength in the second half, and launched waves of very threatening attacks in the last ten minutes, but they also failed. Beat Bayern Munich's goal."
"In addition to the wonderful performances of the players from both teams, the fighting style between Pan Yi and Guardiola was also breathtaking."
"During the forty-five minutes of the first half, they actually changed three formations and played in three different formations. They showed off their tactics to such an extent that I could only shout, "See you soon."
"Of course, from my point of view, I will be more optimistic about Chelsea."
"Because Bayern Munich's physical fitness declined, the pressing was obviously not as good as the opening game. I believe this situation will become more obvious in the second half."
"No matter how exciting the tactical game between the two sides is, it will ultimately be executed by the players on the court. If physical fitness decreases, the execution intensity will also decrease, and the tactical power will be greatly reduced."
"In fact, Guardiola's last change before the end of the first half showed that the Bayern players were a bit out of their depth."
"Of course, after a fifteen-minute break and adjustment in the middle, there may be many variables between the two teams, which will also affect the direction of the second half."
"So, after a goalless but actually very exciting first half, let's watch a commercial first and then enjoy the second half!"
…
…
…
"I'm not born strong, I'm just born to be strong!"
"You don't need to understand the football emperor to understand football?"
"When looking for a job, talk directly to the boss!"
"XX Shenbao, if he is good, so will I."
"Snow Beer, Chelsea's official beer..."
…
…
…
——
As soon as the first half of the game ended, the players immediately ran into the tunnel and went to their locker rooms to rest.
The Chelsea coaching staff immediately gathered together and quickly exchanged tactics for the second half.
Arteta believes that Bayern Munich in the second half can no longer maintain the high-pressure tactics of the first half.
But it would not be wrong to say that they have completely collapsed.
After all, the will and quality of the Germans are still very strong, otherwise they would not have broken through Real Madrid at the last moment in two consecutive games.
"Guardiola may play a more balanced game and not be as offensive as he was in the first half, so that his players' physical fitness can last until the end of the game." This is Arteta's prediction.
"What if the game ends in a tie at 90 minutes and goes into overtime?" Steve Holland asked.
"He probably didn't think about overtime at all." Pan Yi said with a smile.
This is actually something that cannot be done after using the "burn the boat" style of play.
The most typical example is the Madrid Derby in Pan Yi's previous life in the 2013-2014 Champions League final.
Atletico Madrid did very well throughout the 90 minutes, pressing the whole game and taking a 1:0 lead.
As a result, Ramos scored a tying goal at the last moment of the game, and then his physical condition collapsed in overtime, and he was completely unilaterally slaughtered by Real Madrid.
It cannot be said that Simeone's tactics were a failure. In fact, his style of play was extremely successful and he almost won the championship, but he failed at the last moment.
For Pan Yi now, the same situation is actually the same. As long as Guardiola's tactics are prevented from scoring within 90 minutes, Chelsea will have won.
But Pan Yi didn't want to do this.
He wanted to resolve the battle within ninety minutes and achieve a real tactical knockout of Guardiola!
After returning to the home team's locker room, Pan Yi organized and pondered his thoughts and words, and then said:
"We don't have much time, so I'll keep my story short."
Pan Yi's words made all the players look at him.
The development of the game in the first half actually made them all feel a little depressed.
It was certainly not pleasant to be beaten by Bayern Munich at the beginning;
Later, after Pan Yi and Guardiola continuously adjusted the game, Chelsea occupied the advantage on the field, but the frontcourt attackers including Lukaku, Harry Kane, and Hazard all missed scoring opportunities in a row, which was of course unpleasant.
Even the forwards are a little stressed.
After all, this is the Champions League final!
Missing an opportunity in such an important game sometimes has to pay a heavy price!
But Pan Yi quickly helped them relieve the pressure:
"Don't worry, we will score sooner or later, as long as you do what I say."
The players listened attentively.
They all know that Pan Yi's midfield adjustments can often work.
This is why they regard Pan Yi as their god!
"After the craziness of the first half hour of the first half, Bayern Munich was very physically exhausted, and you must have felt it in the last ten minutes."
"It will be more obvious in the second half, so their pressure will not be as strong. What we need to do is take advantage of their pressure to reduce, take advantage of the opportunity to control the ball and rhythm, and then control the game."
"Our current formation is 4-3-2-1. This formation can cope with Bayern's wing attack, but it is still not very flexible."
"Therefore, I will change to 3-2-4-1 in the second half and push the formation forward! Especially our midfielder must push our ball control area as far as possible from the opponent's 30-meter area to the midline. piece."
Hearing Pan Yi say this, everyone's brows widened.
Mainly the 3-2-4-1 formation, which Chelsea players are already very familiar with.
With the current starting players, in this formation, the three central defenders will be Ake, Van Dijk and Azpilicueta, and the double midfielders will still be David Luiz and Kante.
Marcos Alonso was pushed to the frontcourt, forming four attackers with Hazard, B-seat, and Harry Kane to cooperate with center Lukaku.
Using this formation means that Chelsea will attack with all its strength to defeat Bayern's defense!
Then, Pan Yi added: "Apart from 3-5-2, this formation is the one we practice the most and use the most in actual combat, so I shouldn't need to say too much."
"You just need to control the game and attack the opponent in the way we are familiar with and good at. Pay attention to maintaining width and depth, pulling the opponent's defensive formation, creating loopholes, and then interspersing attacks."
"Believe me, guys, as long as you compete according to your usual training level, the final victory will definitely belong to us!"
In response to the coach's instructions, the Chelsea players suddenly shouted! ——
"In the last ten minutes of the first half, Chelsea's true strength was demonstrated."
In the visiting team's locker room, Guardiola is also making midfield adjustments and analyzing the tactics of both the enemy and ourselves.
"The initial suppression by us was actually just a tactic of Pan Yi's. We must not be fooled."
"In the time after they changed their tactics, they created many more threatening shots than we did!"
"And obviously they will continue to take advantage of the situation and continue to attack in the second half, and they will probably attack even more fiercely."
"I don't want to play overtime, and based on what I know about Pan Yi, he doesn't want it even more! So it can be expected that they will be even more overwhelming in the second half."
After listening to Guardiola's words, every Bayern Munich player showed a solemn expression.
They are the ones who have played face to face with Chelsea players on the field, and of course they know that what the coach said is right.
When Chelsea really puts their efforts into action, it's really hard to resist!
The score was zero to zero in the first half. It can be said that luck favored Bayern.
Guardiola emphasized his tone:
"I guess Pan Yi will change his formation in the second half, but I admit that I can't guess what he will become now."
"But no matter what, we must not let Chelsea smoothly control the ball from our 30-meter area to the midline. Once it enters our half, we have to grab it, no matter how hard we use our strength."
"You can imagine how dangerous it would be if players like Eden Hazard, Ben B or Harry Kane get the ball in front of our penalty area."
"Also, pay attention to their full-back assists. Whether it's Marcos Alonso or Azpilicueta, when they come in behind, it's often when Chelsea attacks in a big way."
Then, he laid it out on the tactical board:
"In order to achieve these two tactical goals, I will actively seek changes in the second half and switch from 3-5-1-1 to 4-3-3."
"The backline is still Alaba, Boateng, Javi Martinez, and Lahm, the midfielder is Xavi Alonso, Vidal, and Thomas Muller, and the forwards are Ribery and Robben. and center Lewandowski.”
"The focus here is our three midfielders. We must pay attention to what I just said. Don't let Chelsea control the ball comfortably from our 30-meter area to the midfield line!"
Xabi Alonso, Vidal, and Thomas Muller also nodded, indicating that they understood Guardiola's arrangement.
After Guardiola saw the player's statement, he nodded heavily and applauded vigorously:
"Lads, this is the Champions League final! I know you may want to win this trophy more than me and add glory to your career!"
"Now, what stands in front of us is Chelsea, the most terrifying team in Europe in the past two seasons, but we are not easy to mess with!"
"Our strength is also better than last season. I firmly believe that we have the ability and determination to defeat our opponents, even if they are Chelsea!"
"But it also requires you to give 100 percent effort, and each of you to grit your teeth and withstand the pressure of the game and your opponents."
"When both sides are physically exhausted, what matters is willpower! As long as we survive this second half, we will usher in the final victory!"
"Go, go fight, prove to the world that Bayern Munich is the king of Europe!"
As Guardiola shouted at the top of his lungs, the locker room was also shouting, and everyone was high-spirited!
(End of chapter)
