Chapter 104 Halftime

"In the final second of regular time in the first half, Griezmann equalized with a dazzling shot!"

The Atlético Madrid fans in the stands erupted in cheers!

A wave of red and white surged, and the cheers of tens of thousands of Atlético Madrid fans almost lifted the entire San Siro stadium.

"Atletico Madrid! Atletico Madrid! Atletico Madrid!"

"Griezmann! South Boseven!!"

Atletico Madrid's team flags waved, fans wildly waving their scarves, and female fans wearing the same jersey as Griezmann jumped and bounced excitedly.

Griezmann roared and charged toward the sidelines, running all the way to the corner flag, pounding his chest, followed by a bizarre clown dance.

Torres, Koke, Gabi...

His teammates rushed up and surrounded him.

"Antoine! That was an incredible goal!"

"Well done, Antoine!"

Griezmann happily hugged each of his teammates before going to celebrate in front of the fans.

……

"Antoine Griezmann's goal in the final moments of the first half saved the team!"

"If Atletico Madrid went into the locker room down 0-1, they would have faced immense pressure in the second half. Griezmann's goal successfully leveled the score, allowing Atletico Madrid to approach the second half with greater composure!"

Zhan Jun nodded, agreeing with He Wei's statement: "Whether or not the team is behind in the first half directly determines the team's tactics in the second half."

He continued his analysis: "Griezmann's goal is the best example of a 'flash of genius,' even someone as strong as Jiang Yan couldn't have completely predicted that move!"

Is Griezmann the real genius?

Griezmann was already a genius, but Jiang Yan is a genius among geniuses!

[They can't even hold off Griezmann, and they call themselves geniuses? I think it's a joke!]

【What do you know? In my twenty years of watching football, that was a completely lucky goal! It just happened to bounce off the line!】

[Don't worry, if Atletico Madrid doesn't score, how will I win my over 3.5 goals?]

……

On the sidelines, Simeone excitedly waved towards the stands, trying to make his fans' cheers louder and give his players another boost.

Benitez, on the other side, remained relatively calm.

Even if the first half ends in a draw, the overall situation of the game will not change much.

"We will definitely be the winners."

Benitez dared to say that because of the confidence he gained from the winning streak he had been on for half a season – that’s the kind of mentality a championship team should have!

This championship-winning spirit has also permeated Real Madrid's players.

Ramos, inside the penalty area, clapped his hands: "Hey! Guys, calm down, the game isn't over yet!"

Modric patted Jiang Yan on the back: "Hey, Jiang, you've done enough. Nobody can help with a goal scored with that kind of luck."

Modric had barely finished speaking when, as he looked at Jiang Yan again, he saw an unnamed flame rising in the boy's eyes, and he murmured, "The last time...this is the last time..."

……

Three minutes of stoppage time were added, but neither side managed to score again.

Beep—beep beep!!

With the referee blowing his whistle three times, the first half of the match came to an end.

Real Madrid 1-1 Atletico Madrid.

……

Halftime break.

Both Benitez and Simeone, these two renowned managers, tacitly chose not to make any tactical changes.

There are only three substitution slots, and each one must be used carefully, especially in a life-or-death situation like this.

Moreover, both teams' players were in excellent form in the first half, and substituting such players would not be a wise choice.

Inside Real Madrid's locker room, Benitez's gaze swept over every player, finally landing on Jiang Yan. Almost everyone could feel the fighting spirit emanating from him.

"In the second half, we'll keep the same formation. I believe in you, and I hope you believe in yourselves. We are the best team in all of Europe, so please remember that!"

"Atletico Madrid's high-pressing style won't last long. They'll inevitably tire and lower their pressing intensity, which will be our good opportunity to counter-attack... In the second half, we must continue with our defensive counter-attacking tactics!"

He paused, then looked at Jiang Yan with a firm tone: "Jiang, you don't need to take responsibility for conceding the goal... You can't win by relying solely on a 'flash of genius'."

Jiang Yan raised his eyes, the flames in his eyes burning even brighter:

"I will not give them any more chances."

Ramos patted Jiang Yan on the shoulder heavily: "That's right! We'll continue to hold our defensive line in the second half, so you guys just need to try your best to break down their defense!"

Bell chuckled and patted Jiang Yan on the back: "Don't worry, Jiang, our connection is the most powerful weapon in all of Europe."

Benitez concluded in a somber voice:

"This is the Champions League final, and we are the best team in all of Europe. Let's bring the victory back!"

Simeone, on the other side, was also encouraging his players.

"Remember, we got this far by beating teams from all over Europe. We are the best team in Europe. Go and take that damn Champions League trophy!"

……

During halftime, CCTV's live broadcast studio was still analyzing the tactical arrangements of both head coaches in the first half, as well as each attacking play.

"It truly lives up to its reputation as the most prestigious competition in Europe; both the tactical arrangements and the players' skill level are top-notch!"

"I'm getting more and more excited to see how this match will turn out!"

……

Besides the players and commentators, the fans at the scene also took a good rest during these 15 minutes.

The media's filming area.

"Arthur!?"

"Reporter Qin!?"

In the snack area, Qin Wanyu bumped into Arthur.

Qin Wanyu was somewhat surprised: "What are you doing here?! This is Italy, are things alright at the company?"

Arthur shook his head: "After all, this is the big boss's first Champions League final. I might as well invite the whole company to Milan for a three-day team building trip so that we won't miss the game."

"I see, you really are a good boss."

"Reporter Qin, what about you? I remember you've been managing Jiang Yan's domestic accounts, right?"

Qin Wanyu shrugged: "I did manage it for a while, but I still have a regular job, so I simply used the bonus Jiang Yan gave me to hire a trustworthy professional team to manage it."

Arthur was somewhat surprised: "Reporter Qin, the bonus Jiang Yan gave you should be enough for you to not have to work, right? Why are you still..."

"Becoming a journalist was my dream." Qin Wanyu held up her press pass and waved it in front of Arthur. "Now I'm the chief star reporter for Dongqiu.com, so you could say my dream has come true."

Arthur nodded, his face full of admiration, and said, "I see, people really do need to have dreams!"

It wasn't just Qin Wanyu and Arthur.

Inside the VIP box at the San Siro stadium, Lina was chatting and laughing with Italian high society figures.

"It was a great match, but I think Real Madrid will win in the end."

"Oh? Miss Lina, do you have some unique insights?"

Lina smiled and shook her head: "There are people in Real Madrid's squad whom I can trust completely."

At that moment, a middle-aged man approached Lina.

"Miss Lina, this is my daughter Gina. She's also a fan of Jiang Yan, so I'm sure you'll have a lot in common!"