Bayern had possession at the back, and Vidal passed the ball to Rafinha.
Lahm moved up to receive it and dribbled forward. Toni Kroos tracked back and defended well, forcing Lahm to protect the ball with his back to goal.
It went to Thomas Müller on the wing.
Real Madrid's defense stretched, and Götze dropped back.
…
Almost at the moment Götze retreated, Lahm suddenly accelerated forward, crossing paths with him.
Thomas Müller immediately understood the movement and quickly sent a diagonal pass behind him, straight to the baseline, aiming for Lahm.
Lahm burst forward, racing toward the byline.
At the crucial moment, Courtois decisively left his line, rushed out of the six-yard box, and got to the ball first, diving down to collect Müller's pass into his arms.
Lahm reacted swiftly, leaping to avoid colliding with the diving Courtois.
A wave of exclamations echoed throughout the Bernabéu Stadium.
This was the threat of Guardiola's tactical style.
Through continuous player movement, especially those confusing overlapping runs, the defensive shape gets pulled apart, creating danger in attack.
It was entirely predictable that if Lahm had reached the ball first and Courtois hadn't come out, he would have delivered a cross.
Mandzukic in the middle and Ribéry at the far post would have both posed a serious threat.
This kind of play is extremely difficult to defend.
…
Guardiola grabbed his head with both hands, looking at the pitch with a touch of frustration.
Courtois' timing was perfect.
If he had been a bit slower or more hesitant, Bayern would have created a major chance.
Opportunities like that rarely come by. Miss it once, and who knows when the next will appear.
That cross-movement between Götze and Lahm required great understanding and precise timing.
More than ten minutes had passed since kickoff, and this was the only time Bayern managed to execute it successfully.
"Courtois is tall, but his coverage area is huge," Torrent said, unable to hide his disappointment.
On that play, Real Madrid's defensive line was broken, but the goalkeeper made up for it.
This is the value of a goalkeeper.
Often, a defensive system and its goalkeeper complement each other.
"It's rare for someone nearly two meters tall to have such quick reactions and flexibility, and to get down so fast," Planchat added in admiration.
Bayern lacked a top-class goalkeeper at the moment.
Although they had already signed Ter Stegen, he wouldn't be available until next season.
"He made huge progress during his year at Leeds United. Gao Shen brought in an Italian goalkeeping coach specifically to improve his reactions on the ground and his defensive range. For a keeper of his height and ability, it's remarkable to be that quick and agile."
Guardiola paused, then said, "It's just his passing that's not good enough."
Planchat and Torrent exchanged bitter smiles.
A goalkeeper like Courtois would be perfect if he also had elite passing ability.
But perfection doesn't exist in this world.
Besides, Courtois' passing wasn't actually bad. Compared to many top keepers, his passing was quite solid. After all, at Manchester City, Leeds United, and Real Madrid, he was shaped under Gao Shen's tactical system, so his distribution had improved a lot.
What Guardiola meant by "not good enough" was in comparison to goalkeepers known for their exceptional passing.
As he spoke, Courtois was holding the ball in the box. Upfield, Ronaldo was positioned centrally, near Lahm and Schweinsteiger, constantly waving and shouting for his teammates to play the ball to him.
"Tonight, Ronaldo's position is much closer to the center. He's been staying near our two defensive midfielders," Planchat observed.
"Same for Benzema. It's uncomfortable," Torrent muttered.
No one would feel comfortable with two world-class attackers pressing them like daggers at their throats.
"4-4-2. When defending, Real Madrid uses this formation, with Toni Kroos staying close to the left," Guardiola said, frowning slightly, still trying to figure out Gao Shen's tactical setup tonight.
Di Maria dropping back to play as a right midfielder made sense.
That winger was incredibly versatile. His defensive support and late runs were major assets. Real Madrid had used that tactic many times in the past two seasons.
Sometimes Gao Shen would even swap Di Maria and Modric's positions, not to mention the frequent switches among the front three.
Even as an opponent, Guardiola had to admit that Gao Shen managed Real Madrid with great boldness and flair.
Of course, it helped that the team was versatile and well-balanced, allowing Gao Shen to experiment freely.
What if Bayern tried the same?
Their player profiles determined how complex their tactics could be. Right now, Guardiola was suffering from that limitation.
"There are also three midfielders who rotate forward often, so we need to stay alert," Guardiola reminded his staff.
…
On the pitch, Courtois quickly distributed the ball to Ramos, who launched a long pass forward.
It was clear Ronaldo had been calling for it, but when he jumped for the header, Vidal beat him to it and nodded the ball back.
The Portuguese forward could only look helpless.
However, Real Madrid recovered possession, and Toni Kroos picked up the ball.
The German midfielder chested it down, controlled it with his right foot, and steadied himself.
There were no Bayern players nearby. His former teammates were all retreating, reorganizing their defensive shape.
Toni Kroos immediately understood their intent, but at the same time, he remembered what head coach Gao Shen had told him earlier that morning.
"I think you haven't been brave enough, Toni. You're holding yourself back."
"Being rational and calm is important, but that leaves no room for surprises or change on the pitch."
"Sometimes, you have to quiet your mind and listen to your inner voice."
"Especially when you're orchestrating an attack."
Gao Shen had been encouraging him to open up, to release his passion, and show his talent. But that wasn't Kroos' usual style.
He had never played football that way since childhood.
His parents, teachers, and coaches all told him football was a team game, and that he should always prioritize the collective, restraining personal impulses.
But the person encouraging him now was Gao Shen.
It had been almost two seasons since Toni Kroos joined Real Madrid. Under Gao Shen, he had become one of the world's top midfielders, but people still criticized him for being too steady, too predictable.
He wasn't as strong defensively as Xabi Alonso, nor as mobile as Modric.
He was like a wall, always passing, passing, and passing again.
Every pass was smooth and accurate, but never surprising.
At some point, Gao Shen began advising him not to be so rigid, not to fear mistakes. He even told him that to reach the next level, he had to play more freely.
But he had never truly managed to do it.
Now, against his old club—the team he once thought he'd play for his whole life but never truly fit in—an unfamiliar desire began to burn inside him.
"I have a feeling, Toni. Tonight, the Bernabéu will belong to you!"
Those were Gao Shen's words when he hugged Kroos in the locker room before the match.
The coach always gave encouraging hugs before games, but tonight's words were different.
Kroos believed them.
Now, standing at the Bernabéu, as he took down Vidal's header with no opponent around him, he found a brief moment to think.
Memories of the conversation, the years at Bayern, and everything that led him here flashed through his mind.
He felt an urge he had never felt before.
Something rare.
He was impulsive.
Normally, in such situations, he would suppress that impulse to stay calm and rational.
But tonight, he listened to his heart.
…
Marcelo surged forward.
Toni Kroos didn't even have to look. Out of the corner of his eye, he sensed the Brazilian's movement.
Almost instinctively, he played a forward pass into Marcelo's path, allowing him to catch up and reach it in stride. It was a setup to give Marcelo space to run.
After releasing the ball, Kroos immediately sprinted forward himself.
That movement stretched Bayern's defenders and increased the pressure.
Sure enough, as Kroos made his direct run through the left channel, Bayern's defense shifted focus.
From a bird's-eye view, Xabi Alonso's position remained deep. Since Kroos pushed forward, Modric, who had initially planned to advance, stopped and instead drifted back toward Xabi Alonso.
It was the perfect display of Real Madrid's midfield understanding.
Kroos didn't need to look. He trusted his teammates completely.
Just as he would retreat if Modric or Xabi Alonso pushed up.
At this moment, Real Madrid had transitioned from defense to attack. Di Maria on the right immediately advanced, switching decisively into attack mode. That was another product of long-term chemistry.
Marcelo caught up with the ball and sent a diagonal pass toward Kroos.
Under pressure from Schweinsteiger, Kroos stopped it with his back to goal, shielding the ball and turning toward the middle. This instantly drew the attention of Schweinsteiger and Lahm.
But suddenly, instead of turning inside, Kroos flicked the ball to the outside and spun away. The quick change startled Rafinha, who had been marking Marcelo, and Thomas Müller, who was tracking back.
In an instant, three Bayern defenders formed a triangle on the left edge of the box.
Just as they were about to close him down, Kroos made a swift, subtle movement with the outside of his right foot, poking the ball toward the byline.
On the flank, Marcelo was sprinting at full speed, racing past Rafinha to chase down Kroos' pass.
Bayern's defense was broken.
(To be continued.)