"Oh my god! Pepe's move is too dangerous. That's a straight red card offense, and the conflict was entirely provoked by him. There's no way the referee will show any leniency here. In the 16th minute, Real Madrid is forced to play with ten men! And it's a central defender, no less!"
"Mourinho is already making adjustments. He's subbing off Bale and bringing on Varane!"
"This looks like a shift to a 4-4-1 formation. Real Madrid is in a very passive situation now."
Gonzalez held his head, his voice filled with shock.
Everyone in Spain knows that Pepe is an uncontrollable factor. There have been multiple instances of conflicts involving him before, but this one was particularly extreme.
That kicking motion was outright brawling!
The referee had no reason not to show a red card!
The Valencia center-back's jersey had a clear mark from the kick, showing just how solid those two kicks were.
Because of Pepe's irrational behavior, Real Madrid as a whole was thrown into disarray.
In such a situation, Mourinho had no choice but to sacrifice offensive power and prioritize defense first.
If he didn't reinforce the defense, Real Madrid's backline could collapse, leading to a chain reaction.
And between Di María and Bale, Mourinho chose to sub off Bale.
Di María could drop back and play in midfield, while Bale was no longer necessary on the field.
"Play it behind! Play it behind!"
Mourinho shouted toward Alonso: "Play it behind them! No short passes, just long balls into their half!"
The long-ball tactic!
This was the only counter-attacking strategy Real Madrid could rely on now.
With a man down, he had no other choice.
The only outlet for counters was Suker's individual ability. If Suker couldn't break through, Real Madrid would inevitably face defeat.
On the field, Real Madrid fans held their heads in disbelief.
Because of Pepe's impulsiveness, the entire match had taken a disastrous turn.
Back in the locker room, Pepe had finally calmed down a bit.
At first, he was furious, his blood boiling, and he couldn't help but brawl with the opponent to vent his anger.
But once he cooled down, he clutched his head:
"What have I done?"
On the field, Suker stood with his hands on his hips at the edge of the penalty area.
A penalty for Valencia!
This was a classic red card + penalty combo.
That Pepe!
Exactly what we were afraid of happened.
We reminded him so many times not to foul, not to lose his temper, but after a few provocations, he completely lost his head to anger.
In the current situation, if they fell behind, Valencia could slow down the tempo, and Real Madrid would be in deep trouble.
After all, they were a man down. If Valencia didn't attack and instead stalled, Real Madrid would have no opportunities to counter.
As the side with fewer players, they couldn't afford to take the initiative to attack.
So, if Valencia converted this penalty, the match would be as good as lost.
Captain!
Saint Iker!
Casillas!
Suker silently prayed.
It's all up to you now!
Suker looked toward the goal line, where Casillas was constantly waving his arms, trying to disrupt Valencia forward Hernández's penalty-taking decision.
Casillas also knew how dire the situation was.
It could be said that Real Madrid had one foot over the cliff.
If this goal went in, the entire match would become extremely difficult for them.
All of Hernández's data, including penalty statistics, had been provided by the coaching staff before the match.
Hernández preferred shooting to the bottom left corner.
But he might also choose the other side based on his own reasoning, aiming to catch the goalkeeper off guard.
As for a Panenka, Casillas didn't think this guy had the guts for that.
Penalty kicks were ultimately a psychological battle.
So, Casillas had to make the right judgment, or even mislead his opponent.
It all depended on how Hernández chose to take the penalty.
Watching the referee step away from the penalty spot, Casillas crouched slightly, ready to dive.
Hernández didn't look toward the goal, making it impossible to read his intentions through his eyes.
"Hernández creates space for his run-up… he starts his run-up… change of pace…"
As Hernández changed his pace, Casillas kept his feet firmly planted in the center. But when Hernández stepped forward with his left foot, planting his supporting foot, Casillas lunged sharply to the left.
In that instant, Hernández clearly panicked.
He struck the ball, sending it toward the bottom left corner, but due to his panic, the angle wasn't sharp enough.
Casillas felt a surge of joy. He stretched out his arm and fingertipped the ball away.
Ding!
The ball hit the post and rebounded out.
"Clear it!!!—"
Suker roared, charging into the penalty area first.
Instantly, the penalty area descended into chaos.
Šrna seized the opportunity and cleared the ball out of bounds.
Real Madrid survived the crisis!
"Iker Casillas! He saved Hernández's penalty! He's given Real Madrid a precious chance!"
"He accurately predicted Hernández's shooting direction and made the decisive move. Hernández failed to convert the penalty, and the score remains 0:0. The suspense continues!"
With Casillas saving the penalty, Hernández dropped to his knees, clutching his head.
Casillas celebrated wildly with his teammates.
"Incredible! Incredible!"
Suker hugged Casillas tightly, shouting excitedly.
This was fucking incredible!
That's our Saint Iker for you!
This penalty save was crucial. It essentially stripped Valencia of the possibility to slow down the game after scoring.
Now that the score was still 0:0, and Real Madrid was a man down, Valencia couldn't afford not to attack.
And once Valencia attacked, Real Madrid could look for opportunities to counter.
Even if Suker was the only one up front, it was still better than letting the opponent control the tempo!
As the commentator said, the suspense remained, and the chance for victory was still there.
Valencia's corner kick.
All Real Madrid players, except Suker, dropped back to defend.
Suker positioned himself just ahead of Valencia's defenders.
As Real Madrid's only counter-attacking outlet, Suker had to hold his ground. Otherwise, they wouldn't even have a target for their counters.
Amid the tense atmosphere, Valencia took the corner.
Instantly, the penalty area turned into a chaotic mess.
In the confusion, Carvalho leaped up and headed the ball away.
The ball flew out to the left side of the penalty area. Albiol rushed out of the box without even looking up and swung his left foot, smashing the ball forward.
Suker watched the trajectory of the ball and couldn't help but grin.
This was just a random kick!
Suker turned and immediately sprinted forward.
But just as he was about to accelerate, Rami quickly closed in on him.
Suker noticed this out of the corner of his eye. He adjusted his steps, disrupting his running rhythm, and feinted toward the left.
Rami quickly shifted to the left.
At that moment, Suker immediately darted to the right.
"Damn it!"
Rami reached out, trying to stop Suker's acceleration.
But Suker used his arm to hold off Rami, pulling him back sharply.
You think you're the only one who can pull?
Rami lost his balance but didn't fall.
Watching Suker's rapidly retreating figure, Rami knew it was too late to fall and try to draw a card.
Meanwhile, his central defensive partner, Jordi Alba, reached the ball's landing spot first, ready to control it.
Just then, he saw Suker charging toward him at full speed.
"How is he so fast?"
As he stared in shock, Suker had already closed in and leaped into the air.
He chested the ball forward mid-air.
"Shit!"
Alba was horrified.
As Suker landed, Alba wrapped his arms around Suker's waist.
Suker struggled violently, but seeing the ball rolling out of his reach, he had no choice but to go down.
Beeep!
The referee ran toward Alba and showed him a yellow card!
This was a clear obstruction foul!
If Suker had reached the ball, it would've been a one-on-one opportunity.
Alba had no other choice in that situation.
Across the stadium, Valencia fans gasped in disbelief.
This was fucking unbelievable!
Even with a man down, Suker's impact was as fierce as ever.
His solo charge alone had forced their defender into a booking.
"Hey! You should've held him off longer!"
Alba complained to Rami.
If Rami had held Suker off for just one more second, Alba could've controlled the ball earlier and avoided the booking and the messy situation.
Rami knew he was at fault, so he didn't respond.
But inwardly, he grumbled.
'You try defending him! It's not that easy!'
"Oh~~~~ Suker!! Suker's impact once again forced the opponent into a foul. Rami wasn't decisive enough in defending Suker, which put Alba in a dangerous situation. But for Real Madrid, their counter-attack remains effective!"
Mourinho watched from the sidelines, constantly jotting things down in his notebook.
"This tactic is working, but the offensive approach is too one-dimensional. Plus, Valencia's players are still fresh, so Suker facing two or three defenders alone is extremely difficult. Someone needs to share the pressure with Suker!"
Mourinho pondered for a moment, then quickly wrote down some tactical adjustments and called Šrna over.
Soon, the match resumed!
Valencia's attacks remained intense.
With an extra man, they could commit more players to both offense and defense, giving them a greater advantage in midfield.
Their overall buildup was relatively smooth.
Valencia frequently threatened Real Madrid's goal, but Real Madrid's defense held firm, repelling attack after attack and protecting their goal.
At the same time, Casillas was in phenomenal form!
He made save after save, repeatedly denying Valencia's dangerous attempts.
However, Real Madrid still needed to wait for their counter-attacking opportunities.
Suker was also growing impatient up front.
There was nothing he could do but wait.
In the 29th minute, during a Valencia attack, Alonso made a sliding tackle interception.
Alonso got up with the ball and looked toward Suker.
Suker feinted a twisting motion, ready to sprint.
At that moment, Suker noticed Alonso's right hand pointing toward his feet.
Alonso passed the ball sharply.
Suker faked a start, tricking Rami into taking a few steps forward.
But Suro pulled back, waiting for the ball.
This was a stationary pass, not aimed behind Valencia's defenders.
"Press him!"
Rami immediately shouted, rushing toward Suker.
Boom!
Boom!
Rami and Alba double-teamed Suker, who spread his arms and fought back fiercely.
Suker's feet were firmly planted on the turf, but even so, he was gradually pushed back by the two.
"Dammit! Hurry up!"
Suker gritted his teeth and held on.
The ball was about to land. Suker pushed against the two players and played the ball backward with a single touch.
After making the pass, Suker didn't make a forward run but instead stopped and turned abruptly.
Rami and Alba felt the pressure ease. Since Suker didn't move, they didn't dare to either.
At that moment, Khedira followed up and slotted the ball into the side.
"Khedira plays it through! This ball… Šrna!!—"
Gonzalez shouted.
Šrna charged down the wing at high speed, his feet moving rapidly. Using his quick pace, he gradually held off Mathieu and cut inside.
Mathieu tried to shoulder Šrna off the ball but couldn't match his speed.
Seeing Šrna about to complete the cut inside, Mathieu reached out to interfere.
Just then, Šrna took another touch, pulling the ball back diagonally.
Rami and Alba, who had dropped back, rushed toward Suker again.
Suker advanced a few steps, his feet moving in small, quick steps as he shaped to shoot.
Rami instinctively jumped, trying to block the shot and turn.
Seizing this opportunity, Suker slipped the ball through Rami's legs.
Swish!!—
On the left, Di María made a timely run and received Suker's through ball.
"Di María!!! One-on-one!!"
Gonzalez jumped to his feet excitedly.
Di María moved diagonally and, as he neared the goal, struck the ball with his right foot.
He went for the far corner!
The ball slipped under the goalkeeper's arm and into the net.
Swish!
"Goooooooooal!!!!!!!!—"
"Di María!! It's Di María again!"
"Ángel Di María, true to his name, the angel has descended once again, embracing Real Madrid!"
"Real Madrid's switching play from flank to flank was too quick. In the passing sequences, they disrupted Valencia's defense. When the ball reached Suker again, Rami and Alba failed to communicate properly. They both pressed forward simultaneously! This created space behind them, and Suker slipped the ball through. Di María made the run into the wing and finished the goal!"
"That's right! Real Madrid may be a man down, but it hasn't affected their morale much!"
"This is Real Madrid!"
"This is the Galácticos of Spain!"
Whoooooooooooooooooosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—
In the stadium, the small contingent of traveling Real Madrid fans erupted in cheers.
After Pepe was sent off, their situation had looked grim.
But under such circumstances, they still managed to score first.
Nothing could be better than this!
So what if it's Valencia? So what if they're playing at home?
They are Real Madrid!
They are the fearless Galácticos!
Ahhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!—
On the sidelines, Mourinho celebrated passionately.
It had been a long time since he'd felt this nervous.
But this goal had lifted a huge weight off their shoulders.
Scoring first while a man down was a massive blow to Valencia's morale.
If they could just play steadily from here, they could secure the win.
As for this attacking move, it was what Mourinho had previously instructed Šrna to do, though Mourinho wasn't sure if it would work.
Now, the goal had proven everything!
But they still couldn't let their guard down!
Valencia's attacks would only intensify from here.
After the match resumed, Valencia's offense became even more ferocious.
Already having an extra man, they had conceded first to a ten-man Real Madrid. That was embarrassing.
To save face, they had to score.
Soon, the opportunity arrived!
Soldado, Hernández, and Banega combined well,
successfully putting Hernández in a dangerous position.
Unlike Soldado, Hernández clearly possessed better technique and was more eager to score.
In the 43rd minute, just before halftime, Valencia made a sudden penetrating pass. Hernández darted out from the defensive line, met the ball, and slotted it home with a low shot.
First half: Valencia 1-1 Real Madrid!
"The match reaches halftime."
"Let's review the first half. After Pepe's red card, Real Madrid…"
Gonzalez analyzed the first-half situation, while in the locker rooms, both teams were planning their tactics for the second half.
"I won't dwell on the goal we conceded in the first half. Even though it shouldn't have happened, now is not the time for blame. We need to focus and play well in the second half!"
"In this match, we have to play with ten men. Our overall tactical system needs some adjustments. We can't commit too many players to counters. We'll continue with the first-half tactics!"
"If there's an opportunity, play the ball behind their defense. If not, do what we did for the goal in the first half: use the wings to create space. The most crucial thing is to fully utilize that area."
"Di María, Šrna, your tasks are heavy. You're not only responsible for defense but also need to join the counters. However, after contributing to the attack, track back immediately!"
"Additionally, I don't believe Valencia will have the advantage in the second half. Sure, they have an extra man, but don't forget the fitness training you all did at the start of the season. That will sustain you to secure the victory and play even better!"
The players nodded slightly.
They nodded not because of Mourinho's pep talk.
But because they believed Suker would explode in the second half!
Suker in the second half was always a huge threat. Even Barcelona had suffered because of it. They didn't believe Valencia could handle it.
If they couldn't contain or defend against Suker, then even with a man down, Real Madrid had a chance to win.
Honestly, they didn't want their winning streak to end here!
When it came to winning streaks, the more, the merrier.
They would fight as long as they could.
Let's see how long they could keep it going.
This was the shared mindset of all the Real Madrid players.