Chapter 684: Still Losing the Bet

Chapter 684: Still Losing the Bet

"The starting lineup for Atletico Madrid is out!"

On May 24th, just before the start of the Champions League final, as the players completed their pre-match preparations and returned to the dressing room to wait for the kick-off, the starting eleven for both sides were finally announced.

On the Bed Sheet Brigade's side, they lined up in a 4-4-2 formation, with Courtois in goal. Visitt novelbin(.)co/m for the latest updates

The four defenders were Juanfran, Miranda, Godin, and Felipe.

The four midfielders were Raul Garcia, Tiago, Gabi, and Koke.

The forwards were Diego Costa and Villa.

"They've still put Diego Costa in the lineup." Ancelotti couldn't help but sigh, "This is definitely a risky move."

"I just observed that the Brazilian did not train with the other teammates, but instead followed the team doctor and assistant coach to adapt to the venue."

"This indicates that his injury still has a significant impact. Atletico Madrid is also unsure whether he can play the full game. After all, according to the team's tactics, Costa needs to undertake a lot of sprinting and physical tasks."

"If problems arise, the Bed Sheet Brigade will have to waste a substitution slot. When physical exhaustion sets in during the second half, they won't be able to make more effective adjustments."

Zidane agreed, but he also understood Simeone's dilemma: "Just like how we can't abandon Wang Feng to devise our game plan, Simeone can't abandon Diego Costa."

"Even if there's a slim chance, he still hopes that Costa can make an impact. But I believe he also has a backup plan in mind."

"You're right. Anyway, let's stick to our plan. Expend all our energy in the first half and then strike decisively in the second half!"

Real Madrid lined up in a 4-3-3 formation, with Casillas in goal.

The four defenders were Ramos, Carvajal, Arbeloa, and Coentrao.

The three midfielders were Modric, Khedira, and Isco.

As the match resumed, Atletico managed to suppress their inner turmoil and firmly executed the previous tactics, relentlessly chasing and attacking Real Madrid.

In the 13th minute, they had the first shot, with Raul Garcia attempting a long-range shot from the right flank, but the ball went over the crossbar.

Subsequently, there were numerous confrontations between the two sides, with the referee Kuipers tending to be lenient in his refereeing, coupled with the inconvenience of handing out cards in the Champions League final, often relying on verbal warnings instead. Therefore, the situation became increasingly tense.

Especially during a rapid counterattack by Real Madrid, Raul Garcia made a tactical foul, diving to tackle Isco, with his actions being quite exaggerated, which aroused strong dissatisfaction among the Galaxy Warship players.

Kuipers only showed a yellow card to Garcia, prompting Ramos to immediately approach and demand an explanation, his tone and demeanor extremely agitated, resulting in him also receiving a yellow card warning.

Wang Feng, seeing the situation wasn't favorable, quickly held back the Spanish defender, knowing that getting sent off for a confrontation with the referee at this time would be more detrimental than beneficial.

Subsequently, both teams had their chances. The Chinese superstar took a long shot from 25 meters in front of the goal, and the ball bounced near the edge of the penalty area, but was firmly held by Courtois.

Atletico defender Juanfran sped up along the sideline to join the attack, approaching the penalty area and sending a cross. Ramos headed the ball out, and Felipe's long-range shot from outside the penalty area was blocked by Arbeloa.

Then, Tiago made a mistake in passing back to the defense. Morata intercepted and rushed into the penalty area, shooting with his left foot from 12 meters in front of the goal, but it missed the post. This was the best chance the Galaxy Warship had in the first half.

Regardless of whether it was Atletico or Real Madrid, both teams experienced significant energy consumption. As the first half gradually approached its end, the players' physical strength inevitably declined, and the pace of the game slowly slowed down.

Just as the Galaxy Warship thought they were about to complete the coach's tasks, and with a slight relaxation of their minds, the Bed Sheet Brigade dealt them a fatal blow.

In the 42nd minute, Gabi took a corner from the right side. Ramos cleared the ball to the first point, but failed to protect the second point. Juanfran headed it back into the penalty area.

Casillas, in a rush of blood to the head, chose to come out to catch the ball, but he was positioned a bit too far away. Godin stepped forward and jumped high ahead of him, heading the ball over the Spanish goalkeeper.

A surprised Saint Iker desperately tried to turn back and save it, but it was too late. The ball bounced and rolled into the right side of the net.

"The ball's in! Atletico takes the lead with a corner kick opportunity, breaking the deadlock first!"

"It's unbelievable. Casillas made a misjudgment in handling the ball. He shouldn't have chosen to come out at this time."

"Not only was the distance too far, but there were also his own defensive players obstructing the landing spot. Even if he managed to get there, it would have been difficult to secure the ball."

"We originally thought that the Bed Sheet Brigade would be at a disadvantage without Diego Costa, but they unexpectedly took the lead first. Now the Galaxy Warship is in trouble."