Football: Starting from being abandoned by Barcelona

As the game progressed, Leverkusen's young players gradually let go of the pressure of results and wins and losses, and played more freely and fluently.

This mentality allowed them to perform at a higher level on the field.

Even when facing the superstars of a giant team like Manchester City, Leverkusen's players can still compete with their opponents through flexible passes and active running.

Although Manchester City has an advantage in strength and experience, they have not found a quick way to break through the fearless style of play of Leverkusen.

Guardiola's team chose a more stable response strategy, trying to suppress the opponent's offensive by controlling the rhythm of the game.

As the whistle sounded at the end of the first half, the score remained at 0:0.

The players of both sides returned to the locker room to adjust, and in the live broadcast room of Sky Sports, host Keane and guest Jones also commented on the first half of the game.

Keane spoke first: "This first half of the game was really unexpected."

"The young players of Leverkusen played very calmly, their passing and running were very smooth, and they were not intimidated by Manchester City's reputation at all."

"Although they did not score, they did not fall behind on the field."

Jones nodded in agreement: "Yes, Keane."

"Leverkusen showed their fighting spirit and skills, especially without the pressure of results, their performance seemed more free and confident."

"However, Manchester City's defense is still very solid and did not give the opponent too many real opportunities."

Keane continued to analyze: "Manchester City obviously chose a more "The team's strategy was cautious, and they did a good job of controlling the tempo of the game."

"De Bruyne and David Silva's dispatch in the midfield are still their core, but today Leverkusen's defense of De Bruyne was very good, which caused a lot of trouble for Manchester City's offense."

Jones added: "That's true, but we also saw Manchester City's calmness and experience in dealing with this situation."

"Although they didn't rush to attack, they still dominated by controlling the tempo of the game."

"The second half may require more patience and creativity for them."

After the first half, Manchester City fans seemed extremely excited and dissatisfied.

Although the score was still 0:0, they were not satisfied with the team's performance.

This season, fans have placed high expectations on Manchester City, hoping that they can perform well in various competitions.

However, facing a relatively young team like Leverkusen, Manchester City did not have a clear advantage, which made them feel unacceptable.

"This is Manchester City, how can they be suppressed by Leverkusen?"

"Our goal this season is to win the Champions League, how can we perform like this now?"

"Where are De Bruyne and Silva? They should be leading the game!"

"Guardiola needs to make adjustments in the second half, otherwise this game will be ugly."

These heated discussions and complaints are obviously a reflection of the expectations and love for the team.

However, Li Lei and his teammates did not know this. They were in the locker room at the moment, listening carefully to the training of head coach Guardiola.

Guardiola stood in front of the tactical board, his expression serious but firm, and his voice echoed in the locker room.

"Gentlemen, we didn't play to our full potential in the first half."

"The young players of Leverkusen caused us a lot of trouble, but that doesn't mean we can't control the situation."

He paused, scanned the faces of each player and continued: "We need more patience and calmness."

"We can't be carried away by their rhythm, but we have to play according to our plan."

"De Bruyne, David, you have to control the ball more in the midfield and look for opportunities."

"Li Lei, Sterling, your speed and breakthroughs are the key to our offense, you have to run more actively and create more space."

Guardiola continued to emphasize the importance of defense: "Defensively, we did well, but we can't relax at all."

"Kompany, continue to maintain your command and the stability of the defense line. We must look for opportunities to counterattack in defense."

"We must win this game."

"We can't let the fans down, nor can we let ourselves down."

"Remember, we are Manchester City, we have the ability to defeat any opponent."

"In the second half, show your best performance and win the game!"

As the whistle of the second half sounded, Manchester City players returned to the court with new hope and determination in their hearts.

The fans' expectations are so high, they know that this is not onlyFor the honor of the team, and for the fans who cheered for them in the cold wind.

At the beginning, Manchester City obviously strengthened its control over the ball.

De Bruyne and David Silva cooperated more tacitly in the midfield. They gradually controlled the rhythm of the game through accurate passes and clever running.

Li Lei and Sterling frequently launched quick breakthroughs on the wing, creating a lot of threats.

In the 55th minute, Manchester City had the first chance.

De Bruyne successfully intercepted the ball in the midfield and quickly passed the ball to David Silva.

Silva advanced with the ball, attracting the opponent's defensive attention.

Li Lei quickly inserted on the left, and Silva sent the ball to Li Lei's feet with an accurate through ball.

Li Lei did not hesitate and shot directly, but unfortunately the ball was slightly off the post and missed a great opportunity.

Although he failed to score, this wave of attack greatly boosted the morale of Manchester City players.

They knew that as long as they continued this offensive momentum, scoring was only a matter of time.

In the 70th minute, Manchester City organized another effective attack.

De Bruyne and David Silva passed the ball continuously in the midfield, tearing open Leverkusen's defense.

De Bruyne passed the ball to Sterling who was advancing, and Sterling deftly dribbled past the defender in the penalty area and shot.

The ball went straight to the lower right corner of the goal, but was saved by Leverkusen goalkeeper Bert Leno.

However, Manchester City did not give up.

They continued to maintain high pressure and look for every possible chance to score.

In the 80th minute, Manchester City finally broke the deadlock. De Bruyne dribbled the ball at the front of the penalty area, attracting the attention of two opposing defenders.

He cleverly passed the ball to Aguero in the penalty area.

Aguero took the ball and shot decisively, and the ball went into the net. 1-0, Manchester City led!

The cheers of the fans came like a tide, and the whole stadium fell into carnival.