Soccer: I have the attributes of Messi in his Prime

Chapter 528: Lin Quan Starts, Shocks the World!

The number 10 jersey originally belonged to Cesc Fàbregas, but during last year's European Championship qualifiers, he gave it up to the true core of the team, Lin Quan. Although Lin Quan didn't care much about the number, whether it was 7 or 11, the number 10 jersey holds a special meaning. So, without hesitation, he accepted Fàbregas' gesture.

Before the match, the Italians had suspected that Lin Quan might play. However, based on the intelligence they had gathered, they assumed his injury was not fully healed. Even if he played, they thought it would only be during the second half. They never imagined Lin Quan would start.

This caught the Italians completely off guard, rendering their pre-match strategies useless. Originally, Italy planned to play more aggressively. But upon seeing Lin Quan in the starting lineup, they became much more cautious, retreating into a defensive posture.

When the players took to the pitch, the tens of thousands of fans in the stadium were stunned to see Lin Quan among Spain's starting lineup. Gasps and murmurs rippled through the crowd.

"No way, am I seeing this right? Lin is actually playing?"

Many pundits had confidently predicted that Lin Quan would miss the entire tournament due to his injury. Yet here he was, taking everyone by surprise as he started the match as one of Spain's key players. This led to speculations that Spain had deliberately set a trap to mislead their opponents.

"Heh, I have a feeling the Italians are in trouble," some fans said, sensing something was amiss.

"Over the past few years, Spain has been Italy's kryptonite. I wonder if Italy can turn the tables this time," others added.

As the game kicked off, it became clear that Spain's lineup with Lin Quan had completely thrown Italy off their game plan. Italy, now forced into a more cautious approach, quickly found themselves on the back foot, defending heavily.

This passive strategy disappointed many fans, especially those rooting for Italy. "You can't just sit back and defend against Spain. With Spain's attacking power, if you only defend, you'll eventually crack!" they complained.

One moment, the fans were mocking Spain's inability to find a breakthrough; the next, they were worried that Italy's iron defense might not hold up under Spain's relentless pressure. This wasn't because of any contradictions in their thinking but because Lin Quan's presence had revitalized Spain's attack, making them far more dangerous.

Álvaro Morata, who had performed well in the previous two matches, truly found his stride in this game. With Lin Quan on the field, Morata felt as though he could soar as high as the sky and swim as deep as the ocean.

Having a top-class playmaker alongside him was a dream come true. Lin Quan's presence eased the defensive pressure on Morata, and with Lin's ability to organize, break through, and deliver passes, Morata found himself getting plenty of chances. As long as he positioned himself well, the ball seemed to magically find him.

It wasn't just Morata who felt the difference. Andrés Iniesta, David Silva, Fàbregas, and Sergio Busquets all noticed it too. With Lin Quan on the field, the burden on their shoulders lightened considerably.

Whenever Iniesta had the ball, Lin Quan was always there to receive it, allowing him to pass safely. When David Silva made a break down the wing, Lin Quan would pull wide to link up with him, executing the intricate short-passing combinations they excelled at. Fàbregas, known for his long-range passes, always found Lin Quan appearing in the ideal spot for him to deliver those passes, many of which were opportunities created by Lin's smart positioning.

Lin Quan wasn't just impactful in attack, though; his defensive contributions were immense. Whenever Italy launched a counterattack, Lin Quan was often the first player to track back, covering great distances to defend. With Lin helping out defensively, Busquets could press higher and intercept more confidently, often cutting off Italy's attacks before they reached dangerous areas.

It was as if Spain had an extra player on the field. Lin Quan's tireless running, vast coverage, and positive attitude allowed him to do the work of multiple players. Not only did he organize Spain's attack, but he also created a midfield shield that neutralized Italy's counterattacks.

On the sidelines, coach Vicente del Bosque was absolutely delighted. "This is what a superstar looks like!" he thought to himself. "How lucky we are to have Lin in the Spain squad!"

On the Italian bench, coach Antonio Conte grew increasingly worried as the match progressed. Even though Spain hadn't scored yet, Italy's defense was under immense pressure, and it looked as though it might collapse at any moment.

"Just one player, Lin Quan, has made such a massive difference for Spain," Conte marveled. He could hardly believe the transformation. Had he not personally known the players on the field, he wouldn't have recognized this Spain team as the same one from the group stage—they were operating on a completely different level.

In the stands, Pep Guardiola couldn't help but chuckle as he watched Lin Quan play with such energy and enthusiasm, constantly sprinting and showcasing his skills on both ends of the pitch.

"This kid must have been dying to play. He's been pent up for too long," Guardiola thought with a smile. He felt a twinge of sympathy for Conte and Italy. "If Del Bosque hadn't used up all his substitutions early in the Croatia match, Lin Quan would've come on then. If he had, he wouldn't be so eager today, and Italy might have had a more dignified defeat."

But that thought quickly passed. Guardiola didn't dwell on it too much. He just wanted to sit back and enjoy the game. Watching Lin Quan play was like enjoying a work of art—it was pure enjoyment.

...

Guardiola wasn't the only one closely observing Lin Quan's every move. France coach Didier Deschamps and Germany coach Joachim Löw were also intently focused on the game.

This year's European Championship was being hosted in France, and the French team was determined to win the title on home soil. However, to lift the trophy, they knew they would likely have to get past Spain.

At first, it seemed like they had a good chance. But now, seeing how Spain had transformed with Lin Quan's return, Deschamps couldn't help but feel nervous. Could his French team really beat a fully armed Spain?

Compared to Deschamps, Löw was even more unsettled. After Germany's victory over Slovakia, their next opponent would be the winner of this match between Spain and Italy.

Although the game was still goalless, with Italy holding on defensively, Löw had already mentally conceded that Italy would lose. Unless a miracle happened, Conte's team was on its way out, and Germany's quarterfinal opponent would be Spain.

Two years had passed since the last World Cup, and during that time, Germany had grown stronger. Although veteran striker Miroslav Klose had retired from the national team, young stars like Thomas Müller had fully matured, and Toni Kroos, uninjured this time, was also with the squad.

Spain, on the other hand, had undergone significant changes since their World Cup triumph, with many veteran players retiring. This had slightly weakened the Spanish team.

By this reckoning, Germany's chances of victory seemed higher than two years ago. However, as Löw watched Lin Quan on the field, he couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. The more he watched Lin, the more that unease intensified. Could it be that once again, this man will be the one to defeat us?

...

Italy found themselves on the defensive, but Italian defending has a legendary reputation for a reason. Despite being under heavy pressure, their solid defense prevented Spain from scoring early. Thirty minutes into the first half, the score remained 0-0. While Italy was being thoroughly outplayed in terms of possession and other statistics, they were still holding onto the crucial scoreline.

This gave the Italian players a brief moment of relief. The first 30 minutes had been intense, making them sweat profusely, but they had survived the toughest part of the game without conceding.

Having weathered Spain's relentless assault for half an hour, the Italians' confidence began to grow. They realized that while Spain's attack, and especially Lin Quan, was formidable, they could handle it with careful teamwork and coordination. Individual one-on-one defending wasn't enough to stop Lin Quan; it required multiple players working together to contain him.

This was where Italy's defensive system excelled—teamwork. By coordinating across all three lines of defense, they managed to keep Spain at bay, preventing them from finding the back of the net. Though they were on the back foot and it wasn't pretty, the results were what mattered.

Italy's players knew that if they could hold on and find a chance to sneak in a goal, victory could be theirs. And if not, they could drag the game into extra time or even a penalty shootout. They knew they couldn't outscore Spain, but they were confident in their defense.

After thirty minutes of trying to break through, Lin Quan also realized that Italy's defense wouldn't be easy to crack. The Italians moved as one, with every defender reacting in unison, leaving almost no gaps to exploit.

Whenever a Spanish player crossed into Italy's half, the Italians quickly shifted their defense, setting up three solid defensive lines, making it nearly impossible to pass through.

But Lin Quan had a keen eye for weaknesses, and he found one: Italy's left midfielder, Mattia De Sciglio. De Sciglio lacked speed, his positioning was poor, and he didn't have much experience. This caused him to lag slightly behind his teammates in defensive situations.

In the 20th minute, Lin Quan exploited this gap, making a rapid break down the wing and drawing a foul from De Sciglio, who earned a yellow card for his trouble.

With the yellow card hanging over him, De Sciglio became more cautious, hesitant to make any risky tackles. Italy was playing with three central defenders and no full-backs, meaning their flanks were vulnerable to pressure.

Spain recognized this weakness and repeatedly launched attacks down the wings, placing De Sciglio under even greater defensive pressure. Lin Quan, having analyzed De Sciglio's strengths and weaknesses, decided to strike.

In the 32nd minute of the first half, Lin Quan began dribbling forward slowly. De Sciglio moved to block him, while the rest of the Italian defense quickly shifted to form a defensive arc around Lin, cutting off his passing and dribbling options.

Their defense was airtight, leaving Lin Quan no obvious route forward. With Álvaro Morata tightly marked, Lin didn't risk making a pass to him. Instead, he glanced to the left side of the field and switched the ball over to David Silva.

The Italians weren't surprised by this, as if they had predicted Lin Quan's intent. Immediately, Florenzi rushed forward to press Silva, while De Rossi, Parolo, and Barzagli shifted over, forming a solid defensive wall on the left side.

Silva received the ball, glanced up, and saw the wall of Italian defenders in front of him. "They really aren't giving us any space," he thought. But then he smiled to himself, "Too bad, you're marking the wrong man!"

Silva dribbled laterally, sidestepping Florenzi, and then made a long pass, switching the ball again—this time to the right.

The ball was heading back to where Lin Quan had just been. The Italians didn't think much of it at first. "Spain is just wasting time, passing the ball back and forth," they thought.

But as they followed the ball's trajectory, a sudden sense of danger dawned on them.

"Oh no! It's heading toward the byline!" they realized, whipping their heads around to look at their left side. There they saw the player in the red number 10 jersey, sprinting down the wing at full speed. De Sciglio was desperately chasing after him, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't close the gap. In fact, Lin Quan was pulling further and further ahead!

(End of Chapter)

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