Chapter 349: Chapter 348: Nou Camp Miracle?
Deng Kai was already negotiating with the main referee.
Matthaus quietly approached Simon; the seasoned rogue immediately saw the struggle within Simon’s heart.
"Whether this is a penalty kick or not, you know better than anyone. You emerged as a star from Lisbon Athletic; the fans still hold you in their blessings. You can’t treat them like this," Matthaus appealed to his emotions.
But Guardiola, noticing this scene in time, rushed over to hug Simon, whispering in his ear, "Simon, I understand how you feel. But this is the pitch, we are professional players, the only thing we can do is play football well."
"This isn’t your penalty kick; it belongs to all of Barcelona’s players, the club, and the fans. This penalty kick could decide whether the team gets to lift a heavyweight Championship Trophy this season!"
Guardiola calmed Simon down and then glared at Matthaus.
This master of psychological warfare might not have conquered Deng Kai, but how could he possibly let someone steal from his own house?
After two minutes of back-and-forth, Lisbon Athletic still couldn’t change the main referee’s mind.
Rivaldo, holding the football, walked to the penalty spot.
Ten seconds later, a celebratory euphoria erupted in Camp Nou.
Rivaldo executed the penalty, helping Barça equalize to 1-2.
The aggregate score, 4-5.
If Barça scored another goal, they would go from behind to ahead.
That’s why they felt like winners after a 3-3 draw in the first leg.
Away goals are just so important.
That goal directly escalated the excitement among Barcelona’s players.
Their "efforts" paid off; they would strive harder, creating a "virtuous cycle."
The 68th minute.
Deng Kai was tripped by Xavi with a Brazilian jiu-jitsu-like move while holding the ball in the middle of the field.
Gandour remained indifferent.
Deng Kai sprang up, rushed at Xavi, and immediately pulled him down.
Xavi was very dissatisfied with Deng Kai’s actions, but after seeing his expression, he paused and refrained from saying much.
Deng Kai was clearly set off by the main referee’s unfair rulings.
Xavi knew whether his own action was a foul. If he were as crafty as Guardiola, he might have instead taken the chance to provoke Deng Kai, hoping to get him off the field once and for all with a red card in hand.
But being new to the professional world, Xavi still had a conscience, and for a moment, he didn’t know how to act.
However, Xavi having a conscience didn’t mean Gandour did.
Gandour rushed over and issued Deng Kai a yellow card.
He had warned Deng Kai before that another similar foul would earn him a yellow card.
And indeed, Deng Kai’s move itself deserved a yellow card, that is, if one didn’t consider Xavi’s previous action.
This is why many online arguments appear justified from all sides; once individual clips are separated, right and wrong can dramatically change.
"Are you sure your judgment is without issue? I’ve experienced many special matches, and you remind me of many outrageous moments!" This time, even Matthaus couldn’t sit still.
It’s one thing to pick on someone else, but it’s too much to pick on little Kai.
Today, Gandour fully displayed his mastery of card distribution, slapping down a yellow card with a backhand.
Matthaus was effectively muzzled.
Deschamps and Schmeichel, the two veterans, continued their confrontation with Gandour, but they all knew such behavior was meaningless.
Gandour was determined to see Barcelona through to the UEFA Cup final today.
This was what Trigella feared the most.
During the group match, Sporting Lisbon, as the favored side, suffered disadvantages in the refereeing, who sought to ensure the match was entertaining.
Now in the semi-finals, as the underdogs, they found themselves on the receiving end of unjust decisions after taking the lead.
"Really, UEFA doesn’t act with any decency, always picking on the easy targets, huh?"
"Get in touch with Chief Editor Jiang Yunzhu. Have her prepare all the materials for this match. Regardless of the outcome, we will file an appeal after the game," Trigella said.
Maxa turned pale, "Are we... really going to lock horns with UEFA? If we lose, that’s one thing, but if we advance, why appeal? They could easily cause us trouble in the final..."
Trigella nodded toward the pitch, "It’s not for us to decide; it’s for Kai to decide. I bet that during the post-match interview, he will call all the media to openly express dissatisfaction with the officiating of this game and question UEFA’s fairness."
"No one can stop him, so all we can do is help him prepare sufficient evidence to give him the support he needs."
"After all, he’s the one doing the most difficult and courageous things. Shouldn’t we do this kind of work that’s within our power for him?"
Maxa nodded repeatedly and, while shouting how awesome Young Master Kai was, dashed through the players’ tunnel to call Jiang Yunzhu.
The 71st minute.
Sporting Lisbon’s defense, rattled by the stressful situation, revealed gaps.
Deng Kai made a rash challenge and was dodged by Guardiola, who then sent a long pass to Overmars.
Overmars cut inside and passed the ball to Rivaldo.
Rivaldo feinted a long shot, faked and surged forward, half feinting and half accelerating past Deschamps.
Pepe made a decisive move.
Yet Rivaldo reacted even quicker, passing the ball across to the edge of the penalty area, familiar with the young defender Pepe’s style of play—Pepe was too eager.
The spot where Rivaldo passed the ball was completely unmarked.
But once Guardiola arrived there, it became an incredibly dangerous area.
This was the understanding between Rivaldo and Guardiola, honed over several years of playing together.
Bang!
Guardiola met the ball without needing any adjustments and shot from distance.
However, Schmeichel was on fire today.
He saved what was almost a one-on-one long shot.
You can’t exactly say Guardiola’s shooting was imprecise, can you?
But the crisis was not averted; the ball bounced up in the penalty box.
With no interference from Pepe, Cruyff easily got to the ball and took a follow-up shot.
"GOAL!"
The whole Camp Nou stadium erupted in an instant.
The Barcelona fans went wild.
"The Dutchman makes his mark! Cruyff’s power is breathtaking!"
"That’s Barcelona for you! Setting aside the controversies, their goals are beyond dispute!"
"Two to two! Rivaldo, Guardiola, Cruyff, one after another, helping Barcelona equalize."
"With this, the aggregate score is now five to five. But Barcelona’s three away goals give them the advantage over Sporting Lisbon’s two, putting them in the driver’s seat for progression!"
"Is Barcelona heading to the Europa League finals?"
"A miracle! This is a miracle! A comeback miracle in the Europa League, coming from two goals behind! I’d call this the Camp Nou Miracle!"
"No wonder their fans are so excited!"
"Oh! The Barcelona fans are chanting something in unison, let’s get closer and listen..."
