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Setién remained composed during the pre-match press conference.

"Manchester United are among the strongest clubs in Europe and perhaps the world," he said. "Their victory over Real Madrid demonstrated that."

"But Barcelona are not afraid."

"Our confidence comes from our players and our football. We have exceptional quality and a clear tactical identity."

"Many people doubt us, but inside the dressing room, we believe we can win."

He could hardly say otherwise.

Admitting that he expected defeat would have placed his job in danger before kickoff.

Mourinho's press conference was considerably more confrontational.

"I have faced Barcelona many times," he said. "They built their modern identity around possession and attacking football."

A slight smile appeared.

"I did not expect them to still be playing almost exactly the same way after so many years."

Several reporters laughed.

"That style can still dominate weaker opposition. Against Manchester United, it will not have the same effect."

"We will win."

A reporter from The Sun raised his hand.

"Do you or your players fear Messi?"

Mourinho looked toward him.

"Fear?"

His expression cooled.

"No."

"Old Trafford carries the history, pride, and dreams of Manchester United supporters. This club has never been built to fear an opponent."

"That was true when Barcelona arrived with Maradona."

"It remains true when they arrive with Messi."

He was referring to the European Cup Winners' Cup quarterfinal in 1984.

United had lost the first leg 2–0 at Camp Nou.

At Old Trafford, Bryan Robson scored twice to level the tie before Frank Stapleton completed a remarkable 3–0 victory.

Barcelona, led by Diego Maradona, had been eliminated 3–2 on aggregate.

Thirty-six years later, Mourinho wanted another famous European night!

...

Inside the tunnel, Ling noticed that Louisa, one of the young mascots, could not stop looking toward Messi.

"Louisa," he whispered, "do you want his autograph?"

She shook her head.

"His shirt?"

"No."

"Then why are you staring?"

Louisa answered in a clear voice that carried farther than Ling would have preferred.

"I was wondering when you'll overtake him in Ballon d'Or trophies."

Ling stared at her.

Messi stood only a few steps away.

'This kid is trying to create tomorrow's headlines before the match has even started!'

"Don't worry about that," Ling replied.

He ruffled her hair.

"Wait for me near the stand afterward. You can have my match-worn shirt."

Louisa beamed.

Messi said nothing.

Rakitić, however, looked visibly annoyed.

He considered the remark disrespectful toward Barcelona's captain, but arguing with a child would only make him look ridiculous.

He swallowed the frustration.

There would be time to express it on the pitch.

...

The Champions League anthem began as the tunnel doors opened.

Old Trafford thundered.

From different sections of the stadium came competing chants.

"UNITED! UNITED! UNITED!"

"BARÇA! BARÇA! BARÇA!"

"BEAT BARCELONA!"

"COME ON, UNITED!"

Peter Drury's voice entered over the spectacle.

"A red night in Manchester."

"Barcelona return to a stadium haunted by memories, carrying Lionel Messi and the weight of an era that refuses to end quietly."

"Manchester United pursue something unseen in the modern Champions League—a third consecutive crown."

"One club fights to restore its European supremacy."

"The other fights to turn supremacy into immortality."

Jim Beglin examined the formations.

"Setién has surprised us with a 4-4-2. Semedo and Jordi Alba provide the width, while Busquets and Rakitić hold the central positions. Messi operates freely around Suárez."

"It appears designed to reinforce midfield and attack the spaces outside United's narrow three-man screen."

Drury continued with United.

"Mourinho stays with the structure that eliminated Real Madrid. De Gea in goal; Wan-Bissaka, Thiago Silva, Maguire, and Alex Sandro in defense; Kanté, Matić, and Herrera across midfield; Bruno Fernandes behind Mahrez and Ling."

Beglin returned to Barcelona's shape.

"The potential weakness in a flat 4-4-2 is the physical demand. The lines have to move together and cover horizontally. If the midfield cannot shift quickly enough, United will find enormous spaces near the full-backs."

"De Jong's absence is notable, but his partnership with Busquets has not always worked. Against United's intensity, Setién appears to prefer experience."

Social media had already formed its verdict.

📱 @BarcaTactico

A flat 4-4-2 against United's running power is dangerous. Every midfielder has to cover enormous ground.

📱 @CulersCentral

Why are Busquets and Rakitić starting together instead of De Jong?

| ↳ 📱 @LaLigaAnalyst

| Reply: De Jong and Busquets often occupy the same spaces. Setién wants familiarity in a match where one mistake could be fatal.

📱 @UnitedStand ✔

Barcelona fans spent all week calling Ling a stat-padder. Tonight he gets the opportunity to pad them against Barcelona.

📱 @BarcaUniversal

Griezmann starts on the bench again. The team still has no natural role for him beside Messi.

📱 @StretfordEndTom

Press Busquets, attack Piqué and Lenglet, and do not let Messi turn. Simple to write. Much harder to execute.

📱 @RedDevilBeijing

No fear. This is Old Trafford!

The players moved into position.

Messi stood over the ball.

Ling waited several yards away, already leaning forward.

BEEP!

The match began.

Messi passed backward to Rakitić.

Manchester United surged forward.

Not one player pressed alone.

Ling attacked the center-back's passing route. Bruno moved toward Busquets.

Mahrez curved his run to block the return toward Jordi Alba, while Sandro advanced behind him to close Semedo.

Barcelona had no time to settle.

"UNITED RELEASE THE PRESS IMMEDIATELY!" Drury exclaimed. "No waiting, no studying period—Mourinho's side are hunting from the opening touch!"

Rakitić moved the ball toward Semedo.

Matić's positioning blocked the route down the flank, forcing the full-back to turn back inside.

Barcelona possessed an old habit.

When pressed, they trusted short passes through the center rather than clearing long.

A decade earlier, Xavi, Iniesta, Busquets, and Messi had used that courage to humiliate opponents, moving the ball through pressure faster than any team could close them.

This was not that Barcelona.

Semedo returned the pass toward Busquets.

The midfielder carried the ball sideways, scanning for an escape.

There was none.

Bruno approached from the front.

Ling closed from behind.

Busquets tried to turn between them.

The two United players squeezed the space simultaneously.

THUD!

Busquets went down.

He raised both arms, waiting for the whistle.

The referee crossed his hands.

No foul.

Bruno collected possession and drove forward.

"UNITED HAVE STOLEN IT IN THE FINAL THIRD!"

He released Sandro down the left.

Semedo had advanced and could not recover.

Piqué moved across to cover, but Sandro lowered his shoulder and powered beyond him toward the byline.

The Brazilian looked up and curled a cross toward the far post.

Mahrez received under pressure from Lenglet.

One feint opened the route inside.

Rather than shoot, Mahrez dragged the ball backward toward the edge of the penalty area.

Ling arrived.

More than sixty thousand people rose at once.

Rakitić threw himself into Ling's path and drove a shoulder into him.

Ling barely moved.

His studs bit into the turf.

His right leg swung through the ball with the force of an axe.

BANG!

The shot exploded from his boot.

Ter Stegen remained frozen.

The goalkeeper's mind had barely registered the strike before the net behind him snapped backward.

1–0.

One minute and fifty-eight seconds!

Old Trafford erupted.

Peter Drury's voice tore through the noise.

"LING—OH, WHAT A START!"

"BARCELONA HAVE BROUGHT THE BALL, MANCHESTER UNITED HAVE BROUGHT THE STORM!"

"Busquets is hunted, Piqué is beaten, Mahrez provides the invitation—and Jeremy Ling arrives with a strike of ABSOLUTE VIOLENCE!"

"ONE MINUTE AND FIFTY-EIGHT SECONDS!"

"THE HOLDERS HAVE DRAWN FIRST BLOOD BEFORE BARCELONA HAVE EVEN DRAWN BREATH!"

Beglin watched the sequence again.

"This is exactly what Mourinho planned. United know Barcelona will not clear the ball under pressure, so they trap Busquets from both sides."

"Once Bruno wins it, every action is direct. Sandro attacks the vacant flank, Mahrez stays calm at the far post, and Ling's strength prevents Rakitić from affecting the shot."

"Ter Stegen sees it late, but I'm not sure seeing it earlier would have helped him."

Ling turned toward the Stretford End and drove both fists through the air.

Behind him, Barcelona's players stood in stunned silence.

They had spent two days discussing United's pressure.

It had taken less than two minutes to be consumed by it.

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