Cazorla controlled the ball.
Le Kai immediately turned his head and shouted, "Turn! Run!!!"
Without hesitation, Le Kai and several Arsenal teammates surged forward. Bayern's three centre-backs retreated quickly but remained remarkably composed. As Rafinha dropped back, he deliberately slowed his pace and closed in on Cazorla.
Cazorla hesitated for a moment, looking for a way to break through. Realising there was no clear opening, he decided to pass.
Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso closed in rapidly from behind, forming a tight trap. The tackle was clean and decisive.
Damn it!
Seeing the ball lost, Le Kai cursed inwardly and immediately turned to sprint back toward his own penalty area.
The game had barely begun, yet the pace on both sides was ferocious. Bayern's counter-attack, however, was even quicker.
Before Le Kai could fully recover his position, the ball was once again at Thomas Müller's feet. This time, Müller held it briefly, waiting for Bastian Schweinsteiger to make a supporting run and for Robert Lewandowski to position himself. Only then did he release the pass.
Sky Deutschland (German commentary): „Bayern greift wieder an! Müller ist schon im Strafraum. Wie wird Schweinsteiger den Ball spielen?"
(Bayern attack again! Müller is already inside the penalty area. How will Schweinsteiger play the ball?)
Kai was still retreating at full speed.
"Mark Müller!" "Mark Lewandowski!"
Laurent Koscielny and Le Kai shouted almost simultaneously.
At that moment, Schweinsteiger lofted a precise ball into the box. Mertesacker fixed his eyes on the flight of the ball while tracking Lewandowski. He had won the duel once before — he believed he could do it again.
Mertesacker and Lewandowski arrived at the spot together.
Bang!
Lewandowski arched his back, forcing Mertesacker to take a small step backward. In that split second, Lewandowski jumped. His movement was awkward, his arms flailing for balance, but he managed to redirect the ball with a light header toward the far post.
There, Thomas Müller had already made a clever run. Facing the dropping ball, he struck it powerfully on the volley.
Swish!!!!
The shot was crisp and unstoppable, flying straight into the back of the net.
Just six minutes into the match, Arsenal were trailing.
"Goooooooooooooooaaaaaaaaaaaaaaal!!!!!" the commentators roared across the world.
Bayern players rushed together in wild celebration as the Allianz Arena exploded with deafening cheers.
Le Kai stopped running and stared at Müller, his brow deeply furrowed. He had expected Lewandowski to take the shot, not the German forward. Müller's finish had been clinical.
Although he was reluctant to admit it, Bayern's attack had been exceptionally sharp.
Sky Deutschland: „Bayern kontrolliert das Mittelfeld vollkommen! Guardiolas Taktik geht auf. Weniger Defensive, mehr Offensive – und das Tor ist der perfekte Beweis!"
(Bayern completely controls the midfield! Guardiola's tactics are working. Less defence, more attack — and this goal is the perfect proof!)
At the Arsenal dugout, Arsène Wenger narrowed his eyes, a trace of coldness in his expression.
"Three at the back…" he muttered.
Clearly, he had not anticipated this approach from Guardiola.
"I passed too slowly," Cazorla admitted immediately, looking frustrated with himself. "If I had released the ball quicker, we wouldn't have lost possession like that."
Le Kai shook his head. "Just as we expected before the match — they're targeting you specifically."
"They're baiting you to try and dribble through, then pouncing with numbers," he added.
"Then I'll just pass it quickly," Cazorla replied.
Le Kai shook his head again. "If you do that, their three centre-backs will easily contain our three forwards. Don't forget they have four defensive midfielders. They would love for us to play that way."
Cazorla fell silent for a moment, clearly unsettled.
"So what should I do?" he asked.
"Break through," Kai said. "You have to break their midfield line. Tell Sanchez and Di Maria to join you in attacking the midfield."
Guardiola's tactics were working effectively. The Spanish coach had disrupted Arsenal's usual cohesion, forcing them to rely on individual breakthroughs. Yet Arsenal's greatest strength had always been their collective teamwork.
Should I push forward? Le Kai wondered.
Advancing could increase Arsenal's attacking threat, but it would leave them even more vulnerable to Bayern's lightning counters. The frustration was mounting.
Completely outmanoeuvred.
. .
On the touchline, Arsène Wenger could no longer remain seated. He strode to the edge of the pitch and shouted instructions:
"Sanchez! Di Maria! Drop deeper to receive the ball. Don't stay so high up!"
He paused, considering the full-backs. Neither Bacary Sagna nor Kieran Gibbs was suited to stabilising the midfield. No matter how he looked at it, Arsenal were effectively fighting with five midfielders against Bayern's six.
Wenger turned his gaze toward Pep Guardiola. At that exact moment, the Bayern manager looked back. Their eyes met. Guardiola offered a slight, confident smile. Wenger turned away and exhaled deeply.
Making substitutions now felt too early, yet the tactical imbalance was clear. One extra man in midfield made a significant difference in pressing power and control. Moreover, with Cazorla tightly marked, even if Sanchez and Di Maria dropped deeper, creating effective attacks remained difficult.
The game continued, and Arsenal's attacks became increasingly laboured. With Cazorla restricted, their play grew predictable. Bayern's three-man defence handled them comfortably, while their six-man midfield launched wave after wave of dangerous counters.
By the 30-minute mark, Cazorla was struggling badly. Kai and N'Golo Kanté were pinned back near their own penalty area. The connection between Arsenal's defence and attack was on the verge of breaking down.
I need to find a way, Kai thought desperately.
But Bayern's attacks kept coming relentlessly, leaving him no time to think. He could only keep running, covering gaps, and helping his teammates relieve pressure.
Even then, Bayern remained relentless. They even pushed two defensive midfielders forward to join the attack, intensifying the pressure on Arsenal's defence.
In the 43rd minute, disaster struck again.
A long-range shot from Thomas Müller flew past the defenders and rippled the net once more.
Sky Deutschland: „Tor! Tor! Tor! Thomas Müller! Zwei zu null für Bayern München!"
(Goal! Goal! Goal! Thomas Müller! Two-nil to Bayern Munich!)
Bayern led 2-0 at half-time, with Müller scoring both goals.
In London, Arsenal fans sat in stunned silence. The first half had been a nightmare. No one had expected the Gunners to be dominated so thoroughly.
. . .
At half-time, both teams made their way toward the players' tunnel. The Arsenal players wore grim, frustrated expressions, while the Bayern squad was visibly buzzing with excitement. A two-goal lead in such an important match had given them a commanding psychological advantage.
In the stands, Billy gnawed anxiously on his fingernails, muttering bitterly, "This is so damn frustrating to watch!"
"Are we going to be rejected from a Final again? F**k!!"
"Cazorla has been put in a pocket!"
"Le Kai has been pushed back into defence. Our entire central axis is broken."
The Arsenal fans continued analysing the game, but the more they discussed it, the more disheartened they became. It felt hopeless.
"Arsène Wenger will find a way," Meadows suddenly declared.
The statement surprised everyone, including Billy, given Meadows' well-known criticism of the manager.
With a serious expression, Meadows continued, "I didn't like Wenger because he used to play with too much flair, but I have to admit — his tactical intelligence is exceptional. He'll find a solution."
All eyes turned toward Arsène Wenger as he walked into the tunnel with a solemn look on his face. They could only hope he would.
. . .
Inside the Arsenal dressing room, tension boiled over.
"F**k this!" one player slammed his fist on the bench.
"There's no fucking way through!" another shouted.
"I can't break past them at all!"
"No support, no movement — nothing!"
A loud bang echoed as someone kicked the locker room door hard in frustration.
"Hey! Guys, calm down and keep your heads up!"
"We need to play with more fucking chemistry!"
Despite the raised voices and raw language, the fact that they were still arguing tactics showed their fighting spirit had not completely died.
Le Kai sat frowning deeply, elbows on his knees.
The door opened, and Arsène Wenger stepped in.
"Everyone, quiet please," Wenger said firmly. The room fell silent almost immediately.
He removed his suit jacket, loosened his tie, and pulled the tactics board closer. After setting up Arsenal's formation, he began:
"We have a clear problem with the attack. Cazorla is being tightly restricted, and relying only on Sánchez and Di María is not creating enough pressure."
The players nodded — he had hit the nail on the head.
"So," Wenger continued, slapping a red marker onto the centre of the board, "Le Kai — you need to run. Back and forth, left and right, just like when you first broke into the team. You've been rotated this season, so your stamina should be strong. I want you to empty the tank for me."
Wenger's voice carried real steel. "When we attack, you join in. I don't need you to beat players, but you must use your passing range to deliver the ball into the most dangerous areas — right here, behind their defensive midfielders."
He turned to Cazorla. "Santi!"
"Yes, coach!" Cazorla stood up quickly.
"You run into the spaces. Le Kai will deliver the ball to the best positions and help create space for you. Once you receive it, drive forward."
Wenger raised his voice with intensity. "Can you do that?"
"Yes!!" Cazorla replied firmly.
Finally, Wenger addressed Ángel Di María and Alexis Sánchez. "You two, be ready to make runs as well. Le Kai will find you, too. Your job is to break through. Leave the rest to him."
"Understood!"
"Got it!"
Both players glanced at Le Kai, who sat with his eyes closed and head resting against the locker, deep in thought. Another frustrated kick thudded against the door from one of the younger players before the room fell quiet. The squad tried to recover as much energy as possible. They still had a mountain to climb.
"I still think a substitution might be better," Pat Rice said quietly after Wenger finished.
Wenger shook his head gently. "We make a change only after we score the first goal. That gives us a real chance to equalise. If we substitute too early, Bayern will have time to adjust and counter us. We must score with this lineup first."
Pat Rice paused, then asked softly, "Can Le Kai handle that much pressure?"
"Yes," Wenger replied decisively. "He is the captain. He must."
Le Kai remained with his eyes closed, replaying the first half in his mind. Although he had barely joined the attack, his deeper position had allowed him to study Bayern's adjustments closely.
"Second half, time to go!" a staff member knocked and announced.
All eyes turned to Le Kai. He slowly opened his eyes, patted his cheeks sharply, then stood up.
"Alright," he said with quiet determination. "Let's go out there and f**king equalise."
The players' eyes lit up. They rose together and shouted with renewed fire:
"Equalise!"
"It's only two f**king goals!"
"Come on — let's show them what we've got!"
One by one, the Arsenal players walked out of the tunnel with fierce momentum. They passed the Bayern players at the corner without making eye contact, staring straight ahead with grim resolve.
Both teams returned to the pitch and switched sides. No changes had been made to either lineup.
This drew immediate comment from the broadcasters.
Sky Deutschland: „Arsenal hat keine Wechsel vorgenommen? Glaubt Wenger wirklich, er kann mit Motivation allein ausgleichen?"
(Arsenal have made no substitutions? Does Wenger really believe he can equalise with just motivation?)
The German commentator's tone carried clear sarcasm.
On Sky Sports, Paul Merson sounded: "They need to make a change! The first half showed that this lineup isn't working. They need more creativity and passing options in midfield. At the very least, N'Golo Kanté should come off — bring on Jack Wilshere!"
Guardiola, watching from the Bayern dugout, also frowned slightly. He had expected Wenger to make adjustments. The lack of changes left him puzzled.
On the pitch, Le Kai scanned left and right before giving a subtle nod to N'Golo Kanté nearby. Kanté was breathing heavily, his face serious. His role now was to provide cover — to buy Le Kai time when he pushed forward, make interceptions where possible, and slow down Bayern's counters.
Arsenal kicked off the second half. After a series of passes, the ball reached Santi Cazorla once more. Tension rose across the stadium.
Paul Merson sighed, "This is pointless. The first half already showed—"
Before he could finish, Cazorla played the ball backwards.
To everyone's surprise, Le Kai had advanced into Bayern's half. The move caught the Bayern players off guard.
Le Kai assessed their positioning with sharp eyes. Three players had committed to pressing Cazorla, leaving a large gap behind them.
He took two quick steps forward, swung his right leg, and struck the ball cleanly without stopping it. The pass flew low and arrow-straight with immense power, aimed precisely into the space behind Rafinha.
With only three defenders, Bayern could not maintain the compactness of a back four. The gap was significant — and Le Kai had exploited it perfectly.
. . .
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