Chapter 138: Champion Mentality! God, Why Don't We Have That Kind of Luck?
Right after the Champions League Round of 16, the FA Cup quarterfinals kicked off.
Bayswater Chinese hosted Portsmouth.
Chelsea traveled to Barnsley.
Manchester United played away at Middlesbrough.
West Bromwich Albion visited Bristol Rovers.
Before the season even began, Yang Cheng had made it clear: the League Cup and FA Cup would be entrusted to the club's younger players.
So even with a Premier League opponent in the FA Cup quarterfinals, Yang Cheng stuck to that plan.
Against Portsmouth, Bayswater Chinese fielded their young attacking trio: Gareth Bale, Lewandowski, and Walcott.
Midfield featured Rakitić, Matić, and Aaron Ramsey.
This lineup played a very different brand of football from the first team—
quicker, slicker, and more creative in combination play.
The midfield looked more imaginative and controlled the game with youthful energy.
Ramsey, in particular, continued to shine in the domestic cups.
With his tight footwork and imaginative passing, he could pass, dribble, control the tempo, and arrive late into the box.
Most importantly, his stamina and coverage were outstanding.
Just eight minutes in, he shook off Portsmouth's Sulley Muntari at midfield, broke into the attacking third, and just when it looked like he'd feed Lewandowski—
He fired a lateral pass across the top of the box, splitting defenders and finding Rakitić unmarked on the left.
Rakitić struck it first-time with his right foot—
Goal. 1–0.
Then in the 23rd minute, Ramsey once again drove the ball forward from the right channel and was taken down by Muntari.
It earned a dangerous free kick and loud applause from the crowd.
Rakitić stepped up and delivered a perfect ball—
Koscielny rose and headed it home.
2–0.
With a goal and an assist from Rakitić, Bayswater Chinese beat Portsmouth and advanced to the FA Cup semifinals.
Elsewhere:
Chelsea lost 0–1 to Barnsley.
United edged Middlesbrough 1–0.
West Brom demolished Bristol Rovers 5–1.
In the semifinals:
Bayswater Chinese would face West Brom away.
United would take on Barnsley.
...
Midweek saw several rescheduled Premier League Round 29 matches, pushed due to the FA Cup.
United traveled to Derby County.
Everyone expected an easy win—
Derby were just too weak.
But United nearly slipped.
Only a 76th-minute goal from Cristiano Ronaldo salvaged a 1–0 win.
Bayswater Chinese hosted Manchester City.
This season, City had lived and died by Thaksin Shinawatra.
His investments brought big-name signings and real improvement—especially with players like Inler joining.
Sven-Göran Eriksson was a capable manager.
But ever since rumors of Thaksin returning to Thailand for trial surfaced, chaos took hold at City.
They fell from sixth to eighth and were riding a two-match losing streak.
News spread fast: Thaksin was actively trying to sell the club.
After failing to buy Arsenal, the Abu Dhabi group had turned their attention to City.
City's future looked shaky.
Still, Eriksson's squad came out swinging.
From kickoff, they battled Bayswater Chinese blow for blow.
City held strong for 60 minutes.
Then, in the 61st minute, Neuer launched a long ball straight from the back—
Pinpoint accuracy.
Džeko headed it down to the left wing.
Di María raced onto it, beat his man, and whipped in a cross.
Arshavin crashed in and finished.
1–0.
City responded with furious attacks.
After all, regardless of what happened to the club, the players needed to perform to secure their own futures.
It forced Bayswater Chinese onto the back foot.
In the 88th minute, Džeko picked up an Arshavin pass, drove in from the right, and fired a low shot with his left foot.
2–0.
That finally killed off the match.
City had fought hard—credit where it's due.
...
Weekend – Premier League Round 30.
Derby, who almost stunned United, were thrashed 1–6 at Stamford Bridge.
United beat Bolton 2–0 at home—Ronaldo bagged another brace.
They didn't play well overall, but those early goals settled the match.
Arsenal were held 0–0 at Wigan.
Yang Cheng led his team to Anfield.
Despite being away, Bayswater Chinese came out attacking and won a free kick just three minutes in.
Alvaro Arbeloa fouled Gareth Bale on the left, and Gianni Vio immediately rushed to the sideline to direct the set piece.
Baines took the kick, Liverpool cleared it—
Yaya Touré collected the loose ball, chested it down, and smashed it from just outside the arc.
Goal.
1–0.
Bayswater Chinese pushed again, but Liverpool held their line.
In the 19th minute, Babel crossed from the left.
Mascherano—almost in the same spot as Yaya Touré—struck a rocket.
Goal. 1–1.
Yang Cheng stood there speechless.
"That's his first goal of the season, right?" he asked Gianni Vio.
The Italian nodded. "Not just his first this season. It's his first Premier League goal ever. His first since joining Liverpool."
Yang Cheng stared blankly.
It was like playing Football Manager again—
Every time someone scored against him, it was their first ever.
Unreal.
Good for them.
But why always my goal?
Can they score somewhere else, please?
The half ended amid fierce back-and-forth exchanges.
Then just three minutes into the second half, Babel earned a free kick.
Gerrard whipped it in.
Torres nodded it in at the back post.
2–1. A comeback.
Lately, Spain's Golden Boy was on fire.
This was his 20th league goal of the season.
After the comeback, Bayswater Chinese launched a counterattack of their own.
In the 61st minute, a long ball from the back was collected by Džeko, who played a brilliant through pass.
Gareth Bale used his pace to blast past Arbeloa, charged into Liverpool's left side of the box, and smashed a left-footed shot into the far corner.
2–2!
Yang Cheng and Benítez both made substitutions, ramping up their attacking setups.
Liverpool were fighting for a Champions League spot.
Bayswater Chinese were chasing the title.
But neither side could find another goal.
2–2. A hard-fought draw for Bayswater Chinese.
With that result, Manchester United's lead at the top grew to 3 points.
And Liverpool's chances of reaching the Champions League looked increasingly slim.
...
One week later – Premier League Round 31.
Bayswater Chinese hosted Birmingham at Wembley.
Due to Martin Taylor's reckless foul and the heavy punishment handed down by the FA, Birmingham were without their starting center-back—and under intense media and fan pressure.
It affected them heavily.
At Wembley, they lined up with five at the back, parking the bus.
In the 28th minute, Thiago Silva delivered a pinpoint through ball to Arshavin up front.
The Russian cracked a fierce shot from outside the box and found the net.
Then, just before halftime, Baines whipped in a free kick from the left, and Džeko headed it in.
2–0!
In the second half, Modrić danced past a defender, cut into the box, and squared the ball to Džeko, who calmly slotted home from the penalty spot.
3–0! A brace.
In the 63rd minute, Di María stormed into the left side of the box.
His first shot was saved—but the Argentine pounced on the rebound and buried it.
4–0!
Then in the 78th minute, substitute Walcott cut in from the right, breezed past two defenders, and launched a curling left-footed shot from outside the area.
5–0!
A resounding win for Bayswater Chinese.
Birmingham, meanwhile, suffered their fourth consecutive away defeat.
Elsewhere in Round 31:
Manchester United crushed Liverpool 3–0 at Old Trafford—
helped in no small part by Mascherano being sent off in the first half.
Yang Cheng could only sigh:
"God, why don't we ever get this kind of luck?"
Chelsea, after going a goal down, came from behind to beat Arsenal 2–1 thanks to a Drogba brace.
...
After Round 31, the international break struck again.
Bayswater Chinese's entire squad was gutted—most called up for national duty.
Yang Cheng was helpless.
As soon as they returned, they had to face Round 32.
March 29: Round 32
April 1: Champions League quarterfinal first leg vs. Barcelona.
A full month had passed since the Round of 16 second leg.
In that time, Bayswater Chinese had gone all out with PR campaigns, promotions, and outreach—trying to pack Wembley.
As a result, the Barcelona match would see over 85,000 in attendance.
And tickets were still selling.
It would be the highest home attendance in club history.
Almost a full house at Wembley.
That's the power of the Champions League.
On April 1 and 2, there would be only two football matches in all of England—
no lower-league games either.
Bayswater Chinese vs. Barcelona
Manchester United vs. Liverpool
North and south—two colossal matchups that captured the entire nation's attention.
Old Trafford had been sold out for weeks.
In true United fashion, ticket prices had even gone up.
Bayswater Chinese had also raised prices slightly—by about £5 per ticket.
Adam Crozier told Yang Cheng with full confidence:
"Wembley will be completely sold out on April 1st."
These two matches were the undisputed highlights of English football.
Yang Cheng, after careful assessment, had his players undergo fitness checks and meetings once they returned from international duty.
Then, he rotated heavily for the home match against Blackburn.
As expected.
Blackburn might have looked like a mid-table team with nothing to fight for, but Premier League prize money was no joke.
And Mark Hughes' side was no pushover.
In the 19th minute, Paraguayan striker Roque Santa Cruz opened the scoring.
And no—it wasn't Marcelo's fault this time.
It came down Piszczek's right flank.
Pedersen crossed from the left, and Santa Cruz rose to head it home.
0–1.
Bayswater Chinese fought back.
In the 39th minute, Neuer launched a long pass. Lewandowski nodded it down.
Walcott came flying down the right and burst through Blackburn's defense.
After evading center-back Chris Samba, he chipped the ball over the keeper.
1–1!
Back to level terms.
The match stayed tight, both sides grinding.
Then in the 86th minute, Gareth Bale beat his man down the left and sent in a low cross.
Lewandowski dummied at the near post.
Aaron Ramsey came flying in at the far post and tapped it home.
2–1!
Ramsey's first Premier League goal since joining Bayswater Chinese.
Wembley erupted—over 60,000 fans on their feet applauding the young Welshman.
Ramsey had already won the fans' hearts with his performances in the cup competitions.
Now, he was breaking out in the league too.
A bright future ahead.
While Bayswater Chinese celebrated a comeback 2–1 win over Blackburn, United annihilated Aston Villa 4–0 at home—
Ronaldo: 3 assists and 1 goal.
The Portuguese star was in the form of his life.
Any time he played well, United were blowing teams away.
Solid back line, deep midfield, and firepower up front—
Ferguson was hungry after last season's double heartbreak.
And United had the squad to back it up.
Especially with the additions of Ashley Young, Nani, and Anderson, their depth was now frightening.
It was also the reason United were still alive in three competitions.
...
April 1st, evening – Wembley Stadium, London.
Kickoff was still some time away.
Both teams were on the pitch warming up.
But Wembley's three tiers were already almost full.
The crowd buzzed with anticipation.
Just as Adam Crozier predicted—Wembley had sold out. 90,000 strong.
Yang Cheng hadn't checked the exact numbers, but the report he got was clear:
Every ticket was gone.
And they'd sold out the day before the match.
Last season, the team fell short in the Champions League quarterfinals.
For a squad with an average age just over 21, that was already a tremendous achievement.
But Yang Cheng and his players still felt the pain.
This season, Bayswater Chinese were back with a vengeance—and everyone was eager for this match.
Every single first-team player who didn't make the squad sat in the stands.
The opponent? Barcelona.
Rijkaard's team had endured a chaotic season—plagued by controversy and injury after injury.
First Eto'o suffered a major injury. Then came Ronaldinho's fitness saga. Now it was Messi's turn.
The Argentine tore his left hamstring in the second leg of the Round of 16 and hadn't played since.
As for Ronaldinho—why was his injury controversial?
It was a tangled mess.
Back in mid-March, the Spanish media reported that Barcelona had a habit of hiding player injuries.
It began when Ronaldinho's brother and agent, Assis, told reporters the Brazilian was carrying an injury.
Barcelona quickly denied it in an official statement—claiming Ronaldinho was perfectly healthy.
That instantly pushed the superstar into an awkward position—was he faking an injury?
Ronaldinho promptly gave an interview, stating that he had indeed been injured for months, and that the club and medical staff had deliberately kept it quiet.
He cited two issues: a strained muscle in his right leg, and pubic bone inflammation.
The story exploded.
Everyone had seen Ronaldinho's form dip over the past two seasons.
He had also been the center of numerous off-pitch controversies—fans and media were growing frustrated.
Now, as Barcelona entered a transitional period, this "fake injury" controversy ignited even more scrutiny.
The club then arranged a new medical examination.
And the results? Ronaldinho really was injured.
Barcelona changed their tune, saying the right leg strain happened in training the previous Thursday—not contradicting their earlier statement, of course.
As for the pubic injury, the club insisted they had done nothing wrong—
even saying, "Milito's pubic injury is worse, but he still plays, doesn't he?"
In other words, yes—Ronaldinho was hurt.
Yes, the doctors knew.
Yes, they downplayed it—and hoped he'd play through it.
But he refused.
Barcelona claimed they hid the injury to protect his privacy.
Assis clapped back immediately:
"The club publicly declared he wasn't injured—without our consent."
Meanwhile, Assis was spotted frequently in London and Milan.
At this point, everyone knew the score:
Barcelona were trying to push Ronaldinho out.
Deco, too, was facing pressure.
And Rijkaard? As good as gone.
Reports suggested Mourinho was already lined up to take over in the summer.
Despite an early exit from the La Liga title race, Barcelona had a decent run in the Champions League—
thanks to an easy draw against Celtic in the Round of 16.
That's how they reached the quarterfinals to face Bayswater Chinese.
And under all that turmoil, Rijkaard fielded a star-studded but depleted lineup at Wembley.
...
Barcelona XI:
Goalkeeper: Víctor Valdés
Defense: Abidal, Milito, Puyol, Zambrotta
Midfield: Rafa Márquez (holding), Xavi, Iniesta
Forwards: Henry, Bojan, Eto'o
This season, young Bojan had impressed massively—
to the point where he'd even surpassed Messi in standing at the club.
The board and media hailed him as Barcelona's future poster boy.
As Yang Cheng laid out Barcelona's starting XI on the tactics board, he couldn't help but sigh.
Why do clubs like Barcelona and Real Madrid always succeed?
Because they're stacked.
Even their bench had Thuram, Sylvinho, Edmílson, Dos Santos, and Gudjohnsen.
And that was with Ronaldinho, Deco, and Messi unavailable.
This squad was still terrifying.
But teams like this often self-destruct.
"Barcelona today is not what it used to be," Yang Cheng told his players.
"Back in the Dream Team II era, they pressed relentlessly from the front—but now, that's pretty much vanished."
The most iconic game from that era?
That Clasico where they crushed Real Madrid.
The stars pressed non-stop for 90 minutes and completely dominated.
Compared to Pep's Dream Team III, that Barcelona played more direct and aggressive.
They were sharper in attack, but less intricate in possession.
Guardiola's side?
Their passing network was like a spiderweb—dense, precise, and almost no long balls.
Dream Team II?
More direct.
Dig deeper, and you'd find a psychological reason behind the change—
once players become superstars, their hunger fades.
Rijkaard's assistant, Ten Cate, left—and that was a warning sign.
Rijkaard was known for getting along with stars.
But Ten Cate? He enforced discipline.
Once he left, locker room control began to slip.
"Last summer, their preseason was a disaster. Poor conditioning led to countless injuries all season long."
"Their overall tempo now is slow."
"So in this game—we go full throttle from the first minute. We press. We attack!"
Yang Cheng's plan made everyone nod in agreement.
Blitzkrieg.
That was Bayswater Chinese's strength.
"Barcelona's defense has always had issues. Zambrotta, Abidal, Thuram—none of them really fit their system."
Even Catalan media had started to question these signings.
Being great doesn't mean being right.
In 2006, after the Juventus scandal, Barcelona scooped up Thuram and Zambrotta.
But at Camp Nou, they never reached their peak form.
They didn't fit.
Why?
Because Barca's full-backs needed to push high and support the attack.
Zambrotta and Abidal weren't that type.
"There's always been a gap between Barca's center-backs and full-backs. And with Márquez at the No. 6 role, their backline is vulnerable to direct pressure."
In Yang Cheng's previous life, the one player who stood out in this squad was Yaya Touré.
At the base of midfield, he brought strength, defensive solidity, forward runs, and even long-range goals.
His technical skills allowed him to combine with Xavi and Iniesta in tight spaces.
Touré added muscle and balance to Barcelona's midfield.
But now, the Ivorian was part of Bayswater Chinese.
"Barcelona, up to now, still don't have a striker with true center-forward qualities."
Bojan, Eto'o, Henry—not one of them fits the bill.
So what is a "true" center-forward?
It's not just about occupying space or poaching goals—it's about linking play, uniting the flanks with midfield and attack. Like Kluivert. Or Džeko. Or Ibrahimović.
Barcelona's current trio? None of them meet the mark.
In fact, even Gudjohnsen was better in that role.
"They each play their own game. No cohesion, no combinations."
"In this match, our defensive focus won't be on their front line."
"Their trident we'll handle with team defense—cut them off from one another, sever the connections."
Everyone nodded.
If Ronaldinho and Messi were on the pitch, it would be a different story.
But they weren't. And Bayswater Chinese could absolutely manage this.
"The real focus is shutting down their midfield—especially Xavi and Iniesta."
"Lass. Luka. That's your task."
Modrić and Lass Diarra nodded firmly.
"And one last thing!"
Yang Cheng clapped his hands.
"This is the first leg of the quarterfinals. We're at home. Whether it's me or the 90,000 fans in the stands, we all believe in this team!"
"Play the way we trained. Press them from the first whistle."
"Let's prepare a feast for our guests."
"Don't let them leave disappointed!"
...
With a sharp whistle from Greek referee Vassaras and a thunderous roar from 90,000 fans, the world's eyes turned to Wembley as this Champions League showdown kicked off.
Before the match, Yang Cheng went over to shake Rijkaard's hand. He also exchanged a few words with assistant coach Neeskens.
After Ten Cate's departure, Neeskens had taken over the role.
A quick chat later, Yang Cheng returned to the home bench.
But once the game began, he was on his feet from the start.
Barcelona clearly aimed to control possession early on.
Xavi and Iniesta weren't rushing forward. They were trying to slow the tempo, dictate the rhythm.
But Bayswater Chinese?
Like a wild rookie trying to knock out a seasoned master, they charged in swinging—reckless, chaotic, and completely disrupting Barça's flow.
At just 1 minute and 38 seconds, Arshavin carried the ball through the middle and sent a diagonal pass.
Di María, from 20 meters out on the left channel, struck hard.
It was on target—but the angle wasn't great. Valdés caught it cleanly.
Bayswater's aggressive and unrelenting approach made Barça uncomfortable.
Still, the Catalans quickly carved out a chance.
Henry received a pass from Iniesta, danced down the left against Maicon, cut inside, and fired.
It deflected off Pepe and out for a corner.
Xavi rushed to take it short—but Bayswater cleared it easily.
Barcelona's height was a real problem.
Their tallest starter? Abidal at 1.86 meters.
Zambrotta was 1.81, Márquez 1.84.
But the center-backs—Milito and Puyol—were only 1.79 and 1.78 respectively.
Both were nimble, aggressive defenders—but small.
The problem with a pairing like this?
When both like to press, who stays back?
It's often up to instinct and chemistry—
Which also means… errors.
Football moves fast. You don't always have time to shout instructions.
Bayswater Chinese knew this weakness—and attacked it without mercy.
From kickoff, they pressed high and went forward boldly.
The most outrageous moment came in the 6th minute.
Džeko and Arshavin both closed in on Valdés from opposite angles.
Barça's keeper received a backpass… and tried to be clever.
He didn't clear it immediately—he dribbled.
And nearly got robbed by Arshavin.
Panicked, Valdés hoofed it into touch. Corner.
Yang Cheng smiled.
He turned to Yaya Touré and motioned for the team to push even higher.
This was it—a signal that the press was working.
Now was the time to crush the opponent.
And the fans loved it.
They came for high-tempo football, and Bayswater Chinese were delivering.
Then in the 11th minute, Barcelona tried to mount an attack.
Iniesta tried to drive forward and combine with the forwards.
But Lass Diarra stole the ball clean.
Under pressure from Iniesta's counterpress, Lass quickly passed back to Yaya Touré.
The Ivorian, finding space, took a touch—then launched a long ball forward.
The ball cut through the air in a perfect arc, falling near the top of Barça's box.
Džeko charged in, Milito tight on his heels.
Both arrived almost simultaneously at the edge of the area.
Džeko turned and shielded the ball. His frame dwarfed Milito.
The Argentine tried to hold him off, but was clearly overmatched.
No chance to disrupt the touch.
The ball dropped to Džeko's chest. He brought it down, spun, and with a quick burst, shrugged Milito off.
Abidal rushed in to help.
But Džeko was too fast. With those long legs, he poked the ball past Abidal and chased it down.
Now inside the box on the right—
He took a moment to adjust—
Then smashed it.
The ball flew past Valdés' left side, kissed the far post—
And went in.
1–0!!!
Wembley exploded.
90,000 voices thundered together, shaking the London night sky.
From control to spin, to acceleration and strike—Džeko's movement was flawless.
Barça's backline was helpless.
Yang Cheng punched the air in jubilation.
He had confidence in this match.
But he hadn't expected a goal so soon.
It proved his plan was right.
Against Barcelona, this was the way to play.
With a powerhouse like Džeko—not using his strength would be a crime.
...
Even after scoring, Bayswater Chinese didn't slow down.
They pressed, pressed, and pressed.
Three minutes later, another attack through the center.
Modrić lofted a chip pass.
Arshavin darted diagonally left, then suddenly slid a through ball.
Džeko squared it across the box, to the left side...
Di María controlled the ball, turned, and fired with his left foot.
Though the shot narrowly missed the target, it still earned a round of thunderous applause from the stands.
Just two minutes later, Di María once again teamed up with Arshavin on the left, executing a brilliant one-two.
As the Argentine tried to bulldoze past Zambrotta, he was tackled out of bounds. Throw-in.
Leighton Baines ran over and, with all his strength, launched the ball deep into Barcelona's penalty area.
Džeko rose to meet it and flicked it on toward the penalty spot.
Abidal cleared it with a header, pushing it outside the box.
There, Yaya Touré chested it down and, before any defender could close in, fired a thunderous right-footed volley.
The shot was powerful and low, aimed toward the right side of the goal.
Valdés reacted quickly, adjusted his position, and crouched to collect it—
But the ball came fast and hard. He spilled it.
Di María was the fastest to react, pouncing on the rebound—
But so did Valdés.
The Argentine's shot hit the keeper square in the chest.
Valdés still couldn't hold on, but he scrambled to gather the ball on the second attempt.
"Barcelona's penalty area is in complete chaos."
"Valdés has made mistakes like this before. He really needs to calm down. If he keeps playing this nervously, it's only a matter of time before it costs them."
"Meanwhile, Bayswater Chinese's opening storm has been absolutely dazzling—fast-paced, intricate passing, relentless pressing—it's electric!"
"This is not your average team!"
With their high pressing and nonstop attacks, Bayswater Chinese made it increasingly difficult for Barcelona to play out from the back.
Henry, Bojan, and Eto'o were largely left stranded up top, waiting for passes that never came.
Xavi and Iniesta were forced to drop deeper and deeper to collect the ball.
In the 23rd minute, Iniesta drifted to the left flank to receive a pass from Abidal.
As he turned his back to goal and prepared to control it, Lass Diarra came in from behind and poked the ball away.
Arshavin picked it up, turned, and drove horizontally across the edge of the box.
Rafa Márquez closed in immediately.
But Arshavin was quicker—he slipped a diagonal through ball into the right side of the box for Džeko.
The Bosnian held off Milito, controlling with his right and shooting with his left.
At the last second, Puyol rushed in and blocked it with his body.
The ball ricocheted between the penalty spot and the arc.
Arshavin sprinted in, didn't let it bounce twice—he struck it first time with his left foot.
The ball flew in a straight line, smashing into the left corner of the net, just grazing the post.
"Goal!!!"
"23rd minute—Arshavin does it again!"
"2–0!"
"A high press, an immediate counter, and another stunning goal from Bayswater Chinese!"
"This early barrage has overwhelmed Barcelona—they're clearly struggling to cope."
"Especially that vulnerable backline."
Wembley exploded once again.
No one expected the match to turn into such a one-sided assault.
Even a powerhouse like Barcelona looked helpless under this wave of attacks.
And Bayswater Chinese showed no signs of slowing down, despite being two goals up.
The 90,000 fans inside Wembley were spellbound by the sheer tempo and intensity.
Many were attending a Bayswater Chinese match for the first time—they never imagined the team played such exhilarating football.
And they weren't done.
By the 27th minute, Maicon made an overlapping run down the right, received a pass from Lass Diarra, paused briefly at the edge of the box, then suddenly burst toward the byline and crossed low for Arshavin.
The Russian's shot was brilliantly saved by Valdés.
That's the thing with Valdés—one moment brilliant, the next moment reckless.
Next came Di María on the left.
He broke into the box, shot—saved.
Then beat his man again and crossed—Džeko's header was caught by Valdés.
Attack after attack—wave after wave—no let-up.
The fans were loving it.
Their cheers never stopped.
In the 37th minute, Maicon overlapped again.
He faked a cross, then cut inside.
Abidal took the bait, tried to recover, and committed a foul.
Free kick—right side, near the box.
Modrić stepped up, placed the ball, and took a few steps back.
At the edge of the box, Bayswater Chinese had all their aerial threats lined up: Yaya Touré, Pepe, Thiago Silva, even Maicon.
As the referee blew the whistle, Modrić whipped in a curling ball toward the near post, right in front of the right upright.
Most of Barcelona's defenders focused on the back post, where the big men had started.
Yaya Touré had positioned himself back there too, blending in with Pepe, Džeko, and the others.
But when the whistle blew, they all moved to the back—
Except Yaya.
He cut across and darted toward the near post.
Before Puyol could react, Yaya leapt up and hammered in a close-range header.
Modrić's cross bent perfectly into his path, and the Ivorian buried it.
Wembley roared a third time.
Yaya Touré sprinted away in celebration.
"Another goal!!!"
"3–0!"
"My God—Bayswater Chinese lead by three in the first half!"
"Yaya Touré with a thunderous header, overpowering Puyol and smashing it into the net."
"Rijkaard and Barcelona are in serious trouble now."
"They need to stabilize—fast."
"So far this half, by every metric—possession, shots, chances—Barcelona have been completely outclassed."
"Meanwhile, Bayswater Chinese are showing the poise, intensity, and dominance of a true champion."
"We have every reason to believe—if they can keep this up, if they stick to this approach—they absolutely have what it takes to go all the way!"
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