Chapter 177: Shameless but Effective Tactics — Real Madrid's All-Out Bombardment Squad
Coach Zhang's analysis didn't once directly compare Leon and Götze, but every sentence implicitly highlighted the gap between them.
To be fair, Götze had fulfilled his duties in the first half. He adapted to the flow of the match, didn't hog possession, and even linked up well to assist Lewandowski in breaking the deadlock.
If not for Leon's subsequent performance, Götze could've easily scored at least an 80 out of 100 for that half.
But with Leon's overwhelming presence on both ends of the pitch, fans who understood football didn't even bother trying to grade the two anymore.
There was no need. Really, none at all.
Even those usual critics who insisted Leon only played well because he was riding on Real Madrid's strength — even they had gone silent today.
Because today, Leon had weathered adversity. He held the line, then launched the attack, tackled the toughest tactical challenges head-on, and created a perfect scoring opportunity for his teammates.
Coach Zhang's remark — "Dominating both attack and defense, turning the tide single-handedly!" — wasn't the least bit exaggerated.
Just look at the way Ronaldo and the others instinctively celebrated after the goal.
They all rushed to Leon. They all embraced Leon. They trusted Leon.
If there were an online poll right now for all Real Madrid fans worldwide, asking who the MVP of the first half was…
Leon would be the overwhelming, undisputed winner.
Every fan watching the match knew exactly who had reversed Real Madrid's fate in that difficult first half.
It was Leon.
It could only be Leon.
With the equalizer in the bag, the Real Madrid players were riding a wave of momentum.
As they spread out again and jogged back to their own half, they waved their arms to rally the Bernabéu crowd.
Leon roared, continuing to fire up his teammates — his brothers.
The passion faded from Mourinho's expression, and his face returned to that cold, focused state. He and Karanka were already at the touchline, tactical board in hand, ready with new instructions.
As soon as the players returned to their half, they calmly received the updated tactical plan.
No need to fall back. No need to retreat.
Mourinho wanted them glued to the halfway line — cutting off Dortmund's link between midfield and attack right from the center.
The Real Madrid players, burning with adrenaline, all nodded and beat their fists — fully ready to carry out the tactical shift.
Klopp, on the other hand, didn't even have time to get mad about the goal anymore. His face was grim as he paced to the edge of the technical area, issuing his own adjustments.
The fullbacks would push up. Dortmund wouldn't back down either. They needed to tear through Real Madrid's midfield blockade as fast as possible.
The quicker the pace, the more freely Dortmund's young attackers could play. At the very least, they wouldn't get completely outplayed tactically.
But with every passing minute, Klopp's tactical confidence was steadily declining.
He didn't want to admit it, but deep down he knew — this was the exact scenario he feared.
"Halftime's coming… then the second half…"
He reminded himself, watching the game drift toward chaos after Dortmund restarted play.
But Real Madrid's midfield chokehold wasn't just a single pressing line — it was a whole system.
As Dortmund's fullbacks pushed up to support, Real Madrid's fullbacks followed, forming part of an overwhelming midfield press.
Benzema dropped deeper, while Ronaldo and Di María tucked inside. Along with Modrić, they formed the first wave of pressure.
Then came the second wave: Leon, Modrić covering behind, Coentrão, and Essien — all creating a second interception line.
And further back? Dortmund might not even see Ramos and Pepe anymore.
Before they could get that far, they'd have to deal with Alonso and Leon — Real Madrid's third wave of defensive pressure.
This was Real Madrid's layered defense. Relentless. Suffocating. A constant war of attrition.
If Dortmund believed they could break through it, then bring it on.
But Mourinho wasn't just defending — he was grinding down Dortmund's energy and willpower.
Real Madrid had played this kind of gritty, chaotic match many times — since last season, they'd been through countless battles like this.
At this point, their greatest advantage wasn't skill or fitness.
It was defensive commitment — and experience.
That was where Dortmund's young players were at a disadvantage.
Success, failure, setbacks, comebacks — the Real Madrid players had been through it all.
They knew exactly when to act, when to disrupt the rhythm of the match to their benefit, and when to go all-out and end it in one push.
By contrast, this was only Dortmund's second season back in the Champions League — last season, they were knocked out in the group stage.
If things had followed the same path as in "history," with Pepe and Ramos both falling apart and Lewandowski and Reus hitting peak form, Dortmund could've bulldozed their way to a win.
But not today.
Today, Pepe had recovered from his blunder and locked Lewandowski down.
And Real Madrid had Leon — who was successfully neutralizing Reus and Götze.
As soon as the game settled into a stalemate, Dortmund's players lost patience faster than the seasoned veterans in white.
In the final ten minutes of the first half, Dortmund's youngsters began to make mistakes.
Even the German commentators were frowning as they watched.
At this point, it wasn't Real Madrid or Mourinho that needed the halftime break the most.
It was Klopp and Dortmund who desperately needed to reset.
They needed to recalibrate their tactics. The young players needed to cool off, regroup, and come back with a clearer mind in the second half.
Meanwhile, the Real Madrid players were relaxed, chatting confidently as they headed down the tunnel.
Mourinho didn't spend much time on mental prep.
As soon as they got back to the locker room, he told the players to take five minutes to rest. Then he calmly pulled out the tactics board and began laying out the second-half plan.
By now, the players had all adjusted emotionally. They were focused, energized, and watching Mourinho intently.
"Just like we planned before the match," Mourinho said. "We end this by the 70th minute. But in the second half, we'll need more running — shut down Dortmund's wings."
"The key today is the flanks. Don't let Reus take off. If we keep their rocket grounded, they'll have to fight us in the trenches — and they'll run out of fuel."
His orders were seared into every player's mind.
When the second half resumed, Real Madrid's grind-it-out tactics made Dortmund's desire to speed up play seem like a distant dream.
But Klopp and Dortmund refused to back off.
They were as stubborn as ever.
Realistically, if they had dropped back and parked the bus, they might've flipped the script. After all, they were the away team. They already had an away goal. Even a 1-2 loss wouldn't be a disaster.
That would still leave them slightly ahead, and they could still finish the job at Signal Iduna Park.
If Mourinho were in Klopp's shoes, he'd sub off Götze for Kehl, reinforce the midfield, and shift to a tight, counter-attacking setup.
But Klopp was Klopp.
He chose not to back down. He chose to stick to the tactical philosophy he had painstakingly built at Dortmund.
They would win through attacking football.
Whether it was this match or a ticket to the Champions League final — Dortmund would win by going forward.
That boldness earned respect. Dortmund's fearless young attackers, charging headfirst into Real Madrid's triple-layered blockade, won the admiration of many neutral fans.
But Real Madrid's thirst for victory was no less intense.
Their experience and patience allowed them to hold firm on defense.
Dortmund's players constantly felt like they were so close to breaking through.
So they pushed harder. Squeezed more out of themselves. Tried again and again to create a miracle.
But every attempt fell just short.
And as the tug-of-war continued, the tempo inevitably began to slow.
Dortmund's players needed a breather. They had to recover some energy.
Then came the 71st minute.
Real Madrid suddenly switched from defense to offense — and launched a blitz!
"The cunning Portuguese bastard!"
Klopp's heart dropped.
This was the exact scenario he feared the most.
He cursed under his breath and stepped up to the touchline to assess the situation.
He was hoping to see if Real Madrid's push was just a probe.
But no — this wasn't a test.
Real Madrid had gone all-in with their fitness edge. This was no counterattack — this was a full-scale assault!
"PRESS THEM! XABI, GO UP! SERGIO, TAKE THE CENTER LINE! PRESS THEM ALL THE WAY UP!"
Mourinho's passionate roar reignited the fire in every Real Madrid player!
Press them!
No more chances for Dortmund to respond!
They were going to show these kids what real forward pressure football looked like.
The Bernabéu crowd went wild again.
The timing of Real Madrid's total assault was sudden — but it was also inevitable.
Half the match grinding.
Half the match surging.
Wearing down the opponent's stamina and spirit — and then going in for the kill.
Call it shameless. But this strategy worked.
Cristiano Ronaldo, having conserved energy for half an hour thanks to Mourinho's "defensive exemption," was fully loaded.
And the attack plan was razor-sharp.
Modrić would play off Ronaldo. Ronaldo and Di María would charge forward. If they broke through, it'd be CR7 hammering home or the wings combining.
If not, Benzema would drop to drag defenders, creating space for Modrić or a surging Leon to deliver the killer pass.
At first, Leon thought Dortmund might still hold on until the 80th minute. He planned to keep rotating with Modrić, pulling apart the defense.
But someone on Dortmund's side lost focus.
Hummels, usually so composed, miscontrolled the ball — and Benzema pounced!
A slick diagonal ball. Ronaldo's run timed to perfection. One shot!
Goal.
Real Madrid breached Dortmund's net for the second time — and in almost comical fashion.
Just like Lewandowski's opener in the first half.
The real "MVP" wasn't even the goalscorer — it was the defender who messed up.
The Real Madrid players, delighted by the unexpected gift, rushed to celebrate once more in Dortmund's box.
Weidenfeller glared at Hummels — probably half ready to throttle his own teammate.
Klopp, watching the match tick into the 77th minute, could only shake his head.
This kind of lucky break… you just don't get to keep.
Eventually, the game collects its debt.
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