"Milan's counterattack this time was absolutely decisive. Even when Suker was caught in a trap, both Kaka and Pato didn't stop! And precisely because they didn't stop, because they fully trusted Suker's individual ability, they created that goal!"
"AC Milan now has two goals. Their rich experience has brought them to this position. Barcelona seems unable to handle Milan's counterattacks!"
"And from the perspective of pure entertainment, the performances of Suker and Messi—these two superstar players—have been a visual feast."
"Messi dazzled with his dribbling and breakthroughs on the attack. Suker, too, delivered brilliant moments. Both contributed greatly with their individual brilliance. But tactically, AC Milan has the upper hand!"
Aldo Serena kept applauding.
This match had truly maxed out both its competitiveness and watchability.
AC Milan's two goals were each more brilliant than the last.
Barcelona, although they hadn't scored, had still displayed some dazzling teamwork—even on this rain-soaked pitch.
If not for the pitch conditions, Barcelona's performance would likely have been even better.
"Two goals! We've done it!"
Ancelotti exhaled deeply.
A two-goal lead meant his plan was an overwhelming success.
The deceptive possession game and pressing had thrown Barcelona into confusion. But now, with two goals on the counter, Guardiola was surely beginning to understand.
On the other side, Guardiola's face was dark.
He'd been fooled.
That damn fat man—Ancelotti—had tricked him!
This wasn't high pressing or possession football at all—it was pure defense-and-counter wrapped in disguise!
Both of Milan's goals had come on the counter.
The first goal had felt a little strange to Guardiola.
But the second goal made everything crystal clear.
Everything aside from the counterattack was a smokescreen!
Suker's dropping back, Kaka's control—all of it was designed to mislead.
AC Milan didn't intend to push forward with short passes at all. Most of their attempts were long balls.
But by the time Guardiola realized it—it was already too late!
They were two goals down, and the current situation was extremely unfavorable.
Plus, the first half was almost over.
In the second half, Milan could rely on their two-goal lead to adapt on the fly.
They weren't the ones in a hurry.
He'd been completely outplayed!
Guardiola was furious.
Furious at how unprepared he had been.
Compared to the seasoned veteran Ancelotti, Guardiola was still lacking in experience.
At the very least, he hadn't anticipated Milan manipulating the pitch conditions—something that had drastically impacted Barcelona's performance.
Even so, Guardiola still had to make tactical adjustments for his team.
They couldn't just sit and wait for defeat.
Even if they lost this match, he had to prepare for the next leg.
Soon, halftime arrived.
Both teams returned to their locker rooms, and you could clearly see the frustration on the faces of Barcelona's players.
This game had left them feeling stifled.
They couldn't play their game at all.
They were being led around by the nose by AC Milan.
Inside the Barcelona dressing room, players were loudly arguing about what had gone wrong in the first half.
Guardiola entered and suddenly shouted:
"Everyone! Quiet!"
Instantly, the room fell silent.
In just half a season, Guardiola had already established full control over the dressing room.
"We conceded two goals in the first half!"
His words made the players' expressions grow heavier.
"But this isn't your fault. We were outmaneuvered tactically. That's on the coaching staff. I owe you an apology!"Guardiola's admission softened the mood in the room.
"Milan is an experienced team. They've created a glorious past. They are, without question, the kings of this era."Then Guardiola's eyes sharpened:"But as challengers, we shouldn't just respect them—we must also have the resolve to pull them off the throne!"
"Remember this!" Guardiola raised one finger. "There's only one champion! Only one dynasty per era!"
"The Milan dynasty is on the decline. Someone will replace them—why can't that someone be us?"
Guardiola looked around and asked, "Thierry, why did you come to Barcelona?"
Henry answered in a deep voice, "The Champions League!"
Guardiola nodded, "Exactly! We all gathered here for the Champions League. AC Milan has won it two years in a row. It's time to let them rest. That's the best way we can show them respect!"
"The second half!" Guardiola suddenly raised his voice, "Everyone listen! We have only one goal—control the ball! Keep possession! That's the foundation of our football! Understand?"
After Guardiola's speech, a fierce determination filled the players' eyes.
They shouted in unison: "Understood!"
Second half: Defend!
In the AC Milan dressing room, Ancelotti outlined the second-half tactics.
The players' expressions didn't change much.
All of their tactics and tricks had already been used in the first half.
Scoring two goals was already more than enough. What remained now was whether they could hold off Barcelona's attack.
AC Milan had fought hard for half a match, and both Gattuso and Pirlo were under enormous pressure.
Pirlo, in fact, could no longer play his usual role in distributing the ball. They now had to rely more on Seedorf and Kaka dropping deeper.
After finishing his tactical instructions, Ancelotti called Suker over for a one-on-one talk.
"In the second half, I need you up front. Of course, you'll still need to join in on defense—but don't drop too deep."
Ancelotti paused and said, "You're our final insurance policy. Barcelona won't give up easily—they'll come at us with even more intensity. I don't know if we can hold the line, but we need to survive at least the first 30 minutes. After that, it's an unknown. Their offense will be brutal, and we'll need to counterattack!"
"You are our spearhead on the counterattack. Just like before—have your teammates send the ball to you. Use your individual ability to challenge their defense!"
Suker waved him off, "Got it. Leave it to me!"
"No! This time it's different!" Ancelotti raised his hand."Once we get possession, we'll immediately face intense high pressing from Barcelona. At that point, Pirlo, Kaka, and Seedorf might not have the stamina or accuracy to deliver clean passes. That's why we'll rely on your ability even more."
Suker nodded slightly.
So this would be a head-on battle against Barcelona's defense.
But Suker had already thought of that.
"Boss, tell them to just send it forward. I'll handle the rest!" Suker said with a carefree grin.
Ancelotti looked at him—and in that moment, his own nerves actually eased a little.
Barcelona was strong.
Messi was an incredibly talented and exceptional player.
But AC Milan had Suker.
And that was their greatest source of confidence.
Second half begins. The teams switch sides and resume the match.
After a fierce first half, AC Milan held a two-goal lead.
That advantage sent the home crowd into a frenzy.
Some even began mocking their crosstown rivals, Inter Milan.
Inter had suffered a crushing defeat on this same pitch, but AC Milan had reclaimed the city's pride. After all, Milan only wears red and black.
Even Inter fans were watching this match.
They hated seeing AC Milan fans so smug—but they had to admit, Milan had played brilliantly in the first half.
Both tactically and in execution, AC Milan was outstanding.
They'd erased the difference in squad strength and even capitalized on early setups and perfect counterattacks to score two goals.
Ancelotti's planning was masterful.
Which only made Inter fans more frustrated with their own coach.
"Just look at AC Milan!"
Despite being the underdog, they'd scored twice through clever game plans and subtle tactics.
But Inter just blindly went toe-to-toe with Barcelona—And got humiliated.
The more they thought about it, the angrier and more embarrassed they became.
One by one, they turned to the internet to start roasting Inter's coach, Mancini.