Dominating Football with Perfect Ball Control

Chapter 277: 277. Barcelona is scared?

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Template: Hyuga Kojiro - S (Fusion Value 52%)

— — Skill: Tiger Shot

— — Skill: Volley Raiju Shot

— — Skill: Unlocked (Unlocked at Fusion Value 75%)

New Skill Acquired: Volley Raiju Shot

Volley Raiju Shot: Creates a 1-second time domain at the moment of the volley, triggering an invincibility effect at the moment of the shot.

I remember in the anime, the Raiju Shot was an upgraded version of the Tiger Shot, incredibly powerful, capable of piercing concrete walls, and almost impossible for any goalkeeper to save.

In reality, of course, it wouldn’t violate basic laws of physics.

If the Tiger Shot is a more powerful long-range shot, a straight ball with the instep, then the Raiju Shot is a powerful shot with added curve.

Skill 2, Volley Raiju Shot, requires a volley to trigger.

Just like the bicycle kick from outside the box that equalised the score earlier, the ball Lance kicked had a slight curve, making it even harder to defend.

Most professional players can actually perform difficult moves on the training ground.

Those flashy volleys are nothing to professional players, even any amateur player on a casual pitch can do them.

But in high-level matches, with intense pressing and challenges from opponents, the moves practised on the training ground cannot be executed.

No matter how good the National Football Team players’ footwork is on the training ground, they are still a mess on the pitch.

Therefore, the more top-tier a player is, the better he can adapt to high-intensity pressing on the pitch and execute moves under such pressure.

Ordinary players can only practise constantly for years, forming muscle memory for their movements, only then can they perform on the pitch.

The description of the Volley Raiju Shot skill seems unremarkable, but an expert can see its true value at a glance.

The ”time domain” within 1 second of the shot can slow down the flow of time, allowing Lance to calmly adjust his power and touch the ball, seizing the fleeting, sole opportunity.

As for the ”invincibility” effect during the shot, it perfectly compensates for Lance’s lack of physicality.

It is already difficult to maintain balance during a volley, and it can easily be disrupted by a defending player’s body, ruining the shot.

The ”invincibility” effect is simply a divine skill!

”Lance, put in some effort!! Only 5 minutes left!”

”Don’t tell me, you run!”

”I can’t anymore, I need a break, I really can’t run.”

”Useless.”

”Aren’t you too?”

In the final stages of the match, the Bayer Leverkusen players were almost completely exhausted.

Passive defence consumes a lot of physical energy, and with the recent continuous matches for the starting lineup, everyone was struggling to hold on with sheer willpower.

By now, they were running on fumes.

Many players, including Son Heung-min, De Bruyne, and Nathan Aké, were cramping.

The coaching staff had no choice but to make substitutions.

Substitute full-back Boenisch replaced Nathan Aké, who had a yellow card and was exhausted.

Van Dijk, who had just recovered from injury, replaced Antonio Rüdiger, who was also on a yellow card.

Jens Hegeler came on as a substitute, replacing Lars Bender, who had a yellow card and was completely unable to run anymore.

At this point, all 3 substitutions had been used, Bayer Leverkusen had no more cards to play, as long as the game went into extra time, Barcelona would definitely have the advantage.

”Barcelona’s attacking tempo has slowed down a bit... Considering the aggregate score is tied, and the away goals are tied, any goal now would be a golden goal. Barcelona finds this result hard to accept, they are choosing a more conservative strategy, trying to drag the game into extra time...”

Duan Xuan tried to interpret Barcelona’s tactics.

They actively slowed down at a stage where they should have been fighting for their lives.

In reality, it was Barcelona’s coach Luis Enrique who chickened out.

”Tell them, the full-backs should drop back as much as possible, don’t push forward. We don’t lack this bit of time.”

”But, we currently have possession and a physical advantage, we should be applying more pressure!”

”Too risky, what if they hit us on the counter? You’ve seen Lance’s goal, haven’t you! That person’s ability to seize opportunities is too strong! Drag it, drag it to extra time. In extra time, there are a hundred ways we can eliminate them.”

”This...”

The assistant coach was helpless.

Lance’s attacking power was obvious to all, at this point, they dared not gamble.

He could only shout from the sidelines, signalling the players to drop back into a deeper formation.

”Barcelona — — Barcelona — — Barcelona — —”

The Barcelona fans in the Camp Nou stands were still cheering passionately, the roar of 90,000 people was deafening, they desperately hoped Barcelona would attack and dominate.

But Xavi passed to Messi, Messi was about to break through, then remembered the coach’s strategy, stopped the ball, and passed it back, missing a good opportunity.

”Why did Barcelona chicken out?”

”That’s just how they are, they like to turtle back and pass around.”

”No, something’s wrong.”

Lance sensed something was off.

During this period, the MSN trio were completely just tools, posing no threat at all.

Did they just want to drag it out?

”Even if they drag it out, they’ll still win.”

”That’s true.”

De Bruyne was already a bit desperate.

He feared that if it went to extra time, his stamina would definitely collapse within 105 minutes, and it would be hard to say if there would even be 10 players standing on the pitch then.

”Is it going to end like this?”

”Kevin, if there’s an opportunity, keep passing to me.”

”What are you going to do?”

”One last gamble!”

In De Bruyne’s eyes, Lance was glowing all over at that moment!

This kid was really burning out!

”The match has entered injury time, 3 minutes of added time.”

”During this period, the referee’s officiating standard has returned to normal, perhaps the previous misjudgement was inexcusable... Barcelona still maintains possession. Busquets, Xavi, Alba, Xavi... Mascherano, Busquets, Iniesta, Xavi!! Pass back to Busquets...”

Everyone thought Barcelona was going to shoot, but it was another back pass.

But this time, Lance saw through Barcelona!

”They really chickened out!”

”Now’s the time!!”

Lance correctly anticipated Xavi’s move, feigning an interception of his connection with Messi, then unexpectedly burst out, heading straight for Busquets!

”No!!”

Xavi reached out but didn’t touch Lance, realising something was wrong.

He turned around and indeed saw Lance dart out like lightning!

He still had this much stamina after over 90 minutes?

”Watch out...”

Xavi had barely uttered half a shout, when Lance had already charged in front of Busquets!

The Cannavaro template came into play, plus Lance had learnt a few 1v1 tackling tricks from Van Dijk.

His feet flashed, and in an instant, he poked the ball away, slipping past Busquets!

”It’s over!! It’s over!!!”

Busquets turned to grab Lance’s jersey, planning a tactical foul to stop him.

Even a red card would be worth it!

But Lance’s Bachira Meguru template’s passive ability triggered, sensing Busquets’s movement in advance, he took a risky move, accelerating with a burst to create space from Professor Bu, whilst also losing control of the ball, falling into the encirclement of Alba, Alves, Piqué, and Mascherano!

”Lance!!! Beautiful, accelerated dribble!!”

”Last minute of injury time, he’s still trying!!”

”Alba slides in... Good!! He’s past him!!”

”Alves and Piqué are closing in simultaneously!”

”Lance — — long shot — —”

27 metres from the goal, Lance suddenly lifted his foot!!

Barcelona was already a frightened bird, the moment they saw Lance lift his foot, they rushed over like madmen to block the shot.

They were terrified that Lance would unleash an unreasonable long-range golden goal.

Seeing Piqué and Alves’s sliding tackles block, one to the left and one to the front, completely sealing off both the shot and breakthrough routes, they could even tackle Lance to the ground.

Lance falling meant both sides would go into extra time, meaning Barcelona had a greater chance of winning.

Just at this critical, life-and-death moment, Lance did not act as a lone hero, nor did he foolishly overexert himself.

He spotted a black figure already bursting out from his blind spot, Lance, before the ball was intercepted, used the outside of his boot to send the ball to the right, and at the same time, jumped at extreme range to clear Alves! Surpassing Piqué!

”Beautiful!!! Pass to Firmino!”

”Backheel flick! De Bruyne, he’s in!!!”

Crucial moment!!

His teammates all stepped up!!

De Bruyne was almost dead tired, but he was still fighting desperately!

Firmino, who was always willing to play a supporting role, was also doing his best to help the team!

Lance felt it, he was not fighting alone!

The unexpected appearance of Firmino and De Bruyne, completely threw Barcelona into disarray, Alba and Mascherano rushed back to blockade De Bruyne in the penalty area.

”De Bruyne... shot, no, he chips it into the middle!!”

De Bruyne faked a shot from the right flank, but it was a true chip pass!

Lance was perfectly onside, sprinting past Piqué towards the penalty area, as the ball was in mid-air, Piqué, relying on better stamina, pushed up, almost making Lance stumble and fall.

Fortunately, Lance’s willpower was resilient, he managed to steady himself, and with a flick of his foot, met the incoming ball!

Nagi Seishiro’s assistance activated!

Time 92:35,

Lance chipped the ball around Piqué to the left, held off Piqué’s defence, and lifted his left leg!

”Last goal!”

Footwork, perfect!

Touch, perfect!

Power, perfect!

Bang — —

Within the brief 1-second ”time domain,” Lance practically shot on a training ground, calmly adjusting all factors to perfection!

Leaning on Piqué, using the ”invincibility effect” to withstand the opponent’s desperate shove, he struck the ball fiercely with his left foot, curling a mesmerising parabola from a tight angle!

In the dying seconds of injury time, the whole world watched with wide eyes as the ball curved past Marc-André ter Stegen’s desperate fingertips, and plummeted sharply from above the far post!

Grazing the absolute top corner between the goalkeeper and the crossbar, it dropped into the goal!!

Golden goal!