Football singularity-Chapter 669 The Bernabéu Stage (Part 1)
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[09/12/2020 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | 19:30 Local Time]
[Pre-Match Coverage — Sky Sports]
The Sky Sports set was positioned pitchside at the Santiago Bernabéu, the iconic stadium's white facade gleaming under the floodlights. Four figures stood around the sleek desk, the pitch behind them alive with players warming up in their respective kits—Leverkusen's red and Real Madrid's pristine white.
Kate Abdo stood at the centre, immaculate in a black blazer, her presence commanding attention as the camera focused on her. To her right stood Thierry Henry, arms folded, in a black buttoned-up trench coat with the collar turned up. To her left, Micah Richards beamed with his friendly enthusiasm, and beside him, Jamie Carragher wore a serious expression, notebook in hand.
"Good evening and welcome to the Santiago Bernabéu," Kate began, her smile bright and professional. "We're here for what has become a winner-takes-all clash in Group B. Bayer Leverkusen leads the group with ten points, and Real Madrid sits second with eight. Win tonight, and Leverkusen guarantee top spot and qualification. Lose, and suddenly everything becomes very complicated indeed."
She turned slightly, gesturing to her panel. "Joining me tonight are Champions League winner with Barcelona Thierry Henry, Champions League winner with Liverpool Jamie Carragher, and the man with five appearances in the Champions League, Micah Richards."
The panel erupted in laughter. Richards threw his head back, his booming laugh echoing across the pitch. "Oh, I knew it was coming, but first minute ca'mon Kate."
"Only way to begin a Champions League night, Micah," Kate replied with a grin.
Carragher smirked, leaning forward. "To be fair, Kate, he does make it easy."
Henry chuckled quietly, shaking his head. "This is going to be a long night."
"Right, let's get serious," Kate said, her tone shifting as she addressed the camera. "Group B has been absolutely fascinating. It was billed as the 'Group of Death' with Real Madrid, Inter Milan, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Bayer Leverkusen. But look at the table now."
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Group B Standings After Matchday 5:
1. **Bayer Leverkusen— 10 points (3W, 1D, 1L)
2. **Real Madrid— 8 points (2W, 2D, 1L)
3. **Inter Milan— 6 points (1W, 3D, 1L)
4. **Shakhtar Donetsk — 3 points (1W, 0D, 4L)
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"Leverkusen top, Real Madrid second, and Inter Milan in real danger of going out," Kate continued. "Thierry, did you see this coming?"
Henry leaned forward, his French accent smooth, carrying his charisma to English listeners who had adored him since his playing days. "No, I didn't. I thought Real Madrid and Inter would dominate this group. But Leverkusen have been exceptional. They beat Inter at home, drew with Madrid away in the first fixture, and demolished Shakhtar. They deserve to be where they are."
"Jamie, what's impressed you most about Leverkusen?"
Carragher glanced at his notes. "Their tactical flexibility stands out to me. Peter Bosz has them playing an intelligent pressing system when needed, sitting back when appropriate, and making lightning-quick transitions. Plus, their young players—Wirtz, Rex—are performing like veterans. That's rare at this level."
"Micah, you played against top European sides. How difficult is it to come to the Bernabéu and get a result?"
Richards adjusted his microphone, his expression suddenly serious. "It's one of the hardest things in football, Kate. The atmosphere, the history, the quality of the opposition—it all weighs on you. But Leverkusen play in front of a meagre crowd, which could work in their favour. The question is, can they win?"
"Which brings us to the other matches this week," Kate said, turning back to the camera. "We've seen some incredible Champions League football across the groups. Let's recap what happened on Tuesday and Wednesday."
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[Matchday 5 Highlights]
The screen transitioned to footage from earlier in the week. Porto's dramatic late winner against Manchester City. Bayern Munich's calm dismantling of Atlético Madrid. Liverpool's late comeback against Ajax.
"Jamie, let's start with Liverpool," Kate said as the footage faded. "They were two-nil down at halftime, but they fought back to win three-two. What did you see?"
Carragher's face lit up slightly. "Character. That's what I saw. Going two-nil down away from home in the Champions League, most teams fold. But Liverpool did not, and that's the mentality Klopp's instilled. Salah dragged them back into it. Mané finished the job."
"Thierry, you played for Barcelona in big Champions League matches. How important is momentum at this stage of the competition?"
Henry nodded thoughtfully. "Crucial. You want to qualify, yes, but you also want to go into the knockouts with confidence. Liverpool's comeback will give them belief. Bayern destroying Atlético four-nil? That sends a message. These performances matter psychologically."
"And what about Manchester City losing to Porto?" Kate asked. "That's a shock result, isn't it?"
Richards jumped in before anyone else could respond. "Absolutely. City dominated possession, created chances, but couldn't finish. Porto scored two late goals on the counter, and suddenly Guardiola's under pressure again. That's the Champions League—you have to be ruthless."
"Which brings us back to tonight," Kate said, steering the conversation. "Real Madrid versus Leverkusen. Thierry, what does this match mean for both teams?"
Henry leaned back, considering the question. "For Leverkusen, it's a chance to make a statement. Win here, and they top the group two years in a row. That's huge for a club that's being considered a tier below the names we think of when considering competition winners at the start. For Real Madrid, who suffered a 2:0 shock defeat in the return fixture against Shakhtar, it's about pride. They cannot lose at home to a Bundesliga side. Zidane will have them fired up."
"Jamie, tactically, how do you see this playing out?"
Carragher flipped through his notes. "Real Madrid will dominate possession—they always do at home. Benzema will drop deep, Modrić and Kroos will control the tempo, and the full-backs will push high. Leverkusen's challenge is to stay compact, not get stretched, and hit them on the counter. If Rex and Diaby get space to run, Madrid's defence could be in trouble."
"Micah, who are you backing tonight?"
Richards grinned. "I want to say Real Madrid, who don't lose these matches easily, especially at the Bernabéu, Kate. But I trust Rakim to pull a goal or two out of his boots. That kid is on a scoring spree. I don't see him stopping here. I think it'll be tight—two-one Leverkusen, maybe three-two."
"Micha taking the long odds, what about you, Thierry?"
"One-one draw," Henry said confidently. "Both teams will be cautious. Neither can afford to lose."
"Jamie?"
"Leverkusen two, Madrid one," Carragher said with a slight smile. "I'm also backing the younger guys to be hungrier for a victory."
Kate turned back to the camera. "Bold predictions from the panel. Now, let's bring in someone who'll actually be playing tonight."
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The camera panned to show Florian Wirtz jogging to the Sky Sports desk, still in his warm-up gear. The seventeen-year-old looked composed, his expression focused as Kate welcomed him.
"Florian, thank you for joining us. Big night for you and Leverkusen tonight."
"Yes, very big," Wirtz replied in accented but clear English. "But we've prepared well, and we're ready."
"You've been exceptional this season—17 assists, four goals, contributing to 9 of Rakim's 21 goals this season. Is it safe to say you found your favourite target and keep feeding him?" Kate asked with a genuinely impressed smile at the young man's achievements. With how well he was playing, it was hard to forget that this was his first official season for the club.
Wirtz smiled slightly. "Oh, do I only have four goals so far? It looks like I need to step up my game." He muttered in surprise, clearly not having checked his stats this season so far. "I try not to pick favourites; if it seems that way, it's because he is usually in the most dangerous places I look for first."
Jamie chuckled lightly at his words. "Don't let that bother you, especially if our stats are correct, your total goal involvement is at 33 across all competitions so far."
"Still, I'd like some more goals to my name"
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To Be Continued...
