Football singularity-Chapter 673 Hradecky Clinic
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[09/12/2020 | Santiago Bernabéu, Madrid | 20:55 Local Time]
[UEFA Champions League Group Stage MD6 | Real Madrid vs Bayer 04 Leverkusen]
[32]
Rakim rose, took the ball from Schick, and placed it on the spot—no debate over the taker. The Bernabéu's reduced crowd made as much noise as possible, whistling and jeering. Courtois bounced on his line, his 6'6" frame looming, the veteran penalty stopper trying to intimidate a seventeen-year-old.
Orsato checked both players, raised his arm—then the whistle blew. Rakim's run-up was calm and measured as Courtois shifted, searching for any tell. At the last second, Rakim planted his right foot and chipped gently down the centre. Courtois dove left and could only watch the ball float past him, dip under the bar, and settle in the net.
The sparse away fans erupted in joy as Rakim jogged to the corner flag in celebration, embracing his teammates. "RAKIM REX!" Rae roared. "A PANENKA AT THE BERNABÉU!"
"The composure… the audacity," Robson murmured. "That takes a special mentality."
[Bayer Leverkusen 1-0 Real Madrid — Rakim Rex 32' (P)]
[38]
Madrid resumed possession immediately after the restart, moving the ball with greater tempo. Kroos received from Ramos, pivoted, and sprayed a diagonal pass to Asensio on the right. Wendell closed, but Asensio's first touch was velvety, cushioning the ball inside with elegance before releasing Vázquez down the flank.
Vázquez whipped in a quick cross. Benzema rose higher, meeting it cleanly with a glancing header. But Hradecky was there diving low to his right, parrying the ball with both hands before Sven Bender arrived to thump it clear. "Madrid is responding exactly how you'd expect." Robson exhaled.
[44']
Aránguiz won a duel against Casemiro near the centre circle, poking the ball ahead to Wirtz. The teenager spun away from Kroos with a slick half-turn, accelerating forward into the open lane. Wirtz waited, drawing nearby defenders closer, then threaded a surgical pass through the gap between Varane and Mendy, sending Diaby darting into the box.
The Frenchman tried to take it the first time, sidefooting it toward the goal, but Ramos appeared out of nowhere. A perfectly timed sliding block, the ball deflecting off the captain's thigh and looping harmlessly into Courtois's hands.
"Vintage Sergio Ramos," Robson said. "There are not many defenders alive who read that situation as quickly."
[45+1]
Orsato glanced at his watch as the fourth official added an extra minute, which seemed far too short for the home side. Neither side could do much with it as they mostly fought for possession, and when the minute elapsed, the Italian official wasted no second blowing his whistle.
(Fweeet FWEEET!)
"Leverkusen lead at the Bernabéu thanks to Rakim Rex's ice-cold Panenka. Madrid have dominated possession and created chances, but Lukas Hradecky—what a performance from the Finnish goalkeeper—is the only reason this match isn't level." Rae summarised as the players began their march off the field.
Robson nodded. "Leverkusen have shown just how much they want this Derek. But Real Madrid won't go away, they need at least a draw."
[HT: Real Madrid 0-1 Bayer Leverkusen]
~~~
(FWEEEEET!)
The second half kicked off with Madrid immediately pushing numbers forward. Zidane had clearly demanded urgency—Vinícius and Asensio pressed higher, and Kroos stepped into a quarterback role just ahead of the centre-backs. Rae adjusted his headset. "And we are back underway in Madrid. Leverkusen lead by a single goal… but it feels anything but comfortable."
Robson exhaled. "Madrid is going to throw the kitchen sink at them, Derek. These first ten minutes will tell us everything."
[48]
Madrid carved out a chance almost instantly when Modrić drifted between the German midfield lines, collecting a disguised pass from Kroos. With a single flick of his right boot, he sent Vázquez racing down the right. The full-back whipped an early ball to the near post with Benzema Racing to meet it, but Hradecky beat him to it, punching it clear.
"Hradecky clearing the plate !" Rae shouted. "The keeper is picking up right where he left off in the first half!" Lars Bender pounced on the rebound, clearing the ball before any Madrid player could pounce.
[52]
Madrid recycled the attack. Kroos and Modrić orchestrated with surgical calm, pinging the ball between them as if unbothered by the scoreline. Then Modrić accelerated a small burst past two defenders before sliding Vinícius in behind. The Brazilian winger chopped inside Sven Bender, then unleashed a curled effort toward the far corner.
Hradecky was beaten, barely able to lunge, but the ball sailed inches wide. "Ohhhh that was close!" Robson said. "Leverkusen living dangerously."
[57]
Leverkusen finally broke Madrid's pressure when Wirtz intercepted a loose pass from Casemiro. He burst forward, dribbling past Modrić, the German teenager slipped a through ball to Schick, who held off Ramos, then laid it wide to Diaby. The winger cut inside, dragging Varane with him, then threaded a pass across the edge of the box into Rakim's path.
Mendy hacked it away before it could reach him, though, ending the attack in an anticlimactic way. "Rex almost had two tonight," Rae muttered. "Madrid is looking shaky on defence."
[61']
In the 61st minute, Zidane made his move as the board went up: Rodrygo and Federico Valverde on for Asensio and Casemiro. The tactical shift was drastic, morphing Madrid's formation to a more aggressive 4-2-4 in possession, throwing caution to the wind.
"Zidane is going for broke now," Robson observed. "He's sacrificing defensive stability for attacking firepower. This could go either way."
Rodrygo immediately got involved, demanding the ball from Kroos thirty yards out. The Brazilian winger drove directly at Wendell with pace, showing no mercy to his compatriot. His footwork was mesmerising—a double stepover followed by a sharp Elastico as he cut inside onto his left foot.
Wendell tried to lunge, but Rodrygo had already created the space. His boot struck the ball the next moment from twenty-five yards, dipping and swerving through the air. Hradecky saw it late, scrambling across his line. The ball flew toward the top right corner—the Finnish goalkeeper threw himself upward and to his right.
He stretched his fingertips to max, but he couldn't reach it as the ball curved away from him. The loud metallic *CLANG* of the ball hitting the crossbar resounded as it bounced down and away, Tapsoba clearing desperately.
[65]
Madrid kept coming, wave after wave. In one instant, Modric piked the ball up in the inside-right channel, his vision picking out Benzema's movement. The pass was threaded through two defenders, perfectly weighted. Benzema controlled with his foot, cushioning it as he used his strength to hold off Sven.
He used a touch to create separation, pushing off the German, a second to shift the ball onto his left foot as he turned. From twelve yards out, and the goal in sight, he struck it with precision rather than power, aiming for the bottom left corner. Sven managed to lunge in at the last moment, doing just enough to divert the ball beyond the goal.
"Madrid's been struggling with that last ball." Rae analysed. "But they know just one needs to sit right, and they could win at the drop of a hat.
"Indeed, and to that extent, it looks like the German side is making a change," Robson responded, and, true to his words, the fourth official raised the board, signalling a change. "Looks like both Rakim and Diaby will be exiting the stage, and replacing them are Demarai Grey on the left and Leon Bailey on the right."
"Smart to rest them early as all they need is a draw to secure their first spot in the group." Rae analysed as both sides set up for the corner.
[67]
The corner swung in deep; Kroos's delivery was expertly placed toward the penalty spot. Bodies collided in the six-yard box—Ramos rising above everyone, his timing impeccable, his header powerful and directed downward. It hit a few bodies rebounding off a few players who tried to get a body part to it.
The ball spun loose to Valverde at the edge of the box. The Uruguayan picked up his head as the ball rolled towards him and struck it first-time, his shot rising toward the top corner with venom.
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To Be Continued...
