I'm 1.9 meters tall and weigh 200 pounds, can I pull the hem?

News reports are being released one after another.

Goal-fest! Arsenal defeat Tottenham 4-3 away from home, just 2 points behind the league leaders.

The more they are tempered, the sharper they become! Arsenal staged a comeback and secured a last-minute victory after suffering a red card for the second time this season!

Liu Yang shines on the field! Two goals and two assists contribute to four goals, leading his team to victory!

Pochettino: Liu is a player from another dimension.

Are Barcelona trembling? Liu Yang contributes 3 goals and 5 assists in three games!

Countless discussions have flooded social media.

Wow, I never imagined Liu Yang could be this strong!

- [In February, it seemed like Arsenal was going to falter again, but now they're almost at the top of the table!]

[The next match is against Barcelona. Can Liu Yang continue his hot streak?]

- [It's useless. The Premier League is now just a team that excels at domestic competition; it can't beat any of the three Spanish powerhouses.]

Even if Liu Yang performs exceptionally well, Arsenal can't beat Barcelona. There's a clear gap in all aspects. In the first leg, they were only missing Liu Yang, yet they still got thrashed at home!

-【Isn't that because Koscielny and Monreal were both injured?】

- [Hilarious, even if they went in, they couldn't win, and neither of them can come back for the second round, right?]

- [What kind of schedule is this for Arsenal? Four matches in ten days?]

- [Leicester City, Everton, Tottenham, Barcelona – every match is tough!]

……

There was no training on the second day of the competition, and the whole team rested for a day.

After the training session on March 8, Liu Yang underwent another examination and evaluation by the team doctor.

"It's nothing serious, but my muscles are still a bit tense."

"Our suggestion is that 45-60 minutes of playing time is more appropriate."

Wenger looked troubled.

"Liu, we'll probably still have you as a substitute for this game."

"But I assure you, you will have a chance to play in this game."

"The schedule has been too packed lately, it's for your health. You know, you missed several months of matches at Aston Villa at the beginning of this season due to injury..."

"I have no objection, sir."

The professor was slightly surprised, after all, it's inevitable that young players will become a little arrogant after starting for a period of time and being in good form.

They often resist being relegated to a substitute role.

"You said I would have a chance to play in this match, and I believe you."

"I've known you since I was very young, and you will never break your promise except in very rare special circumstances."

Liu Yang said earnestly.

The old man's eyes showed some emotion. He didn't say much, but simply patted Liu Yang on the shoulder and waved for him to return to the training team.

Then he instructed the team doctor.

"How is Welbeck's physical condition? If possible, I hope he can start in the next game."

……

Behind him, assistant coach Boulder walked over and remarked, "What a good kid."

"Sir, are we... really not going to start him in this match?"

Wenger did not answer, but instead posed a question to Boulder.

"Steve, tell us, how do we compare to them?"

Boulder paused for a moment.

"Barcelona? Their midfield is indeed not as strong as it was during Xavi's era, but Iniesta still has energy, and Rakitic has added a lot of toughness."

"But their strikers... are completely unstoppable!"

"Messi, Suarez, Neymar, they not only have strong individual abilities, but they also have such great teamwork..."

"To put it bluntly, perhaps we should strategically abandon the Champions League race; we still have a chance to win the league title."

Wenger shook his head.

You have a point.

"But I'm not talking about Arsenal and Barcelona."

"I'm talking about... the entire Premier League."

"The Premier League?"

Boulder suddenly understood what his boss meant.

About ten years ago, the Premier League entered its golden age.

Ferguson's Manchester United saw the rise of young stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney, returning to their peak.

Chelsea under Mourinho's management underwent a complete transformation, becoming a force to be reckoned with in European football.

There's also Liverpool, who reached the Champions League final twice, and the peak Reds who managed to pull off a miraculous comeback even when trailing by three goals in the final.

Back then, Arsenal were regulars in the quarterfinals, and occasionally even made it to the semifinals or the final.

It's just a pity that the red card in 2006 broke the hearts of all Arsenal fans...

Time passes.

After Chelsea's miraculous Champions League victory in 2012, the Premier League teams have been declining in quality.

Chelsea's form has been inconsistent, Arsenal has been eliminated in the first round every year, and Manchester United and Liverpool haven't even made it into the Champions League.

Emerging forces Manchester City and Tottenham Hotspur have also failed to deliver convincing performances on the continental stage.

In 2013, all Premier League teams were eliminated in the round of 16, drawing ridicule from the mouthpieces of other major leagues' media outlets.

In 2014, Chelsea became the sole Premier League representative to reach the semi-finals, only to be thrashed by Simeone's Atletico Madrid at Stamford Bridge.

In 2015, the Premier League once again suffered a complete defeat in the round of 16.

The situation this year won't be much better.

Chelsea were just eliminated by PSG after losing both legs, and Arsenal suffered a crushing defeat at home in the first leg.

Manchester United didn't even make it out of the group stage, being overtaken by Wolfsburg and PSV Eindhoven.

Only Manchester City, who drew a weak opponent, Dynamo Kyiv, still have a chance to reach the quarterfinals.

He became the hope of the entire village.

Boulder suddenly realized—the Premier League has hit a low point…

"That's right, the Premier League no longer has any top-tier teams in Europe."

"Ahead of us are Real Madrid, Barcelona, ​​Atletico Madrid, Bayern Munich, and Juventus."

"This applies even to the quality of star players."

"Any one of Barcelona's attacking trident would be a contender for the top spot in the Premier League."

"The Premier League has had Ballon d'Or winners like Henry and Ronaldo, as well as players like Beckham, Lampard, and Gerrard who were among the top three for the Ballon d'Or."

"There are no players of this caliber in the Premier League now."

"However, we still have a promising talent."

"That's Liu."

Wenger's voice carried a hint of determination.

"I rarely make grand pronouncements, Steve, but Liu... I think he'll develop into a Ballon d'Or caliber player within a few seasons."

"But the prerequisite is that he stays healthy."

"We must not only protect him from serious injury, but also prevent him from being overworked."

In recent years, major teams have gradually come to realize the "wear and tear" on their players.

Sometimes, athletes who have been overused and have accumulated chronic injuries may suddenly experience a sharp decline in performance or suffer a major injury.

For example, after Kaká transferred from Milan to Real Madrid, he underwent a full medical examination.

The results showed that his physical functions were severely depleted, so he could only be used protectively for the first half of the season.

Kaka later participated in the World Cup while injured, and never recovered from that setback.

He was only 28 years old at the time, which should have been the peak age for a football player.

……

Barcelona.

Ganbo Training Base.

The Barcelona players are making final preparations for tomorrow's match on the training ground.

Head coach Enrique stood on the sidelines, looking relaxed.

Assistant coach Unzue hesitated for a moment before asking, "Are we fielding our strongest lineup again for tomorrow's match?"

"Yes, all main force."

"But we're already leading 3-0 from the first leg..."

"The Champions League is the Champions League; never let your guard down."

"Besides, their rising Chinese star might also be making an appearance."

Enrique's eyes were intense.

"I'm very interested in him."

"Iniesta is getting old, and we need to consider his successor."

This season, Xavi left the team to retire, and Pedro went to England.

Mathieu and Mascherano in defense have aged another year.

Barcelona's squad is becoming increasingly thin.

Summer signings like Arda Turan and Alex Vidal haven't been able to fully integrate into the team's tactical system.

Enrique was anxious too.

He already has several players in mind for this summer transfer window.

Valencia's rising midfield star – André Gomes.

Lyon's promising French defender, Samuel Umtiti.

Paris Saint-Germain's young left-back – Digne.

However, he placed a recently emerged new name at the top of his candidate list.

……

During training breaks.

Messi sat down to one side.

During this period of competition, he played almost every minute.

During the upcoming international break, he will fly to South America to participate in Argentina's match.

Therefore, the coaching staff reduced his training volume.

"Okay, Leo, don't be so serious."

Neymar sat down next to Messi with a grin.

"I can't even remember when we last lost at Camp Nou."

Iniesta frowned.

"That Liu is very interesting. I watched Arsenal's videos these past two days, and his rate of improvement surprised me."

He turned to Busquets: "Thanks to our advantage from the first leg, we should have no problem advancing, but I have a feeling that the next match against him will be very difficult."

Busquets nodded without saying anything.

Suarez stood next to Neymar, touching his front tooth as if deep in thought.

Near the goal, Pique was holding a soccer ball and discussing something with goalkeeper Ter Stegen.

……

It was already dark.

Amprat Airport.

Arsenal players emerged from the arrival gate.

Some enthusiastic fans who traveled with the team held up banners outside the security line.

The camera flash kept blinking.

Reporters, microphones in hand, crowded around.

"Mr. Wenger, after a crushing defeat at home in the first leg, our chances in this knockout round are slim. What are your thoughts on the possibility of being eliminated by Barcelona again?"

"Barcelona haven't lost at Camp Nou for over a year. What are your thoughts on that?"

"Mr. Sanchez, now that Arsenal has lost to Barcelona, ​​do you regret your decision to leave Barcelona?"

Several tricky questions came from English spoken with a Catalan accent.

Wenger wore a gentlemanly smile and ignored the reporters' questions.

The relationship between Arsenal and Barcelona over the past decade has been one of bitter rivalry.

In 2006, Arsenal reached the Champions League final for the first time, facing Barcelona.

Ronaldinho's through ball that pierced the defense led to Lehmann's red card, shattering Arsenal's Champions League dream.

In 2010, the Gunners, who were no longer as strong as before, faced the dream team Barcelona in the quarterfinals. They fought hard to a draw in the first leg, but in the second leg, Messi was in great form at Camp Nou, scoring four goals and sending Arsenal away.

In 2011, in the classic "Battle for Earth", 19-year-old Wilshere became famous in a match against the peak Xavi, Iniesta and Busquets, and Arsenal won 2-1 at home.

However, in the second leg, Van Persie received a controversial red card, and Barcelona scored two goals to reverse the situation and advance.

This year's match marks the fourth meeting between the two teams in ten years.

Off the pitch, the famous "Loyal and Righteous Law" and "Song Gongming" transferred from Arsenal to Barcelona, ​​while Sanchez, unwilling to be a substitute for MSN, transferred from Barcelona to the Gunners.

A series of events further deepened the animosity between the two sets of fans.

……

The next day, a red and blue bus slowly drove toward Camp Nou stadium.

Security personnel on the street were trying to keep the almost frenzied Catalan fans at bay!

With over a century of club history, Barcelona has become a spiritual anchor for countless Catalans.

"Messi! Messi! Messi!"

"Iniesta! Iniesta! Iniesta!"

"Neymar! Neymar! Neymar!"

"Vamos Barca!!!"

At the other entrance, the scene was much quieter when Arsenal's team bus drove in.

Sanchez looked serious, lost in thought.

Gnabry seemed a little nervous on his first away game in the Champions League.

Liu Yang put his hands behind his head, leaned back in his chair, and closed his eyes to rest.

……

The pre-match press conference.

Enrique and Wenger shook hands politely, remaining courteous to each other.

"Defend the Champions League title? Why not? We're in great form this year."

"Messi, Neymar, and Suarez played too much? They were happy to play and performed brilliantly."

The Barcelona coach has reason to be confident.

They lead Real Madrid by as many as 12 points in the league and have a large lead in the Champions League.

Messi, Suarez, and Neymar have all scored over 100 goals this season.

It seems that no one can stop the defending champions now.

Meanwhile, Spanish journalists were equally scathing towards Wenger.

"Mr. Wenger, no team has ever come back from a 3-0 home defeat in the first leg to win..."

"Barcelona are unbeaten at home this season..."

"Will you field Liu Yang? He has already played three games in a week."

The professor simply smiled gently.

"No matter what the competition is, we will do our best."

"Whether Liu Yang will play or not, everyone will know after the competition starts."

……

In Barcelona's players' tunnel, red and blue are the main colors.

At the starting point, there were welcome signs in Catalan, English, and Spanish.

The walls are adorned with records of the championship-winning moments of Barcelona's past stars.

Cruyff, Guardiola, Ronaldinho—great names indeed.

Such decorations undoubtedly put invisible pressure on the opponent even before the game begins.

The starting players from both sides stood in the tunnel without exchanging any words.

Iwobi, who was starting, seemed a little nervous.

"Liu, I'm a little scared..."

Liu Yang, who was outside the group, patted him on the shoulder to comfort him.

"It's okay, Alex, just kick normally."

"That's right!"

Gnabry also didn't make the starting lineup. Although he was a little nervous, he still forced a relaxed expression to comfort Iwobi.

"If all else fails, just run them all to death, then Liu and I will come up and finish the race!"

After hearing his good buddies' jokes, Iwobi managed a weak smile.

A moment later, accompanied by the familiar Champions League theme song, the procession began to move.

……

"Put on the cushion! Put on the cushion!"

Good evening, viewers! Welcome to the second leg of the 2015-16 UEFA Champions League Round of 16, Barcelona hosting Arsenal!

"I am He Wei, the commentator for this match."

"Here are the starting lineups for both teams!"

Let's look at the home team, Barcelona, ​​first!

Goalkeeper: Ter Stegen!

"Defenders: Alves, Mascherano, Pique, Alba!"

Midfielders: Rakitic, Busquets, Iniesta!

"Forwards, Messi, Suarez, Neymar!"

"Now let's take a look at Arsenal playing away!"

Goalkeeper: ......

"Compared to the game against Tottenham, Arsenal only made two changes."

"The starting center position has been changed from Giroud to Welbeck, and the Chinese-American rising star Liu Yang will be on the bench for this game. Iwobi will start!"

With the referee's whistle, Suarez passed the ball back to Busquets.

The cheers at Camp Nou grew louder and louder.

Liu Yang was sitting on the bench.

The deafening noise almost deafened him.

As the home stadium of Europe's largest club, Camp Nou was packed with nearly 100,000 spectators.

Looking out, it's like being in a red and blue ocean.

……

time flies.

The match has reached the 60th minute.

Match score: Barcelona 2-0 Arsenal.

Trailing on aggregate, Arsenal had no choice but to launch a full-scale attack.

As a result, Barcelona's quick counter-attacks broke through their defense.

Suarez and Messi each scored a goal.

Enrique stood on the sidelines, very satisfied.

After Xavi aged, Enrique changed his tactics.

Sacrificing some midfield possession and transitions creates more attacking space for the forwards.

Some fans are protesting: Barcelona has lost the soul of possession-based football!

But with the explosive performance of the MSN duo, the voices of doubt were gradually drowned out.

……

"Boss, Liu has finished warming up."

Boulder looked puzzled.

"We're so far behind, is it even necessary to put Liu on the court?"

Wenger's expression remained unwavering.

"The Champions League knockout stage is an invaluable learning experience."

"No opponent in the Premier League has that kind of strength."

"This is a good thing for Liu's growth."

……

The fourth official on the sidelines raised the substitution sign.

Iwobi jogged towards the sidelines.

His performance wasn't bad; in fact, the entire Arsenal team performed quite well.

However, with a depleted Arsenal squad facing a fully-staffed Barcelona, ​​the vast gap in strength was difficult to bridge.

"Liu".

Wenger patted Liu Yang on the shoulder.

They didn't say much.

"Do your best."

Liu Yang nodded, preparing to give Iwobi a high five.

Suddenly, an electronic mechanical voice rang out in my mind.

"Ding-dong! Congratulations on starting a new main storyline: the UEFA Champions League!"

"First instance quest: Challenge Camp Nou!"

[In their first appearance in the Champions League, the team trailed the defending champions by a large margin.]

[Is his elimination a foregone conclusion?]

But you can still slap the arrogant king a few times.

[Announcing to all of Europe that a new legend is about to be born!]

[Ding! Host detected as a substitute. Solskjaer's "Super Sub" module is activated.]

[Ding! Match location detected: Camp Nou Stadium]

[Trigger Special Synergy: Camp Nou Miracle!]

Such a scene flashed through Liu Yang's mind.

Ole Gunnar Solskjaer, who came on as a substitute, tapped the ball in front of the goal, helping Manchester United secure a dramatic victory over Bayern Munich and lift the Champions League trophy again after 30 years.

[The host's Solskjaer "Super Sub" module has been significantly enhanced!]

[All attribute bonuses will receive a huge increase!]

……

Liu Yang looked at the list of values ​​and was startled.

A large number of numbers have turned into 99+.

"The boost...is that big?"

But he didn't have time to think too much; Iwobi had already run up to him.

"Liu, keep it up!"

Iwobi hugged him.

Liu Yang nodded.

I stepped onto the grass of Camp Nou.

……

Not far away, Enrique watched as Wenger pointed at the field, and Liu Yang jogged onto the field.

He suddenly had a strange feeling.

It was like seeing an old swordsman draw his sharpest sword.