The whistle blew, and the match officially began. Cao Baming's eyes glinted with brilliance, and he immediately set out to complete this season's timed missions.
He charged across the field, his gaze sweeping over the entire pitch, taking in every situation from any position with unparalleled clarity. He meticulously analyzed the optimal running and receiving positions, ensuring he would be there at the crucial moment.
Every player on the Bayern Munich squad shared a similar mindset at this moment; they were all in a state of near despair, and the match had only just started.
After all, this game held little hope for them. Replicating the Bernabeu miracle from years ago was a formidable task. Even then, it was merely an Champions League Round of 16 match, and the deficit wasn't as staggering as four goals; they were only trailing by three at that point.
Moreover, the opposing team now seemed even more formidable than peak Barcelona.
While the Messi of this era couldn't be compared to his peak self, the current Messi alone was worth more than Barcelona's three midfielders combined. His position on the field was no longer the same.
The forward line that could truly be compared to that era's was Arsenal's current attacking trio, consisting of Nelson, Henry, and Messi on the pitch. However, in reality, only Nelson and Henry were truly positioned upfront waiting to score.
At his age, Messi had begun to gradually drop back into midfield, acting as an attacking midfielder orchestrating play. Although in the official formation lineup Messi was still listed as a right winger, he often wasn't positioned at the furthest forward point but rather in midfield.
Furthermore, Messi was appearing less frequently on the right flank and more often in the center, serving as the absolute orchestrator and the attacking organizer closest to the goal. Many threatening passes were initiated by his final ball.
These changes in Messi's positioning within the team's lineup were not officially announced; rather, they were conclusions drawn by fans over numerous matches, accumulating their valuable experience. This was the undeniable reality of the current situation.
Even as a midfielder rather than a right winger, and not occupying that familiar "Messi corridor," he remained a world-class presence.
He was not only a former world-class right winger but was now, in his twilight years, competing with current midfielders for the title of the world's best midfielder.
This was also one of the reasons many people disliked Messi. While they weren't the majority, their hatred for him was intense, stemming from his exceptional talent which they could neither refute nor surpass.
He consistently achieved unimaginable feats with apparent ease, achievements that many of them, despite exerting ten or even a hundred times the effort, could not attain. Such a person was like a bug in the system.
However, this problem was resolved in a most unexpected manner.
At this moment, a player appeared who was even more astonishing than Messi: Cao Baming.
Cao Baming's style of play was unprecedented, and there would likely never be anyone to follow in his footsteps.
Compared to Messi, Cao Baming's talent was demonstrably superior. What Messi could accomplish with ease, Cao Baming seemed to accomplish even better and with greater ease.
Even peak Barcelona could not compare to the current Arsenal squad. The most significant reason for this, of course, was the existence of this individual. Fans had already witnessed Cao Baming's power.
From initial disbelief, people gradually came to understand that as long as he was on the field, any match would be fundamentally different from any previous football game, possessing an entirely new character.
Shortly after the conclusion of this season's Champions League, the Ballon d'Or award ceremony would take place. It was highly probable that this award would be given to Cao Baming.
Even if Bayern Munich or AC Milan won the Champions League, their squads would not have anyone qualified to receive the Ballon d'Or.
As for the other players who were previously at the top of the rankings, they had all been eliminated from this season's Champions League, further minimizing the suspense surrounding the Ballon d'Or selection.
As Arsenal fans, they could already envision themselves witnessing Cao Baming, dressed in a black suit, walking onto a stage and receiving that shining, weighty golden ball through their computer screens in the near future.
This would not only be a testament to his individual honor but also a symbol of Arsenal's collective achievement and the club's prestige. Most importantly, it would instill a sense of pride in their hearts as fans, a pride derived from belonging to this group.
Unbeknownst to everyone, twenty minutes had passed in the match, yet to the surprise of all the fans, the score remained 0-0!
This was an unusual occurrence that baffled everyone. In an ordinary match, a 0-0 score after twenty minutes would be unremarkable, not warranting any surprise.
However, this match was entirely different. The reason was simple: there was a player on the field named Cao Baming. Any match he participated in that reached a 0-0 score after twenty minutes was exceptionally rare; one would struggle to recall more than three such instances.
Only one person knew the true reason for this situation: Cao Baming himself.
His expression was one of deep satisfaction and excitement. Although the score had not yet been broken, there was not a hint of disappointment in his demeanor or actions.