Just then, Cao Baming suddenly made a tackle, preventing Leo from even attempting a pass, and the ball was lost!
Ibrahimović threw his hands up in the penalty area, his expressionless, but he knew exactly how he felt at that moment.
AC Milan continued their pressing tactics. Clearly, the taste of success they had just experienced was proving very satisfying, making their head coach on the sidelines even more confident as he saw his team finally making it happen.
While the current situation wasn't the complete annihilation he had envisioned, nor had they secured a substantial lead in the first half, it was infinitely better than their performance against Bayern Munich in the previous match.
Their opponents were Arsenal, and regardless of the final outcome, even a draw would be a respectable result. After all, so many established super-teams, with their star-studded lineups and legendary players, had still fallen to Arsenal.
That being said, this was, after all, the final of the Champions League, a match of such immense importance that no one wanted to lose, and he himself was no exception.
On the pitch, the AC Milan players persisted with their pressing strategy, executing their coach's instructions precisely. However, as time wore on, some players began to show clear signs of fatigue.
But with Cao Baming actively dropping back into defense as a mobile defensive midfielder, the consequence was that despite AC Milan's players exhausting their remaining energy in a desperate bid to win the ball, after several minutes, they had achieved nothing.
The score remained 1-1, with no one able to break the deadlock.
What should be done in this situation? How could this current predicament be resolved, and the stalemate broken? Both AC Milan's coaching staff and the players on the field were equally anxious.
The match was now nearing the end of the first half, precisely at the 40-minute mark. With just over five minutes remaining until the final whistle, and no significant injuries or more than a few minor fouls occurring in the first half, the added time was unlikely to be extensive.
Cao Baming's eyes flickered, scanning the entire pitch. His gaze settled on the faces of his Arsenal teammates. From their expressions, he could tell they had visibly relaxed, appearing much more confident compared to moments before.
This was precisely the objective they had set out to achieve, and it could be said that the tactic employed thus far had been more than half successful.
At this point, the AC Milan players on the field were no longer playing with the same frenzied intensity. After all, no matter how passionate one might be, their physical stamina would eventually limit that passion. No one could maintain that level of intensity from start to finish without tiring.
With halftime approaching, they no longer felt compelled to push themselves to their absolute limits. Everyone eagerly anticipated the opportunity to rest. Although the halftime break was only 30 minutes long, it felt like an oasis in the desert, and everyone looked forward to it immensely.
However, at this very moment, Cao Baming suddenly spotted an opportunity. This chance was entirely different from the previous ones, because the confidence shining in his teammates' eyes made him realize that this was the moment to score.
Just then, Cao Baming's gaze swept across the front line. As he subtly moved forward, Messi appeared in his field of vision.
The next second, Messi also caught sight of Cao Baming from his periphery. With just a fleeting exchange of glances, the two instantly understood each other's intentions.
Cao Baming passed the ball, and without a moment's hesitation, Messi acted as a wall, returning the ball to Cao Baming. In this simple one-two combination, they executed it an incredible three times in a row!
The fans at the sidelines erupted in a collective gasp. They had never witnessed such a sequence of triple one-two passes, and even if they had seen it before, never had it been executed with such exquisite beauty!
More importantly, throughout these three wall passes, neither player stopped running. Each run was perfectly timed, demonstrating absolute synergy between masters of the game.
In the end, a total of seven AC Milan midfielders and defenders were completely bypassed. They hadn't even had time to react before the ball was far beyond their reach!
"Incredible! Absolutely incredible!" the commentator exclaimed, his voice filled with excitement.
"Cao Baming and Messi, what a sensational partnership! Their chemistry on the field leaves their opponents defenseless! Look, they're at it again! Cao Baming receives the ball and passes it directly to Messi, who shields it with his body from the defender before returning it to Cao Baming. Cao Baming then threads a brilliant pass, finding Messi's run! Messi receives the ball and immediately accelerates, dribbling past one defender after another! He's like lightning, cutting through AC Milan's defense! Now it's just him and the goalkeeper! What will Messi do? Will he shoot? Or will he pass back to Cao Baming again?" "Magnificent! Truly magnificent! This is an unparalleled combination! Messi opted not to shoot but instead delicately chipped the ball with the outside of his foot, sending it into the air! Cao Baming had already surged into the penalty area. He leaped into the air, propelling the ball forward with a precise header! The ball sailed over the fingertips of the goalkeeper and into the net!"
"Goal! It's a valid goal! A magical goal! This is a goal that defies human capability! It's not just a goal; it's art! A masterpiece painted with a football! Its beauty transcends words; it must be felt with the heart! So beautiful, so incredibly beautiful!"
Witnessing this, the fans at the sidelines felt as if they were in a dream. They could hardly believe their eyes. Cao Baming and Messi had, through three consecutive one-two passes, broken through AC Milan's defense, bypassed seven midfielders and defenders consecutively, and reached the vicinity of the goal to face the goalkeeper! What skill was this? What understanding? What talent?
They held their breath, their fists clenched in anticipation of the final strike. They knew that if a goal was scored, it would be a momentous occasion, a moment destined for history! They knew that if a goal was scored, it would be the greatest humiliation and revenge against AC Milan! They knew that if a goal was scored, it would be the ultimate reward and satisfaction for themselves!