Hazard was clearly reveling in his moment, evident not only in his expression but also in his posture and every touch of the ball.
His fans, of course, were even happier. After being relentlessly criticized for two full years, their favorite star had finally returned to the field, back to the peak form of his prime.
Surely this performance was enough to slap the faces of those who had been railing against him, a resounding, impactful blow.
Faced with this situation, Arsenal's coaching staff urgently convened on the sidelines, discussing their next move.
The opponent's tactical adjustments had effectively pinned them down.
They had believed Cao Baiming's strategy was flawless, requiring no further intervention, only to have the opposition unveil a counter-formation that precisely nullified it.
One had to admire the Real Madrid coach's boldness and cunning.
This trump card didn't seem like an impromptu response; it felt like something prepared well in advance, perhaps even for a long time.
The coaching staff deliberated for a considerable period without devising any viable solutions. It seemed that no matter how they shifted, the outlook remained bleak, especially with Arteta's remaining options dwindling.
He simply couldn't produce a golden card like Real Madrid's Hazard. All the capable players were already on the field.
In terms of squad depth and breadth, they were undoubtedly inferior to Real Madrid. While their starting lineup might have been more dazzling, Real Madrid's bench was even more star-studded.
Cao Baiming knew it was nearly impossible for those on the sidelines to concoct a strategy on the fly for a situation they hadn't anticipated. As usual, he would have to rely on himself.
What's wrong with relying on oneself? In the end, people must depend on themselves. Others can never be counted on, and even if you find someone dependable, their reliability has a time limit, and they might falter one day.
The current situation warranted careful analysis.
It was due to his drifting from the backline to the front to play as a striker, which left an extra man to solidify the defense. This dense defense directly hampered Real Madrid's quick counter-attacking potential, as the defensive formation was quickly in place the moment an attack began.
With so many players in the penalty area, scoring from a random shot was extremely difficult.
Now, with Hazard's dribbling and breakthroughs, he alone could consecutively beat three or four players, not to mention the others in the defense who required attention.
This created a critical void in midfield. To address this, there was only one solution: return to midfield.
A free spirit across the entire field must play with the attitude of a free spirit across the entire field. Wherever I am needed, that's where I will go. Pan Ming had truly understood this.
Although the forward and defensive lines also needed him, there was a significant difference in their needs. His presence in midfield at this moment would be optimal and most beneficial.
With just a nod to bid farewell to his two companions, the front three was reduced to two, and a 5-2-3 formation morphed into a 4-4-2.
Through his reading and understanding of the game, Cao Baiming quickly grasped the movements of everyone on the field and comprehended the opponent's meticulously planned strategy.
Armed with this understanding, even if he were alone in midfield, he could fully control the entire pitch, no longer needing to worry about anything else.
Hazard was in good form, right? Well, it was simple; he just wouldn't get the ball. If he couldn't touch the ball, no matter how good his form, he'd be playing with the air!
Vieira lifted his head. Not far beside him, Cao Baiming had appeared, and a sense of security immediately bloomed in his heart.
If it were just the few of them in midfield, they would have been completely overwhelmed by the opponent sooner or later. But now that Cao Baiming had returned, everything had changed.
Under the opponent's press, Messi urgently played a back pass, and the player who received it was none other than Cao Baiming, who had just moved into an open space.
Because he moved so suddenly, leaving his original position in an instant, it not only caught the fans off guard but, more importantly, caught the opponents off guard.
The defender who had been marking Cao Baiming in the backline was now forced to switch to marking Messi, as he could no longer find Cao Baiming.
This position was, for a moment, the safest on the entire pitch. Messi was being marked by three or four players, which was common. He calmly passed the ball back to midfield.
Cao Baiming's eyes flickered. The moment he received the ball, he had already assessed the area behind him.
With an almost divine perspective, his keen senses detected two promising opportunities ahead, both viable passing lanes.
Although he received a back pass, no one ever said that after receiving a back pass, one must immediately switch to defensive mode.
Often, this is the best time for an unexpected move. After receiving the ball, he didn't even need to glance at the front line. With a simple turn, he used the outside of his foot to pass the ball back forward, like a flexible wall.
This maneuver stunned everyone watching, not just the fans but also the opponents on the field and the coaching staff on the sidelines.
"What is he doing? Is he crazy?"
"He was trying for an immediate pass, but he mis-hit it."
"Did his brain malfunction for a moment? Did he think that was his goalkeeper and try to pass back? That's the opponent's goalkeeper, for heaven's sake!"
"No way, that's impossible. Don't you know who that is on the field!!!"
...
Two seconds later, everyone suddenly understood. Because at that moment, a player suddenly emerged from offside and instantly burst into an open, unoccupied space.
That player was Henry, who surged forward with two long strides and instantly broke free.
This pass was an incredibly subtle ground ball, bypassing the blockade of two defenders on the backline and heading directly into the penalty area, with Henry already having made a run to receive it.
Faced with such a clear one-on-one chance, Henry's lips curved slightly. He then skillfully feigned, knocking the goalkeeper to the ground, and calmly dribbled the ball into the net.