Chapter 141: The Second Leg of the Yellow-Blue Battle

Returning to Villarreal with three away goals in their pocket, the Yellow Submarine felt a mixture of shortfall and relief. At the very least, they did not consider a 2-0 home victory over Manchester City to be an impossible task. They had previously defeated the indomitable Barcelona and Real Madrid at the El Madrigal stadium, and compared to those two Spanish giants, Manchester City was a lesser challenge.

To prepare for the second leg of the Champions League tie against City, Escriba implemented heavy rotation for the 23rd round of La Liga. Their opponent, however, was no pushover—the dark horse, Real Sociedad. After battling Manchester City for 97 minutes, Dai Zhiwei was physically drained, so Escriba left him in Villarreal rather than taking him on the road. The match proved incredibly difficult for Villarreal; it was not until the 94th minute that, following a cross from Costa on the left, Castillejo volleyed home the game's only goal from the edge of the six-yard box, securing all three points.

Following the weekend’s league action, the eyes of the footballing world turned once again to the Champions League knockout stages. Due to the high-scoring offensive display in the first leg, the second leg between Villarreal and Manchester City unexpectedly became the focal point of the week. City had won the first leg 5-3, but with three away goals in their possession, Villarreal still held hope for a comeback on home soil.

However, the odds of advancing clearly favored Manchester City. They could progress even if they lost by a single goal, provided they didn't concede two or more. Given the open nature of the first leg and Villarreal's current situation, the second leg promised another offensive slugfest, with both teams capable of advancing.

Guardiola had previously led Barcelona and Bayern Munich through the Champions League round of 16 seven times, succeeding on every occasion. Upon returning to Spain, *Mundo Deportivo* caught up with Guardiola immediately after he stepped off the plane. Having led Barcelona to two Champions League titles and Bayern to three consecutive semi-finals, it was clear that Manchester City hoped for similar success under his stewardship.

"We must give our all," Guardiola said. "If we only think about finishing the game as quickly as possible, it will be very dangerous. We absolutely cannot rely on the scoreline from the first leg to progress."

"To date, Dai Zhiwei is the top scorer in Europe. He is like Messi in his early years—technically superb, a master of finishing, and very fast. When a team has such a striker, it means their goals are almost inevitable. Therefore, your best defense is to score; using as much offense and scoring as possible to suppress the opponent is the only way to beat a team like this."

Guardiola stressed that Manchester City must remain focused: "The match is what matters most. We know that if we lose 0-2, 1-3, or 2-4, we are out. I want my team to show the desire to win from the very first minute, because at this level, anyone can beat you."

"But I don't want my team to play conservatively. If you just think about defending because of the 5-3 lead, it's suicide. What we need to do is score. I am sure tomorrow will be another spectacular match. I invite people to watch; they will see an outstanding game, that is without a doubt."

Clearly, Guardiola was confident about leading his team to an eighth consecutive Champions League semi-final, but he refused to look further ahead: "I don't know if Manchester City can make the semi-finals. I want to say yes. I am very comfortable at Manchester City, and I will never forget how they have taken care of me and given me their full support. But this is my eighth year of coaching, and I know how difficult the Champions League is. If you don't stay focused, you can be eliminated in just five minutes."

*Mundo Deportivo* also specifically noted that the second leg against Villarreal would be Guardiola's 100th Champions League match as a manager. In his previous 99, he had lost only 15, fewer than any other member of the "100-match club," which includes world-class managers like Ferguson, Mourinho, Capello, and Ancelotti.

The newspaper dedicated a full page to the preview of the second leg. For Manchester City, they interviewed Guardiola, while for Villarreal, they spoke with Dai Zhiwei. It was clear that *Mundo Deportivo* was signaling who the most important figures were for both clubs.

In the interview, Dai Zhiwei stated: "I didn't expect Paris to be overturned by Barcelona; it was unimaginable. But it really happened. In the world of football, nothing is impossible. By comparison, the difficulties we face are much smaller. We just need to score two goals. Although it remains very difficult, it is not impossible."

"Indeed, our opponent's strength is formidable, but I think we should accept the challenge. We won't keep Barcelona in our mouths as a role model; we are just using them as an example—an example that proves we still have a chance. Although we don't have that kind of super-combination, we have our own advantages. I believe a comeback against Manchester City is entirely possible. I will give my all to achieve this goal."

Villarreal maintained a balance between attack and defense this season, but unfortunately, their defensive backbone and captain, Bruno, was suspended for this match, forcing Escriba to adjust his starting lineup. Compared to the first leg, Manchester City also made two changes: Kolarov replaced Otamendi to pair with Stones at center-back, and Clichy replaced Yaya Touré, allowing Fernandinho to return to his familiar defensive midfield position.

**Manchester City Starting XI:**
Goalkeeper: Caballero
Defenders: Sagna, Stones, Kolarov, Clichy
Defensive Midfielder: Fernandinho
Midfielders: Sterling, De Bruyne, Silva, Sané
Forward: Agüero

**Villarreal Starting XI:**
Goalkeeper: Asenjo
Defenders: Gaspar, Musacchio, Ruiz, Costa
Midfielders: Dos Santos, Alfred N'Diaye, Trigueros, Roberto Soriano
Forwards: Bacca, Dai Zhiwei

*Attack!*
That was the plan Escriba set for Villarreal from the opening whistle. Although Manchester City's defense was far from an impenetrable wall, scoring two goals against them was no small feat. Looking at Stones and Kolarov in the center-back positions, Dai Zhiwei couldn't help but feel a spark of excitement. Even though he had scored a hat-trick in the previous match, Fernandinho and Otamendi had actually managed to restrict him to a certain extent. After all, a "fast, nimble, and clever" striker like Dai Zhiwei prefers not to face defensive players of a similar mold.

Now, Guardiola had deployed Stones and Kolarov, a pair of tall defenders standing over 1.87 meters, and particularly Kolarov, who possessed stronger attacking attributes. For Dai Zhiwei, this was definitely good news. However, Guardiola had his own considerations: Manchester City had suffered against Villarreal in the first leg defending aerial balls and set-pieces, and he believed that assigning Fernandinho to man-mark Dai Zhiwei was sufficient.

"Do you think this will stop me?" Dai Zhiwei sneered. It seemed he hadn't taught Manchester City a harsh enough lesson in the first leg. At the end of the day, Dai Zhiwei had not been famous in European football for long; he only truly made a name for himself after joining Villarreal in the latter half of last season—barely a year ago. Even after his hat-trick in the previous round, managers like Guardiola still viewed it partly as a fluke and didn't implement the same defensive scrutiny they would for Ronaldo or Messi.

In the first minute, De Bruyne fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box, which Asenjo steadily pushed over the byline, denying City a chance at a follow-up. Just a minute later, Dai Zhiwei returned the favor. Alfred N'Diaye, who replaced the suspended Bruno, delivered a diagonal ball from the right corner of the penalty area. Dai Zhiwei leaped with great intensity, his header flying just inches over the crossbar.

Two golden opportunities in just two minutes—how could the commentator keep his cool? Both sides were engaged in a rare, high-paced offensive exchange rarely seen in recent knockout stages. Most coaches usually become pragmatic in knockout games, emphasizing defense at the expense of spectacle. Villarreal stuck to their consistent tactics, with only the defensive anchor in front of the backline changing from Bruno to Alfred N'Diaye. Standing 1.90 meters tall and weighing nearly 90 kilograms, N'Diaye was a standard "beast" midfielder. While he couldn't fully shoulder Bruno's responsibilities, his physical presence in the opening minutes effectively disrupted several of Manchester City's attacks.

Manchester City adopted a high-pressing strategy in midfield, attempting to stifle Villarreal's attack before it could develop and keep them under siege. But they hadn't expected Villarreal to show no fear back at the El Madrigal. Far from being suppressed as they were in the first leg, Villarreal was holding their own.

Because of Guardiola's instructions, Fernandinho remained glued to Dai Zhiwei, which was incredibly annoying. Dai Zhiwei never feared tall defenders, but players with similar height and agility to his own felt like chewing gum stuck to his shoe. However, whether in the previous encounter or this match, Fernandinho hadn't fared particularly well in his duel with Dai Zhiwei. While frustrating, it wasn't insurmountable.

"Are you going to keep running back and forth with me today?" Dai Zhiwei asked with a smile, though his eyes weren't on Fernandinho, but on Kolarov and Stones not far away.

"My defense doesn't depend on where you run, but on our team's collective movement. After half a season, Manchester City's control is not something a small fry like you can disrupt. This match will only follow our rhythm. You? Heh, don't harbor delusions of breaking down our defensive line!" Fernandinho replied calmly, without getting riled up.

"Wow? So arrogant?" Dai Zhiwei couldn't believe the man he’d practically dismantled in the previous game had the audacity to say that to his face.

"Then let's wait and see." With that, Dai Zhiwei jogged back to his half, ready to launch an attack at any moment.

"Manchester City's momentum is quite good today. I imagine Escriba must be having some headaches. Villarreal is still trailing by two goals on aggregate; they must intensify their attack, otherwise, there's no hope." Martin Tyler, in the Sky Sports commentary booth, analyzed the situation with excitement. As an English commentator, he naturally leaned toward City, but he remained objective, calling this one of the most brilliant Champions League knockout games in recent years.

Compared to Tyler, his long-time partner Motson focused on individual performances: "Perhaps Guardiola should have tried playing Gabriel Jesus more. Since joining in January, he has performed brilliantly, keeping Nolito and Iheanacho on the bench."

"I think Guardiola's lineup is fine," Tyler countered. "After all, compared to Agüero and Dai Zhiwei, Jesus is still too green."

"Indeed, it's truly unexpected that China could produce such an outstanding player," Motson continued, having some small knowledge of Chinese football. "Poor Kolarov and Stones. While their center-back pairing can handle mid-to-lower tier players in the Premier League, they are facing Dai Zhiwei, the current top scorer in both the Champions League and La Liga. His explosive power is world-class, even by Premier League standards. The key to this match is how long Kolarov and Stones can resist Dai Zhiwei!"

As Tyler and Motson chatted, the clock ticked to the 16th minute. At that moment, a deafening roar erupted from the stands.

"It's Dai Zhiwei! He has broken through Fernandinho's defense. Oh, he's dribbling at speed toward the penalty area. He has no intention of passing—does he want to take on the City defense all by himself?" Tyler narrated with machine-gun speed.

"Beautiful! Dai Zhiwei has shimmied past Stones and has an opening to shoot!"

"Kolarov covers over! He stretches his leg to block the long-range effort—the ball zips right through Kolarov's legs!"