"Apply more physical pressure!"
Campbell shouted towards Touré.
Touré nodded heavily.
At this point, their only advantage was physicality.
Just as Touré was about to close in on Suker, he saw Suker casually retreating.
Should I follow?The question popped into Touré's head.
He glanced back at the large open space behind him.
He chose not to follow.
If he followed and Suker suddenly turned to sprint forward, he wouldn't be able to keep up.
Better to hold his position.
"Not following?"
Suker glanced back in surprise.
He thought Touré would come up to limit him, but apparently, the guy was afraid of his acceleration and decided to stay back.
But there's a way to play when you're not followed.
"Kaká!"
Kaká looked up and saw Suker had positioned himself between Arsenal's midfield and defense, calling for the ball.
Kaká immediately passed it.
Suker received the ball with his back and redirected it.
Arsenal's defense shifted to the left.
Seedorf was blocked near the sideline, and had no choice but to pass it back.
The ball returned to Pirlo.
Pirlo instinctively looked left and right.
Then suddenly, he saw Suker wedged between Fàbregas and Gilberto Silva.
Pirlo decisively threaded a pass.
Suker spun and flicked it on directly to Seedorf, while continuing his forward run.
Arsenal's midfield line was broken through.
Watching from the sidelines, Ancelotti murmured to himself:
"In different periods of a match, a player's—such as a center forward's—tactical behavior constantly shifts across the spectrum of attacking and defensive actions as time progresses."
"The evolution of football tactics is the process of transitioning from the relatively static, 'spatialized' football to a modern style that blends time and space."
"Football has evolved from an era where defenders defended, midfielders advanced and passed, and forwards scored, into an integrated style where everyone participates in both attack and defense."
"When Suker plays center forward, Milan's structure transforms in a revolutionary way."
"Defenders participate in the attack."
"Midfielders engage in pressing."
"Even the striker and attacking midfielders fall back to defend."
"All 11 players on the pitch follow the team's tactical principles, using their technical actions to execute the strategy, gaining spatial and temporal advantages, and accumulating enough advantage to turn it into dominance."
The assistant coach turned to Ancelotti.
Ancelotti continued softly:
"Suker always wanted to play center forward, and I've been guiding him toward that path. This whole season, we've been figuring it out together."
"He's searching for possibilities. I have to make them a reality."
He paused, exhaled, and said:
"But unexpectedly, we've created something new. This system was born from Suker. It's not yet fully refined, but once it is… I can't imagine how disruptive it could be to current tactical structures!"
"Just look at how rattled Arsenal is!"
He added:
"And this is Arsenal, for God's sake!"
Touré, now panicked, closed in on Suker—he couldn't allow Suker to continue running wild.
If this continued, their midfield would collapse.
But as he closed in, the space behind him was immediately exploited by Seedorf.
Seedorf made a diagonal run, and Kaká slotted the pass.
"Damn it!"
Touré turned awkwardly to chase the ball.
Just as he reached Seedorf, the latter executed a drag-and-roll, flicking the ball back.
And Suker appeared right there.
"Damn it!" Touré swerved toward Suker. "Will you ever stop?!"
Seeing Touré approach, Suker shifted the ball laterally and redirected again.
Arsenal's defensive line had to scramble and shift right.
They were desperately chasing Milan's fluid passing.
The back line was overwhelmed.
Kaká laid it back to Suker.
Suker surged forward to meet the ball, winding up for a shot.
"Block him!"
"Don't let him shoot!"
Campbell and Touré, panicking, both charged Suker.
Unable to judge properly, they both went at him.
But Suker gently dropped his leg and chipped the ball.
The ball floated over the two defenders' heads.
Whoosh!Kaká burst out from the side, controlled it with his chest while facing the goal.
One-on-one!
Arsenal keeper Lehmann rushed forward, but Kaká sidestepped with a simple drag and slotted it home.
BOOM!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
San Siro erupted in thunderous cheers.
"GOAL!!!!!! KAKÁ!!!!!!"
"Brilliant combination up front! AC Milan's relentless attack tore open Arsenal's defense!"
"Milan scores in the 71st minute!! They've equalized!!"
"This is Milan! This is the Rossoneri!"
"This goal puts Arsenal in a worse position!"
"There's not much time left!"
Milan players celebrated ecstatically.
The goal not only leveled the score for the match…
It dealt a massive blow to Arsenal.
Their attacking momentum was chopped off completely.
"Great job!"
"Suker! How are you this good?!"
"That chip was perfect!"
"You made Arsenal's defense look like fools!"
Pirlo and the others surrounded Suker in celebration.
Though Kaká scored the goal…
Suker's contribution was the most critical.
From the build-up, Suker had orchestrated the attack from midfield.
Milan's offense flowed from center to left, then from left to right.
Finally, the exquisite one-two between Suker and Kaká sealed the goal.
It secured Milan's place in the Champions League final.
Yes—
There was no more hope.
Milan's players didn't believe Arsenal could come back.
This was San Siro. Their fortress.
"MILAN!! DEFENSE!!"
"MILAN!! DEFENSE!!"
"MILAN!! DEFENSE!!"
As the match resumed, the stadium echoed with fans chanting "defense."
They just had to hold off Arsenal. With a three-goal lead overall…
Victory belonged to Milan.
Glory would belong to Milan.
The stadium roared in celebration.
The city of Milan was already heating up with excitement.
Tonight, at this stadium, Milan's Champions League journey continues.
Yes—
They were headed to the Stade de France!
Boom!!
Pirlo sent a long ball forward.
Suker took off, chased it down, and calmly controlled it.
Suker didn't rush the attack. He waited for support.
For Milan, maintaining possession and controlling the tempo mattered more than scoring.
Fàbregas rushed Suker.
But Suker had already passed the ball.
Fàbregas sprinted back again…
But Milan had recycled the ball all the way to midfield.
Arsenal pressed in vain. More time wasted.
If he could, Suker would've repeated his corner-flag time-wasting antics with Mandžukić.
But his body couldn't go head-to-head with Touré and Campbell.
He couldn't hold up the ball like Mandžukić to win repeated corners.
So possession was key.
Time ticked away.
Milan fans grew more ecstatic.
Arsenal fans closed their eyes in pain.
By the 80th minute, Arsenal subbed on attackers—even Bergkamp returned.
But still, they created few chances.
Henry kept trying to break through.
This was the closest Arsenal had ever been to a Champions League title.
He didn't want to let it slip.
But doubt crept in.
Was it even worth pushing on anymore?
By the 90th minute, Arsenal players had lost heart.
Four minutes of stoppage time.
There was no way to score three goals in that time.
Especially not against AC Milan.
It was impossible.
There was no miracle for Arsenal.
When the final whistle blew, San Siro exploded in celebration.
"Full-time! It's over!! AC Milan wins 4-2 on aggregate over Arsenal!"
"Milan advances to the Champions League final for the second straight season!"
"Arsenal is not Liverpool. They didn't get the Istanbul script. Milan drew at home but still eliminated the Gunners 4-2 on aggregate, becoming the first team to reach the final!"
"In 21 days, on May 18, AC Milan will face the winner of the other semi in the Champions League final at the Stade de France!"
"Despite painful memories, Milan continues marching toward the title!"
"They're one step away from European glory!"
"Two consecutive finals—this is AC Milan! This is the Rossoneri! In the twilight of Maldini's career, these young men will carry the banner and storm Europe's throne!"
Aldo Serena roared with excitement:
"Suker! He's definitely Milan's biggest revelation this season. His performances have been phenomenal, especially in the latter stages of the Champions League!"
"He's become irreplaceable—even a key player!"
The camera cut to Suker already climbing into the stands.
He was shirtless, shoulder-to-shoulder with fans, jumping and celebrating wildly.
"This is Croatia's superstar talent! It's only his first season in Serie A, and I can't wait to see what kind of player he becomes!"
BOOM BOOM BOOM!!!
Fireworks lit up the sky.
Brilliant colors illuminated the night.
The sounds of fireworks, cheers, applause, and chants all blended together.
In that moment, San Siro was ablaze with passion.
"Finally,Congratulation AC Milan once more!"
"May 18—we'll see you at the Stade de France, for the Champions League final!"
"Can Milan exorcise the ghost of Istanbul? Can they reclaim their honor?"
"We'll have all the answers on that day. Don't miss it!"