"Hold the midfield! If the midfield collapses, we're done!"
"Pass me the ball more in the second half, I'll break through their defense!"
"We lack impact up front!"
In the locker room, it was mainly Suker and Kaka talking.The others remained relatively silent.
By halftime, Barcelona led AC Milan 2–1.Suker and Kaka had withstood the pressure and pulled one back, which gave them the right to speak up in the locker room.
Shevchenko remained silent.He even had the feeling he was going to be subbed off.
Because Inzaghi and Gilardino had already gone out to warm up.Clearly, one of the two would be playing in the second half.
"Suker, can you keep pushing Barcelona's defense in the second half?" Ancelotti asked directly.
"Yes!" Suker replied without hesitation.
"Good!" Ancelotti nodded and began laying out the tactics for the second half.
While he had the chance, Suker used a Status Recovery Card to fully restore himself and opened his attributes panel:
[Name: Suke][Height: 180cm][Weight: 71kg][Speed: 89 + 6][Agility: 90][Strength: 83][Explosiveness: 95]
Looking at his system panel, Suke also pulled out all the attribute cards he had accumulated recently — three in total.
These were his last reserves from the Champions League campaign.
He had to use them wisely.
Speed? Not necessary.
Agility? Not very useful at this point — it wouldn't make a decisive difference.
Strength? Even if increased, it might not be that effective, and it could reduce agility.
That left one clear choice:
Explosiveness!Without hesitation, Suke used all three attribute cards to boost his explosiveness.
In an instant, his explosiveness jumped to 98!This was nearly the human limit — his highest attribute to date.
This was a do-or-die match.
Suker was going to give it his all to win.
"Let's go!!!"
As he walked out of the locker room, Suker shouted loudly.
"Halftime is over! After the break, AC Milan has made some changes!"
"Inzaghi has come on to replace Shevchenko!"
"Shevchenko really struggled in the first half — he didn't provide the impact Milan needed in a final. If it weren't for Kaka and Suke, Milan would still be two goals behind!"
"Let's see what kind of impact Inzaghi can bring."
The Milan players stepped back onto the pitch.Suker's eyes were blazing with determination.
He was in peak form now.
His legs were bursting with power — as if they could spring forward at any moment.
The boost to his explosiveness had improved his agility and dribbling as well.
Before kickoff, Suker walked over to Cafu.
"Look for a chance — hit a long diagonal behind the full-back at a 45-degree angle."
Cafu was surprised: "Right away?"
"Right away. Don't hesitate — find the chance and hit it. I'll chase it down!"
Cafu nodded.
Suker was brimming with confidence.
Speed and explosiveness — both over 95.
He was ready to tear up the wing.
After a half of play, Barcelona's stamina had also dropped.
Now it was his turn to make an impact.
The second half began.
Barcelona led 2–1.
Right at the start, Suker dashed over to position himself on the outside flank near Barcelona's left-back, Giovanni van Bronckhorst.
Van Bronckhorst noticed that Suker's positioning was different from the first half.Was he not joining the midfield to organize attacks?
Then, Suker began to drop back.
Van Bronckhorst smirked. As expected, Suker was retreating to playmaker again.
He quickly followed suit.
But the next moment — Milan's right-back Cafu received a pass and looked up toward Suker's position.
Suke'rs retreat had drawn Van Bronckhorst upfield, exposing space behind him.
Cafu didn't hesitate — he fired a long diagonal ball over the top.
Just then, Suker planted his foot firmly, twisted his waist, and pushed off hard.
A surge of wind seemed to pass Van Bronckhorst's ear.
"Oh no!"
Van Bronckhorst turned to chase — but Suke's explosiveness and speed were fully unleashed.
He was flying down the flank like a bullet train.
Fans in the stands gasped in shock.
"What insane speed!""What terrifying explosiveness!"
From above, the contrast was stark.
Suker's motion made everyone else look like they were moving in slow motion.
"Suke!!! He's off! No one can catch him!!!"
Aldo Serena jumped up, eyes wide and fists clenched with excitement.
He was stunned by Suker's acceleration — utterly shocked.
What does it take to leave Van Bronckhorst in the dust?Suker showed everyone:
Just a split-second burst!
The Milan fans roared in support.
They had almost forgotten:
Suker's speed and explosiveness down the wing!
Last season, he had shown speed rivaling Kaka — and now, he looked even faster.
Suker reached the ball, deftly controlled it with the tip of his boot, and surged into the penalty area from the side.
Barcelona's back line was panicking.
They scrambled to get back.
"Puyol, get him!"
Puyol charged at Suker.
Suker slowed momentarily with a lateral dribble — then exploded again just as Puyol closed in.
Puyol's heart trembled at the sudden acceleration. He twisted his body to react.
Suker stopped on a dime.
Puyol staggered, trying to halt — and the next moment, Suker burst past him again.
No fancy footwork.No tricks.Just raw physical dominance.
He created a shooting angle, twisted, and fired.
"Suker! Shoots!"
Bang!!
Barcelona keeper Valdés got a hand to it, parrying it into the box.Inzaghi rushed in, but Márquez booted the ball away.
The ball flew out for a throw-in — Milan didn't score, but it was a serious threat.
"Again! Keep it coming!"
Cafu ran up in excitement.
It was working!
Van Bronckhorst simply couldn't keep up.
"Don't follow him!"Puyol yelled.
Suker glanced at Van Bronckhorst — the defender kept a 4–5 meter distance now.
"Too late!"
With no pressure on him, Suker casually dropped back to receive the ball and turned to face forward.
Van Bronckhorst didn't dare come out — not without backup.
But Suker was already striding diagonally toward the half-space.
Three meters out, Suker suddenly slipped the ball between Van Bronckhorst and Puyol.
Then exploded forward again.
Seeing this, both defenders tried to close the gap — barely managing to bring Suker down.
He tumbled into the box.
Whistle!
The referee blew for a foul.
Luckily for Barcelona, it wasn't a penalty — but a free kick just outside the left corner of the box.
Pirlo ran over with a serious expression.
Suker: "No pressure. Even if you miss, I'll win us another one!"
Pirlo relaxed visibly at that.
He lined up at the edge of the box, looked up, then started his run-up and struck the ball.
The ball curled toward goal — just brushing the outside of the post and going out.
Suker grinned: "A little more curve, and it's in!"
He gave Pirlo a thumbs up.
"Next one's yours!"
Pirlo nodded quickly — he could feel his rhythm returning.
Meanwhile, in the Italian commentary booth, Crudeli exclaimed excitedly:
"Milan's attack is finally clicking. They're playing so much better than in the first half!"