After AC Milan scored, both sides made substitutions.
Milan took off Seedorf, bringing on Ambrosini.
Barcelona made two changes as well.
Edmilson and Van Bommel were subbed off.
Iniesta and Larsson came on.
Messi, didn't win the coach's favor and stayed on the bench, as did Xavi.
With the substitutions completed, the atmosphere of the match suddenly grew intense.
"Switching into battle mode!"
In a villa in Zagreb, Croatia.
Mandžukić shifted his sitting posture, his whole body tense.
Dujmović was rubbing his arms nervously.
"Wow!! This match is insanely exciting. Is Suker really that good?"
Šrna and others looked grave.
Their teammate was just one step away from the Champions League crown.
Modrić stared intensely at the pitch, his eyes shining. Clearly, he was captivated by the thrilling game.
He dreamed of someday stepping onto this stage,
battling fiercely against those powerful teams in a Champions League final.
Both teams made substitutions, but Milan was unfazed.
"If they want a war of attrition, we have the advantage!"
Milan's bench was full of talent.
Even Barcelona couldn't withstand that depth.
Though Shevchenko and Seedorf had been taken off, Milan still had Gilardino up front, Rui Costa in midfield, and a defensive line led by veteran Costa, all ready to come on.
On the sidelines, the coaches.
Rijkaard and Ancelotti stood watching.
Milan fans recognized the "Black Swan" — one of the famous Dutch trio and a Milan legend.
But at this moment, they didn't cheer him,
because he was the opposing coach.
Beep!
The match resumed, and Suker immediately rushed up to press.
His stamina was still relatively full, trying to disrupt Barcelona's passing rhythm.
Kaká and Inzaghi ran hard.
Especially Inzaghi, perhaps pumped by the Champions League final atmosphere, running with great effort.
Despite poor defensive positioning, he was still able to exert pressure.
Under Suker's repeated attacks, Barcelona's defenders grew a bit dazed and their formation wavered.
Iniesta and Larsson immediately fell back to control midfield.
But Gattuso and Ambrosini tightly followed them.
At this stage of the game, they wouldn't allow the opponents to have free possession.
Press!
Relentless press!
Iniesta was driven back by Gattuso, who gave him no space to turn.
Iniesta shielded the ball, constantly turning his head, his hair flicking.
At this time, Iniesta still had hair.
"Larsson!"
Iniesta shouted, passing the ball wide.
But in midair, a foot suddenly slid in and kicked the ball to Pirlo.
"Great interception by Kaká!"
Pirlo received the ball, with no one pressing, and directly kicked toward the left-back space.
"Pirlo passes, looking for Suker again! Suker is sprinting!"
Van der Bronkhorst desperately tried to hold Suker, but he couldn't stop him.
Suker was about to catch up with the ball.
Van der Bronkhorst gritted his teeth and violently turned.
Swish!
Suker accelerated again, past him.
Van der Bronkhorst fell out of bounds.
"Suker is past him!"
Crudeli cheered loudly.
At the same time, he pitied Van der Bronkhorst.
This Dutch defender would be haunted by this nightmare for a long time.
Even as a commentator, Crudeli felt sorry for Van der Bronkhorst being torn apart like that.
Pity but no sympathy!
Now Milan attacked the penalty area again.
Suker dribbled sideways, Inzaghi and Kaká were settled on the defense line.
Ambrosini moved to support in the center.
Puyol cautiously watched Suker.
He lowered his center of gravity, fixed his eyes on the ball.
Suddenly, Suker pushed forward, Puyol followed instinctively.
Suker flicked the ball, forcing his way past the side.
Puyol quickly shifted his balance to prevent Suk from cutting inside, but Suk still ran into the small box's sharp angle.
The Barcelona goalkeeper was right in front, Suker could see his panicked face.
Then Suker's left foot suddenly flicked sideways.
It was a subtle move; the ball slipped through Puyol's legs, then through Inzaghi and Marcos's legs, rolling to the far post.
Kaká looked towards the left side, and the ball suddenly appeared in front of him.
Almost instinctively, he poked the ball with his toe.
The ball rolled along the right post into the net.
At the 80th minute, AC Milan scored again.
"Goal?!"
In the Italian commentary booth, Aldo Serella was stunned.
Crudeli slammed the table.
"Goal!!! Goal!!! Milan!!!"
Crudeli clenched his fists, couldn't sit still, running around the commentary box wildly in celebration.
Sometimes raising his arms, yelling ecstatically.
A complete turnaround!
Damn it! They flipped the game!!
From behind to ahead!
From passive to dominant!
Milan fans' emotions were like a roller coaster.
They had been anxious in the first half.
Now the cheers thundered in the second half.
Everything changed with the shifts on the field.
Milan was playing smoothly, happy.
Milan scored, ecstatic.
The Champions League title was just one step away!
"Ahhh~~~ Goal! Goal! You bastard! Haha!! Amazing!!"
Suker tackled Kaká, who was celebrating.
Inzaghi leapt on top.
Pirlo, Gattuso, and others began doing somersaults in the corner.
In the stands, Milan fans exploded with cheers.
They were welcoming their seventh Champions League trophy.
Of course, the game wasn't over yet.
But with the lead, they were already thrilled.
From conceding two goals to scoring three to win!
Milan's performance in this Champions League final was astonishing.
Last season,
Milan had been the team reversed against.
This season,
they would hand that painful fate to Barcelona!
On the coaching bench, Ancelotti clenched his fists, shouting excitedly.
He rarely celebrated so enthusiastically.
But this game was too intense; the emotions swung wildly from behind to leading.
How could he not be excited?
Shevchenko covered his mouth with his jersey, eyes wide open.
As Milan's star striker, he should have performed better.
But maybe this time, he would just watch the team lift the trophy.
Suker and others retreated to midfield, Maldini approached Suker.
"Well done! Well done! Very good!"
Maldini's voice was trembling.
In his career, he had won four Champions League trophies,
but none had made him as emotional as now.
Previously, he was at his peak or the game went smoothly.
He could contribute on the pitch.
Now he was old.
Besides defending, he could hardly help offensively.
He had to trust his teammates.
And Suker's performance hadn't disappointed him,
in fact, it was insanely good!
Against a so-called "Dream" Barcelona team with peak Ronaldinho,
Suker exploded down the wing, breaking their defense apart.
That Dutch fullback was completely stunned.
Van der Bronkhorst was truly overwhelmed.
Facing Suker, he had no effective solution.
His confidence was shattered.
Milan took that flank as their breakthrough and scored twice, turning the game around.
Under this scoreline, Van der Bronkhorst's poor performance would be engraved in the shame column.
Even his fellow countryman coach Rijkaard couldn't tolerate his poor showing.
At the 84th minute, Van der Bronkhorst was substituted.
Beledi came on to defend Suker.
The camera shifted to Barcelona's bench.
Van der Bronkhorst covered his face with a towel, head down, looking utterly dejected.
This Dutch defender had suffered a devastating confidence blow this match.
Every rising genius has a scapegoat.
If Suker led Milan to the championship,
this match and this history, including Suker's rise,
would be repeatedly brought up to criticize Van der Bronkhorst.
A genius's stepping stone is always painful!
"Van der Bronkhorst is a fine fullback, but in this match, he was blown apart by Suker's explosion!"
Aldo Serella shook his head lightly and said.
"Hope he can get over this nightmare."
Yes! Nightmare!
No,
more accurately, a horror!
Van der Bronkhorst now didn't even dare to look at Suker.
Every time Suker started,
his body stiffened, a fear response from deep inside!