Chapter 280: Young Benzema

Words : 1456 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Leading by two goals in the first half, Milan held a huge advantage in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals. Though there was still half the match to play, Milan, playing at home and firmly in control, would surely not allow Lyon to make a comeback. "Defend cleanly! No risky moves, and try not to commit fouls!"Gattuso kept shouting loudly. Juninho's two free-kick goals in the first leg had left Milan uneasy—they were determined not to give the Brazilian another scoring chance. "Wow~ Tusso is so manly~"Pirlo sidled over sarcastically. Suker chimed in from the side, "I'm almost falling for him." "You two bastards!"Gattuso gave them each a playful punch. The team burst out laughing. Maldini clapped his hands to refocus everyone:"We played great in the first half. Now we just need to stay steady. We know what it takes to win this game—stay focused, keep moving, and stay active!" Clap clap clap!!Maldini continued, "The Champions League semi-finals are waiting for us, boys! Let's go!" Everyone shouted loudly in unison:"Let's go!!——" The roar of the San Siro echoed with the fans' passionate cheers for their warriors on the pitch. The second half was noticeably more subdued. With the advantage in hand, Milan started focusing on ball control and time management. They wanted to secure the win and ensure qualification. So, after taking the lead, they deliberately slowed down the tempo to minimize the risk of anything unexpected. Naturally, the Lyon players weren't having it. They kept charging at AC Milan's defense with high intensity. They wanted possession, they wanted to attack, they wanted to turn things around. But that was easier said than done. Juninho ran tirelessly, pressing constantly. Although he wasn't known for his physicality or defensive prowess, even he joined the press in this desperate moment. "Close in! Close in!" "I got this!!" "They're switching sides!!" Juninho was dripping with sweat. He had to press while also keeping an eye on both the opposition and his own teammates' positioning, making sure they could launch a counter as soon as they won the ball. But soon, he gave up on that idea. Watching the ball being calmly passed around under Milan's control... Lyon players were stuck chasing shadows, constantly running and pressing. Their stamina and momentum were quickly depleting. "Just get the ball first!" "Let's just win the ball!" Juninho and Vukojević closed in on Suk on the flank. Vukojević even stepped sideways, preparing to shut Suker down if he tried to drive forward. But Suker didn't attempt to dribble or advance. He simply nudged the ball lightly to the side and passed it back with ease. "Damn it!"Juninho cursed under his breath and turned to chase the ball again. Suker had already moved into the next open space, and Pirlo passed to him again. "Vukojević!" Juninho shouted. As Vukojević approached Suker, Suker gently tapped the ball forward, threading it through a gap straight to the wide-open Kaká. Watching Lyon's players exhausted and chasing shadows, Italian commentator Aldo Serena shook his head in awe:"That's Milan's control game. When they decide to slow things down, it's extremely difficult to press them effectively!" Lyon's press wasn't a coordinated high press—it lacked that collective pressure. Plus, Milan had four players with No. 10 quality: they could hold the ball, break lines, and control the rhythm. Even if you shut down one or two, there were still others. As a result, Lyon was completely passive. The ball came to Suker again. He looked up toward the front line. Shevchenko was preparing to make a run, and Lyon's defenders were bracing themselves. Just when they thought Suker was about to cross, he spun around and passed the ball back again. "Motherf—!!!——" Lyon players were cursing inside. Suker moved back to the wing. Lyon players were glaring at him like they wanted to eat him alive—especially Vukojević, who looked ready to kill him. Suker pretended not to see any of it. In this moment, "stability" was the most important thing. Only a fool would attack now. Staying calm, controlling possession, and wasting time—those were the keys. As long as Milan held the ball, they could ensure everything went according to plan. "You're ahead—why the hell don't you attack or dribble?"Vukojević yelled at Suker. Suker snapped back:"Am I crazy?! We're ahead—you think I'd risk dribbling and lose the ball so you can counter us?" Vukojević's face turned dark. "Annoying, huh?"That's the goal!Suker grinned. Milan's tactic was simple: control the tempo and frustrate Lyon. Their midfield couldn't compete with Milan's control anyway, so what's the rush? Keep passing!Keep controlling!Let the clock run down. Around the 80th minute, Juninho finally stole the ball from Pirlo after a relentless effort. "Got it!"Juninho was fired up. This was a high press turnover. He immediately looked up for a passing lane—but saw a furious face charging at him. "Gattuso! Excellent counter-press!" Gattuso shouldered Juninho off the ball and immediately regained possession. Suk shook his head at the sight. Juninho must've forgotten: Ancelotti had placed a bodyguard named Gattuso next to Pirlo! Whenever Pirlo lost the ball, Gattuso would instantly jump in for the counter-press. The ball returned to Pirlo's feet. Pirlo played it safe and passed forward to Kaká. Kaká drew the defense and switched the play to Suk again, who... passed it back. "That bastard!"Vukojević was fuming. At that moment, a Lyon player's aggressive challenge took down Seedorf, and Milan won a free kick in their own half. The ref also blew the whistle for substitutions. Both teams made changes. Milan subbed off Suk and Shevchenko. Serginho and Simic came on. Lyon also made two changes. They brought on Källström and a young Benzema. Suker and Shevchenko returned to the bench. They took towels from the assistant coach. "Well played!"The assistant coach smiled. Suker gave a thumbs up. Shevchenko was also smiling broadly. This game was far easier than they'd expected. That early goal made everything so much smoother. The overall tempo had been solid and under control. With the match in their hands, Milan calmly followed their game plan and gradually strengthened their grip on victory. Sitting on the bench, Suker's eyes turned to the field. He was watching the young Benzema. "So raw~~~"Suker couldn't help but sigh. Benzema had just debuted this year. At 18, he hadn't even celebrated his 19th birthday yet. He was full of energy on the pitch. After coming on, he constantly moved, received passes, and made forward runs—putting in a real shift. But his overall ability was still lacking, so he didn't pose much threat to Milan's defense. Suker relaxed, watching casually. Young Benzema wasn't a concern. Suddenly, Suker's eyes widened. A Lyon defender hoofed the ball forward, and Benzema made a sharp run, slipping past the backline. His movement was excellent—but what shocked Suker most was Dida's decision. Normally so reliable, Dida seemed to lose his mind—rushing out past the box to try and head the ball away. But the ball grazed off his shoulder and dropped behind him. "Are you kidding me..." Suker's jaw dropped. Was this the infamous "IQ-dropping aura" surrounding Benzema? Throughout Benzema's career, countless goalkeepers have made bizarre errors against him—just like Dida now. Benzema stumbled slightly but still managed to sweep the ball into the net. In the final minute of stoppage time, Lyon pulled one back. "Oh my god!! Dida makes an unbelievable error—he rushed out to clear but missed the ball, and Lyon's young forward Benzema scores!" "If Lyon scores again, this match will go into extra time." On Milan's bench, Ancelotti's heart skipped a beat. The assistant coach shouted, "Stay calm! Defend! Hold the line!" Lyon's morale soared after pulling a goal back. The tension on Milan's bench skyrocketed. Suk's heart was in his throat. He and Shevchenko had already been subbed off—if the match went to extra time, they couldn't come back on. Suker noticed Shevchenko nervously shaking his leg. But Milan managed to hold firm in the final moments. In the dying seconds, Lyon resorted to long-range attempts from distance. Milan made sure none of them got a clean shot, disrupting them at every chance. Finally, the match ended. Champions League quarter-finals, over two legs:AC Milan 4:3 Lyon. AC Milan advanced to the Champions League semi-finals for the second year in a row!

Chapter 280: Young Benzema

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