Chapter 288: Suker Greater Than Cesc

Words : 1583 Updated : Oct 11th, 2025

Not only were the stands in an uproar, but the media section was also in chaos. "How is this possible?" "Two goals down? Oh my God!" "How are they supposed to come back from this?!" The English reporters clutched their heads, eyes wide with disbelief at what they were witnessing. Arsenal, the Premier League's lone representative in the Champions League, had been expected to boost the league's reputation in European competition with a strong performance. Currently, Serie A was indisputably the top league among the European Big Five, and many in England were eager to see Arsenal defeat Serie A's flagship, AC Milan, to prove the Premier League's strength. But this match made people question whether this was the same familiar Gunners team. Even when facing Mourinho's Chelsea, Arsenal had never looked this hopless. AC Milan, on the other hand, seemed to have found Arsenal's Achilles' heel. Every play frustrated Arsenal. While the English reporters groaned, the Italian journalists were clapping and cheering with joy. AC Milan's Champions League performance was seen as proof of Serie A's dominance, making the Italian press feel elated. "Hey! Suker is greater than Cesc!"An Italian reporter suddenly shouted at the English journalists. That pushed the English journalists over the edge. They turned and began shouting back in fury. Even before the fans could start fighting, the media were already at it. On the field, with AC Milan's goals, the scales of victory were clearly tilting in their favor. With the lead secured, Milan's players were well-versed in how to close out a match. "Stay calm! Hold your shape!" "Drop back and defend!" Maldini was visibly energized. In the twilight of his career, he still dreamed of lifting the Champions League trophy once more, ending his playing days on the highest note. These young men were doing a phenomenal job. Maldini knew his best days were behind him, no longer able to lead from the front. Now it was up to the younger generation to charge toward the title—with him at their side. Conceding two goals was a huge psychological blow to Arsenal. Thierry Henry, in particular, was beginning to grow impatient. "Pass it to me! Give me the ball!" Henry kept shouting, demanding service. But Milan were defending him tightly, and Arsenal's midfield couldn't find a way to get the ball through to him. Even when Henry dropped deeper, a Milan player immediately marked him. Suker and Kaka had stopped attacking altogether and were now focused solely on defending. Only Shevchenko remained up front, maintaining pressure. With a two-goal lead, their mission now was clear: defend. In the 43rd minute, Ljungberg used individual skill to create a crossing opportunity on the wing. Henry made a desperate lunge at the ball, trying to slide it home. But the shot deflected off Nesta's leg and out for a corner. Henry got up from the turf, his face filled with anxiety. Conceding one goal was manageable. But being two goals behind—especially at home—was a heavy burden. "Press up! Press them!" Gattuso roared as he charged Hleb, blocking off his inward cut. When Hleb tried to break toward the flank, Suker suddenly accelerated. His explosiveness left Hleb in the dust. Suker used his body to shield the ball while simultaneously taking control of it. "Captain!" Maldini received the ball. Just as Suker turned to make his next move, the halftime whistle blew. First half over. Suker panted heavily and glanced at the scoreboard. That half had flown by. But the result was great—AC Milan led Arsenal 2-0. Inside the Arsenal dressing room: "Move the ball! Look up right away and find me! Stop holding onto it!" Fabregas shouted passionately. The first half had been extremely frustrating. Milan had pressed him relentlessly, never giving him a moment of peace. He wanted his teammates to get the ball to him faster so he could orchestrate the attack. The key was quick ball movement. "I did look up! But I couldn't see you!" Ashley Cole shot back. "Can't you move into space instead of waiting for me to beat my man and then pass to you?" "I was moving!" Fabregas snapped. "Milan's pressing is brutal—we have to release the ball early, do you understand?! Early release!" As tensions escalated between the two, a full-blown argument seemed imminent. Wenger's voice cut through the chaos: "Enough! Quiet!" The room fell silent immediately. Wenger still commanded immense respect. "Cesc," Wenger said, turning to Fabregas. "Calm down. They're provoking you. A top midfielder doesn't let things like this affect him. You need to adjust your mentality. That yellow card in the first half was completely unnecessary." Fabregas pursed his lips, still seething inside. "And when we pass," Wenger continued softly, "Ashley's not wrong. Our build-up is too slow. Stop trapping the ball every time. Look up before you receive it and move it quickly." Under Wenger's coaching, Arsenal's defenders all had decent ball-playing skills. But in the first half, their rhythm had been thrown off. The defenders had grown overly cautious, which disrupted their passing flow. "Defensively, focus on the left flank. Watch Suker closely!" Wenger said seriously. "He's their key counterattack outlet!" In the AC Milan dressing room: Ancelotti outlined the second-half tactics. Suker munched on a banana to stave off hunger. A few bites and some water later, he looked over at Kaka and said, "When we counter, you can pass to the space on the left. Don't always look for Andriy." "You think you'll get there in time?" Kaka asked. "Don't look down on me!" Suker pointed to himself with swagger. "I'm Milan's No.1 supercar!" Kaka rolled his eyes. While he admitted Suker might be faster, he wasn't ready to give up the title of Milan's best dribbler just yet. Dribbling was about rhythm, after all. In Kaka's mind, his dribbling tempo was superior to Suker's. Still, Suker's performance had been impeccable in the first half. One goal and one assist! He remained Milan's most powerful driving force on offense. And with Maldini's aging legs limiting his range, Suker had also voluntarily dropped back to help defend. His contributions went well beyond his usual responsibilities—and he did it all flawlessly. Ancelotti was very pleased. "In the second half, be especially careful in the first ten minutes!" He expected Arsenal to come out swinging after the break. Suker raised his hand. "Do we press high?" Silence fell over the room. No one replied. It wasn't that they didn't want to—it was just that their legs couldn't take it anymore. Suker sighed inwardly. Asking these old guys to press high and sprint across the pitch was a big ask. "When we counter, get the ball to Suker right away," Ancelotti said. "Be decisive." Just then, a staff member indicated that the second half was about to begin. The players filed out of the dressing room. "After 45 minutes of play, AC Milan leads Arsenal 2–0." "Arsenal has made some changes during halftime." "Veteran Bergkamp is coming on—only his second Champions League match this season. With the team trailing, Wenger has put his faith in the 'Iceman' once again!" Suker kept his eyes on Bergkamp. It reminded him of that match back in Mostar: Arsenal vs. Liverpool, Owen vs. Bergkamp. Last season, he'd already bested Owen when he played for Real Madrid. Now it was Bergkamp's turn. Even if the Dutch legend was nearing retirement—this season would be his last—Suker wouldn't show any mercy. Bergkamp's entrance brought a thunderous cheer from the Arsenal fans. Clearly, Wenger hoped Bergkamp's experience could help stabilize Fabregas and the team's passing rhythm. That was Arsenal's core issue. Second Half Begins AC Milan kicked off. The stadium atmosphere grew even more tense. With 45 minutes to go, the match would soon be decided. Especially for the Arsenal fans—time was running out, and they were still behind. WHISTLE! The second half kicked off. Right away, Suker sprinted to the flank. He positioned himself near the sideline to create a passing lane for Seedorf. When the ball reached Suker, Arsenal players immediately closed in. Suker flicked the ball and launched a long cross-field pass. The ball flew across half the pitch and landed perfectly at Kaka's feet. Seeing the inch-perfect switch, Wenger on the sidelines couldn't help but sigh. Before Arsenal's press could fully converge, Suker had already sensed the danger and made his decision. That kind of sharp, instinctive awareness allowed Milan to retain control. After the pass, Suker cut toward the middle. Seedorf pushed forward in response. Suker moved laterally, constantly scanning the field—even before receiving the ball, he looked around once or twice, and even while dribbling, he kept observing. These were habits passed down by Davor Suker. Once ingrained, they helped him gather more information in real-time. Bang! Suker suddenly cut the ball back and turned upfield. Two Arsenal defensive midfielders quickly surrounded him. But Suker pushed the ball sharply forward. It slipped through the crowd and rolled into space behind the defense. Unfortunately, Shevchenko didn't react quickly enough, and the Arsenal keeper Lehmann scooped it up. Shevchenko raised his hand to acknowledge the mistake and gave Suker a thumbs-up. Suker nodded slightly and jogged back to defend.

Chapter 288: Suker Greater Than Cesc

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