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Chapter 88: Arsenal vs Bayern Munich 2
🕑 Added 2025-07-09 15:22:52 +0000 UTC“Trés bien!”
On the touchline, Arsène Wenger clenched his fist in satisfaction after watching Kai’s well-timed challenge send the ball out of play.
That’s it!
His decision had paid off. Kai was doing exactly what was asked of him—neutralising Robben.
That defensive moment was a statement.
It told Robben and Bayern Munich that they wouldn’t be allowed to dominate Arsenal’s left flank so easily.
“It’s a stop!” exclaimed Martin Taylor.
“It might’ve just been the first real one-on-one,” added Alan Smith, “but moments like that matter. You can’t let Robben get confident early on.”
The message was clear—Kai had the tools to keep Robben in check. It wouldn’t be a free ride tonight. And now, with Robben under pressure, Bayern might start looking for support or shifting their attacks.
Which was exactly what Arsenal wanted.
Because if Kai had been beaten early, Robben could’ve started wreaking havoc. That didn’t happen.
Yes, it was only the first skirmish—but it planted a seed of doubt.
Bayern prepared for a throw-in deep in Arsenal’s half.
Kai stuck close to Robben—his assignment for the night was clear: man-mark the Dutchman and make his life as difficult as possible.
The two tussled off the ball, Robben trying to wriggle free. But despite Kai’s solid frame, he was anything but sluggish.
After a few frustrated shoves, Robben backed off.
Bayern recycled the ball, opting to reset through the back.
Robben cast a glance at Kai before retreating.
But it wasn’t long before he was back in possession.
Snap!
Robben surged forward with the ball, only to be brought down by a perfectly timed sliding tackle from Kai.
Robben threw up a hand, appealing for a foul, but the referee waved play on.
Clean challenge.
Kai had gotten there first.
Robben picked himself up, scowling. That was two consecutive battles lost. And it was starting to sting.
For the first time, he realised he’d need to re-evaluate this No. 4.
“This guy’s got serious defensive awareness,” Robben muttered, more to himself than anyone else.
Then he turned to Kroos. “Hey—swing it left. See if we can draw this lad out of position.”
Kroos blinked. “Wait—you can’t beat him?”
“Don't want to force it,” Robben admitted without hesitation. “I’ll need support. He’s too sharp.”
Five minutes later, Robben charged again—this time with Kroos and Mandžukić drifting over to offer options.
Now it was more complicated for Kai. More bodies. More angles. More space to cover.
Still, he stuck to Robben like glue.
I’ve got teammates too, Kai thought under his breath, staying tight.
Robben hesitated as he looked for the sideways pass, only to spot Ramsey stepping up to intercept. That pause was all Kai needed.
With a quick flick of his toe, he stabbed the ball away and shoved Robben back off balance.
“Interception!” shouted Martin Taylor.
“Brilliant read—Arsenal can counter!” Alan Smith added, excitement rising.
Back in the Sina Sports broadcast room, Zhan Jun was practically shouting, “Kai! He’s done it again! Robben’s been denied for a third straight time!”
Kai immediately played it short to Rosický and sprinted into space.
Rosický quickly found Walcott on the wing.
Walcott took off like a rocket, but was tracked closely by Javi Martínez. Before Martínez could lunge in, Walcott offloaded the ball back inside to Rosický.
Rosický kept the move alive, switching the play across the pitch—
—and there was Kai again, picking it up in stride, surging forward.
Near the box, he squared it to Podolski—
Thud!
The shot clattered off the post!
Agonisingly close.
Groans echoed from the East stand.
“The bloody post!!”
Alan Smith was brimming with energy.
“Superb turnover and counter! That’s vintage Arsenal in the second half of the season—and Rosický, back in the team, slots in like he never left. Kai’s role in this move was excellent—drew two defenders and opened space for that final ball. Podolski was just unlucky with the finish.”
Martin Taylor nodded. “And let’s not forget—this all started with Kai winning the ball off Robben. Three duels, two stops, one clean steal... He’s put in a textbook first ten minutes.”
Alan added. “He’s teaching a masterclass on how to contain Robben tonight! Brilliant stuff from the lad!”
But Arsenal’s success came with a cost.
Bayern’s next wave of pressure was mounting—and now, it wasn’t just Robben.
Thomas Müller, lurking on the opposite flank, was ready to cause problems of his own.
The guy wasn't easy to handle—he’s brilliant at exploiting even the smallest opening.
But Kai couldn’t worry about that now. The pressure from Robben was relentless.
From the start, Kai had done well to contain him. But bit by bit, Robben was turning the screw. His efficiency in beating Kai was climbing with every passing minute.
By the 30th minute, Robben’s footwork and changes of direction were putting real stress on Kai’s defense.
And this wasn’t just some casual dribbling—Robben’s foot speed was insane. Every shift in direction looked like it could be the one to break through. Every juke felt like a real threat.
It was turning into a test of pure physical endurance for Kai.
By the 32nd minute, he was soaked in sweat. Robben was dragging him to the edge.
And then, Robben went again.
Kai lowered his stance, ready to cut him off.
But Robben kept feinting, kept shifting his body down low, and Kai had to mirror every twitch. His calves were on fire, muscles trembling under the strain.
Then, with a snap, Robben threw the ball to his right, trying to slip past.
Kai saw the ball's path.
He lunged in with a sliding tackle.
Robben hit the ground hard, ball and all.
BEEP!!
The whistle rang out. The referee came sprinting over and held up a yellow card.
Kai didn’t argue.
He knew it was a foul. But it was the only way he could stop him.
“That’s 32 minutes, and Kai has hit the wall,” Martin Taylor said with a sigh on Sky Sports.
“To be fair,” Alan Smith chimed in, “he’s been brilliant so far. Arsenal’s defense has held up largely because of him. But now... things might get tricky.”
Robben, still breathing hard on the pitch, stared at Kai.
How the hell does this kid keep reading my moves?
This was one of the most frustrating first halves Robben had ever played. If he hadn’t turned to his high-frequency footwork, he might’ve never broken free.
But Robben was feeling it too.
He might’ve had the advantage as an attacker, but the energy drain was real.
“Hey, you alright?” Bayern’s captain, Lahm, jogged over.
Robben gave a small shake of the head.
Lahm glanced toward Kai and muttered, “If you’re tired, we’ll push from the right.”
Robben looked down at his legs, exhaled, and nodded. “Let me catch my breath. I’ll finish him off in the second half.”
The battle on the left wing quieted down after that.
Robben drifted wide, and Kai followed. The two of them walked side by side, hands on hips.
Robben turned with his mouth covered with his hand and asked, “How the hell do you always know where I’m going?”
Kai gave him a look. “Why would I tell you?”
Robben chuckled. “Let’s take a breather. We go again second half.”
Kai nodded. “Fine by me.”
Suddenly, Robben sprinted forward.
Kai stuck to him like glue.
Then Robben pulled up, grinning. “Relax. Just messing with you.”
Kai deadpanned, “You were going to cut left into the channel.”
Robben blinked. “…”
Peace resumed on the left. But the right side was starting to buckle.
Tactically, Arsenal were in a mid-block 4-2-3-1, compact and narrow to crowd Bayern’s central passing lanes. Kai, operating as a defensive midfielder, was instructed to tilt left in support of the full-back when Robben had possession.
However, Bayern had begun to shift their attacking emphasis. Lahm, nominally the right-back, was frequently inverting into central midfield, creating overloads alongside Kroos and Schweinsteiger. This movement allowed Müller to drift wide and Kroos to advance unmarked, pulling Arsenal’s shape apart.
Müller and Kroos combined again and again, sending Bayern crashing forward.
Ramsey looked like he was barely holding it together.
Kai was worried, but he had to stay put, eyes locked on Robben.
Then, at 41 minutes, Müller made a dummy run down the wing. Kai started to drift back toward the box.
But Müller suddenly squared the ball diagonally, perfectly timed.
Lahm surged forward from deep.
Kai’s eyes went wide.
“Watch out!” he shouted.
Boom!
The ball was like a missile—straight into the top corner.
Szczesny didn’t even move.
Lahm’s thunderbolt had broken the deadlock.
“Philipp Lahm! That’s outrageous!” Martin Taylor exploded. “An absolute rocket! Arsenal trail!”
Alan in co-commentary sighed. “Arsenal held the line for 40 solid minutes… only to get undone by a full-back’s wonder strike.”
It was too quick, too unexpected. No one had a chance to react.
The Germans erupted in celebration.
Arsenal’s players stood frozen, devastated.
They’d kept Robben, Mandzukic, and Müller quiet all game.
But in the end, it was Lahm who found the gap—and drove it straight through Arsenal’s heart.
