THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-611

The final minutes of the UEFA Champions League final between Juventus and Barcelona had everyone on the edge of their seats. As the game resumed with a Barcelona kick-off, tensions skyrocketed, and the excitement was palpable.

But what happened next was beyond anyone's expectations. Both teams seemed to have reached a tacit understanding when Juventus finally scored the equalizing goal. It was as if fatigue had taken over, and they slowed down the game's tempo during the final four minutes before the 90-minute mark.

Despite the game's momentum being on team Juventus' side, they surprisingly played it safe, emphasizing long passes and through balls to break down the opponent while keeping their defense intact.

Their strategy paid off as they created one final chance during the 89th minute when Kingsley Coman connected with a long pass inside the box. However, luck was not on his side, and the Barcelona keeper managed to save his thunderbolt of an effort.

The 90th minute arrived soon enough, and Marc-André Ter Stegen, the Barcelona keeper, did something he hadn't done all game. Probably to play it safe, he tossed his team's standard modus operandi of playing short passes from behind out of the window and signaled for all the Barcelona players to push forward.

His teammates reacted in various ways, with most defenders, like Gerard Piqué and Jordi Alba, trying to discourage him from taking a long goal kick. But Marc-André Ter Stegen firmly shook his head and chased them away before smashing the ball from his box to send it towards the other side of the pitch.

As the ball soared through the air, the fourth official suddenly appeared on the touchline, displaying his glowing red board for all to see. The numbers on the board revealed an additional five minutes of playtime, sending shockwaves through the crowd and causing stress levels to skyrocket even further. It was a nail-biting moment that left everyone on the edge of their seats, wondering what would happen next.

"Listen up, folks! The match officials have just announced the added time," exclaimed Steve Bower, the commentator, as the football action continued with some intense aerial duels between Barcelona and Juventus players to receive the just-taken goal kick.

"We've got five minutes of added time left in this heart-pumping Champions League final," continued Steve, the excitement in his voice palpable over the thunderous cheers in the stadium. "That means if neither team can score a winning goal in the next five minutes, they'll have to battle it out in extra time. And if that still doesn't determine a victor, it's all down to the nail-biting penalties. This is it, folks – the moment we've all been waiting for!".

"I have a strong feeling that the two teams will reach a stalemate during the final thirty minutes of extra time," Conor McNamara, the other commentator, excitedly predicted. "After giving their all on the field for the past 90 minutes, both teams are likely to be exhausted. I anticipate that there won't be any further goals before the added minutes end."

"Hold on a second!" Steve exclaimed as the tension on the pitch reached its peak. "It's an intense moment as Claudio Marchisio and Ivan Rakiti? collide mid-air, both players looking injured and in pain. But wait, the referee has made a controversial call, awarding a free-kick to Barcelona and penalizing Marchisio for a foul."

"Barcelona now has a golden opportunity to take the lead," Conor interjected, his voice filled with excitement. "The free-kick is over fifty yards away from the goal, but if they can take advantage of this chance and send their players charging into the box, they could score a last-minute winner to become the European Champions! It's all or nothing now, and the tension couldn't be higher!"

"Juventus could do the same," chuckled Bower. "Barcelona players might miss the free-kick, leaving an opening for Juventus to counterattack. With players like Zachary and Tevez, the Italian giants could win the game before regular time ends."

"Interesting, very interesting," replied McNamara, chuckling. "We've witnessed eight goals in this Champions League final, yet we still don't know who will become the European Champion. This match has been one for the history books."

—–

The atmosphere in the stadium was electric as Barcelona lined up to take the crucial 92nd minute free-kick against Juventus. The fans were on the edge of their seats, their eyes glued to the pitch, praying for their team to score the winning goal.

The tension was palpable, the air thick with anticipation as Luis Enrique, the Barcelona coach, made two daring substitutions before the kick.

Andrés Iniesta, who looked exhausted, was replaced by Xavi, a midfielder, but surprisingly, Luis Suárez, a striker, was also taken off and replaced by Pedro, a winger. The move was seen as risky, as Barcelona had lost two key players, one from the midfield and the other from the striking line. But the time had come, and the referee blew the whistle, signaling the restart of the action.

Xavi, who had just stepped onto the pitch, took the free-kick, sending the ball hurtling towards the box on a lofted and curling trajectory.

The anxieties of the supporters, players, and coaches crescendoed. A momentary lull seemed to descend upon the stadium, and some fans could be seen praying to their gods, ancestors, or whatever higher power as the ball began its descent.

But all that was just background bluster as the crucial happenings were on the field of play at the edge of Juventus' box.

The players of both teams acted to meet the incoming ball, with the Barcelona players doing their utmost to escape their markers while the Juventus men did everything possible to stop them. Mêlées that involved shirt grabs, arm locks, body blocks, and other tactics to outwit opponents happened all along Juventus' defensive line as every player tried to connect with the free-kick ball at the edge of the box.

At the end of it all, Leonardo Bonucci came out on top. The Juventus defender towered over everyone at the edge of the box and headed the ball away, sending it towards the right wing.

However, before the Juventus players and fans could sigh with relief, Pedro, the substitute who had just stepped onto the pitch, collected the ball. The Spanish winger didn't waste a second before feeding a cross back towards Juventus' box..

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