September 13th, the 2011/2012 Champions League season is about to begin.
Real Madrid arrived in Zagreb a day early to prepare for the match against Dinamo Zagreb.
Although the opponent isn't particularly strong, they are still approaching the game with caution.
In the capital of Croatia, a large number of Dinamo Zagreb fans gathered at the airport, creating a sea of people as far as the eye could see.
They were all there to welcome Suker!
Today, Suker is undoubtedly Croatia's undisputed top star.
Croatia doesn't have many things to boast about, but now "Suker" has become the country's iconic player.
Whenever Suker is mentioned, their faces light up with pride.
Especially when they see fans from other countries looking on with envy, their pride only grows.
Since the end of the World Cup, the overall confidence of the Croatian people has improved significantly, particularly in the realm of football.
In the past, Croatia didn't dare to call itself a European powerhouse.
Although they had reached the World Cup semifinals, they still felt apprehensive when facing many European teams.
After all, their form was inconsistent back then, far from the dominance they exhibit now.
Now, after winning the 2008 European Championship and finishing third in the 2010 World Cup, their confidence has clearly risen, and they are even setting their sights on higher goals in football and the World Cup.
All of this confidence has been brought to them by the Croatian players.
Today, even when facing top European teams, Croatian fans are undaunted—they have the confidence to defeat them.
These changes are most evident in their demeanor.
Confident expressions, passionate cheers, and synchronized movements.
From the airport to the hotel, Croatian fans followed along the way, chanting Suker's name.
This left the Real Madrid fans deeply impressed.
Suker's popularity in Croatia is immense. The fans' admiration for him has surpassed mere liking and reached a level of fervor.
So much so that they even forgot that Real Madrid has another Croatian player—their captain.
"Everyone is chanting your name. I didn't even see a single fan wearing my jersey!"
Srna sounded somewhat jealous.
It's true that Suker is Croatia's top star, but he is still the captain of the national team, after all.
These fans, however, completely ignored him and flocked to Suker instead.
"Having too much popularity isn't always a good thing," Suker said, shaking his sore arm from signing too many autographs. "My entire arm feels stiff."
Srna rolled his eyes. This guy was definitely rubbing it in.
He had only given out three autographs.
One of them, Srna noticed, had initially rushed toward Suker but couldn't get through the crowd and settled for him instead.
That's right—he was the "second choice."
However, Srna just shook his head. He wasn't really competing with Suker over popularity.
Even if the entire Croatian national team were combined, they still couldn't match Suker's popularity.
This was true both domestically and internationally.
They arrived in Croatia a day early to prepare.
On the evening of September 14th, a giant TIFO was unveiled at the Maksimir Stadium!
It was a "family photo" of Dinamo Zagreb from 2005, taken just before Suker's departure.
In the photo, you could clearly see the young Suker, along with Srna, Modrić, and others.
Compared to now, they looked incredibly youthful, their smiles more innocent, and their style, well, more rustic.
Unknowingly, more than six years had passed. Suker, who was once a young player, was now 25 years old!
The cheers in the stadium rose and fell continuously.
The enthusiastic mood of the Dinamo Zagreb fans even spread to the visiting Real Madrid supporters.
It even softened the concept of "away team" and "home team," as many fans were simply there to enjoy the football.
Of course, even if they took it seriously, they couldn't beat Real Madrid, so it was better to just relax and enjoy the game.
In the VIP box:
Croatian Football Association President, Davor Šuker.
Croatian National Team Manager, Boban.
Croatian National Team Head Coach, Besić.
Croatian National Team Assistant Coach, Van Stoyac.
Suker's former teammates and seniors, Štimac and Jarni, were all in attendance.
"It's really lively here!"
Looking down at the stand, the fans singing and cheering, the infectious atmosphere made even them feel exceptionally excited.
"I almost feel like going down to play a match myself!"
Davor Šuker shook his leg, his belly jiggling slightly.
Besić glanced at Davor Šuker and said disdainfully, "Since you retired, your physique has gone completely out of shape. Who would believe you were once a professional player?"
Štimac also teased, "Can your left foot still play the violin?"
Davor Šuker laughed. "It's been a long time since I could do that!"
He didn't mind joking around with these old friends.
"I heard some people have been criticizing you lately?" Besić frowned. "They think Dinamo Zagreb is taking up too many resources, and they even suspect you of taking bribes..."
Davor Šuker waved his hand. "Let's not talk about that now. We're here to enjoy the match!"
Besić shook his head and fell silent.
Jarni looked down at the pitch where Suker was warming up and sighed. "Six years have passed in the blink of an eye. When this guy left Dinamo Zagreb, he was a nobody. Now, he's a three-time Ballon d'Or winner!"
Štimac retorted, "What do you mean, a nobody? Back then, he was the European Golden Boy and the Champions League top scorer. I always knew he would win the Ballon d'Or!"
Jarni said disdainfully, "As I recall, didn't you say back then that if Suker could just establish himself at AC Milan, he would already be considered successful?"
"I never said that! It wasn't me! You remembered wrong!" Štimac refused to admit it.
Davor Šuker looked down at the warm-up scene, his eyes fixed on Suker wearing the number 9 jersey.
In the 1990s, Davor Šuker also played for Real Madrid, and he also wore the number 9 jersey.
Now, 15 years later, another Šuker had put on Real Madrid's number 9 jersey.
But compared to Davor Šuker back then, the current Suker's influence, fame, and performance were on another level entirely.
Every time Davor Šuker thought about the moment he handed the number 9 jersey to Suker, he felt incredibly fortunate.
The inheritance of Croatia's number 9 had been smooth.
Moreover, Suker's performance was already surpassing his own and creating new history and records.
"How long do you think Dinamo Zagreb can hold out against Suker?" Davor Šuker asked.
Boban: "About 10 minutes. They can last 10 minutes."
"I think it'll be 5 minutes!"
"Roughly 5, 6, or 7 minutes!"
"They'll put pressure on Dinamo Zagreb from the start, but they'll definitely score within 20 minutes!"
Everyone chimed in with their evaluations.
Besić, standing to the side, looked somewhat displeased.
What were these guys talking about right in front of him, the former head coach?
"8 minutes!"
Suddenly, someone gave an precise time.
Everyone turned to look.
It was Van Stoyak, holding a notebook. "Most of Suker's first-half goals come between the 5th and 20th minutes, with the 8th minute having the highest efficiency. So, I think it'll be around 8 minutes."
Hearing Van Stoyak's words, Štimac shrugged. "Doesn't anyone think Dinamo Zagreb can win?"
Upon hearing this, everyone turned to look at Štimac as if he were an idiot.
Win?
How could they win?
When Suker and the others played their first Champions League match, they struggled even against a tactically flawed Real Madrid. This Dinamo Zagreb team wasn't the same as the one from back then, and Real Madrid was no longer tactically flawed.
They believed that as long as Dinamo Zagreb didn't lose by a large margin, it would be acceptable.
"After all, it's his old club. Suker might go easy on them, right?" Boban said.
Davor Šuker shook his head. "He won't."
Štimac: "No way!"
Jarni: "Don't joke around!"
Van Stoyak: "He won't go easy."
Besić said firmly: "Absolutely not!"
Boban was stunned. Did you all coordinate this?
Davor Šuker turned around with a smile. "Others might go easy, but Suker definitely won't. At least not until they're leading by four goals!"
The others nodded in agreement.
Štimac smiled. "You don't know Suker well enough. That guy goes even harder against his own people!"
On the pitch, Suker turned to look at Dinamo Zagreb's half.
Six years had passed, and Dinamo Zagreb's roster had changed again and again.
Players who performed well were sold, and new ones were promoted and developed.
This Dinamo Zagreb team had cultivated far too many players.
The first generation: Suker, Modrić, and others.
The second generation: Rakitić, Subašić, Corluka, and others.
The third generation: Kovačić, Brozović, and others.
And now, in this Dinamo Zagreb team, apart from Vida, Suker didn't recognize a single player or coach.
Moreover, the team was very young, mostly born between 1989 and 1992.
The Dinamo Zagreb players also looked at Suker with fiery eyes.
To these players, Suker was their idol. In fact, some of them had watched Suker rise to the top and become a hero for Croatia.
You could say that this Dinamo Zagreb team was essentially a "Suker fan club."
However, for them, Suker was too distant, his status too high. So, even though they wanted to approach him, they didn't dare.
As they walked toward the player tunnel, Suker happened to approach as well.
The Dinamo Zagreb players all stared at Suker, their eyes practically glued to him.
"Suker!"
Vida waved to Suker.
Suker nodded at him in acknowledgment.
This scene made the other Dinamo Zagreb players incredibly envious.
Vida also turned around with a proud look, as if to say, "See? I can talk to Suker!"
In the Real Madrid locker room, the players were also preparing for the match.
The injured players hadn't yet returned, and the substitutes were full of enthusiasm, hoping to seize this opportunity to prove themselves.
However, their performances so far hadn't been standout.
So, they planned to put on a good show in this match, especially since Dinamo Zagreb was relatively weaker.
Before long, both teams gathered in the player tunnel, waiting to enter the pitch.
Suker was very familiar with this player tunnel.
After all, this was the home ground of the Croatian national team.
And even though this was an away Champions League match, for Suker, it felt like a half-home game.
On the field, the stadium announcer was loudly introducing the players.
When introducing Real Madrid, even though they were the away team, the Dinamo Zagreb fans still applauded.
But when introducing Suker, the announcer roared:
"Number 9!"
Without any prompting, the entire stadium erupted into thunderous cheers.
Suker!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!——
The deafening noise swept through like a storm.
The Dinamo Zagreb fans seemed to be transported back to six years ago, to that incredibly passionate summer, when the storm brewing over the Sava River swept over the towering Alps and ravaged Europe.
Even now, thinking about that time filled them with excitement.
Whoa!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!——
Clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap!!!!!!!!!!
Amid the intense cheers and applause, both teams entered the pitch.
The starting lineups were as follows:
Dinamo Zagreb (4-5-1):
Goalkeeper: Kelava
Defenders: Tomečak, Ibanez, Vida, Tonel
Midfielders: Pamić, Badelj, Sammir, Kramarić, Leko
Forward: Rukavina
Real Madrid (4-3-1-2):
Goalkeeper: Casillas
Defenders: Srna, Carvalho, Pepe, Carvajal
Midfielders: Khedira, Alonso, Cannavaro
Forwards: Bale, Suker, Di María
"Facing the mighty Real Madrid, Dinamo Zagreb has set up a conservative defensive formation. They've packed more players into the midfield to disrupt Real Madrid's rhythm."
"However, Real Madrid has also made some tactical adjustments. Is Suker playing as an attacking midfielder?"
Croatian commentator Klaušević sounded skeptical.
Would Mourinho use an attacking midfielder?
Mourinho, hearing the broadcast, raised an eyebrow.
What attacking midfielder?
This is a number 10 role, a free-roaming forward!
Before the main squad returns, he plans to use this setup!
Mainly because, in the match against Atlético Madrid, after completely lifting restrictions, Suker's performance was insane.
This got Mourinho thinking differently.
He finally understood why Ancelotti didn't like playing Suker as a pure striker—it limited him somewhat and didn't fully unleash his abilities.
In the number 10 role, Suker could showcase everything.
He could push forward to attack.
He could drop back to organize.
His position was relatively safe, allowing him to receive the ball and initiate attacks toward the goal on his own.
You could say the number 10 role was made for Suker!
Plus, with Suker's unlimited shooting rights, he got far more opportunities than he would as a striker or winger.
"Everyone, pay attention! We must coordinate well."
Vida shared his experience. "Never let it become a one-on-one situation with Suker. Always support your teammates in time!"
Vida remembered clearly what assistant coach Van Stoyak had said during the national team training: allowing a one-on-one with Suker was practically giving away a goal.
So, they had to be vigilant against such situations.
The Dinamo Zagreb players also looked nervous.
Soon, the match began.
Dinamo Zagreb kicked off first.
"Pass it here!"
Sammir shouted.
As Dinamo Zagreb's new number 10, he was the team's key midfielder and their technical representative.
He wanted to use this match to showcase himself to the world and all of Europe.
He believed that, given Real Madrid's influence, teams from the top five leagues would be watching this match.
And if he caught Real Madrid's eye, he would instantly take off.
Sammir was thinking about all this when he controlled the ball and looked up.
Suddenly, a figure appeared in front of him.
With blistering speed, Bale rushed straight at Sammir.
Boom!
Almost instantly, Bale poked the ball away.
After chasing it down for a few steps, he passed it sideways to Di María, who passed it back to Suker.
Suker then passed it back to Alonso.
Right from the start, Dinamo Zagreb had lost possession.
"Too slow!"
In the VIP box, Besić shook his head.
He looked displeased. He had only left Dinamo Zagreb a year ago, and the team had already deteriorated to this extent.
Sammir didn't used to play like this.
"His timing was off, he didn't think about his passing options. By the time he controlled the ball and looked up, the opponent was already in his face. Does he think this is the Croatian league?"
Besić expressed his dissatisfaction.
Davor Šuker patted Besić on the shoulder with a smile. The guy's professional habits were kicking in again.
"Hehe! You're not their head coach anymore. Just relax and enjoy the match!"
Besić shook his head. "Sammir's form is so poor. Kovačić and Brozović transferred away during the summer window. There's no one to stabilize the midfield now."
After losing possession, the Dinamo Zagreb players grew even more nervous.
In Real Madrid's half, Alonso passed the ball to Suker.
Suker received the ball with his back to goal, and before the opponent could challenge him, he laid it off sideways to Di María.
At the same time, Suker turned as if to make a run.
Badelj immediately turned to track back.
But when he turned around, he didn't see Suker.
Instead, Suker had dropped back a step, returning to his original position.
Di María passed the ball back to Suker, who received it in the space that had opened up. With a sudden burst of acceleration, he blew past Badelj.
"He's coming!"
Vida shouted.
He quickly moved toward his central defensive partner, ready to close the gap.
But at that moment, Suker looked up toward the goal.
No way?
Vida was shocked. He pushed off with his ankle, charging forward.
Seeing this, Suker smiled.
He's too easy to fool!
A quick La Croqueta, and Vida was completely fooled, stumbling to the ground.
Suker burst into the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot toward the near post!
The ball skimmed along the ground, speeding into the net.
The Dinamo Zagreb goalkeeper dove but couldn't stop the goal.
Just 4 minutes into the match, Suker had already scored.
Dinamo Zagreb 0:1 Real Madrid!