Rise of a Football God

In the 70th minute of this most important game in a club's season, feeling his team losing grasp of the game, Liverpool's coach, Arne Slot decided to take a big gamble with his substitutions.

This coach decided to abandon control and embrace chaos.

It was just like a legendary writer once said. If you're experiencing a writer's block and getting stuck in the storytelling, make a meteor fall into your world in the next chapter, turning everything upside down.

In essence, embracing chaos.

Liverpool embraced chaos.

In the 70th minute, Arne Slot took off Cody Gakpo and introduced the erratic Uruguayan striker, Darwin Nunez, taking Luis Diaz back to his favored left-wing berth. And that change became the game-changer.

Immediately after Darwin Nunez entered the pitch, the energetic Uruguayan became an agent of chaos on this field.

With Luis Diaz upfront previously, Liverpool played more towards control, keeping their intensity steady and their offensive build-up balanced but with Darwin Nunez upfront, all of this changed.

Darwin Nunez was an agent of confusion.

As soon as he entered the pitch, he ran everywhere across the forward lines, becoming the focal point of the Liverpool press as he pressed the Bayern Munich defense energetically like a monster, starting the press from upfield.

That sudden change seemed to rattle Bayern Munich.

Vincent Kompany, the young Bayern Munich coach encouraged his team to build-up their game from the back, starting the passing from either their prolific goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer or the 2 center backs.

Originally, this tactic was a tried and trusted method but with Darwin Nunez suddenly pressing so energetically, it became a risk.

This did not make Bayern Munich change its playstyle though, after all, it was a professional football team.

This decision… was a mistake.

It came back to bite them in the butt.

For the first few minutes after the changes were made, Bayern Munich continued playing their game even as they adapted to the sudden Liverpool intensity but in football, just 1 mistake was needed to change a game.

And that change came in the 74th minute of this game.

Liverpool's aggressive press forced the Germans to keep on playing side and back passes, and one of those passes was a mistake.

Joshua Kimmich overhit the pass, sending it just behind Dayot Upamecano.

"…!"

Trepidations went through Wembley Stadium immediately.

"It's an overhit pass, and Darwin Nunez is nearby!"

"Upamecano is already recovering but is he fast enough?!"

Thud!

"Oof…!"

As soon as the pass was overhit, in that moment, Darwin Nunez seemed to become a prime Benzema, sensing the opportunism in this moment and the Uruguayan did not miss his moment.

As soon as the ball moved, as if on ultra instinct, his legs also moved as he instantly accelerated from 0 to 100 in a single second!

Thud! Thud! Thud!

Darwin Nunez chased Dayot Upamecano down like he would chase a thief!

And this was not any mere thief, this was a deadly thief, a thief that was out to steal a first UEFA champions league title from his trophy cabinet.

Darwin Nunez would not allow it!

The race was close due to Dayot Upamecano's head start as they both arrived at the ball but before the Bayern Munich center back could do anything tangible, Darwin Nunez crashed into him with his body and then, outstretching his legs, he hit the ball…

Bam!

Nunez overhit the ball.

"…!"

The 40-year-old Bayern Munich legend and goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer reacted immediately after the Liverpool striker overhit the ball, chasing it but again, Darwin Nunez's raw speed proved the difference maker.

Thud!
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Darwin Nunez ate yards of space like they were not there!

He arrived before Manuel Neuer, pushing the ball past him again towards the goal kick but before the ball could roll away and be wasted, his speed made him recover again and without looking, Darwin Nunez played a pass into the box.

"…!"

In that moment, time in Wembley Stadium seemed to freeze.

A few things happened at once.

Manuel Neuer was charging back towards his post, Dayot Upamecano and Eric Dier were recovering, Alphonso Davies already recovered, arriving close to the ball already as it rolled towards a Mohamed Salah that was unmarked in the box!

Bam!

Salah's first touch and instantly, the Egyptian King entered the zone state.

He was unleashed!

Alphonso Davies touched Salah's shoulders, tactically shoving him to make him lose balance and lose the ball but in response, Salah slowed down.

The rapid Bayern Munich left back went ahead of him in the process but it was a bait, as Davies pressed, Salah obliterated.

With a drop of the shoulder from Salah, the Bayern Munich left back staggered and with a rapid chop of the ball with his left foot, Salah sent Alphonso Davies to no man's land, sending him one way and erupting the other way.

Alphonso Davies destroyed…

Manuel Neuer was yet to arrive at his post, an opportunity!

Salah raised his lethal left foot to shoot at the empty goal but just as he did…

Whoosh!

…Eric Dier went on a powerful sliding tackle!

The Bayern Munich center back went on a powerful sliding tackle, but the ball that he expected didn't come, it was a fake shot!

'Eh…?'

Having slid already, the defender could not pick himself back up immediately but he had a partner who finally arrived in Dayot Upamecano.

The powerful Bayern Munich defender rushed in to clatter into Mohamed Salah but cleverly, the Egyptian King dodged the defender's reckless charge, pushing the ball in between his legs in the process.

Dayot Upamecano obliterated…

By now, tens of thousands of Liverpool fans in this stadium already stood up to see how this crazy moment would end.

The 2 defenders could only watch in despair as Salah closed in on their goal with the ball, they put all their hopes on the towering figure of Manuel Neuer, the Bayern Munich legend who manned the posts, but not today…

BZZZ!

Manuel Neuer was made to see stars by the defiant Liverpool legend.

Like lightning, Salah's legs moved at a rapid speed as he executed the la croqueta, cutting through Bayern Munich's last man in defense as Manuel Neuer fell helplessly to his butt.

The goalkeeper and his defense got front-row view as the Egyptian King ran unopposed towards the empty net.

Salah could as well run with the ball into the net but filled with adrenaline, he raised his left leg and unleashed a powerful shot into the empty net!

POW!

The ball surged into the net with power, and then…

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL…!!!"

Wembley Stadium erupted, Liverpool erupted, a whole fanbase erupted!