"Bayern's attack is coming again, pushing forward with everything!"
"Thiago controlling the ball in the center—Leo Lin closing him down."
"Thiago forced to pass it back. Bayern switch to the flank and send a lofted through ball forward!"
"Robben brings it down, cuts inside, curls a shot!"
"Oh! Just wide—the angle was too tight, and it sails into the stands."
Across the entire Allianz Arena, the only sound was the thunderous roar of Bayern Munich supporters.
They never stopped—chanting and shouting again and again without pause.
The immense pressure of a Champions League semifinal hung over the stadium.
"Liverpool have finally paid the price for their youth."
"Young Gomez learned a harsh lesson tonight. To be honest, even Arnold might not have fared much better."
"Because they're facing the incredibly experienced Ribéry. And whether it's Moreno or Robertson at left-back, neither truly has the edge one-on-one against Robben—even a Robben whose form has declined."
"Not to mention their striker—Lewandowski, one of Europe's elite goal scorers."
"Liverpool have had a smooth season so far, remaining unbeaten."
"But in football, no team has ever gone through an entire season across all competitions with a perfect record. That's simply unrealistic."
"Even the legendary Barcelona side that won six trophies in one year still suffered surprise defeats."
"For Liverpool, the best outcome now is to minimize the deficit tonight and keep their hopes alive—then fight Bayern Munich again at Anfield."
Klopp understood this perfectly.
On the pitch, Liverpool threw themselves into defending with everything they had.
Eventually, the first half ended, and both teams returned to their dressing rooms.
Anger was written all over Heynckes' face. He simply couldn't understand how Bayern, with a two-man advantage, were only leading by a single goal at halftime.
Across various studio panels, the outlook for the second half looked grim.
Even Liverpool legend Steven Gerrard believed Bayern would score again.
"Playing with two fewer men, Liverpool managed to resist Bayern's attacks in the first half mainly through sheer stamina. But in the second half, Bayern will certainly launch even more intense pressure."
Jamie Carragher nodded beside him.
"I think the final score will end up 3–0, maybe even 4–0."
"Once the defense finally cracks, it could turn into a real rout."
...
Inside the Liverpool dressing room, Klopp sat on an overturned water bucket.
"I know what you're thinking—you're worried about conceding more goals."
"But what's done is done. There's no point dwelling on it. In the final part of the first half, you defended very well."
"When the second half begins, I want you to do exactly the same thing."
"Stay confident. Don't be afraid."
"Control the rhythm and block every pass and every shot they attempt."
"If we can do that, we'll still keep our hopes of advancing alive."
Klopp's voice remained calm.
He was doing everything he could to keep the players composed.
At a moment like this, excessive emotion would only cause chaos.
The deeper you are in trouble, the more you must stay calm to find a way out.
Leo Lin's face was calm as well. He took several slow, deep breaths.
Then he exhaled and slowly stood up.
The second half began.
...
56th minute!
"Bayern are pressing extremely high now—even full-back Kimmich has stepped into midfield to join the attack!"
Thiago carried the ball forward, pushing all the way to the edge of the penalty arc.
Leo Lin had nowhere left to retreat and stepped forward to press.
Thiago quickly slid the ball sideways to Kimmich.
The German defender lifted his foot and curled a shot.
A beautiful arc cut through the air and tucked perfectly into the top-left corner!
"SWISH!!!"
"GOAL!!!"
The German commentators exploded with excitement.
"The Allianz Arena erupts! What a magnificent curling shot—it beats Mignolet completely!"
"Two-nil!!!"
"Brilliant!!!"
"Bayern lead by two goals!"
"I think this is only the beginning—Bayern will score again!"
"Don't give Liverpool any chance!!!"
Across countless livestream chats:
"Well… this is brutal, but Liverpool might get destroyed."
"That's football. With two men down, you simply can't compete normally."
"No one can stop Bayern. No one!"
With the second goal, Bayern Munich completely seized control of the match.
That ringing sensation returned to Leo Lin's ears.
He shook his head hard to stay focused, then began clapping wildly and shouting at his teammates.
"Keep your heads up!"
"Up!!!"
"The match isn't over yet!"
"We cannot give up!"
The broadcast cut to a close-up of Leo Lin.
The veins in his neck bulged as he shouted.
When the youngest player on the team displayed such overwhelming fighting spirit, every Liverpool player felt their own determination ignite.
And in the stands, the die-hard supporters kept waving Liverpool flags, loudly singing "You'll Never Walk Alone."
There was no despair in their voices.
The song echoed across the Allianz Arena.
Derek Rae was deeply moved.
"When a team is two goals behind and you can still hear their supporters cheering like this—that's Liverpool fans for you."
The match continued.
The nine Liverpool players still on the field seemed possessed.
Every one of them ran tirelessly.
Every tackle, every fifty-fifty ball was contested with everything they had.
Not a single step backward.
Leo Lin gritted his teeth as he played—trying to stay calm while relentlessly battling in midfield and sprinting back into the penalty area to help the defenders.
76th minute!
"Thiago again!"
"A through ball—Lovren steps up to intercept and clears it long!"
"Excellent anticipation!"
"Kimmich controls in the center—Leo Lin bumps him, but the referee signals advantage!"
"The ball goes right—Robben cuts inside!"
"He shoots! Matip reads it perfectly and blocks!"
82nd minute!
"Liverpool substitution! Wijnaldum replaces Salah—another midfielder added as Liverpool commit fully to defense."
"Leo Lin driving forward with the ball—he bursts past Thiago and pushes down the right!"
"Vidal closes from the side, with Javi Martínez doubling up!"
Leo Lin powered forward and crashed into Vidal, sending him tumbling.
The referee immediately blew for a foul—Liverpool had committed the offense.
Leo Lin instantly turned and sprinted back toward his own half without a moment's hesitation, settling into position as a defensive midfielder.
His chest heaved with exhaustion.
But his head remained held high.
Liverpool's players spread out around Leo Lin in defense.
Every one of them radiated stubborn resilience.
At some point, the Allianz Arena had fallen strangely quiet.
Bayern fans stopped mocking them.
Instead, their eyes held respect.
Many Liverpool supporters had tears in their eyes, yet they continued waving the club crest and singing the anthem at the top of their lungs.
89th minute!
"Bayern loft a through ball!"
"Liverpool's line is broken!"
"Ribéry racing forward with the ball—Lewandowski is waiting at the far post! If that pass reaches him, it's a one-on-one!"
Ribéry lifted his left leg, preparing the cross.
Then—
A blur of speed.
Followed by a heavy thud.
"BANG!!!"
Leo Lin launched into a flying slide tackle!
The ball deflected out of play.
"Our throw-in!" Leo Lin shouted, looking toward the assistant referee.
The decision went to Liverpool.
"That's right!"
"Great decision!"
"Come on!!!" Leo Lin roared at Ribéry, pumping his fist.
"Come on!"
"Let me see what else you've got!"
"Come on!!!"
Leo Lin glared fiercely.
Even Ribéry instinctively backed away.
"He's unbelievably tough! Completely fearless!" Derek Rae exclaimed.
"Leo Lin throws himself into that challenge and blocks the cross out of play!"
"If that pass had gone through, Lewandowski would've had a clear one-on-one—and Bayern surely would have scored a third."
"The nine Liverpool players remaining on the field have gone completely mad!"
"They're not just playing football—they're burning their lives!"
"Down two men and still playing like this—how can anyone criticize them?"
"Any other team might already be five or six goals behind."
"And remember, they're facing Bayern Munich—the most explosive attacking side in Europe this season!"
Leo Lin had gone beyond exhaustion.
He didn't even know what he was doing anymore.
Every Liverpool player felt the same.
Defend.
Slide tackle.
Get back up.
Return to position.
Prepare for the next attack.
They didn't know when the match would end.
They only focused on the moment in front of them.
Bayern were growing desperate.
For them, a 2–0 scoreline was far from ideal.
They pushed forward relentlessly but still couldn't break Liverpool's defensive third.
Heynckes' face was red with frustration—he desperately wanted another goal.
93rd minute!
The match was nearing its end.
Liverpool's players had pushed themselves to their absolute limit.
Leo Lin could feel his calves trembling, cramps threatening at any moment.
The broadcast camera cut to Klopp on the touchline.
The German manager's face was expressionless—but his slightly trembling right hand betrayed his tension.
Beside him, Krawietz's eyes had turned red as he fought to hold back his emotions.
He wasn't upset about the 0–2 scoreline.
He was moved by the nine warriors still fighting on the pitch.
"It's rare to witness something like this," Derek Rae said, his voice hoarse with emotion.
"The score is 2–0."
"Liverpool are trailing 0–2 at the Allianz Arena, and they'll take this deficit back to Anfield for the second leg."
"But look at the Liverpool fans right now."
"Even though I'm not there, I can still feel the power of 'You'll Never Walk Alone.'"
"Liverpool supporters are singing again and again, cheering for their team—they don't look discouraged at all!"
"This is the spirit of Liverpool fans!"
"This is the spirit of Liverpool!"
The referee raised the whistle to his mouth.
The final whistle was about to blow.
Neuer prepared to take the goal kick.
Liverpool's nine players—from goalkeeper to forward—stood entirely in their own half.
The eight outfield players held their 4-3-1 shape perfectly, unmoving.
Leo Lin stood at the center.
His jersey was covered in mud, yet his back looked unbreakably firm.
The broadcast camera began with Mignolet, then slowly swept across the entire Liverpool half.
Each Liverpool player's number filled the screen.
Opposite them was a sea of red—Liverpool supporters and countless flags waving high.
Liverpool's official club account immediately captured the image and posted it across social media with a bold red headline:
Nine Warriors of the Dead Zone!
"Look at Krawietz's tears—that is the symbol of Liverpool's honor!"