Why do some giants always remain as stable as Mount Tai, while others collapse at critical moments? This question may have found an answer in the European football scene on this night. The four giant teams of Bayern Munich, Real Madrid, AC Milan, and Inter Milan interpreted the importance of strength, tactics, mentality, and luck in football with their respective performances. Among them, there were crushing victories, tenacious reversals, and the regret of losing a good game.
Bayern Munich faced off against Red Bull Salzburg in a friendly match, resulting in a 6-0 scoreline. Frankly, the direction of the game was largely anticipated by fans. After all, Bayern's strength has long surpassed that of many second-tier European teams. From the start to the end of the match, the Bavarians hardly gave their opponents any breathing room: they had a possession rate of as high as 70%, and their number of shots was overwhelming.
Interestingly, this game reminded people of a confrontation between the two teams in 2019, when Bayern won 7-1 over the Red Bulls. The two games were almost identical - with a strong pressing game, quick and fluid attacking rhythm, and a comprehensive explosion of individual player abilities. Over the past few years, Bayern's playing style has remained stable, relying on a tight tactical system that allows players to perform freely both in the club and in the national team.
However, the question arises: does an easy victory in a friendly match truly represent the team's true level? Some fans may question: can Bayern maintain such a state when facing top-tier opponents? However, it must be acknowledged that Bayern's "decisive killing" attitude against second-tier teams is something worth learning from by all teams - fighting from the first minute to the last, which not all strong teams can achieve.
On the other side, Real Madrid also put on an impressive performance in the first round of the King's Cup. They easily defeated Minera Sports with a 5-0 scoreline away from home. Although the opponent was relatively weak, Real Madrid's performance was still impressive. From Rodrigo's clever breakthroughs to Valverde's dominance in midfield, to the rapid integration of young talents, Real Madrid showcased their comprehensiveness in controlling the field and attacking in this match.
In fact, this game evoked memories of last year's Champions League group stage, where Real Madrid swept Celtic 5-0 away from home. Faced with a team that was clearly inferior in strength, Real Madrid still went all out without any slack. This is crucial: whether it's Ancelotti or the team's core players, they always emphasize the attitude towards the game - if you can't take three points from a weak team, how are you going to fight with a strong team?
However, we cannot completely affirm Real Madrid's stability based solely on such victories. Take the 2017 Super Cup as an example, where Real Madrid defeated Barcelona to win the title in extra time, which truly demonstrated their ability in a clash of giants. After all, winning against weak teams is basic, but winning against strong teams is where the prestige of giants lies. And Real Madrid's performance in the Champions League in recent years has proven this point countless times.
If the victories of Bayern and Real Madrid more reflected "strength overwhelming," then AC Milan's 3-2 reversal of Inter Milan was a thrilling comeback drama. On the stage of the Italian Super Cup, Milan performed mediocrely in the opening stages, conceding two goals to Inter. As the situation seemed lost, they did not give up.
Leo's performance in the second half was remarkable, not only tearing through the opponent's defense with speed but also scoring a beautiful long-range shot to bring the team back into the game. The real turning point came before the end of the game, when Abraham received a pass and completed the decisive goal, causing the stadium to erupt. With a 3-2 scoreline, Milan delivered a stirring reversal, offering fans a perfect match.
This plot seems reminiscent of the 2011 Super Cup. At that time, AC Milan, after conceding the first goal, relied on goals from Ibrahimovic and Boateng to reverse Juventus and win the championship. Despite the years separating the two matches, Milan's resilience and spirit of never giving up are consistent. To put it bluntly, the tradition of this team is to seek hope in adversity. It is precisely because of this that AC Milan's matches are often filled with drama, and this is one of the reasons why they can become giants.
In stark contrast to AC Milan's reversal is Inter Milan's repeated failure in key matches. In fact, this is not the first time the Nerazzurri have been reversed after taking the lead. As early as the 2016 Europa League semi-finals, they were tragically eliminated after being scored against by Sevilla in the dying moments of the game. Five years have passed, yet this problem of "dropping the ball at critical moments" still plagues the team.
From a technical and tactical perspective, Inter Milan often opts for a conservative counter-attack after taking the lead, and such a tactic can easily be exploited by opponents once midfield control wanes. Worse still, they seem to have psychological shortcomings - their attention tends to drop when facing the opponent's counterattacks.
In fact, Inter Milan is not lacking in excellent players, but they need to make changes in mentality and tactics, especially when facing top-tier opponents, they should dare to take the initiative instead of just holding on defensively. After all, the plot of being reversed after leading by two goals has been seen too many times by the Nerazzurri fans.
From Bayern's overwhelming dominance to Real Madrid's control, to Milan's reversal and Inter Milan's regret, this day in European football was filled with contrasts and conflicts among the giants. Behind these matches, there is a common truth revealed: the victories and defeats of giants are not only determined by the individual abilities of players but also by mentality, tactics, and the spirit of perseverance.