Three days later, in the Premier League, Manchester United defeated Middlesbrough 4-2. The gap in strength left no suspense in the match.
However, the two goals conceded put De Gea at a disadvantage in the competition for the starting position. This season, Nübel's performance has become increasingly stable, and he has hopes of becoming Manchester United's new generation of goalkeepers.
Gao Nuo scored two goals in the match, catching up with Haaland and tying for first place in the top scorer list with 25 goals. Harry Kane, who fell behind in the later stages, is temporarily in third place with 19 goals.
With 7 rounds remaining in the League, the Premier League Golden Boot will basically be decided between Gao Nuo and Haaland.
In addition to resisting Lina's temptations and constantly undergoing Wang Qing's inspections, Gao Nuo, facing enemies on all sides, also encountered trouble with the system's Challenge Road.
"Thirty-Third Battle, The Old Lady's Steadiness,"
"Clearance Condition: Keep a clean sheet against the opponent and win,"
"Match Time: 90 minutes,"
"Clearance Reward: One green player card, with a chance to drop a set of tactical boards."
"Juventus, known as 'The Old Lady,' will show you what it means to be highly respected and what it means to be the epitome of 'one-nilism.'"
Entering the Challenge Road as usual, Gao Nuo was dumbfounded. Besides Buffon, Pirlo, Bonucci, and Chiellini, he basically didn't recognize anyone else. A bewildered Gao Nuo asked the system.
"System, what's going on? Did you get a virus? This Juve lineup isn't right!"
"host, this is Juventus from the 2011-2012 season. Starting from the 30th level, the Challenge Road will feature retro teams."
"Hmm? Does that mean it's possible to get retired players? Can I get Ronaldo, Ronaldinho, or something?"
"Please respect yourself, host. The Challenge Road is for you to integrate with your teammates and gain match experience, not for your personal enjoyment. Player cards can only produce active players, as they are the ones who have a chance to become your teammates."
"Tch! I just wanted to experience the thrill of opening cards. There are so many ancient gods, it would be great if I could play with Ronaldo."
After muttering a few useless words, Gao Nuo officially began the challenge.
An hour and a half passed, and a disheveled Gao Nuo exited the system space, got up to pee, ate some bananas and apples, rested for a while, then lay back down on the bed and re-entered the Challenge Road.
In the virtual training ground, Gao Nuo unhappily kicked the ball into the goal. After another failure, he wanted to challenge again but was warned by the system that being too mentally stressed would have a negative impact on the upcoming matches.
There was no other way, so Gao Nuo had to pass the time with shooting practice, kicking the ball towards the goal while pondering the reasons for his failure.
Of the 29 white player cards, besides Fabregas, who was drawn first, the other players were a mixed bag—from Asia, Europe, Africa, everywhere except the Americas.
Two of them were from Japan, which meant they couldn't be destroyed, otherwise Gao Nuo would have sent them away directly.
They also shared a common characteristic: they were all obscure. Gao Nuo didn't recognize any of them, and judging by their performance, their skill level was on par with the National Football Team, simply not good enough.
Gao Nuo, who initially thought he was blessed by the European Emperor, finally saw the reality: he was indeed extraordinary, just like an ordinary African!
In previous levels, Gao Nuo could still rely on his individual strength to compete, but this time, facing Juventus from 2011, with Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, and Buffon—three great defensive barriers plus a goalkeeper—Gao Nuo learned what a solid defense felt like.
If it was one-on-one, Gao Nuo still had a chance, but one against three was basically a pipe dream. Looking at his weak lineup, Gao Nuo felt his face darken even more.
Waking up the next day, after much pondering without finding a good solution, Gao Nuo simply let nature take its course. He trained, ate, and continued the challenge as usual, turning Barzagli, Chiellini, Bonucci, and Buffon into his whetstones. For Gao Nuo, the path of football was always painful yet joyful.
On April 16, 2024, in the Champions League quarter-finals, second leg, at Old Trafford, Manchester United faced Real Madrid.
The first-leg draw turned the match into a decider. Spanish media extensively reported on the rumors between Gao Nuo and Real Madrid before the match.
After all, Carlo Ancelotti had publicly stated more than once that Gao Nuo was a player he was determined to get, which made the seemingly groundless rumors even more perplexing.
Some Manchester United fans had already begun to worry, urging the club to increase contract value and open renewal negotiations with Gao Nuo.
The media's relentless scrutiny did not affect Manchester United's players, and the clash with Real Madrid remained very exciting.
In the 7th minute of the match, Alexis Saelemaekers successfully broke through to the byline. He was sandwiched by Antonio Rüdiger and Alaba, with no chance to cross, so Saelemaekers decisively chose to pass back.
Casemiro, showing no mercy against his former club, played the ball quickly across the middle with one touch.
Rice comfortably adjusted his steps and delivered a precise long-range shot from the edge of the penalty area arc. The ball flew into the top corner of the goal, and it was a goal!
The fans in the stadium cheered wildly as Manchester United took the lead at home.
After withstanding Real Madrid's offensive for 30 minutes, Manchester United got another opportunity in the 37th minute of the match.
Casemiro successfully defended against Rodrygo's inside cut and breakthrough, a brilliant performance that drew cheers from the home fans.
For Casemiro, giving his best performance was a sign of respect for his former club.
Habitually looking for Gao Nuo, he saw that he had already started to make an offside run. Casemiro didn't dare to delay and directly kicked the ball in front of Gao Nuo.
Gao Nuo quickly approached the penalty area. Casemiro's pass was very exquisite, providing enough lead for Gao Nuo to shake off the interference of the defenders, and also making the goalkeeper's charge just a little short. Gao Nuo shot the ball towards the goal before Courtois, with a very tricky angle. The ball hit the post and bounced into the goal.
"Beep-beep-beep—!" The whistle blew. Amidst the boos of the home fans, Gao Nuo, who was halfway through a passionate knee slide, looked at the Referee in confusion. Offside! The goal was disallowed!
Feeling a bit embarrassed, Gao Nuo silently stood up and walked back to the center circle with a helpless expression.
The first half ended with some regret, with Manchester United leading 1-0 temporarily.
On his way back to the changing room, as Gao Nuo entered the player tunnel, he felt an intense gaze. Carlo Ancelotti met his eyes with a kind smile. From too far away, he could only make out the words "GOOD JOB!" from his lips, which made Gao Nuo a little embarrassed. This old man really thought highly of him.
In the exciting replay at halftime, Gao Nuo's goal was indeed offside by half a body length, causing Chinese fans to once again express their regret.