35: Chapter 35 Don't come any closer! Boy number 52, showing off his skills across the entire Leicester City side!

Receiving the ball with his back to the goal, Mahrez's body immediately stuck to him like a piece of taffy, with constant, subtle movements of his arms. Yu Bai didn't stop the ball; instead, he proactively stepped forward, sensing the opponent's center of gravity with his back.

Just as Mahrez increased his pressure, Yu Bai gently stepped on the ball with the sole of his left foot, feigning a stop, but at the moment of contact, he nimbly let the ball slip through his legs, turning swiftly at the same time!

"Dummy turn! Beautiful!"

"Mahrez was faked out!"

Mahrez never expected that Yu Bai would dare to play such a flashy move in his Premier League debut. By the time he reacted, he only saw the ball and that white No. 52 jersey flashing past him.

In his desperation, the Algerian subconsciously reached out and grabbed the hem of Yu Bai's jersey!

"Rip—"

Amid the faint sound of tearing fabric, Yu Bai's forward momentum was abruptly halted, and he stumbled to the ground.

The jersey just looked a size bigger; it hadn't actually ripped.

"Beep—"

The whistle blew. Referee Martin Atkinson ran over and, without hesitation, showed a yellow card to the annoyed Mahrez.

"Tactical foul, no problem there!"

"Mahrez is getting anxious; he's been played by Yu Bai!"

"He deserves the yellow card for that move."

Yu Bai quickly climbed up. Without waiting for the Leicester City players to get into position, he immediately took the Free kick quickly, Passing it to Ben Davies not far away.

Ben Davies understood immediately. Without even looking, he tapped the ball back to Yu Bai, who had already started his forward run!

Attack!

Right back Ritchie De Laet felt his scalp tingle. The humiliation of being beaten in one step was still fresh, and having witnessed Mahrez being toyed with and forced into a foul, the way he looked at Yu Bai was no longer just vigilance, but carried a hint of fear.

This kid is too strange!

He only had one thought in his mind: Do not tackle! Even if he died, he wouldn't tackle! Just stick with him and block his path!

Yu Bai received the ball. Facing Ritchie De Laet, who was retreating while defending with a posture that was almost like a defensive textbook, he had no intention of Passing at all.

Before entering the field, assistant coach Perez's words echoed in his ears: "The boss wants you to be the explosive point, a sharp knife to tear open the defense, not a winger who passes the ball back!"

Then let's explode!

He dribbled forward, pressing step by step, forcing Ritchie De Laet toward the end line.

The Leicester City right back was suffocated by his dribbling rhythm and gaze, forced to retreat step by step, seeing that he was about to be pushed into a dead end with nowhere left to retreat.

Just then, Yu Bai moved!

Left foot, right foot, left foot, right foot! Four consecutive, rapid, and rhythmic Step-over moves were executed in a tight space. His body swayed along with them, elegant and nimble, yet full of deception!

"Step-over! Holy crap! That frequency!"

"It's like Ronaldinho has possessed him!"

"Ritchie De Laet: Don't come over here!"

Ritchie De Laet gritted his teeth, silently screaming in his heart: Don't move! I won't move! If the enemy doesn't move, I won't move! Let's see what tricks you can pull!

Just as he made up his mind to hold his position, Yu Bai's left shoulder suddenly dropped, and with the outside of his right foot, he knocked the ball hard toward the end line! A forced breakthrough!

"Crap!"

Ritchie De Laet's heart skipped a beat, his body instinctively shifting toward the end line to block him, instantly losing the initiative by half a body length.

He hurriedly accelerated to chase back!

But Yu Bai seemed to have eyes in the back of his head. At the very moment he was about to break through, he quickly pulled the ball back with the sole of his right foot while coming to a sudden stop!

Because out of the corner of his eye, he had already caught a glimpse of Leicester City's tall center back Robert Huth rushing over from the flank like a tank to cover, blocking the end line route.

Cut inside!

Yu Bai pulled the ball and turned, intending to cut into the middle of the penalty area!

Ritchie De Laet, already stumbling due to the two violent shifts in his center of gravity, saw Yu Bai about to pass him again. In a fit of shame and panic, he could no longer hold back and slid into a tackle!

Toward Yu Bai's path of breakthrough, he swept everything—both the man and the ball!

"Bang!"

"Ah—!!!"

Yu Bai felt his calf struck by a brute force, losing his balance and falling sideways onto the penalty area turf, letting out a painful cry.

"Penalty?!"

"He was tackled! In the penalty area!"

"This ball... it's suspicious of a foul!"

The Tottenham bench and the players on the field exploded instantly, all raising their hands to protest to the referee.

Harry Kane rushed over, pointing at the fallen Yu Bai and the panicked Ritchie De Laet, roaring at Martin Atkinson.

Martin Atkinson quickly ran to the scene, brow furrowed. He hesitated for two seconds, looked at the fallen Yu Bai, then at Ritchie De Laet, who had an "I'm innocent" expression, and the Leicester City players eyeing him nearby. Finally... he spread his hands, signaling no foul, and that play should continue.

"What?!"

Mauricio Pochettino was so angry on the sidelines he almost jumped up.

"Corrupt referee!!"

"You're not calling that?!"

"Martin Atkinson, you ****!"

"If that were Messi, Cristiano Ronaldo, or Hazard, it would be a hundred penalties!"

"Who told you Yu Bai is just a 17-year-old rookie making his debut? (Dog head) On the edge of a borderline call, referees always choose to 'take care' of the young ones. That's the 'tuition' of the Premier League."

"Too real, that stings, bro."

Yu Bai clutched his aching calf and forced himself to stand up. Watching Martin Atkinson's retreating back, his face was filled with disappointment and confusion.

That was definitely a foul; Ritchie De Laet hit me first!

But reason told him that arguing was useless.

This is football, this is the Premier League. Sometimes, the authority of the referee and the subtle art of "balance" can easily stifle your efforts and the opportunities you've created.

73rd minute.

With his eyes red from the intensity, Yu Bai received a pass again near the center line.

This time, he didn't even look for his teammates' positions. Receiving the ball and turning, he pushed it directly forward!

With one step, he passed the still-adjusting Mahrez and began to sprint wildly along the left flank!

"Again?!"

"Mahrez has been dribbled past so much today he's lost his temper."

"Ritchie De Laet: Don't come over here! (Second time)"

Ritchie De Laet was overwhelmed, but he bit the bullet and charged to meet him.

This time, Kante's defensive support was perfect, like an iron gate, blocking the inside-cutting path that Yu Bai was best at in advance, forming a perfect pincer movement with Ritchie De Laet on the left and right.

Yu Bai feigned an inside cut, luring the two to shift their centers of gravity, then hooked the ball with his right foot—a fake shot, real hook! Kante and Ritchie De Laet were both faked out!

Just as Yu Bai hooked past the two and was about to force an overtake on the outside, the mentally broken Ritchie De Laet made the worst choice again—a slide tackle!

This time, the intention was too obvious.

Yu Bai poked the ball away a step earlier, and Ritchie De Laet's foot swept solidly into the ankle of Yu Bai's supporting leg!

"Beep—"

The whistle was sharp.

Martin Atkinson didn't hesitate this time, running quickly to Ritchie De Laet and pulling out a yellow card.

Yu Bai clutched his ankle and stood up, grimacing in pain.

He grimaced, enduring the pain, and trotted to the referee Martin Atkinson. With his hands clasped together and a look on his face unique to a youth—a mix of grievance and sincerity—he said in clear English:

"Mr. Referee, the time in the penalty area earlier was exactly the same as this. He really can't defend against me; apart from fouling, he has no other way."

His tone was almost pleading, his eyes clear, as if he were just stating an obvious fact.

Martin Atkinson pursed his lips, averted his gaze, and did not respond.

Perhaps he had a hint of uncertainty in his heart, but the decision had been made and could not be changed.

If it had been outside the penalty area, he might have called it, but in that split-second moment in the penalty area, he chose "non-intervention."

But these words, heard by Ritchie De Laet standing nearby, were no less than the most vicious mockery and provocation!

Talk about rubbing salt in the wound!

A rush of blood went straight to his head. Ritchie De Laet bent down, picked up the ball in front of him, and smashed it fiercely toward Yu Bai!

"Hey!"

Yu Bai agilely dodged to the side, the ball flying past his shoulder.

He immediately turned around, pointing his finger, and raised his voice: "Mr. Referee! He's attacking me!"