novelraw Chapter 875 - 603: Champions League Final Echoes Through the Millennium Stadium! Is the Football World Order About to Change?
Chapter 875 - 603: Champions League Final Echoes Through the Millennium Stadium! Is the Football World Order About to Change?
June 3, 2017, Wales, Cardiff Millennium Stadium.
The Champions League final has arrived as scheduled!
The teams facing off are Manchester City and Real Madrid.
A week before the match, the media started warming up.
Especially after Manchester City won their second title of the season—the FA Cup, the Blue Moon is now at the final crucial step on their path to a treble!
The traditional left-wing newspaper "The Guardian" was the first to draw its sword.
"In the 1998-1999 season, Manchester United under Ferguson's guidance won the Champions League, the league, and the FA Cup, becoming the first team in Premier League history to achieve the treble."
"Past events are like smoke, 18 years have passed, the Old Sir has retired, and Manchester United is no longer the dominant force in England, they won't even make it to the Champions League next season."
"Fortunately, their city rivals are taking the baton forward, if Manchester City can defeat Real Madrid, they will, 18 years later, take over Manchester United's torch and become the dual masters of the Premier League and Champions League! Also, the second treble winners in Premier League history!"
"Under the backdrop of Brexit, a Premier League team achieving such high accomplishments will have an impact far beyond the realm of football, it will extend to social and cultural fields."
Most Spanish media support Real Madrid.
However, Guardiola is also Spanish, and he has a huge following in the country.
Especially in his hometown of Catalonia, where he is revered as the god of football.
"Guardiola must win, he will create his own history at Manchester City—the first coach in football history to win the treble twice!"
"He will surpass Ferguson, Enrique, Heynckes, Mourinho, and become the first person in football history!"
For Tang Long, this is an invaluable historic moment.
The chief editor of "Sports Weekly", Luo Ming, published the longest editorial of his career on the front page the day before the final, totaling 15,000 words.
The article detailed Tang Long's career at Inter and Manchester City, eloquently narrated, finally ending with a main theme—
"The Champions League final between Manchester City and Real Madrid will greatly affect the structure of the football world."
Luo Ming's sharp pen clearly highlighted his viewpoint, with his words radiating a cold light.
"If Manchester City wins, even if Tang Long loses to C Luo in the Champions League Golden Boot competition, he will definitely win the Golden Ball Award for 2017."
"This will be the first time since its establishment that an Asian player receives this honor."
"Its influence on the football world will be akin to the United States having a black president, or the Catholic Church electing a South American pope."
"We all look forward to Tang Long's performance, we look forward to him standing atop the football world, even if his decade-long career only comes down to this one moment, it will be complete!"
…
…
Whoosh whoosh whoosh!
Three loud blasts as Wales' sports giant—the Millennium Stadium's floodlights instantly lit up, the 75,000 spectators in the stadium erupted with thunderous cheers!
The opening ceremony of the Champions League is over, indicating that the players will officially appear and enter the exhilarating game.
The enormous and towering floodlights made the green grass of Millennium Stadium even more lush, as Tang Long stepped on it, he seemed to hear the sound of juice breaking.
"Is this the Champions League final?"
He looked at the excited fans around him, half dressed in white, half in blue.
The ones in white are Real Madrid fans, the opponents;
The ones in blue are Manchester City fans, the team's most loyal supporters.
White, blue, green, these three colors mixed together, Tang Long looked up at the starry sky, deep as ink, these four colors were so bright and dazzling, making him feel a slight dizziness.
Both teams are lined up to appear.
The prestigious Champions League trophy stands on the podium by the sideline.
As Tang Long passed by, he wanted to touch the trophy, the club's ultimate glory he yearned for day and night.
But ultimately, he resisted, bringing his gaze back.
"Hoo!"
The last in the Real Madrid lineup, C Luo, suddenly leaped, creating a whoosh in the air, drawing the attention of Manchester City players.
Tang Long noted C Luo walking on the field with a faint smile.
He seemed not nervous at all.
The cameras focused on C Luo, on this previous Golden Ball Award winner.
Nine years ago, C Luo at Manchester United had dipped his fingers in the Champions League, past events were like smoke, for him, there's nothing to be nervous about.
But unbeknownst to others, at this moment, the Portuguese's heart surged with waves, his mind racing!
"I want to retain the Champions League, I want to become the history's first in this tournament, tonight!" thought C Luo.
C Luo also glanced, seemingly inadvertently, at Tang Long in Manchester City's lineup.
"Messi couldn't stop me, let alone him, bring it on, haha."
…
Bang bang bang—
Bang bang bang—
Bell accelerated rapidly down the wing, receiving a pass from Kroos, he's already dribbled and sprinted 30 meters!
Wales is Bell's hometown, this is his home court.
Under the cheers of on-site Real Madrid fans, Bell flew like an arrow, his final step crammed with power, forcibly overtaking Kolarov, heading to pass!
In the instant of passing, driven by inertia, Bell flew out of bounds.
The ball headed for the center of the penalty area!
"Mine!"
Manchester City captain Kompany shouted explosively, jumping in place, preparing to clear the incoming ball;
Whoosh!
C Luo said nothing, suddenly moved diagonally to the drop point, jumped to contend for the header with a whoosh!
Tang Long in the penalty area saw this and suddenly felt shocked.
C Luo clearly jumped later than Kompany, and the distance to compete was longer, yet with his monstrous core strength and control of the landing point, he actually beat the Belgian captain to win the first point!
Accompanied by a bang, Kompany's head came up empty, and the ball was headed into the goal by C Luo!
"What a violent header, C Luo's specialty!"
"In the penalty area, he's always the man who jumps the highest!"
"Ten minutes into the game, Real Madrid strikes first, Bell assists, C Luo scores, Real Madrid leads 1-0!"
Tang Long stood with his hands on his hips, the blistering wind howling in Cardiff Millennium Stadium echoed in his ears.
This wind seemed to carry C Luo's "Siu" shout.
"Come on, captain, let's continue!"
Tang Long ran to Kompany, pulling him up.
Kompany panted heavily.
The once bewildered look in his eyes turned determined upon seeing Tang Long.
"Okay, let's continue!"
Manchester City relied on their formidable ball possession strength to bring the game back into their familiar rhythm.
Gundogan, Diego, Ranocchia, these are the current strongest ball-controlling trio in all of Europe.
32-year-old Messi watched this match in front of the TV.
His eyes began to blur, his body shivered slightly.
For a moment, his thoughts returned to the 2008-2009 season in Barcelona.
Back then, the midfield trio was Harvey, 29, no less effective, Iniesta, 25, in his prime, and 21-year-old Busquets shed his initial rawness, becoming an indispensable filter in the tiki-taka possession tactics.
"He got it!"
As Messi's body suddenly sat upright, Gundogan's through ball hit its mark simultaneously.
Although the camera hadn't yet switched to the ball's trajectory, Messi already knew that someone must have passed through behind Ramos and Carvajal.
[Ramos is about to lose position, watch the gap between center and full-back!]
The thought flickered in his mind, but his body started moving faster than the thought, Tang Long was already racing away.
"Tang Long!"
"Tang Long received Gundogan's through ball!"
"Real Madrid's defense is instantly breached!"
"Ramos is chasing back, tangling lightly with Tang Long from behind!"
"Can't catch him, in a few steps Tang Long shakes him off!"
"Cuts into the penalty area!"
"Tang Long shoots!!!"
"The ball slipped through Navas's armpit, it's in!"
As soon as the football firmly hit the back of the net, a primal force surged from Tang Long's body, his brain buzzed, and his blood ignited as it surged.
He charged toward the stands, jumped high, and punched fiercely into the Cardiff night sky.
As night fell, the shrill wind swept through, and the sound of the boiling blood in his veins emitted fizz sounds…
(Another chapter is expected to be released around 1 AM)