Chapter 275: The Last Champion of the Big Five Leagues - Champions League!
Wembley Stadium, the first half has come to an end.
Manchester City leads Hull City 3-0 for now.
The third goal came in the 37th minute of the first half, a long shot by Yaya Toure further expanding their lead.
During halftime, Manchester City's players returned to the locker room with smiles on their faces. Their lead was substantial, and the opponent's strength was far below theirs.
As long as they don't start celebrating prematurely, this game should be in the bag.
"Have you guys received the national team's training camp notice?"
With the World Cup approaching, the players' discussions in the locker room began to revolve more around the upcoming World Cup.
"Yes, we've received it. I don't think anyone in our team hasn't received it?"
"Heh, the main players should all be called up by the national team, but for the substitutes, it's hard to say. For some of the top contenders, their national teams aren't that easy to get into!"
Manchester City has several Spanish players, and Spain boasts numerous top stars.
This makes it extremely difficult to make the final 23-man squad. Players like Harvey Garcia, Negredo, Navas, etc., are likely to miss out.
"Enough about that. Let's talk. Which national team do you think will win?"
Captain Kompany noticed the disappointment of those who didn't make it, so he quickly changed the subject to something everyone would be interested in.
"Heh, I'm rooting for the Three Lions!"
As a British man, Milner naturally supported his homeland without hesitation.
"Forget about the England team. With this lineup, they look average at best!"
Other teammates expressed disdain for Milner's words. The England squad's 23-man roster has already been announced.
Compared to top teams like Spain, many of the players selected for the England national team come from ordinary clubs in the Premier League. Just their market value alone can't be compared to the elite teams.
"What about Germany? I feel Germany is strong this year!"
It wasn't Kroos who spoke; he's generally quieter in the locker room.
"They are strong, and their squad is relatively young. Germany's draw was also good. Barring any surprises, they should reach the semi-finals. As for winning the championship, it's hard to say; it depends on luck!"
"Heh, have you all forgotten about the European Red Devils, Belgium? Belgium is our first-tier team in Europe!"
"Haha, Belgium has a decent squad, but that 'first tier' status, let's not take it seriously!"
In the 2014 World Cup, there were eight seeded teams, four from Europe and four from South America.
The four seeded South American teams were justified—Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, and Colombia. They were indeed the strongest teams.
But as for the four European teams—whether they deserve the top-tier status is debatable.
No one objected to Spain and Germany being in the top tier naturally. One is the defending champion, and the other reached the semi-finals last time, with recent performances being commendable. They are the favorites to win this World Cup.
However, regarding the other two teams—Belgium and Switzerland—there were strong opinions.
France and Italy were relegated to the third or even fourth tier, which made people scoff at this World Cup's rankings.
Can Belgium and Switzerland really surpass France and Italy?
Belgium has a strong squad with players like Courtois, Kompany, De Bruyne, Fellaini, Dembele, Hazard, and Lukaku.
But most of them are still young, and relying on them to dominate might have to wait for the future.
Moreover, they lack the historical record of winning championships. In the last World Cup in South Africa, they didn't even make it through the qualifiers, so their pedigree is far behind that of Italy and France.
"The South American teams look strong this year, especially since they are playing at home. They might snatch the championship!"
After evaluating the strong European teams, everyone then discussed the South American powerhouses.
Throughout the discussion, one team, which is like the elephant in the room, was deliberately or inadvertently ignored by everyone. It was never mentioned throughout.
Lin Quan listened to everyone's discussion with a sense of amusement.
They're not discussing Spain, huh?
It seems that Spain's dominance in recent years has left a deep impression on everyone, subconsciously causing them to have a fear of Spain.
The fifteen-minute halftime quickly passed, and both sides resumed the battle in the second half.
Pellegrini didn't make any tactical adjustments during halftime but reminded the players to watch their actions on the field to avoid injuries.
In a week, they would compete for the Champions League title against Atletico Madrid at the Estadio da Luz in Lisbon. At this moment, they couldn't afford any injuries that might haunt them for a lifetime.
The game's situation was similar to the first half. Manchester City firmly held the initiative on the field, slowly suffocating their opponents like boiling a frog in warm water.
Hull City played extremely passively, unable to create effective attacks and prone to Manchester City's counterattacks.
Their defense was also exhausted, unable to keep up with Manchester City's fast-paced game.
This kind of game made them feel despair and suffocation.
At Camp Nou, Barcelona's fans also felt suffocated.
In the 49th minute, Atletico Madrid tenaciously equalized the score, freezing the smiles that had lasted for just over thirty minutes on Barcelona's faces.
The score being tied meant that the three points and the championship trophy that Barcelona had within their grasp were slipping away!
At the moment of the goal, Camp Nou fell into silence. Barcelona's fans were filled with shock and disbelief, apparently unable to accept such an outcome.
On the sidelines, Martino was completely panicked.
He hurriedly made successive substitutions within a short period, trying to regain their lead.
However, Simeone's Atletico Madrid stood like an impregnable wall, stubbornly blocking their way, causing them to crash and bleed but never getting what they wanted.
Messi also seemed anxious. Rarely taking on defensive duties, he even committed a foul and received a yellow card.
Messi's renewed activity gave Barcelona's fans at Camp Nou hope.
He is a player who has created countless miracles in the past, and they unconditionally believe in Messi, firmly believing that he can lead the team to victory!
"Messi!"
"Messi!"
Barcelona's fans chanted Messi's name loudly, seeming to pour all their hopes into him.
Messi felt immense pressure. He played aggressively, tirelessly passing, receiving, running, and dribbling in the frontcourt.
But Atletico Madrid's defense was too strong. Even Messi, as strong as he is, could only return empty-handed time after time.
The game's time continued to tick away, and the situation on the field still didn't favor Barcelona.
Their desperate attacks couldn't break the deadlock, and instead, they were countered several times by the opponents, creating numerous threatening attacks.
As a result, defensive players like Pique, Busquets, Mascherano, had to resort to tactical fouls to stop them.
And they received the deserved punishment, with the referee showing them yellow cards.
In the 77th minute, Martino glanced at the bench and made the final substitution of the game.
He brought on the 34-year-old veteran Xavi, replacing Fabregas.
Fabregas walked off the field with a dejected expression, seemingly forgetting even to shake hands with Xavi.
He originally chose to heed Barcelona's call, returning to fight for the Blaugrana not only because La Masia ran through his veins but also because that Barcelona team from back then was dominant in Europe.
He captained Arsenal, but Arsenal went trophyless every year, and there were no significant moves in terms of transfers, which made Fabregas feel staying at Arsenal had no future.
When he chose to join Barcelona, they won the Champions League twice in three years, once dubbed as the best team in the universe, his professional prospects leading Arsenal by countless strides!
However, the good times didn't last long; shortly after his arrival, turmoil caused by changes in the upper management led to the departure of the esteemed coach Guardiola.
Guardiola's departure left Vilanova as the perfect successor, but fate had its twists; he had to step down due to illness.
In three years, Barcelona changed three head coaches.
Naturally, the team's performance suffered greatly. In those three years, he only helped the team win a league title and a Copa del Rey, a far cry from before.
This Barcelona team was just as hopeless as the Arsenal he left behind.
Should he continue to stay at Barcelona and fight for the Blaugrana?
The faith in Xavi's heart began to waver; the strong impulse to fight for Barcelona had been worn down by time.
He looked back at his teammates on the field, at the familiar Camp Nou.
At this moment, Fabregas made a decision: he would leave Barcelona after the World Cup!
Xavi and the other Barcelona players were unaware of Fabregas' decision just made. When he came on, he put all his energy into the attack.
As a 34-year-old veteran, Xavi knew well that his days at Barcelona were numbered.
Before leaving, he hoped to win more honors for the team.
And here at Camp Nou, any Barcelona player must swear to defend its dignity to the death!
He absolutely would not allow Atletico Madrid to lift the trophy at Camp Nou!
Xavi's stamina wasn't enough to support him for a full match, but being substituted in the 77th minute meant dealing with less than 30 minutes of play; for Xavi, stamina was not a problem at all.
The return of the old partner eased the burden on Iniesta and Messi.
With Xavi there, they could play more comfortably.
Affected by this, Barcelona gradually improved in their attacks; their offensive threats increasingly troubled Atletico Madrid's goal.
On the sideline, Simeone narrowed his eyes slightly.
As a former defensive midfielder turned coach, he admired Xavi.
To perform like this at his age is truly commendable, and his entire career has been dedicated to one team, a spirit of one man, one city that he greatly admires.
However, this is a professional arena, a decisive battle for the La Liga championship.
He admires Xavi again, but he cannot afford any mercy.
Thinking of this, Simeone quickly made personnel adjustments, specifically assigning someone to mark and limit Xavi.
This adjustment quickly paid off; with Boateng coming on, he didn't need to do much; just stick to Xavi.
As Xavi aged, his physical confrontation and ability to escape defenses declined.
Under Boateng's disruption, Xavi found it increasingly difficult to perform.
And with Xavi, the card dealer, missing, Barcelona's hard-won improvement in their attacks quickly dissipated.
In the end, the match ended with Barcelona, playing at home, sadly losing to Atletico Madrid in a comeback, handing over the championship trophy.
Atletico Madrid's players, at the sound of the final whistle, went wild celebrating at Camp Nou.
This was their first league championship in eighteen years, and coincidentally, the last person to help Atletico Madrid win the trophy after a 19-year gap was standing on the sidelines, Simeone.
Simeone, this young coach who had just started coaching, proved his coaching ability at Atletico Madrid.
And from this moment on, La Liga shifted from the dominance of Real Madrid and Barcelona to a three-way rivalry among Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, and Barcelona.
And his Atletico Madrid, in the top five leagues, gradually rose to become a top team that no one dared to ignore.
Now, in front of them, there is only one final match left—the Champions League final!
If Simeone's Atletico Madrid can win this match, they will become legends of Europe!
...
Almost simultaneously with the whistle at Camp Nou, the halftime whistle at Wembley Stadium also sounded.
The score on the big screen froze at 6-0!
No doubt, this was a massacre, and a massacre in the final.
This is the biggest final score difference in the history of the FA Cup, equaling the record set in the 1902-03 match between Bury and Derby County, which also ended 6-0.
Watching this despairing scoreline, Hull City's players were all crestfallen. They tried almost every effort but all failed.
This scoreline truly reflects the strength of both sides, and they accept their defeat gracefully.
As the halftime whistle blew, Manchester City's players rushed onto the field, celebrating together.
This is their third trophy of the season in the Premier League, second only to the league championship trophy in prestige.
Wembley's stands have turned into a sea of blue, and the Queen's "We Are the Champions" echoed through the skies.
The awards stage was quickly set up, with officials from the FA and Prince William personally coming to present medals and the trophy to the victorious Manchester City players.
"Lin, your performance was fantastic, I'm your fan!"
When awarding Lin Quan, Prince William smiled and said to him.
"Thank you for your praise. Since you're my fan, how about I give you an autograph?"
"Oh? Sure, but I don't have paper and pen!"
Before Prince William could finish, he saw Lin Quan bringing over the match ball with which he had completed his hat-trick, swiftly signing his name on it, and then handing it over.
"I wonder if Your Royal Highness is satisfied with this signature?"
Prince William was stunned for a moment, then laughed, "Of course I am. Thank you, Lin. I'd like to invite you for a meal sometime, I hope you won't refuse!"
Lin Quan had scored a hat-trick in the final, and he could take this football home. However, he gave the ball to Prince William, making him feel the weight of this gift.
Naturally, Lin Quan would not refuse Prince William's gesture of goodwill.
Having already won three trophies, Manchester City's players celebrated in a more restrained manner.
Their thoughts were already focused on the Champions League trophy!
Only by winning that trophy would they truly deserve a grand celebration!
(End of this chapter)
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