Chapter 283: The Impact of Manchester City's Victory and Investment from the East!
At the final whistle, Atletico's players either sat or lay on the pitch in despair, with some even kneeling and covering their faces in tears.
With teams like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern Munich already eliminated, this was Atletico's best chance at winning the Champions League.
Before the final, Atletico's formidable defense had only conceded 4 goals in 10 matches, the fewest of any team in this season's Champions League.
However, Atletico's proud defense fell apart under Manchester City's fierce attack.
Despite their enormous effort to contain and defend against Lin Quan, he still managed to score a goal and provide an assist.
This left Atletico's players feeling deeply defeated, as if they were battling aliens!
How could they possibly win against such an opponent?
On the sidelines, Simeone's eyes were red.
After trying so hard, they still fell short on the final stage.
He took a deep breath, rubbed his nose, and walked over to Manchester City's bench to hug Pellegrini: "Congratulations, Manuel. Your team performed better today and deserved this trophy!"
"Thank you. Your team was excellent too. If not for some bad luck, the outcome might have been different!"
Pellegrini referred to Atletico's main striker, Diego Costa, being injured and subbed out after just 9 minutes.
If Costa hadn't been injured, the game might have had a different result.
Simeone didn't dwell on this topic. He nodded and walked onto the pitch to console his heartbroken players.
Though his mind went blank right after the match, he soon realized that failure is a part of life.
Maybe this is just life! Failure isn't the end of the world; they will have another chance to come back stronger.
Atletico's squad is still young, and they've achieved significant results on various fronts this year, attracting more sponsorship and commercial revenue.
This will help them recruit better players. Next season, Atletico will be even stronger! Simeone glanced at the jubilant Manchester City players on the other side of the field, silently vowing: One day, we will get our revenge on you!
The Manchester City players were too caught up in their celebration to notice anything else. As soon as the whistle blew, they ran wildly around the pitch.
The staff and substitutes rushed onto the field to join the players in their ecstatic celebration.
This was the first Champions League title in the club's history! By winning this most prestigious trophy, Manchester City achieved an incredible treble this season, becoming the seventh European club to do so.
If the League Cup is included, they won four trophies this season! Considering the Community Shield, UEFA Super Cup, and Club World Cup are still up for grabs, Manchester City even has a chance to achieve a septuple!
Before winning the Champions League, Manchester City might have been seen as upstarts without a rich history.
But now, with two Premier League titles and a Champions League trophy, they seem qualified to become a new powerhouse.
From now on, other fans can no longer mock Manchester City for having no trophies! In fact, the Premier League's "Big Four" might now become the "Big Five."
While Manchester City still lacks the history of teams like Manchester United and Liverpool, they are a rising force with a younger, well-balanced squad and more transfer funds.
With Lin Quan as a core player, Manchester City doesn't need to worry about their squad for a long time.
In the coming years, Manchester City will not only continue to dominate the league but also aim to defend their Champions League title, something no team has done before!
Moreover, on the broader stage of the top five European leagues.
Manchester City's victory signals the Premier League's resurgence after a brief period of decline.
Premier League fans regained their lost honor and pride. As long as Manchester City's squad remains stable, they will be one of the favorites for next season's Champions League.
Therefore, not only was there jubilation at the Champions League final, but the moment Manchester City won, Premier League fans around the world also erupted in celebration! "Manchester City rocks! Another trophy for the Premier League!"
"With this win, the Premier League has now won 12 Champions League titles, tying with Serie A!"
"Which league has the most Champions League titles?"
"La Liga, with 13 titles: 9 for Real Madrid and 4 for Barcelona. We're just one away from catching up!"
Although just one trophy short, it won't be easy to take the title from the strong La Liga teams.
While Premier League fans were excited, Manchester City fans were overwhelmed with joy, almost unable to believe their team had won the Champions League! "Guys, am I dreaming? Did we really win? Champions of Europe?"
"Yes, you're dreaming. I've had this dream for decades, but today it feels incredibly real!"
"Haha, if this is a dream, I hope it happens every year!"
"Long live Lin! Long live Pellegrini! Long live Manchester City!"
After celebrating on the field, the Manchester City players continued their festivities in the locker room.
Some substitutes popped champagne, spraying it on anyone who walked in. Lin Quan and De Bruyne, the heroes of the match, were drenched in champagne by their teammates.
Even coach Pellegrini wasn't spared and had to change into a jersey to accept the trophy.
By the time Manchester City's players had showered and changed, the awards stage was set up on the pitch.
UEFA President Platini personally presented the awards to the Manchester City players.
Platini's rule changes, particularly those reducing fouls, greatly benefited teams like Barcelona with their passing game.
This led to speculation about Platini's close ties with Barcelona and their star player Messi, affecting his reputation. He had both supporters and detractors in the football world.
Lin Quan didn't have strong feelings about Platini, recognizing that limiting fouls and reducing player injuries were necessary for the sport's development.
This trend is evident in basketball too, where the NBA's strict foul rules go even further.
In the age of social media, the negative impact of severe fouls is significant, harming the sport's image and growth.
Superstars also have more influence now, bringing substantial publicity and economic benefits to professional football.
Therefore, UEFA and FIFA's policies to protect star players are an inevitable trend.
Moreover, these reforms enhance the sport's entertainment value and extend players' careers.
In recent years, the number of players over thirty in the top leagues has increased, benefitting from Platini's changes.
In the previous league environment, they would have faced more injuries and wouldn't have maintained such form into their thirties.
Especially for technical players, Barcelona's passing game might not have existed under the old rules.
"Lin, you're an amazing player. I look forward to seeing more of your brilliance on the field!"
Platini had a great fondness for Lin Quan, being a former midfielder himself, he had a special appreciation for technical players.
Based on his playing experience, he could tell at a glance the enormous gap between players like Lin Quan and Messi compared to ordinary players. The difference was as vast as the clouds and the mud!
Therefore, when awarding the medal to Lin Quan, he warmly held his arm and chatted with him for a while.
Since the other person was so friendly, Lin Quan didn't want to be rude, so he chatted back with Platini for a bit.
Seeing this, Mourinho and Ronaldo in the box had serious expressions.
Platini had publicly stated that players like Messi should be protected from injuries.
Now, seeing how close he was to Lin Quan, were they going to give Lin Quan special treatment too?
If that was the case, it wouldn't be good news for Chelsea and Real Madrid.
Mourinho then asked, "What are Platini's chances in the UEFA elections next year?"
Mendes nodded, "Very high, almost certain!"
Hearing this, Mourinho frowned.
The UEFA president's term is four years, and if Platini is re-elected next year, he will serve until at least 2019!
Seeing Mourinho's concern, Mendes added, "But there are some rumors about Platini being involved in financial irregularities. Some people unhappy with him are trying to use this against him. So, even if he gets re-elected, he might not complete his term."
Mourinho nodded, reassured by Mendes' connections in the football world.
...
After the trophy ceremony, Lin Quan walked to the sidelines to hug and celebrate with Guardiola, Serra, and other family members.
"Congratulations! When I was your age, I hadn't even had the chance to play, let alone lead a team to win the Champions League!" Guardiola said with emotion. He debuted at Barcelona almost at 20 and was a substitute for a few years before becoming a regular at 22.
Compared to him, Lin Quan's career had been much smoother.
Lin Quan smiled, "If you hadn't waited at Barcelona and had gone on loan like I did, with your ability, you would have become a regular much sooner."
Guardiola had to agree, nodding while rubbing his bald head, feeling less disappointed.
"Brother, can I take a picture of you with the trophy?" Maria, eager to share her joy with her followers, asked. She knew they were following her because of Lin Quan.
"Sure. Marius, Valentina, do you want to join too?"
"Yes, I'd like a picture with you and an autograph, please!" Marius, like a devoted fan, had stars in his eyes.
Valentina, on the other hand, just wanted to play with the ball on the field.
"Let's go!"
Lin Quan picked up Valentina, placed her on the grass, and got a ball for her to play with.
Maria, acting as the photographer, took several professional-looking pictures of Lin Quan. She even asked a staff member to take a family photo.
Unsurprisingly, once the photo was posted online, it received numerous positive comments.
Man City's big boss, Mansour, was also present and felt ecstatic when the team won.
For Mansour and his Middle Eastern consortium, Man City's Champions League victory was crucial!
Since spending £180 million to buy Man City in September 2008, Mansour had invested over £1 billion in the club.
If they didn't produce results, he would always be labeled as a foolish spender.
Although he didn't mind spending money, he preferred to shed that negative label.
This season, Man City's breakthrough fulfilled his wish, proving the value of his investment.
Mansour felt his money was well spent: in just over five years, £1 billion had bought a Champions League trophy, two Premier League titles, and a powerful team with limitless potential!
Investing in Man City also showcased the strength of the Middle Eastern consortium, significantly boosting their reputation and influence.
The investment was definitely worthwhile, especially compared to Paris Saint-Germain and even Chelsea.
Mansour had established the City Football Group last year to build his football empire. Man City's success was a great encouragement for this ambitious project.
It proved that the commercial logic of investing in football was sound. Though it required substantial spending initially, once Man City's youth system and club operations were on track, spending would become more reasonable, eventually leading to profits.
With this in mind, Mansour planned to expand his investment.
Currently, the City Football Group owned four teams: besides Man City, there were New York City FC in the MLS, Melbourne City FC in the A-League, and Yokohama F. Marinos in Japan's J-League.
Seeing the rapid growth and potential of the Chinese Super League, Mansour was tempted to invest there.
The massive potential of the Eastern market and the rapid development of football presented huge business opportunities.
Should he invest in a club there to expand the City Football Group's footprint?
Just as he was contemplating this, he received a call from his secretary.
"Boss, several investment companies from the East are interested in buying shares in our City Football Group!"
"Oh? Which companies, and how sincere are they?"
Mansour, in a good mood, listened eagerly. The City Football Group was currently wholly owned by the Middle Eastern consortium.
However, to expand their global influence, they needed local investments.
Having many local friends would make things easier.
"Mainly the China Media Capital Fund and CITIC Group. They are willing to invest at least $400 million to buy a 10% stake."
In recent years, Eastern companies had been venturing abroad, expanding their business empires.
Investing in football and buying clubs had become a trend, led by the boss of Wanda.
Compared to Wanda investing in a team like Atletico Madrid, investing in the new Champions League winners seemed much wiser.
"Set up a meeting. We can talk."
(Chapter ends)
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