Chapter 473: You Can Always Trust Lin!
There's a saying that when someone is down on their luck, even drinking cold water can make them choke. Just as Manchester City was worrying about their congested schedule at the end of February, their opponent for the fifth round of the FA Cup was revealed: Chelsea.
Chelsea's league performance this season had been abysmal, with their title hopes long gone, so they had shifted their focus to the cup competitions. Having been eliminated early from the League Cup, the FA Cup was their only remaining domestic silverware opportunity. A month ago, City wouldn't have worried about facing Chelsea, but at this point, it was not good news for them.
Perhaps to demonstrate their determination to win and discourage Manchester City, Chelsea's coach Hiddink announced their starting lineup well before the match. Every player in this lineup was a regular starter for Chelsea. To beat such a strong Chelsea side, City would have to field their best players.
Guardiola didn't want to abandon the FA Cup, given its prestige compared to the League Cup. The match was scheduled for February 21, four days before their next game, providing enough time for recovery. So, apart from injured players, Guardiola took all available first-team regulars to Stamford Bridge.
At Stamford Bridge, Manchester City and Chelsea fought a hard battle. The match was full of twists and turns, making the fans feel like they were on a rollercoaster. Perhaps thinking City's form had dipped, Chelsea launched a fierce attack right from the start, using their home advantage. Hazard, Diego Costa, Oscar, and Willian were all very active. In midfield, Matić and Fàbregas frequently joined the attack, and Chelsea's multi-pronged offensive paid off, with Costa scoring from a Hazard assist just seven minutes in.
Five minutes later, Hazard again set up a goal from a similar position, this time for Willian. Within 15 minutes, Chelsea were two goals up, turning Stamford Bridge into a sea of celebration. The noise level was so high that the coaches' instructions were drowned out.
Chelsea's goals seemed to wake City up. Lin took the lead in launching a counterattack. In the 15th minute, after a quick break following a midfield interception, De Bruyne threaded a through ball to Lin. Lin moved diagonally, creating space for Agüero and drawing away a defender before passing into the box. Agüero cleverly reversed his run to receive the ball, but Courtois reacted quickly, closing down the angle. Agüero unselfishly passed across to the oncoming Lin, who easily slotted into the empty net, pulling one back for City.
In the 23rd minute, City won a corner. Lin's delivery found Van Dijk, whose header hit the post. The rebound fell to Kroos, who unleashed a powerful shot from outside the box. Despite Courtois' valiant dive, the ball rocketed into the net.
In just 11 minutes, City had leveled the score. Kroos' goal silenced the jubilant Stamford Bridge. Chelsea fans were stunned, cursing their defense for squandering a two-goal lead so quickly.
City fans, who had traveled to support their team, erupted in applause and cheers. Just ten minutes earlier, they were worried by Chelsea's early goals, but Lin's timely intervention reassured them. "City cannot be without Lin, just as the West cannot lose Jerusalem!" "This is what a clutch player looks like!" "You can always trust King Lin!"
City fans' early celebrations might have been premature, as the first half wasn't over yet. Despite the early flurry of goals, neither team could score again before halftime. In stoppage time, Oscar was brought down in the box, and the referee awarded a penalty. Chelsea fans thought they would lead into halftime, but Oscar's penalty was saved by Navas, who roared in triumph, lifting City's spirits. Oscar was left in disbelief, clutching his head, unable to comprehend the save.
This save seemed to break Chelsea's spirit. In the second half, their attacks lacked the sharpness of the first half. Meanwhile, City, having regrouped during halftime, regained full control. They steadily dictated the game's pace and used their familiar attacking patterns to challenge Chelsea.
In the 67th minute, Lin's free-kick delivery found City captain Kompany, who outjumped Chelsea's captain Terry to head home the decisive goal. This was the last goal of the match, sealing City's victory.
After a grueling battle, Manchester City defeated Chelsea 3-2 to advance to the next round. Although the team won, Guardiola's expression was grim. In the 65th minute of the second half, just as he was about to make a substitution, Agüero got injured. Seeing Agüero clutching his knee in pain, Guardiola knew it wasn't good.
Agüero's injuries had been a recurring issue, affecting his ankles and knees, both critical areas for a player. This latest injury's recovery time was uncertain. As City's main striker, his absence would impact the team's lineup and strength. Fortunately, Guardiola had strengthened the squad during the winter break, but it remained to be seen if the new signings could fill Agüero's void.
With David Silva also injured, City had several key players out. Thankfully, their core player, Lin, had remained healthy, which was a relief for Guardiola. He couldn't imagine what would happen if Lin got injured too.
While City's fans were downcast, Chelsea's fans were heartbroken. Not only had they lost the league title, but now their cup dreams were dashed as well. With their league position dropping out of the top ten, even a Europa League spot seemed unlikely. These frustrations made Chelsea fans hold a grudge against City.
Since City's rise, Chelsea's fortunes had dwindled. This season's dramatic decline worried many that they might never recover. Amidst the fans' concerns, owner Abramovich reassured them by publicly stating his continued support for the team. His commitment gave the fans hope that Chelsea would eventually rise again.
"Abrahamovich is such a good owner!"
"True, despite his temper and tendency to fire coaches, he's been great for Chelsea!"
Chelsea fans had mixed feelings about Abramovich. Initially, they resisted the Russian oligarch, but over the years, his substantial investments transformed Chelsea from an ordinary team into a Premier League powerhouse, winning several league titles and a Champions League. Abramovich often attended matches, mingling with fans. After more than a decade, more fans accepted him, and they might even miss him if he ever left Chelsea.
After defeating Chelsea away, leaving the injured Agüero to recover at the club, Guardiola and the team flew from Heathrow Airport to Kyiv. Four days later, they would face Dynamo Kyiv in the Champions League knockout stage.
"Ahchoo!"
"So cold!"
Late February in Kyiv was still freezing, with outdoor temperatures below zero. The players felt the chill as soon as they disembarked from the plane. Compared to the relatively mild winters in Manchester, Kyiv's sub-zero temperatures were a stark contrast.
The North Atlantic Current keeps Manchester's winters relatively mild, rarely dipping below zero, but Eastern Europe's winters are cold and long. City had previously been grouped with Russian teams in the Champions League. Traveling to Russia in December could mean temperatures dropping to minus ten degrees or lower, sometimes even snow during matches. The long journey and extreme cold made away matches in Russia particularly grueling. Many teams, to avoid fatigue and reduce injury risk, often sent reserve players for such away games if they had a significant lead in the group stages. Russian teams performed well at home, leveraging their climate and rested players, often advancing to the knockout stages each year.
Including Russia in UEFA might be understandable, but Kazakhstan's inclusion was baffling, especially with their distant location. Teams had to travel over 10,000 kilometers round trip for matches against Kazakh teams. However, Kazakh teams were generally weak, posing little threat, making these matches almost guaranteed six points despite the travel.
Dynamo Kyiv's fans were clearly unwelcoming, holding banners and making gestures at City's players, shouting insults in a language the players couldn't understand. City's players were accustomed to such hostility. Dynamo Kyiv's only hope of advancing was to win at home. If they couldn't capitalize on their home advantage, their chances at City's home ground were slim. Their fans would use every means to unsettle City.
As expected, on the night City arrived, Kyiv's fans banged drums and set off fireworks outside the hotel, disrupting City's sleep. Many players had dark circles and looked weary the next morning.
"Morning training is canceled. Those who didn't rest well can go back to sleep; others can stay active around the hotel," Guardiola announced, seeing the players' fatigue. They had flown immediately after their match, arriving in Kyiv around midnight, and the fans' disturbance had left everyone, including Guardiola, sleep-deprived.
Guardiola worried if the fans would disrupt them again that night. If they did this every night, it would be a major problem.
(End of Chapter)
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