When the UEFA Champions League final four was decided, a scene never before seen in European football history unfolded before the world!
The Champions League Final Four:
England, Millwall.Spain, Real Madrid.Spain, Barcelona.Spain, Valencia.
Three of the four semifinalists hail from the same league!
This marked a historic moment in European football at the dawn of the new millennium.
This is the first time in history. Even though the scale of the Champions League has been expanding in recent years, it is extremely rare for three teams from the same league to advance to such a level.
Spanish media celebrated with delight, reveling in their league's unprecedented success.
On the other side, Fleet Street threw its weight behind Millwall, hailing their incredible run through the blockade of La Liga's "Big Three."
Millwall now faced their biggest challenge yet in the semifinals: Real Madrid!
This was yet another opponent with a history of rivalry with Millwall. Two years ago, in the final, it was these two teams that played out a European showdown, with Millwall triumphing in a penalty shootout to claim their first-ever Champions League trophy.
In the semi-finals, Millwall was still the visiting team first, having to travel to the Bernabéu to face Real Madrid.
Aldrich's work was proceeding step by step, and at this critical moment of the season, staying calm and collected was the top priority.
On the weekend, Aldrich led his team to host their bitter rivals, Chelsea.
Chelsea had had a strong start to the season but had faltered as the year went on. Their only highlight in the league was a 5-0 thrashing of a weakened Manchester United in the first half of the season. In their earlier encounter with Millwall, they had already suffered three consecutive losses, and after Millwall handed them a fourth, their season went downhill. By the end of the first half of the season, they had only won one more match, collapsing to a disastrous conclusion. Therefore, Vialli shifted focus to the cup competitions, where Chelsea had reached the semi-finals of the FA Cup and the UEFA Cup, alongside Arsenal in the same stage, with a London derby looming in the semi-final.
In the league, however, Chelsea's form had slipped. After a poor first half of the season, they had been fluctuating in the mid-to-upper range of the table. Now, as the season entered its final sprint, they were sitting in sixth place, two positions behind the Champions League spots for the following season.
At this stage, despite Chelsea's internal turmoil, the entire team had settled down. Any conflicts were being temporarily hidden, and the anger simmered down. Everything would be dealt with after the season ended in a month.
Chelsea clearly lacked the stamina to keep going, especially with the multiple competitions they were juggling. They had played nearly as many matches as Millwall, but by this point, Millwall's physical advantage was clear on the field.
After all, Millwall had a deep squad, with key players rested during the FA Cup matches and only minor pressure on their league performance. In contrast, Chelsea was forced to fight in every match, leaving them drained for the season's final stretch. The difference was even more evident when they traveled to Millwall for the league match.
Vialli stood helpless on the sidelines, while Millwall remained calm and collected, securing a 3-0 victory just like in their previous encounter in the first half of the season.
The goals came from Henry, Ronaldinho, and Pirlo.
At the final whistle, Aldrich waved to the fans in the stands, applauding them. For Millwall, every match at The Den felt like a potential farewell to familiar faces in familiar places, even if they didn't know them personally. A subtle sadness lingered in his heart.
This was a situation shaped by the club's long-standing history. Many loyal fans, while not overly passionate, considered coming to the matches an essential part of their lives. They didn't engage in passionate celebrations, nor were they involved in the fanbase's off-field controversies. They simply held season tickets, attending every home match, sitting in the same seat, watching the game, clapping for the team, and quietly grieving in defeat.
As for Chelsea's fate this season, it was of no concern to Aldrich. After shaking hands with Vialli post-match, he turned and left.
Millwall fans, meanwhile, no longer cared about Chelsea. They were more frustrated by another team: Manchester United.
Damn Manchester United had won too.
With five Premier League matches remaining, Millwall led Manchester United by 12 points. It seemed Manchester United was intent on delaying Millwall's title win.
Aldrich, however, felt content with this situation. Delaying the title by a day would only benefit the team.
As the major European leagues reached their climaxes, the battles grew fiercer. In Serie A, the spotlight was on Lazio and Juventus, while La Liga was a chaotic free-for-all with up to six teams still vying for the title: Deportivo La Coruña, Barcelona, Valencia, Zaragoza, and Real Madrid, all locked in a brutal struggle. Meanwhile, in the Premier League, Millwall stood unchallenged, dominating with no suspense.
The eyes of European football were fixed on Spain.
Here, not only had the league competition reached a fever pitch, but the UEFA Champions League semifinals were also set to kick off in Spain.
Millwall's preparations were meticulous. Boas presented a 30-page dossier analyzing their opponents, seemingly stripping Real Madrid down to its bare essence in theory. Meanwhile, Jansen and Klinsmann assessed the players' form through careful observation in training. However, there was one piece of bad news: Larsson might miss the first leg of the Champions League semifinal.
Despite being labeled as under siege by La Liga's three powerhouses, Millwall was still the top favorite for the title according to odds.
At the pre-match press conference, Aldrich humbly expressed his respect for Real Madrid's attacking prowess.
The scenic beauty of Spain greeted the Millwall squad as they arrived in Madrid. Their destination: the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium.
Situated in the bustling financial district, the Bernabéu is not only a temple of football but also one of Spain's most iconic landmarks.
On the way to Spain, Aldrich sat beside Boas. The latter seemed troubled, worry written all over his face.
Boas's concern stemmed from the pre-match preparation meeting, where Aldrich had largely ignored his tactical analysis report.
It wasn't that Aldrich dismissed his work. He had thoroughly read the 30-page report—twice, in fact—and even praised Boas for his efficiency. But when it came to finalizing the tactical approach and lineup for the first leg against Real Madrid, Boas couldn't help but notice that Aldrich had overlooked—or outright dismissed—several critical points from the report.
"Is it because we've beaten Real Madrid before, Aldrich, that you..." Boas hesitated mid-sentence, reluctant to finish his thought.
After all, the man sitting beside him wasn't just a colleague but also his boss. Voicing concerns was one thing; challenging the boss's authority was a surefire way to jeopardize his position.
His unspoken worry was that Aldrich had grown arrogant, blinded by past victories, and now underestimated Real Madrid. This, however, was not the same team they had faced two years ago; both tactically and in formation, Real Madrid had undergone significant transformations.
"You think I'm underestimating Real Madrid, don't you?" Aldrich said with a smile, completing the unfinished question.
Boas hesitated briefly before nodding.
"Vilas, your work is excellent. The tactical suggestions in your report are commendable."
"Then why..."
"Let me finish. In normal circumstances, for instance, if you had analyzed Valencia or Inter Milan, this would be a flawless report. But you analyzed Real Madrid, and that's where the report faltered—it missed a key starting point. Because of this fundamental flaw, I can't adopt it."
Boas was visibly taken aback. "What kind of flaw?"
"You didn't factor in Real Madrid's history, nor did you account for their pride. Do you truly understand Real Madrid?"
"I'd imagine almost everyone knows about Real Madrid, don't they?"
Aldrich chuckled and shook his head. "In reality, over 90% of football fans, especially those outside Spain, only see Real Madrid as one of many elite clubs—on par with Manchester United, Juventus, or Barcelona. But the truth is, Real Madrid is uniquely different. Among the world's top clubs, they are the most distinct."
Boas pondered his words. For most, Real Madrid's reputation was straightforward—either you loved them unconditionally, or you saw nothing extraordinary about them.
In the football world, Real Madrid, no matter how grandiose, often evokes a lukewarm evaluation from non-fans. Objectively speaking, it's just another big club.
As for their legendary status as six-time European Cup winners? Sorry, but that glory is ancient history. In the contemporary European football scene, Real Madrid no longer inspires the same awe, especially when compared to the meteoric rise of Barcelona's Dream Team over the past decade.
André Villas-Boas, a Portuguese manager, carried this detached perception even when conducting his analysis of Real Madrid. Despite the club's significant influence across Latin America, he didn't place the Spanish giants on a pedestal in his reports.
"Real Madrid is aristocracy—born noble, purebred aristocracy! Even if Millwall, Manchester United, Juventus, or AC Milan win more trophies, they can never replicate the aristocratic essence of Real Madrid. Do you understand, Villas?"
It was as if this insight struck Villas-Boas like a thunderbolt, awakening him from a deep slumber. He smacked his forehead, realizing the crucial factor he had overlooked.
Real Madrid is indeed a unique anomaly among Europe's elite football clubs.
Founded in Madrid's financial district, the club's supporters from its inception have been a distinguished demographic: aristocrats, middle-class professionals, academics, and other upper-tier members of society. These patrons, endowed with wealth and influence, ensured that Real Madrid bore the hallmark of nobility from its infancy.
During Spain's authoritarian regime, the club was further molded into a symbol of opposition against Catalonia. It received overt favor from the ruling powers, positioning Real Madrid as a unifying target to deflect internal class tensions. This deepened their image as a paragon of high society.
This distinguished origin story sets Real Madrid apart from other clubs. Most legendary clubs, whether thriving or fallen, were born from the working class. These clubs often became the spiritual sanctuaries for laborers to find entertainment or solace after grueling workdays.
For instance, Juventus owes much of its growth to the labor force attracted by Fiat. In England, clubs were rooted in mining towns, where early supporters were predominantly miners.
This working-class foundation fostered traditions of passion and grit in English football. Fans demanded their players fight hard on the pitch, not just for aesthetics but as a cathartic release for their own lives. A match's entertainment value was secondary; what truly mattered was the toughness and commitment of the players.
In contrast, the merchants, scholars, celebrities, and nobles who supported Real Madrid had no such need for emotional release. Their motivation was different—they sought the finest football as a form of supreme aesthetic enjoyment.
Over time, this divergence gave rise to Real Madrid's distinctive ethos and style.
The club's membership-based management system granted fans significant influence, enabling them to dictate the club's direction, including electing the president and even influencing coaching appointments.
Madridistas demand excellence on two fronts: the most beautiful football and consistent championships.
Thus, a pragmatic, results-over-style football philosophy could never survive at Real Madrid. Their famous white kits symbolize elegance and grace, an embodiment of both glory and sophistication.
The dismissal of Fabio Capello after leading the team to a league title during Lorenzo Sanz's presidency epitomized this principle. Real Madrid doesn't just want champions—they demand champions who play with style and finesse.
Under this ethos, Real Madrid's football tradition and cultural identity stand unparalleled.