In the studio, Martin Tyler watched Kenneth Lee sitting on the bench, his eyes glistening with tears, fixed on the empty pitch of Camp Nou. Tyler, a veteran who had witnessed countless extraordinary moments in football, couldn't hold back his emotions as he spoke about the 16-year-old.
"Don't cry, Kenneth Lee. Today was your Champions League debut—not in an easy place, but in one of the biggest stadiums in the world, during a match that might be one of the season's defining moments for Manchester City. And you went up against legends—players who will be remembered throughout history."
Tyler paused briefly, his voice growing deeper, full of meaning. "You stood there for City, Kenneth, when Aguero, their star striker, missed his penalty. You ran tirelessly, searching for every opportunity when City needed a second goal. You even scored a goal that should have been the winner, only for the referee to disallow it, snatching victory away. And when many of your City teammates faltered in the penalty shootout, you, a teenager, stepped up and took your penalty with complete confidence."
Tyler took a breath, his voice softening, almost whispering, as if addressing Kenneth directly. "Be proud of yourself, Kenneth. What you've done tonight is something very special, something no one who witnessed it will ever forget. You didn't just show up; you gave everything for the team, for the dream, and for every fan who watched your fight."
A profound silence filled the studio before Tyler concluded with a heartfelt message. "We'll continue to follow your journey, Kenneth Lee. The whole world will watch you grow. Thank you, Kenneth, for everything you gave tonight. Thank you for the incredible match you and your teammates delivered."
Neymar, fresh from celebrating with his team, approached Kenneth and extended his hand. Kenneth took it and stood up.
Neymar embraced him, saying, "That was a great UCL debut. People will talk about it tomorrow."
Kenneth was quiet for a moment before replying, "Win the UCL. I'd rather lose to the champions."
"Of course, we'll win it," Neymar replied confidently. If not for Joe Hart, the match wouldn't have been as exhausting or thrilling. Neymar acknowledged that the game taught him and Barcelona to be more clinical in crucial matches.
The City players headed to the locker room to prepare for their return to the hotel. Pellegrini also tried to wrap up the press conference as quickly as possible.
"That was clearly a goal, but what can I say? Misjudgments happen in football, just like Chelsea vs. Barcelona on May 9, 2009," Pellegrini commented on Kenneth's disallowed goal.
"Joe Hart and Lee both delivered outstanding performances. Especially Lee—I've never seen a 16-year-old perform as brilliantly and consistently as he did," Pellegrini said about Kenneth Lee and Joe Hart's performances.
"He's a great striker. He's scored in many crucial matches for City. This is just one bad moment; he'll bounce back soon," Pellegrini added about Aguero, who missed two penalties in the same match.
After answering a few more questions, Pellegrini and the Manchester City squad returned to their hotel.
That night, Kenneth went to sleep trying to forget everything about the match. The three attribute points he earned from the game remained unused as he was in no mood to allocate them.
---
The second leg of the UCL Round of 16 had concluded, and the teams advancing to the quarter-finals had been determined.
Real Madrid lost 4-3 to Schalke but progressed with a 5-4 aggregate win. Ronaldo and Huntelaar each scored a brace in this match.
In the second leg against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, PSG played with 10 men from the 31st minute after Zlatan Ibrahimovic was sent off. Despite being a man down, PSG scored two goals through David Luiz and Thiago Silva, ending the match 2-2 and advancing on away goals with a 3-3 aggregate.
Bayern, goalless in the first half, destroyed Shakhtar Donetsk 7-0 at the Allianz Arena.
Arsenal failed to advance after losing on away goals to Monaco. They won the second leg 2-0, but the aggregate score remained 3-3.
Porto defeated Basel 4-0 at Estádio do Dragão.
Another Bundesliga representative, Borussia Dortmund, lost 3-0 to Juventus at Signal Iduna Park.
Atletico Madrid beat Bayer Leverkusen 1-0, taking the match to penalties, where they emerged victorious.
The quarter-final draw would take place on March 20, 2015.
Meanwhile, Kenneth Lee's performance at Camp Nou garnered praise from various European media outlets such as Marca, AS, The Guardian, The Times, La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bild, Kicker, and L'Equipe.
They lauded Kenneth's performance and lamented the disallowed goal that would have been his third.
While Kenneth's performances in the Premier League had primarily attracted British media attention, his display in the UCL elevated his name as one of the brightest young talents of the season.
At noon in St. George's Park, Roy Hodgson sat behind a table flanked by England's coaching staff and press officers.
Cameras clicked and whirred as reporters waited patiently for Roy to announce the players called up for the next international match day.
Hodgson glanced at his notes and smiled slightly before clearing his throat.
"Thank you all for being here today," Hodgson began. "It's an honor to announce the England squad, and as always, we have a balance of experience and young talent."
"I know there's been much talk about the new generation of our national team. We've been monitoring many players throughout the season, and several have shown consistent performances at the club level."
Hodgson started reading the familiar names: "Joe Hart, Gary Cahill, Leighton Baines…" The list went on, with reporters nodding and jotting down notes for each recognized name. Then, when he reached the midfielders, Hodgson paused, letting the tension build.
"I'm pleased to call up a young player who has shown incredible potential—Kenneth Lee, from Manchester City."
The room fell silent for half a second before reporters began whispering excitedly. This was sensational—a 16-year-old in England's senior team.
Hodgson looked at the reporters, his eyes gleaming as if he knew exactly what they were thinking.
"Of course, there will be many questions about this decision. But after watching his performance against Barcelona, I believe his gameplay and mentality surpass his years. He's extraordinary. We are confident he has something unique to offer."
Roy continued, "This is also about the future. We see him as a key part of England's future, so we're introducing him early to the national team and his teammates."
When Hodgson finished, hands shot up, and the questions began. A reporter asked, "Roy, isn't there concern about the pressure on him at such a young age?"
"He played in front of 90,000 people without faltering, delivering a brilliant performance. I don't think there's any doubt about his ability to handle pressure."
After a few more questions, the press conference ended, and Hodgson left the stage. The reporters were abuzz with anticipation—perhaps a new era was beginning, and they had just witnessed its dawn.
As the news spread, social media erupted with debates and celebrations over the call-up of the 16-year-old prodigy who had captured the nation's footballing imagination.