Messi: Flay, You'll Become My Next Victim

Spain.

Barcelona.

Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper.

Barcelona's Mediterranean climate made it one of the most pleasant places to live in all of Europe.

And it was home to the strongest football team and the best player in the world.

At the start of this season, Barcelona had staged an astonishing comeback against Sevilla in the Spanish Super Cup.

After losing the first leg 3–1, Barcelona returned to Camp Nou and thrashed Sevilla 4–0, claiming the title with a comeback victory.

You could say that comebacks like this had become routine for the current Cosmic Team.

During the Dream Team Barcelona era, FC Barcelona often lost or drew away from home, then returned to their own stadium and demolished their opponents.

In last season's UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Arsenal, Barcelona had drawn the first leg 2–2.

Back at Camp Nou, they swept Arsenal aside 4–1. Messi scored a four-goal haul, claiming every goal his team scored.

At the time, Messi alongside the strongest team on earth, Dream Team Barcelona, was every club's worst nightmare.

Real Madrid under Mourinho would have to wait until "Mourinho's second year" to truly compete with Barcelona.

As for the Premier League's current powerhouse, Red Devils Manchester United, they had no chance against Barcelona.

That had been true both in the 2009 Champions League final and the 2011 final.

The trembling hand Ferguson was caught on camera with during the final was the clearest symbol of Barcelona's dominance at the time.

When news from England reached Barcelona, Messi, Iniesta, and the others were playing keep-away.

When they heard that such an astonishing young talent had emerged in England, they exchanged surprised glances.

Barcelona might have been peerless at the time, but its players weren't fools.

They understood exactly what it meant for a player under eighteen to score eight goals in four Premier League matches.

"Tsk, what a flood of prodigies these past few years. First we had Leo, then Italy's Balotelli, and now this super-rich kid. I can't keep up with football anymore..."

Xavi, Dream Team Barcelona's central figure and brilliant tactician—nicknamed "Big Mouth"—couldn't help voicing his usual complaint.

Iniesta nodded, agreeing with him.

"By the way, Leo, what do you think of Flay? Unless something unexpected happens, he could well become your rival."

Iniesta looked at Messi, who had been keeping his head down in silence, and asked what was on his mind.

Everyone at Barcelona knew one thing: Messi was the best player on the team.

Individual honours like the Ballon d'Or had little to do with the rest of them.

Even if Barcelona won every title in a season, the Ballon d'Or would still go to Messi.

And right now, the strongest contenders for the Ballon d'Or were Barcelona's Messi and Real Madrid's Ronaldo.

Kaka, once a Ballon d'Or favourite, had spent so much time injured at Real Madrid that he was all but out of the running.

As for Ronaldinho, once Europe's king, he had been finished the moment Guardiola took charge at Barcelona.

His undisciplined lifestyle had ruined him.

Ibrahimović was famous enough, but the same old question remained: without major honours, and without even reaching a Champions League final, what claim did he have?

Now Li Yufei had burst onto the scene, and whether you looked at the media buzz or the ability he had shown so far,

he could well become a leading contender for the Ballon d'Or in the future.

A player like that was naturally a rival to Messi.

After hearing Iniesta's question, Messi didn't answer directly. Instead, he changed the subject.

"I don't know. Right now, I just hope we get to face Arsenal again in this year's UEFA Champions League Knockout Stage!"

The moment Messi said that, everyone there understood what he meant.

He wanted a direct showdown so he could beat Li Yufei himself, didn't he?

"Don't worry. We'll help you. Arsenal aren't a match for us," Xavi said first, speaking up as the team's brain.

Then captain Puyol stepped forward to show his support for Messi as well.

Seeing all his teammates rally behind him—and knowing there was no longer an arrogant fool around to defy him—Messi felt a little better.

"Flay, you'll become the next Cristiano, and I'll make you my next victim!"

The fourth round of Premier League fixtures had come to an end.

Premier League powerhouse Red Devils Manchester United had been held to a 3–3 draw away by Everton. Four matches into the season, they had two wins and two draws, with eight points.

Defending champions Chelsea had beaten the Hammers, West Ham United, 3–1. They had won all four of their opening league games, earning twelve points and sitting level with Arsenal.

Arsenal's North London rivals, Tottenham Hotspur, had been held to a 1–1 draw at home by West Bromwich Albion, showing off all the form of a so-called big club.

As for fallen giants Liverpool, they had been held to a goalless draw at home by Birmingham City. After four league matches, they had one win, one draw, and two losses, with just four points.

You could say Liverpool's target for the season had once again become a top-four finish.

Manchester City, still struggling to shake off their reputation as the "noisy neighbours," had also been held to a 1–1 draw by Blackburn Rovers.

After four league matches, they had one win, two draws, and one loss, earning five points.

Without the foresight of someone who had travelled back in time, nobody would have believed Manchester City could win the Premier League two years later.

Arsenal had made another dream start to the season, but neither the experts nor the media knew how long they could keep it up.

Going by Arsenal's form in previous seasons, they would inevitably fall apart during the gruelling Christmas fixture period.

So many people believed Arsenal wouldn't hold onto their advantage past January.

Whenever Li Yufei heard people say that, he felt as if they were looking down on him.

Let's be honest: what did Arsenal's mid-season collapses in the past have to do with me? I wasn't even in the first team back then!

If they still collapsed with me on the squad, then what would be the point of having me around?

Li Yufei really wanted to argue with those people who didn't know the first thing about football.

But after thinking it over, he decided there was no point.

Words were far too weak. Once he thrashed them on the pitch, all those people who did nothing but yap would learn to keep quiet.

September 16.

Arsenal hosted Portuguese League side Braga.

Li Yufei was about to make his UEFA Champions League debut.

Perhaps because the Champions League was so important, the usually stingy system went all out this time:

[Ding-dong! New task!]

[Task Name: Champions League debut]

[Task Requirements: 1. Help the team defeat Braga]

[2. Score a goal or provide an assist]

[3. Be the highest-rated player on the pitch]

[Task Rewards: Earn 100 Intermediate Soft Rice Points for each task. Complete all three tasks to receive an additional 100 Advanced Soft Rice Points.]

[Bonus Task Rewards: Complete the system tasks and earn a Post-match Rating of 9 or higher to receive a UEFA Champions League item; earn a Post-match Rating of 10 to receive an additional skill (evolvable version)]