A Toure Family Feast? A Strange Scene Unfolded!

<Training the Monkey: Barca -esque scene unfolds in Manchester City's backfield!>

Milner receives his first career win! His prospects for the UEFA European Championship look bleak!

Klopp is in disarray: Don has destroyed our defenses!

Pellegrini's tactics completely outmaneuvered Klopp's, leading Manchester City to a double victory over Liverpool!

Manchester City's Chinatown is decorated with lights and decorations: Chinatown is our pride!

Manchester City's matches are never short of viewership and hype.

"Since the beginning of this season, Manchester City's media exposure in the Britain has repeatedly surpassed that of their arch-rivals Manchester United, and they consistently top the trending topics after each match!"

"Their matches are always very entertaining!"

"Milner, eager for revenge against his former master, unexpectedly became the most dazzling clown in the entire arena."

"The Premier League League issued the penalty immediately after the match."

"A malicious kick has resulted in an additional four-match ban. Barring any unforeseen circumstances, this veteran England will miss Liverpool's entire February season!"

Far Diletta in London, after hosting the final Premier League match recap on the radio.

He tossed the headphones onto the table with a sigh of relief.

I'm finally free!

After a brief farewell to my colleagues in London, I left Sky Sport' London headquarters, returned to my small apartment to pack my bags, and boarded a flight to Manchester.

Just yesterday, Sky Sport announced its latest staff rotation.

Diletta left headquarters and was transferred to Manchester to serve as deputy director of the branch.

Although it's just a routine rotation, and it's uncertain whether she'll stay after her one-year term, Diletta cherishes this opportunity.

Firstly, this was something her best friend Gracie had fought for for her; it was an incredible surprise.

Secondly, in Manchester, the heart of Britain football, she has more energy to focus on football itself, rather than the complex interpersonal relationships at headquarters.

When Tang Long specially picked up Diletta from the airport, he jokingly said to her:

"That's great, now that you're in Manchester, you're closer to me."

Diletta smiled and shook his head. "No, I'm closer to football now."

At the Toure.

Toure's wife is preparing a lavish halal dinner.

Dishes such as naan, pilaf, roasted lamb leg, and stewed beef are wafting their aromas in the kitchen.

Toure, a Muslim, finished his prayers kneeling on the carpet, facing southeast. Then he leaned back in his chaise lounge, staring silently at a Damascus blade on the living room sideboard.

This knife was a gift from an elder from his hometown who came to Manchester three years ago.

The knife was made from wootz steel ingots from the ancient southern region of India. It has a cast pattern on its surface and is an ancient weapon of the Arab people.

As noon approached, sunlight streamed in through the large floor-to-ceiling windows, slanting across the blade and gleaming with a golden light.

"What are you looking at? Come help me, I can't cut this leg of lamb."

Hearing his wife's call, Toure got up, grabbed the Damascus blade, went into the kitchen, and without a word, chopped at a leg of lamb!

With a snap, it was cut in two.

The wife smiled and nodded, praising her husband.

"If you were on the battlefield, you would definitely be an extremely brave warrior."

Toure laughed loudly and put his arm around his wife's shoulder.

"You forgot? My father used to be the tribe's butcher. It's just that I'm old now, otherwise, why would I need a knife for this little lamb leg? Five years ago, I could have broken it in two hands!"

"It's alright, God will protect you, you will stay young forever, just like the young men on the battlefield."

I hope so.

As a core member of the team, the leader of the French-speaking Faction, and also the third captain, Toure invites the entire team to his home for dinner once a year.

At this moment, he sat back down on the sofa, gripping the Damascus blade tightly in his hand, gazing at the ticking old clock, his thoughts drifting away.

In previous years, at this time, as long as he called, all twenty-odd people in the team would arrive without missing a single one, and even his own villa of over a thousand square meters would feel quite crowded.

However, after Toure sent the invitation to the Manchester City players' group yesterday...

Surprisingly, only a dozen or so people responded, almost half the number from last year.

The reasons for this are known only to Toure.

When they came, heaven and earth rallied with their power; now that they are gone, even heroes are no longer free!

No one can stay at the top forever.

As time goes by, the blazing flames will die down to ash, and the icy ice sculptures will melt into water.

With his contract extension still pending, Toure has gradually drifted away from the core of the Manchester City team in the eyes of many players.

"Don't let his nominal status as the third captain fool you; there's a very high chance he'll leave this summer!" a Manchester City player told a friend privately.

Toure had also heard about these rumors.

All he can do is make one last desperate gamble in the final months of the season!

His outstanding performance made Manchester City's management see his value.

Therefore, at the beginning of the season, he deliberately postponed Ramadan, which was originally scheduled to begin in September.

Otherwise, how can one maintain their form during training and competition if they can't drink water or eat before sunset?

Toure gripped the knife tightly in his hand, recalling his wife's words. In his mind, he couldn't help but imagine himself as an ancient Arab warrior, charging into enemy territory and fighting bravely!

"Charge, Toure!"

With a roar, he raised his Damascus blade and charged from the living room into the yard.

The whooshing sound of the air conditioner whistling past his ears sounded to Toure like the agonizing cries of an enemy on the battlefield.

Agüero raised both hands in a gesture of surrender.

He had just parked his car in Toure's yard and got out when he saw Toure rush out wielding a gleaming knife.

That look in his eyes was as if he wanted to kill him.

Good heavens, this is a trap!?

The gift he was carrying for Toure's children also fell to the ground with a thud.

Seeing Agüero's terrified eyes, Toure paused for a moment, then burst into laughter, threw the knife on the ground, put his arm around Agüero's shoulder, and walked into the living room.

"Oh dear, Sergio, my apologies, please come in!"

Not long after.

The other teammates arrived one by one.

The courtyard was crammed with all sorts of luxury cars.

Toure greeted everyone warmly.

Captain Kompany and new signing Gündoğan were even given a special hug by Toure.

"Welcome, my dear brothers."

When it was Bony's turn, Toure simply patted him on the shoulder lightly. "You're here? Bony, I didn't expect you to come. It's good that you're here, it's good that you're here."

Bony gave an awkward smile, then stuffed the Transformers gift he had brought into the hands of Toure's youngest son.

As a "traitor," Bony didn't want to come.

But then he remembered that this might be the last time Toure would gather the whole team for dinner at his house. He also thought of Toure had taken care of him when he first joined the team, and out of consideration for their past relationship, he came anyway.

"Gentlemen, you can sit down at the table now!"

The wife called out from the kitchen and then brought out a large bowl of naan bread.

Toure looked around and found no trace of Tang Long.

He felt a pang of disappointment.

It was just a family dinner, and they still didn't give me any face.

Do you really hold a grudge that much?

Just as they were about to invite everyone to sit down at the table, they heard Gündoğan say, "Tang is on his way. Should we wait for them?"

Fernando, the leader of the Portuguese-speaking Faction group, snorted coldly.

"It's already 12 o'clock, it's cold, and the food is getting cold. What are we waiting for? Let's just eat. What do you say, Brother Toure?"

Toure smiled and gestured for Fernando to stop.

"It's only natural for a host not to wait for their guests. I think it's still early, let's go sit in the living room and chat while we wait for Tang and the others."

Toure was quite pleased to learn that Tang Long was coming, so he had his wife take the dishes back to the kitchen to keep them warm.

The Toure family's living room is very large, at least 200 square meters, and can easily accommodate more than a dozen people.

The crystal chandelier's magnificent curtains cascade down, shining brightly even during the day.

They hadn't even exchanged a few words of small talk when...

Fernando said, "That Tang guy has absolutely no sense of time. We agreed to start dinner at 12 o'clock sharp, and we're all here. Are we just waiting for him? He thinks he's so important!"

Gündoğan said, "You're wrong. It's not just one person; Ranocchia and Kolarov are also coming."

Toure lit up with delight, and he pressed on, "Oh? All three of them came together? Great, this is going to be interesting."

The arrival of Tang Long and his two companions showed Toure considerable respect, making him feel honored and at ease.

Fernando glared at Gündoğan.

This kid's new to the team, and he talks a lot.

Fernando doesn't like Gündoğan!

Previously, Tang Long had squeezed his position in the defensive midfield area.

Fortunately, Tang Long played as an attacking midfielder most of the time, only occasionally filling in as a defensive midfielder.

However, since Gündoğan, he has firmly established himself as a key player in the defensive midfield position!

With another regular defensive midfielder added to the team, Toure will also have to take up a position, and my playing time will only be further reduced!

In fact, Fernando has never started Premier League game since Gündoğan arrived.

His eyes darted around, and a mischievous thought flashed through his mind.

"How about we hold a welcoming ceremony for Gündoğan while we wait for Tang?"

Gündoğan looked embarrassed and repeatedly said that there was no need to trouble everyone.

Since they had nothing better to do and couldn't eat anyway, everyone cheered and asked how they were going to welcome them.

Fernando said, "The usual routine, crawl between their legs!"

(I didn't finish writing today, I'll finish three chapters tomorrow.)