Old Friends Reunited! Former Goalkeeper Becomes Rock Bassist, A Drunken Truth Bomb Explodes!

"Uncle Big Beard is here!"

In Ranocchia's courtyard, the children, like a flock of cheerful birds, rushed out of the yard all at once, shouting.

At the entrance of the courtyard, a taxi was parked steadily, but it was instantly surrounded by a group of little ones.

The children's eyes sparkled with excitement, and their little hands pounded excitedly on the car windows, their enthusiasm almost shattering the glass.

Berni smiled broadly and gently pushed open the car door.

As soon as the trunk was opened, bags and packages came into view.

He bent down, his hands busy taking out gifts one by one and distributing them to the children around him who were already eagerly waiting.

"Don't fight over it, one at a time, everyone gets a share!" His voice was gentle yet cheerful, just like the rare Manchester sunshine this afternoon.

Back when he played for Inter Milan, Berni was very close to Ranocchia's family.

The children of Ranocchia all adored Berni's thick beard and playfully nicknamed him "Uncle Beard."

"Wow, Chris! Look at you, you've grown so tall! You're almost up to my belly!"

Berni looked at the little boy with delight and affection, and reached out to pat his head.

Then, looking at the little girl with pretty braids beside her, he said with a smile, "Sophia, your braids are so pretty, you look like a little princess. You won't be crying all the time in kindergarten now, will you?" Berni gently pinched Ranocchia's daughter's nose, and the little girl stuck out her tongue, deliberately made a crying face, and then climbed onto Berni like she was climbing a tree.

At this moment, Ranocchia, Tang Long, Bonazzoli had been waiting at the door for quite some time.

After a year apart, the friendship between the old teammates has not faded but has instead grown even stronger.

Upon meeting, the group exchanged warm greetings, chatting away without even bothering to go inside, and stood at the doorway, engrossed in their conversation.

"Don't just stand there like an idiot at the door, come inside and sit down!"

Ranocchia's wife, wearing a clean apron and with a warm smile on her face, came out of the house and greeted Berni with a cheek kiss, as if she were welcoming a long-lost family member.

Berni traveled from New York to Manchester to prepare for the band's Europe tour.

His Tianjie Band, which he formed in New York, began to make a name for itself in the rock music scene after two years of hard work and struggle.

The band had toured Europe once before, but this time, the scale was much larger than before.

The entire band, from the manager to the staff, numbered over twenty people, making quite a spectacle.

Surprisingly, the first stop of the Europe tour was not bustling London, romantic Paris, or fashion capital Milan, but Manchester.

"Haha, this was my strong request! First, the rock scene in the UK is so vibrant, it'll definitely attract a huge fanbase here; second, of course, I wanted to see you guys as soon as possible! How have you been? I miss you guys so much!"

As Berni spoke, he opened his arms as if to hug everyone, his smile as bright as a blooming flower.

Tang Long's lips curled up slightly as he jokingly said:

"What can we do? We still deal with football every day, you know that. But what about you? How are you doing in New York? Still living in a basement?" He raised an eyebrow, a hint of mockery in his eyes.

Upon hearing this, Berni's face flushed red, and he raised his voice to retort:

"How could that be! That's all ancient history. I'm living in a luxury apartment near Central Park in New York now, having a great time!" he said, puffing out his chest with a smug look on his face.

Recalling the video call I had with Tang Long, I saw that the room Berni lived in was dimly lit, with old furniture and things arranged in a mess.

Only after Tang Long pressed him repeatedly did he reveal the truth.

When I first arrived in New York, I was unfamiliar with the place and didn't have much money.

Although he played football in Italy for many years, apart from two seasons as the starting goalkeeper in the second division more than a decade ago, he mostly played as the second or third goalkeeper, with a limited salary, averaging only two or three hundred thousand euros a year.

In addition, he has many friends and often treats them to meals, so over the years, his savings have dwindled to almost nothing.

When I came to the United States, I had $200,000 with me, and I had to be careful with how I spent it, since most of the money had to be saved for the band's expenses, and I didn't dare to spend a single penny recklessly.

Fortunately, hard work pays off, and the Tianjie Band's luck has turned around in the past two years, and they have gradually improved.

When he organized small concerts, tickets sold out quickly, and Berni's income soared, almost reaching the level he had at Inter Milan.

Ranocchia's wife came over carrying a tray with several steaming cups of coffee on it.

Ranocchia hurried forward, took the tray with both hands, and then personally picked up a cup of coffee and handed it to Berni.

"I really envy you, Uncle Bei. You know, many players are idle after retirement, and even if they have jobs, they're mostly related to football. But you're different; you crossed the Atlantic alone to pursue a singing career. We admire your courage from the bottom of our hearts."

Ranocchia looked at Berni with eyes full of sincerity and admiration.

Berni smiled slightly and placed his hands on the sofa.

"Football is all in the past. I feel that my current career is much more valuable than waving a towel on the bench, haha!"

"And another thing, I have to criticize you, captain. You guys are still young, why are you already thinking about what you'll do after retirement? To be honest, you envy me, but I envy you! I've never played in the UEFA Champions League in my life, but the three of you, maybe this season, Abby, you'll definitely be able to lift the UEFA Champions League trophy!" His face was full of anticipation.

Tang Long and Ranocchia exchanged a glance and smiled at each other. Was this an early pop of champagne?

At this moment, young Bonazzoli joked with a smile, "Thanks for your kind words, maybe we really can win the UEFA Champions League. When that happens, I'll give you the UEFA Champions League medal, do you want it?"

Upon hearing this, Berni burst into loud laughter, his beard trembling like grass swaying in a gentle breeze.

The two children of Ranocchia, standing to the side, stared wide-eyed at Berni, completely captivated by his appearance.

"Yes, of course I want it! Why not take it if it's free! Or you could steal the UEFA Champions League trophy from the display case and give it to me!" Berni said with a laugh, half-jokingly, winking and making exaggerated and funny expressions.

Although Berni has been away from football for two years, when he gets together with his old friends, the conversation inevitably turns to football.

At the dinner table, Ranocchia's wife had thoughtfully prepared a bottle of 1982 Lafite.

The cork popped open with a "pop," releasing a delicate aroma of wine.

The four men raised their glasses and gently clinked them together, producing a crisp and pleasant sound.

They tilted their heads back and drank heartily, their laughter echoing throughout the room.

Normally, Tang Long is a teetotaler, but in the past two years, he has broken his rule twice for Berni.

It always happened when Berni returned to Europe from the United States and reunited with his old teammates.

Just as they were enjoying their drinks, Berni suddenly changed the subject and started talking about Manchester City's goalkeeper, Onana.

"Oh dear, I watched your Manchester City vs. Crystal Palace league match last round. I think if Guardiola sends this goalkeeper to play in the UEFA Champions League, you're in trouble. You might not even get past Atlético Madrid." He said, shaking his head slightly, a hint of worry in his eyes.

Tang Long was slightly taken aback, then asked, "Are you talking about that black goalkeeper Onana?"

"It has to be him, who else could it be? Didn't you notice the problem with his hand position when he made the save? I seriously suspect his fundamentals aren't solid. But what's strange is that at his age, he shouldn't be like this." Berni said with a serious expression.

Ranocchia quickly explained, "Uncle Bei, don't worry. Onana came in the winter transfer window and even played in the UEFA Champions League for Ajax in the first half of the season. Guardiola bought him mainly to play in the league; veteran goalkeeper Bravo will still be the starter in the UEFA Champions League."

Berni nodded in relief after hearing this. "Yes, veteran goalkeepers have their advantages. They are experienced and have seen big games. Take Bravo for example, if I remember correctly, he won the treble with Barca. In the UEFA Champions League, you need veterans like him to stabilize the situation." As he spoke, he gave a thumbs up, his face full of approval.

Bonazzoli playfully interjected, "Uncle Bei, the way you're talking makes it sound like you've played in the UEFA Champions League!" He then couldn't help but chuckle to himself.

Upon hearing this, Tang Long and Ranocchia burst into laughter.

The entire restaurant was filled with cheerful laughter. Even Ranocchia's wife, who was busy in the kitchen, couldn't help but turn around frequently, look this way, shake her head with a smile, and think to herself, "It's been a long time since our house has been this lively."

Berni was speechless after being rebuked by Bonazzoli.

Then, he deliberately put on a stern face, pretending to be angry, and said to Bonazzoli in a serious tone:

"Let me tell you, I've read a lot of books about Eastern culture in the past two years. There's a Confucius in China who said something like, 'I've never eaten pork, but I've seen pigs run.' Do you understand?" He said, gesturing earnestly as he spoke.

The Italy phrase "Never eaten pork, but seen a pig run" carries a unique cultural flavor, Ranocchia and Bonazzoli momentarily stunned upon hearing it.

The two exchanged a glance, then asked Tang Long in unison, "Did the sage Confucius of the East really say such a thing?" Their faces were full of doubt.

Upon hearing this, Tang Long immediately understood that Berni had probably read some unreliable marketing articles.

As to whether he was serious or joking, Tang Long couldn't be sure.

So he simply nodded slightly, smiling without saying a word.

Berni paused, then suddenly remembered something, and turned to Tang Long, saying:

"Tang, although I've spent a lot of time in the United States, I still keep up with things in Europe football."

"The hottest topic in football right now is the comparison between you and Cristiano Ronaldo! I have a feeling you can definitely beat Cristiano Ronaldo!"

Tang Long exclaimed "Huh?" and chuckled, "Dear Uncle Bei, are you talking about the UEFA Champions League or the Golden Boot?"

Berni paused for a moment, then looked around, glancing at Ranocchia and then at Bonazzoli, clicking his tongue twice.

"See that? See that?"

"This is what confidence is!"

"Although Tang is currently one goal behind Cristiano Ronaldo, he can definitely overtake him. Who knows, it might be the next league match against Burnley, or the one after that against Bournemouth. He definitely can!"

"As for the UEFA Champions League, I boldly predict that Manchester City and Real Madrid will meet in the UEFA Champions League, with Dom scoring a hat-trick and Cristiano Ronaldo netting twice, resulting in a 3-2 score, hahaha!"

Ranocchia's eyes lit up. "Wow, you even know our opponents for the next two league matches. Looks like you've been paying close attention to Manchester City."

Bonazzoli said, "Wow, I don't even know who we'll be playing after two rounds. Uncle Bei, stop playing rock and roll and come to Manchester City as the goalkeeping coach. You're still young, come back!"

Berni smiled without saying a word, just kept drinking, and then asked about Bonazzoli's mother's health. Bonazzoli said that her leg ailment was much better, and Berni nodded with relief, telling Bonazzoli to take good care of his mother.

Then they asked Tang Long if they had investigated the background of the second exposure of Tang Long by the Sun, and who the mole was in the team.

Tang Long shook his head and said, "We discussed this matter when you came back last time, but we didn't reach a conclusion. However, it's all in the past now. After Guardiola came to the team, he sold a lot of players. The atmosphere in the team is very good now, and I'm too lazy to delve into it." Berni pondered for a moment and nodded.

The bottle of wine was quickly emptied.

This old friend, who had come all the way from New York, was clearly still enjoying himself and kept asking Ranocchia to bring more wine.

The host waved his hand generously, "Drink as much as you want! You'll be sleeping at my place tonight."

But even the combined drinking capacity of these three couldn't match that of Berni alone.

Moreover, after retiring, Berni no longer needs to restrict his diet to maintain his physique and competitive form.

He drank one cup after another, thoroughly enjoying himself, while the other three just watched him drink.

In the end, he was completely drunk, and his eyes began to glaze over.

Seeing this, Ranocchia tried to help Berni upstairs to rest.

But Berni waved his hand, gesturing for Ranocchia to bring over the guitar from his suitcase.

Berni leaned back in his chair, his head tilted to one side, his eyes hazy, as if shrouded in a thin mist.

He held the guitar tightly with both hands, his fingers casually plucking the strings.

It was already 7 p. m. The sun had set, and the afterglow shone through the restaurant's large floor-to-ceiling windows, casting a golden outline on Berni's broad, somewhat plump back.

Tang Long, Ranocchia, and Bonazzoli involuntarily fell silent and listened intently.

But after listening for a long time, the drunkard playing the zither still couldn't make heads or tails of it.

The tune was sometimes out of tune, sometimes the fingering was chaotic, but it was precisely this strange melody that gave it a unique flavor.

Sometimes joyful, like a deer running in spring; sometimes somber, like a deep sigh in the dead of night; sometimes soaring, like a shout in a storm; sometimes sorrowful, like the weeping of a wounded person.

It's like a drunk person sitting by the roadside, facing the sky, pouring out their heart to themselves.

Suddenly, Tang Long's eyes lit up, as if he had figured something out. He thought to himself, "It seems like..."

Before he could even speak, Bonazzoli shouted excitedly, "Haha, I recognize it! It's the UEFA Champions League theme song!" He slammed his hand on the table in excitement.

Finally, Berni, clutching his guitar, slowly leaned back in his chair and fell asleep.

Just as he was about to drift off to sleep, he mumbled a sentence that sent a jolt through everyone present.

"Bands and stuff like that, actually, they're not... they're not interesting. I actually prefer... I prefer the feeling of playing football."

Although the voice was faint, it was like a pebble that stirred ripples in everyone's hearts.