The UEFA Champions League Final Echoes Through the Millennium Stadium! Will the Football Landscape Be Rewritten?
June 3, 2017, Cardiff Millennium Stadium, Wales.
The UEFA Champions League final has arrived as scheduled!
The two teams facing off are Manchester City and Real Madrid.
As early as a week before the match, the media began to hype it up.
Especially after Manchester City won their second title of the season – the FA Cup, the Blue Moon have reached the crucial final step on their path to the treble!
The traditional left-wing newspaper, the Guardian, was the first to take action.
"In the 1998-1999 season, under Ferguson's leadership, Manchester United won the UEFA Champions League, the league, and the FA Cup, becoming the first team in Premier League history to achieve the treble."
"The past is like smoke, 18 years have passed, Sir Alex Ferguson has retired, and Manchester United is no longer the dominant force in Britain. They won't even qualify for the UEFA Champions League next season."
"Fortunately, their city rivals are carrying on the legacy. If Manchester City can defeat Real Madrid, they will take over the torch from Manchester United after 18 years and become the dual champions of the Premier League and the UEFA Champions League! They will also be the second treble winner in Premier League history!"
"Amid the backdrop of UK, the achievement of a Premier League team will have far-reaching consequences, extending beyond the realm of football and impacting the social and cultural spheres."
Although most Spain media outlets support Real Madrid.
However, Guardiola is also Espanyol, and he has a huge following in his home country.
In particular, his hometown of Catalonia reveres him as a football god.
"Guardiola must win! He will make history at Manchester City – the first manager in football history to win two trebles!"
"He will surpass Ferguson, Enrique, Heynckes, and Mourinho to become the greatest player in football history!"
For Tang Long, this was an even more rare and historic moment.
Luo Ming, editor-in-chief of Titan Sports, published his longest editorial to date, totaling 15,000 words, on the front page the day before the final.
The article provides a detailed and comprehensive overview of Tang Long's career at Inter Milan and Manchester City, vividly and eloquently summarizing his experiences, ultimately focusing on a central theme—
"The UEFA Champions League final between Manchester City and Real Madrid will greatly influence the landscape of football."
Luo Ming's pen is sharp and clear, revealing his viewpoint vividly; every stroke of his pen is gleaming with cold light.
"If Manchester City wins, even if Tang Long loses the race for Cristiano Ronaldo and the UEFA Champions League Golden Boot, he will definitely win the 2017 Ballon d'Or."
"This will be the first time in the history of the Ballon d'Or' Or that an Asia player has received this honor."
"His influence on the football world is no less than that of a black president in the United States or a pope in South America in the Catholic Church."
"We are all looking forward to Tang Long's performance. We look forward to him standing at the top of the football world. Even if it's just once in a professional career of more than ten years, that would be enough!"
Swish swish swish!
Three thunderous booms rang out as the searchlights of Wales sporting giant Millennium Stadium were instantly illuminated, and the 75,000 spectators inside erupted in thunderous cheers!
The UEFA Champions League opening ceremony has concluded, signaling the players' official debut and entry into the exciting match.
The huge, towering searchlights illuminated the turf of the Millennium Stadium, making it appear even more lush and vibrant. Tang Long could almost hear the sound of the sap bursting as he stepped on it.
"This is the UEFA Champions League final?"
He looked around at the cheering fans, half white and half blue.
The people in white are Real Madrid fans, they are the opponents;
The blue-clad figures represent Manchester City fans, the team's most loyal supporters.
White, blue, and green—the three colors were mixed together. Tang Long looked up at the starry sky, which was as deep as ink. These four colors were so vivid and dazzling that they made him feel slightly dizzy.
Both teams are lining up to enter the field.
The majestic UEFA Champions League trophy stands proudly atop the sideline table.
As Tang Long passed by, he longed to touch the trophy, the highest honor of the club he had dreamed of day and night.
But he ultimately restrained himself and looked away.
"Call!"
Cristiano Ronaldo, the last player in the Real Madrid squad, suddenly leaped high into the air as he walked, creating a whooshing sound around him, drawing the attention of the Manchester City players.
Tang Long noticed that Cristiano Ronaldo walked across the field with a faint smile.
He didn't seem nervous at all.
The camera focused on Cristiano Ronaldo, on last year's Ballon d'Or winner.
Nine years ago, Cristiano Ronaldo won the UEFA Champions League with Manchester United. Having experienced such a feat, he has nothing to be nervous about.
But what no one knew was that at this moment, the Portuguese were also experiencing a surge of emotions, their thoughts racing like a tidal wave!
"I want to win the UEFA Champions League, I want to become the first person in the history of this competition, tonight!" Cristiano Ronaldo thought.
Cristiano Ronaldo also glanced casually at Tang Long in the Manchester City team.
"Even Lionel Messi can't stop me, let alone him. Bring it on, hehe."
Bang bang bang--
Bang bang bang--
Bale, on the wing, received a pass from Kroos and dribbled and sprinted for 30 meters!
Wales is Bale's hometown, so this is his home ground.
Amid cheers from the Real Madrid fans at the stadium, Bale moved with incredible speed, putting all his strength into the final step, forcefully overpowering Kolarov, and crossing the ball!
The moment the ball was passed, Bale flew out of the field due to inertia.
The ball flies towards the center of the penalty area!
"Mine!"
Manchester City captain Kompany roared and leaped into the air, preparing to make a spectacular jump to clear the danger.
Call!
Without saying a word, Cristiano Ronaldo suddenly circled around from the side to the landing point, jumped to contest the header, and created a whooshing sound!
Tang Long glanced out from outside the penalty area and was immediately startled.
Cristiano Ronaldo jumped later than Kompany and covered a longer distance in the header, but thanks to his incredible core strength and control of the landing point, he actually beat the Belgium captain to the ball and won the first point!
With a loud thud, Kompany's head missed the target, and the ball was smashed into the goal by Cristiano Ronaldo!
"What a powerful header! Cristiano Ronaldo's signature move!"
"In the penalty area, he's always the man who jumps the highest!"
"In the opening ten minutes, Real Madrid took the lead, with Bale assisting Cristiano Ronaldo to score, giving Real Madrid a 1-0 lead!"
Tang Long stood with his hands on his hips, the whistling wind of Cardiff Millennium Stadium echoing in his ears.
The wind seemed to carry Cristiano Ronaldo's shout of "Siu!"
"Get up, Captain, let's continue!"
Tang Long ran to Kompany's side and helped Kompany up.
Kompany was panting heavily.
His initially blank expression instantly hardened when he saw Tang Long.
"Okay, let's continue!"
Manchester City, with their superior ball control, brought the game back to their familiar rhythm.
Gündoğan, Thiago, Ranocchia —this is currently the most ball-controlling trio in Europe football.
32-year-old Lionel Messi is watching the game on television.
His eyes began to glaze over, and his body trembled slightly.
For a fleeting moment, his thoughts drifted back to Barca during the 2008-2009 season.
At that time, the midfield trio consisted of Xavi, who was 29 years old and still highly skilled, Iniesta, who was 25 years old and at his peak, and Busquets, who was 21 years old and had shed his youthful inexperience, becoming an indispensable filter in the tiki-taka possession-based tactics.
"We've got it!"
As Lionel Messi suddenly sat up straight, Gündoğan's through ball followed suit.
Although the camera hadn't yet switched to the ball's trajectory, Lionel Messi already knew that someone must have slipped past Ramos and Carvajal.
[Ramos is about to be out of position, watch out for gaps between the center-backs and full-backs!]
The thought flashed through his mind, but his body seemed to move even faster than his thoughts, and Tang Long had already sped away.
"Tang Long!"
"Tang Long received a through pass from Gündoğan!"
Real Madrid's defense was breached in an instant!
"Ramos is chasing back, and he's giving Tang Long a slight tug from behind!"
"He can't be pulled away anymore, Tang Long shook him off in a few steps!"
"Cut inside into the penalty area!"
"Tang Long, smash the door!!!"
"The ball went through Navas' armpit, and it's in!"
The moment the soccer ball struck the net, a surge of immense power erupted from Tang Long's body. His mind went blank, and his blood seemed to boil.
He rushed towards the stands, leaped high into the air, and threw a powerful punch at the Cardiff night sky.
The night air howled, and the boiling blood in his veins hissed...
(One more chapter, expected to be posted around 1 AM)