When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 144 The next opponent is Monaco
April 7, 2004, Champions League quarter-final second leg.

At the Stade Louis II, Monaco will host Real Madrid.

The first half ended with Monaco leading Real Madrid 3-1.

Meanwhile, another Champions League quarter-final match is underway at Highbury Stadium, with Arsenal facing Chelsea.

In the 36th minute, Henry received the ball on the left wing, accelerated past Chelsea's right-back Melchiort, and dribbled towards the penalty area.

After looking up and observing, he delivered a precise diagonal pass with his right foot, the ball piercing through Chelsea's defense and landing on the edge of the six-yard box.

Shabani Nonda made a timely run and, before Terry could block him, slotted the ball into the net.

After scoring, Henry rushed over and grabbed Nonda by the neck, yelling in his ear, "Well done! Let's beat Monaco! To hell with that arrogant kid!"

Nonda nodded vigorously, a complex emotion flashing in his eyes.

He was filled with both anticipation of revenge and a touch of apprehension.

Last season at Monaco, it was Roy's arrival that caused him to lose his starting position.

As a professional player, he knew how strong Roy was, but at this moment he wanted to prove himself even more.

Highbury Stadium erupted in celebration as Arsenal fans went wild for the crucial goal.

They sang their team song and waved red and white scarves, creating waves of people in the stands.

Wenger, however, did not show much joy on the sidelines.

He stood in the coaching area with his hands in his pockets and a slight frown on his face.

If he advances, he will face Monaco in the semi-finals—a team he once coached.

Monaco are incredibly strong this season, and under Deschamps' leadership, they have delivered what is possibly their best performance in club history.

Roy has had a historic season, scoring 14 goals in the Champions League, breaking Van Nistelrooy's record for most goals in a single Champions League season since the competition's format change.

This young striker's explosiveness, shooting skills, and goal-scoring instincts are all world-class.

His partners Morientes and Giuly are also in excellent form.

Morientes played a significant role as a target man, while Giuly frequently created dangerous opportunities on the right flank.

In the midfield trio, Rothen's playmaking and Pedretti's interception abilities complemented each other perfectly, making Monaco's transitions between attack and defense flow smoothly.

In defense, young players Givet, Squillaci, and Abidal showed maturity beyond their years, while full-backs Evra and Maicon were adept at both attack and defense.

This team, with an average age of less than 25, is unleashing a youth storm under Deschamps' guidance.

Deschamps' tactical philosophy is quite similar to Wenger's, both emphasizing quick counter-attacks and fluid teamwork.

Wenger often studies Monaco's match videos during training, thinking about how he would arrange the team if he were in charge.

Monaco's fast counter-attacking system is, to some extent, the football style that Wenger envisioned.

Wenger glanced at the scoreboard; the 1-0 scoreline wasn't secure.

He needs to secure this victory first before considering how to deal with that formidable Monaco team.

Assistant coach Pat Rice came over and patted him on the shoulder, which brought Wenger back to his senses and allowed him to refocus on the field.

During halftime, in the Arsenal dressing room, Wenger told the players: "A 1-0 lead isn't enough to secure the game; Chelsea could come back at any time. We drew 1-1 at Stamford Bridge in the first leg, so we're now 2-1 on aggregate, but the advantage is very slim. We need to maintain attacking pressure in the second half and try to score a second goal. Pay special attention to defending set pieces; Chelsea are very dangerous in that area. Keep a close eye on Lampard's long-range shots, and you need to limit Vieira's space."

"Henry, keep creating threats on the left flank. Pires, combine more with Cole and break through on the wings. Ljungberg, pay attention to tracking back and protecting the right flank. Keep the back line compact, Campbell and Toure watch out for Hasselbaink's attacks."

“如果我们晋级，下一个对手很可能是摩纳哥。他们在首回合5-3战胜皇马，现在次回合半场又3-1领先，总比分8-4领先皇马。摩纳哥的进攻很有威胁.但现在我们首先要确保拿下这场比赛。”

"Remember, a 1-0 lead is dangerous; Chelsea could equalize at any time. The first 15 minutes of the second half are crucial; we need to try to extend our lead. Stay focused, execute our tactics strictly, and don't give Chelsea any chances."

At the start of the second half, Queiroz substituted Solari for Borja, who had a poor performance in the first half.

The young defensive midfielder was completely outplayed by Monaco in the first half, and he was involved in almost every goal conceded.

During halftime, Guti berated him in the locker room. Zidane and Figo didn't say anything, but their eyes were full of reproach.

Queiroz adjusted his tactics, sending Zidane deeper into the box, which was tantamount to giving up the attack in order to avoid conceding another goal.

Just seven minutes into the second half, Monaco capitalized on a passing error by Real Madrid's midfield.

Pedretti intercepted Guti's cross near the center circle and immediately passed the ball to Bernardi on the right wing.

Meanwhile, left-back Evra has already made a high-speed run forward, while right-back Maicon has tucked in to protect the center.

Monaco's attacking organization does not rely on a single core player, but rather unfolds through the coordinated movement of all players.

Rothen dropped back to receive Bernardi's pass, executed a one-two pass, and then dribbled forward.

At this point, Morientes dropped back into midfield to draw Helguera away and create space for his teammates.

Roy and Giuly made cross-cutting runs, with the former suddenly cutting diagonally into the left flank and the latter roaming to the right.

During the advance, Pedretti exchanged two consecutive one-touch passes with Rothen, and then suddenly switched the ball to the left wing.

Evra crossed from the wing, and the ball was headed away by a Real Madrid defender, but Monaco's pressure did not stop.

Bernardi won the second ball and immediately passed it to Maicon on the right wing.

Instead of blindly crossing the ball, the Brazilian full-back played a one-two with Giuly before cutting into the penalty area.

As Maicon prepared to shoot, Carlos made a timely block, and the ball bounced to the edge of the penalty area.

Roy astutely spotted the second ball's trajectory at the edge of the penalty area.

He first pretended to receive the ball with his back to the goal, and just as Mejia rushed in, he suddenly flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot. This effortless change of direction caused the Spanish international to completely lose his balance.

Facing Helguera's cover, Roy displayed the core qualities of a top star.

He seemingly casually flicked the ball with his left foot, completing a textbook Cruyff turn in the blink of an eye. The entire movement was fluid and effortless, allowing him to easily shake off the two Real Madrid defenders.

He then unleashed a low shot!

Casillas made a desperate save to block the ball, but Giuly had already appeared like a ghost in the six-yard box and easily tapped the rebound into the empty net.

At this point, the Real Madrid players were on the verge of collapse.

Mejia knelt on the grass, his eyes unfocused; Helguera stood with his hands on his hips, panting heavily; even the usually composed Casillas was shouting at the defense.

In the technical area on the sidelines, Queiroz looked ashen-faced, while Borja on the bench covered his head with a towel, not daring to look at the field.

This goal perfectly showcased Monaco's cohesive team football – not relying excessively on individual skills, but rather tearing apart the defense through collective off-the-ball movement and rapid passing. From Pedretti's interception to Giuly's follow-up shot, a total of 7 Monaco players participated in the attack, completing 11 consecutive passes, each link reflecting Deschamps' meticulously crafted team football philosophy.

Arsenal's technical analyst, watching the game closely, said to his assistant, "Monaco's style of play is very similar to our fast counter-attacking philosophy. But their front three have better understanding, and Roy's movement is more flexible and varied than Henry's. If we face them, our two full-backs must be vigilant."

Porto scouts quickly noted: "They don't have a playmaker like Deco, but Pedretti and Bernardi's running coverage is outstanding. This style of play suits us well—we also have midfielders like Maniche who can run, and we can definitely learn from their pressing methods."

Milan's technical director frowned and said, "Our Pirlo is the playmaker, but look at Monaco, they can play just as well without a traditional number 10. Gattuso and Ambrosini's running ability is no worse than theirs. Perhaps we should let Kaká push forward more and learn from Roy's off-the-ball movement."

The three of them unanimously marked the details of Monaco's midfield rotation and positioning in their notebooks.

Arsenal's analyst added: "What's most frightening is their stamina, maintaining that level of running intensity. Mr. Wenger would definitely be interested in that."

In the 60th minute, Deschamps made his first substitution.

Croatian striker Pulso stood on the sidelines, ready to replace goal scorer Morientes.

Morientes jogged off the field, high-fived Pullso, and then waved to the Monaco fans in the stands, who responded with enthusiastic applause.

In the 75th minute, Deschamps made another substitution.

Ribery finished warming up on the sidelines and was ready to replace Roy, the man of the match.

When the fourth official raised the substitution board, the entire Stade Louis II erupted in cheers.

All the fans stood up and applauded, their cheers deafening.

Roy walked slowly to the sidelines, raising his hands above his head to clap his hands in thanks to the fans.

After hugging Ribery, he went to the bench to give each member of the coaching staff a high-five.

Photographers on the sidelines frantically pressed their shutters, their flashes creating a continuous barrage.

The official UEFA Champions League broadcast captured a close-up of an elderly fan wiping his eyes in the stands, an image that was transmitted via satellite to live streams in 186 countries and regions around the world.

The commentator exclaimed, "That's the magic of football! A 19-year-old has conquered all of Europe with his performance."

In the 85th minute, Deschamps used his last substitution.

Center forward Adebayor replaced Giuly.

Juli walked slowly to the sidelines.

As the team captain, he first solemnly handed the armband to Pedretti and patted the young defensive midfielder on the shoulder.

24-year-old Pedretti accepted the armband somewhat shyly and quickly put it on his left arm.

The Monaco fans in the stands applauded their captain, not with the same fervor as when Roy left the field, but with equal respect.

The scouts on the sidelines immediately turned their attention to the new captain, Pedretti.

Manchester United scouts wrote in their notebooks: "Precise interceptions, excellent positional awareness"; Chelsea representatives noted: "Excellent long passing and distribution ability"; while Arsenal scouts excitedly told their colleagues: "Watching him play, he's just like a young Deschamps! If he's paired with Vieira, plus our future star Fabregas, this will be the most terrifying midfield combination in all of Europe."

Pedretti seemed unaffected by this off-field attention.

After donning the captain's armband, he immediately threw himself into the game, making a clean and decisive interception of the ball from Raul's feet, and then delivering a precise 30-meter long pass to Ribery in the attacking third, perfectly showcasing his technical skills.

The scouts in the stands nodded in agreement and continued to add comments to the data.

Pintus stood on the sidelines with his hands in his pockets, his gaze sweeping over every Monaco player on the field.

Watching these young men maintain their high-intensity running in the final stages of the game, he couldn't help but recall the grueling training days at the beginning of the season.

At that time, the sudden and irregular addition of mountain running to the training program caused the players to complain endlessly, and the intense shuttle run training even made many people so tired that they vomited.

But it is precisely these rigorous training sessions that have forged this tireless youth team into what it is today.

Deschamps often jokes that he has turned his players into perpetual motion machines, but seeing Roy still making a full-speed defensive run in the 88th minute, Evra still managing to make a sprint down the wing before the final whistle, and even the technically gifted Rothen showing amazing stamina, Pintus knows that all these efforts are worthwhile.

He specially designed a personalized training program: shuttle runs for full-backs, interval runs for midfielders, and explosive power training for forwards.

This allowed players in every position to reach their full potential.

The scoreboard showed 4-1, which was particularly eye-catching.

Pintus looked at Roy, who was resting on the bench, and recalled how the young man had increased his sprints from 15 to 22 per game.

He gently closed his training log, which already contained his plan for tomorrow: recovery training combined with ice therapy.

With the Champions League semi-final just around the corner, this team, with an average age of less than 25, needs to maintain this form for a longer period of time.

His phone has been ringing non-stop for the past few weeks.

His phone still had two unanswered messages: one from Milan's sporting director, Braida, promising him a top salary in Serie A; the other from Real Madrid's sporting director, Valdano, inviting him to join the Galácticos' medical team.

Pintus stroked the stubble on his chin, his gaze unconsciously drifting towards the bench. Roy was discussing the situation on the field with Caniggia; the 19-year-old exuded boundless potential.

European giants are vying for Pintus: Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Chelsea, Liverpool, Barcelona, ​​Inter Milan, Arsenal, Juventus, Sporting CP and other traditional powerhouses have all extended offers, and even emerging teams like Lyon and Valencia have joined the competition.

The entire European football world is watching the whereabouts of this Italian fitness coach.

But at this moment, he put all these invitations aside for the time being.

The Italian strength and conditioning coach recalled a scene from three months ago in the club cafeteria: Roy, while eating a carefully prepared nutritious meal, suddenly said to him, "Coach, if I become the greatest of all time, you will be my Tim Grover."

The chicken breast on the plate was still steaming hot, but Roy's eyes were unusually serious.

Now, this seemingly joking promise is becoming a reality.

Pintus understood what becoming the personal trainer of "the Jordan of football" would mean: an astronomical salary, global fame, the opportunity to publish training books, and possibly even the creation of a completely new training system. In contrast, while the fitness director position offered by Real Madrid was stable and respectable, it ultimately meant working in the shadow of a superstar.

The score on the field is no longer important.

Pintus pondered a simple calculation in his mind: the personal trainer of the greatest player in history, or an employee of a top club?
This choice may determine the height of his entire career.

He closed his notebook and decided to focus on the game at hand.

After all, to become Grover, one must first help Roy truly reach the top.

In the 89th minute of the match, Monaco launched their final attack.

Ribery received the ball on the left wing and, facing a weary Salgado, the 20-year-old French winger began his signature performance.

He first feigned cutting inside, then suddenly flicked the ball with the outside of his foot, and in the instant Salgado's center of gravity shifted, he accelerated past the Spanish international.

As soon as Mejia took his first step to cover, Ribery's feet started moving like a sewing machine.

With a gentle flick of his left foot, he immediately followed with his right, deflecting the ball to the other side. This was repeated three times, the ball bouncing rapidly between his feet, each touch moving it only a few centimeters, yet causing Mejía to completely lose his balance. Just as the Spaniard finally lost his balance, Ribery suddenly flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, and the ball obediently passed between Mejía's outstretched legs.

This seemingly simple movement is actually muscle memory formed through countless training sessions. Each touch of the ball is accurate to the centimeter, and the pace is so fast that it takes your breath away.

At an almost zero-degree angle, he suddenly unleashed a powerful shot with his right foot, the ball flying like a cannonball towards the top corner of the goalpost.

Casillas couldn't even make a save attempt and could only watch the ball go into the net. 5-1!

When the final whistle blew, Ribery roared to the sky, his scar on his face looking particularly ferocious under the spotlight.

This young man from the small French town of Boulogne had just breached Real Madrid's goal in the Champions League. Meanwhile, 680 kilometers away in Boulogne, the entire city erupted in jubilation.

Because the two Monaco stars who shone in Europe tonight, Roy and Ribery, both came from here.

Fans lit fireworks in the streets, and veteran coaches in bars were moved to tears. This little-known French town became the focus of European football overnight.

The grass at Highbury gleamed damply under the night lights, and twenty-two figures were scattered like chess pieces on a chessboard.

When the ball rolled to Glenkir's feet, more than 40,000 people in the stands leaned forward in unison.

In the 87th minute, Glenkhal made a cross pass in the middle, and Bridge received the ball on the left flank and suddenly changed direction to cut inside!

Commentator Martin Taylor's voice suddenly rose:
"Grenkhal passes the ball! Bridge receives it and cuts inside! A beautiful one-two pass! Gudjohnsen flicks it on with his heel! Bridge bursts into the penalty area!!"

The ball passed between Toure's outstretched legs, and Bridge appeared like a ghost, firing a low shot with his left foot from 10 meters out!

"Bridge, kick it—!!!"

The ball skimmed along the grass and flew straight to the bottom right corner! Lehmann made a diving save, but it seemed too late.

"Was it in?! No—!! Lehmann's fingertips touched it!! The ball hit the post and bounced back!! Campbell cleared it with a long kick!! Arsenal escaped death!!!"

The entire Highbury stadium went from being suffocated to exploding in an instant!
Arsenal fans gasped in shock, some collapsed into their seats, others clasped their hands in prayer, while Chelsea fans plummeted from euphoria to despair.

Bridge had jumped up to celebrate, but his dream was shattered at the last moment by Lyman's incredible save!

On the sidelines, Ranieri's face was terribly grim.

He stood on the sidelines with his hands on his hips, his lips pressed into a straight line, his eyes behind his glasses fixed on the court.

Wenger clenched his fists, his chest heaving violently, clearly still shaken.

All the Arsenal players on the bench stood up. Some covered their faces, unable to watch, while others clapped their hands wildly to vent their emotions.

"This could be a season-defining save!" Taylor's voice was still trembling. "Lehmann saved Arsenal! They're still alive! But Chelsea were just 3 centimeters away from advancing—this night, fate teetered between the post and fingertips!"

If this goal goes in, it means Arsenal will need to score two more goals to turn the game around, and the match will be completely over!
The ball was eventually cleared out of bounds, but the Arsenal players were still catching their breath, as if they had just been pulled back from the brink of a cliff.

The air in Highbury seemed to freeze; everyone knew it.

The final battle has only just begun.

"This is Chelsea's last chance! Terry bursts into the penalty area, Crespo is lurking in front of the goal, Lampard takes the corner!!!"

The ball arced towards the Arsenal penalty area, and the entire Highbury area instantly held its breath.

Inside the penalty area, players tumbled and fell, with Crespo and Campbell leaping simultaneously, the ball bouncing on the ground amidst the chaos.

"The clearance wasn't far enough! The ball is still in the penalty area!! A chaotic scramble!!"

Chelsea players launched a series of frantic follow-up shots, Lehmann made a diving save, Toure blocked the shot with his body, and the ball was cleared by Edu Gaspar just centimeters from the goal line!
"Arsenal clear the ball!!! Counter-attack is on the way!!!"

Pires received the ball in midfield and staggered forward.

Arsenal fans in the stands all stood up, roaring and urging the team to attack.

Chelsea players chased back desperately, but their legs felt like lead.

"Pires passes to the wing! Ljungberg crosses from the byline!!! Toure bursts into the penalty area!!!"

The Ivorian center-back surged into the penalty area like a tank, leaping high between Terry and Gallas! His forehead slammed heavily onto the ball.

"Toure's header!!!"

Toure leaped up from 7 meters out and unleashed a powerful header that lobbed straight into the top corner of the goal!

Ambrosio made a diving save, but the crisis was not over.

The ball landed on the edge of the six-yard box, and Nonda burst out like a beast, unleashing a powerful shot from an almost impossible angle!

The moment the ball slammed into the net, Highbury Stadium erupted in cheers!
Fans hugged and jumped wildly, throwing scarves and hats into the air.

"GOOOOOOOOOOOOAL!!! Nonda!!! A last-minute winner!!! Arsenal are back from the brink of defeat!!!"

Nonda froze for a second, then knelt down, tears streaming down his face.

He spread his arms and roared to the sky, his facial muscles contorted with extreme excitement.

Arsenal players on the bench rushed onto the field, pinning Nonda to the bottom of the pile.

The Arsenal fans in the stands went completely wild.

Some pounded their chests and roared in anger, some covered their faces and wept, and some elderly fans with white hair trembled as they raised their scarves and hoarsely shouted "Arsenal! Arsenal!"

The entire stadium seemed to be shaking violently, and even the lights were trembling in the roar.

Nonda remained kneeling on the grass, his jersey soaked with tears and sweat.

This striker, who came from Ligue 1, redeemed himself in the most Arsenal way.

At this moment, only pure, deafening faith remained in Highbury.

"This is football! This is Arsenal! They've crawled back from hell!!!"

Taylor's shouts were drowned out by the roar of 40,000 people.

As the final whistle blew, Highbury was caught in a rollercoaster of emotions.

When German referee Merk blew the final whistle, the scoreboard showed 2-1.

But this time, Arsenal emerged victorious.

Chelsea players stood frozen on the grass, Lampard knelt on the ground covering his face, and Terry grabbed his jersey and wiped his eyes hard.

The Chelsea fans in the stands, who had already stood up to celebrate, seemed to be put on pause, their scarves, which had been raised in mid-air, drooped limply.

Fate played a cruel joke on us.

In their three previous encounters this season, Chelsea always scored first but were ultimately defeated by Arsenal.

When Bridge nearly sealed the victory in the 87th minute, even Ranieri on the sidelines started wiping away tears.

But Lehmann's brilliant save and Toure's header completely reversed the situation in the last 90 seconds.

The Italian coach sat motionless on the bench, his tie askew, as if he had just attended the funeral of a close relative.

Inside the VIP box, Abu's smile froze on his face.

The Russian's knuckles turned white as he gripped the champagne glass.

With an investment of £1.1 million, they are just three centimeters away from reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

The broadcast camera panned across Wenger, who was bending down to pick up his coat from the ground, his trembling fingers betraying his elation at surviving the ordeal.

Even more brutal tests are yet to come.

When Nonda's game-winning shot rolled across the goal line, it may have also shattered something more fragile, such as the delicate balance on the scales of fate.

The Arsenal players embraced in celebration, while the Chelsea players lay sprawled on the grass, their eyes vacant.

The nights in Highbury are a miracle.

Chelsea's players walked off the Highbury pitch with their heads down, their fighting spirit was truly moving.

They almost gave it their all for Ranieri.

But football shows no mercy to tragedy.

This defeat was like a blow to the head, making the Italian veteran coach's position even more precarious.

On the sidelines, Abramovich turned and left expressionlessly; his silence was more suffocating than any roar.

Although Arsenal escaped with their lives, their league lead has been eroded to 2 points by Manchester United.

Meanwhile, Arsenal players embraced and celebrated, but none of them seemed relaxed.

Wenger stood on the sidelines, his gaze passing over the cheering fans and looking into the distance.

He knew that the real test had just begun.

Because the Gunners' next opponent is that young storm sweeping across Europe – Monaco.

Deschamps' team has an average age of less than 25, yet they have already torn apart Bayern Munich and Real Madrid with their relentless running and sharp counter-attacks.

Roy, Evra, Rothen—these names are becoming the new fears of European football.

Even more terrifying is that Monaco's fitness coach Pintus created a "perpetual motion machine" tactic that drove all opponents to despair in the last 15 minutes of the game.

While Highbury's last-minute winner was certainly exhilarating, could the Arsenal players, exhausted and on edge, withstand the onslaught from Monaco's "hungry wolves"?

Manchester United are hot on their heels in the league, and now they're facing this youthful storm in the Champions League.
Wenger stood on the sidelines and slowly exhaled.

The night wind tousled his gray hair, but a smile appeared on his lips.

On the football field, courage is more important than any lines on the tactical board.

Manchester United are hot on their heels? Monaco is a youth storm? So what?

He recalled his days coaching Monaco when he was young, and those matches where he was not favored but created miracles.

There are no guaranteed wins or losses on the football field, only the spirit of never giving up.

He turned and walked toward the locker room with firm steps.

The hymn of mankind is the hymn of courage.

The Gunners may be tired or old, but as long as they still have the courage to run, fight, and shoot, anything is possible.

Just like tonight, they were on the verge of despair, but they managed to climb back from the edge of the cliff.

Football has never been a game for the strong.

It is a battlefield for the brave.

(End of this chapter)