When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 145 The Great Demon King is Actually Me
When the final whistle blew, the Stade Louis II erupted in cheers.

A sea of ​​red and white waves poured down from the stands as Monaco fans waved scarves and chanted player names, surging onto the green field like a tidal wave.

The young Monaco players embraced in celebration, and Roy was tossed high into the air by his teammates, his smile shining brightly under the spotlight.

Meanwhile, Real Madrid players, dressed in black away jerseys, silently walked toward the players' tunnel.

Zidane lowered his head, his signature bald head glistening with sweat under the lights, his steps heavy, as if each step was a struggle against the grass.

Ronaldo walked at the back, hands on his hips, occasionally glancing back at the jubilant scene in the center of the field, his eyes filled with a mixture of resentment and confusion.

Reporters on the sidelines had already set up their cameras and microphones, and flashes rained down on the Real Madrid players.

L'Équipe reporters quickly recorded every subtle change in Zidane's expression; Marca photographers focused on capturing Ronaldo's dejected figure; and BBC commentators whispered into their microphones the moment when the "Galácticos" sank.

At the entrance to the players' tunnel, a Monaco ball boy timidly handed over a bottle of water. Zidane stopped, forced a smile, took the bottle, and gently patted the boy's head.

This simple action was captured by dozens of cameras simultaneously and quickly went viral on social media.

A huge Champions League promotional poster hangs on the wall of the locker room corridor.

Zidane dragged his heavy steps through the players' tunnel, where Champions League promotional posters hanging on the walls stood out prominently under the lights.

In the poster, he is wearing a white Real Madrid jersey, holding the Champions League trophy high, and his face is beaming with the joy of victory.

That was a night in Glasgow in 2002 when his volley helped Real Madrid reach the top of Europe.

At this moment, the spirited Zidane in the poster is gazing at his dejected self in reality with an eternal smile.

The contrast between the two vividly illustrates the cruelty of time and the unpredictability of football.

He subconsciously reached out and lightly touched the poster, his fingertips tracing his frozen smile, as if confirming the authenticity of that glorious moment.

At the end of the tunnel, the cheers of Monaco fans could be faintly heard.

Zidane withdrew his hand, bent down to straighten his sweat-soaked jersey, and continued walking forward.

The smile on the poster is still bright, but the real-life figure is full of fatigue and helplessness.

This simple gesture silently conveys the most complex emotions of a football legend at this moment.

The contrast between reality and the imagery is particularly ironic at this moment.

In the mixed zone after the final whistle, the spotlights divided the aisle into two worlds of light and shadow.

The Monaco players crowded into the brightly lit area, each excitedly sharing their story.

Deschamps stood in the center of the crowd with his hands in his pockets, his suit and tie still impeccable, but his voice was hoarse: "This is not luck, it is a miracle achieved by all the Monaco players with 120% effort."

He deliberately turned and pointed towards the field, saying, "Look at how far those kids run, look at the teeth they grind while defending. This is the purest form of football."

Giuly weaved through the reporters like an excited newsboy: "Moren's pivot, Roy's breakthroughs, Evra's defense... My God, even goalkeeper Roma made five incredible saves!"

He suddenly pulled Ribery aside, saying, "Especially Frank's last goal."

Ribery, whose name was called out, blushed immediately, the scar standing out under the lights: "When I came on, I saw Roy and Giuly playing so easily, even Real Madrid's defenders couldn't catch them, and then the ball suddenly rolled to my feet. I tried to get past the first person—and I succeeded! I thought, why don't I try again? As a result, I also got past the second and third people! To be honest, when I shot, my mind was completely blank. I just heard the stands suddenly explode! Then I realized the ball was spinning in the net!"

Roy, standing quietly in the center of the crowd, had his sweat-dampened black hair plastered to his forehead.

When a British journalist loudly asked him for his thoughts on the match, he suddenly raised his eyebrows: "Who advanced, Arsenal or Chelsea?"

Upon learning that it was a gunman, a calm smile appeared on his lips that belied his age: "Then we'll prepare to face our next opponent."

He then turned and walked toward the passageway leading to the locker room, saying, "As for tonight, I don't want to talk about football anymore."

Standing in the mixed zone, Raul's eyes were red, and his voice was low and restrained: "When you're 19, you feel like football is everything. But as you go through more, you realize that some defeats define a team more than victories."

He paused, his gaze sweeping over the reporters. "The cruelest lessons in football often come from those we abandon. Look at Morientes tonight, the look in his eyes when he wore the Monaco jersey—that's the kind of persistence and determination we all know. Morientes and I have played side-by-side for years, and I know better than anyone how much he cares for that white shirt. And now, he has to prove his worth on the field as an opponent, which is a tragedy in itself."

"As for Roy, although I didn't have the opportunity to train him when I was in Castilla, his performance tonight showed everyone the quality of Real Madrid's youth academy. Although I don't know much about him, these two games have convinced me that he will become one of the best players in the world. Among his peers, I have never seen anyone as composed as him on the Champions League knockout stage."

“Look at his hat-trick at the Bernabéu, and then look at his performance tonight. It’s not just a matter of talent. A transfer fee of 30 euros? It seems absurd now. But numbers can never define true value, just as tonight’s score cannot define Real Madrid’s future.”

"Roy has all the qualities to become a top star. Now all he needs is time to prove it. Look at his performance on the field—his technique, awareness, and mental fortitude are all world-class. The only thing he lacks is perhaps more people to recognize him and get used to his greatness."

"But I dare say the wait won't be too long. Three years? No, one year will be enough. By the end of next season, the whole world will understand that what shone at the Stade Louis II tonight was not just a rising star, but a true superstar emerging."

"What's most impressive is that even against a powerhouse like Real Madrid, he maintained an astonishing calmness and confidence. This wasn't feigned composure, but rather stemmed from an absolute understanding of his own abilities. This quality often requires a player to cultivate throughout their entire career, but Roy seems to have possessed it innately."

“We often say that young players need time to grow, but my feeling about Roy is that he is just waiting for the world to catch up with him. When that day comes, everyone will be amazed at the heights this 19-year-old has already reached.”

"This is not a simple tactical failure, but a lesson about the essence of football. When a team cannot even retain the players it has developed, when we perform on the field like a hastily assembled mercenary, then no amount of money invested will bring true success. Morientes and Roy's performance tonight proves one thing: some values ​​can never be measured by transfer fees."

When Raul's heartfelt speech was broadcast through the microphone to the mixed zone, a brief silence fell over the room.

José, a veteran reporter for Marca, trembled slightly as he recalled his coverage of Raúl's debut ten years ago; Pierre of L'Équipe quickly wrote "A Confession of an Era" in large characters in his notebook; Klaus from Bild quietly crossed out the draft he was editing, titled "Real Madrid's Dressing Room Split"; and Juan of Mundo Deportivo deleted his pre-planned sarcastic headline with a complicated expression.

The flashes from the sidelines suddenly became more frequent, but the shutter sounds were much softer than usual.

A dozen or so voice recorders hung silently in mid-air, and no reporter rushed to ask the next question.

In the football media industry, which is accustomed to creating noise, this silence is perhaps the most sincere tribute to this Real Madrid legend.

The ESPN commentator whispered to the producer, "Air this whole thing, no commercials."

As Ronaldo passed through the mixed zone, his sweat-soaked jersey clung to his slightly overweight body.

When reporters swarmed in, the former "alien" simply waved wearily.

"I'm tired," he said softly, his voice hoarse as if it came from a great distance.

These three words seemed to have exhausted all his strength; the Brazilian's signature rabbit teeth no longer shone, replaced by a bitter smile.

When a reporter pressed him for his opinion on the match, Ronaldo simply shook his head.

"I'm tired"

He repeated it again, this time more like he was talking to himself.

After saying that, he turned and left, his bulky back looking particularly lonely under the flashing lights.

The sneakers made a dull thud on the tunnel floor, each step seeming to carry the weight of an entire career.

Guti, who is usually outspoken, was unusually calm this time, but his calm was tinged with despair: "I grew up in Real Madrid's youth academy, and I know what this jersey means. But tonight, tonight we don't deserve it."

He shook his head with a wry smile. "Borja? He's still a child and shouldn't be thrown into a competition like this. But what's even more ridiculous is that none of us are much better off than him."

When Roy was mentioned, Guti showed a rare expression of admiration: "That kid has guts, daring to act recklessly at the Bernabéu. And what about us? We don't even have the courage to be angry."

In the spring of 2004, on a private plane bound for Mallorca, Florentino's pen scratched across documents.

The clouds churned outside the porthole, mirroring his gloomy mood.

The Real Madrid president has just witnessed his "Galácticos" team being humiliated 10-4 on aggregate by Monaco, and the mastermind behind this massacre was none other than Roy, a young player from Real Madrid who was sold for a paltry 30 euros, and Morientes, a former player who was on loan.

"This is simply the most expensive joke in football history."

The CFO, José, was trembling as he handed over the champagne.

The staff in the cabin clearly remembered the defiant "crown" celebration of 19-year-old Roy after completing his hat-trick at the Bernabéu in the first leg; and the image of Morientes kissing the Monaco crest after scoring in the second leg, which was still playing on a loop on the plane's small screen.

Florentino suddenly slammed his wine glass down on the walnut wood table: "From today onwards, any player leaving the Bernabéu will have to sign a new contract."

The draft he pulled out was clearly titled "Roy & Morientes Act".

The first page lists three ironclad rules: 1. No playing time against Real Madrid; 2. A fine of 2 euros per minute for playing against Real Madrid without permission; 3. Real Madrid has the right of first refusal to buy back Real Madrid players.

When the legal counsel whispered a warning that UEFA might object, the president sneered: "Then let's put a €2000 million release clause in the contract first, and then offer a discount when they buy it out."

The clause that was conceived on this night later evolved into the infamous "traitor clause" in football.

Real Madrid's original "Morientes Clause" stemmed from the painful lesson of the 2004 Champions League. Morientes, on loan to Monaco, turned the tables on his former club, eliminating them. This experience taught Real Madrid a valuable lesson, leading them to impose special restrictions on player loans and sales: first, players were prohibited from playing against Real Madrid; second, playing them required paying hefty fines (for example, Cheryshev's contract stipulated a €150 million fine per match); and third, a buy-back clause was included to allow players to be brought back at any time. The most drastic aspect of this clause was its attempt to apply the avoidance rules of ordinary leagues to the Champions League. However, UEFA eventually intervened, allowing anyone to play in Champions League matches, thus cutting off Real Madrid's escape route.

However, Real Madrid was still not giving up. When they later sold Morata, they came up with a new trick of "8000 million euros resale share". In essence, it was the same routine: they wanted to get rid of the player but were afraid of being bitten in return.

In the sea breeze of Mallorca, no one noticed the pencil note on the last page of the draft: "The price of youth players shall not be lower than 200% of the market price."

This clause, later jokingly referred to as the "Roy Tax," became the most bitter black humor in Real Madrid's youth academy—it was both a remedy for that €30 mistake and a constant reminder to the club that the price of some betrayals can be measured far beyond money.

欧冠1/4决赛次回合上演精彩对决。葡超豪门波尔图客场2-2战平法甲劲旅里昂，以总比分4-2强势晋级半决赛，将与拉科鲁尼亚争夺决赛席位。

The match started with a tense atmosphere.

In the 6th minute, Deco's exquisite through ball assisted Maniche to open the scoring.

Lyon refused to back down, and in the 14th minute, Malouda assisted Luindula to equalize the score.

At the start of the second half, Deco once again displayed his masterful passing, delivering a precise cross in the 47th minute to help Maniche score his second goal.

Although Lyon equalized again through Elber's header in stoppage time, Edmilson's red card in the 74th minute completely dashed their hopes of a comeback.

Porto displayed great resilience in this match, with captain Costa returning from injury to lead the defense and the team cooperating seamlessly.

Deco provided two assists and became the key player, while Maniche proved his strength with two invaluable goals.

Despite a full-scale counterattack led by Juninho, Lyon's efforts were thwarted by refereeing errors and the suspension of key players.

This dramatic and unpredictable match ultimately led to Porto's achievement of reaching the Champions League semi-finals.

2004年4月7日，欧冠1/4决赛次回合在里亚索球场打响。

At the moment the final whistle blew, the Milan players froze in place as if they had been frozen in place.

Maldini stood with his hands on his hips, sweat streaming down his temples, head bowed in silence.

Nesta plopped down on the grass, mechanically tugging at his socks, as if he hadn't yet woken from the nightmare of conceding four goals in a row.

Cafu looked up at the scoreboard, the 4-0 score making him squint.

On the bench, Pirlo covered his head with his jersey, his shoulders trembling slightly.

The youngest, Kaka, spun around blankly, constantly wiping away tears that wouldn't stop with the back of her hand.

Ancelotti stood frozen in the coaching area, his tie draped askew around his neck, staring blankly at the Deportivo players celebrating wildly.

His lips trembled slightly, as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he couldn't utter a single word.

This legendary coach, who led Milan to the top of Europe last year, now resembles a statue with its soul emptied, letting the cheers from the Riazor Stadium engulf him.

He slowly raised his hand and touched his forehead, as if to confirm that this was not a nightmare.

His defending champions, his proud ironclad defense, crumbled in just 90 minutes.

首回合1-4惨败的拉科鲁尼亚上演惊天逆转，主场4-0完胜卫冕冠军AC米兰，以总比分5-4强势晋级四强。

The match unfolded in what can be described as one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history: Pandiani, Valerón, and Luque scored three goals in the first half, while substitute Forlán added the finishing touch in the second half.

After the match began, AC Milan launched the first attack, with Shevchenko and Cafu creating continuous threats on the right flank, but Deportivo goalkeeper Molina performed steadily.

In the 6th minute, Deportivo launched an attack down the left flank. Pandiani received the ball, cleverly turned and got past Maldini's defense, and scored with a low left-footed shot from the edge of the penalty area, giving the home team a dream start.

Deportivo then launched a relentless attack, with Victor's shot deflecting off Pancaro and nearly extending the lead.

Despite several attempts by Tomasson and Shevchenko, Milan failed to pose a real threat to Molina's goal.

In the 35th minute, Luke delivered a precise cross from the left wing, and Valerón easily headed the ball into the net unmarked, making the score 2-0.

Just before the end of the first half, Nesta made a clearance error, and Luke seized the opportunity to calmly slot the ball home, giving Deportivo a 3-0 lead going into halftime.

In the second half, Milan tried to strengthen their attack, but they were unable to break through Deportivo's solid defense.

In the 76th minute, substitute Forlán received a cross from his teammate and volleyed the ball into the net, which deflected off Cafu, making the score 4-0.

Milan had a golden opportunity in the final moments through Inzaghi, but his shot was weak and easily saved by Molina.

As the final whistle blew, Riazor Stadium erupted in madness, with Deportivo La Coruña players excitedly throwing their jerseys into the stands, completing one of the most incredible comebacks in Champions League history.

This victory not only allowed Deportivo to eliminate defending champions AC Milan with a total score of 5-4, but also set a new Champions League record for overturning a three-goal deficit in the first leg, becoming the "Miracle of Riazor" that will go down in history.

It is worth mentioning that.

In March 2001, Deportivo La Coruña staged a stunning comeback in their Europa League match against Paris Saint-Germain.

At that time, they were down 0-3 at home, but they managed to score 4 goals in a row to complete a great comeback.

That match is still talked about by fans and is considered one of the most classic comebacks in European competition history.

However, that was just a single-elimination match, while this comeback against AC Milan was even more remarkable because it was accomplished in a two-legged Champions League quarter-final.

After a crushing 1-4 defeat in the first leg, almost everyone thought Deportivo had no chance, but they pulled off a perfect 4-0 victory, creating one of the most incredible comebacks in Champions League history.

This epic victory not only ended Milan's title defense, but also marked the collective fall of traditional Champions League powerhouses that season – the final four spots were split among four leagues: La Liga (Deportivo La Coruña), the Premier League (Arsenal), Ligue 1 (Monaco), and the Primeira Liga (Porto).

Arsenal had never even reached the Champions League final in 2004, so they certainly couldn't be considered a traditional Champions League powerhouse.

Arsenal, along with Chelsea, Valencia, and others, are categorized as "emerging forces" that need to build their standing through consistently outstanding performances.

It wasn't until they reached the Champions League final for the first time in 2006 (losing to Barcelona) that they truly entered the realm of elite clubs.

Then-UEFA president Johansson once said: "Arsenal needs the Champions League trophy to prove that they deserve the title of 'elite club'."

A 2004 commentary in The Guardian stated: "Wenger's team is invincible in England, but the European arena remains their 'unfinished task'."

Even more surprising is that Deportivo La Coruña, who are now creating a miraculous comeback, were thrashed 9-3 by Monaco in the group stage. When people saw Deportivo La Coruña's 4-0 victory over defending champions AC Milan, they truly realized just how strong this Monaco team is, capable of thrashing Real Madrid 10 goals over two legs and winning 9-3 against Deportivo La Coruña in a single match.

When the Champions League semi-finalists were decided, a dramatic situation arose: Monaco's name was highlighted in red in the tactical analysis reports of Porto, Arsenal, and Deportivo La Coruña.

Bookmakers adjusted their odds overnight, directly listing this previously unfavored Ligue 1 team as the top favorite to win the title, with the odds plummeting from 15 to 2.5.

Looking at the latest opponent analysis report, Deschamps suddenly realized a harsh reality: his team had transformed from a challenger into a "demon king." Now, all of Europe was studying how to defeat this attacking machine, and every team was adjusting its tactics to limit Monaco's offense.

This team, which was originally considered a dark horse, is now facing unprecedented pressure and challenges.

Porto's defensive experts are studying how to shut down Morientes, noting that the Spanish striker has reduced his average running distance by 15% in the knockout stages, suggesting his stamina may be nearing its limit.

Arsenal's scouting report indicates that Rothen, who comes from the wing, is not good at dribbling around in place, but his passing is extremely threatening, and his connection with the forwards must be cut off.

Deportivo La Coruña noted that 73% of Monaco's goals in their two matches against Real Madrid came from quick counter-attacks, meaning that controlling the tempo of the game could weaken their threat.

More importantly, Monaco's squad depth is beginning to show signs of weakness.

Key defensive midfielder Bernardi is suspended due to accumulated yellow cards, and there is a lack of a defensive midfielder of the same caliber on the bench.

Starting midfielder Rothen has been experiencing recurring muscle fatigue issues.

While starting full-backs Evra and Maicon are both capable in attack and defense, they are still young and inexperienced, and their defense is somewhat rough.
The gaps left by Evra's habitual forward runs can be exploited.

Maicon made a misjudgment when defending against crosses.

When two full-backs push forward at the same time, a vacuum will appear in the protective area in front of the center-back.

Although goalkeeper Roma performed well, his weakness in handling high balls is being studied by opponents.

Deschamps knew very well that the road ahead would be even more difficult.

The other three teams will not only devise strategies to counter Monaco's tactical characteristics, but will also exploit the weaknesses in their squad.

What's even more challenging is that as the importance of the competition increases, the psychological pressure on the players also multiplies.

(End of this chapter)