When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 157 Roy's Bullet, The Gunman's Twilight

As soon as the referee blew his whistle, Henry gently pushed the ball to Bergkamp, ​​and a wave of red and white rippled out instantly.

Bergkamp passed the ball back to Vieira, and the Arsenal captain calmly controlled the ball. When he looked up, he noticed that Roy was rapidly closing in.

Without hesitation, Vieira made a cross to Gilberto on the left wing. As soon as the Brazilian controlled the ball, Bernardi aggressively closed him down.

Gilberto secured possession and suddenly flicked the ball with his heel, sending it rolling through Bernardi's legs toward the onrushing Ashley Cole.

England's left-back dribbled forward at breakneck speed, and Maicon immediately stepped up to block him.

Cole feinted a shot, then suddenly made a diagonal pass to find Pires, who was retreating.

The French winger received the ball with his back to goal, and Pedretti stretched out his foot to interfere from the side and behind. Pires, however, gently flicked the ball with the outside of his foot, and the ball slid past Monaco's defensive midfielder's foot, accurately finding Henry who was overlapping on the wing.

When Henry received the ball on the left wing, Abidal lowered his center of gravity and slightly spread his left arm, blocking the inside cutting lane like a wall.

The Monaco center-back's cleats gripped the turf tightly, his eyes fixed on Henry's shoulder as he swayed.

The cheers from the Highbury stands suddenly rose, everyone anticipating the Gunners' king's magic.

Just as Abidal was about to pounce, Henry suddenly flicked the ball gently with the inside of his right foot.

This sudden stop caused Abidal to stumble slightly, and the ball had already rolled towards the center.

Vieira surged forward, and Monaco's Bernardi desperately tried to catch up, but it was too late.

Arsenal's captain unleashed a powerful shot from 25 yards out, sending the ball soaring through the air like a cannonball, tracing a sharp arc.

BBC commentator Martin Taylor instantly raised his voice: "Vieira—! That long-range shot was powerful and heavy!"

As the ball grazed the crossbar and went out of play, he added with a hint of regret, "Oh, just a few inches away! Roma made absolutely no attempt to save it. The Monaco goalkeeper must have heard the whistling sound of the ball cutting through the air."

On the sidelines, Wenger subconsciously adjusted his glasses, while Deschamps on the other side of the bench shouted at Bernardi, indicating that he should block the shooting angle more quickly.

In the stands, the young fans in red and white jerseys were still in a surprised pose with their hands covering their heads, as if the shock of that powerful shot was still echoing.

Roma took a goal kick, and the ball flew high towards the midfield.

Roy was originally roaming in the attacking third when he saw Vieira's long-range shot go over the crossbar and immediately started to retreat.

He first pretended to rush towards Squillaci to receive a short pass, causing Gilberto to follow for two steps, but then suddenly stopped and changed direction, turning back and rushing towards the wing.

This feint caused a brief commotion in Arsenal's midfield defense.

Vieira instinctively moved two steps to the left, and Ljungberg had to drop back to cover.

In that split second, Squillaci had already passed the ball to Rothen, who was unmarked.

On the sidelines, Wenger suddenly sat up straight. The French coach had keenly noticed that it was Roy's seemingly simple run and movement that had created a fatal gap in Arsenal's midfield defense.

He turned to assistant coach Pat Rice and said something, a hint of seriousness flashing in his eyes.

Meanwhile, Monaco's counter-attack was already surging into Arsenal's half like a tidal wave.

Rothen's long pass was like a sharp knife piercing the back of Arsenal's defense.

Roy had already started moving the moment the ball left his foot, his black hair flying in the night wind like a wild horse.

Lauren had just turned around when he was left two body lengths behind. Campbell desperately cut in to cover, but Roy flicked the ball past him with the outside of his right foot and accelerated past him from the outside.

The shouts from the Highbury stands suddenly turned into gasps of surprise.

Roy strode towards the penalty area, each step seeming to pound the hearts of Arsenal fans.

Touré chased back at full speed from the other side, the Ivorian clenching his teeth, the veins on his forehead clearly visible.

The distance between them kept increasing: five meters, ten meters, fifteen meters.
Just as Roy was about to break into the penalty area, he was stopped for two seconds by Ashley Cole, who made a diagonal run, and Lehmann took the opportunity to block the near post.

At that moment, Toure finally made a diving tackle, poking the ball out of bounds at the last second.

The fans in the entire North Stand breathed a sigh of relief, and several older spectators even slumped in their seats, clutching their chests.

A deafening roar erupted from the Highbury stands as the attacking battle of this Champions League semi-final showcased its extraordinary charm within the first three minutes.

In the VIP box in Monaco, the new owner, Rybonov, stood up excitedly and shouted, "Alléz Monaco!"

His French pronunciation still carried a heavy Russian accent, clearly indicating that he had not yet fully adapted to his new role as the owner of the French Ligue 1 team.

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over the two important guests in the box—Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was thoughtfully stroking his chin, while sitting further out was the Russian Deputy Minister of Sports, who was pretending to be focused on the game but actually listening intently to the conversation between the two tycoons.

Abramovich's trip to watch the game wasn't just about watching the match.

He hoped to use Rybonovev's connections to persuade Monaco's star player Roy to transfer to Chelsea.

The deeper intention is that both Russian oligarchs want to prove their worth to the Kremlin by running clubs abroad.

These football clubs are not just toys, but outposts for Russia to expand its influence in Europe.

The champagne in the private room was bubbling, but none of the three of them were paying attention to the drinks.

For them, the outcome of this Champions League semi-final is certainly important, but even more important is to send a signal back home through the football stage: their business in Europe is in line with Russia's national interests.

With this protective umbrella, their situation in Moscow will be much safer.

Monaco won a corner kick, and Rothen delivered the ball into the center of the penalty area.

Touré leaped high and collided violently with Morientes in mid-air. The Spanish striker fell to the ground, while the Ivorian center-back headed the ball steadily out of the penalty area.

The ball fell to Pedretti's feet on the outside. As soon as the French midfielder controlled the ball, Pires pounced fiercely on him. The two engaged in a fierce battle near the sideline. Although Pedretti (1.77) was half a head shorter than Pires (1.87), he held his position like a piece of chewing gum.

With a nimble turn, he used his back to block Pires and suddenly accelerated forward with the ball.

Just as the Monaco fans in the stands began to cheer, Pedretti unleashed a powerful shot from outside the penalty area.

The ball headed straight for the top right corner of the goal, and Lehmann leaped into the air, tipping the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

After landing, the German goalkeeper yelled at the defense, while Deschamps on the sidelines clapped enthusiastically.

The midfielder he personally coached displayed a textbook-perfect all-around performance in this attack, from interception to shooting.

After Lehmann tipped the ball over the crossbar, Monaco won another corner kick.

Rothen's pass was headed out of the penalty area by Campbell, and Vieira rushed out of the penalty area, controlled the ball with his chest, and then made a long diagonal pass to Ashley Cole who was making a run down the left wing.

Cole dribbled forward at high speed, and Maicon quickly closed in.

Instead of making a direct run, the England left-back passed the ball back to Gilberto Silva in the middle.

The Brazilian midfielder passed the ball directly to Ljungberg on the right wing without stopping it. The Swedish winger made a feint to get past Bernardi and then delivered a low through ball.

Bergkamp appeared like a ghost at the edge of the penalty area, deftly controlling the ball with his back to the goal.

Squillaci rushed forward to block, but Bergkamp flicked the ball with his heel, sending it flying between the French center-back's legs.

Henry surged forward like lightning, stopping the ball at his feet with his chest.

Rome was on high alert, keeping a close eye on Henry's every move.

Arsenal's King raised his leg as if to unleash a powerful shot into the near corner, immediately deceiving the Monaco goalkeeper into shifting his weight to his right.

In that split second, Henry flicked his ankle and gently pushed the ball into the bottom left corner of the goal.

The moment the ball rolled into the net, the entire Highbury stadium erupted in deafening cheers.

Henry stood there, his ears ringing, as if all the sounds in the world had frozen in that moment.

He slowly turned around and saw countless red and white scarves surging like waves in the stands, and Bergkamp was already running towards him with open arms.

On the sidelines, Wenger excitedly pumped his fist in celebration, while Deschamps on the other side solemnly held his forehead.

From clearance to goal, Arsenal used seven consecutive passes to completely tear apart Monaco's defense.

BBC commentator Martin Taylor exclaimed excitedly, "Textbook teamwork! This is the true strength of an invincible team!"

"Listen to the roar at Highbury! The shadow of being 1-3 down in the first leg has been completely shattered – Arsenal are declaring in their most familiar way: the Gunners' comeback has only just begun!"

His speech became faster and faster, and the shouts of the fans in the background almost drowned out the commentary:

"Look at all those red and white scarves flying around the stadium, and look at Wenger clenching his fists on the bench. The unbeaten league champions will not easily bow down in the Champions League semi-final. The Monaco fans may think they can rest easy in London with a two-goal lead, but they forget that this is Highbury—here, Arsenal has never let any opponent leave unscathed this season!"

As the camera panned across the cheering fans in the stands, Taylor's voice suddenly rose:

"Remember this moment! If Arsenal ultimately pulls off a comeback, people will say: the turning point was this moment, it was Henry's goal that ignited the entire stadium! The Gunners are proving with their actions that they are only 90 minutes away from the final with a perfect performance!"

Amidst the deafening cheers at Highbury Stadium, Henry threw his head back and laughed, a thin layer of sweat glistening on his forehead.

The entire stadium was chanting his name: "Thierry! Thierry!"

The sound came in waves, sweeping from the east stand to the west stand.

Vieira rushed over and grabbed him by the neck, yelling in his ear, "Let that kid see what we're made of! Think we're too old to run? Ha?!"

The captain's arm was so tight that Henry could hardly breathe, but he could feel the captain's burning fighting spirit.

Henry quietly raised his eyes amidst the celebrating crowd, his gaze sweeping across the bustling green field.

Roy was running to the sidelines when Deschamps put one hand on his shoulder and gestured with the other hand, indicating the tactics.

The young Monaco coach's lips moved rapidly, while the dark-haired youth nodded as he listened.

When the referee signaled for the restart, Roy slowly turned his head.

Henry noticed that even across half the pitch, Roy's eyes were shining brightly—not with defeat, but with an ignited fighting spirit.

“Press their full-backs,” Roy said quickly. “When Cole and Lauren push forward, there are open spaces behind them.”

Giuly nodded: "I'll keep an eye on Pires as he chases back."

“Moren,” Roy continued, “bring Campbell out.”

The Spanish striker understood: "Create space for Rothen to make a forward run."

Rothen added, "They used a two-pass pass behind Toure, and their right center-back was slow to turn."

The four men briefly bumped fists and quickly dispersed.

After Monaco kicked off from the center circle, Morientes passed the ball back to Rothen.

Arsenal's pressing formation immediately surged forward like a tidal wave.

Vieira and Gilberto, positioned on the left and right respectively, blocked the central passing lanes like two mobile fortresses.

Just as Pedretti received Rothen's short pass, Gilberto aggressively closed in, the Brazilian's strong body causing the French defensive midfielder to stumble.

Seeing this, Roy immediately retreated to provide support, but Lauren followed him closely.

Pedretti managed to pass the ball to Evra on the wing, but before the French full-back could even control it, Ljungberg had already pounced on him.

Evra could only pass back to center-back Squillaci in haste, while Bergkamp and Henry pounced on Monaco's defense like cheetahs.

Under pressure from the Dutch striker, Squillaci had no choice but to pass the ball back to the goalkeeper.

Roma stood on the edge of the penalty area, beads of sweat glistening in the sunlight on his forehead.

His long kick was clearly distorted, and the ball he kicked was low and flat, flying directly towards Bergkamp near the penalty area.

"Chance!"

A gasp rippled through the Highbury stands.

Bergkamp easily controlled the ball, but looking up, he saw that Henry, who was rapidly retreating, was in an offside position.

The Dutchman dribbled forward a few steps until Maicon and Squillaci forced him to the sideline, barely managing to push the ball out of bounds.

Monaco escaped unscathed, but Deschamps' face was so dark it could drip water.

The entire Highbury stadium was full of praise for Arsenal's strong performance in the opening stages.

Arsenal fans and Premier League players who came to watch the game were whispering among themselves: "It seems Monaco isn't as strong as people say."

Meanwhile, the Arsenal players were in high spirits and actively preparing for the upcoming corner kick attack, with the whole team displaying great fighting spirit.

Arsenal's corner kick caused chaos in Monaco's penalty area.

The ball bounced repeatedly inside the penalty area, and Pires found an opening amidst the chaos, poking the ball straight into the bottom right corner of the goal.

Roma fell to the ground and deflected the ball with his fingertips, but Maicon twisted his body on the goal line to complete a bicycle kick clearance.

Giuly received the ball outside the penalty area and, facing the onrushing Vieira, quickly took small, quick steps.

With a flick of his left foot and a pull of his right, he darted between Vieira and Gilberto like a fried dough ball.

Monaco's winger didn't try to score himself, and passed the ball to Morientes in the middle.

With his back to the goal and closely marked by Campbell, the Spanish striker flicked the ball to the left wing with his heel. Roy, understanding perfectly, flicked the ball with his right heel, sending it obediently rolling into the open space.

He started moving instantly, sprinting along the side road like an arrow released from a bow.

Lauren made a flying tackle, but Roy flicked the ball with his toe, sending it over the Arsenal full-back as he accelerated to continue his run.

Reaching the byline, Roy, facing a double-team from Cole and Campbell, delivered a low cross.

Morientes attempted a side-footed shot at the near post, but miskicked the ball.

Giuly appeared like a ghost at the far post and easily tapped the ball into the empty net.

Just as the Monaco players were about to celebrate, the linesman mercilessly raised his flag.

Giuly was offside; the goal was disallowed.

He stood there with his hands behind his head, his face filled with disbelief.

Roy rushed to the linesman, pointed to his eyes, and shouted, "He (Lauren) was at the very back! I saw it with my own eyes!"

The linesman shook his head expressionlessly, his finger firmly pointing to the offside position.

On the other side, Deschamps rushed up to the fourth official and yelled in a mix of French and English, "At least they should see the replay! We've been robbed!"

The fourth official simply waved his hand to signal him to calm down.

Wenger stood in the technical area with his arms crossed in front of his chest, nodding to the refereeing team to indicate that the decision was correct.

His glasses reflected the stadium lights, making it impossible to see his eyes.

Faint boos rang out from the Monaco fans' section of the stands, but were drowned out by the mocking chants from the Arsenal die-hard supporters.

The referee upheld his original decision and waved for the game to continue.

After the game restarted, the two sides engaged in a fierce battle in the midfield.

After Arsenal kicked off, Henry passed the ball back to Vieira. As soon as the Arsenal captain turned around, Roy pounced on him.

Vieira hastily passed the ball to Ljungberg on the right wing, but Roy immediately changed direction and sprinted forward, sliding in to tackle Ljungberg the moment he received the ball, bringing the Swedish winger and the ball to the ground.

The referee blew his whistle as a warning, and Roy spread his hands to indicate that he had touched the ball first.

Ljungberg rubbed his ankle as he got up, his face grim.

Monaco seized the opportunity to organize their defense, with Pedretti and Bernardi quickly dropping back to protect their own half.

Arsenal continued to build their attack, with Pires playing a one-two with Cole on the left wing.

Evra rushed in and used his body to push Cole aside.

Just before the ball rolled out of bounds, Pires managed to poke it to Bergkamp in the middle.

As soon as Bergkamp controlled the ball, Abidal immediately marked him closely, while Squillaci blocked Henry's forward run.

Monaco's counterattack came quickly.

Rothen received Abidal's clearance and delivered a long pass over the top to Roy on the left wing.

Roy chested the ball down, then deftly chipped it over Lauren as he pressed forward, before accelerating into a sprint.

BBC commentator Martin Taylor's voice suddenly rose: "Look at that lob! It's like playing with kids on the training field!"

The camera captured Roy accelerating after completing his dribble past his opponent.

He leaned slightly forward, his black hair fluttering in the wind, his left arm swinging naturally for balance, while his right arm stretched out like the wings of a gliding eagle.

This rhythmic movement prompted the photographers on the sidelines to press their shutters simultaneously.

Rybonov slammed his hand on the armrest in the private box, while Abu squinted at him.

Even the young Arsenal players sitting on the bench couldn't help but exchange a look of amazement.

Toure came to cover, but Roy suddenly changed direction and cut inside, passing the ball to Morientes who was making a run forward before Campbell could block him.

The Spanish center forward received the ball with his back to goal, leaned against Toure, and then passed it back to the onrushing Pedretti.

The French defensive midfielder unleashed a powerful shot, but the ball grazed the crossbar and went out of play.

A gasp rippled through Highbury Stadium as Monaco's attack, from interception to shot, tore apart Arsenal's defense in just three passes.

Wenger was on the sidelines, loudly directing the defense to tighten up, while Deschamps kept waving his hands to signal the forwards to continue applying pressure.

The pace of the game quickened, and both teams' jerseys were soaked with sweat, gleaming in the sunlight.

25 minutes.

Monaco launched a siege, showcasing exquisite attacking coordination.

Roma made a short pass to Squillaci, whose French center-back calmly observed the situation before passing the ball to Maicon on the right wing.

Maicon dribbled forward a few steps, then suddenly backheeled the ball to Bernardi, who had made a run into the box.

Monaco's defensive midfielder made a first-time, long diagonal pass, which found Evra on the left wing with pinpoint accuracy.

Evra played a one-two with Rothen, who had dropped back. The French full-back went down the wing but didn't cross. Instead, he passed the ball back to Pedretti at the edge of the penalty area.

The latter feigned a long-range shot, but actually gently passed it to Roy, who suddenly made a diagonal run.

Roy received the ball on the left side of the penalty area, first made a sudden stop to shake off Lauren who was rushing to tackle him, and then cut past Toure who was covering for him with his right foot.

Just as Campbell blocked the shot, he suddenly changed his powerful shot into a delicate low shot, the ball skimming along the grass and heading straight for the far corner.

In a split second, Ashley Cole burst through the goal line and slid in to block the ball out of play.

Monaco's attack started from the right flank and involved a series of precise passes, but ultimately failed due to Cole's brilliant clearance.

England's left-back dribbled forward at high speed, then suddenly changed direction as Maicon pressed him, and the two began a chase along the sideline.

Cole preemptively passed the ball to Vieira in midfield, and the Arsenal captain pulled the ball back, turned, and deftly evaded Bernardi's challenge.

Vieira looked up and delivered a precise long diagonal pass to Ljungberg on the right wing.

Facing Evra, the Swedish winger feinted three times before suddenly flicking the ball with the outside of his right foot, accelerating past him.

Evra made a hasty tackle, but only grazed Ljungberg's boot heel.

Ljungberg stumbled a couple of steps before regaining his balance and continuing to dribble the ball to the byline.

His cross flew into the penalty area, and Henry jumped to head the ball but misjudged it.

This unconventional touch threw Monaco's defense into disarray. Squillaci and Abidal rushed towards Henry at the same time, leaving Bergkamp unmarked at the far post.

Bergkamp volleyed the ball with his right foot before it hit the ground.

The ball bounced violently in front of Roma, then rose and fell strangely, grazing the crossbar before landing in the net.

Despite Roma's attempt to save the ball, they could only watch it go into the net.

Highbury erupted in cheers. Bergkamp was surrounded by his teammates, while the Monaco players stood frozen in place.

They were just besieging the enemy, but in the blink of an eye they were down by two goals.

Arsenal fans waved red and white scarves, creating wave after wave of people in the stands.

The die-hard fans in the North Stand chanted "Our Arsenal is invincible" in unison, their voices shaking the stadium roof.

The Monaco fan section fell into complete silence.

Many French fans who had traveled from afar sat in their seats, heads in their hands, stunned.

Several young fans had tears in their eyes, clutching their scarves tightly.

This team, which dominated Ligue 1 for two seasons, is a true champion.

The legendary team that won the championship eight rounds early this season with an undefeated record is now trailing at Highbury.

In the stands, an elderly fan with white hair took off his glasses and wiped the lenses with a scarf.

He recalled Monaco's past glory of being undefeated in the league, and the praise the media had given Deschamps' team as a "new dynasty".

Now, all of this may become another joke in the football world about "domestic bullying".

They were invincible domestically, but suffered a crushing defeat in a crucial Champions League match.

Younger fans began to whisper anxiously: "If we get eliminated like this, what will our miracles of the past two seasons mean?"

Their voices were drowned out by the chants of Arsenal fans.

A boy wearing a Roy jersey suddenly stood up and shouted something at the top of his lungs at the field, but was quickly persuaded to return to his seat by security personnel.

In front of the away team's bench, Deschamps paced back and forth with a grim face, occasionally shouting tactical instructions onto the field.

Behind the advertising boards on the sidelines, photographers frantically pressed their shutters, flashes going off one after another.

The commentators in the broadcast booth had to raise their voices to hear themselves clearly.

Wenger stood on the sidelines, his hands in his suit pockets, a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth.

He tried to maintain his characteristic composure, but the glint in his eyes behind his glasses betrayed his inner ecstasy.

The 1-3 defeat in the first leg in Monaco seems like yesterday, while the 2-0 score on the Highbury scoreboard is now shining brightly.

He glanced at the real-time data on the big screen.

Arsenal have one foot in the final thanks to their away goals advantage.

The players on the field seemed to sense this as well. Vieira was loudly directing his teammates' positioning in midfield, his jersey already soaked with sweat.

Gilberto stood like a moving wall, keeping a close watch on Rothen, who was trying to organize an attack.

Although the two full-backs, Cole and Lauren, were sharp in their attacking runs, they immediately tracked back to defend after each attack, never daring to be careless.

The singing from the stands grew louder and louder, and Wenger finally couldn't help but loosen his tie.

He recalled the pre-match media's doubts about the "aging of Arsenal's defense," and Monaco's unbeaten run in Ligue 1 this season.

And now, his team is crushing the pride of their opponents bit by bit in the most Arsenal way: fast, precise, and deadly.

The chants from the stands gradually turned into a synchronized countdown: "60 minutes left!"

Arsenal fans cheered while intently watching every move on the field.

Several seasoned fans even pulled out their notebooks and started calculating possible score combinations.

The Monaco players still have an indomitable spirit burning in their eyes.

Roy tirelessly ran and pressed in the attacking third, while Morientes kept dropping back to call for the ball.

Deschamps stood on the sidelines, his suit jacket already off, and the cuffs of his white shirt rolled up to his elbows.

The night air in Highbury was filled with the scent of grass and the shouts of fans.

The score of 2-0 flashed on the big screen, as if reminding everyone that the road to the final was still long and that a reversal could happen at any moment.

But sixty minutes was simply too long. The cheers at Highbury were gradually replaced by a tense silence as fans gripped their scarves, their eyes glued to every touch of the ball on the field.

Arsenal's players were still running, but their breathing had become heavy, and their steps were no longer as light as at the start of the game.

Vieira and Gilberto's interceptions remained fierce, but Monaco's attacks came wave after wave like a tide.

Roy received the pass on the left wing, and with a deft flick of his right foot, the ball obediently stopped at his feet.

Lauren lowered her center of gravity and lunged forward, her tall body blocking her way like a wall.

Roy suddenly poked the ball with his toe, and the ball went through Lauren's legs. He then quickly changed direction, trying to get around his opponent.

Lauren reacted extremely quickly, and as she turned, her elbow inadvertently rested on Roy's shoulder, and her right leg followed up with a sliding tackle.

Both players fell to the ground at the same time, and the ball rolled out of bounds.

Roy quickly got up, spread his hands in protest to the linesman, but the referee simply signaled for the game to continue.

He gritted his teeth, picked up the ball, and tossed it to Evra, who was coming to take the throw-in.

He rubbed his sore shoulder, but his eyes remained fixed on the Arsenal penalty area.

Evra's throw-in was like a fuse, and Roy sped off like lightning, charging into Arsenal's heart of the defense once again.

Deschamps stood on the sidelines, veins bulging, frantically waving his hands to signal the entire team to press forward.

The coach knew that retreating at this moment meant certain death.

Monaco's counterattack was more ferocious than expected.

After receiving the ball, Roy accelerated and broke through before passing it to Rothen.

Rothen dribbled past several defenders at the edge of the box and played a through ball to Morientes. The Spaniard laid the ball off with his back to goal, and Giuly followed up with a powerful shot that was saved by Lehmann and went out for a corner.

When the corner kick was taken, even center-back Squillaci rushed into the penalty area, causing chaos in front of Arsenal's goal.

The cheers from the stands turned into tense swallowing sounds.

The veteran fans in the North Stand gripped their scarves tightly, some of them constantly checking their watches. There were still ten minutes left until the end of the first half, but it felt like half a century.

Wenger stood in the technical area, his eyes behind his glasses fixed on the field, his suit jacket already soaked with sweat.

He knew that if he conceded just one more goal, the situation would be reversed instantly.

Monaco's three goals will be like a sharp knife pressed against Arsenal's throat.

Arsenal's bench was completely silent, everyone staring intently at the field, as if even their breathing had become cautious.

The 2-0 scoreline felt like a hot iron – you couldn't let go, yet it burned you painfully.

Everyone was waiting for that redemptive halftime whistle so they could retreat to the locker room and catch their breath.

Monaco's corner kick spun into the penalty area, and Toure and Campbell jumped at the same time, but collided.

The ball bounced off Gilberto's back and towards the six-yard box, where Squillaci headed the ball before Cole could block it—Lehmann had already lost his balance and could only watch as the ball struck the crossbar.

Campbell staggered to clear the way, but Abidal suddenly appeared from behind Henry.

The French center-back threw his shoulder and struck Henry, sending him staggering.

Before the ball even bounced, Monaco's left-back tensed his left leg muscles and precisely flicked the ball towards the center circle with the instep of his foot.

When Roy dropped back to receive the ball, Lauren was already closing in.

The Cameroonian's body pressed down on Roy, his right hand secretly grabbing the hem of Roy's jersey.

Roy suddenly hunched his shoulders and pulled away, causing Lauren to lunge forward due to inertia, her cleats scraping two deep marks on the turf.

Before the ball could land, Roy deftly tapped it with his right leg.

The ball, curled up with the inside of his foot, spun sharply and sailed over Vieira's head as he desperately chased after him.

Morientes first feigned a forward run, then suddenly braked and changed direction.

Campbell was so shaken he almost did the splits.

The Spanish center forward headed the falling ball towards the goal, his neck veins bulging.

With a backhand shot, Lehmann leaped and blocked the ball toward the penalty spot with one hand, only to see Bernardi emerge from the crowd.

Monaco's defensive midfielder glided through the air and attempted a sliding tackle, his studs barely touching the ball.

The Arsenal goalkeeper was still lying on the ground, helplessly watching the ball slowly roll across the goal line.

Maicon had already rushed to the baseline and pulled Bernardi, who had crashed into the net, up and shook him violently.

"GOOOOOOOAL!!! Bernardi!!! Monaco has made it 4-3 on aggregate!!!"

"From Abidal's crucial header to Roy's magical first touch, from Morientes' deadly run to his header, and finally Bernardi's decisive goal! Monaco once again tore apart Arsenal's defense at Highbury!"

"1-2! 4-3 on aggregate! Now all the pressure is on Arsenal! The Gunners need two more goals to advance, while Monaco is just one goal away from the final!"

"Highbury fell silent! Deschamps' team erupted from the brink of defeat! That's the magic of the Champions League knockout stage! One second heaven, one second hell!"

In Nice, in the south of France, Monaco fans smashed beer glasses against the ceiling in a bar.

In a café in Marseille's Old Port district, elderly men who had been feeling suffocated suddenly jumped up and overturned the coffee table.

Lyon fans, though grimacing, had to admit the goal was brilliant.

At an Arsenal fan pub in north London, someone smashed a remote control against the wall.

A little boy wearing a Henry jersey buried his face in his mother's arms, his shoulders trembling.

On the bench, Fabregas swore in Spanish and slammed his towel to the ground.

In his Barcelona apartment, 16-year-old Messi jumped up from the sofa.

His eyes were glued to Bernardi on the screen and Argentine legend Caniggia on the bench.

The sight of two Argentinians made him cheer for the French team without hesitation.

This defensive midfielder, who was not well-known in Argentina, suddenly seemed tall and imposing in his eyes.

He shouted at the television:
"Monaco is going to advance!"

"Monaco is going to advance!"

Cristiano Ronaldo stood in the VIP box, his eyes fixed on the field.

On the field, Roy was like a mad beast, the first to rush towards Bernardi, who had scored the goal, grabbing his jersey and roaring in his ear.

Giuly and other Monaco players surged in from all directions, instantly engulfing Bernardi in the crowd.

This is Bernardi's first goal in the Champions League this season, but it could send Monaco directly into the final.

The 19-year-old Portuguese star watched this scene, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.

He longs to be like Roy, leading his team to make history on the stage of the Champions League semi-finals.

Cristiano Ronaldo's gaze never left the group of people celebrating wildly on the field.

The thrill of turning the tide of battle, the glory of being surrounded by the whole team, was exactly what he had been dreaming of.

For the first time, the cheers of Monaco's traveling fans drowned out those of the home team's fans.

As Roy and Bernardi parted from the celebrating crowd, they smiled at each other.

Roy suddenly raised his right hand, lightly tapped the tip of his nose with his index finger, and then made a horizontal gesture towards the Highbury stands.

This provocative gesture clearly declared: "It's not over yet, we're going to keep scoring."

The away fans' section erupted in even louder shouts, while the Arsenal die-hards' stand responded with deafening boos.

At 34 minutes and 08 seconds, the scoreboard at Highbury Stadium had just turned up to 1-2.

Henry and Bergkamp stood in the center circle, and the two briefly looked at each other.

The Dutchman nodded slightly and drew a small circle on his chest with his index finger.

The kickoff whistle blew, and Henry gently passed the ball to Bergkamp, ​​who immediately passed it back to Vieira.

Arsenal's captain received the ball and looked up, noticing that Monaco's defense had pushed forward as a whole.

Squillaci was positioned close to the center line, leaving a large gap between him and goalkeeper Roma.

Without hesitation, Vieira swung his right foot and delivered a 40-meter long pass over the top.

Ljungberg suddenly started from the right wing, and Maicon was a beat too slow.

The ball sailed over Monaco's entire defense and dipped just outside the penalty area.

Roma rushed out of the six-yard box, but hesitated noticeably when he reached the edge of the penalty area – he stared at Ljungberg and then looked back at the landing point, his steps becoming hesitant.

In that split second, Abidal suddenly appeared from the side.

The French center-back cleared the ball with a dangerous diving header before Ljungberg could touch it.

The ball bounced high and landed near the sideline.

Evra and Pires rushed towards the landing point at the same time, but Monaco's left-back kicked the ball out of bounds half a second earlier.

On the sidelines, Wenger suddenly waved his arm, while Deschamps shouted loudly at Roma.

The broadcast captured the moment Bergkamp shrugged at Henry; that tactical exchange of glances clearly failed to materialize.

Arsenal quickly threw the ball in from the outside, but Monaco players had all returned to their positions and temporarily averted the danger.

At 35 minutes and 22 seconds, the BBC commentator suddenly raised his voice:
"Maicon! A textbook sliding tackle! This Brazilian has turned the right flank into his private domain!"

Pires had just received the ball that Gilberto had passed to him when Maicon pounced on him like a cheetah.

The Brazilian right-back tightly marked the inside, forcing Pires towards the sideline.

Pires feinted with his left foot, then suddenly used the outside of his right foot to flick the ball and change direction, but Maicon reacted faster.

He darted forward and slid the ball precisely out of bounds with his right leg.

Pires stumbled and fell next to the billboard.

A chorus of gasps and frustration erupted from the stands.

In the VIP section, rapper Jay-Z, wearing a New York Yankees baseball cap, couldn't help but stand up and give a thumbs up to the crowd: "Damn, you're such a cool n*gger!"

Kanye West, sitting next to him, chuckled and nudged him: "Jay, I remember you're not an Arsenal fan, are you?"

Jay-Z grinned and waved dismissively: "Fuck that, I'll cheer for every n*gger who performs well."

37 minutes 15 seconds.

Arsenal won a throw-in on the left. Cole held the ball with both hands, pretending to throw it to Henry, but at the moment of release, he flicked his wrist and threw it back to Bergkamp who had retreated.

Bergkamp, ​​with his back to Squillaci, flicked the ball with his heel just as it was about to hit his chest—Vieira surged forward like a chariot and unleashed a powerful shot!

Bernardi dove from the side to block the shot, the ball hitting his shoulder hard and deflecting out of bounds.

When I pulled open his jersey, there were already bruises on his collarbone.

Monaco, having recovered, launched a counterattack.

Rothen was closely marked by Vieira in the center circle. He suddenly pretended to turn to the right, but actually used the outside of his left foot to flick the ball into the open space on the left.

Roy shot in like an arrow, and suddenly flicked his toe against Lauren's defense.

The ball arced like a rainbow over Lauren's head!

Roy, having successfully dribbled past his opponent, sped off with the ball, while Toure, while fighting back, maintained a two-meter defensive distance.

Campbell came from the flank to provide cover.

Roy suddenly slowed down and pretended to cut inside. Just as the two center-backs shifted their weight, he poked the ball towards the byline with the outside of his right foot, and then accelerated again like a cheetah to catch up with the ball and complete the cross.

Morientes leaped to head the ball at the near post, but Lehmann tipped it over the crossbar with one hand! A collective gasp filled Highbury Stadium.

At 42 minutes and 17 seconds, Monaco's corner kick was cleared, and Arsenal immediately launched a lightning counter-attack.

Henry received the ball in the backfield and made a long run forward, while Evra retreated and defended to block the inside.

Just as he was about to enter the penalty area, Henry suddenly changed direction and went to the outside, but Abidal made a precise sliding tackle to clear the ball.

The second ball was collected by Pedretti, and Monaco's defensive midfielder made no adjustment and immediately sent a long pass to Giuly on the right wing.

At 43 minutes and 55 seconds, Giuly used his signature sudden stop and change of direction against Cole, quickly cutting inside with his right foot.

After being faked out half a body length, Cole immediately adjusted his footwork and made a crucial tackle just as Giuly was about to kick.

As the ball rolled out of bounds, Roy suddenly stopped and clapped his hands loudly.

"Brothers! Charge in!"

His roar echoed throughout the stadium, his right hand pointed directly at the Arsenal penalty area, his eyes burning with fighting spirit.

Abidal, who had already retreated to the center line, suddenly stopped when he heard the shout.

Roy rushed over and grabbed his jersey: "Don't back down! Their defense is in disarray!"

He then vigorously rubbed Abidal's nape, turned around and gave Deschamps a thumbs-up.

Deschamps on the sidelines immediately understood. His hands, which had been raised to signal for attention to defense, suddenly changed to a pushing gesture, and he roared at the field: "Giuly! Get into the flanks! Morientes, drop back!"

Giuly immediately ran to Morientes' side, and the two quickly whispered a few words to each other.

Arsenal's Cole approached with a frown, but only caught a few fragmented Spanish words.

Maicon had already run to the sideline with the ball in his arms, and Roy was standing nearby clapping and urging him on: "Hurry up and pass! Look at Henry's position!"

The broadcast camera panned across Monaco's half of the field.

Not a single player retreated to defend; the entire team's formation had already pushed past the halfway line.

Abidal and Squillaci were standing near the halfway line, and Pedretti had even made a run into the top of Arsenal's penalty area.

The Monaco fans in the stands were singing loudly, and a young fan wearing a number 10 jersey excitedly climbed onto the railing.

The fourth official looked at the stopwatch and shook his head.

This 19-year-old Monaco winger has not only ignited the team with his performance, but now even time seems to be speeding up in his rhythm.

Roy's jersey clung to his back, sweat dripped from his hair, but his eyes shone brighter than the lights at Highbury.

When Maicon finally threw the ball in, Roy had already shot towards the Arsenal penalty area like an arrow, followed by a whole wave of Monaco's attack.

These seven minutes can be described as a classic textbook example of attack and defense in the Champions League semi-final: the two sides completed a total of 5 shots and 3 key interceptions, changing the rhythm of attack and defense on average every 90 seconds.

Roy's lobbed dribble and Henry's sprinting counter-attacks showcased the explosive power and football intelligence of these two geniuses to the fullest.

BBC commentator Martin Tyler suddenly raised his voice: "Look at this attack! Roy has the ball in the middle, and the Arsenal defense is retreating quickly!"

Roy received the ball with his back to goal, and Lauren immediately closed in on him.

Suddenly, Roy flicked the ball behind him with his right heel while quickly turning around.

Lauren reached out to grab the jersey but missed!

"My God! What a magical turn that was!" exclaimed commentator Alan Smith. "Lauren was completely fooled!"

As Roy dribbled toward the penalty area, Toure had already moved across to block him.

Cole's defensive retreat was extremely tricky, perfectly positioned to block Roy's possible passing lanes.

Just as the two were about to form an encirclement

"He's going to break through again! Unbelievable!" Taylor's commentary almost cracked.

Roy's right ankle suddenly curled inward, and the ball went precisely through the gap between Toure's supporting leg and swinging leg!

Ture instinctively squeezed his legs together, but it was too late.

When Roy unleashed his powerful shot from a tight angle, some fans in the Highbury South stand were already covering their eyes.

"boom!"

The vibration of the beam was clearly audible.

When the ball bounced into the penalty area, Lehmann made a save with the ruthlessness characteristic of Germans, using his knee to block the ball!

Arsenal have escaped a close call! But the danger is not over yet!

The ball fell to the edge of the penalty area, and Pedroti deftly flicked it on, allowing Giuly to make a high-speed run down the right flank.

When the cross came from the byline, Campbell's jump was actually three inches higher than Morientes'.

But the Spaniard cleverly used his back to block the English center-back, and in the final moments, skillfully deflected the force of the ball and flicked it on with his head.

"Monaco's attacking coordination is as precise as the gears of a clock!"

The ball arced down toward the penalty spot, and Roy turned to meet it, gently tapping it with his chest.

Campbell charged at him from behind, slamming his shoulder into his back.

The two muscles collided with a dull thud. Roy was knocked off balance, but his feet remained firmly planted on the grass.

His jersey was torn askew, revealing the muscle definition of one shoulder.

Just as the ball reached knee height, Roy raised his right foot high behind him.

The supporting leg was slightly bent, and the spikes were deeply embedded in the turf.

Lehmann had already opened his arms and lunged at him; the rubber particles on the German goalkeeper's gloves were clearly visible.

"Oh!"

Roy's right instep struck the middle of the ball solidly.

At the moment of the shot, his body was almost at a 45-degree angle to the ground, and his right leg muscles exploded instantly.

The ball tore through the air with a sharp whistling sound, and Lyman could even feel the airflow disturbance in his ears.

His blond hair was whipped backward by the strong wind.

The net trembled violently under the impact of the ball, and the net ropes were taut.

The joints of the goalposts creaked and groaned, and the fixing bolts at the bottom vibrated slightly.

The photographer behind the goal instinctively shrank his neck, and the flying grass clippings hit his lens with a slapping sound.

"GOOOOOOAL!!! Monaco! Roy! An incredible goal! Score 2-2, 5-3 on aggregate!"

"There's still time in the game, but Arsenal needs a miracle now! This goal has completely ignited Monaco! Listen to the away fans' chants! They've already secured their ticket to the final!"

"Remember this moment! On May 5, 2004, although the game was only halfway through, Roy's goal had almost secured Monaco's place in the final! Now Arsenal needed to score three goals in the second half and prevent Monaco from scoring to turn the game around, which was simply a pipe dream in such a top-level competition as the Champions League semi-final!"

"Look at Wenger's expression. He's standing on the sidelines with his arms crossed, and there's a hint of despair in his eyes. Meanwhile, on the Monaco bench, the players are already high-fiving and celebrating. They know better than anyone what this score means!"

"This is the cruelty and beauty of football! A single player's moment of brilliance can rewrite the fate of two teams. Tonight, Roy and his teammates have proven to the world with two goals: miracles are created by young players like these!"

The Monaco bench erupted in chaos!

Ribery was the first to jump up, throwing his towel high into the air; Adebayor ran towards the sidelines with his arms outstretched, almost knocking over the water dispenser; Rodriguez and Plasil hugged each other tightly, jumping and shouting.

The entire substitutes' bench crowded to the sidelines, pounding their fists on the advertising boards and shouting hoarsely, "The final! We're going to the final!"

In the stands, the Monaco fan section had turned into a sea of ​​red and white cheers.

A bearded fan wearing a Roy jersey climbed onto the railing, waving his scarf and singing loudly.

The young couple in the back row embraced and wept, completely unaware that they had spilled beer all over themselves.

In France, deafening cheers erupted in countless bars.

In a small pub in Nice's old town, the owner opened a bottle of champagne and sprayed it directly at the television.

In front of a large screen by the Menton seaside, young fans rode on their fathers' shoulders and slid down to celebrate, mimicking professional players.

The broadcast camera panned across the VIP box of Prince Albert of Monaco.

This royal, who is usually elegant (and pretentious), is now shamelessly pounding on the railing and high-fiving his entourage.

At Monaco's youth academy, young players cheered in front of the television in the locker room, then tossed their coach high into the air.
Shabani Nonda sat on the Arsenal bench with his hands clenched into fists.

He watched the Monaco substitutes' wild celebrations across the table, his eyes filled with a complex mix of emotions, like a spilled palette.

"I couldn't do it even if I were in that position."

He murmured quietly.

At the beginning of last year, he was Monaco's top scorer, until Roy's meteoric rise.

After transferring to Bordeaux and then to Arsenal, he thought he had turned the page – the Premier League title and a brace against Chelsea proved his worth.

But at this moment, he could only sit there like an outsider.

Ribery's bouncing figure across from him stung his eyes; he was an unknown nobody.

Wenger walked over as if to say something, but Nonda spoke first: "Coach, let me play."

His voice trembled without him even realizing it.

Wenger looked into Nonda's burning gaze, remained silent for a moment, and then suddenly patted him on the shoulder: "Go warm up, there are still 45 minutes left."

Anything can happen on a football field. Remember what you did at Stamford Bridge?

I know what you're thinking: to prove Deschamps' initial choice was wrong.

The encouraging words were on the tip of his tongue, but Wenger swallowed them back. He knew better than anyone how wise Deschamps had been to replace Nonda with Roy.

In the end, he simply sighed softly: "Go and fight for Arsenal."

When the halftime whistle blew, the Highbury stands fell into a brief silence.

The 2-2 score on the scoreboard wasn't bad, but the 1-3 defeat in the first leg felt like a boulder weighing on everyone's hearts.

Several elderly fans in the north stand passed tissues to each other, and no one said a word.

In the east stand, a little boy repeatedly asked his father, "Can we still win?" The only answer he received was a sigh.

The chants from the South Stand became intermittent, and the vow in the lyrics to "always support Arsenal" sounded particularly heavy at that moment.

The Monaco players walked toward the tunnel chatting and laughing, Roy's blue and black away jersey standing out brightly under the lights.

The Arsenal players walked with their heads down and heavy steps.

Some people started leaving the stands early, but more chose to stay—even knowing the chances were slim.

The announcement for halftime break came over the loudspeaker, but almost no one paid any attention.

The fans gathered in small groups, calculating how many more goals were needed.

The numbers are harsh, but nobody wants to say them out loud.

The lights in Highbury gradually came on, illuminating the arms that were still holding up scarves.

Without anyone organizing it, the singing slowly began again from the stands, more resolute than before.

The song wasn't about turning the tide; it was simply to tell the players on the field: no matter the outcome, we're here for you.

(End of this chapter)