When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 163 The Dawn Here Is Quiet
在5月16日的葡萄牙杯决赛中，本菲卡2-1力克死敌波尔图，捧起队史第24座葡萄牙杯冠军奖杯。

Near the end of the first half, Porto took the lead and went into halftime with a 1-0 advantage.

But the second half saw a dramatic turn of events. Benfica's coach decisively adjusted the tactics, and the team launched a relentless offensive.

In the 59th minute, Greek defender Fesas unleashed a beautiful left-footed volley in a goalmouth scramble, the ball finding the back of the net, making it 1-1!

After 90 minutes of fighting, the two sides were evenly matched.

In extra time, Porto had a player sent off for a foul, and despite their all-out attack, they had little success.

In the 104th minute, Benfica captain Simão received a precise cross from his teammate and scored with a powerful header, sealing the victory at 2-1!

Portuguese President Sampaio presented the award to Benfica from the stands.

It's worth mentioning that although Porto won the league title, Benfica used this cup victory to perfectly avenge their defeat, making their arch-rivals taste the bitterness of defeat.

This victory also allows Benfica to maintain their record for the most Portuguese Cup titles (24), ahead of Porto's 12.

On May 18, Zidane drove into the Clairefontaine training ground, his mind still replaying Real Madrid's recent dismal record—four consecutive defeats, including a loss to a Segunda División team.

Two days ago, Real Madrid will play away against Murcia, whose coach Toshack was once Real Madrid's manager.

Before the match, the Welsh coach bluntly stated: "I said last September that I would never sign Beckham. Queiroz said he was 29 years old when he first played in a new position, but the question is, why would Real Madrid spend so much money to buy a star player only to have him play in an unfamiliar position?"

Toshack further criticized Real Madrid's chaotic management: "Back then, when I put an out-of-form Raul on the bench, the club criticized me. Now they are criticizing Queiroz for the opposite reason."

"At Real Madrid, whatever the coach does is wrong—if you change the formation, they say you're confused; if you stand up to give instructions, they say you're nervous; if you sit still, they say you're indifferent."

“Queiroz’s failure is not his fault,” Toshack concluded. “The problem lies in the club’s planning. Any coach would choose a practical player like Makelele, rather than just having Beckham as a star.”

The conflict in the locker room had long been public knowledge.

Queiroz directly attacked the policy in a radio interview: "'Zidane + Paon' policy is a disaster!"

The soon-to-be-dismissed head coach has completely broken off relations.

At the press conference, Guti, with tears in his eyes, complained: "Every time we lose, they say 'Guti, go back to the bench,' but when we win, nobody remembers my contribution."

This vice-captain, a product of Real Madrid's youth academy, is now being used as a bargaining chip in the swap deal involving Totti and Samuel.

Ironically, at the beginning of the year, Helguera was fined simply for reminiscing about Makelele, but now Guti is openly challenging the higher-ups and no one is being held accountable.

It is clear that Real Madrid's top management has fallen into chaos.

Presidential candidate González has recently launched a full-scale attack, directly criticizing Perez's "Galácticos" policy: "We don't need any aliens, these big-name stars are ruining Real Madrid! What we need are down-to-earth players who can represent the spirit of Real Madrid."

Looking back at Perez's transfer strategy, the transfers of Figo and Zidane were undoubtedly successful.

Figo not only weakened their arch-rivals Barcelona, ​​but also instilled a tenacious fighting spirit in Real Madrid.

Zidane elevated the team's technical level to a whole new level.

But things started to change after Ronaldo joined the team.

"Ronaldo can indeed score goals, but he completely disrupted the team's balance," Gonzalez said painfully. "Other players had to run and cover for him, and Raul's decline in form is the best proof of that."

To make matters worse, the Brazilians also brought endless gossip and locker room conflicts.

Ronaldo's "habitual" absence at crucial moments this season directly led to Real Madrid's collapse.

In comparison, Beckham was the most wronged one.

The English were diligent and hardworking, even taking on the dirty and tiring work in midfield.

But the question is: does Real Madrid really need to spend a fortune to buy a superstar to do menial tasks?

Surprisingly, Perez seems to have finally realized the problem.

According to inside sources, he is brewing a bold plan: even Ronaldo could be sold to Chelsea if the price is right.

In the president's new blueprint, Real Madrid will retain only Raul in the forward line, while bringing in Roy and Totti to form a completely new attacking line.

This would both revitalize the team and prevent Chelsea from poaching Roy.

After a disastrous season, the "Galacticos" are finally turning around.

It remains to be seen whether such changes are enough to save this once-great club from its slump.

This summer, the Bernabéu is destined to experience an earthquake.

After the humiliating defeat at the Stade Louis II, Zidane and Roy, the former "big brother and little brother," never met again.

Roy recently extended a warm invitation to Zidane to attend the opening ceremony of his new store in Paris.

This was an invitation that put Zidane in a difficult position.

Just as he was about to decline, Real Madrid's management kept hinting that he should attend.

What's even more ingenious is that Roy postponed the opening date until after the Champions League final, leaving Zidane with no excuse to back out.

Their relationship is no longer what it used to be.

Since Roy changed agents, switching from Alan Miliacho to Mendes, he has completely shed the label of "Zidane's little brother" and officially joined the ranks of top superstars.

Faced with this change, Zidane chose to accept it after careful consideration.

After all, unlike Henry, he had already planned to retire from the national team after the European Championship.

If Roy can join Real Madrid, it will not only help him win one or two more Champions League titles at the end of his career, but it will also be a major boost for the 2004 European Championship.

Zidane originally intended to use this friendly match as an opportunity to privately persuade Roy to join Real Madrid.

But Roy's sudden absence caused his carefully prepared "lobbying plan" to completely fall apart.

With 48 hours to go before the centenary celebration match between France and Brazil, the Stade de France has already become the focus of global attention.

This seemingly ordinary friendly match set multiple records in the history of French football.

Nearly 80,000 tickets were sold out within 72 hours of going on sale, and the attendance even surpassed that of the 1998 World Cup final.

Broadcasting organizations in more than 130 countries around the world booked live camera positions well in advance, sending this match to every corner of the world.

However, the roster announced by Santini at the pre-match press conference caused an uproar in the media.

Six Monaco players who just reached the Champions League final – Roy, Giuly, Rothen, Evra, Pedretti, and Abidal – are all absent.

This team, which has stirred up a youth storm in the Champions League, now has six players selected for the European Championship squad, forming a formidable "Monaco contingent" in the locker room.

"This decision was made after consultation with the Monaco club."

When pressed by reporters, Santini explained, "They are preparing for the most important match in the club's history."

Santini had to call up several substitute players at the last minute, including Anelka, who had been absent from the national team for a long time.

The atmosphere in the locker room was subtle and tense, with some people muttering among themselves: "The European Championship hasn't even started yet, and some people are already starting to act specially."

5 month 20 day.

在法兰西大球场举行的国际足联百年庆典纪念赛中，法国队0-0战平巴西，延续了16场不败（15胜1平）且连续9场零封的出色战绩。

This historic match, which drew a record 79344 attendees, was broadcast in more than 130 countries.

Brazil fielded a 4-1-4-1 formation, with Edmilson anchoring the midfield, but failed to avenge their defeat in the 1998 World Cup final. Carlos's powerful shot in the second half hit the post, posing the biggest threat.

Several key players for the French national team are absent due to club matches, including Monaco players who are preparing for the Champions League final.

Both teams wore retro jerseys during the match, and the Brazilian players also displayed a banner commemorating racing legend Ayrton Senna.

Despite the intense competition, no red or yellow cards were issued throughout the match.

During the grand celebration after the game, singer Steve Wonder sang "Happy Birthday," and fireworks lit up the night sky.

This draw allowed France to maintain their head-to-head advantage against Brazil (2 wins, 1 loss), but it also exposed their lack of attacking prowess due to the absence of key players.

French media reacted differently to the draw after the match.

L'Équipe, under the theme "Solid Defense, Weak Attack," pointed out that although the French team continued their clean sheet record, their forward line, lacking Roy, appeared utterly harmless.

Le Figaro, on the other hand, focused on the "failed revenge," emphasizing that the Brazilian team failed to avenge their defeat.

Le Parisien's commentary was even more scathing, stating that "this supposedly spectacular clash of the century ultimately degenerated into a tactical exercise."

Sports columnists wrote articles, some praising the performance of newcomers like Mendy, while others questioned Santini's lineup.

In the post-match commentary on television, the former national team players had differing opinions on the significance of the game. Some called it "valuable training," while others thought "such a friendly match was meaningless."

L'Équipe's front-page headline: "France's attack stalls, how much impact will Roy's absence have?"

Text: In front of 79000 spectators at the Stade de France, France and Brazil played to a 0-0 draw. Santini admitted after the match, "We lacked creativity in the attacking third."

Although he didn't name names directly, everyone understood that he was referring to Roy, who was preparing for the Champions League final.

Data shows that the French team only managed 3 shots on target in this match, a new low since the Santini era.

According to a report from the dressing room of Le Parisien, Zidane told assistant coach Domenech at halftime: "We need that kind of sudden change of pace from Roy; the attacking third is currently lacking that explosive element."

Makelele said after the match: "Some players have a unique quality that cannot be replicated in a squad, that's football."

Inside the locker room, Trezeguet told reporters, "Roy's absence has deprived us of our most consistent penetration point and scorer."

Desailly: "That kid can break through defenses at any time, and today's situation is exactly what he does best."

However, Henry offered a different perspective in the post-match press conference: "Don't forget that the opponent was five-time champion Brazil, and they defended very well today. Pires' performance was fine; we just lacked some luck."

Although no one has stated it directly, the locker room generally believes that Roy's absence has affected the tactical balance.

On the same day at the Chaban-Delmas Stadium, Monaco fielded their full-strength squad for their final Ligue 1 match before the Champions League final.

Although Bordeaux took the lead in the 15th minute through Albert Riera, Monaco's response was swift and sharp.

Just three minutes later, Roy received a brilliant backheel pass from Morientes near the center circle.

He accelerated past the defender, suddenly changed direction at the edge of the penalty area, flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, and then unleashed a powerful shot into the far corner.

The ball flew straight into the net like a cannonball, 1-1!

Just four minutes into the second half, Evra and Roy executed a textbook one-two pass on the left wing.

Evra made a high-speed overlapping run down the flank and delivered a precise cross. Bernardi calmly cut past the defender on the edge of the penalty area and then fired a low shot into the net, making it 2-1!

In the 52rd minute, Monaco won a corner kick.

In the ensuing scramble inside the penalty area, Giuly cleverly passed the ball to Roy, who was lurking near the penalty spot.

Roy faked a shot, then cut inside past the defender and easily slotted the ball home, making it 3-1! This goal ignited the passion of the away fans.

In the 79th minute, Deschamps substituted Ribery for Roy, allowing him to receive a standing ovation.

Just three minutes later, Giuly scored a spectacular solo goal, sealing the score at 4-1.

This hero was subsequently substituted by Caniggia.

As the final whistle blew, Monaco delivered a resounding victory, a fitting tribute to the Champions League final.

Roy's hot streak with two goals, along with the team's fluid teamwork, has fueled anticipation for the Champions League final three days from now.

On May 21, the sun shone on the Monte Carlo circuit as the qualifying session for the Monaco Grand Prix was in full swing.

Roy appeared in the VIP stand with several of his Monaco teammates.

They were accompanied by several well-dressed female companions who occasionally pointed at the speeding race cars.

Roy, dressed in a dark blue casual suit, appeared hand-in-hand with French actress Leticia Costa in the Ferrari team's VIP area.

The Monaco star would occasionally lean over and whisper the game commentary into his girlfriend's ear, eliciting frequent smiles from Costa.

The broadcast cameras repeatedly captured the striking couple.

Roy then had a lively conversation with Ferrari team manager Jean Todt, holding a brochure for the latest Ferrari sports car.

Team manager Jean Todt pointed to a page with Superamerica printed on it and said, "This is our new car that will be released at the end of the year. It uses a brand-new rotating roof technology that can be opened and closed in a few seconds."

"This electrochromic glass roof can maintain the safety of a sedan while also transforming it into a convertible at any time."

Roy's eyes lit up, especially when he heard that the car was equipped with a V12 engine and could reach a top speed of 320 kilometers per hour.

Only 599 units were produced worldwide.

Todd added meaningfully.

Roy said almost without hesitation: "Keep one for me."

Todd smiled knowingly: "Of course, no problem. We can even print your name on the inside of the car door, or even '2003-2004 Champions League Winner'?"

Roy quickly waved his hand: "The game hasn't even started yet, it's too early to talk about this."

"Come on," Todd laughed and patted him on the shoulder. "Right now, there aren't many people in the whole world who believe Porto can beat you."

He pointed to Mendes, who was talking to Portuguese national treasure singer Toni Carrillo not far away, and said, "Your agent was just saying that even the betting companies have suspended betting early."

Just then, the roar of an engine came from the track, and a Ferrari race car roared past.

Roy gazed at the red lightning bolt and murmured, "I hope so."

In the evening, the sea breeze in Monaco gently stirred the white gauze curtains in Roy's kitchen.

On the dining table were braised pork ribs and steamed sea bass that Chen Lan had just cooked, their aroma filling the entire room.

Luo Wen was secretly using his chopsticks to take the last piece of rib when his younger sister Luo Mi caught him red-handed.

"Mom! My brother's stealing the meat again!"

Romi pouted and complained, her little face puffed up with anger.

Roy smiled and ruffled his sister's hair, then put a rib into her bowl: "Here you go, you little glutton."

Turning to his mother who was serving soup, he said, "Mom, we'll be in closed training starting tomorrow, and we'll have to hand over our phones to the coaching staff."

Chen Lan paused for a moment.

She put down the soup spoon and wiped her hands with her apron: "Can't I even make a phone call?"

"Yes, Coach Deschamps said that this time we need to cut off all external interference."

Roy took a couple of bites of rice, looked up and saw his mother's hesitant expression, then added, "Just five days. We can contact each other after the competition."

Luo Wen suddenly looked up from his rice bowl, his eyes sparkling: "Brother, all my classmates say you're sure to win the championship! Our homeroom teacher, Miss Desani, asked me about it again today."

He imitated the female teacher's gentle tone, "Rowan, when will your brother come to school to talk to the students about what the spirit of a champion is?"

“Brother, Coach Desaini always mentions you whenever he talks to me. ‘Is your brother tired from training?’ ‘What does your brother like to eat?’”

Then, blinking, she asked, "Does she want to be my sister-in-law?"

"Shut up and eat."

Chen Lan gently tapped her youngest son's head with her chopsticks, then turned to add another spoonful of soup to Roy's bowl, saying, "Don't listen to Luo Wen's nonsense."

Roy squinted at Rowan, tapping his fingers lightly on the table twice: "I think you've been asking for trouble lately."

He slowly rolled up his sleeves. "After the finals, I'll let you experience what it means to be an elder brother who is like a father."

Roy took out three Champions League final tickets and gently placed them on the table:

"I've already made arrangements. Someone will escort you to Germany to watch the game."

He paused, then lowered his voice, "However, this may be the last time you appear as family members of Monaco players."

Chen Lan asked calmly, "What do you mean?"

"I might have to transfer after the season ends."

Seeing his mother's expression, Roy quickly added, "Mom, Rowan's basketball talent really shouldn't be wasted. I'm planning to send him to Real Madrid's youth academy, where there are the most professional coaches and training facilities."

"You and Rowan should go to Madrid together. Hisslen is looking at a villa with a garden in the Lafinca district, with 24-hour security, and it's only a ten-minute drive from the training base. We'll arrange for someone to take care of his daily life. Don't worry, I'll personally take him to Madrid and arrange everything for him, including his coaching, lessons, and living arrangements."

"what about me?"

Romi's face suddenly fell, her lips drooped slightly, and her eyes were about to well up with tears.

"I will keep Romy with me."

The moment Roy uttered those words, the little girl's eyes lit up instantly.

She lowered her head, pretending to wipe away tears, but actually she was secretly rolling her eyes.

What does it mean to follow her brother? She doesn't have to be watched by her mother to practice piano every day, and she can eat the ice cream her brother buys. Roy is always soft-hearted, and maybe she can get two more episodes of cartoons by begging him.

Maybe she could even go to the players' parties! In Romi's little mind, she could already picture herself wearing a pretty dress, the same number 10 jersey as her brother, sitting in the stands as a mascot.

The TV cameras will definitely pan to her, and the whole class will be able to see her on TV!

The best part is that her brother promised to take her to Disneyland!

Last time, my mom said she would wait until after the exam, so I haven't been able to go yet.

But it was different with her brother; he was always ready to go whenever he wanted—she remembered one time she casually mentioned wanting macarons in the middle of the night, and her brother actually drove her to buy them. Romi's fingers twisted the hem of her skirt, growing more and more excited as she thought about it.

Her brother never did what her mother did, forcing her to go to bed at eight o'clock or making her eat carrots she hated.

Maybe...maybe I can even travel around with him by plane!

Romi became more and more excited as she thought about it, her little face turning red.

Suddenly, she burst into tears and threw herself into Chen Lan's arms: "I don't want to leave Mom!"

Roy's lips twitched, but he managed to suppress a laugh.

This little drama queen can cry so easily; her acting skills are far superior to those of the opposing players who dived in the last Champions League match.

Chen Lan stroked her daughter's hair tenderly: "Why don't you let Xiaomi stay with her mother?"

“Mom, don’t worry,” Roy quickly interrupted, saying seriously, “I will supervise her homework every day and put her to bed at nine o’clock sharp.”

She winked at her younger sister, "Right, Xiaomi?"

Romi peeked half her face out from her mother's arms, tears still clinging to her eyelashes, but quietly gave her brother an "OK" sign.

Roy rubbed his sore eyes; the clock already showed 11:20 p.m.

After having dinner with his family, he went to record the last episode of his radio program before the Champions League final.

This special episode of "ROI Tactical Room" has been going on for over two hours, with host Gomez gesturing for the "last phone call" next to him.

"Okay, let's take the last call from our listener tonight."

Roy took a sip of water to moisten his throat, and heard the electrical sound of a line being connected in his headphones.

Good evening, this is the ROI Tactical Room.

Roy said habitually.

A male voice with a heavy accent came through the earpiece, speaking slowly in English: "Mr. Roy, your analysis is very interesting."

Roy smiled and said, "Thank you. Which team are you a fan of?"

The other party seemed to be carefully choosing their words, "But I have a different opinion regarding Deco's drop back to receive the pass."

Roy raised an eyebrow.

This person's tone doesn't sound like that of an ordinary fan; it sounds more like that of a professional coach.

He sat up straight: "I'd like to hear the details."

"Deco may seem to have retreated too far, but it was actually intentional on our part. This was to create space for Mendes to make forward runs."

"Was Deco's retreat to create space for Mendes to move forward?"

Roy immediately retorted, "But that would expose an opening in your left rib area, which is where I excel."

"You think our coaches haven't studied you?"

The other side sneered, "Carvalho will block that route in advance, and Deco's dropping back is just enough to cut off Rothen's passing lane to you."

“What if we let Maicon move up from the right wing? Valente alone can’t stop him and Giuly’s combination.”

"Costinha will cover the right-back position, and Maniche will tuck inside to protect the midfield. Your midfield only has Bernardi and Pedretti, so there's simply not enough time to move the ball around."

“But we have Evra on the left wing, he can definitely get to the byline and cross.”

"Although Ferreira isn't particularly fast, he'll be able to block Evra's crosses in advance. And your Morientes can't compete with Carvalho and Costa in the penalty area."

"What if I cut inside? I can easily play a one-two with Morientes in the rib area, how are you going to defend me?"

"Deco will track back and disrupt, and Mendes will also track back in time. Don't forget that our defensive line moves faster overall than yours."

"Huh? Okay. Fast overall movement? That's perfect, we can launch a counter-attack. I'm much faster than Ferreira."

"But your goalkeeper Roma is slow to pass the ball out, so Baía will directly target Dre and Albu to attack your center-backs."

"Squillaci and Abidal have sufficient air defense capabilities to handle it."

"Really? Then why were headers the most frequent goal scored against you in the league last season?"

"That's because we were using Rodriguez instead of Abidal at the time."

"But Carvalho is prone to fouls in the penalty area."

"That was a mistake by the referees before; the referees wouldn't have made that call in the final."

"Let's see who can better adapt to the referee's standards."

"It certainly won't be one of those pampered players from Ligue 1."

"It's as if the Portuguese league is that intense."

"We've already seen our toughness at Manchester United, what's so special about your technical skills?"

"We let Arsenal, who were first in the league, go. You're proud to have fought Manchester United to the last minute? Manchester United? Sir Alex Ferguson said after the game that you were all helped by the referee!"

Roy sneered.

"Ha! Didn't Deschamps also say you're too attention-seeking? Narcissistic personality disorder?"

The other side retorted sharply.

"It's better than some arrogant people who stumble and win a game and then think they're the second God!"

"God II? At least we have the Europa League trophy to prove ourselves. What can you do besides talking on the radio?"

Roy chuckled softly, his tone unusually calm: "Alright, sir. On May 26th, my teammates and I will send your arrogant Portuguese team and coach home."

He paused deliberately, "I haven't yet asked your honorable name? Although I probably already have a guess."

A meaningful chuckle came from the other end of the phone: "José Mourinho."

The studio fell so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Roy's lips curled into a slight smile: "Just as I thought. So, Mr. Mourinho..."

“Just call me Ruoze,” the voice on the other end of the phone interrupted. “After all, you’ll remember this name for a long time after that day.”

“I will remember,” Roy’s voice remained politely restrained, “especially when the final whistle blew, I will make a point of seeing your expression at that moment.”

Mourinho chuckled: "I expect you'll still have that sense of humor then. By the way, your program was quite good, although your tactical analysis is still at an amateur level."

“Thank you for your kind words,” Roy said in a light tone, “but I’m still an active player and have a long career ahead of me.”

He paused deliberately, "But you... if you skip the playing stage altogether and decide to leave coaching someday, I wonder which team you'll work for? You're not going to go back to Barcelona as a translator, are you?"

A burst of hearty laughter suddenly erupted from the other end of the phone. The laughter was so infectious that even Roy couldn't help but laugh along.

"Hahaha! Good boy!"

Mourinho's laughter came through the microphone, "I love your fearless spirit!"

Roy wiped away the tears of laughter: "Likewise, Coach. To be honest, it's more fun to banter with you like this than to analyze a hundred games of tactics."

"Bom jogo (Good luck in the competition), young man."

Mourinho's tone suddenly became sincere: "Let's let the football speak for itself in a few days."

"Bonne chance, José."

Roy's smile faded, and he responded just as seriously, "Looking forward to a great match."

The call ended in a rare atmosphere of harmony between the two parties.

Roy took off his headphones and found the director, Gomez, staring at him in disbelief: "You guys were arguing so fiercely just now, what's going on now?"

Roy shrugged: "That's football, Gomez. On the field, you're enemies; off the field, sometimes you can be rivals who admire each other."

Gelsenkirchen, May 22, 2004.

The entire Monaco team flew from Nice to Düsseldorf International Airport in Germany on a private charter plane, and then took a Mercedes bus arranged by the club to Gelsenkirchen.

Lobby of the Marriott Hotel Gelsenkirchen.

Deschamps stood at the elevator entrance, holding a plastic basket in his hand, his eyes scanning each team member who walked in.

"cell phone."

He said briefly, handing the basket forward, "All of it."

Roy was the first to walk over, took out his phone and tossed it in, raising an eyebrow: "You want a backup phone too?"

"Especially backup machines."

Deschamps remained expressionless. "Don't think I don't know your little tricks."

“Listen, the next four days will determine how your careers are remembered. There are thousands of voices out there right now. Some say we’re guaranteed to win, some say Porto will give us a hard time, some say a certain player’s girlfriend is waiting for him at the hotel. All of that is rubbish.”

"Don't listen to a single word that reporters, fans, agents, or even your closest friends say. Praise will soften your fighting spirit, criticism will shake your confidence, and off-field drama will steal your focus."

"96 hours later, when you step onto the Veltins-Arena, your minds must be as clean as a formatted hard drive. Only one program should remain: football. Not celebrations, not post-match interviews, not transfer rumors for next season, just pure football."

“Passing, positioning, shooting, and defending—these are the real things. Everything else—media predictions, betting odds, those fools in the stands holding up signs—is all noise.”

"If you have to think about anything, think about this: when the final whistle blows, will you be a legend written into the club's history, or just another 'almost won' loser? Make that choice now."

"Finally, a reminder: there are no second chances in the Champions League final. Seize the opportunity, or you'll regret it for the rest of your life. Now, hand over your phones and let those damn distractions go to hell."

The players exchanged glances, then pulled out their phones and threw them into the plastic basket, their eyes gradually hardening.

The May sun shone on the lawn of Schalke's training park, and outside the 2.8-meter-high security fence, dozens of reporters with telephoto lenses moved among the trees.

BBC reporter Johnson is directing his assistant to attach a camera to an 8-meter-long aluminum pole in an attempt to film over the fence.

"A little more to the left!"

Johnson gave instructions in a low voice, and the camera wobbled slightly at the pole tips. Just as the camera was about to focus on the training field, three security personnel strode over.

"Sir, please stop filming immediately."

The head of security pressed down on the aluminum alloy pole, saying, "This is a private training area."

Johnson argued, "We were just shooting some wide shots."

"Then please use the official shooting area."

The security chief pointed to the media area 300 meters away.

"Tactic 17, begin!"

Deschamps' shouts echoed across the training ground.

Roy wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly moved to the designated location.

Staff members on the sidelines held reflectors to deliberately obstruct any possible angles for filming.

Monaco players were divided into two groups and began targeted training:
In defense, Abidal and Squillaci repeatedly practiced covering and supporting each other, while Maicon, under the guidance of his assistant coach, practiced crossing from the flanks.

Evra, sweating profusely, simulated defending against Porto's striker's breakthrough.

The midfield trio worked the hardest: Pedretti and Bernardi constantly practiced lateral interceptions, while Rothen was called aside by Deschamps to practice controlling the power of through balls.

The front three are practicing the most.

Roy and Giuly took turns attacking the sparring partners simulating Porto's defense, while Morientes practiced shooting from various angles in the middle.

Roma lay panting on the grass, his gloves soaked with sweat.

The 30-year-old Italian goalkeeper knew this might be the only chance of his career to stand atop Europe.

Because his Italian teammates are Buffon and Toldo, and he can't even make it into the Italian national team.

Five more!

The goalkeeper coach's shouts could be heard.

Roma gritted his teeth and got up, recalling his nomadic career, moving between several small teams (Mantova, Venezia).

When he saved the last penalty, he immediately knelt down.

It wasn't from being tired, but from suddenly realizing that in two days, he might go from being an ordinary goalkeeper to a Champions League-winning goalkeeper.

In May, the streets of Gelsenkirchen were packed with fans from all over the world.

In front of the train station, a group of French fans were singing the Monaco team song, their red and white jerseys standing out brightly in the sunlight.

"Of course we win!"

A Marseille fan, his face flushed, shouted into the L'Équipe camera, "Even though I'm from Marseille, that kid Roy is just my type!"

In a beer hall on the street corner, several elderly German football fans are arguing.

“I have high hopes for Monaco,” the white-haired old man said, tapping the table. “They play like old-school German football—simple and direct!”

"Come on," his friend retorted, "It's clearly because you're a Bayern Munich fan! You don't want to lose to the Champions League runners-up."

Outside the Veltins-Arena, five wealthy Japanese girls are taking photos with a Monaco fan.

“Actually, we don’t understand the offside rule,” the girl in the lead said, adjusting her Chanel sunglasses, “but the video of Luo Yi-kun coldly reprimanding a Japanese reporter has over a million views on a Tokyo girls’ forum!”

Her girlfriends suddenly screamed excitedly, "Especially when he frowns, he's even more handsome than the male lead in a Japanese drama!"

At the hotel entrance, an ESPN reporter stopped a British couple.

“We’re actually Arsenal fans,” the boy said, scratching his head, “but ever since we saw the night at Highbury, we bought tickets to support Monaco.”

In the fountain square in downtown Gelsenkirchen, more than thirty Porto fans wearing blue and white striped jerseys were singing at the top of their lungs:

"Mourinho! Mourinho!"

The burly man leading the group pounded on a beer barrel as if it were a drumbeat, the veins on his neck bulging. "Our special one!"

They suddenly turned around in unison and lifted their jerseys for the passing TV cameras.

The slogan printed inside was "After God, comes Mourinho".

A few drunken fans even started imitating Mourinho's various flamboyant celebrations in Porto, scaring the pigeons in the square into scattering in all directions.

"Listen up, guys!"

A fan with a small braid jumped onto a bench, shouting, "Let's show these Germans what Portuguese passion is!"

The crowd immediately erupted in cheers like a tidal wave, and people began handing out scarves printed with Mourinho's image.

At this moment, a reporter from Bild approached for an interview, and the leading fan suddenly lowered his voice: "But seriously..."

He glanced around furtively. "If Monaco wins, do you know which hotel Roy usually hangs out at? My sister is a die-hard fan of his."

He had barely finished speaking when his companions grabbed his head and jeered, "Traitor!"

But the laughter quickly blended into a new round of singing: "Ole Ole! Our Mourinho!"

Several elderly German women passing by were pulled into the crowd and suddenly found themselves holding Portuguese flags.

As night falls, the Champions League logo is projected onto every billboard in Gelsenkirchen.

Inside the bar, fans from over a dozen countries had already begun chanting in broken French: "Allez Monaco!"

At the newsstand on the street corner, various sports newspapers were neatly arranged, with the front-page photos standing out prominently in the sunlight.

Bild used the headline "The Ultimate Showdown Between Tactical Masters" to depict a direct confrontation between Deschamps and Mourinho: Deschamps crossed his arms and looked stern, while Mourinho had a slight smile and sharp eyes.

Kicker magazine chose training photos of Roy and Deco: Roy's confident smile as he dribbled past his opponent, and Deco's composed gaze as he directed the midfield. The caption read: "Supernova VS Silent Master, Who Dominates the Pitch?"

Sport Bild simply put all four together in one frame, with Deschamps and Mourinho on the left, Roy and Deco on the right, and the headline directly stated: "A War Between Generations".

The newsstand owner, pipe in mouth, chuckled as he watched passing fans scramble to buy the photos: "These four faces are worth more than money today."

Dawn broke on May 26 as usual, but this day was destined to be recorded in history.

On the morning of the Champions League final, a peculiar silence filled the air—the calm before the battle, the prelude to the birth of countless legends.

The sunlight still shines equally on every street, but it seems exceptionally bright today.

The church bells still rang on time, but to the ears they sounded like a countdown to a game.

In the newsstand on the street corner, the covers of sports magazines shimmered in the morning light; the names printed on those pages might become eternal tonight.

This was the pinnacle of European football, a stage that countless players dreamed of.

On this day, victory and defeat will be etched on the trophy, and heroes and regrets will become legends.

A new page will be added to the history of the Champions League, and it all began on this seemingly ordinary morning.

(The final round is still being written)

(End of this chapter)