When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 214 Holding the Old Sword, Severing Old Ties

Lampard took the corner kick, and a scramble ensued in the penalty area.

Drogba and Givet jumped at the same time, and the two wrestled in mid-air.

Although the Ivorian striker was strong, Givet held his position firmly, preventing Drogba from getting a proper header, and the ball grazed his scalp as it flew past.

Terry burst through the crowd and, despite being pulled away by Squillaci, managed to head the ball on.

The ball changed direction and hit the edge of the six-yard box. Aldonin headed the ball away with his chest, and Evra shouted "Mine!" as he rushed to clear it.

The ball bounced to Thiago Mendes' feet in the scramble, and the Portuguese midfielder unleashed a powerful shot, which deflected off Squillaci's leg.

Makelele was about to receive the ball when he suddenly saw Roy making a high-speed run from the left.

The French defensive midfielder feinted, and Roy took control of the ball and cut inside.

Bernardi scrambled to cover, but it was too late.

Roy adjusted his position by two steps and unleashed a powerful ground-sweeping slash with his right foot!

"boom!"

A low, powerful shot whistled through the crowd, striking Givet's leg and arcing wildly into the top right corner of the goal!

Roma made a diving save, but the ball was too fast, and they could only watch it go into the net.

Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers!

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!! Roy—it's Roy again!"

"What a dramatic moment! This super striker, who was tearing apart Monaco's defense last season, has now pierced his former club's goal with a thunderous arrow!"

"Look at this shot—first, he cleverly seized the second ball in the chaos, then calmly adjusted and unleashed a low, powerful shot that deflected off Givet's leg and into the net! Roma was completely helpless!"

Stamford Bridge was in an uproar, while Monaco fans could only shake their heads in bitterness. That's football—yesterday's hero, today's opponent. Roy didn't celebrate, but that goal said it all: he's still the man who can decide a game!

"Two goals in two Champions League matches, the £2720 million signing is proving his worth! Chelsea lead 1-0!"

Chelsea fans waved blue flags wildly, and some even climbed over the stands railings in an attempt to rush onto the pitch.

The Monaco away supporters' stand was deathly silent, with several elderly fans clutching their heads in anguish.

Six months ago, they were still cheering for Roy's goal, but now they can only watch him score against their own team while wearing a Chelsea jersey.

The cheers at Stamford Bridge were deafening as Lampard, Drogba, Terry, and Mendes excitedly rushed toward Roy.

But Roy did not celebrate; he lowered his head and slowly walked toward the Monaco fans' stand.

He raised his hands, palms down, and gently pressed down.

A silent greeting.

"Roy did not celebrate. This boy who once created miracles for Monaco chose to pay tribute to the past with silence."

Thierry Rolland's voice trembled slightly in the TF1 broadcast booth:
"This boy we watched grow up at the Stade Louis II, this number 10 who brought countless nights of cheers to Monaco, simply touched the Chelsea badge on his chest and bowed his head to the red and white stands—just as he had done countless times when celebrating goals and greeting the home fans."

"This is the cruelty and romance of professional football. Roy's silence tells everyone: he can give his all for his new club, but he will never forget who he stood on the top of Europe with."

As Roy turned and walked back to his half, Adebayor gave him a friendly look. Roy had been practically an idol to him that season, even though Roy was younger than him.
Ribery raised his hand and gestured to Roy.

Bernardi clapped his hands loudly and suddenly raised his arms high, instantly energizing the Monaco players.

From the stands, the chants of the red and white fans suddenly resounded throughout the stadium.

“Nous avions dit vouloir btir notre Rome sur sept collines”

(We once said we would build our own Rome on seven hills.)

"Et aujourd'hui, nous sommes champions d'Europe!"

(And today we are the European champions!)
Roy's goal ignited Stamford Bridge, but Monaco's comeback came even faster.

Arshavin dropped back to the defensive midfield position to receive the ball, and as soon as the Russian magician got the ball, Makelele immediately closed him down.

Arshavin flicked the ball with the outside of his left foot, sending it flying past the French midfielder!
After receiving the pass, Bernardi's long pass flew through the air, and Ribery had already started his run.

He turned to the side and gently nudged the ball with his right chest, and the ball obediently landed within a foot of his feet.

This seemingly simple stop caused Maicon to miss completely.

When Scarface is carrying the ball, he always hunches his back slightly and keeps his center of gravity very low, like a cheetah poised to pounce.

His pace was astonishingly fast; with a left foot followed by a right foot tap, the ball remained within half a meter of his feet.

When Maicon made his second tackle, Ribery suddenly used the outside of his right foot to flick the ball outwards, but his whole body darted in the opposite direction.

The Brazilian full-back was so badly faked out that he could only watch helplessly as the short, stocky figure strode away.

Adebayor dropped back to set up a screen, and Arshavin surged forward to unleash a long-range shot!
Cech leaped and tipped the ball over the crossbar.

Monaco took a corner kick, and Givet headed the ball in the scramble, but Carvalho cleared it off the goal line.

The moment Carvalho blocked the ball, a sigh of relief erupted from the stands at Stamford Bridge.

But the crisis was far from over. The ball bounced on the edge of the penalty area, and the players from both sides immediately launched a new round of fighting.

Terry and Adebayo charged towards the landing point like two angry bulls.

England, relying on brute force, got a half-step ahead, poking the ball towards the sideline with their toes.

Maicon quickly stepped forward to control the ball, but Ribery held him tightly.

The Brazilians, not daring to be overconfident, turned and passed the ball back to Cech.

At this point, Monaco's formation had surged across the halfway line like a tidal wave:
Arshavin and Saviola formed the first line of defense, blocking Cech's short passing lanes.

Bernardi was always right behind Lampard.

Adebayor, meanwhile, roamed near the center line like a leopard waiting for its prey.

After observing for a moment, Cech chose to launch a long ball forward.

Drogba and Squillaci engaged in an aerial duel in the center circle, their shoulders colliding with a dull thud.

Because of his backward lean, Drogba's lower back did not experience sufficient pressure.

The ball was headed towards Monaco's half, and Roy started chasing it, but because of the distance, Elfakiri beat him to it and passed it back to Roma.

Roma launched a lightning counterattack with a throw-in:
Evra sprinted down the left flank, while Ribery cut inside from the center, ready to receive the pass.

Arshavin dropped back to organize the attack, his eyes constantly scanning the frontcourt.

Chelsea's defense responded quickly, with Abidal sticking to Evra, Terry moving up to block Ribery, and Carvalho marking Adebayor tightly.

Makelele stood in front of the defense and shouted instructions, his voice carrying throughout the entire stadium: "Watch out for the flanks!"

The cheers at Stamford Bridge were deafening, and every touch of the ball by both teams made tens of thousands of hearts pound.

The pace of the game suddenly quickened between these attacks and defenses, with both teams' players moving more aggressively.

The cheers from Stamford Bridge rose and fell, and a tense atmosphere filled the air.

Arshavin received the ball in midfield, and the Russian skillfully turned to avoid Makelele's challenge.

He looked up to observe, and suddenly sent out a long diagonal pass.

Ribery made a high-speed run down the left flank, and Maicon desperately chased after him.

The French winger gently tapped the ball with his toe, and it obediently stopped in front of him.

Maicon seized the opportunity to tackle and steal the ball, but Ribery beat him to it and poked the ball to the onrushing Evra.

Evra dribbled forward, while Abidal retreated while fighting.

Just as the two were about to clash, Evra suddenly flicked his heel back to Ribery, who had made a run into the box.

Without making any adjustments, Scarface immediately crossed the ball.

Adebayor leaped high in the penalty area and collided violently with Terry.

Both players fell to the ground at the same time, and Cech caught the ball securely.

Cech launches a fast break with a throw-in.

Makelele received the ball and quickly passed it to the wing, where Maicon sprinted down the right flank.

Saviola couldn't catch up in time and could only watch as the Brazilian advanced with the ball.

Maicon seized the opportunity and delivered a cross, and Drogba, under pressure from Givet, managed a header that went wide of the post.

The competition has entered a heated phase.

Lampard and Bernardi engaged in a fierce battle in midfield, their boots clashing with a dull thud.

Thiago Mendes found an opening to receive the pass, but was brought down by Aldonin's vicious sliding tackle.

The referee blew his whistle and awarded Chelsea a free kick.

Roy stood in front of the ball, gently brushing the stray black hair from his forehead behind his ear.

Under the spotlight of Stamford Bridge, that face stood out. The sharply defined jawline carried a hint of roguishness, and beneath the slightly furrowed brows were a pair of sharp eyes like those of a hawk.

Roy bent down and positioned the ball, then took three steps back and stood still, hands on his hips, observing the wall of players.

Monaco players nervously adjusted their positions, while Bernardi loudly directed the defense.

The run-up begins.

The first step is to step out with your right foot, a small but solid stride.

The second step is to step forward with your left foot and lean your body slightly forward.

Third, he stomped heavily on the side of the ball with his right foot, and the cleats pierced the turf.

When he swung his leg, his left knee pulled inward and his ankle locked.

He struck the ball precisely on the lower half with the inside of his foot, producing a dull "thump".

The ball spun through the air, grazing Aldonin's hair as the wall of players jumped.

The ball was very fast, but its flight path was very clear.

It first climbs upwards, then suddenly drops at its highest point.

Roma initially moved towards the near post, but upon seeing the change in the ball's trajectory, they hurriedly turned back, but it was too late.

The ball, spinning intensely, arced towards the far post.

Lampard emerged from the crowd like a ghost!
He was initially roaming outside the penalty area, seemingly nonchalant.

Squillaci and Givet were both keeping a close eye on Drogba and Terry, with the two center-backs focusing all their attention on Chelsea's high points.

As Roy's free kick took off, Lampard suddenly started his run.

He first faked a run, pretending to rush forward, tricking Bernardi into following his movement.

Just as Monaco's defensive midfielder shifted his weight, Lampard abruptly stopped and changed direction, ghost-like circling to the far post.

At this moment, Squillaci was locked in a struggle with Drogba, while Givet was tied down by Terry.

Lampard was completely unmarked. He spotted the ball coming and pushed off the ground with both legs.

In mid-air, the veins in his neck bulged, and he slammed his forehead hard into the ball.

The ball slammed into the ground like a cannonball, bouncing into the net amidst the despairing gazes of the goalkeeper and defenders.

"Look at the far post!! Lampard!! Brilliant run!! Squillaci and Givet completely missed their mark!! BANG!! Header slams into the ground!! Goal!!! GOALLLLL!!! Chelsea extend their lead!! Roy's magical pass, Lampard's textbook run from deep! Look at this combination—Drogba and Terry draw all the defenders, Lampard appears in a deadly position like an invisible bomber! Stamford Bridge is boiling! Mourinho's set-piece tactics have once again torn apart the opponent's defense!"

Blanco suddenly jumped up from the coach's bench, then sat back down heavily.

Assistant coach Jean-Pettit rushed to the sideline, waving his arms and yelling into the field: "Counter-attack! Counter-attack now! Don't let them breathe!!"

"Push forward! Don't let them get the ball comfortably!"

The shouts of this Monaco legend carried memories of the Latilbi training ground.

He personally drove 18-year-old Roy from Nice Airport to Monaco, watching the boy transform into a superstar under Deschamps' guidance.

At this moment, veins were bulging on his forehead, as if he wanted to roar out all the fierceness he had shown in defeating top teams in the Champions League last season.

Amidst the roar of the Stamford Bridge, Monaco's red jerseys shone like flames stirred by the evening breeze.

Monaco launched a furious counterattack immediately after conceding the goal.

Arshavin dropped back to the defensive midfield position to receive the ball, his blond hair standing out as he ran.

As soon as the Russian player received the ball, he delivered a precise 30-meter diagonal pass.

Saviola on the right flank launched himself like an arrow, and Abidal desperately chased after him.

Just as the French full-back was about to intercept, "Rabbit" suddenly stopped and changed direction, the ball seemingly glued to his foot.

But Cech had anticipated this perfectly, and the Czech goalkeeper decisively rushed out, blocking all shooting angles with his body.

Three minutes later, Arshavin struck again.

He dribbled past Mendes and Lampard in midfield, and just as Makelele was about to cover, he suddenly delivered a surgical through ball.

Adebayor instantly broke the offside trap, seemingly about to create a one-on-one opportunity, but Terry made a brilliant anticipation and cleared the ball with a precise sliding tackle. Mourinho quickly walked to the sidelines, gesturing with his right hand to retreat, and shouted a few words to Makelele. The French defensive midfielder immediately understood and began to mark Arshavin closely.

He then turned to Thiago Mendes and pointed to Bernardi, who nodded and immediately intensified his pressing on Monaco's defensive midfielder.

Seeing that the situation was still unstable, Mourinho waved to the substitutes' bench.

Gremi immediately got up to warm up, and Desailly also took off his substitute vest. The fourth official walked over with the substitution board, ready to make adjustments at any time.

The Portuguese man remained standing in the command area, his black trench coat fluttering in the wind.

He constantly used hand gestures to direct the defense to keep it tight, sometimes shouting at the field, sometimes calmly observing the situation.

When Terry made that crucial clearance, Mourinho clapped loudly, then turned to his assistant coach and said something, his eyes flashing with the sharpness of a tactician.

As the game entered its final stages, the pace of offense and defense became increasingly intense for both sides.

In the 41st minute, Roy suddenly cut inside from the right flank and delivered a low through ball with the instep of his right foot.

Drogba backed down Givet, forced a turn, and fired a shot into the near corner.

Roma reacted quickly, turning to block the ball out of bounds.

The Ivorian knelt down and pounded the grass, while Givet rubbed his sore ribs.

In the 43rd minute, Lampard observed Roma's advanced positioning from the edge of the center circle and took a shot without making any adjustments.

The ball flew through the air like a cannonball, plummeting rapidly in front of the goal before finally grazing the top edge of the crossbar and flying out.

The Monaco goalkeeper broke out in a cold sweat and roared at the defender.

In the 44th minute, Ribery received the ball on the left wing and changed direction three times in a row facing Maicon.

The Brazilian full-back was out of balance after being tricked, and Scarface took the opportunity to cross from the byline.

Despite being pulled away by Terry, Adebayor still managed to get the ball to the target and delivered a powerful header that flew straight into the corner.

Cech leaped into the air and tipped the ball over the crossbar with one hand.

Domenech sat in the VIP section of Stamford Bridge, his right hand supporting his chin, his gaze fixed on Ribery.

Scarface had just completed a brilliant breakthrough, shaking off Maicon and delivering a deadly cross.

Mourinho, standing on the sidelines, frowned and made several notes in his notebook.

The defensive alarm on the right flank of Stamford Bridge remained in effect throughout the night.

Maicon suffered a lot tonight.

Under Deschamps' strict tutelage, he grew rapidly like a rough diamond, winning the Champions League, Ligue 1 and French Cup with Monaco, and then lifting the Copa America with the Brazilian national team.

But the continuous honors made the young people arrogant.

He started arriving late for training more often, and his defensive movements became sloppy.

Tonight, facing Ribery, his prized speed and explosiveness were rendered useless, and he was beaten like a wooden stake.

Fortunately, Terry always manages to step up in critical moments, making precise interceptions to clean up the mess for his teammates.

The French coach frowned slightly. This short man from Boulogne was indeed outstanding, but the issues behind him were more complicated.

The Monaco contingent has already exerted too much influence on the French national team.

In the previous squad, eight national team players, including Roy, Evra, and Giuly, came from this team.

If Ribery is brought in, the balance of power in the locker room will likely tilt completely.

What's more, he was Roy's childhood friend.

The two grew up together in Boulogne and had a very close personal relationship.

Domenech shook his head slightly, scribbled a few notes in his notebook, and then crossed them out.

In stoppage time, Arshavin feigned a shot at the edge of the penalty area, but cleverly let the ball pass to Bernardi, who was making a run into the box.

Monaco's defensive midfielder unleashed a powerful shot, which struck the near post and bounced back! Makelele cleared the ball with a long kick, and the referee immediately blew the whistle for halftime.

The scoreboard at Stamford Bridge stood at 2-0, but the trembling of the goalposts seemed to still echo in the stadium.

After the start of the second half, both sides immediately launched a fierce attack.

In the 48th minute, Roy received a long pass from Abidal on the left wing and suddenly changed direction to cut inside against Elfakiri.

His right-footed curling shot headed straight for the far corner, but Roma made a diving save to tip the ball over the crossbar.

After the corner kick was taken, Drogba's header was cleared off the line by Givet.

In the 53rd minute, Arshavin broke through the middle and passed the ball to Ribery, who crossed from the left wing.

Adebayor outjumped Terry to head the ball towards goal, but Cech caught it securely.

Chelsea immediately countered, with Makelele sending a long pass to Roy, who dribbled 40 meters before crossing the ball. Lampard's shot was blocked out of bounds by Bernardi.

In the 61st minute, Roy once again demonstrated his individual ability.

He dribbled past Elfakiri and Squillaci on the left wing and fired a powerful shot from a tight angle that hit the side netting.

Monaco immediately countered, with Saviola cutting inside from the right and shooting, but Carvalho made a heroic block.

65rd minute
Roy and Lampard executed a brilliant one-two pass, with Roy's through ball piercing the Monaco defense.

Drogba turned and fired a shot, but Givet blocked the ball with his leg.

Two minutes later, Roy took the free kick. The ball went over the wall and dipped, but the ball landed slightly too straight and was caught by the goalkeeper.

In the 68th minute, Monaco almost pulled the score back.

Arshavin played a through ball to Adebayor, whose one-on-one shot was blocked by Cech's leg.

Chelsea launched a quick counter-attack, with Roy dribbling deep into the box before passing to Duff on the edge of the penalty area. The Irishman's shot was saved by Roma.

In the 71th minute, both sides made substitutions.

The electronic scoreboard at Stamford Bridge flashed, and the fourth official raised the substitution board.

Chelsea made the first adjustments, with Geremi standing on the sidelines, slapping his cheeks to stay alert.

Mourinho put his arm around Arshavin's shoulder and quickly explained the tactics, his finger constantly pointing to Arshavin's position.

Thiago Mendes gave Gremi a high-five as he jogged off the field, and the latter immediately rushed to Makelele to convey the coach's defensive instructions.

Chelsea made a slight adjustment to their formation, with Geremi and Makelele forming a double pivot in midfield, and Lampard moving further forward.

Monaco made a substitution at the same time. Adebayor walked to the sidelines, panting, and gave a big high-five to his substitute, Pršo.

The Croatian center forward tightened his glove as he ran, cutting directly into the penalty area.

Blanc seized the opportunity to pull Pršo aside and whispered to him, gesturing with his fingers to indicate the gaps between Chelsea's center-backs.

Monaco switched to a 4-4-2 formation: Pršo and Saviola formed a two-striker partnership, Ribery dropped back to the left midfield, and Arshavin dropped back completely to organize the midfield.

After the substitution in the 71st minute, Chelsea gradually took control of the game.

Geremi made an immediate impact after coming on, forming an impenetrable barrier in midfield with Makelele, constantly intercepting Monaco's passing lanes.

Arshavin was forced to drop deeper to receive the ball, but every time he turned, he was met with Geremi's close marking.

In the 75th minute, Lampard made a forward run and received a cross from Roy. His long-range shot forced Roma to parry the ball. Drogba followed up with a shot, but it was blocked by Squillaci.

In the 78th minute, Monaco's counter-attack was precisely intercepted by Terry, and Chelsea quickly launched a counter-attack.

Roy broke through on the left and passed the ball across, Duff cut inside and shot low, but Roma made another diving save to defuse the danger.

In the 82nd minute, Pršo challenged for a header in the penalty area, but Carvalho held his position firmly, and Cech easily collected the cross.

Mourinho waved from the sidelines, signaling to his team to stabilize the tempo, and Chelsea began to patiently control possession and run down the clock.

In the 86th minute, Lampard passed the ball from the center to the wing, Maicon crossed the ball, and Drogba's header went just over the bar.

Monaco's comeback became increasingly impatient, with Ribery attempting a personal breakthrough but being cleanly intercepted by Maicon.

In stoppage time, Chelsea retreated entirely, and Monaco's crosses were repeatedly cleared by Terry.

The final whistle blew, and the score was 2-0.

Mourinho gave his assistant coach a high-five, looking calm.

He glanced at the scoreboard; the 2-0 score couldn't mask the problem.

This Monaco team is no longer the indomitable force it was last season, and Blanc's tactical arrangements are far less sophisticated than Deschamps's.

Ribery tore Chelsea's right flank apart, and Arshavin made several breakthroughs in the middle. If it weren't for the heroics of Terry and Cech, the outcome would have been very different.

Stamford Bridge fans chanted victory songs as Chelsea secured three points.

The Monaco players stood there, somewhat dazed.

The glory of winning the Champions League undefeated last season seems like yesterday, but now they have suffered their first defeat in the second game of the season.

And what defeated them was none other than their former young leader.

Roy stood in the center circle, silently gazing at the familiar red and white jersey.

He was once the soul of this team, but now he has personally brought them down.

Blanco, hands in his pockets, head down, strode quickly toward the players' tunnel.

Ribery stood still, his gaze passing through the crowd, briefly meeting Roy's eyes.

Arshavin kicked the turf hard, sending grass clippings flying.

He was panting heavily when he ripped off his soaking wet jersey and walked straight toward Roy.

The Russians gave it their all in this match.

Precise long passes, sharp breakthroughs, and tireless running.

He was the brightest spark in Monaco tonight, but he still couldn't change the ending.

The two met near the center circle.

Arshavin said nothing, he simply handed over the jersey.

Roy took it and also took off his blue battle robe.

They exchanged jerseys and patted each other on the shoulder.

The chants at Stamford Bridge grew louder and louder as Monaco's players silently left the field.

That's how cruel the world of football is; yesterday's comrades-in-arms are today's rivals.

In the stands, several longtime Monaco fans who had traveled with the team opened their mouths, their lips barely moving before the words they had uttered countless times in dire straits: "Roy! Tear them apart!"

It wasn't played even once today.

Their eyes unconsciously followed the figure in the blue jersey, their lips trembling slightly, yet no sound came out.

In the past, whenever they shouted this slogan, Roy would step forward like a knight summoned to save Monaco from disaster.

Now, he has become a weapon in his opponent's hands.

An elderly fan with white hair clutched a scarf in his hand, which still bore Roy's number from last season.

He took a deep breath, as if he wanted to shout something, but in the end he just shook his head and silently watched the players leave the field.

Roy.

The children's shouts sounded particularly clear and crisp amidst the noisy stadium.

He stood at the very front of the stands, his little hands tightly clutching the Monaco scarf, his childish voice piercing through the hustle and bustle of Stamford Bridge.

"Roy, thank you for everything you've brought to Monaco."

Roy was walking toward the players' tunnel when he heard the shout and suddenly stopped.

He turned around, his gaze passing through the crowd, and saw the little fan wearing a red and white hat.

The child's eyes were red, but he stubbornly straightened his back.

Roy was silent for a moment, then nodded slightly, placing his right hand on his chest.

Several Monaco fans nearby suddenly turned their faces away, and one of them secretly wiped his eyes.

The child's father picked him up and buried his face in the child's shoulder.

A few scattered claps broke out in the stands, but were quickly drowned out by the cheers of the Chelsea fans.

The Sky Sports commentator, watching Roy leave the field on the broadcast, spoke with a touch of melancholy:

"Look at this young man. He's still the man who can make the final decision at crucial moments, still the genius who can make the whole arena hold its breath. Only now..."

The camera cuts to the silent Monaco fans in the stands.

"He no longer fights for red and white."

The image freezes on Roy's back as he walks toward the players' tunnel, the lights of Stamford Bridge casting a long shadow that stretches all the way to the Monaco fans' stand at the top of the tunnel.

(End of this chapter)