When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 219 The Absurd Philosophy on the Football Field and the Dark Humor in the Locker Room

"This was a classic Chelsea victory, teamwork above all else. We had a tough start, but everyone stayed focused and ultimately turned the tide through collective effort."

A reporter suddenly asked Roy: "Roy, regarding your teammate Mutu's failed drug test for alleged cocaine use, as an important player in the locker room, what are your thoughts on this? Do you think this will affect the team's morale? Should the club terminate his contract immediately? Considering that you are both forwards, have you noticed any unusual behavior from him?"

Roy was visibly taken aback after hearing this, his eyebrows slightly raised, revealing a surprised expression:

"To be honest, this is the first time I've heard about this. Like everyone else, I just learned about it from you."

Today, Gordon Taylor, chairman of the Professional Footballers' Association, confirmed to Sky Sports that Chelsea striker Mutu tested positive for cocaine and has voluntarily opted out of a second test of his B sample.

This means the Romanian star has admitted to drug use and will face a long-term ban.

Taylor revealed that representatives of the players' association met with Mutu urgently yesterday.

At the meeting, Mutu acknowledged that the test results were accurate and accepted that the hearing process would proceed directly.

The Football Association will form a hearing committee to handle the matter, and Taylor will participate as a player representative.

According to regulations, players involved in drug use can be banned for up to two years, but Mutu's proactive admission of wrongdoing may mitigate the punishment.

It is reported that Mutu's agent, former Romanian international Popescu, advised him to admit his mistake immediately.

This experienced football expert believes that the results of the B sample test are usually consistent with those of the A sample, and going through the appeal process may cause the candidate to miss the opportunity for a reduced sentence.

Chelsea Football Club has not yet issued an official statement on this matter.

Reporters bombarded Roy with questions about his views on Mutu's drug involvement.

Roy calmly responded: "I can't comment on things that aren't finalized yet. I can only say that this won't affect the team's morale or results. We've already set a record of nine consecutive wins, and that streak will continue. The team's morale depends on our performance on the field and the unity in the locker room, not these off-field factors."

When pressed by reporters on how he could guarantee the team wouldn't be affected, Roy responded firmly: "I can guarantee that I have never and will never get involved with these things. I can also guarantee that I will continue to score goals."

"As long as I'm still scoring goals, as long as my teammates are still scoring goals, and as long as this team remains united in its pursuit of the title, Chelsea will not be affected by anything. We have only one goal, and that is to win the title. This is not just a slogan, but a fact that we prove with our sweat on the training ground every day."

He suddenly changed the subject, looking directly at the reporter who asked the question: "By the way, which team do you support?"

“Newcastle,” the reporter replied.

Roy smiled slightly: "Let's take Newcastle as an example. We don't need to prove we can beat Newcastle; on the contrary, Newcastle needs to prove they have a chance to beat us. Of course, that's possible. But the fact is clear: we are the stronger team, stronger than any other team in the Premier League. Whether you mention Arsenal or Manchester United, my answer is the same: Chelsea is the strongest team in the Premier League right now, and I am the strongest player in the Premier League. We don't need to prove anything to anyone."

Amidst the flashing lights, Roy executed a textbook example of crisis public relations.

He both distanced himself from the matter by claiming "ignorance" and characterized the incident as "not yet concluded," and by emphasizing the team's championship goals, he implicitly excluded Mutu, who was involved in the drug scandal, from the "united Chelsea."

His response was impeccable, yet it also revealed his ruthlessness: when a teammate's value conflicted with the championship blueprint, he would not hesitate to discard them.

After hearing Roy's statement from another reporter, Mourinho raised his eyebrows slightly and silently stroked his chin.

He turned to his assistant coach and muttered in a low voice, "This kid has taken care of everything—the locker room, the press conferences, even the club's public relations."

His tone carried three parts admiration and seven parts vigilance.

Watching Roy being surrounded by reporters, he suddenly felt thirsty.

This kind of player is like a double-edged sword; he can make things easier for the coach, but he can also subtly pose a threat.

Roy always spoke and acted with an undeniable certainty:

Do as I say, and I can lead you to victory and turn Chelsea into a legend that others look up to.

All you have to do is follow in my footsteps, and you will receive all the honors, trophies, and applause that are rightfully yours.

He vaguely felt that even if he led Chelsea to win the Champions League in the future, he still wouldn't be able to prove himself.

Mourinho took a deep breath, then responded with a stern face:
"Right now, I only care about the players on the field; those who aren't playing are not my concern. If you want to ask about football, I'm happy to answer. If it's anything else, go find the CEO or the press officer."

Chelsea's team bus drove back to London in the night.

Roy leaned back in the back seat, flipping through a book.

A burst of laughter suddenly erupted from the front row.

Joe Cole, waving that day's copy of The Sun, winked at Lampard: "Frank, Jody Marsh said he's going to reveal the technical details of your sex life. I heard he even wrote about which condom you use in his autobiography?"

Jody Marsh is a famous British Page 3 Girl and television star, known for her hot figure and bold style, and has been a regular on Page 3 Girls in The Sun for many years.

Lampard's face flushed red as he muttered curses at Joe Cole, but he couldn't deny the revelations in the newspapers.

His teammates around him laughed so hard they were doubled over, and the carriage was filled with a joyful atmosphere.

In the Premier League, a world of fame and fortune, models, Page 3 girls, and women of all kinds swarm around the players like sharks smelling blood.

Finding a bed partner is easier than completing a short story; the hard part is waking up the next day.

They have to deal with tabloid harassment, autobiographical revelations, and those sudden lawsuits about "illegitimate children."

Terry leaned back lazily in his seat to the side and said, "Think before you take your pants off. You're not just sleeping with this woman, but also with the whole paparazzi behind her."

Roy's eyebrows twitched slightly upon hearing this, thinking that what he said was indeed true.

Bridge hummed Girls Aloud's hit single, nodding her head: "Disco dancing with the lights down low. Beats are pumping on the stereo."

Roy glanced at him with a hint of doubt.

"What's wrong?" Bridge asked.

“It’s alright,” Roy smiled. “You sang well.”

Since Abidal got injured, the England left-back has been sitting next to him.

Strangely enough, Roy seems to have a natural magic that allows him to always get along well with left-backs.

That evening, paparazzi from The Sun spotted Roy fully armed while staking out an upscale restaurant in London.

He was wearing a baseball cap and sunglasses, and a woman wrapped in a large oversized hoodie was with him.

Although her face was obscured, the woman's gait and the curves subtly revealed under her hoodie prompted the experienced photographer to take several more shots.

The two stayed at the restaurant until late at night before leaving, and then got into Roy's newly bought Bentley Continental GT together.

This luxury car was a 20th birthday gift he had just given himself.

The paparazzi intended to follow him all the way, but Roy managed to outrun them with a few skillful lane changes.

The reporter who was following the woman later wrote in the report: "Although we were unable to get a clear picture of her face, based on the woman's exposed blonde hair and recent schedule, it is highly likely that she is Cheryl, the lead singer of GirlsAloud, who just finished her tour."

Since his breakup with French actress Leticia Costa, Roy has been surrounded by women.

From Russian billionaire heiress Daria Zhukova to a newly debuted singer and magazine model, he is a frequent figure in gossip columns.

The most shocking thing was that at the afterparty of his birthday party, someone photographed him whispering intimately with "Australian sweetheart" Deilta Goodluck.

However, Roy quickly clarified: "She was just a friend brought by Westlife lead singer Brian, and this was the first time we had met."

In fact, Delta was dating Australian tennis star Philippoussis at the time, and not long after, the media broke the news of her affair with Bryan.

All of this happened while she had just finished recording the title track "Almost Here" from her new album "Mistaken Identity" in the UK.

Following the scandal, Delta Gudlaim, in an interview, jokingly commented on Roy: "He's a very special gentleman. It's hard to describe the feeling he gives off. You know, most athletes have that excess of hormones, but Roy is different. He has a kind of effortless elegance in every gesture, just like how he always controls the rhythm on the field, he's also unhurried in life. To be honest, this quality is really rare among football stars."

Now, Roy seems to have reconnected with Cheryl.

An investigation by The Sun revealed that the two likely met at London’s famous ChinaWhite nightclub.

Cheryl and her group members would occasionally go there for entertainment, and players from Chelsea, Arsenal and Tottenham were also frequent visitors.

Even more noteworthy is that Cheryl was photographed in the stands at Stamford Bridge during Chelsea's home victory over Liverpool in the Premier League on October 3.

The Sun quipped that Roy seems to want to be the "busiest bachelor in the Premier League," but fans are much more forgiving of his womanizing than those stars who portray themselves as good husbands but cheat on their partners.

Just as the Chelsea team was busy preparing for their crucial Champions League match against CSKA Moscow at home on October 20, an unusual atmosphere permeated the training ground.

At lunchtime, Terry carried his tray and went straight to sit down opposite Roy.

Have you read today's Mirror?

He mumbled through a beef pie, “Mutu held a press conference, saying you portrayed him as a drug addict. The Romanian is furious and is threatening to sue you for defamation.”

Terry has recently become increasingly aware that Roy is silently taking control of the locker room.

This Frenchman not only has unparalleled football skills, but also knows how to use both kindness and severity.

Even England's homegrown stars like Lampard, while not particularly close to Roy in private (the Frenchman rarely participates in their golf, cigar games, or even poker nights), would say of him, "That guy is definitely reliable."

With Desailly's retirement imminent, Terry knew in his heart that the armband would almost certainly fall into Roy's hands after the season ended.

Although he himself had fantasized about being the captain, he had to admit it.

If this decision were announced tomorrow, even Joe Cole, who is usually very critical, probably wouldn't object.

"What did he say?" Roy asked with a smile.

Terry relayed Mutu's accusations to him, and Roy nodded after listening: "I'll handle it."

During an interview with reporters, Mutu became emotional and his face flushed as he said, "I just heard about Roy's remarks at the press conference, which made me very disappointed and angry. His indifferent attitude, as if he had already decided that I was a drug user, is completely irresponsible! I want to make it clear to everyone—I absolutely did not use cocaine, and there must be a misunderstanding in this test result."

“I swear on my career and my character that I have never touched those things. Roy, as a teammate, is too cold-blooded to try to distance himself before the matter has been investigated. We see each other in the locker room every day. If he really cares about his teammate, he should ask me what happened first, instead of acting like I am a criminal in front of the media.”

“I know that anything I say now sounds like an excuse, but please give me time to prove my innocence. I voluntarily gave up the B sample test because I believed the Football Association would handle it fairly, not because I was guilty. Roy said it ‘wouldn’t affect the team’s morale,’ but his eagerness to distance himself from me now will only create a rift in the locker room.”

"I will use legal means to protect my reputation. I hope that Roy will apologize for his remarks today when the truth comes out."

That day, The Daily Telegraph published a short interview with Roy: "When I first heard about the drug testing controversy, I made it very clear that any speculation before the official conclusion was reached was irresponsible. Now Adrian (Mutu) is saying that I am distancing myself? That's absurd."

“I don’t understand why Adrian thinks I’m distancing myself from him. I was being very polite at the time. To be honest, he made this team clean up so many messes for him, it was like taking care of a giant baby.”

"When Drogba was injured, the team was plagued by injuries, and we could only rely on Gudjohnsen as a true center forward, he was embroiled in drug testing scandals, prostitution scandals, and other off-field troubles, completely forgetting that he was a professional player earning £60,000 a week."

When pressed by reporters about whether he would apologize, Roy suddenly laughed: "Apologize for this kind of professionalism? I won't apologize for this, because respecting him would be the greatest disrespect to those teammates who play seriously and the fans who genuinely want the team to achieve good results."

On October 20, 2004, Stamford Bridge hosted a Champions League match that the British media jokingly referred to as the "Russian Derby." Chelsea fielded their familiar 4-3-3 formation: Cech in goal, with Maicon, Terry, Gallas, and Bridge in defense.

The midfield trio consisted of Makelele at the back, with Smertin and Lampard on the flanks.

The forward line consists of Duff, Gudjohnsen, and Roy.

CSKA Moscow fielded a 4-3-1-2 formation: Akinfeev in goal, with Zhirkov, the elder of the Berezutsky brothers, Ignashevich, and Odya in defense.

The midfield trio consisted of Rahimic anchoring the defensive midfield, Lezans and Sembelas on the left and right flanks respectively, and Daniel playing as the attacking midfielder.

Up front, Brazilian striker Wagner Love partners with Semarak.

This match was called the "Russian Derby" because Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich was still secretly in control of CSKA Moscow at the time.

Since 2004, CSKA Moscow has received $1800 million in sponsorship annually from Siberian Oil Company.

At the same time, the Russian Football Union also receives at least £2700 million in funding from Abramovich every year.

It was through this connection that Abramovich was able to temporarily "borrow" Guus Hiddink, who was then coaching the Russian national team, to Chelsea in 2009 to fill in.

With the signing of players such as Roy, Abidal, and Maicon, Abramovich has also connected with Monaco's new president, Rybonovev.

Behind these seemingly independent transactions lies a vast network of relationships woven from money and connections.

The stands were filled with Russian tycoons and their friends, while on the field, the two teams would engage in a fierce battle for qualification from the group stage.

"Nine consecutive wins, Roman, your Chelsea are now crushing the Premier League like a tank."

A wealthy man, cigar in mouth and champagne glass in hand, said.

Abramovich took a sip of vodka: "The Portuguese said we'd lock in the championship in November."

"Where is that French striker?"

Someone chimed in, "Soviet Sports newspaper says that defenders all over Europe are having nightmares. Now everyone in Moscow is talking about him, and young people love to buy his jerseys."

Abramovich chuckled: "Last week I went to Luzhniki Stadium and saw vendors outside the stadium selling counterfeit jerseys with his name on them."

"Ha!" someone slammed their fist on the table. "Even our army fans have been turned against us?"

“Young people love this,” Abramovich said, swirling his glass. “Who can blame him when every goal he scores looks like it’s in a movie?”

A burst of laughter erupted in the private room, and someone raised their glass: "Cheers to the new King of England!"

The clinking of glasses was drowned out by the cheers on Stamford Bridge.

At the sounding of the opening whistle, the Moscow Central Army launched a fierce attack.

In the 4th minute, attacking midfielder Daniel played a one-two with Brazilian striker Wagner Love on the left wing and suddenly took a shot. The ball deflected off a defender and was about to fly into the net.

Cech reacted quickly, diving to tip the ball over the crossbar.

In the 9th minute, Roy received the ball on the left wing and suddenly stopped and changed direction, shaking off Lezans's marking.

He dribbled inside to the edge of the penalty area, and facing Berezutsky's block, he gently flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot.

The ball traced a strange arc, bypassing the entire defensive line and landing precisely at the far post.

Gudjohnsen arrived at the last minute and barely needed to adjust before volleying the ball into the net!
Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers as Mourinho on the sidelines couldn't help but pump his fist in celebration with this imaginative assist.

"Do you see that? This is an unparalleled treasure!"

Abramovich's voice cut through the noise in the private room: "This is the artwork I bought for forty million euros."

Someone quipped, "Come on, Roman, you said last year that Shevchenko was the most perfect striker in the world."

Abramovich scoffed: "Shevchenko can kick a ball like that? That outside-of-the-foot pass would make even Zidane applaud."

Gudjohnsen excitedly rushed to the corner flag, grabbed Roy by the neck, and yelled in his ear, "That pass was fucking perfect!"

Roy chuckled and patted him on the back: "Your positioning was even better; anyone else wouldn't have been able to catch it."

The Icelander grinned and shook his head: "Come on, only you can kick a ball like that!"

Gudjohnsen has been the subject of much controversy this season.

Between the Icelander and the veteran Hasselbaink, Mourinho did not hesitate to choose the younger Gudjohnsen.

However, after being released, the Dutchman joined Middlesbrough and scored 6 goals in 9 games, second only to Roy in goal count and even surpassing Arsenal's Henry.

This performance has caused many Chelsea fans to start grumbling.

Was letting Hasselbaink go a mistake?
After Drogba's injury, Gudjohnsen became Roy's regular partner in attack.

Although the Icelanders have different playing styles, they always manage to create openings and receive Roy's imaginative passes.

This made him realize that as long as he stayed close to Roy, he would never lack opportunities to score.

In the 13th minute, Roy once again broke through the defense on the left wing and delivered a precise cross to Duff in the penalty area.

The Irishman attempted a side-volley shot, but Akinfeev made a brilliant save, pushing it out of bounds.

Smertin took the corner kick from the right, and the ball spun as it flew towards the six-yard box.

Terry suddenly started from the far post, overpowering Berezutsky as he leaped high and smashed the ball into the net with a powerful header!

In the 37th minute, CSKA Moscow launched an attack in the attacking third.

Attacking midfielder Daniel received the ball on the edge of Chelsea's penalty area and attempted a through pass to right center forward Love, but the ball was intercepted by Gallas in anticipation.

Without hesitation, Gala immediately passed the ball to Bridge on the left wing.

Bridge looked up and saw that Roy had already started moving on the left flank.

He delivered a long, low pass, and the ball found Roy precisely.

Roy received the ball near the halfway line, facing the defense of CSKA Moscow's right midfielder Lezans.

Lezans tried to press forward, but Roy easily slipped past him with a nimble change of direction.

CSKA Moscow's right-back, Odia, immediately came to cover.

Roy didn't slow down; just as Odia closed in, he suddenly poked the ball towards the baseline and accelerated to overtake from the outside.

Odia couldn't turn around in time and was easily overtaken by Roy.

At this point, CSKA Moscow's right center-back Ignashevich had to move to the flank to cover.

Roy appeared to have nowhere to go as he faced Ignashevich's blockade near the byline.

Mourinho on the sidelines was about to call for his players to get back on defense, but Roy's next move stunned everyone.

Roy first pretended to pass back to Bridge, who was following up, and this feint caused Ignashevich to shift his center of gravity slightly.

British commentator Martin Taylor's voice suddenly rose: "Roy's cornered, looks like he has no choice but to pass back—wait! What's he going to do?! My God, that angle is impossible!"

In that instant, Roy suddenly flicked the ball up with his right foot.

The ball traced a strange arc, flying towards the goal from an almost zero-angle position.

The instant the ball left his foot, commentator Andy Gray's voice cracked: "He actually shot! From a zero-degree angle with the outside of his foot—!"

Akinfeev, positioned near the goalpost, had no idea that Roy would choose to shoot.

He retreated hastily, but it was too late.

The ball traced a trajectory that defied the laws of physics, first striking the inside of the far post before crashing heavily into the net.

Stamford Bridge instantly erupted in cheers.

Gudjohnsen was the first to rush over and tackle Roy to the ground, and other Chelsea players joined in the celebration.

Mourinho turned to assistant coach Faria and said, "This guy is crazy. There has never been a player like him in history."

Faria shook his head and laughed, "To be honest, I thought he would definitely pass the ball back."

Mourinho shrugged. "Looking back now, losing to such a monster isn't so shameful."

The CSKA Moscow players looked at each other in disbelief, seemingly unable to believe what had just happened.

This goal completely changed the course of the game.

CSKA Moscow had initially held a certain advantage in possession, but their morale was clearly dampened after Roy's incredible goal.

Chelsea maintained control of the game and ultimately won this crucial Champions League group stage match 3-0.

On the same day that Chelsea won their Champions League group stage match, Mutu, who had just criticized Roy for being cold-blooded in the newspapers and was met with a ruthless rebuttal, was exposed by the media for participating in a group sex scandal.

Romanian adult film star Andreasán, the woman at the center of Mutu's sex scandal, publicly complained to the media that Mutu was sexually inept in bed, and that his clinical performance was like that of an "amateur," completely contradicting his performance on the field, which greatly disappointed her.

These scandals made Mutu a laughing stock, but surprisingly, these negative reports may have actually saved his career.

The Daily Mirror recently broke the news that Mutu defended himself to the FA, claiming that he did not take cocaine, but rather a Viagra-like aphrodisiac intended to improve his sexual performance. This statement subtly echoes his previous sex scandal.

Mutu said, "I did not take cocaine, I have never been a drug addict. Instead, I took some kind of Viagra-like drug to improve my performance during sex. I know it sounds ridiculous, but it is true. You can ask Andrezan if you don't believe me."

The media jokingly remarked that the FA's task this time seemed quite arduous, as they not only had to seek conclusive evidence from scientific experiments but also had to turn to adult film actresses for help.

On the same day, Roy's spokesperson stated through The Daily Telegraph that if the drug test results confirmed that Mutu had indeed taken aphrodisiacs rather than drugs, Roy would publicly apologize to him.

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Nomura Securities of Japan has announced a joint bid with British businessman Keith Harris to acquire Manchester United in an effort to thwart the Glazer Group's takeover bid. Nomura has provided a £2 million loan, representing over 25% of Manchester United's market capitalization, on the condition of sharing future ticket and broadcast revenue. Harris plans to transfer shares to fan representatives to ensure the club is not controlled by a single entity. This move is seen as a landmark event in the bidding war for Premier League giants.

—The Times

(End of this chapter)