When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 225 Whose Locker Room?
The atmosphere at the Clairefontaine training base has been a bit strange lately.

The Pires incident caused quite a stir, but now it's like it never happened, and nobody mentions it anymore.

Coach Domenech led the team in training as usual, as if nothing had happened.

During training, Roy would cooperate and joke around as usual, especially the new young players like Malouda and Frey, who all liked to hang around Roy.

Why? Actually, everyone understands: Roy may be a bit arrogant, but he's really capable.

Moreover, he's reliable in crucial moments; when something happens to the team, he's willing to stand up and speak up, no matter who the other side is.

To put it bluntly, this person has the right to be arrogant, and he is genuinely protective of his own.

Roy's main point was to echo Domenech's words: if you say that player selection is based solely on athletic performance, then you'd better...
If you're going to erect a memorial archway, don't act like a prostitute; don't try to have your cake and eat it too.

Domenech found himself in an awkward situation.

He originally planned to establish his authority by taking action against Pires, and then consolidate his power through the team's victory.

But Roy's intervention completely disrupted his plans, and now the entire locker room is secretly questioning his hiring standards.

Worse still, even if the team wins next, it will be difficult to give him all the credit.

The players will feel that it is the result of their own hard work, rather than the brilliant command of the coach.

Domenech's authority was as if it had been put on pause; it could neither be improved through conventional means nor could a breakthrough be found to reverse the situation.

It's a vicious cycle: the locker room needs a player of substance to act as a bridge, but the only suitable candidate is Roy, the most uncooperative troublemaker.

Neither Vieira nor Henry are suitable.

Only Roy had prestige among the players, spoke with authority, and could keep the team in check.

The problem is that if Domenech relies on Roy to maintain order in the locker room, he is essentially mortgaging his authority to the most unruly person.

From now on, he'll have to consider Roy's opinion before making any decisions.

The players would assume: "What the coach says doesn't count; only Roy's approval matters."

This effectively puts real power in the locker room in Roy's hands, while Domenech can only be a nominal "puppet manager."

To make matters worse, Roy is no nice guy.

Once he gains control of the team, he will not simply act as a mouthpiece, but will influence the team in his own way.

He needs Roy, but using Roy is tantamount to admitting that he can't control the locker room, and he's already lost half the game of power.

After training that day, Henry went straight to Roy.

Throughout the training camp, the two barely interacted; Henry remained silent, and Roy didn't initiate conversation either.

But this time, Henry stood in front of Roy.

"Thank you," he said simply, but his eyes were very serious.

Roy paused for a moment, then realized what was happening.

Henry was thanking him for publicly criticizing Aragonés in an earlier interview, because the Spanish coach had used the racist term "negro" to insult Henry.

"Don't act like a woman, Thierry."

Henry's eyes widened instantly; he had spent an entire day mentally preparing himself before managing to utter that thank you.

As a result, this straight shot almost ruined his chances.

Roy shrugged, his tone calm but firm: "That bullshit deserves to be cursed, there's nothing to thank me for."

Henry nodded, saying nothing more, but his tense lips relaxed slightly.

The two looked at each other for a second, then turned and left.

Some things don't need lengthy explanations; simply stating your position is enough.

On November 17, 2004, the atmosphere in the locker room was somewhat somber before the friendly match between France and Poland.

The players were organizing their equipment, occasionally exchanging a few words in hushed tones, but an overall subtle silence permeated the atmosphere.

Suddenly, Roy stood up from his seat, his gaze sweeping across the locker room before finally settling on Vieira.

“Patrick,” his voice was soft, but it carried clearly to everyone’s ears, “come and say a few words to everyone.”

Vieira frowned at Roy, her eyes clearly showing displeasure.

His nominal captaincy had long been undermined by the undercurrents in the locker room.

He had originally planned to be a hands-off manager, but now Roy's shout had put him in a very difficult position.

"Uh, everyone, cheer up. Poland isn't a strong team, but we... well... we still have to play seriously. Don't give the media any reason to cause trouble. That's all."

As soon as Vieira finished speaking, Roy clapped his hands, and applause erupted in the locker room.

Henry then clapped slowly, a faint smile playing on his lips.

The other players then realized what was happening, and the scattered applause quickly turned into a chorus of applause. However, the expressions on everyone's faces looked like they were acting out a tacitly agreed-upon play.

"Guys, it's time to get on the field."

Roy stood up and looked around the locker room. "We'll shut those media people up with the game later. The French team will always be the French team. Those ridiculous stories they made up never happened before, and they never will."

Domenech stood in the corner, forcing a smile, and mechanically clapped along.

He cleared his throat and raised his voice to interject, "Yes! That's it! Let's...uh...unite and win the game!"

After the start of the first half, although the French team's tactical arrangements were not very sophisticated, they firmly controlled the situation by relying on the individual abilities of their players.

In the 12th minute, Roy received the ball on the left side of midfield and suddenly started his run, changing direction twice to shake off Kossovski's entanglement.

Just when the defender thought he was going to continue his breakthrough, he suddenly stopped and used the instep of his foot to deliver a diagonal pass.

The ball pierced the Polish defense precisely, finding Giuly making a run down the right flank.

After receiving the ball, Giuly made a slight adjustment and unleashed a powerful shot, but unfortunately the ball grazed the far post and went out of bounds.

Poland attempted to create threats with quick counter-attacks, but Vieira and Pedretti's interceptions in midfield repeatedly thwarted their attacks.

In the 22nd minute, Giuly's shot from the right wing was saved by Dudek and went out for a corner.

The moment that broke the deadlock came in the 27th minute.

As Roy received the ball on the left flank, he suddenly flicked it with the sole of his foot, and the ball obediently flew over the defender's head.

Before the opponent could react, he quickly used a stepover to shake off the covering defender, Shimkoviak, and dribbled straight towards the edge of the penalty area.

Just as Polish left center-back Bak rushed to block, Roy deftly flicked the ball over the defense with the outside of his foot.

Henry made a ghostly run, his first fake shot fooled Dudek, and then he calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.

"Goal!!! 1-0!!! France breaks the deadlock!!!"

"Look at this goal! Roy's brilliance, Henry's decisive strike! This is the value of a superstar! Those media outlets that questioned the French team's dressing room situation will probably have to rethink their words now! Domenech is excitedly pumping his fist on the sidelines! This goal not only broke the deadlock but is also the most powerful rebuttal to all the recent rumors!"

Domenech, standing on the sidelines, clenched his fist and then put his hands in his pockets, his expression complex.

On the field, Roy put his arm around Henry, and the two whispered intimately to each other.

"Well done."

Henry spoke in a flat tone, his eyes slyly scanning the flashing lights on the side of the stands, before he flashed a friendly smile.

Roy tightened his grip on his shoulder: "Listen, we all just want to win and take the championship. Thierry, let things outside the field stay off the field."

"what's up?"

Henry smiled, and the two bumped fists in apparent agreement, but both knew what was going on.

This is merely a compromise on the surface.

The French fans in the stands were still cheering, but the undercurrents in the locker room were far from being resolved by a single goal.

In the 44th minute, the French central defensive pair made a crucial interception.

Boumsong and Squillaci worked together seamlessly to dispossess the Polish striker.

Boumsong quickly passed the ball to Sagnol on the right wing, and the French team launched a counter-attack instantly.

Sagnol dribbled forward, played a one-two with Vieira, and immediately passed the ball to Giuly on the right wing.

Giuly skillfully protected the ball near the sideline, then suddenly took a step, turned, and got rid of the defender before passing it back to the onrushing Sagnol.

At this moment, Sagnol paused briefly near the center line, and everyone thought he was going to stabilize the pace.

But in a flash, he suddenly launched a long pass, the ball arcing precisely into the left flank of the attacking third.

Just as Sagnol took the shot, Roy suddenly made a lateral run, drawing a central defender away from him.

He then nimbly turned and sprinted, receiving the ball before anyone else could react. The Polish defenders scrambled back, but Roy had already launched a powerful run, forcefully pushing the ball three meters away!
Three Polish defenders surrounded Roy, but Roy changed direction repeatedly at high speed: first feinting to the left, then suddenly cutting to the right, and then making precise adjustments with small, quick steps.

After breaking into the penalty area, at the critical moment, he suddenly flicked the ball to the right, then fell to the ground and stretched out his leg to complete the shot.

The timing of the shot was perfect; the ball flew into the net from Dudek's right side.

The Polish goalkeeper didn't even have time to fully execute a save and could only watch the ball go into the net. 2-0!

The French team went into the locker room with a two-goal lead.

The second half of the game became a training session.

Both teams rotated their players in quick succession. France substituted five key players at once: Henry, Roy, Vieira, Sagnol, and Malouda left the field one after another, while Saha, Govou, Diarra, and others got the chance to play.

The Polish team also made extensive changes, replacing half of their squad in one go.

The pace of the game slowed down noticeably.

In the 58th minute, substitute Saha had a one-on-one opportunity, but his shot was blocked by Polish substitute goalkeeper Boruk with his leg.

On the other side, Poland's substitute striker, Lassiak, also created several threats using his speed, but he was unable to break through Landreau's defenses.

The last twenty minutes turned into a complete exhibition match.

The French substitutes tried to prove themselves and played very hard.

Govou made several beautiful breakthroughs and crosses on the left wing, but unfortunately, his attempts to intercept in the middle were always just a hair's breadth off.

Poland completely abandoned their attack and retreated to their own half.

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

France ended the friendly match with a cost-effective victory, but some fans had already left the stands.

After all the star players were substituted in the second half, the game became rather lackluster.

On the same night, at the Bernabéu, England lost 0-1 to Spain, but what they truly lost was far more than just the score.

Rooney lost control on the pitch, becoming agitated, shoving Casillas, and tackling Marchena. When he was substituted, he even threw the black armband commemorating the legend "Crazy Horse" Hughes on the ground.

Gary Neville then used the same tactic on Reyes, continuing his aggressive tackles.

Even worse, in the stands, Spanish fans racially abused England's black players Ashley Cole, Jenas, and Wright-Phillips, making monkey noises and insulting gestures.

Ashley Cole completely lost control.

This Premier League defender, known for his cleanliness, was like a powder keg, making flying tackles, collisions, and even lashing out at the Spanish coaching bench.

He couldn't stand the constant squealing of monkeys in the stands, and he couldn't tolerate Aragonés's insult of calling Henry a "nigger" a month earlier.

Aragonés not only refused to admit his mistake, but instead argued, "I was just trying to motivate the players!"

She even retorted, "My Black friends all say that the British were more discriminatory towards Black people in the colonies!"

These remarks immediately caused a huge uproar in Britain.

Fans even unfurled a banner to humiliate him: "Aragonés 1-0 Henry".

The usually composed Cole chose to retaliate in the most violent way this time.

Aragonés had previously called Henry a "nigger" and promised to apologize in London, but he broke his promise.

The Spanish Football Federation also turned a blind eye to the racist remarks made by fans.

No one intervened, and it was only a matter of time before the monkey-like shouts and insulting gestures from the Bernabéu stands became inevitable.

England manager Sven-Göran Eriksson angrily stated after the match: "This is 2004, racism should not exist in any country!"

Ironically, English fans outside the stadium also rioted in the streets of Madrid, clashing with local fans and injuring 16 people.

Rooney's temper, fans' racism, and off-field brawls.

Both sides suffered a crushing defeat in this match.

England didn't play like a team aiming for the World Cup, while Spain's victory was overshadowed by their disgraceful behavior at the Bernabéu.

British media then dug up old stories, revealing the real inside story behind Roy's failed transfer to Real Madrid this summer.

According to reports from The Sun and the Daily Mail, the key reason for the breakdown in negotiations was that Paco Sanz, the son of former Real Madrid president Sanz, made racist remarks about Roy.

At the time, Paco Sanz, the son of former Real Madrid president Sanz, was having dinner with friends, and after a few rounds of drinks, he began to talk at length.

"Paco was clearly drunk; his voice was getting louder and louder."

A waiter who was present recalled, "He suddenly started talking about the ongoing Roy transfer negotiations, saying in very harsh terms that 'that mixed-race kid is too arrogant,' and claimed that Florentino must have received some kind of bribe, and that Real Madrid shouldn't spend so much money on a hybrid."

"What was most outrageous was that he suddenly used that racist word and said something like 'Real Madrid's white jerseys don't need to be tainted.' The whole restaurant went silent, but his friends at the same table were still laughing."

It is worth noting that Roy himself was not present at the time.

However, according to sources, these remarks quickly reached the players' ears.

"Roy was furious when he found out."

A source close to the player said, "This completely dispelled his idea of ​​returning to Real Madrid."

Roy, who had just finished an international match, was found to have a minor injury during a medical examination. Head coach Mourinho, out of consideration for the player's safety, put him on the rest list.

According to Chelsea's official medical report, Roy suffered a minor hamstring strain in his left leg, a muscle fatigue injury caused by high-intensity training during the French national team's training camp.

Without their key striker, Chelsea faced tough resistance at Stamford Bridge and ultimately drew 2-2 with Bolton.

Although Duff gave Chelsea a dream start after just 36 seconds, and Thiago added another goal in the second half, two defensive errors allowed Bolton to capitalize.

First, Cech's mistake allowed Kevin Davies to head the ball into an empty net, and then Jati's powerful shot in the final moments turned Chelsea's three points into one.

The camera repeatedly panned to the substitutes' bench, where Roy and Cheryl were watching the game from the stands.

He kept his eyes glued to the field the entire time, his expression serious.

Cheryl stood quietly by her side, occasionally glancing at her boyfriend's reaction.

When the score was tied, Roy visibly tensed up, and Cheryl moved closer to him at the opportune moment.

Chelsea were held to a draw by Bolton after leading 2-0, leaving the ever-proud Mourinho visibly disappointed.

After the match, Mourinho first praised the opposing manager Allardyce: "His team is the first team this season to score twice against us."

“We should have won the game. Although I don’t like Bolton’s long ball style, I have to admit they are tough to deal with. They are fierce in the air and quick to make runs into the second ball. This simple and direct style of play makes any opponent’s head ache.”

“We actually had a real chance to seal the victory, especially those two excellent opportunities from Gudjohnsen. But that’s football; when you don’t kill the game, the opponent will bite back. Teams like Bolton can take points from any opponent, and their comeback from 0-2 down today is the best proof of that.”

In a post-match interview, Mourinho directly pointed out the impact of Roy's absence: "We were indeed missing a key link in our attack. This season, Roy has contributed 15 goals and 10 assists in 13 league matches. He is not only the team's top scorer but also the core of the attacking play. We created many chances in today's game, but our finishing efficiency dropped significantly, which is exactly what Roy excels at. However, even if the result is not satisfactory, we will not risk the player's health. His recovery is progressing well, but we must ensure he is fully recovered before he can return."

"In the long run, protecting players is more important than the outcome of any single game. Players like Roy need to maintain their form for the entire season, not rush back for just one or two games."

According to the team doctor, Roy's injury is not serious and he is expected to return for the next league match.

This is indeed an intriguing coincidence.

When Roy missed his first game of the season, Chelsea's 13-game winning streak that had shaken the Premier League came to an abrupt end.

Despite the official emphasis that his leg injury only required a week of rest, the team squandered a good opportunity in the first game he missed.

For Chelsea, who are aiming for the title, this draw once again proves that in a long season, keeping key players healthy may be more important than the outcome of a single match.

After the match, Roy gave an impromptu interview to reporters in the stands, his tone relaxed yet sharp:

"Honestly, being a spectator is more stressful than being a player. Every time I see my teammates create a good chance, my legs just want to rush down and help. Although it's a bit of a shame we didn't win today, it also makes everyone realize that the team is definitely missing something without me on the field. Of course, that's just a joke."

Seeing the reporters laughing, he immediately waved his hand: "Don't take it seriously, I was just joking. We played very hard today, we were just a little unlucky."

"Honestly, did you guys see Duff's goal just 36 seconds into the game? It was unbelievable! That lightning-fast goal should have given us an easy win. But that's the strange thing about football; winning streaks always have to end eventually. Perhaps this draw came at the right time, allowing us to unload the burden and start afresh. After all, striving for perfection is good, but accepting imperfection is true maturity."

2004年11月24日，切尔西在欧冠小组赛中被帕纳辛奈科斯1-1逼平，遭遇各项赛事两连平。

Chelsea dominated the game, but it wasn't until the 76th minute that substitute Joe Cole broke the deadlock with a clever chip shot.

The away team fought back to equalize in stoppage time.

Mourinho's team missed the chance to set a new Champions League record of five consecutive wins, and the draw also exposed Chelsea's fatigue under the pressure of a tight schedule.

In the next round, they will face defending champions Monaco away from home.

Although Chelsea and Monaco have already secured their places in the knockout stage as the top two teams in their group, their final match is still of great significance.

This match will determine the group winner, and securing a favorable knockout stage draw is crucial for Chelsea, who aspire to go further in the Champions League.

Mourinho stated frankly at the pre-match press conference: "We will not relax just because we have qualified. Every Champions League match is an opportunity to prove ourselves."

(End of this chapter)