When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 243 Roy Unleashes a Killing Spree in an Instant, Adding New Fury to Old Grudges at Barcelona

同一天的其他欧冠比赛里，波尔图在巨龙球场1-1逼平国际米兰，里昂客场发威3-0大胜不莱梅，而曼联则在老特拉福德0-1意外输给了AC米兰。

而在前一天，皇马在伯纳乌1-0小胜尤文图斯，拜仁在安联球场3-1力克阿森纳。另外两场比赛里，埃因霍温和摩纳哥1-1握手言和，利物浦在安菲尔德3-1战胜了勒沃库森。

This round of Champions League matches saw mixed results for Premier League teams: Chelsea and Liverpool both achieved a score of 3-1, with one defeating Barcelona away at Camp Nou and the other beating Bayer Leverkusen at Anfield.

However, Manchester United lost 0-1 to Milan at Old Trafford, and Arsenal suffered a humiliating 1-3 defeat to Bayern Munich away from home. To make matters worse, they also lost key players, with Pires, Edu, and Gilberto all sidelined due to injury, and Van Persie receiving a red card.

Although Arsenal still have an away goal advantage, it will be extremely difficult for them to overturn the deficit at Highbury.

Unless a stunning reversal occurs.

Currently, among the Premier League's top four, only Chelsea and Liverpool seem to have a real chance of going further.

The clash between the two teams will also come sooner, with the two sides competing for the League Cup title on February 27. Roy, Mourinho, and even Abramovich may all have the opportunity to win their first trophy in their Chelsea careers.

2005年2月27日，加的夫千年球场的联赛杯决赛以切尔西1-0战胜利物浦告终。

In the 27th minute, Roy made a strong run down the left flank and was brought down by Carragher, winning a penalty. He converted the penalty himself, scoring the only goal of the match.

The match was dull and lackluster, lacking both Riise's explosive goal just 45 seconds into the game and Gerrard's classic moment of accidentally heading the ball into his own net while attempting a clearance.

Mourinho stood quietly in the technical area throughout, a stark contrast to the scene in the original timeline where he was sent off for provoking Liverpool fans.

When the referee blew the final whistle, the Chelsea players hugged each other in high spirits.

In the stands, Abu excitedly raised his arms and roared, then turned around and hugged his wife and children tightly, his face beaming with uncontrollable joy.

This first championship under the Russian owner's management came as swiftly and decisively as Roy's penalty kick, without any dramatic twists or turns.

After the game, Roy walked over to Gerrard, who was bowing his head and remaining silent, and patted him on the shoulder politely.

Watching the Liverpool captain's dejected figure, Roy thought to himself: at least Gerrard won't be like before, with fans muttering "It's Gerrard again" or "Always Gerrard" every time he makes a mistake.

The English midfielder's contributions to Liverpool are undeniable, but bad luck seems to always seem to strike at crucial moments, with own goals and misplaced passes always appearing at the most critical times.

Roy shook his head as he turned away, secretly relieved that he didn't have to bear such a fate.

After the match, Roy gave an exclusive interview to China's Sports Weekly.

While Lin Liangfeng, a reporter from Titan Sports, was waiting in the media reception room, Roy, who had changed into casual clothes, pushed open the door and waved to the Chinese reporters, saying, "Hello, it's a pleasure to be interviewed."

Lin Liangfeng: "First of all, congratulations, Roy, on winning your first trophy since joining Chelsea today. As an important member of the team, what does this English League Cup title mean to you personally? Does it meet your expectations when you transferred from Monaco? Considering the club's significant investment since Mr. Abramovich took over, does this title also represent the beginning of Chelsea's journey towards higher goals?"

Roy: "This trophy signifies a milestone for us. While we've won most of the games, the players might feel numb or overwhelmed by the pressure. We need this release, to lift a trophy. It may not be the most precious, but it's still a historic honor. It makes us realize that as long as we keep winning, we can win more titles. Chelsea must aim higher, without a doubt. We remain hungry and need more titles to satisfy us."

Lin Liangfeng: "You won the Ballon d'Or. What does this mean for you personally and for Chelsea Football Club? What specific changes have occurred in your life since winning the award? For example, in training, matches, and off-field activities."

Roy: "Winning the Ballon d'Or means I was the best player in the world for a year. It felt so perfect, it was heavenly. But it could have ruined me. I might have become arrogant and lost my mind. But honestly, right now I just want to win it again."

"Besides the joy of winning the award, many things have become more difficult. I have to be more demanding of myself in training and face more targeted defense on the court. Off the court, my personal space is constantly being squeezed. Everyone wants to communicate and interact with me, but if I want to meet everyone's needs, I may have to spend an extra half day every day."

Lin Liangfeng: "As a player of Asian descent, what do you think this award means to other Asian players?"

Roy: "Maybe this will inspire some people, but what I want to say is: on the football field, you have to forget about your heritage first. When I step onto the pitch, there's only one thing on my mind: to be the best. Opponents won't go easy on you just because you're Asian, and the referee won't call an extra foul. Football only recognizes ability, not origin. So don't use 'Asian' as a label or excuse; shut everyone up with your performance."

Lin Liangfeng: "Do you think a purely Asian player has a chance to win the Ballon d'Or in the future? What qualifications would he need?"

Roy: "Of course it's possible, but the question itself shouldn't even exist. Football has never been a game where skin color determines the outcome. For a purely Asian player to win the Ballon d'Or? They only need to meet three conditions: First, play in a top league. Second, play in the Champions League knockout stages. Third, wear the right suit on awards night."

After the interview, Lin Liangfeng realized that Roy had transformed into a shrewd interviewee.

He no longer displayed the arrogance of his past, but he also stopped spouting platitudes.

This shift made the reporter feel that he had entered a new stage in his career, and those flamboyant remarks seemed to be just a necessary part of his growth process.

Fortunately, Roy always knew how to meet the needs of the media: he was always able to maintain restraint while throwing out enough weighty viewpoints and topics, giving reporters plenty of material to work with.

When asked by reporters if he had considered coming to China, Roy seemed very interested. However, he did not want to go in the form of a commercial activity or a team tour in Asia, and expressed his desire to visit Shandong.

When talking about Chinese players, he praised Sun Jihai for his tenacious defense and also remembered Dong Fangzhuo, who had just returned to Manchester United from his loan spell at Antwerp.

However, when asked about a Chinese striker who had just joined Sheffield United, Roy replied directly, "I don't know this person."

On March 5, 2005, despite a blizzard hitting Carlow Road, news of Manchester United being held to a draw by Crystal Palace boosted Chelsea's morale.

Didier Drogba returned from injury in this match and rejoined the starting lineup.

Meanwhile, Robben's injury has improved, and the Dutch winger has begun individual running recovery training on the training ground.

After the match began, Drogba and Lampard missed several good chances.

In the 8th minute of the match, Chelsea intercepted the ball in their own half and launched a quick counter-attack.

After receiving the ball near the center circle, Roy gently flicked it with his right foot to adjust his footwork, and then used the outside of his foot to curl a low, curved shot.

The ball seemed to be under a spell, drawing a C-shaped trajectory close to the grass, passing by Norwich captain Fleming's raised left foot, and before young center-back Shaker could intercept it, it rolled precisely to the feet of the onrushing Duff.

The Irish winger chipped the ball into the net with his left foot before goalkeeper Green could rush out.

In the 22nd minute, Roy received a pass from Makelele near the center circle and began to advance.

He first feigned a breakthrough to the right, then suddenly flicked the ball to the left with his left foot, easily getting past Norwich midfielder Francis who was rushing to intercept.

Facing Drewley's attempt to cover, Roy suddenly slowed down and deftly flicked his right foot, causing Drewley to miss.

After breaking into the left side of the penalty area, Norwich captain Fleming and center-back Shaker simultaneously closed in.

Roy first faked a shot with his left foot and then dribbled past Fleming, causing him to lose his balance. Then he quickly flicked his right foot and slipped through the gap between the two men.

With the angle already very tight, Roy unleashed a powerful left-footed shot without hesitation. The ball flew like a cannonball into the top right corner of the goal, and Norwich goalkeeper Green, despite leaping with all his might, could only watch as the ball went into the net.

But Norwich City ended Petr Cech's 1025-minute Premier League clean sheet record with a header from McKenzie in the 64th minute.

In the 72nd minute, Chelsea executed a smooth passing combination on the right flank.

After two consecutive one-two passes between Abidal and Roy, Abidal crossed from the byline, but the ball was blocked by a Norwich defender and went far.

Gudjohnsen, following up, cleverly intercepted the second ball and delicately chipped it into the penalty area from the edge of the box.

Lampard beat the offside trap and selflessly passed the ball across to the onrushing goalkeeper Green, allowing the Icelandic striker, who had just come on as a substitute, to easily tap it into the empty net.

Seven minutes later, Carvalho headed in a corner kick from Lampard to seal the victory.

Chelsea ultimately won the match 4-1, securing all three points despite the blizzard.

With the Champions League battles looming, Figo was invited by Madrid TV's "This Is Football" to discuss Real Madrid and Barcelona's prospects in the Champions League.

“I hope Barcelona is eliminated from the Champions League. Because Chelsea has many of my friends in Portugal, such as Mourinho, Carvalho, and Thiago. After being down 1-3 at Camp Nou in the first leg, I don’t think Barcelona has any hope of turning things around. Chelsea will have many key players back for the second leg, which will make things even more difficult for Barcelona. Roy has always maintained an amazing level of form. As a friend, we have talked many times on different occasions, and he is indeed a fantastic striker.”

"In the league, we dropped two points away from home. Valencia's home ground is always difficult to play at, but there are two sides to every story. Valencia and Barcelona still have to play each other. If they are eliminated from the Champions League, they will definitely focus their energy on the league. The same goes for us."

2005年3月8日，斯坦福桥球场的欧冠1/8决赛次回合打响。首回合1-3落败的巴萨背水一战，里杰卡尔德排出极具争议的首发：撤下右路的艾马尔，让20岁的伊涅斯塔首次在欧冠淘汰赛首发。

The experienced Albertini was replaced by 21-year-old Gerard Lopez as the lone defensive midfielder.

Spanish media outlet Marca bluntly stated before the match: "This is a suicidal formation at Stamford Bridge."

Meanwhile, an interesting news story broke from local Barcelona media: "Chelsea midfielder Lampard is now sleeping with his enemy, because his charming model girlfriend, Ellen Reeves, happens to be Catalan and a loyal Barcelona fan."

On the eve of Chelsea's first leg against Barcelona, ​​Lampard smiled wryly at reporters, saying, "This draw has caused a little trouble for my family. Now my house is covered with posters of Barcelona and Chelsea on all four walls, but don't worry, my relationship with Alan won't be ruined."

At the pre-match press conference, Roy displayed his signature dark humor: "As everyone knows, I don't have a beautiful Catalan girlfriend, which makes it difficult for me to get along with the Barcelona fans."

This topic elicited chuckles from the audience.

"Although my current girlfriend is indeed from Newcastle, you have all seen how I treat the Newcastle team, and I will show no mercy to Barcelona."

"I am 100% sure we can advance to the next round."

Roy looked directly at the Catalan journalists in the audience: "Remember when I said London needed a Champions League team? Now London may soon be left with only us. To keep our fans watching the team compete in the Champions League, I'm going to go on a rampage today."

These words elicited knowing laughter from the English journalists, while the Spanish journalists frowned and quickly took notes, as if the feud at Camp Nou a few days earlier was continuing.

The game had just started when Old John, carrying a beer mug, walked towards the kitchen, muttering, "It's only been two minutes, what could we possibly miss?"

When he returned to the living room with a full bottle of beer, he found his whole family jumping and hugging each other, and his youngest son was waving his Chelsea scarf wildly.

The British commentator erupted in a series of passionate shouts:
"Roy!!! An incredible world-class goal!!! The game had only been going on for two minutes when he unleashed a thunderous long-range shot that blasted open the Barcelona goal! Look at that shot, a powerful strike from thirty yards out, Valdes didn't even have time to make a save!"

"This is the value of the Ballon d'Or winner! Chelsea are leading 4-1 on aggregate, and Barcelona now need a miracle! Roy's stunning goal declares to everyone: the Blues of London will show no mercy tonight!"

The commentator chimed in, "This goal reminds me of Carlos's classic long-range shots!"

"That's right! Like a cannonball hit by a golf club—bang! It blasted straight into the corner! Poor Lopez, he'll have nightmares about that kick tonight!"

"Look closely, he only took one step after receiving the ball... Xavi and Lopez hadn't even marked him yet... Bang! Decisive and clean, that's the instinct of a top striker! Mourinho was smiling like he'd struck gold on the sidelines, his ace striker has once again rewritten the script!"

On the television replay, Roy's 30-yard shot slammed into the net.

"Damn it! I was only gone for two minutes!"

Old John's beer foam splashed onto the carpet, but no one bothered to scold him.

The scoreboard showed 1-0; he missed a brilliant long-range shot.

Just two minutes into the game, Chelsea launched an attack through simple passing.

Maicon passed the ball from the backfield to Makelele, who quickly passed it to Duff on the wing. Duff dribbled forward and then moved to the left flank to Gudjohnsen.

The Icelandic striker didn't stop the ball, but passed it directly to Roy, who was making a run down the middle.

At this moment, Roy was still seven or eight meters away from the edge of the penalty area, and Xavi and Gerard Lopez immediately stepped forward to block him.

Roy lightly tapped the ball with his right foot, made a slight adjustment, and then suddenly unleashed a powerful right-footed shot.

The ball flew like a bullet into the top right corner of the goal.

Because Puyol was standing right in front of Valdes's line of sight, the Barcelona goalkeeper reacted a beat too late and could only watch the ball go into the net.

After taking the lead, Chelsea played with more composure, continuing to apply pressure as Roy had declared before the match that he would "go on a rampage."

Although Barcelona maintained control of the midfield tempo, Chelsea's counter-attacks were deadly.

In the 16th minute, Barcelona won a free kick in a good position just outside the penalty area.

Xavi and Deco made a mistake in their combination play, and Cech caught the ball securely.

The Blues immediately launched a rapid counterattack.

One minute later, Roy put on a solo show on the left wing.

He first suddenly accelerated to shake off Belletti, then abruptly stopped and changed direction to cut inside.

From 20 yards out, he curled a right-footed shot towards the far corner. The ball deflected off Oleg's leg and flew straight into the near post.

Valdes managed to block the ball with one hand, but Lampard arrived in time and easily tapped it into the empty net.

Stamford Bridge erupted once again, and when the camera panned to Mourinho, the Portuguese was making a "2-0" gesture towards the stands.

The Barcelona players stood frozen in place. In just 17 minutes, the aggregate score had become 5-1, and their Champions League journey was about to end.

The game was surprisingly one-sided for the first 20 minutes.

In the 19th minute, Chelsea once again breached Barcelona's defense. Terry, seizing the opportunity in the backfield, delivered a low through ball that precisely pierced through the gap in Barcelona's midfield line.

Roy received the ball with his back to the goal, and Deco immediately pressed him closely.

With a light flick of his right foot, he suddenly turned around, and Deco was thrown off balance.

At this moment, Harvey and Lopez quickly surrounded them, forming a three-way encirclement.

But Roy remained completely calm.

He dribbled forward with his head down, feinting from side to side with his shoulders, changing direction and rhythm twice in succession, and managed to fight his way out of the encirclement of three people.

He also looked up twice to observe his teammates' positioning during the journey.

After breaking through the encirclement, Roy suddenly sent a through ball with the instep of his right foot.

Duff surged forward from the right flank like a sharp sword, receiving the ball at the edge of the penalty area.

Facing the onrushing Valdes, the Irishman calmly slotted the ball into the far corner, the ball rolling along the grass and into the net.

The cheers at Stamford Bridge nearly lifted the roof off.

The broadcast camera panned across the Barcelona bench, where Rijkaard was holding his forehead, while Mourinho on the other side had already raised three fingers.

In just 19 minutes, Chelsea extended their aggregate lead to 6-1.

After conceding the third goal, the Barcelona players finally woke up.

In the 22nd minute, Van Bronckhorst made a high-speed run down the left flank and crossed the ball. Just as Iniesta was about to reach the ball, Abidal cleared it out of bounds with a clean and decisive tackle.

One minute later, Eto'o received a pass from Xavi at the edge of the penalty area and unleashed a powerful shot.

Cech made a diving save to the side, tipping the ball over the crossbar with one hand, a save that drew gasps from the Chelsea fans.

Immediately after, Xavi took a corner kick from the right, and Eto'o, shaking off Terry's defense at the near post, unleashed a powerful header. The ball grazed the outside of the near post and went out of play, giving Cech a scare.

The Barcelona coaching staff on the bench collectively held their heads in despair; this was their most threatening attack since the start of the game.

In the 27th minute, Barcelona finally executed their signature intricate passing game.

Iniesta executed a simple one-two with Xavi on the right wing: he first passed the ball to Xavi, then quickly moved forward. Xavi, understanding perfectly, flicked the ball with his heel, sending it through the gap between Abidal and Makelele, precisely back to Iniesta's feet.

After receiving the ball, Iniesta displayed his magical footwork.

With his first touch, he deftly flicked the ball away from Terry, who was covering for him, with the outside of his right foot.

On his second touch, he suddenly stopped and pulled the ball back with his left foot, causing Carvalho, who was rushing in, to miss.

With his third touch, he quickly cut inside with his right foot, completely shaking off the defense and breaking into the penalty area.

Facing Cech's block, Iniesta calmly slotted the ball into the far corner with the inside of his left foot.

The ball rolled along the grass and into the net.

This goal was perfect from the initial combination to the finish, showcasing Iniesta's exquisite footwork and superb sense of rhythm.

Although Barcelona were still trailing 2-6 on aggregate, the goal still earned applause from the fans in the stadium.

In the 38th minute, Barcelona narrowed the score gap again.

Terry headed the ball away from the edge of the penalty area, but he couldn't clear it far enough, and the ball fell right to Iniesta's feet.

Without hesitation, Xiaobai immediately passed the ball across to Eto'o in the middle.

After receiving the ball, Eto'o keenly observed Villa's diagonal run from the left and immediately delivered a precise diagonal pass, the ball passing through the gap between Terry and Maicon.

Villa displayed the instincts of a top striker: he took the ball with the outside of his left foot before the onrushing Cech could react, and smoothly dribbled past the goalkeeper.

Facing an open goal, he calmly pushed the ball into the net with his right foot. Despite Maicon's desperate sliding tackle, the ball rolled steadily into the net.

This goal showcased the excellent understanding between Barcelona's attacking trident.

From Iniesta's quick pass to Eto'o's decisive pass, and then to Villa's ghostly run and calm finish, the whole process was seamless.

Despite trailing 3-6 on aggregate, Villa's goal gave Barcelona a glimmer of hope.

Chelsea fans at Stamford Bridge fell silent for a moment, while Barcelona supporters who had traveled with the team were reignited in their fighting spirit.

In the 43rd minute, Roy once again displayed his signature killer instinct, completely extinguishing Barcelona's hopes of a comeback.

After receiving the ball on the left flank, Roy first feigned a breakthrough, then suddenly passed the ball to Abidal who was making a run forward.

The French full-back was immediately surrounded by Belletti and Xavi, but he cleverly backheeled the ball back with his right foot.

The ball returned to Roy's feet, and at that moment Xavi and Olegel pounced on him like hungry wolves.

Facing a double-team, Roy first took a step forward with his right foot, his body weight clearly shifting to the left, and his left foot also made a gesture as if he was about to break through to the left.

This convincing feint caused both Xavi and Oleg to move half a step to the left simultaneously, instantly widening the gap between them.

In that split second, Roy suddenly pulled the ball back with his left foot and followed up with a powerful low shot with his right foot.

Before the shot, his body was still in the position to shoot at the far corner, but at the last moment, he twisted his ankle, and the ball went straight for the near post like a cannonball.

Despite Valdes's best efforts to save, this shot was exactly the same as the goal in the first leg: a perfect feint followed by a powerful, low shot.

The ball flew past the goalkeeper's fingertips and into the net, making the score 4-2 (7-3 on aggregate).

The pace of the game slowed down significantly in the second half, with both sides playing more cautiously, until Chelsea reignited the atmosphere in the 76th minute.

Lampard astutely spotted an opening in midfield and delivered a surgical through ball that pierced the defense, finding Abidal making a run down the left flank.

Just as the French full-back was about to cross the ball, Belletti made a timely sliding tackle to block it out of bounds.

Duff's corner kick from the left arced out in a tricky curve, and Terry outjumped Puyol at the near post, heading the ball from 12 yards out toward the far post.

The ball traced an arc, passed Valdes' fingertips, grazed the underside of the crossbar, and fell into the net.

This goal completely killed any suspense.

Terry excitedly sprinted to the corner flag area and slid on his knees in celebration, sending the stands at Stamford Bridge into a frenzy once again.

The broadcast camera panned across the Barcelona bench, where Rijkaard sat motionless on the coaching bench, while Mourinho on the other side had already begun high-fiving his assistant coach.

The score of 5-2 (8-3 on aggregate) completely sealed the game, and the rest of the time became a celebration for Chelsea fans.

In the post-match press conference, Rijkaard admitted to the media: "We were completely defeated tonight. Chelsea played better and deserved the victory. We made too many mistakes, our defense was not focused enough, and our attack was not efficient enough. The second goal came too early and disrupted our plans. Roy's performance was world-class, and we couldn't contain him."

"This result is a heavy blow to everyone. We need to seriously analyze the situation and learn from this defeat. The team now needs to pull itself together and refocus on the league. I feel sorry for the fans who didn't see the performance they expected."

“I need to take responsibility for the personnel arrangements. Lopez is still very young, and putting him in the starting lineup for a game like this puts too much pressure on him. Now is not the time to make excuses; we must look forward.”

When asked by a Catalan journalist whether he had any personal grudges against Barcelona, ​​Roy replied: "I did come from Real Madrid's youth academy, which was one of the reasons I chose to reject Barcelona. It was out of respect for the starting point of my career. But on a football level, there are no personal grudges. I have complete respect for Barcelona, ​​a great club with a long history."

He paused for a moment and continued, "Because of this respect, I have to give it my all on the field. I did that today, and I will maintain the same attitude next time we meet, always."

"Everything on the field is purely a competitive contest. My performance is simply my duty as a professional player and has nothing to do with personal feelings."

Barcelona, ​​I will always be watching you forever.

(End of this chapter)