When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 248 Bad To The Bone
On April 4, the entire Bayern Munich team arrived in London by plane to prepare for their Champions League quarter-final match against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge two days later.

Team captain Kahn was the first to step out of the plane, followed by key players such as Ballack, Ze Roberto, Hargreaves, Lizarazu, and Sagnol.

New head coach Felix Magath was the last to disembark from the plane, with a serious expression on his face.

The Bundesliga giants will hold their final pre-match training session in London in preparation for their crucial Champions League battle against Chelsea.

On the same day, former Bayern Munich manager Ottmar Hitzfeld gave a direct assessment of Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho in an interview with a British pay-TV channel.

He stated, "My impression of Mourinho is that of an arrogant and rude person, so we could never be friends. He is completely different from coaches like Wenger and Ferguson. Mourinho will never reach that level; he can never become a true godfather of a team like Shankly, nor a club legend like Ferguson and Wenger are today. A truly great coach needs to work at a club for a long time, build a complete football philosophy, and cultivate players who represent the club's spirit. Mourinho is more like a short-term mercenary; he never stays at a team long enough to build a true legacy. His success is based on immediate results, not long-term club building. He may achieve temporary success, but he can never compare to those legendary coaches who spend ten or even twenty years shaping a team."

Regarding Monaco's elimination of Bayern Munich in last year's Champions League round of 16, Hitzfeld commented: "That loss was indeed surprising, and Roy's performance was certainly decisive. But it must be admitted that Mourinho's current success largely depends on this epoch-making superstar. A player who could become the next Beckenbauer, Gerd Müller, or Cruyff, and even surpass them."

"Chelsea's rise completely broke with football tradition. They used unimaginable amounts of money to build a dream team, including directly buying a ready-made Ballon d'Or winner. This team-building method, which relies on unlimited financial resources to pile up star players, is completely inconsistent with the conventional development law of football. This is not a success built in the traditional sense through youth training and tactical system refinement, but a completely new and disruptive model."

"This phenomenon is changing the competitive landscape of European football."

Hitzfeld is one of the most successful coaches in the Bundesliga in recent years, having led Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich to Bundesliga and Champions League titles respectively. His experience gives him the confidence to comment on younger coaches.

His comments garnered widespread attention before the match, adding even more tension to the upcoming Champions League clash.

Having learned his lesson from the UEFA sanction, Mourinho doesn't want to get involved in another war of words. He said, "I'm now focused on preparing for the match. I'll be working with the team from the first leg to the second leg."

Mourinho is currently facing a difficult dilemma: as Chelsea manager, he bears the full pressure of the team while maintaining his maverick personality.

The problem is that he has yet to solidify his authority with a Champions League trophy.

He desperately wanted to prove his coaching ability, but the outside world, including competitors, other coaches, and club management, was against it.

Chelsea's success can be attributed to three factors: Roy's brilliant performance, the effectiveness of other high-priced signings, and Abramovich's massive financial backing behind the scenes.

Ironically, even players like Deco, one of his former protégés, have reservations about his coaching methods.

Mourinho's coaching style has always needed a constant stream of championships to legitimize its position.

But now, even winning the championship can't vindicate him.

Because in this era, he is no longer "the special one"—Roy is more special than him.

Even if he leads the team to win the Champions League, he cannot prove himself to be a champion coach, because some of the players in the team were already Champions League winners before joining Chelsea.

Moreover, he carried the team to victory with an undisputed dominant performance. This kind of individual heroism makes the championship far more valuable than the Champions League honors of system players. This player's Champions League genes have nothing to do with Mourinho's tactical system. He has long been recognized as the king of the Champions League.

This situation has completely shaken the core of Mourinho's coaching philosophy: in the past he could silence his critics with results, but now, results themselves are being deconstructed into the products of money and talented players.

He was caught in a vicious cycle from which he could not prove his innocence.

No matter what achievements are made, they will be attributed to external factors rather than the coach's skill.

This is precisely the biggest challenge that modern football poses to the traditional authority of coaches.

4月5日晚19:45，欧冠四分之一决赛首回合较量在安菲尔德球场打响，利物浦主场2-2战平尤文图斯。

This match coincided with the 20th anniversary of the Heysel Stadium disaster.

(The Heysel Stadium disaster was a fan riot that occurred before the 1985 European Cup final (Liverpool vs. Juventus), resulting in the deaths of 39 fans, mostly Italians. This tragedy directly led to a five-year ban of English teams from European competitions and spurred reforms in modern football stadium security.)
Before the match, both sides held a solemn commemorative ceremony, with the Kop stand displaying a giant banner that read "Peace and Friendship" in Italian.

Liverpool fans, led by legendary captain Neil, interacted with Juventus fans in the stands carrying a banner bearing the names of the 39 victims.

Platini, who scored the winning penalty for Juventus 20 years ago, and Rush, who played for Liverpool in that match but later transferred to Juventus, were both present at the game.

The entire match was played in a friendly atmosphere, with Belgian referee De Blickre not issuing a single yellow card, demonstrating the humanistic care that transcends the competition in football.

Liverpool displayed a strong attacking style in the early stages of the match, with Luis Garcia providing a header assist for Hyypia to open the scoring in the 10th minute.

In the 25th minute, Garcia scored a brilliant volley to extend the lead to 2-0.

In the 34th minute of the match, Juventus launched a quick counter-attack.

Giuly broke through the defense on the right wing with his excellent individual skills and then cleverly delivered a cross pass.

The ball deflected off Liverpool defender Hyypia's ankle during its run and unexpectedly fell to Ibrahimovic's feet.

The Swedish striker showcased his amazing ball control skills.

He first used a feint to get past Carragher who came to block him, and then skillfully cut past Hyypia who was chasing back, creating a one-on-one opportunity in the penalty area.

Facing the onrushing young goalkeeper Carson, Ibrahimovic calmly unleashed a powerful shot with his left foot, and the ball swished into the net.

The second half saw a dramatic turn of events. In the 63rd minute, Juventus capitalized on a mistake by Liverpool goalkeeper Carson, with Cannavaro heading in a goal to equalize.

In the final stages of the match, Juventus launched a major attack but failed to change the score.

This tactical battle ended in a 2-2 draw between Liverpool and Juventus, leaving the second leg in Turin uncertain.

From a competitive standpoint, Benitez's bold use of 19-year-old goalkeeper Carson and the long-absent Le Tallé in his lineup became highlights of the match.

Having not played a competitive match for two consecutive weeks, Juventus clearly lacked rhythm in the early stages of the game. However, with Deschamps' tactical adjustments, the team displayed a powerful offensive in the second half, completely dominating Liverpool.

After the match, Italian media unanimously believed that Juventus would win at home and advance to the semi-finals, while Deschamps would face his former protégé in the next round.

Roy, who won the Champions League trophy with him last season and now plays for Chelsea.

In the same round of Champions League matches, an all-French Ligue 1 clash took place at Lyon's home ground, with defending champions Monaco playing away against Lyon.

In the 12th minute, Lyon created an opportunity through Wiltord's breakthrough, and Malouda received the pass on the left side of the penalty area and swept the ball into the net to take the lead.

But just seven minutes later, Monaco equalized with a quick counter-attack.

After Aldonin intercepted the ball, he passed it diagonally to the right wing. Saviola broke through to the byline and crossed the ball. Ribery's shot was saved by Coupet, but Adebayor followed up and scored.

In the 57th minute of the second half, Monaco scored again.

Ribery and Arshavin combined brilliantly, with the latter feinting past Lyon defender Revié before firing a low shot into the near corner.

Monaco ultimately came from behind to win 2-1, securing not only an away victory but also two valuable away goals, laying a solid foundation for advancing to the Champions League semi-finals.

This defeat also continued Lyon's poor record against Monaco.

German media previously reported that Bayern Munich coach Magath lacked confidence in the match against Chelsea, but the actual situation was quite the opposite.

Upon arriving in London, Magath stated clearly at a press conference: "We came to Stamford Bridge to end Chelsea's unbeaten home record and make the Premier League leaders taste defeat at home."

According to the German newspaper Bild, Magath's confidence has suddenly surged with the big match approaching. Although bookmakers overwhelmingly favor Chelsea, and despite Chelsea's unbeaten home record in the Champions League and their 28 goals in eight matches, making them the most potent attacking force in European football.

However, Magath was full of confidence: "None of this will work. We will make Chelsea taste defeat at home."

In a pre-match interview, Kahn said: "Last season we were eliminated from the Champions League early, losing to eventual champions Monaco. But at that time the team suffered serious injury problems, including my own shoulder injury. Losing to the champion team does not prove that we are only at the level of the round of 16. This season we have already successfully eliminated a team from London, and now we are fully confident that we can eliminate another London team."

He added: "We learned a lot from last year's defeat. Now the whole team is in good health and well prepared. We know Chelsea is strong, but we believe in our own abilities. In the Champions League, experience is often more important than roster strength."

In response to Hitzfeld's controversial remarks, Chelsea's interim manager Brito sharply retorted: "A man who lives off the club's pension and has been unemployed for a year has plenty of time to spout these pointless arguments."

Bayern Munich coach Felix Magath maintained diplomatic language, saying, "Mr. Hitzfeld certainly has the right to express his views at any time."

Bayern Munich manager Uli Hoeneß, unwilling to let the war of words continue, took over the conversation, saying, "As for the game, we watched Barcelona's two losses to Chelsea, and most of their goals came from quick counter-attacks, which doesn't happen to us."

Magath said: "If we can play like we did against Arsenal, we will have many opportunities. Playing against Chelsea is a great challenge, and we will create many chances. We are not here for a 0-0 draw; we want to score goals."

According to German media analysis, Chelsea is currently facing multiple crises: manager Mourinho has been banned by UEFA and can only be managed by assistant coach Brito.

The club is facing an investigation for alleged use of banned substances; it may also face points deductions from the Premier League for privately contacting Ashley Cole.

This series of internal problems has seriously affected the team's preparations, and German media believe that this is the best opportunity for Bayern Munich to take advantage of the chaos and win.

The report specifically emphasized that Mourinho's inability to be present at Stamford Bridge to direct the team will greatly weaken Chelsea's ability to adapt to changing circumstances.

Last season, when Magath was coaching Stuttgart, they were eliminated from the Champions League by Chelsea, only due to an unexpected home goal conceded.

The Bayern Munich team he now manages has a more mature squad and more European experience than that young team he once led.

Magath believes now is the perfect time to lead this Bundesliga powerhouse to revenge against Chelsea.

At the pre-match press conference, Chelsea's player representatives were Terry and Roy. Roy rarely attends pre-match press conferences, although he often makes outrageous statements through the media. The British media even jokingly referred to him and Mourinho as the most vocal and outspoken attacking duo in Europe. However, he is not Chelsea's official captain.

But this time, as soon as he entered the press conference room, he took over and even started the battle, while Terry sat next to him like a helpless schoolboy.

When discussing Hitzfeld, Roy said: "Regarding Mr. Hitzfeld, no, I have complete respect for him. I don't want to comment on his recent remarks, nor do I intend to make any offensive response to them. A coach who can lead two different teams to Champions League titles undoubtedly deserves my utmost respect. At the same time, I must clarify that although I have indeed eliminated Bayern Munich before, directly defeating a team coached by Hitzfeld is frankly irrelevant, because this time our opponent is Magath's Bayern Munich, not Hitzfeld. He is currently enjoying his retirement, so he should rest well. He certainly has the right to express any opinions he wants, but these comments have nothing to do with the outcome of the upcoming match."

"My respect for Kahn has diminished. He said he was injured last year. Well, that might have given him the illusion that he couldn't save my goals because of the injury. Hopefully, he won't let me score this year, or at least not more. Otherwise, he'll have to find another excuse next year. I really dislike making excuses. He said they eliminated London teams, but I eliminated London teams last year, and I eliminated Bayern too. Past results shouldn't be taken into account, and I didn't want to bring them up, but they keep emphasizing them. Okay, so let me be clear: I eliminated Bayern last year, I eliminated Bayern, I eliminated Bayern. Now that I've said it so many times, does it actually help the game? No. But the fact is, I did eliminate Bayern."

"Regarding Magath, all I want to say is that we are not Arsenal. I have a perfect record against Arsenal, winning all three matches. Eliminating Arsenal is nothing to brag about; it's just the minimum requirement to meet us, otherwise they would be standing here now. But please note, this is Stamford Bridge, and you are facing Chelsea. Football is about goals, and when the final whistle blows, there are only two outcomes: either you leave with your head held high, or you bow your head and prepare for the next match. We should respect each other and stop talking nonsense. Stop saying that Chelsea has problems, internal strife, or that the manager is not present. Because being beaten by such a team will only make you more humiliated. Of course, pre-match verbal battles are unavoidable, but today I want to show you that Chelsea's verbal firepower is equally fierce."

Roy's fiery series of responses caused a strong stir in the media.

When the media asked Terry if he had any questions to answer, Terry was still somewhat flustered and stammered:
"Uh, of course we're ready! Although... although the situation is a bit complicated right now, that's Chelsea! We've been through much tougher times. Listen, Stamford Bridge is our fortress, and the fans will give us strength. Roy is right, let's let the goals speak for themselves. Bayern is strong, but we're not to be trifled with either!"

After saying that, he nervously rubbed his hands together.

"Roy will captain the team for this match, and I believe no one will object to this decision. He is fully capable of fulfilling the responsibilities of captain. Our tactical system has been thoroughly tested, and you just need to execute the tactics as you have when we have won. As long as we maintain our rhythm, we can definitely beat Bayern Munich in London."

"Roy will be in charge of on-field tactical adjustments; you all know him well. He makes accurate judgments in most situations. Sometimes players do understand what to do on the field better than the coach. Roy is intelligent and completely trustworthy. Of course, Lampard has the same ability; they can both be the brains of the team. But on-field command must be unified."

At this point, Lampard nodded and said, "I have complete trust in Roy."

Mourinho continued, "The general direction regarding substitutions and tactical adjustments will be handled by Faria. He has been with me for many years and is capable of making similar judgments to mine. His professionalism and intuition are completely trustworthy."

Faria nodded in acceptance.

But Roy knew in his heart that Mourinho must have some way of maintaining secret contact with Faria.

Before the match, Mourinho's tactical arrangements were silently accepted by all the players.

Even Terry had no objections.

The current complex situation at the club has exceeded the scope of ordinary players' involvement, with Roy being the only exception.

This key figure can both publicly support Mourinho and wage psychological warfare against Bayern like a coach, immediately producing a substantial deterrent effect.

After the pre-match press conference, Terry realized more clearly that in this special period for Chelsea, only Roy could play a key role in both the dressing room and the media arena at the same time, a dual influence that other players could hardly match.

2005年4月6日晚8点45分，切尔西主场迎战拜仁慕尼黑的欧冠四分之一决赛在斯坦福桥打响。

Due to UEFA's ban, head coach Mourinho has been completely prohibited from entering the stadium area.

Under these unusual circumstances, British media outlets have speculated that the cunning Portuguese may be remotely directing the match through covert means.

The media has speculated on several possible methods of Mourinho's "remote command": the first is to use multilingual codes, taking advantage of his fluency in five languages, to have translators in the stands relay instructions; the second is to have his wife act as a relay point, communicating with his "wise wife," who holds a master's degree in psychology, via coded telephone; the third is to use the restroom as a temporary command post; the fourth is to establish a "Mourinho's Headquarters" and remotely command from home via television broadcasts; and the last is to have someone impersonate him while he blends in with the audience or staff.

The match began in this suspenseful atmosphere, with fans in the stands frequently glancing around, trying to find any clues that Mourinho might be lurking.

Fitness coach Faria stood alone on the sidelines. Bayern coach Magath cast a suspicious glance at him, but did not approach him for a greeting.

Faria, wearing a black, warm hat that covered her ears, frequently whispered to the two teaching assistants beside her.

As the Champions League theme song began, Stamford Bridge erupted in deafening cheers.

Roy, wearing the captain's armband, walked at the front of the Chelsea team. Bayern goalkeeper Kahn tossed his long blond hair and glared at Roy.

Kovac and Hargreaves from Bayern Munich, along with Roy's national team teammates Lizarazu and Sagnol, all watched Chelsea's new captain with serious expressions.

The Chelsea fans in the stands chanted a modified version of their cheer: "Super Roy! Super Roy! He scores when he wants!"

Roy raised his arm, which was adorned with an armband, and faced the stands of die-hard fans, eliciting an even louder cheer.

Despite the chilly April winds, the atmosphere in the stadium had reached a fever pitch.

Meanwhile, in a fitness training room at Chelsea Village next to Stamford Bridge, Mourinho watched the game alone on television.

The commentator's clear line announcement came over the television: "Chelsea are fielding a 4-3-3 formation – goalkeeper Petr Cech; the defense from right to left consists of Glen Johnson, John Terry, Carvalho, and Gallas; Makelele anchors the midfield, with Thiago Mendes and Frank Lampard in central midfield; the attacking trident consists of Duff on the right wing, Drogba in the center forward position, and Roy on the left wing wearing the captain's armband. It's worth noting that Chelsea's two key full-backs, Maicon and Abidal, are both absent due to injury."

Bayern Munich employed a 4-2-3-1 formation: Kahn in goal; the defense comprised Lizarazu, Kovac, Lucio, and Sagnol; the two holding midfielders were Frings and Hargreaves; the attacking midfield consisted of Ze Roberto, Ballack, and Salihamidzic from left to right; and young striker Guerreiro led the attack. Due to injuries to key strikers Makaay and Pizarro in the last league match, coupled with Demichelis' suspension and Schweinsteiger's rotation, Bayern were forced to make several personnel changes.

Mourinho stared intently at the television screen, the fluorescent light casting flickering shadows on his somber face.

Near the stadium, inside The Sun's media van, the editor was urgently deploying the reporter team: "Everyone split into three groups. Group A will monitor all entrances and exits of the stadium; Group B will search hotels and cafes within a one-kilometer radius; and Group C will be responsible for listening to the radio inside the stadium. Pay close attention to: suspicious individuals in plainclothes, passersby wearing headphones and frequently checking their watches, and any electronic device signals that could be used for long-distance communication. We need to find Mourinho's hiding place before the final whistle!"

The match officially began, with Chelsea kicking off and launching an attack.

When Duff attempted to pass the ball forward to Drogba on the right side of midfield, the astute Hargreaves suddenly intercepted the ball.

Bayern immediately launched a quick counter-attack, with Salihamidzic advancing at high speed down the right flank and passing the ball across to Ballack in the middle before Gallas could block him.

Mourinho, watching the game on TV, had a tense expression and was tapping his fingers on the table.

After receiving the ball, Ballack immediately passed it to Ze Roberto, who was making a run down the left flank. The Brazilian made a sudden stop and change of direction to get past Glen Johnson, and then delivered a low cross from near the byline.

Terry made a valiant effort to block the ball out of bounds before Guerreiro could reach it, giving Bayern a corner kick on the right in the second minute of the match.

Bayern's away fans near the corner flag began to applaud and chant rhythmically as Ballack took the corner. The ball drifted towards the edge of the six-yard box, but Drogba outjumped Kovac and headed it out of danger.

Mourinho, watching on TV, visibly relaxed his shoulders and took a sip of water.

However, just two minutes later, the situation on the field changed dramatically.

In the 4th minute, Terry received a pass back from Makelele in his own half, observed for a moment, and then suddenly launched a long pass.

Kovac's header clearance under pressure from Drogba went awry, and the ball fell to Duff on the right wing.

After dribbling the ball forward for more than ten meters, the Irish winger accurately passed it across to the left edge of the penalty area.

Roy controlled the ball steadily, and facing the hastily covering Frings, he suddenly flicked the ball with the outside of his right foot, causing the German midfielder to lose his balance and slip to the ground.

Mourinho, watching on television, involuntarily leaned forward.

After adjusting his position, Roy immediately unleashed a powerful right-footed shot, sending the ball soaring towards the goal like a cannonball.

Kahn, who was originally moving towards the far corner, was caught off guard as the ball struck Lucio's right leg hard during its flight, deflected significantly, and flew into the net after grazing the left post!

"Goooool!!!"

Mourinho sprang to his feet, fist pumping, and yelled in his native language, "Caralho! Issoé queé! Manda mais desses! (Damn! That's more like it! Give us a few more!)"

His shouts even startled the staff in the corridor.

Stamford Bridge had transformed into a sea of ​​blue, with over 40,000 home fans chanting in unison, "Super Roy! He scores when he wants!"

The cheers continued for a long time, and the camera panned across the Bayern substitutes' bench, where Magath looked furious.

Meanwhile, in the away stands, the once-vigorous Bayern Munich fan contingent fell silent, with only a few scattered sighs.

Surrounded by his teammates, Roy turned to face the Chelsea die-hard fans in the stands.

He raised his right fist high, and with each swing, a deafening roar erupted from the stands: "Fire!"

This was a special celebration ceremony he had arranged with fans on the club's official website before the match.

As he raised his fist for the fourth time, Stamford Bridge fell into a brief silence, followed by a roar of over 40,000 fans: "You can love Chelsea! You can hate Chelsea! But you can NEVER ignore Chelsea!!!"
The roar echoed like thunder throughout the stadium, and even Magath on the away team's bench couldn't help but frown and look towards the stands.

Abu stood by the railing of the private box, clapping softly with satisfaction.

He watched the unstoppable offensive on the field and listened to the deafening cheers of the fans, his gaze finally settling on the star player who shone throughout the game.

Just as he was immersed in this wonderful moment, he noticed his mistress, Dalia Zhukova, in the next private room out of the corner of his eye.

She had been intently watching the pitch, but suddenly turned her head as if remembering something, giving Abramovich a knowing smile. In the 6th minute, Chelsea earned a corner kick on the right.

Lampard's corner kick found Terry in the middle of the box at 12 yards, who powerfully headed the ball past the defenders, but Kahn managed to save it under close pressure from Gallas.

Chelsea won another corner on the left. After Duff took the corner, Carvalho's header at the far post went just wide of the post.

Despite falling behind, Bayern Munich remained calm.

Magath on the sidelines was yelling loudly to adjust tactics, while Kahn and Ballack on the field were also constantly urging their teammates to maintain the offensive momentum.

Ballack's tireless running energized the entire team, and Bayern's intensified high pressing put a lot of pressure on Chelsea's backline play.

In the 8th minute, Hargreaves successfully intercepted the ball from Lampard and took a shot from the edge of the penalty area, but Terry made a timely save and blocked the shot.

He leaped up from the grass, clenched his fist, and roared, as the Stamford Bridge fans chanted his name in unison.

"JOHN TERRY! JOHN TERRY!"

The media's overwhelming comparisons over the past three weeks have been like knives stabbing at my heart: Roy's offensive talent, Roy's leadership charisma, and even Roy's damn handsome face.

Although he has been overshadowed by Roy in recent team competitions, this tough guy with Chelsea blood flowing through his veins proved to everyone with this crucial defensive play.

Chelsea's crown prince is no coward.

In the 11th minute, Drogba fouled Lizarazu near the midfield sideline and was shown a yellow card by Dutch referee Temminger.

In the 14th minute, Roy accelerated past Frings on the left wing with a series of steps and changes of direction, then cleanly and neatly dribbled past Sagnol with a Cruyff turn, and quickly passed the ball to the onrushing left-back Gallas.

In a moment of panic, Sagnol pulled Roy down from behind, but the referee did not call a foul.

After receiving the ball, Gala surged into the left side of the penalty area at high speed and unleashed a powerful shot from a very tight angle. The ball whistled past the crossbar and flew out of bounds.

In the 15th minute, Bayern striker Guerreiro attempted a long-range shot from 30 yards out. The ball deflected and bounced out of bounds, but the resulting corner kick for Bayern was easily saved by Chelsea's defense.

The game became a back-and-forth battle, with both sides fiercely battling for possession in midfield, but few opportunities came their way.

Bayern created numerous threats from set pieces, with Hargreaves and Ze Roberto's free-kick shots narrowly missing the goal.

Chelsea relied on quick counter-attacks to find opportunities, with Drogba's header and Lampard's long-range shot testing Kahn's nerves.

Roy continued to create threats on the left flank, with his dribbling and accurate crosses becoming Chelsea's main source of attack.

Bayern Munich center-back Kovac performed steadily. Apart from a clearance error at the start of the game, his control of high balls and marking of Drogba were quite effective.

Lucio performed exceptionally well, using his excellent anticipation and explosiveness to make crucial defensive adjustments at key moments, effectively limiting Roy's space to cut inside and shoot.

Drogba struggled under Kovac's close marking, failing to gain the upper hand in several headers.

On the other side, Duff was also closely marked by Lizarazu, making it difficult for him to take advantage of his speed.

(After Lizarazu transferred to Marseille in 2004, he was bought back six months later because he could not adapt to the pace of Ligue 1 and Bayern Munich were short of players in the left-back position.)
Although Roy was still able to create opportunities to break through with his individual ability, Chelsea's attacks were repeatedly thwarted by Lucio's timely defensive support.

Glen Johnson's mistake nearly allowed Bayern to break the deadlock, but Danze Roberto's shot went wide.

Several controversial refereeing decisions sparked discontent, with Roy falling in the penalty area but not being awarded a penalty, while Carvalho and Frings received yellow cards for fouls.

Just before halftime, Drogba missed a long pass from Terry, and the two sides went into the locker room with a score of 1-0.

At that moment, Mourinho's hoarse and urgent instructions rang out in Faria's headset: "Have Roy and Duff frequently switch positions and take turns attacking Lizarazu's side! Gallas move into midfield to strangle Ballack! Tell them I want to see more pressing, like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey!"

Faria strode over to Roy, who was drinking water, and whispered as he handed him a towel, "Follow my instructions on the field later, according to Jose's plan."

After saying that, he patted his shoulder hard.

At the start of the second half, Magath made a substitution, replacing the lackluster Salihamidzic with the energetic Schweinsteiger.

This rising German star just delivered a brilliant performance in the last league match.

In the 47th minute, Roy suddenly started down the left flank, using his speed to outpace Frings before delivering a precise through ball.

Drogba received the ball on the right wing and passed it across to the right wing, where Duff followed up and passed it to the center, creating a series of lateral passes.

Kahn made a decisive run to block the shot, and Duff took a shot from 16 yards out on the left side of the penalty area. The ball was blocked by Lucio's body but still rolled slowly toward the goal. Sagnol chased back in time and made a crucial clearance in front of the goal line.

Schweinsteiger immediately showed his energy after coming on, linking up Bayern's right-wing attack with tireless running.

In the 51st minute, the young German player first skillfully dribbled past Makelele, then made a long run forward, seemingly about to launch a quick counter-attack.

Seeing that things were not going well, Gala had no choice but to perform a vicious sliding tackle from the side and behind, bringing the pig down.

Although the tactical foul earned him a yellow card, it successfully prevented a very threatening attack from Bayern.

After getting up, Schweinsteiger angrily protested to the referee, while Gala walked away expressionlessly, silently accepting the necessary yellow card.

This foul also exposed the impact this rising star had on Chelsea's defense after coming on.

Bayern Munich took a free kick into the penalty area, Terry headed the ball away but it didn't go far, and the ball fell to Hargreaves at the edge of the penalty area.

Bayern immediately launched an attack, with Ze Roberto crossing from the left and Schweinsteiger making several attempts to break through on the right, putting Chelsea's penalty area under constant pressure.

At this moment, Roy quickly retreated from the front line to the edge of his own penalty area, loudly instructing his teammates to keep the defensive line compact.

When the ball came to Ballack's feet, Roy suddenly accelerated and made a vicious sliding tackle, bringing down the German midfielder and the ball.

Thiago Mendes made a clever interception of the ball, and Ballack angrily got up and bumped chests with Roy. The two men almost touched foreheads and glared at each other, exchanging a few angry words.

Roy roared at Barak in a strange dialect mixed with Dutch swear words and German words, which sounded to the Germans like someone nagging in a Henan dialect: "You son of a bitch! What are you pretending to be, acting all high and mighty!"

Chelsea's attack advanced into the attacking third but was cleared by Bayern, the ball flying high towards the center circle.

Makelele judged the landing point and jumped first, using his body to block Hargreaves in the air and headed the ball towards his own half.

At this moment, Roy and Ballack started chasing the ball at the same time. The two kept pushing each other with their arms while running at high speed. Roy eventually got half a body length ahead and poked the ball to Lampard who had made a run forward with his toe.

After receiving the ball, Lampard immediately faced Sagnol's cover. The English midfielder remained calm, first taking two steps to the right front, and then passing the ball back to Roy after seeing him make an overlap from the left.

As soon as Roy received the ball, he flicked it to the left with the inside of his right foot, while simultaneously turning and using his back to block the relentless Ballack.

As he received the ball and turned, Roy stepped forward with his left foot to a sudden stop, then pulled the ball counterclockwise with his right foot, completing a beautiful turn and getting rid of the ball.

After getting rid of Ballack, Roy didn't try to score himself, but immediately passed the ball diagonally to Glen Johnson in the open space on the right wing.

After receiving the ball, the latter quickly advanced and, about 10 meters past the halfway line, delivered a precise long pass with his right foot, sending the ball straight into the penalty area.

Drogba stood with his back to the goal at the penalty spot, while Kovac closely marked him from behind. The two jumped simultaneously to contest the header.

With greater explosiveness, the Ivorian headed the ball towards the empty space at the top of the penalty area from the highest point.

Lampard made a run from behind, controlled the ball with his right foot about 18 meters from the goal, and then took a step to the left to adjust his position.

He curled a shot with the inside of his left foot, the ball arcing through the air, passing between Lucio and Frings, and heading straight for the bottom right corner of the goal.

Kahn quickly moved to the side and dived to make a save, but the ball grazed his fingertips and went into the net.

2-0! A deafening roar erupted from Stamford Bridge.

"GOOOOOOOOAL!!! Lampard!!! An unstoppable world-class goal!!! Chelsea 2-0 Bayern!!!"

Lampard sprinted toward the corner flag with his arms outstretched, leaving two distinct skid tracks on the grass.

He pounded the blue lion badge on his chest and roared at the main stand.

The entire Stamford Bridge immediately erupted in a unified chant: "Super Frankie Lampard!"

Bayern pulled one back in the 58th minute.

Ballack took a free kick from 24 yards out on the right, but the ball was blocked by the Chelsea wall.

The rebounding ball landed on the edge of the penalty area, and Ze Roberto, without letting it bounce, volleyed it with his left foot towards the near corner of the goal, but Cech quickly dived to save it.

The ball fell to the right side of the penalty area, and Schweinsteiger made a sharp run and pushed the ball into the far corner with his right foot from 8 yards out.

Although Cech got up to block, the angle was too tricky, and the ball rolled into the net past Cech's hand as he dived to make the save.

Bayern players rushed to the corner flag to celebrate, and boos from Stamford Bridge instantly filled the stadium.

In the 62nd minute, Bayern launched a fierce attack on Chelsea in the attacking third. Ballack unleashed a powerful long-range shot from outside the penalty area, which Carvalho blocked with his leg before falling to the ground.

The ball rebounded to the edge of the penalty area, where Makelele feinted past Ze Roberto and then delivered a delicate lob pass that bypassed Bayern's deep defensive line.

At this moment, only Kovac was left to hold the back in Bayern's backfield, while Lucio and Sagnol were desperately chasing back, but Roy was already sprinting at full speed at the landing point!

Roy sprinted while glancing back at the ball's trajectory. After the ball bounced twice, he turned and controlled it, charging towards the penalty area with undiminished speed.

Kovacs fought and retreated, attempting to block Roy's advance.

But as he approached the penalty area, Roy suddenly took a step with his right foot and squeezed past Kovac!
Kovacs reached out to grab it, but missed.

Lucio intended to close the goal to defend, but almost collided head-on with Kovac, and had to force his way around him, turning around and lunging towards the goal to try to cover.

But Roy had already picked up speed, and there was a wide-open view ahead!
The British commentator excitedly shouted:

"Roy! Roy is sprinting with the ball! Kovac has been beaten! Lucio can't catch up! He's one-on-one with the goalkeeper!!"

The Stamford Bridge fans all stood up and erupted in deafening cheers.

Hoeneß and Rummenigge looked livid in the stands.

Before the match, they confidently declared they wouldn't allow Chelsea to launch counter-attacks, but look at them now! Roy is moving through empty air!
Kahn had already left, his eyes burning with rage, his legs slightly bent, arms outstretched, ready for battle.

Roy dribbled into the left side of the penalty area, and as he approached the six-yard box, he suddenly cut inside with the outside of his right foot, abruptly stopping and changing direction!

Lucio couldn't stop and slid right past Roy.

Roy took a step back and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot!

"Shot—!! GOOOOOOAL!! Goal! Roy! Chelsea 3-1!!"

The ball whistled into the net, and Kahn made a desperate save but couldn't even touch it with his fingertips!

Roy opened his arms and slid to the corner flag in celebration, followed by Lucio slumped to the ground and Kahn pounding the ground in frustration.

The commentator excitedly added:

"A relentless counter-attack! Relentless speed! Roy made Bayern's defense look like it was playing in slow motion!"

The moment Roy scored, Mourinho, who was watching the live broadcast in the training room, kicked over his chair, jumped up, and roared in celebration.

Before he could retract his fist from the wall, a commotion suddenly erupted in the corridor.

The shouts of security personnel, the chaotic footsteps, and the clattering of camera straps blended together.

"Stop them!"

"It's from The Sun!"

"Mourinho is in the third monitoring room!"

When the training room door was suddenly flung open, the madman's face was still frozen in a look of wild joy.

Five reporters forced their way in despite the security personnel's attempts to pull them away, and their flashes instantly illuminated the dimly lit training room.

Faria, standing on the sidelines, could clearly hear through his earpiece the muffled thuds of bodies colliding, the excited panting of reporters, and Mourinho's Portuguese curse, drowned out by the sound of camera shutters.

These paparazzi actually managed to find the banned manager who was explicitly prohibited from appearing in the stadium area by UEFA.

In the 73rd minute, Bayern substituted veteran Scholl for Ze Roberto.

One minute later, Cech launched a long ball from the backfield, and Drogba controlled the ball with his chest near the center circle, then forced his way past Lucio's close marking.

Kovac moved forward to help defend, but Drogba still dribbled into the penalty area and took a shot near the penalty spot, but the ball went over the crossbar.

In the 81st minute, Lampard took a corner kick from the left, and Duff jumped up at the near post to head the ball on, sending it flying towards the center of the six-yard box.

Roy, with his back to the goal near the penalty spot, forcefully turned and volleyed the ball, but Kahn quickly fell to the ground and blocked it with his fingertips.

But the clearance was short, and Drogba followed up from 4 yards out, unleashing a powerful left-footed shot that found the back of the net!
Kahn made a desperate save, but the distance was too close and he was powerless to turn the tide.

Drogba sprinted in celebration, and Stamford Bridge erupted once again.

"4-1! 4-1! Chelsea have secured a resounding victory at home! Look at the numbers on the scoreboard! Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich have suffered a crushing defeat at Stamford Bridge!"

"Roy scored twice today, tearing apart Bayern's defense with two brilliant goals. Lampard's stunning long-range strike from the edge of the box was breathtaking, while Drogba delivered the decisive blow in front of goal. Although Mourinho was suspended and unable to direct from the sidelines, Chelsea displayed astonishing fighting spirit!"

"From the fourth minute onwards, Chelsea's fierce attacks gave Bayern a lot of trouble. Roy's speed, Lampard's long-range shots, Drogba's impact! Every link was working so perfectly. Bayern's players can only leave the field with their heads down now; they are completely lost on this night in London."

"Yes, even without Mourinho on the field, this Chelsea team is still formidable! A resounding 4-1 victory proclaims the Blues' strength to the whole of Europe!"

As the match drew to a close, Drogba was substituted by Gudjohnsen.

The score of 4-1 seemed to have secured the victory, but an unexpected event occurred in stoppage time.

In the 91st minute, Bayern Munich earned a corner kick.

Carvalho made physical contact with Ballack in the penalty area, and referee Temmink blew his whistle to award a penalty.

Chelsea players immediately surrounded the Dutch referee to protest, but the decision was not changed.

Ballack calmly converted the penalty, making the score 2-4.

Despite Chelsea players continuing to express their dissatisfaction with the referee after the match, the result could not be changed.

When the final whistle blew, Magath collapsed onto the bench, while the Bayern assistant coaches all lowered their heads and remained silent.

The Bayern Munich fans in the away stands stood quietly; no one shouted or left.

The team entered the second leg with a two-goal advantage, but this unexpected goal added a bit of suspense to their otherwise clear path to the next round.

As the final whistle blew, Chelsea players stood shoulder to shoulder in the center circle, arms around each other's shoulders, and jumped together.

Tens of thousands of Chelsea fans in the stands sang the team's anthem, "Blue is the Colour," their voices echoing throughout Stamford Bridge.

With each jump the players took, the fans' chants grew louder.

This forged steel team is announcing its rise to European football in the purest way.

But this team was never built by Mourinho.

They are nothing but a bunch of scoundrels built up from Abramovich's dirty rubles, and Mourinho's iron discipline is just putting a bridle on these beasts.

The most wicked of them all was Roy. He was evil to the core.

The most suitable background music for him right now is "Bad To The Bone" from Terminator 2.

Roy was blocked by reporters at the entrance to the passage, his wet black hair hanging down his forehead.

He rubbed his face with the corner of his shirt, revealing a sly grin:

"Were you expecting me to say something nasty to Bayern? I'm sorry to disappoint you. The game is won, and I'm not going to play the role of a troublemaker today. Right now, for this moment, please allow me to be a decent gentleman."

"Of course, this only applies to today. When the next game whistle blows, or when the team needs me to be the villain, the Roy you know will be back at any time."

(End of this chapter)