When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 250 Football Won't Stay for Anyone
Ferguson turned off the television.

Chelsea defeated Bayern Munich 3-2 at the Munich Olympic Stadium, advancing to the Champions League semi-finals with a 7-4 aggregate score. They will face the winner between Juventus and Liverpool.

Ferguson analyzed the game carefully.

In terms of overall strength, Chelsea's squad is not much stronger than Bayern's.

Bayern's midfield performed exceptionally well in this match, with the four-man midfield of Ballack, Demichelis, Ze Roberto, and Schweinsteiger dominating Chelsea's Makelele, Lampard, and Joe Cole for most of the game.

But Roy's presence changed everything.

When Roy drops back, Chelsea's midfield has a reliable outlet for the ball.

When he made a forward run, Bayern had to assign three players to closely mark Roy on the left flank.

The slightest carelessness will come at a price, such as the lightning goal 1 minute and 35 seconds into the game, where Roy beat the offside trap and almost no defender could catch up with him.

Ferguson believed Roy was one of the fastest he had ever seen, and that Roy was very calm and cunning in front of goal.

According to the original schedule, Manchester United will play two consecutive matches against Chelsea: the FA Cup semi-final and the 33rd round of the Premier League.

However, due to Chelsea's advancement to the Champions League semi-finals, the Premier League match will be postponed until May.

This gave Ferguson a slight sigh of relief, as Manchester United avoided the embarrassing situation of witnessing Chelsea clinch the 2004-2005 Premier League title at Old Trafford.

Ferguson is currently in a very difficult situation.

First of all, he is vehemently opposing the Glazer family's takeover of Manchester United.

During this period, he has been maneuvering among the major shareholders, trying to persuade them to reject the American offer.

Ferguson firmly believed that this acquisition would have disastrous consequences for Manchester United.

Secondly, not everyone within Manchester United firmly supports Ferguson; there are considerable dissenting voices. The late Dutch legend Michels once proposed three criteria for a great manager: outstanding team performance, a keen eye for talent, and the ability to develop players.

By this standard, Ferguson undoubtedly met the criteria. During his 18 years managing Manchester United, he led the team to win 8 Premier League titles, 6 FA Cup titles, and achieved the treble in 1999.

However, this veteran coach, hailed as the "best coach in his lifetime," is now gradually losing control of the team.

Last weekend, Manchester United suffered a humiliating away defeat to bottom-of-the-table Norwich City, suggesting that the former Premier League champions are on the verge of collapse.

Recently, shareholders and media outlets opposed to Ferguson listed four major "evidence" against him:
The first piece of evidence is the series of mistakes made in the transfer market.

For years, Ferguson and Wenger struggled to maintain the two-horse race in the Premier League that they had built over five to six years. But with Chelsea's rise, Manchester United and Arsenal had to make changes, primarily in their transfer market activity. However, in retrospect, many of Ferguson's previously praised transfer moves now appear largely unsuccessful.

The most famous example of failure is Brazilian midfielder Kleberson, who joined Manchester United in 2003.

At the time, 24-year-old Kleberson was a key player in Brazil's victory at the Korea-Japan World Cup. Ferguson spent nearly £600 million to sign him, hoping he could replace Veron.

However, over the course of two years, Kleberson was unable to adapt to life and the pace of competition in England, and he also developed homesickness.

Finally, in early 2005, he left Manchester United and returned to play in Brazil.

Another failed signing was Cameroonian international Djemba.

Ferguson was drawn to his aggressive tackling style while playing for Nantes in France and signed him for £350 million.

But after joining Manchester United, Djemba became a completely different person. Although he got many starting opportunities, his performance was poor.

Ferguson eventually admitted his mistake and sold him to Aston Villa in early 2005.

The third example of failure is Uruguayan striker Diego Forlán.

Ferguson spent £690 million to bring in 22-year-old Forlán from Independiente in Argentina, hoping he would form a powerful attacking partnership with Van Nistelrooy.

However, Forlán was unable to adapt for a long time, and a year later Ferguson had to bring in Saha, followed by strikers such as Smith and Rooney. In the end, Forlán had no choice but to transfer.

Manchester United's fourth signing blunder was Brazilian star Ronaldinho.

In the summer of 2003, Manchester United spent a lot of money to buy him. Although Ronaldinho's statistics at Manchester United looked pretty good.

He ranked among the top scorers in the Premier League in his first season and won the Premier League assist title, but the Brazilian star never really adapted to Manchester United.

The problem lies in several aspects: First, Ronaldinho is not used to life in Manchester.

Secondly, he had many conflicts with the club.

Most importantly, Ronaldinho publicly stated that Manchester United had not fulfilled its initial promises, neither giving him the number 7 jersey he wanted nor delivering on the promised commercial development plans.

Now, the Brazilian star has made up his mind to leave Manchester United this summer, and he wants to join either Barcelona, ​​who almost signed him years ago, or AC Milan.

The second piece of evidence is that the Red Devils' foundation has been completely destroyed.

This Manchester United team has completely lost the traditional advantages of the Red Devils, and has also thoroughly exposed the problems of the team in the past two seasons.

In fact, since last year, Manchester United has rarely been able to produce a smooth, cohesive attacking performance.

Once the game becomes deadlocked, they are often given the opportunity by their opponents to deliver a fatal blow.

The main reason for this situation is that the new and old players have never been able to integrate well.

It's important to understand that overall team cohesion was the foundation upon which Manchester United built their dynasties in the past (in terms of individual skills, Manchester United may not be as good as Arsenal and Chelsea).

Look at Manchester United's current starting lineup: Giggs, Scholes, and Keane, the midfield starters from 1997, are still the core players that Ferguson relied on.

Of the newly acquired players, Djemba, Bailion, and Miller have already been eliminated.

Kleberson, Howard, Saah, and Smith are also on the verge of being dropped.

Although Rooney and Ronaldo have had some brilliant performances, they are far from being mature enough to lead the entire team.

For Manchester United, which emphasizes teamwork, team cohesion is not as simple as having young players play a dozen or so games in a season.

This problem may be difficult to solve for many years to come.

When discussing team cohesion, another issue concerning Ferguson must be mentioned.

Before the start of two consecutive seasons, he took his team to the United States to participate in commercial matches. While these high-profile matches satisfied the fans' viewing needs, they did little to help the team's preparation.

The start of the season should be a crucial period for teams to gel their squads and determine their tactics. However, Manchester United has found that, aside from earning appearance fees, their injury list grows longer every season at the beginning.

In contrast, rivals Arsenal are diligently working on integrating their new squad at their training ground.

From this perspective, Manchester United has fallen behind at the starting line for two consecutive seasons.

The third piece of evidence is that Manchester United's attacking line is becoming increasingly dull.

Over the past two seasons, Manchester United's investment and returns in the transfer market have been severely unbalanced.

Ferguson has invested over £6500 million in rebuilding the attacking line, but ironically, the team's most prominent problem now is its lack of goals.

截至本赛季英超第32轮，曼联仅攻入54球，与切尔西（84球）相差30球，与阿森纳（76球）同样相差22球之多。

On the surface, the problem lies with the forward line: Rooney, Van Nistelrooy, and Smith have all failed to reach double figures in league goals, and have never had a simultaneous outburst.

Cristiano Ronaldo became the only Manchester United player to reach double figures in league goals, scoring a total of 11 goals.

This figure represents 20.4% of Manchester United's total of 54 goals in 32 rounds, highlighting that the then 20-year-old Portuguese player had gradually grown into a key attacking player for the team.

However, when Van Nistelrooy's touches in the penalty area decreased sharply and Rooney frequently dropped back to receive the ball, the problem was clearly not limited to the forwards; the midfield's lack of creativity was equally to blame.

Manchester United may set a new record for the lowest number of goals scored in a single season since 1996.

Compared to their golden era in the late 90s, the team's average number of goals per game has dropped significantly, which directly reflects the dual predicament of weakened midfield control and reduced forward efficiency.

The fourth piece of evidence is that they disregarded the lives of the fans.

Manchester United have decided to raise the average ticket price for the 67500 seats at Old Trafford by 10% next season.

The most expensive season tickets for the North and South stands will cost £684.

Although head coach Ferguson had the right to veto the decision, he did not intervene.

This price increase has sparked strong protests from fans. The Manchester United Supporters Association pointed out that the high ticket prices will exclude younger fans. In the 80s, the average British fan could afford to watch a game weekly, but now season tickets costing five or six hundred pounds are too much for young people. While it may increase revenue in the short term, it will damage the fan base in the long run.

The club claims the price increase is to address a decline in broadcast revenue (approximately £1400 million less this season) and to raise funds for summer signings. The ticket price hike is expected to generate an additional £400 million in revenue, but this will still not fully offset the loss in broadcast fees.

Manchester United are currently considering potential successors to Sir Alex Ferguson, with four main candidates, each with their own strengths and weaknesses.

Assistant coach Queiroz has been Ferguson's right-hand man for many years and is very familiar with the club's situation, but his failed coaching experience at Real Madrid, his indecisive personality, and his poor judgment in the transfer market mean that his chances of succeeding him are only 7%.

Celtic manager Martin O'Neill is favored by Manchester United's management because his tactical style is similar to that of Sir Alex Ferguson, but his lack of experience in top European competitions is a major weakness. His chances are slightly higher, reaching 8%.

Everton manager David Moyes was shortlisted for the award due to his attacking football philosophy and familiarity with the Premier League. At only 42 years old, he has a lot of room for development, but his lack of experience managing big-name players keeps his chances at 7%.

Finally, there's Fabio Capello, who just led Real Madrid to a 4-2 victory over Barcelona. His coaching ability is beyond question, but his high salary demands and the fact that he might not leave Real Madrid make this signing quite uncertain.

At this time, Ferguson was facing the most severe crisis since he took charge of Manchester United.

The team's performance continued to decline, and there was an undercurrent of tension in the locker room. Some players and management even began to question the authority of the veteran coach.

To make matters worse, Brazilian star Ronaldinho decided to leave the team, which made the already under-resourced Red Devils attack even more strained.

Even more worrying is that the American businessmen Glazer family are eyeing the club and preparing to acquire it.

These shrewd businessmen only care about how to extract profits from Manchester United, and have no regard for the club's traditions and honors.

Amidst these internal and external troubles, the sky over Old Trafford was overcast, and everyone could sense that Manchester United was going through a pivotal moment that could change the club's fate.

Just as he was struggling to maintain the dignity of the Red Devils, the team's defensive linchpin, Ferdinand, openly met with Chelsea CEO Kenyon in a high-end restaurant in London.

That nouveau riche, who has been poaching players everywhere since Abramovich took over, first secretly colluded with Cole of Arsenal, and now he's reaching into the Manchester United dressing room!
Looking at the photo of the three men drinking and laughing in the newspaper, he clenched his fist.

Rio's agent, Zahavi, told the media: "We didn't discuss any football-related topics at all. Rio just chatted with Kenyon's girlfriend about childhood anecdotes. This meeting was purely coincidental. I had already arranged to have dinner with Kenyon at the Calpachio restaurant, and Rio happened to be there to pick up some documents. If it were a formal transfer negotiation, I would never choose to conduct it in such a public setting. Rio is currently close to finalizing his contract extension with Manchester United, and even if the extension doesn't go through, he will only consider overseas clubs and will not join any other Premier League team."

Who can Zahavi fool with his "chance encounter and childhood reminiscence" nonsense?

Do they really think he's a naive rookie coach who's never seen the world? This is clearly Chelsea's usual poaching tactic: first, have the agent pave the way, then have the CEO get involved, and finally, use rubles to poach the player.

The Daily Mirror sarcastically remarked: "Chelsea's methods of acquiring players resemble Malcolm X's creed of 'by any means necessary.' They no longer 'disregard' the rules, because the word 'disregard' implies at least some basic respect for principles, while Chelsea shows utter disrespect through their power and wealth."

What's even more infuriating is that this happened during a low point for Manchester United, when they had no hope of winning the league title and were eliminated from the Champions League. The media's sarcasm and ridicule came like knives: the media was already implying that he should step down to "wise people".

Some believe this was a contract extension tactic orchestrated by Zahavi and Ferdinand to force Manchester United, which is currently limiting player salaries, to sign a new contract with a weekly wage of £9.

Regardless, this incident infuriated Ferguson, who spent a full hour giving Ferdinand a "breathing-out" before today's training session.

2005年4月13日，欧冠四分之一决赛次回合，利物浦客场1-0险胜尤文图斯，以两回合总比分3-2晋级四强。

The most controversial moment of the game occurred in the second half.

Del Piero took a free kick from the left, and Cannavaro headed the ball at the far post, overpowering Traoré. The ball hit the near post and bounced off Traoré's body before flying toward the goal.

Dudek quickly dived to make a save, scooping the ball out from inside the goal line. The ball then hit Traore again and bounced out of bounds.

Although Cannavaro had already begun celebrating his goal, referee Ivanov ruled that the ball had not crossed the line completely, a decision that greatly disappointed the Juventus players.

Slow-motion replays show that it is indeed difficult to determine whether the ball has completely crossed the goal line.

The decisive moment came in the 82nd minute.

Alonso took a free kick from the right, and Hyypia headed the ball past Thuram at the far post to seal the victory for Liverpool.

This crucial goal ultimately helped Liverpool eliminate the Italian giants, causing one of the biggest upsets in that year's Champions League.

After the match, Juventus coach Didier Deschamps expressed his dissatisfaction with the referee's decisions at the press conference: "We were robbed; it was clearly a valid goal. The replay clearly shows that the ball had completely crossed the goal line. If the referee had made the correct decision, we should now be advancing to the semi-finals on away goals. But Ivanov's decision ruined everything; he robbed us of the victory we deserved."

"Such a serious misjudgment is unacceptable in a match of this level. Cannavaro's header did indeed cross the line, and Dudek retrieved the ball from the goal line. The refereeing team completely failed to live up to our expectations, and this mistake directly changed the outcome of the match and our Champions League campaign."

“I am proud of the players; they gave their all. But we were powerless to do anything about such a refereeing error. UEFA must address this issue; in such crucial matches, the refereeing standards should match the importance of the game.”

Juventus midfielder Giuly said in an interview: "I don't think we performed worse than Liverpool. This game was basically a defensive battle, and neither team was able to play at their best in attack. We were both well contained by the opponent, and we really couldn't produce the desired effect in terms of attacking organization."

"Regarding that controversial goal, from my perspective it was indeed a goal. But that's how football sometimes is; some key decisions can change the course of the entire game. Although the result is regrettable, that's part of football, and we have to accept that fact."

Liverpool manager Rafael Benitez said after the match: "We fully deserve to advance to the semi-finals. Although Gerrard was absent from this game, the rest of the team performed exceptionally well. Juventus' overly conservative tactics cost them dearly; we were the more aggressive side on the pitch."

"Juventus' key players underperformed. Del Piero was in poor form, but even more surprising was Nedved's poor performance. As a free-roaming forward, his touches throughout the game were of very poor quality. He had neither threatening shots nor breakthroughs, nor accurate passes. Only two obvious fouls made him stand out on camera."

"Regarding the refereeing issues, although there were indeed two incorrect offside calls in the first half, it was difficult to determine whether Cannavaro's header crossed the goal line. At the same time, we also saw that Montero and Emerson committed fouls that should have resulted in them being sent off. Referee Ivanov's standards are consistent, and Juventus should reflect on their own performance rather than complain about the referee."

Defending champions Monaco narrowly defeated Lyon 1-0 at home in the second leg of the Champions League quarter-final. Substitute Croatian striker Pršo scored in the 79th minute after receiving a cross from Evra on the wing.

In the two-legged tie, Monaco defeated their opponents 3-1 on aggregate to advance to the semi-finals.

They will face AC Milan in the semi-finals for a place in the final.

During the short break before the FA Cup semi-final against Manchester United, Roy used his vacation to return to Monaco to get back into shape.

Accompanying him was Brazilian full-back Maicon, who had been sidelined with injury for a long time and was in the final stages of his comeback.

He watched the ATP Masters 1000, the first clay court tournament of the season.

The Monte Carlo Masters, with a total prize pool of $2082500, concluded its third round in Monaco on April 14. In the match between Safin and Ferrero, "Mosquito" finally stung "Tsar," advancing to the fourth round for the first time since his comeback.

Top seed Federer, defending champion Coria, Nadal, Gaudio and other high-ranking seeds all successfully entered the quarterfinals of this tournament.

The player who led Monaco to a treble last season caused a sensation in the local media with his appearance in stylish casual wear. Monaco Morning News reported on it with the headline "The King Returns".

Roy focused intently on the highly anticipated match between top seed Federer and Gonzalez.

The Swiss encountered some resistance this time.

After taking the first set 6-2, Federer led 5-3 in the second set, but Gonzalez then won several games in a row, forcing the Swiss to a tiebreak, which he eventually won 7-3.

Federer secured the victory in the deciding set with a crucial break in the seventh game, and will now face French rising star Gasquet, who eliminated Davydenko, for a place in the semifinals.

Shortly after the match began, Roy was led by staff to the royal box to watch the game with Albert.

After the match, he made a special trip to the players' lounge to congratulate Federer on his victory.

Afterwards, Roy and Federer left the court together to attend the Swiss maestro's private victory celebration.

The next day, Roy and Maicon hosted a party at an upscale restaurant in Monaco.

They invited former teammates Pršo, Ribery, Evra, Bernardi, and Roma, as well as new signings Saviola and Arshavin, and several local stars also attended.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Roy raised his glass: "Congratulations to Chelsea and Monaco for reaching the Champions League semi-finals."

Everyone clinked glasses in greeting.

During the gathering, the former Monaco teammates chatted about Juventus' Champions League match a few days earlier.

"Deschamps must be furious."

Pršo put down his glass. "That header definitely crossed the line."

Roma said, "If Deschamps weren't still coaching Juventus, I would have said they deserved it. How many times have they benefited from referees in Serie A over the years? How many controversial calls have been in their favor? This Champions League elimination is their retribution. Liverpool played much better than them in that match. That's how Juventus is now. They can still act arrogantly in the domestic league, but they show their true colors in crucial Champions League matches and can't withstand the test of strong teams at all."

Roy raised his glass and said calmly, "I respect the result of the match. But honestly, I hope you can get past Milan and we'll see each other in the final. Then we can see who is the stronger team."

Pršo immediately laughed and scolded, "You think you're so arrogant now that you're wearing a Chelsea jersey?"

Ribery chimed in, "Alright, once we get to the final, we'll show you what a real Champions League champion is like!" "First, worry about how you're getting past Liverpool!"

The dining table immediately erupted in laughter and chatter.

Roy said calmly, "To be honest, Liverpool have lost all three of their matches against us this year—two in the league and one in the EFL Cup final—without even a draw. They can't get past us."

The Premier League has announced the shortlist for Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year.

Of the six nominees for Player of the Year, four are from Chelsea: Roy, Cech, Lampard, and Terry. The remaining players are Liverpool's Gerrard and Arsenal's Henry.

The shortlist for the Young Player of the Year award includes Jermain Defoe of Tottenham Hotspur, Cristiano Ronaldo and Wayne Rooney of Manchester United, Arjen Robben of Chelsea, Downing of Middlesbrough, and Wright-Phillips of Manchester City.

On April 16, 2005, the FA Cup semi-final was held at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Arsenal defeated Blackburn 3-0 to advance to the final.

Wenger said after the match: “We started slowly, but once we got into the game we eventually controlled the first half. Blackburn had some good counter-attacks in the second half, but they didn’t create any chances, and we were able to finish. I’m very happy because we showed great consistency. We beat a tough team. Blackburn have drawn with Manchester United and beaten Liverpool, so we did very well.”

Regarding Robin van Persie, the young Dutch player who scored twice after coming on as a substitute, Wenger said: "I feel he is a great talent, and I always remain optimistic. I have no doubt about his ability; he is one of the best young stars in Europe and is very much like a young Bergkamp. The question is how he can shed his impetuousness in matches, and I hope he can continue to do so."

Arsenal captain Patrick Vieira was also pleased to reach the final, having missed the 2003 final against Southampton due to suspension.

Vieira said: "I'm really happy to have another final here. It was a very difficult match against Blackburn, we knew how tough it would be, but I think we answered it very well. We stayed calm, had good ball control, and played our own way."

Manchester United and Chelsea will compete for the other spot in the final tomorrow. When asked which opponent he would prefer to face, Vieira said, "When you get to the final, you have to be prepared to play against any team."

But Vieira then said, "To be honest, I would prefer to face Manchester United in the final rather than Chelsea. We would play better against Manchester United. Roy and Makelele know us too well. We often train together during national team training camps, and they know our personal habits and little tricks perfectly."

On April 17, 2005, the FA Cup semi-final was played again at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff.

Manchester United manager Sir Alex Ferguson has never lost in an FA Cup semi-final.

Manchester United fielded a 4-4-2 diamond midfield formation: Howard in goal; the defense from right to left consisted of Neville, Ferdinand, Brown, and Heinze; in midfield, captain Roy Keane anchored the defensive midfield position, with Fortune and Scholes on the left and right flanks respectively; 19-year-old Rooney was deployed by Ferguson in the attacking midfield position, marking his second time being converted to midfield this season; the attacking duo consisted of Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano Ronaldo. Giggs and Ronaldinho, who has recently been embroiled in club disputes, were on the bench.

Chelsea fielded a 4-3-3 formation: Petr Cech remained in goal, delivering a consistent performance; the defense welcomed back its first-choice full-backs, from left to right: Abidal, Carvalho, Terry, and Maicon; Makelele played as the lone holding midfielder, with Lampard partnering Joe Cole in central midfield; and Roy, Drogba, and Duff formed the attacking trident. This lineup demonstrated Mourinho's emphasis on attacking down the flanks, and the return of the two full-backs would greatly enhance the team's ability to transition between attack and defense.

Manchester United had their first chance in the 5th minute when Roy Keane passed to Ruud van Nistelrooy, who cleverly evaded Carvalho on the edge of the box and fired a low shot from 20 yards out, but Petr Cech made the save.

Two minutes later, controversy arose when Ronaldo broke into the penalty area and fell under Abidal's tackle. Referee Riley immediately blew his whistle, but instead of granting Manchester United a penalty, he gave the Portuguese a yellow card for diving.

The assistant referee also confirmed that Abidal's leg did not make contact with Ronaldo.

Roy was arguing and pressuring the referee, but he was delighted when he saw the referee show Ronaldo a yellow card.

So he turned and walked toward his younger brother.

He pointed to his temple and said calmly, "Cristiano, focus on the game. That decision is in the past."

Cristiano Ronaldo turned and left without a word, while Roy made a helpless face at his retreating figure.

Although he ignored him, Roy believed that Ronaldo still appreciated him as an older brother.

The game went to the 13th minute.

Manchester United left-back Heinze orchestrated an attack from the backfield, spotting an opening in the attacking third and decisively sending a through ball forward.

The pass precisely penetrated the defensive gap between Chelsea midfielders Duff and Lampard, finding Manchester United midfielder Fortune making a run forward.

However, just as Fortune was about to receive the ball, Chelsea midfielder Makelele, with his excellent anticipation and quick movement, rushed towards the ball first.

The two players almost simultaneously reached out to contest the half-ball, but Makelele's stronger physique gave him the upper hand in the contest, allowing him to push Fortune aside and gain control of the ball.

Fortune quickly regained his balance and chased back, but Makelele had already taken possession of the ball and started advancing.

At this moment, Chelsea midfielder Lampard displayed a high level of tactical awareness. He suddenly stopped and turned around, using his back to block Manchester United attacking midfielder Rooney, who was trying to cut inside and double-team him, creating more space for Makelele to advance.

Meanwhile, Chelsea striker Didier Drogba keenly sensed a counter-attack opportunity and began a high-speed sprint towards Manchester United's half.

Manchester United's two center-backs, Ferdinand and Brown, were forced to stay in the back of the defense.

When Makelele and Drogba's runs overlapped, Makelele suddenly passed the ball to Duff on the right wing, completing a beautiful tactical switch.

Neville, the Manchester United right-back who was supposed to be marking Roy, was completely outmaneuvered, and Roy made a stunning run down the right flank into the left side of the Manchester United penalty area.

Duff received the ball on the right side of Manchester United's penalty area, made a slight adjustment, and then delivered a precise cross.

Manchester United goalkeeper Howard attempted to catch the ball but misjudged the situation, and the ball flew over his head and headed straight for the far post.

Roy cleverly slowed down after entering the penalty area and engaged in a battle with Neville, who was chasing back.

Neville jumped hastily to contest the header but misjudged it, while Roy, who was prepared, had already retreated and adjusted his position. He controlled the ball steadily with his chest, and after the ball bounced once, he unhesitatingly unleashed a low, flat shot with his right foot.

The shot was taken from a tricky angle, and although Howard tried his best to extend his fingertips, he still couldn't stop the ball from going into the net.

In the final moments, Ferdinand attempted a sliding tackle to clear the ball, but could only kick it into the side netting after it had already crossed the goal line, and he himself slid into the goal in a disheveled manner.

Chelsea took the lead with this textbook-perfect counter-attack.

In the 20th minute of the match, Manchester United capitalized on a defensive error by Chelsea to equalize the score.

Chelsea left-back Abidal made a mistake while making a tackle on the left flank, and Ronaldo seized the opportunity to quickly make a run down the flank and deliver a low cross.

Inside the penalty area, Chelsea center-back Carvalho slipped while trying to intercept a pass, letting the ball slip to Van Nistelrooy lurking in front of the goal.

The Dutch striker calmly unleashed a powerful shot from 8 yards out, and the ball bounced into the net.

This goal ended Van Nistelrooy's four-month goal drought.

His last goal for Manchester United was back in November of last year.

Near the end of the first half, Chelsea left-back Abidal collided with Scholes during a challenge.

The referee did not call a foul, and Abidal quickly passed the ball to Roy to launch a counterattack.

After receiving the ball, Roy made a high-speed breakthrough down the left flank and then passed the ball to Joe Cole in the middle.

Joe Cole nearly fell to the ground when he received the ball under Roy Keane's aggressive pressure, but he still managed to pass the ball back to Roy.

Roy regained possession and continued to dribble forward, with Keane in hot pursuit.

Manchester United center-back Brown made a risky decision at this moment, abandoning his marking position and moving towards the penalty area ahead of time.

Seeing this, Ferdinand, who was defending on the far side, hurriedly retreated to cover.

After Roy broke into Manchester United's half, he keenly spotted Duff making a run down the right flank.

He adjusted his footwork and used his left foot to curl a low, flat ball with great penetrating power.

The pass traversed the entire Manchester United defense, bounced at the edge of the penalty area, and then suddenly accelerated and changed direction, heading straight for the open space on the right flank.

It was too late for Ferdinand to turn around and chase Duff.

Manchester United goalkeeper Howard slipped and lost his balance while rushing out to block a shot.

Duff seized the opportunity and unleashed a precise shot with his less-than-favorable right foot, sending the ball into the net.

Chelsea regained the lead before halftime thanks to this brilliant counter-attack.

Ferdinand roared angrily at Brown, "What the hell are you doing? Why didn't you mark Roy? When I was covering behind, you should have immediately pressed him! Just slow him down, and Keane would have dealt with him. Now look what you've done, you retreated into the penalty area and let him comfortably pass those deadly passes!"

Brown immediately retorted, "Then where were you covering? The ball came from your position at the top of the arc, and it was a bouncing pass, not fast at all. Who left Duff unmarked? How could he so easily get around to your side to receive the ball and have enough time to adjust his shot? If I rashly rush in, Roy can just accelerate past me. Would you have had time to cover then?"

Brown still vividly remembers the painful lesson he learned from marking Ronaldo the season before last; the image of the Brazilian toying with him like a training cone remains clear in his mind.

The Roy in front of us is even half a beat faster than Ronaldo at his peak.

Ferdinand immediately retorted: "Stop making excuses! Defense is a team effort. Your early retreat completely leaves the midfield open, and when Roy is dribbling forward, there's no one to slow him down. When Duff makes his run, I'm covering for you. If you had followed the tactical instructions and pressed forward first, Keane would have been able to double-team you long ago. Now, both of our center-backs are huddled in the penalty area, leaving the midfield wide open, allowing them to launch such comfortable counter-attacks!"

Brown scoffed and retorted: "Hmph, I certainly didn't take the highest salary on the team and go to London to have dinner with Zahavi and the Chelsea CEO to get some damn document. Did it say something like, 'You're supposed to drag the defense back but not mark Duff'?"

This is Zahavi's excuse for Ferdinand's appearance in London to have dinner with Kenyon, saying that Ferdinand just happened to go to him to pick up some documents.

This statement directly hit Ferdinand's weak spot.

Although the meeting with Chelsea executives was mainly a tactic used by agent Zahavi to pressure Manchester United for a pay rise, and Ferdinand himself had no intention of transferring, the incident remains an unspeakable stain on his career.

Manchester United quickly equalized the score at the start of the second half.

After Ronaldo broke through on the right wing, he crossed the ball, and Scholes cleverly got to the near post and headed it powerfully towards the far corner of the goal, the ball flying over Cech's outstretched fingers and into the net.

This goal brought both sides back to a level playing field.

In the 71st minute, Chelsea took the lead again.

Joe Cole passed the ball to Roy on the left wing, and Manchester United right-back Neville retreated to the edge of the penalty area, keeping his center of gravity low and ready for action.

Center-back Brown maintained a parallel position, needing to guard against Roy's breakthroughs while also watching out for Joe Cole's runs into the penalty area.

Roy first pretended to flick the ball towards the baseline with his right foot, then suddenly cut the ball back with his left foot.

This sudden change of direction forced Neville to make several sudden stops and turns.

Roy seized the opportunity and delivered a elusive cross with his right foot, but Heinze failed to reach the ball on the other side again.

Duff received the ball and took a low shot, but the shot was clearly off target.

The ball slowly rolled along the goal line toward the far post, but Howard, who had already caught the ball, unexpectedly lost his grip and watched helplessly as the ball rolled across the goal line.

Ferguson, who was on the sidelines, was furious when he saw this and kept roaring and cursing.

Howard, who had made a grave mistake, stood frozen in front of the door, his face ashen as if he had suffered the pain of losing a loved one.

The 84th minute of the game.

Lampard delivered a precise lob pass from midfield, and Manchester United center-back Brown once again misjudged the header.

Roy seized the opportunity, dashing behind Brown and controlling the ball firmly with his right foot before accelerating forward.

Ferdinand quickly rushed in from the other side to block, and Roy made a slight adjustment on the edge of the penalty area.

Brown hurriedly tracked back to the inside to try and block the shooting angle.

Roy feigned a shot, tricking Brown into a sliding tackle, but then suddenly used his right foot to cut the ball back, completing a beautiful counter-clockwise turn.

Ferdinand immediately stopped and chased back, but Roy passed the ball to the right wing.

Manchester United goalkeeper Howard made a risky run out to try and block Morientes' run.

The Spanish striker calmly cut the ball to his left with his right foot, easily faking out Howard who was making a save, and then pushed the ball into the empty net with his left foot, sealing the victory for Chelsea.

"Incredible! Roy completely dominated the game today! A goal and three assists, a perfect hat-trick of assists! Chelsea lead Manchester United 4-2, with very little time left in the game. The Blues are just a few minutes away from the final!"

"This is absolutely a historic moment! Sir Alex Ferguson's unbeaten run in the FA Cup semi-finals has come to an end! Chelsea put on a brilliant attacking performance and kept the Red Devils out of the final."

"Now, we can look forward to an exciting London derby! Chelsea will face their arch-rivals Arsenal in the final, and this season's FA Cup is destined to witness a showdown between London teams!"

"Look at Ferguson's ashen face on the sidelines; this could be Manchester United's most painful defeat of the season. But for Chelsea fans, it's a night to celebrate! Their team eliminated the defending champions in the most spectacular way!"

"Roy has proven himself once again! Just as he said, this bad boy never plays by the rules, and he always destroys his opponents in the most unexpected ways! Look at this incredible performance."

"My God! Who can stop this Chelsea team? Who can stop the all-powerful Roy?! Mourinho's team is making history. The League Cup is already in their grasp, the Premier League title is just around the corner, and with the Champions League and FA Cup titles in sight, are we witnessing the birth of an unprecedented quadruple legend?!"

"This Blues team is unstoppable! Roy's magic continues! All of England is trembling because Chelsea's golden age may very well begin in this magical season!"

In the first minute of stoppage time, Van Nistelrooy delivered a diagonal pass from the edge of the penalty area, and Ronaldo easily tapped it in for the final strike.

The goal came too late; the Manchester United players didn't even celebrate, they just silently picked up the ball and ran back to the center circle.

The referee immediately blew the final whistle, and Manchester United's championship dreams for this season were shattered at that moment.

The camera panned across the stands of the Millennium Stadium, where countless Manchester United fans held their heads in their hands, knowing full well that this defeat meant the team would suffer a trophyless season for the second consecutive time.

Last year (2003-04 season), they failed to win any trophies, and now, after being eliminated from the FA Cup, they are confirmed to be out of contention for all trophies this season.

This marks the second consecutive year that Manchester United have failed to win a trophy since Sir Alex Ferguson won the FA Cup in 1989 after a rebuilding period.

An elderly Manchester United die-hard fan, speaking passionately to Sky Sports from the stands, said:
“I’ve watched Manchester United for 50 years, from Charlton to Cantona, from the Kings to the Class of ’92, from the FA Cup in ’89 to the night at Camp Nou, but this Manchester United team feels unfamiliar to me. Look at their performance on the pitch! We were played like children by Chelsea, our passing was inaccurate, we couldn’t win the ball, and we ran like we were taking a stroll!”

"Where has the Manchester United spirit that Sir Alex Ferguson spent over a decade building? Back in the Class of '92, the kids fought until they cramped up, never giving up. In the '99 Champions League, after Solskjaer's winning goal, the whole team collapsed on the pitch, exhausted. And these guys now? They don't even chase after a goal! The players earn astronomical weekly wages, yet they play like they're on vacation! When Ferdinand went to London for dinner, did he ever imagine that Duff would score two goals against him today?"

"The saddest thing is that we've become accustomed to losing. Losing to Arsenal, losing to Chelsea, and next year will we lose to Blackburn? My grandson asked me, 'Grandpa, why does Manchester United always lose?' I didn't know how to answer."

"The Glazer family buys clubs to make money, but Manchester United isn't a stock ticker! This is our belief! If things continue like this, in a few years, Old Trafford will only be filled with tourists and cameras!"

“Tell those players you don’t deserve to wear this shirt. Tell the board you’re killing the soul of Manchester United. And me? I can only pray I die before I see the real Red Devils return.”

Manchester United fans felt an unprecedented sense of fear.

Chelsea owner Roman Abramovich has stated that regardless of how many titles they win this season, they will continue to spend money to strengthen the team in the summer.

What's terrifying about Roy is that at only 20 years old, he has achieved a goal-scoring efficiency never before seen in Premier League history, and his dominance has even exceeded the comprehension of Manchester United fans.

What's even more frightening is that, given Chelsea's financial resources, they could very well keep him until he's 30.

Fans can't imagine: are they going to have to watch this devil, wearing a Chelsea jersey, slaughter Manchester United for the next ten years?

Just like when Manchester United rose to prominence and trampled Liverpool underfoot, is it now the Red Devils' turn to be suppressed by the new era's overlord for a long time?
The most despairing thing is the current situation.

The board made it clear that they had no money to make signings in the summer transfer window, but looking around the world, they simply couldn't find a savior who could rival Roy.

This endless darkness is a hundred times more painful than losing a derby.

As Ferguson left the field, he gave Roy one last look at the young man who had almost worn the Manchester United jersey.

A year ago, when Roy chose Chelsea, he personally called Ferguson:

"Sir, I rejected Manchester United precisely because I respect the greatness of the club. But those glories—Busby's children, the 99 treble, your Class of '92—are ultimately someone else's legends. Even if I score more goals, in the hearts of Manchester United fans, I'll at most be exceptionally placed in the 'Holy Four' photo frame."

The young man's voice on the other end of the phone carried an almost cruel clarity: "But on Chelsea's blank canvas, I can draw the first stroke. There are no dynasties here, no traditions, and that's precisely why every goal is making history. Didn't you start like this at Aberdeen?"

"As a player, I am the founder of Chelsea. They will remember me as Bayern Munich fans remember Beckenbauer, Real Madrid fans remember Di Stefano, AC Milan fans remember Nordahl, Liverpool fans remember Dalglish, and Ajax fans remember Cruyff. Not as a passerby, but as the architect of the Blues dynasty."

"When people talk about Chelsea's rise twenty years from now, the first name that will come up won't be Mourinho, or Terry, but the madman who scored the first dynasty goal at Stamford Bridge. That's what makes it worth betting my entire career."

Watching Roy's celebratory figure, Ferguson finally understood: this 20-year-old didn't want to inherit the throne, but to overthrow the old dynasty with his own hands.

What's even more frightening is that he's doing it.

Of course, Roy also offered words of comfort, but at this moment when Manchester United is in a slump, the cheers of the Chelsea fans at the Millennium Stadium were filled with hope for a quadruple.

Ferguson must be insane to believe in such a poetic promise.

In the world of football, some people miss out forever.

Reunion when this genius is personally tearing your life's work to rubble?
Unless it's a nightmare repeating itself.

As a realist, he didn't believe in such literary rhetoric at all, especially when Roy was leading Chelsea to destroy Manchester United; such words sounded more like the pity of a victor.

"People often meet more than once in their lifetime, and you shouldn't rule out anything."

(End of this chapter)