When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 254 If you ask who stands alone as a hero? A chance encounter in Istanbul at night!
"Gattuso and Kaká exchange headers in the center circle! Shevchenko drops back to receive the ball, deftly lays it off to Kaká, who adjusts slightly, and then suddenly launches a through ball! Precise as a scalpel! Shevchenko understands perfectly and accelerates instantly! He shakes off Squillaci! Roma stands still, choosing not to rush out! Shevchenko! A right-footed shot inside the penalty area! The ball rolls along the grass into the bottom left corner! 1-0!!! AC Milan opens the scoring!"

"At the 41st minute, the atmosphere at the San Siro was electric! After a fierce first half, the defending champions Monaco's young team were evenly matched with Milan, but Dida's three crucial saves kept the goal intact. Now, Shevchenko has broken the deadlock for Milan! This is his sixth goal in this Champions League! Kaká and Gattuso's clever combination displaced Bernardi and Givet, and Shevchenko's sharp run finally helped Milan break through the defense. Monaco actually created several good chances in the first half, but they lacked the finishing touch. Without Roy as their sharp weapon, they were definitely a level below in handling crucial opportunities."

Roy sat on the living room sofa, staring at the TV. When he heard the commentator mention his name, his eyebrows twitched slightly, and he casually picked up the ice water on the table and took a sip.

On the screen, Adebayor and Ribery had already restarted the game in the center circle, and the Milan players quickly returned to their defensive positions after finishing their celebrations.

Monaco played quite well for the first twenty minutes of the match, launching wave after wave of attacks that left Milan struggling to breathe.

But after twenty minutes of relentless attacks failed to produce a goal, the situation on the field gradually changed.

Ancelotti's team began to steadily control the tempo, passing the ball more freely and defending more effectively.

This is the difference between a young team and a veteran powerhouse. The Milan players showed no sign of panic, as if they had known the game would unfold this way all along.

In the 73rd minute, Milan launched pressure in midfield.

Ambrosini cleverly intercepted the ball from Arshavin's feet and immediately played a low, angled pass to Serginho on the left wing.

After receiving the ball, Serginho did not rush to break through, but instead played a one-two with Kaladze who was overlapping on the wing, shaking off the first wave of pressing.

As he dribbled the ball towards the midfield line, he was double-teamed by Monaco midfielder Bernardi and right-back Elfakiri.

Serginho didn't force his way through, but calmly switched the ball to the weaker right flank.

Cafu, who had been waiting there for a long time, brought the ball to a steady stop.

Facing the onrushing Evra, Cafu first feigned cutting inside, then suddenly poked the ball towards the byline, using his explosive power to overtake the French full-back.

Just before the ball went out of bounds, Cafu passed it to Kaká in the middle with his right foot.

Kaka's catch of the ball showcased his signature style of play.

With his back to the goal, he deftly flicked the ball with the inside of his right foot, simultaneously turning and accelerating, leaving Russian defensive midfielder Aldonin no time to react before being beaten.

The Brazilian then dribbled forward with great strides, and facing the chasing Saviola, he suddenly stopped and cut to the left, causing the Argentine to lose his balance.

Upon reaching the edge of the penalty area, Kaká feigned a long-range shot, but Givet made a desperate sliding tackle to block it.

But this was entirely within Kaka's calculations; he gently flicked the ball to the right, easily dodging the sliding tackle.

Squillaci quickly covered, but Kaká changed direction again, dribbling the ball to create space.

Just when everyone thought he was going to pass the ball, Kaká decisively unleashed a powerful shot from the right side of the penalty spot. The ball flew like a cannonball into the top right corner of the goal, and Roma had barely raised their hands before the ball thundered into the net.

2-0! Milan secures the victory!

A deafening roar erupted from the San Siro stadium, and Roy whistled as he watched the television.

The broadcast camera focused on a panting Ribery. The scarred man had given it his all today, but Cafu's close marking and Stam's timely backup prevented him from finding a way to break through.

Arshavin fared even worse on the other side. He was first tightly marked by Gattuso, who was running all over the field, and in the second half, after Ambrosini came on as a substitute, he was completely marked away.

As for Saviola, he was nothing more than Maldini's toy.

In the 89th minute, Tomasson won the ball back aggressively on the left flank of the attacking third and immediately passed it to the right flank into open space.

After receiving the ball, Kaka quickly cut into the penalty area and decisively unleashed a right-footed shot from 15 meters out.

Having lost his defensive position, Givet desperately stretched his leg back to try and block the ball, which bounced high off his toes.

At this moment, Tomasson had already made a sharp run to the near post and made a brilliant feint shot from 7 meters in front of the goal.

His right foot appeared to be aimed directly at the goal, but he actually deftly flicked the ball across to the penalty spot.

Despite being pulled by Evra, Kaka still managed to squeeze out of position, and then, like an elegant swordsman, gently pushed the ball into the net with the inside of his right foot.

This goal completed Kaká's brace and helped Milan extend their lead to 3-0.

The San Siro erupted in celebration once again, while Monaco's players looked dejected. In this first leg of the Champions League semi-final, the Rossoneri had firmly taken control.

"The match is over. AC Milan has secured a resounding 3-0 victory over defending champions Monaco at home! This score means the Rossoneri have one foot in the Champions League final. They will travel to Monaco's Stade Louis II for the second leg in a week, but overturning such a deficit is virtually an impossible task for the young Monaco team."

"On the sidelines, Ancelotti walked toward Monaco coach Blanc, and the two shook hands briefly. At that moment, Blanc might have had a thought in his mind: how wonderful it would be if the striker who was so dominant in the Champions League last year were still in the team. In fact, Monaco did have chances in the first half, but after conceding the first goal, the young team seemed to suddenly lose power, and the defense made a series of mistakes, which ultimately led to their defeat."

"This match once again proved the ruthlessness of the Champions League; inexperienced teams often pay the price in crucial moments. Milan used their seasoned control to teach Monaco's young players a lesson."

Roy reached out and turned off the TV.

The 0-3 scoreline in the first leg practically sealed Monaco's fate, although there was still a theoretical possibility of a comeback.

After all, AC Milan during this period always had some unpredictable characteristics; they could play dominant matches, but they would also inexplicably collapse on some nights.

But everyone knows that the probability of scoring four goals in a row at the Stadio Louis II without Milan scoring an away goal is extremely low.

At this time, the entire Liverpool team has arrived in London, preparing for tomorrow's crucial battle against Chelsea at Stamford Bridge.

For manager Benitez, there is a rare piece of good news: the ideal midfield pairing of Alonso and Gerrard can finally play together.

Both players were plagued by injuries throughout the season and were almost never able to play together.

But at this moment when they were needed most, both key players recovered from their injuries and returned to the court in time.

With this midfield duo anchoring the midfield, Liverpool can finally field a truly competitive starting lineup to challenge their formidable rivals, Chelsea.

In the previous three matches against Chelsea, the pair had only played together for a total of 28 minutes.

Liverpool have lost to Chelsea three times in a row this season, which has put Benitez under a lot of pressure.

Now, their joint appearance will greatly enhance the team's strength: Alonso's playmaking ability and Gerrard's all-around ability can not only effectively resist Chelsea's strong attack, but also create more opportunities for the team, keeping the suspense of advancing to the next round.

In an interview, Benitez said, "Mourinho's tactical system relies heavily on his three central midfielders. Whether it's Makelele, Lampard, and Thiago, or the combination of Smerkin, this midfield triangle is the core of Chelsea's attacking and defensive transitions, ensuring the team's smooth operation."

“But we have a solution. Gerrard and Alonso’s partnership can effectively disrupt Chelsea’s midfield system, as has been proven in previous encounters. In the league home game against Chelsea, we completely controlled the game’s tempo with our complete midfield combination until Alonso was injured and left the field. This time, I expect them to play the full 180 minutes of both legs.”

“I admit that Roy is the most dangerous striker in football today, but the outcome of a match often depends on the midfield battle. If we can successfully suppress Chelsea’s midfield, we have a real chance to advance. I firmly believe that the midfield pairing of Gerrard and Alonso is superior to Chelsea’s configuration. Once we take control of the midfield and force Roy to drop back to receive the passes, the threat of Chelsea’s attack will be greatly reduced.”

"This is our tactical approach. Although outsiders may consider Chelsea the favorites, football matches are never simply a matter of strength. As long as we execute our tactical plan well, it is entirely possible for us to achieve our goal of advancing."

Alonso himself said: "In the past, we often had key players missing when playing against Chelsea, but now we can face them with a full team. We don't have as many complete players as Chelsea, but Benitez organized the game against Juventus very well. Today's Liverpool team will be one that Chelsea has never faced before."

Mourinho responded confidently at the press conference: "Listen, we don't need to panic at all. Chelsea will eliminate Liverpool, whether at Stamford Bridge or Anfield. Some people say I'm too arrogant? Yes! I am full of confidence right now, and that confidence has reached its peak."

He further explained: "This team has proven its strength; the Premier League title is the best answer. We have the most solid defense in the world, the most creative midfield, and a top striker like Roy. Liverpool certainly has good players, but football is about overall strength and performance on the field."

"Benitez talking about the midfield battle? Let him continue his analysis. All I know is that when the referee blows the final whistle, Chelsea will definitely advance. That's the confidence and composure a championship team should have."

Influenced by Mourinho and Roy, even the usually low-key Lampard has gradually abandoned the virtue of humility.

He told the media: "For a young man who loves football, Chelsea can help him achieve all his dreams. We have money, the best players, the best coach, so we have the ability to achieve any goal."

His national team teammate, Real Madrid striker Owen, once said that Lampard should leave the Premier League and move on to a top club abroad.

Lampard said: "I don't see a reason to go abroad. Although Real Madrid and Barcelona once captivated me, that was a few years ago. Now I'm playing for a 'dream team,' and my future belongs to Stamford Bridge."

At the same time, he also tried to win over Gerrard, with London media revealing that Chelsea were willing to pay £3500 million to sign the midfielder.

"Gerrard and I are good friends. He is definitely a world-class player. We both like to push forward and score, but we can also protect the defense very well. We can complement each other very well."

Stamford Bridge was brightly lit on April 27, 2005, as more than 4 Chelsea fans flooded into the stadium early.

This season has been almost a dream for Chelsea, as they have already lifted the League Cup and the Premier League title, and have also reached the FA Cup final.

Today, the Champions League semi-final match against Liverpool is seen by the vast majority of people as their final hurdle on the road to the final.

Chelsea fans are confident about the three previous encounters between the two sides this season.

They won all three matches and held a clear advantage in each one.

Top scorer Roy is in the best form of his career, and his goal-scoring efficiency is terrifying.

The timely return of winger Arjen Robben from injury has added a new firepower to the team's attack.

The stands resounded with chants, and the fans waved blue flags as if victory was already theirs.

In their eyes, this steel-like team built by Mourinho has indeed shown an invincible momentum this season.

"I bet Chelsea will beat Liverpool 3-0. Roy will score at least two goals. Look at his stats this season, 38 goals in 35 Premier League games. It's unbelievable. God bless Chelsea, this guy is terrifyingly strong."

British director Guy Ritchie sat in a VIP box at the stadium, intently awaiting the start of the match; he is a longtime Chelsea die-hard fan.

His wife, pop icon Madonna, sat quietly to the side.

"Be more relaxed and less tense than when you're filming a movie; it's just a ball game."

At this point, the players from both sides began to line up and enter the field, with Roy wearing the captain's armband and walking at the front.

The moment he stepped onto the field, Stamford Bridge erupted in deafening cheers.

The entire stadium chanted in unison: "Super Roi! Super Roi! King of Stamford Bridge!"

After winning the Premier League title, Roy naturally took over the responsibility of captain on the field, and he will take over the captaincy as soon as Desailly retires.

No one commented on it anymore; it was a consensus that he was special, and all Terry needed was respect, which Roy had to respect.

He received the respect he deserved; Roy consulted him on everything, and he was content with that. Disputes would only bring him shame.

Terry is a smart man.

In the away stands at Stamford Bridge, Liverpool fans are cheering their team with all their might.

Despite being at Chelsea's home stadium, they still sang their famous team song, "You'll Never Walk Alone," in unison: "When you walk through a storm, hold your head up high."

The singing filled the entire stadium, showcasing the loyalty and unity of the Liverpool fans.

"Good evening, everyone. Welcome to Stamford Bridge. This is the first leg of the 2004-2005 UEFA Champions League semi-final, Chelsea vs. Liverpool. Let's take a look at the starting lineups."

"The home team, Chelsea, fielded a 4-3-3 formation: Czech international Petr Cech was in goal."

"The right flank of the defense is Brazilian full-back Maicon, the central defensive pairing is John Terry and Portuguese international Ricardo Carvalho, and the left back is French player Eric Abidal."

"In midfield, French defensive midfielder Claude Makelele serves as the defensive shield, Portuguese player Thiago Mendes plays right central midfielder, and Frank Lampard plays left central midfielder."

"The attacking trident consists of Arjen Robben on the right, Didier Drogba in the center, and Andy Roy on the left, who is the hottest striker in the Premier League this season. The French international has already scored 38 goals in 35 league games this season, breaking the Premier League record of 34 goals in a single season held by Andy Cole and Alan Shearer. What's even more frightening is that Chelsea still have 4 league games to play, and Roy has every opportunity to raise this record to a new level. As the core of the team's attack, he can both cut inside and shoot and is good at organizing and linking up play, making him the most crucial attacking initiator in Mourinho's tactical system."

"The away team, Liverpool, will use a 4-2-3-1 formation: the goalkeeper is Polish international Jerzy Dudek; the defense, from left to right, consists of Jibril Traore, Finnish veteran Sami Hyypiä, vice-captain Jamie Carragher, and Irish international Steve Finnan."

"The two defensive midfielders are Spanish player Xabi Alonso and Croatian player Igor Biscan."

"In attack, Norwegian player Johan Riise plays on the left, captain Steven Gerrard plays as the attacking midfielder, and Spanish player Luis Garcia operates on the right wing."

"The lone striker is Czech forward Milan Baros."

"The referee team is from France, and the head referee is Alain Salles. The match is about to begin."

French referee Alain Salles blew the whistle to start the match, and cheers erupted at Stamford Bridge.

Before the match, Liverpool lodged a formal protest against the referee selection, arguing that Chelsea had several French players, including Makelele and Abidal, and that star striker Roy was currently highly regarded in French football.

Liverpool believed that using a French referee might be advantageous to Chelsea, but UEFA ultimately upheld the original decision.

Drogba gently passed the ball to Roy near the center circle.

Liverpool's defensive formation immediately tightened.

The two defensive midfielders, Alonso and Biscan, quickly moved laterally to form the first line of defense.

Attacking midfielder Gerrard dropped back to provide defensive support, while the three attacking players, Riise, Garcia, and Baros, tucked in to compress the space.

The entire defensive line maintained a tight four-man spacing, while Biscan actively pressed forward to try and disrupt Roy's possession of the ball.

Roy immediately passed the ball across to Lampard in the middle.

Biscan quickly closed in on Roy, blocking his path to receive the ball, while Luis Garcia tucked inside to mark Lampard closely.

Baroš quickly moved forward behind Lampard, cutting off his back pass lane.

Lampard was forced to pass the ball back to Roy.

After receiving the ball, Roy suddenly accelerated, using his shoulder to push past Biscan who was closely marking him, and advanced with the ball on the edge of the opponent's penalty area.

Biscan turned and chased back, and Roy suddenly turned with his right foot in Liverpool's half, skillfully avoiding Biscan's tackle.

Upon seeing this, Gerrard immediately slid in from the side, but Roy quickly stopped with his left foot and, at the last second, gently lifted the ball with the instep of his right foot, just as Gerrard slid in.

Despite being knocked back by Gerrard's collision, Roy quickly regained his balance and then used his left foot to pass the ball to Makelele in the defensive midfield position.

Throughout the entire process, Liverpool's defenders were very aggressive in their marking, double-teaming, and tackling, but Roy neutralized the pressure with a series of changes of direction, sudden stops, and lobs, ultimately completing an accurate pass despite being out of balance.

"Beautiful! Roy's series of plays was brilliant! First, he forcefully overtook Biscan, then executed a stylish turn and dribble, and finally remained calm under pressure from Gerrard's sliding tackle. That lobbed pass was absolutely exquisite! Although he stumbled from the impact, he still managed to get the ball to safety!"

Benitez stood on the sidelines, his brow furrowed.

Roy's individual abilities are always an unpredictable tactical variable.

Chelsea regrouped their attack, but Liverpool quickly retreated to their defensive positions. Both sides appeared cautious in the opening stages of the Champions League semi-final.

In the 7th minute, Roy delivered a long diagonal pass from the left wing, and the ball flew towards Robben at the far post.

The Dutch winger was poised to receive the ball at the far post, but Liverpool's left center-back Hyypia headed it out for a corner. In the 11th minute, Lampard launched a long pass from the backfield, a precise 60-meter pass finding Roy on the left wing.

Roy first blocked Carragher with his back to the goal, then suddenly turned and cut into the penalty area along the byline.

Facing Finnan's cover, Roy deftly cut back with his right foot, creating space before unleashing a low shot from 8 meters out with his left foot at a tight angle.

Liverpool goalkeeper Dudek quickly covered the near post and caught the ball securely.

In the 12th minute, Roy passed the ball across from the left wing to Drogba, who had made a run into the penalty area.

When Drogba received the ball on the left side of the penalty area, he made physical contact with Liverpool center-back Hyypia, and the Ivorian striker fell to the ground during the entanglement.

Drogba immediately raised his hand to signal for a penalty, but French referee Alain Salles ignored it.

Roy strode over to the referee and argued in French, "That's definitely a penalty!"

Sals shook his head coldly and replied, "Reasonable physical confrontation."

He then gestured for the game to continue.

As Roy tried to continue arguing, the French referee reached for his yellow card pocket with his right hand, staring at Roy with a warning look.

Upon seeing this, Roy immediately raised his hands, stepped back, and ran back to his position.

After learning about the pre-match controversy, Salz was quite strict in his officiating, even though he was indeed a fan of Roy in private.

But Salz must keep his personal preferences buried deep in his heart—not disturbing them is his way of showing gentleness.

Liverpool immediately launched a quick counter-attack.

Goalkeeper Dudek launched a long ball, and Baros received the ball on the left flank of the attacking third before breaking into the penalty area. With a very tight angle, he took a shot with his right foot, which resembled both a cross and a shot, ultimately curving wide of the far post.

After the ball went out of bounds, Cech shouted to Baroš in Czech: "Milan! You forgot your shooting boots at home this year, try again next year!"

In the 13th minute, Roy received the ball on the left wing. Facing Finnan's defense, he used his left foot to feint twice, changing direction and causing Liverpool's right-back to lose his balance.

He suddenly tucked the ball back to his right foot and then crossed it.

In the center of the penalty area, Drogba leaped high, outjumping Carragher to head the ball towards the left side of the box, then quickly followed up, passing the ball across to the far post before Hyypia could block it.

Robben, making a run down the right flank, sprinted at full speed and attempted a diving shot from 5 meters out, but he missed the ball by a hair's breadth, and it slid past the goal.

Liverpool goalkeeper Dudek was startled, while a sigh of regret erupted from the Stamford Bridge stands.

"Fuck me!"

Fans watching the ESPN signal somewhere in Beijing suddenly erupted.

"Hey! What's wrong with Robben? He's five meters out and he's already wading through the open goal!"

"Drogba was carrying two huge pancakes and he practically lit them right up to your mouth, but the way you scooped them out with your foot was even crispier than the crispy fried dough sticks from the pancake stall outside the Workers' Stadium!"

"Oh my! Royne took such shuffling steps that he made Finnan look like he was crossing the North Third Ring Road, and in the end, you made him look like a drunken bus that slid straight into the Yongding River!"

In the 18th minute, Traore received the ball on the left wing and crossed it into the middle. Alonso received the ball near the center circle, observed the space in the attacking third, and immediately delivered a precise 30-meter long pass over the top, directly breaking through Chelsea's defense.

Riise made a high-speed run forward, deftly controlled the high ball with his left foot inside the penalty area, and then dribbled past the full-back Maicon who was rushing to tackle him.

Portuguese center-back Carvalho quickly covered and blocked the shot, but Riise calmly cut inside with his right foot, evaded him, and then used his less-than-favorable right foot to push the ball into the center of the goal from 9 meters out.

However, the shot was too straight, and Cech caught the ball comfortably, allowing Chelsea to escape a close call.

Suddenly, Zhan Jun's commentary voice came through the ESPN live stream:
"Oh, Riise's shot! The control and the cut-off were beautiful, but the final right-footed push... it was a little lacking! Cech, quick! Throw the ball directly to the retreating Roy! Chelsea's counter-attack is on!"

Roy chested down Cech's throw, and Luis Garcia quickly closed in from behind, using his shoulder to block Roy while stretching his leg to try and intercept the ball.

But Roy chested the ball down and then deftly turned, using his right shoulder to take a solid hit from Garcia.

Just as the Spaniard was about to adjust his center of gravity to make a tackle, Roy suddenly pulled back and started moving in the opposite direction, flicking the ball forward with his left foot and accelerating to get rid of him!
Garcia was completely off balance by the change in rhythm of the stop, the shoulder, and the retreat. He staggered a couple of steps and fell to the ground in a sorry state, only able to watch as Roy dribbled away.

"Garcia couldn't stop them! Roy passed to Lampard, Biscan closed in, Alonso chased back! But Chelsea were too fast! Drogba and Robben launched a two-pronged attack! Lampard passed back to Roy, Finnan couldn't keep up!! Roy received the ball and dribbled past him!!! Finnan was thrown to the ground!!!"

Finnan suddenly stretched out his leg to intercept, but Roy gently deflected it with the outside of his right foot, and then used his left shoulder to push it away!
The Irishman was thrown back as if he had hit a wall, landing hard on his backside.

Referee Sarr raises his hands to the sides, indicating the attack is in the favor!

Roy advanced at high speed down the left flank, and several Chelsea attacking players quickly moved forward to support him.

Liverpool retreated quickly, with Alonso desperately tracking back from midfield and Gerrard also coming from the other side to cover.

Facing Carragher's defense, Roy used his right foot to flick the ball twice in succession to change direction, forcing the opponent to lower his center of gravity.

Immediately afterwards, he suddenly feigned a move to the outside of the court with his right foot to overtake Carragher. Carragher instinctively stepped forward, but Roy swiftly used the inside of his left foot to cut the ball sideways, slipping past Carragher from behind!

Then, with a flick of his right foot, he instantly burst into speed and charged into the penalty area!
Alonso seized the moment when Roy slowed down to adjust his pace and pressed close to him, but both players had already entered the penalty area. The Spaniard dared not foul and could only try to force Roy towards the byline by using his body to squeeze him.

Seeing this, Dudek quickly abandoned the gate and rushed out, forming a pincer movement with Alonso.

In just a second or two, the three approached each other at high speed.

Just as Dudek was about to pounce on his feet, Roy suddenly used the outside of his right foot to push to the right, while simultaneously lowering his shoulder and forcefully squeezing!

Alonso was confident that he could limit his opponent through physical confrontation, but he was surprised to find that Roy's explosive power far exceeded his expectations. This combination of power and speed made it difficult for him to cope!
In a flash, Dudek, who was diving with all his might, collided violently with Roy, who was trying to dodge the ball.

The Polish goalkeeper made Roy stumble, but just before losing his balance, Roy stretched out his left foot to the limit and used the momentum of his sprint to poke the ball into the near corner!
The ball grazed the post and rolled into the net, and Stamford Bridge erupted in cheers!
"GOAL!!! Roy's breakthrough was like Cromwell's iron cavalry charge, crushing the defense. Liverpool's defense was completely torn apart! This goal was crisp and clean, like a sickle cutting through a wheat field!"

The DJ's announcement came over Stamford Bridge:
"20th minute, Chelsea 1-0 Liverpool – Goal scorer, Chelsea number 10."

On the field, Roy, wearing a blue jersey, ran with his arms outstretched, then suddenly stopped at the corner flag, crossed his arms in front of his chest, and made his signature "Hell's Gate" celebration!
The entire Stamford Bridge was instantly ablaze, with tens of thousands of Chelsea fans roaring in unison:

"Roy!!!"

Benitez rubbed his eyes, Gerrard spat and opened his mouth to breathe heavily, the young Alonso was somewhat unconvinced but helpless, Roy even reached out to pull him up after scoring and patted him on the shoulder.

The competition has entered a heated phase.

In the 26th minute, Gerrard's shot from 22 meters out was blocked by Terry, Chelsea regained possession and launched a counter-attack, with Roy receiving the ball at the halfway line.

Biscan charged in from the side, his right leg sweeping down and his shoulder slamming into Roy's abdomen.

Roy instantly lost his balance, tumbling and crashing onto the grass, his jersey covered in grass clippings.

Roy quickly got up from the grass, brushed the grass off his jersey, glared at Biskan, and held up a finger: "Try it again?"

Biscan grinned coldly, backing away as he retorted, "Big stars can't handle physical contact? This is football, not ballet!"

Roy smirked coldly: "Oh, thanks for reminding me. I thought this was a ballet competition. Leading you 1-0 on the ballet stage is fine. But now... you'd better wake up your sleeping teammates! Otherwise, you'll have to pay for your own tickets to the stands when we go to Turkey for the final!"

Just as Biscan was about to retort, Roy continued, "Oh right, I remember you were the one who scored that 40-meter solo goal against Henry in 2004, the one who was the backdrop for his hat-trick, right? Poor thing, now Henry will remember you on TV again. After all, nobody on the field will pay attention to you, but you can't escape the TV cameras."

The two men's foreheads almost touched until the referee intervened and separated them.

The referee quickly stepped forward and gave Biscan a verbal warning, but did not show him a yellow card.

Henry was watching the game from his sofa at home in London when he suddenly frowned and sneezed.

"This kid is infuriating."

Chelsea then launched a series of attacks, with Lampard and Drogba both attempting shots but failing to hit the target.

For Liverpool, both Garcia and Traore's long-range shots went wide.

In the 38th minute, Gerrard delivered a precise cross, and Baros' threatening header was brilliantly saved by Cech and went out for a corner.

During this period, both sides switched between offense and defense very quickly, but neither was able to change the score.

Liverpool's right-back Finnan throws the ball in from the sideline, and center-back Carragher receives it in space on the right flank. Chelsea's left winger Roy and center-forward Drogba immediately launch their attacks, rushing towards Carragher from the left and right respectively to double-team him.

Liverpool's defensive midfielder Biscan quickly dropped back to receive the pass, but Chelsea's two forwards pressed too fast, and Carragher, before he could adjust his body position, hurriedly passed the ball across to Biscan.

As Biscan turned to receive the ball, Roy surged forward from the rear like an arrow. During his sprint, Roy cleverly bumped Biscan's back with his right shoulder, simultaneously flicking the pass forward with the outside of his left foot. The ball precisely sliced ​​through the gap between Carragher and Hyypia, rolling towards the penalty area. Given Roy's explosiveness and speed, this breakthrough was virtually unstoppable, a clear one-on-one opportunity.

In desperation, Biscan made a dangerous move: he first took a small step to adjust himself, then stretched out his right leg and swept it from the front towards Roy's crotch.

This is a foul that could cause serious injury.

Chelsea manager Mourinho on the sidelines and Lampard on the field both looked worried, while Cheryl in the stands covered her mouth in horror, and Chelsea fans erupted in angry shouts.

The sudden foul knocked Roy off balance, his sprint abruptly halted. But just when everyone thought he was about to collapse in pain, Roy, with his incredible core strength, regained his balance by twisting his waist and charged towards Liverpool's goal like a powerful, spirited horse.

"Roy! Roy! He's still dribbling the ball when Biscan gets knocked down..."

Biscan, who knocked Roy down with a scissor kick, was like Roy being forcibly thrown and flung away by a force in a whirlwind. He landed on the grass, unable to move, groaning in pain. He felt as if his leg bones were about to break at the moment of contact.

Roy suddenly accelerated with the ball, and Dudek was ready to react. But Roy immediately leaned his body and unleashed a right-footed shot after entering the box. The ball bounced off the goal line and into the net, and Dudek fell heavily to the ground amidst the tsunami of Chelsea fans.

"GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLL!!!!!!!!! Roy! It's Roy again!! He's like a charging bull!"

Finnan threw the ball in to Carragher, and Roy and Drogba immediately pounced on him like hungry tigers! Carragher was startled and scrambled to pass the ball to Biscan.

"But Roy didn't give him any time to think! He ran him over from behind! Biscan flew out like he'd been hit by a truck!"

BOOM!!! A powerful shot! The net is about to be torn apart! 2-0!!!

"That was brutal! From the tackle to the goal, Roy completely overwhelmed everyone with his body! Biscan is still lying on the ground!"

"Roy did touch the ball first when he charged, but the force was so great it turned a football into a rugby ball! The Stamford Bridge fans are going crazy!"

When the match was paused, both Liverpool's and Chelsea's team doctors quickly ran onto the field.

Biskan lay on the grass, his hands tightly covering his face, his expression one of extreme pain, his forehead covered in cold sweat.

His right leg was bent at an unnatural angle.

Liverpool players quickly surrounded him, Gerrard knelt down to check on him, and Carragher anxiously waved to the sidelines to indicate that a stretcher was needed.

The team doctors are examining Biscan's leg injury, and one of them is gesturing to the sidelines for a substitution.

The referee stood to the side, holding a yellow card and hesitating.

He first looked at the linesman, then turned to look at the fourth official on the sidelines.

After communicating with the assistant referee via headset, he finally approached Biscan and showed him a yellow card, even though Biscan was already in a daze.

This decision angered Liverpool players, with several players surrounding the referee to argue.

Biscan was already strapped to a stretcher and carried out of the venue by medical staff.

Liverpool's coaching staff immediately began preparing substitutions, and the substitutes on the bench started warming up.

Benitez frowned as he watched the stretcher carry Biscan away, then glanced at the substitutes' bench.

With only Kewell available as a substitute midfielder, he waved helplessly.

Kewell immediately got up to warm up, and Gerrard moved back from the attacking midfield position to the defensive midfield position.

Liverpool's midfield formation was forced to be rearranged, and Benitez was seen wringing his hands on the sidelines, clearly dissatisfied with this forced adjustment.

Mourinho looked at Roy with surprise, as Roy's physical attributes had always been quite outstanding.

However, he is not the heaviest in the team, and he used to be knocked away when fouled. Although he could always get up quickly and continue the game, he rarely got injured.

If it were Robben, he might have already missed most of the season due to injury.

But today, he not only withstood Biskan's malicious foul, but even knocked the opponent to the ground.

As the match progressed, Mourinho's doubts gradually dissipated.

The final whistle blew, and Chelsea defeated Liverpool 2-0 at home.

BBC presenter Gary Lineker captured the essence of the match with these words:
"At this moment, we can almost certainly predict the matchups for this year's Champions League final."

"AC Milan and Chelsea, two teams that displayed absolute dominance in the first leg of the semi-finals, are about to clash in an epic final. Looking back at yesterday's matches, AC Milan, playing at home in the San Siro, crushed French powerhouse and defending champions Monaco 3-0, the Rossoneri completely dismantling their opponents with their signature Italian counter-attacking style. And today, Chelsea delivered a similarly perfect performance at Stamford Bridge, defeating Premier League rivals Liverpool 2-0. Mourinho's team, with their impenetrable defense and thunderous counter-attacks, once again proved their championship potential."

"This potential final matchup contains too many intriguing elements. AC Milan, a traditional European powerhouse with six Champions League trophies, boasts world-class superstars such as Maldini, Shevchenko, and Kaka. Ancelotti's team not only inherits the tactical essence of Italian football but also continues the Rossoneri's reign of dominance in European competitions."

"Chelsea, a Premier League powerhouse built with heavy investment by Abramovich and meticulously crafted by Mourinho, is making an unstoppable push toward the top of Europe. Led by players like Drogba, Lampard, and Terry, the Blues possess both the power and grit of English football and the tactical discipline of the continental style."

"Especially their super striker Roy, the undisputed number one attacker in Europe, has been in unbelievably hot this season – he has scored over 60 goals in all competitions so far, including 15 key goals in the Champions League. His powerful goal against Liverpool today proves once again that no defender on this planet can stop this attacking machine that perfectly combines speed, power and shooting skills."

"If this matchup comes to fruition, we will witness one of the most exciting clashes in Champions League history: Milan's dazzling attacking talent against Chelsea's ironclad defense; Shevchenko and Kaká's skillful breakthroughs will face the impenetrable wall of Terry and Carvalho; and Pirlo's surgical passes will need to break through Makelele's midfield barrier."

"And Maldini, the legendary defender, is about to face one of Europe's most destructive attacking talents. In the twilight of his career, he will face off against Roy, who at just twenty years old has already swept across major leagues. This is the most symbolic generational clash in Champions League history, the ultimate collision of experience and talent. On one side is a master representing the art of traditional defense, and on the other is a rising force that is revolutionizing modern attacking concepts. Every tackle Maldini makes will be tested by the unprecedented speed and explosiveness of this young striker."

"This is not only a clash of two football philosophies, but also a direct dialogue between the old and new forces in European football. Regardless of the final result, this final held in Istanbul is destined to be recorded in the history of the Champions League."

Liverpool players walked briskly toward the players' tunnel with their heads down, as cheers from all around felt like knives.

The sighs of the fans, the celebrations of the opponents, the comments of the commentators—everyone believed they had been eliminated.

Gerrard suddenly stopped before stepping into the tunnel and turned to look at the pitch.

He clenched his fists.

He had a vague thought: This is not the end for the Red Army; we shouldn't admit defeat so humiliatingly.

(End of this chapter)