When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 257 Last Night's Crimson Demon Dream, Tonight's Blue Bridge Chant

At the post-match press conference, the heavy atmosphere almost froze.

Gerrard sat in front of the microphone, his eyes red-rimmed. He tried to speak several times, but his voice choked in his throat.

He lowered his head and remained silent for a long time, finally managing to squeeze out only one sentence: "We're only three minutes away from the final."

Benitez remained silent for a long time: "Football can be so cruel sometimes. We controlled the game for 93 minutes, but lost the most crucial 120 seconds. Roy's goal changed everything. And then, everything collapsed too quickly."

“We played very well today, with Gerrard scoring early on. When we were leading 1-0 in the first half, we completely controlled the game. Carragher, Finnan and Hamann were very successful in defending Roy, limiting his impact for most of the time.”

“Luis Garcia and Alonso played exceptionally well, helping us take the lead in the overall score at one point. With only two minutes left until the final, if the stoppage time hadn’t been so long, we would be the winners sitting here right now.”

"When you see the fans supporting us through thick and thin, cheering us on until the very last minute, it gives you more energy when you're running on the pitch. I've said before that our fans are the best in England, and now I can say they are the best in Europe."

"But what can we say now?"

The Spaniard wearily took off his glasses.

"All I can tell the players is to hold their heads up. This kind of defeat will be etched into our bones forever, but that's what makes us stronger."

At the end of the press conference, he left behind a quote that has been repeatedly cited since: "The Anfield miracle did not happen tonight because Chelsea created their own miracle."

Liverpool's performance this season has been lackluster, with injuries constantly impacting the team.

Their chances of finishing fourth in the league are slim.

But their performance in the cup competition was unexpected.

In the Champions League, Liverpool demonstrated tenacity from the group stage onwards.

They edged out Deportivo La Coruña to advance from the group stage, and then defeated Bundesliga powerhouse Bayer Leverkusen and Italian giants Juventus in the knockout stage.

Throughout the season's 14 Champions League matches, except for the two games against Chelsea, they never conceded more than one goal in a single match, and kept a clean sheet in seven of those games.

This team has a strong cup competition background.

In 2001, Liverpool achieved the remarkable feat of winning five cup competitions simultaneously: the League Cup, the FA Cup, the Community Shield, the UEFA Cup, and the UEFA Super Cup – a record that fans still take great pride in today.

Mourinho, on the other hand, experienced an emotional rollercoaster.

The team narrowly escaped defeat once again, making it difficult for him to feel pure joy at the victory.

In fact, this is the second time this has happened this season. Just before, in the FA Cup, Chelsea almost got eliminated as well.

As the head coach, he was fully aware of the seriousness of the problem.

The team has repeatedly underperformed in crucial battles, nearly making disastrous mistakes.

When facing the media, he chose to take all the responsibility upon himself.

Without shirking responsibility or making excuses, he knew this was a heavy burden that the head coach had to bear.

“The result of this game covered up many of our mistakes. I must admit that there were errors in everything from the selection of the starting lineup to the in-game adjustments. It was a misjudgment of my decision to let Liverpool completely control the midfield for the first 70 minutes, especially the lack of containment of Alonso and Gerrard. The defensive system was too passive in dealing with the opponent's attacks on the flanks, and that is my responsibility.”

"The players executed my tactical instructions, but obviously the plan didn't work. We were just two minutes away from elimination, which shouldn't have happened. In the end, we advanced more because of the individual brilliance of top players like Roy and Robben at crucial moments, as well as a bit of luck."

“We need to make immediate adjustments. First, we need to reorganize our defense; conceding three goals today is unacceptable. Second, we need to address the midfield connection issues; there's a lack of effective coordination between Lampard and Makelele. Finally, we need to figure out how to maintain our attacking threat while avoiding a repeat of the second-half collapse in terms of physical condition.”

“With three weeks until the final, every day is crucial. Istanbul will not give us a second chance, and our opponents will not give us another 90 minutes to adjust. Today’s narrow escape is a wake-up call; we must do better.”

Reporters' cameras all turned to Roy, and flashes instantly enveloped him.

Mourinho extended his palm in his direction, signaling the hero to say a few words.

Roy's remarks revealed a rare candor and self-reflection:

“I must admit that Liverpool played better than us tonight. They were like a real army, constantly attacking our defense, which made us complacent, fearful, and even lose confidence at times, which rarely happens to Chelsea.”

"It felt like Shankly's spirit still lingered in this stadium, and Liverpool's fighting spirit caught us off guard. We've beaten them four times this season, but tonight they almost won the most crucial game. We actually lost the game and only barely made it through because of our previous advantage. It's a very unpleasant feeling."

"There's a saying I've always agreed with: courage is the hymn of humanity. Liverpool today perfectly exemplified the meaning of that statement. In football, we encounter all sorts of different opponents, some stronger than us, some weaker. But against any opponent, we need to maintain the same courage and take them seriously. If luck hadn't been on our side, we might be the ones eliminated right now."

"But luck was on our side because we never gave up. This game taught us a lot of lessons. We beat Liverpool, but we also need to learn from their excellent qualities. This will make us better and make Chelsea stronger."

When Roy mentioned "Liverpool's courage" and Shankly, a voice suddenly burst out from the crowd, almost crying, "Yeah!"

The Liverpool beat reporter took off his glasses and wiped his reddened eyes with the back of his hand.

Applause rang out sporadically from a corner of the press room, but soon joined in.

A deep male voice choked with emotion as he shouted, "Bring the championship trophy back to England!"

The shout made the applause even more enthusiastic, and several photographers who were packing up their equipment stopped what they were doing and joined in the applause.

When the flashbulbs went off again, they illuminated a series of moved faces: Liverpool reporters with tears in their eyes, London media professionals nodding with pursed lips, and Chelsea reporters silently pressing their recorders to their foreheads.

In that moment, football transcended victory and defeat.

In a post-match interview, Lampard detailed the injury: "The injury is between my little toe and fourth toe; there's a wound there. The team doctor will do some simple treatment before the match, so it shouldn't affect my game much, but I feel pain from time to time. I plan to play through the pain until after the Champions League final before undergoing surgery."

He added, "Terry is also suffering from a similar injury, but his condition is much more serious than mine."

When asked if there was a dispute in the dressing room during halftime, Lampard frankly replied: "Indeed. Roy directly pointed out that we weren't focused enough. This wasn't criticism, but rather his responsibility as captain. If we had ultimately lost 2-3 to Liverpool and been eliminated, this night would have been a permanent regret, and you would have kept asking yourself why you couldn't have been more focused."

“Some opportunities only come once in a lifetime. You have to seize them firmly. Roy did this to the extreme. I have never seen such a determined player. That is why he was able to accomplish those seemingly impossible tasks.”

Although the match ended 1-3 at the Stade Louis II with AC Milan players celebrating and Monaco players and fans shedding tears, the 3-1 scoreline shows that, in this match alone, Monaco was the winner and AC Milan was the loser.

Looking back at AC Milan's 180-minute two-legged tie, it was as perilous as a raft adrift at sea, with every moment potentially a repeat of the nightmare against Deportivo La Coruña.
Just 11 minutes into the game, Monaco, playing at home, broke through Dida's goal, ending AC Milan's 625-minute clean sheet record. They were now 32 minutes short of the record set by Van der Sar at Ajax.

When a two-goal lead was reduced to one, some AC Milan players may have already begun to feel uneasy.

In the first half, Squillaci's header slammed into the crossbar. Had the ball gone just a little bit lower, the first half would have been a near repeat of the match against Deportivo La Coruña on April 7th last year.

After Pršo scored a header in the 60th minute, the score was tied again.

However, the so-called level playing field is only on paper. In reality, Monaco already has a clear advantage: they have the home advantage and fielded a reserve team against Toulouse in the last league match, meaning their main players have far more physical reserves than AC Milan, who have been playing a series of tough matches.

If the match goes into extra time or even a penalty shootout, Monaco, as the team that comes from behind, will have a greater psychological advantage, and AC Milan's chances of advancing will be in jeopardy.

In the 90th minute, just as the game was about to go into extra time, Ambrosini passed the ball to the left wing from midfield.

Kaladze received the pass near the sideline and immediately played a through ball forward. Kaká controlled the ball, made a slight adjustment, and delivered a cross with his right foot before Bernardi could block him.

Ambrosini quickly surged forward, leaping to head the ball from 7 meters in front of the goal.

Although Roma touched the ball with their left fingertips, they couldn't stop it from flying into the far corner, and AC Milan made it 4-3 on aggregate with this goal.

On the sidelines, Blanco pounded the ground in frustration, while Ancelotti and assistant coach Tassotti embraced each other excitedly.

This crucial goal saved AC Milan from extra time, securing the victory in the final moments.

Nesta said after the match: "We had a very tough game, and at one point we seemed to see the shadow of Deportivo La Coruña."

UEFA's post-match statistics show that Monaco had 12 shots, far exceeding AC Milan's 7, and also held a dominant 61% possession rate compared to AC Milan's 39%.

In addition to the three goals they scored, Monaco also created several other dangerous attacks: in the 27th minute, Squillaci's seemingly inevitable header slammed into the crossbar.

With the score at 2-0, Arshavin skillfully nutmegged his opponent and fired a low shot that hit the post.

In the 7th minute of the second half, Ribery had a chance to poke the ball in front of the goal, but he failed to score due to insufficient power. However, these attacks put continuous pressure on AC Milan's defense.

Before the match, Gazzetta dello Sport pointed out that Ancelotti was hesitant in choosing between attack and defense.

He wanted to score a goal to secure the victory, but he was also worried that conceding a goal would cause the situation to spiral out of control, so he ultimately fielded a formation that was not clear enough.

The Christmas tree formation was originally intended to strengthen the defense, and Seedorf was chosen instead of Rui Costa as the attacking midfielder because of his defensive and running abilities. However, Seedorf is not a natural attacking midfielder, and his awkward performance in this position directly led to a disconnect between AC Milan's attack and defense.

On the defensive end, the team was too conservative, not daring to control the ball and organize attacks, and instead frequently opting for long passes to attack behind the defense.

However, Shevchenko was not in good form and was unable to utilize his speed advantage.

A series of long-pass errors gave Monaco the opportunity to continue their siege.

AC Milan only regained their form and began to show their true strength after falling behind 0-2. Pirlo's number of passes in the last 20 minutes even exceeded the total number in the first 70 minutes.

For the first 70 minutes, the midfield maestro was almost reduced to a workhorse, and the whole team fell into a simple destructive defense, which stemmed from an excessive fear of conceding a goal, especially after the opponent scored early.

Possession has always been AC Milan's greatest strength and the core of Ancelotti's tactics over the years.

But once they abandon their possession-based style of play, the team becomes mediocre and ineffective.

Whether it was against Deportivo La Coruña last season or against Barcelona away this season, AC Milan opted for a conservative tactic when they had the upper hand (a draw against Barcelona would have secured their qualification for the knockout stage), and ultimately suffered the consequences.

It's hard to achieve good results if you can't stick to your own style; this advancement can only be attributed to good luck.

In the post-match press conference, Ancelotti spoke in detail about Chelsea, their opponent in the Champions League final: "We must study Chelsea in the most detailed way. This team's performance this season has been perfect. They have not only won the Premier League and League Cup double, but also reached the finals of both the FA Cup and the Champions League. Statistically, they are the most balanced team in Europe this season, ranking among the top in goals scored, and their defense is rock solid."

“I paid special attention to their game at Anfield. Liverpool led 3-0 for 92 minutes, but Chelsea showed the resilience and depth of a championship team and ultimately completed a stunning comeback. This fully illustrates the characteristics of this team: never give up and always ready to deliver a fatal blow to the opponent.”

"Mourinho's record in European competitions is awe-inspiring. He has led the team to the European finals for three consecutive years, and has already won a UEFA Cup title and a Champions League runner-up finish. His tactical philosophy is pragmatic and efficient, and he can always develop targeted solutions based on the characteristics of the opponents. Under his guidance, Chelsea has almost no obvious weaknesses, and every position is well-balanced."

"We are facing not only a team with a star-studded lineup, but also a well-functioning tactical system. However, there are no invincible champions in the Champions League final, and we need to be extremely meticulous in our tactical preparation and on-field adaptability."

"At the same time, we must pay special attention to Roy. He is in excellent form right now and can be considered the best striker in European football. This season, he has scored 16 goals in 14 Champions League games, which is an amazing efficiency. In the Premier League, he has contributed 38 goals and 19 assists in 35 games, which proves his decisive influence on the game."

"He has continued his excellent performance from last season. Last season, he broke the Champions League single-season goal record with 17 goals, helping Monaco win the treble. Today, we are facing another strong Monaco. Roy has already scored 16 goals in the Champions League this season since his transfer to Chelsea, which shows that he can perform equally well in different systems. Although this number is already amazing, our defenders will do their best to stop him from scoring more goals."

“To be honest, we tried to sign him two summers ago. I called him personally, and we had a good talk. He expressed his respect for Milan and had a good relationship with several of our players. But at that time, he decided to stay at Monaco, and everyone knows what happened after that. He is indeed a very good player, and he is only 20 years old.”

"But we are confident we can stop him. For a team like Milan, this is not an impossible task. Besides, we also have some excellent strikers in our team."

"Facing a formidable opponent like Chelsea, we need to be fully prepared. They have a top scorer like Roy, and the team's tactical execution and discipline are excellent. The combination of these two aspects will pose a serious challenge to us. But we also have our own advantages. Our players have experienced many crucial matches and know how to handle pressure. This final will definitely be tough, but it will surely be a spectacular showdown."

"The Champions League final often hinges on the smallest margins, leaving no room for luck. We must maintain 100% focus, without a moment's slackening from the opening whistle to the final whistle. The fact that both of our teams only secured victory in the final moments of the semi-finals shows how tenacious Chelsea is, and also proves that we possess the same indomitable fighting spirit and composure under pressure. Such an opponent makes the final even more valuable, and the victory even more precious."

On the flight from Nice to Milan, Nesta sat next to Pirlo: "We'll have to take on that kid, won't we? I mean, that French kid."

Pirlo suddenly burst out laughing: "What, are you scared? That kid in America gave you a real run for your money last summer, if it weren't for Paul always cleaning up your mess."

"Bullshit! I admit he's strong, but I'm not one to be trifled with either. It just so happened that my cleats slipped."

Maldini sat in the front row by the window, flipping through match information.

Hearing Nesta's words, the corners of his mouth turned up slightly, but he said nothing, only gently shaking his head.

"I don't want to waste words."

Nesta snorted, "I'll go to the video room as soon as we land. I have to go through all his habitual movements tonight. But... that kid's first step is unbelievably fast."

Pirlo finally dropped his teasing expression and nodded seriously: "Don't worry, I'll keep him occupied in midfield for a while. But in the end, it'll still depend on your tackle."

"roll!"

Nesta grabbed the blanket from his seat and covered his face, but a muffled voice came from under the blanket: "...Remember to provide cover."

On May 5, 2005, the city of Milan was completely immersed in the ecstasy of advancing to the Champions League final.

The front page of the early morning edition of Gazzetta dello Sport featured a huge headline: "Istanbul, here we come!"

The accompanying photo is a snapshot of the moment Ambrosini scored with a header.

In the corner coffee shop, the owner sprinkled red and black powdered sugar on each cup of coffee, and the radio played a replay of last night's game highlights.

"I bet Shevchenko will score in the final."

An elderly fan wearing a Baresi jersey slammed his fist on the breakfast table, shouting, "Chelsea's defenders simply can't stop him!"

His friend immediately retorted, "Come on, the key is to stop that French kid; he runs like lightning."

"Why won't that French kid come to Milan? Papin couldn't prove himself there, he should definitely come and give it a try. The best players should wear the red and black jersey, isn't that a law of the football world?"

"Alright, alright. Things aren't like they used to be. Some players don't want to come to Serie A anymore. Italy's terrible environment means the government treats clubs like ATMs, relentlessly collecting taxes. Building a new stadium can take over a decade of wrangling with bureaucrats, and even getting approval for a decent training facility can drag on until a player retires."

"Those politicians just hype up the world's best league on the front page of Gazzetta dello Sport, and then Parliament passes a new tax law that scares away half of the club sponsors. If Berlusconi hadn't used Mediaset TV's money to cover it up, they wouldn't have been able to afford to rent Crespo last summer!"

"A new stadium? The English can start building the Emirates Stadium whenever they want, while we and Inter Milan have been arguing about the turf replacement plan for the San Siro for years. No wonder Weah said back then that Serie A was committing slow suicide."

Almost every channel on television stations has been dedicated to Champions League coverage.

The sports channel is currently airing a special documentary, "The Road to Milan," which provides a detailed overview of every key battle from the group stage to the final.

The commentator analyzed Kaká's long-range goal against Monaco in the semi-final with an excited tone, repeatedly showing the wonderful moment when he dribbled past three players in slow motion.

"What does the seventh Champions League trophy mean? It means that we have officially surpassed Liverpool to become the second most successful club in Champions League history, second only to Real Madrid. Think about it, it has taken us 42 years to accomplish this feat since we first won the title in 1963. This means that the Milan dynasty under Berlusconi will be forever etched in history, just as great as Rivera's Milan in the 60s."

"Look at the lineup of opponents we faced along the way. In the group stage, we faced Barcelona and Celtic, then we beat Manchester United, Inter Milan and Monaco in the knockout stage, and finally we faced Chelsea in the final. It was no easy journey, and every victory was hard-earned. Especially in the quarter-final against Inter Milan, we proved ourselves to be the true kings of Milan in the derby."

"Winning our seventh Champions League title would be incredibly meaningful for Milan. During this period of economic downturn, football is the city's greatest pride. If we can win in Istanbul, we will witness the rise of a new generation of Rossoneri."

"A seventh title would continue Milan's glorious tradition. From Nordahl to Rivera, from Van Basten to Shevchenko, now it's Kaká and Pirlo's generation's turn to write a new legend. But first, we must defeat the mighty Chelsea in the final."

Milan fans stared intently at the television screen.

Cheers erupted in the bar, and the clinking of beer glasses filled the air.

"That victory over Inter Milan was so satisfying!"

A fan, his face flushed, slammed his fist on the table and shouted.

Others immediately chimed in: "Now it's Chelsea's turn! They'll teach that Portuguese madman and that French kid a lesson!"

When veteran fans heard names like Nordahl and Rivera, their expressions turned solemn.

Someone pointed to the photos of AC Milan stars from different eras hanging on the wall and said to the young people around him, "When Kaká and the others bring back the trophy, this wall should be replaced with new photos."

When the program played highlights of AC Milan's journey to the Champions League finals, the entire bar sang the Milan anthem in unison.

"Milan, Milan, solo con te! Milan, Milan, sempre per te! (Milan, Milan, we fight only for you! Milan, Milan, we'll always follow you!)"

People were coming and going in the corridor of Italy Channel 1, with staff members hurrying back and forth carrying documents.

Federica Fontana wore high heels, her long legs particularly striking under the black stockings.

She wore a tight-fitting red dress with a neckline that was just right, revealing her delicate collarbone.

Her long, golden waves swayed gently with her steps, exuding a faint fragrance.

The director handed her a list of interviewees: "You know all these Milan players, especially Inzaghi. By the way, have you been in touch with Inzaghi lately? You haven't had any disagreements, have you? The station hopes to dig up some behind-the-scenes information from the locker room, like their true thoughts on the final."

She smiled and pushed the list back, a meaningful smile playing on her red lips: "I'd rather interview Roy."

Seeing the director's surprised expression, she leaned closer and lowered her voice: "We had a pleasant conversation in Palermo in 2003. He was only eighteen then, and we've met at Milan Fashion Week in the last two years. He's indeed a very charming man. We also met in Paris last year."

Her fingertips lightly traced the interview outline on the table: "Just imagine, Milan's biggest enemy is giving an exclusive interview before the final. The ratings will explode."

"This idea is perfect! Before the Champions League final, all of Italy is speculating about Milan and Chelsea's tactics, and we have an exclusive interview with their star player. Fontana, you're a genius! We can do a special episode called 'The Eve of the Final: Roy's Inner Monologue,' with that private, authentic atmosphere. The audience will go crazy; they'll want to know what this man who's giving Milan's defense so much trouble is like in private. We can air it during prime time... wait, this episode should be split into two parts, the first part before the final, and the second part after! It'll be interesting no matter who wins. My God, this will definitely be the highest-rated football interview of the season!"

But the director frowned and hesitated, saying, "Roy only ever gives interviews to professional sports media outlets like L'Équipe, and he's very strict about his personal image. Are you really sure you can persuade him to make an exception? Our program isn't a professional sports platform, after all."

She turned and walked toward the dressing room, her high heels clicking crisply on the marble floor.

The staff members who passed by couldn't help but glance at her a few more times.

Fontana knew her strengths. She smoothed her hair, turned back to the director, and winked: "Trust me, he's a gentleman."

In London, Roy's back muscles sculpted a perfect V-shape under the gym lights, and with each pull of the lat pulldown machine, sweat dripped down his muscle grooves.

He had just finished his last set of pull-ups, his bronze shoulder blades undulating like the outstretched wings of an eagle.

As I picked up the protein powder shaker, the veins in my biceps were still throbbing, and my phone screen lit up on the nutrition supplement counter.

"Hey"

A cheerful Italian female voice came from the other end of the phone.

“Dear Roy, my Premier League superstar, your Italian is getting sexier and sexier.”

“Thank you.” Roy raised an eyebrow. “I have an interesting suggestion. Would you be interested in doing an exclusive interview in London? We can talk about Chelsea’s extraordinary season, and of course, some special topics that only you can answer.”

"It wasn't a stiff press conference, just the two of us. A relaxed conversation. You know, the audience wants to see the real Roy, not the version packaged by the PR team."

"London is your territory, you choose the location. Of course, if you want a bit of an Italian feel, I can arrange a more private setting. After all, some stories are more interesting off-camera, aren't they?"

"Think about it? This would be a unique interview. Just as memorable as our previous conversations."

He frowned slightly: "It's worth considering, but the schedule is very tight recently. Also, the club has rules against touching on tactical details and locker room topics."

"If we're talking about Milan Fashion Week or Italian football, we could schedule an afternoon tea. The only thing is that you guys be careful with the editing; you know José's temper."

With the Champions League final just around the corner, Roy, Chelsea's star player and FIFA World Player of the Year, has every minute meticulously planned.

However, given the influence of the Italian media, this interview might be worth considering.

Just like the psychological warfare that is common before a match, this can also be part of the tactical game.

Roy put on his sharp suit jacket and straightened his tie.

Outside, Heathlen had already parked his car in front of the door and was waiting.

Today is an important day; he is going to receive the Best Player award from the British Journalists Association.

This honor, chosen by a vote of veteran sports journalists, is a significant recognition of his outstanding performance this season.

The two traditional Premier League awards for this season have been officially announced.

After winning the Premier League Player of the Year award a week ago, Roy has now won the Player of the Year award from the British Journalists Association.

In this honor voted on by football journalists, Roy won by a landslide, his Chelsea teammate Lampard came in second, and Liverpool defender Carragher came in third.

In the official Premier League Player of the Year voting, Terry came in second and Lampard ranked third.

However, Terry's situation was different in the British Journalists Association's awards selection.

Due to recent off-field controversies, including a scandal involving a brawl, coupled with a decline in his influence within Chelsea, he ultimately failed to make the Writers' Association's shortlist for Player of the Year.

This result reflects the media's criteria for judging players' overall performance both on and off the court.

It's worth mentioning that Lampard also came in second in the previous poll, losing to Arsenal's Henry.

These two awards have always been regarded as important symbols of individual honors for Premier League players.

5月7日，英超37轮，切尔西在主场1-0战胜查尔顿。

Makelele scored his first goal in two years since joining the team, and substitutes such as Gremi, Fussel and Cudicini got their chance to play.

On the same day, The Sun exclusively published Mourinho's thank-you letter to Everton manager Moyes.

Although several Chelsea players confirmed that the letter was simply the result of a pre-match bet between Mourinho and his players, Manchester United fans generally believe it is a public provocation against the club.

This sarcastic thank-you letter has sparked heated debate in English football, especially since some of its contents have been seen as deliberate insults by Manchester United supporters.

Although Mourinho's side said it was just a joke, the incident has exacerbated the tension between Chelsea and Manchester United.

Open letter of thanks to Mr. David Moyes

(Published in The Sun, May 2005)
Title: José Mourinho's Handwritten Confession: A Portuguese Man's Heartfelt Confession to the Scots

Dear Mr. Moyes:

First of all, please allow me to embrace you with the most Portuguese enthusiasm.

Of course, it was across the newspaper pages.

I must express my sincerest gratitude to you and your Everton team.

You may not know this, but in the locker room before the match, I half-jokingly said that if Everton could beat Manchester United for us, I would write a thank-you letter for them in The Sun.

But at this moment I must solemnly declare: this is by no means a hypocritical formality between Premier League managers, but rather the highest tribute from one man to another to the wisdom of football.

We were battling Arsenal at Stamford Bridge when Duncan Ferguson scored his signature header against Manchester United.

The moment that goal came, the outcome of the championship, which would have required another round to determine, suddenly became clear: we had won the title ahead of schedule.

It's quite a coincidence: a player named Ferguson (Duncan) defeated another Sir Alex Ferguson's team with a header.

Fate sometimes plays such interesting jokes.

Your team's tenacious performance helped us secure the championship, which was more perfect than any plan.

Thank you again for your outstanding performance and that of the entire Everton team.

If you ever visit London again, please feel free to visit Stamford Bridge. I would be happy to thank you in person.

Your eternal "debtor," José Mourinho.

P.S.: Enclosed with this letter is a bottle of aged Porto red wine. May this fine wine from my hometown bring you a lingering aftertaste as memorable as the result of that match.

P.S.: If Professor Wenger asks about this letter, please tell him it's the Premier League version of "The Old Man and the Sea".

The old fisherman (you) caught the big fish (Manchester United), and the Portuguese (I) was responsible for making it into paella (the championship trophy).

Moyes burst into laughter upon seeing the letter, clearly amused by Mourinho's teasing.

Ferguson, his face ashen, paced back and forth in the corridors of the Carrington training ground, not daring to approach even his closest assistant coaches.

In an interview, Wenger first politely praised Mourinho for "keeping his promises with great professionalism," then added meaningfully, "However, a true gentleman should know that grace in victory is more important than victory itself."

Ahead of Chelsea's away game against Manchester United in the 33rd round of the Premier League on May 10, Mourinho's previous remarks mocking Manchester United added extra tension to the match.

Everton's earlier thwarting of Manchester United indirectly helped Chelsea secure the title early, and Mourinho's high-profile thank-you letter was seen as provocative by Manchester United, making the already intense Red-Blue rivalry even more tense.

Manchester United viewed this match as a chance for revenge. In a rare move, Ferguson did not congratulate Chelsea at the pre-match press conference, but instead emphasized that "the best response on the football pitch is always to let your feet do the talking."

Chelsea remained low-key, with Mourinho only stating that he would "go to Old Trafford with respect." However, British media generally believe that the result of this rescheduled match will have a significant impact on the psychological state of both teams next season.

Before the match, the focus was on whether Manchester United would unleash extraordinary fighting power because they were being used as a backdrop for the title win, and whether Chelsea, who had already secured the title, could maintain their focus at their arch-rivals' home ground.

This subtle psychological game became the biggest highlight of this rescheduled match, which was originally irrelevant to the rankings.

"Sir Alex Ferguson deployed a diamond midfield, with Carroll in goal, and the defense consisting of Neville, Brown, Ferdinand, and Silvestre; the midfield trio was Fletcher, Keane, and Scholes, with Rooney lurking behind the two strikers Van Nistelrooy and Ronaldo. This attacking formation was clearly designed to win at home!"

"Mourinho has made adjustments to the classic lineup of his championship-winning team. Cudicini will replace Cech in goal, and the Italian goalkeeper's performance may influence Ferguson's summer transfer plans. In defense, Maicon and Huth will replace Terry, who will miss the last two league games and the national team's US tour due to toe surgery, along with Carvalho and Abidal; Makelele will anchor the midfield, with Lampard and Thiago controlling the midfield; and the attacking trident of Robben, Drogba, and Roy will be ready to tear apart the opponent's defense!"

In the players' tunnel, Mourinho reached out his hand to Manchester United captain Roy Keane, but only received a cold nod in return.

Keane pursed his lips, staring straight ahead, never making eye contact with the Chelsea manager.

Roy also extended his hand to the Manchester United captain and addressed him as "Keane."

Roy Keane corrected him coldly, "It's Roy Keane. Or you can call me Mr. Keane."

Roy withdrew his hand and shrugged. "Fine, Roy Keane. But you'd better not let anyone call you Roy alone."

He pointed to the name on the back of his jersey: "Otherwise, everyone in the world would think you're calling my name."

At Ferguson's instruction, Manchester United players mechanically lined up in two rows at the tunnel entrance, welcoming the newly crowned champions Chelsea with short bursts of applause.

The applause was interspersed with a few boos.

Some came from the stands, and some came from Manchester United players in the queue.

Van Nistelrooy clapped his hands perfunctorily twice and turned away, while the young and impetuous Ronaldo stared at the ground the whole time and never raised his arm.

After the match began, Manchester United immediately displayed a strong desire to attack.

Just 70 seconds into the game, Ronaldo unleashed a long-range shot from 25 yards out on the left wing, but the ball went just wide of the near post.

In the 3rd minute, Rooney made a strong breakthrough on the right wing and crossed the ball near the byline. Gary Neville cleverly headed the ball on at the near post. Scholes collided with Chelsea goalkeeper Cudicini while rushing in from the middle, and the referee blew the whistle to award a foul to the Manchester United midfielder.

Manchester United's attack created another threat in the 7th minute.

They quickly took a free kick in the attacking third, and Ronaldo unleashed a powerful shot from 28 yards out on the right, but Cudicini made a diving save to push the ball out for a corner.

Manchester United's relentless pressure finally paid off in the 8th minute.

After Chelsea cleared the corner, Scholes' long-range shot was blocked by Huth.

Rooney delivered a bizarre pass-and-shoot from the left edge of the penalty area. Cudicini misjudged the angle and failed to block it, allowing Van Nistelrooy to easily tap the ball into the empty net with his left foot from four yards out.

Despite protests from Chelsea players that Van Nistelrooy was offside, television replays showed that the linesman's decision was correct.

This is Chelsea's 13th goal conceded in the league this season.

In the 11th minute, Manchester United began to patiently build up play from their own half, with Carroll making a short pass to Roy Keane, who had dropped back.

Chelsea striker Didier Drogba immediately stepped up to apply pressure, but Roy Keane calmly turned and passed the ball to Gary Neville on the right wing.

At this moment, Chelsea captain Roy quickly instructed his teammates to tighten their formation, and the whole team immediately switched to a 4-5-1 defensive position.

Neville and Fletcher executed a one-two pass, and after Abidal was beaten, Makelele immediately filled in to block Fletcher's path forward.

Fletcher was forced to pass across to Scholes in the middle, at which point Chelsea's midfield trio of Lampard, Makelele, and Thiago Mendes immediately formed a triangular encirclement, forcing Scholes to pass back to Keane.

After observing the situation, Keane opted for a long pass to the left wing to find Silvestre, but Maicon had anticipated this and positioned himself in advance.

At the same time, Thiago Mendes quickly moved inside, forming a double-team with Maicon.

After managing to control the ball, Silvestre found that Rooney's passing lanes had been blocked, so he had no choice but to pass it back to Ferdinand.

Ferdinand tried to pass diagonally to Rooney who was making a forward run, but Lampard had already dropped back from the attacking midfield position to the defensive midfield area.

As soon as Rooney controlled the ball, Lampard pressed him closely, while Roy directed Carvalho to come forward and help defend.

Rooney attempted a backheel pass to the overlapping Ronaldo, but the alert Lampard intercepted it with a long leg.

After intercepting the ball, Lampard immediately looked up and saw that Robben, who had dropped back, was in open space on the right wing.

A precise 20-meter diagonal pass found the Dutch winger, Robben controlled the ball beautifully and turned, this move became the starting point of the entire counter-attack.

At the same time, Roy immediately started a cross-run, cutting diagonally from the left side of the field to the right flank, constantly looking back to observe Robben's passing route during his sprint.

On the other side, Drogba maintained a steady pace as he moved forward, drawing Manchester United's defensive attention while also creating space for subsequent attacks.

Robben controlled the ball steadily, playing a key attacking pivot role in the middle.

Manchester United's defense displayed a high level of alertness at this moment.

The center-back Ferdinand sensed danger the moment Roy started his run. He desperately chased back towards the penalty area while frequently turning his head to observe the situation on the field.

Another center-back, Brown, also quickly tracked back from a slightly forward position, attempting to block possible passing lanes.

Robben calmly observed everything, and just before Brown was about to block the passing angle, he pushed out a powerful through ball with his right foot. The ball traveled across the entire field at an astonishing speed, skimming along the grass.

At this moment, Roy on the right wing had pushed his speed to the limit, and he was running wildly along the sideline like a runaway horse.

Upon receiving the ball, Roy displayed perfect ball control skills: he first gently poked the ball forward one meter with his right foot, and then quickly touched the ball three times in succession to adjust his footing.

Facing the retreating Ferdinand, Roy began a series of dazzling dribbling attempts:
First, Roy feinted to the right, pretending to use the outside of his right foot to flick the ball to the outside. Ferdinand cautiously shifted his weight slightly to the right.

Then came a beautiful stepover, with Roy's right leg going over the ball while his left foot suddenly twisted the ball inwards.

Just as Ferdinand adjusted his center of gravity, Roy unexpectedly shoved the ball powerfully to the right front with the outside of his right foot.

Despite Ferdinand keeping his body close to Roy and his left arm pressed against Roy's waist, Roy still managed to gain a half-body advantage thanks to his explosive power.

At the crucial moment when he was about to break into the penalty area, Roy suddenly bent his left arm, a subtle but powerful tackle that caused Ferdinand to lose his balance and stagger back half a step.

In that split second, Roy unleashed a powerful low shot with his right foot before Roy Keane could make a sliding tackle to cover him.

The ball flew like an arrow, skimming the grass, whistling past Carroll's outstretched right leg, and precisely nestling into the far corner of the goal.

Chelsea's attacking onslaught reached its climax in just two minutes.

In the 17th minute, defensive midfielder Makelele intercepted the ball near the center circle and immediately passed it to Thiago Mendes on the right wing.

The Portuguese midfielder made a slight adjustment and suddenly unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from 30 yards out. The powerful long-range shot struck the inside of the right post and deflected sharply into the net.

Manchester United goalkeeper Carroll made a desperate dive, but the ball's angle was too tricky, and he could only watch helplessly as it went into the net.

A classic "world-class" goal put Chelsea ahead 2-1.

Before Manchester United players could recover from the blow of conceding a goal, two minutes later Chelsea faced another dangerous situation in front of their goal.

Cristiano Ronaldo won a free kick on the left wing, and he took the shot himself, lobbing the ball into the penalty area.

Lampard misjudged the ball during the aerial challenge, and his header clearance went straight into his own goal.

The ball flew out of bounds, grazing the crossbar with an uncanny arc, giving Cudicini a fright.

Upon seeing the danger from the sidelines, Ferguson immediately waved to his players to push forward and attack.

But Chelsea scored again in the 61st minute.

As Chelsea orchestrated their attack in midfield, Roy astutely spotted a gap that suddenly appeared in Manchester United's defense.

He delivered a surgical through ball from the center circle, the ball passing perfectly through the gap between Brown and Ferdinand.

Although Ferdinand tried his best to intercept, he was a step too slow and could only watch helplessly as the ball slid past his toes.

At that moment, Drogba sped off like a cheetah, taking the ball before Silvestre could track back.

The Ivorian striker dribbled the ball forward and suddenly slowed down just before entering the penalty area. This change in rhythm caused Ferdinand, who was rushing back, to completely lose his defensive position.

Facing Carroll who rushed out of his goal, Drogba deftly flicked the ball with the instep of his right foot near the penalty spot. The ball traced an elegant parabola, sailing over the goalkeeper's head before dipping into the net.

3-1.

In the 81st minute, Ronaldo received a through ball from Scholes on the left wing, suddenly accelerated past Maicon's marking, dribbled into the left side of the penalty area, and unleashed a powerful right-footed shot from 18 yards out. The ball whistled through the air and curved just wide of the far post, and Manchester United missed a golden opportunity to pull one back.

Just as the home fans were lamenting the attack, Chelsea immediately delivered the fatal blow.

In the 82nd minute, Brown attempted a long diagonal pass from the left side of the backfield to Gary Neville on the right wing, but the pass lacked power. The astute Lampard intercepted the ball midway and then dribbled down the left wing. Gary Neville desperately chased back but was always half a body length behind. After breaking into the left side of the penalty area, Lampard did not try to score himself but calmly passed the ball across to Roy, who was making a run into the middle. Roy displayed exceptional football intelligence, not stopping the ball but deftly flicking it to the left with his right foot. The ball was perfectly placed at the feet of Abidal, who had cut inside the penalty area. The French full-back, before Fletcher could block him, delivered a precise low cross with his left foot. Thiago Mendes, who was positioned 6 yards out, easily tapped the ball into the empty net.

"GOAL!!! Chelsea have killed the game! 4-1!! An unbelievable score! The unstoppable Blues! Mourinho's team has unleashed a perfect storm at Old Trafford! Roy, Drogba, Lampard, Thiago! Multiple players contributing! Manchester United's defense has been completely torn apart!"

"Look at this goal! Flowing like water! Lampard intercepts the ball! Roy's moment of brilliance! Abidal's precise cross! Thiago's decisive strike! Manchester United players are stunned; they simply can't keep up with Chelsea's pace!"

"Manchester United lost all four of their matches against Chelsea throughout the season, and also surrendered second place in the league to Arsenal."

"Manchester United have lost all four of their matches against Chelsea this season, completely outmatched. Arsenal also snatched their second-place position in the league. Although Chelsea had already secured the title, Manchester United shouldn't have played so poorly. Tonight, they were utterly humiliated by Chelsea; the difference in strength between the two sides was too obvious. Arsenal, while also not beating Chelsea, at least played a much more entertaining game. Manchester United? Their loss was truly humiliating! Chelsea's 4-1 victory is a resounding triumph that will go down in history!"

This goal ignited the passion of Chelsea fans who had traveled with the team, while Old Trafford fell into a deathly silence. A large number of Manchester United fans began to leave the stadium early. Ferguson looked livid on the sidelines, while Mourinho celebrated with his coaching staff.

Ferguson stood on the grass and clapped his hands, resigned to his fate.

"Perhaps the media is right this time."

There is indeed a gap that is difficult to bridge between Manchester United and Chelsea.

At the post-match press conference, when a BBC reporter asked Roy to comment on Manchester United's performance, the Chelsea captain paused for three seconds, then uttered a few words expressionlessly:

Not even as good as Liverpool.

An uproar immediately erupted in the stadium, and Sky Sports' microphones clearly picked up the sound of Manchester United's press officer gasping for breath.

Just as the reporters were excitedly awaiting more explosive remarks, Roy suddenly stopped sneer and said seriously, "This is an encouragement."

He tapped the table with his fingertips as he spoke.

"A powerhouse like Manchester United should be measured by a higher standard."

(End of this chapter)