When playing football, you should call it GOAT.

Chapter 264 The Cursed Title Defending Season
On May 31, 2005, the French team held their home game in Metz for the first time. For the first time since 1998, no World Cup winners were in the starting lineup. Wiltord wore the captain's armband, and Cissé replaced Trezeguet, who was suspended for the next two World Cup qualifiers.

Hungary, coached by Lothar Matthäus, is warming up for their upcoming World Cup qualifier against Iceland.

Roy appeared in the stands of Metz Stadium, accompanied by his girlfriend Cheryl, personal assistant Heathlen, agent Mendes, and representatives from the LVMH Group.

Dior Homme is in talks with Roy about a contract extension, while Mendes' main purpose on this trip is to deal with the huge contract extension offered by Chelsea.

The club hopes to extend the existing five-year contract for another two years until 2011 and has offered a top salary of £15 per week.

In the 10th minute of the match, Wiltord broke through two defenders and crossed the ball, which Cissé poked into the net, scoring his fifth goal for the national team.

In the 21st minute, Rothen crossed the ball, and Boumsong's header went over the crossbar.

Dorasoo then dribbled past several players, but his low shot went wide.

In the 35th minute, Malouda broke through a double-team and scored his first international goal with a left-footed shot.

In the second half, Matthäus made five substitutions, including goalkeeper Kiraly.

France still holds the initiative.

In the 51st minute, Wiltord received a brilliant pass from Dorasoo and had a one-on-one opportunity, but his shot was too straight and was saved.

In the 79th minute, substitute Krejčís pulled one back for Hungary.

In the 80th minute, Ribery replaced Malouda.

Although he has performed exceptionally well this season (helping Monaco win the Ligue 1 and French Cup double), he has been plagued by minor injuries recently.

In the 87th minute, Rothen delivered a lobbed pass, and Ribery controlled the ball on the left side of the penalty area, dribbled past two defenders, cut inside, and curled a shot into the net.

An excited Ribery took off his shirt to celebrate, and Roy in the stands stood up and applauded. The referee then showed Ribery a yellow card.

After the match, Roy gave a brief interview to reporters on the sidelines.

He said: "Although I didn't play, the team's overall performance was excellent. Wiltord's playmaking, Cissé's goal, and the brilliant performances of Malouda and Ribery all demonstrated the depth of our squad. The 3-1 scoreline was reasonable, and the Hungarian team also created some threats, especially their goal, which reminded us to stay focused. Overall, Metz's home debut ended perfectly with a victory."

When asked about his personal situation, Roy added: "I've been in great shape. Although the busy Premier League schedule caused a minor reaction in my groin, that's normal in professional football. The medical team and I are handling it well, and it won't affect any important national team matches. As you saw today, whether I play or not, I'm always 100% ready to contribute to the team. As for other matters, everything is being handled by my team according to plan."

"Right now, I just want to focus on my vacation, relax, and spend time with my family. Getting myself in good physical and mental shape is crucial for me. This is not only to prepare for the challenges of the new season, but also to be in top form for the World Cup next summer."

Abramovich's luxury yacht "Compass" is currently docked in the port of Monaco.

The yacht was loaned to Roy for their ten-day journey.

The yacht will depart from Monaco, sail all the way to Türkiye, and eventually enter the Black Sea.

Upon arrival, Roy prepared to host his friends at his private estate in Crimea, including the Lampards, former teammates Rothen and Pedretti, and Chelsea's England left-back Bridge.

The journey also includes several parties along the way, making the entire trip extremely luxurious.

"Jorge, come on vacation with us. You should rest too."

Roy said to Mendes in Mayz.

Mendes shook his head: "There are still many details to be dealt with in your contract extension. I have to rush to London to negotiate with Chelsea."

"And then there's Cristiano's contract extension. I heard you're going to ask Manchester United for more than four times his salary. Do you think that Jew Glazer, that bloodsucker, will even ask for that? What are you going to do if they don't give it to you?"

Mendes: "I don't know, but Cristiano deserves it. Many teams are interested in him, Arsenal, Real Madrid, Barcelona."

Roy interrupted with a laugh: "Let him come to Chelsea, I'll lead him to many championships."

You know that's impossible.

“Jorge, nothing is impossible in the world of football. Abramovich’s offer will be much more generous than Glazer’s. Moreover, we can give him the best dressing room in the Premier League and Champions League competitiveness.”

Mendes patted Roy on the shoulder with a helpless smile: "Cristiano, that kid. Although he hasn't achieved as much as you yet, he's already set you as his goal. Let him be your deputy? I'm afraid not, that kid is too arrogant. You should know that."

Roy smiled and opened the car door for Mendes, a rare gesture that clearly startled the agent.

Mendes bent down and climbed into the car, his face still showing lingering surprise.

"I know I hope there are more and more people like him, otherwise football will become very boring."

On June 1, 2005, Lampard and his girlfriend were photographed by the media when they arrived in Monaco. After getting out of the car, they went straight to the yacht marina.

Abramovich's luxury yacht "Compass" is moored there. This £7200 million, over 100-meter-long mega-yacht has two decks and is equipped with all kinds of top-notch facilities.

Chelsea had just won the Champions League in Istanbul, and the players held their celebration party on this yacht.

As Lampard approached, he saw Roy standing at the boarding gate waiting.

He was wearing a cotton-linen short-sleeved shirt and sunglasses, looking very relaxed.

Lampard whistled, and Roy greeted him with a smile: "Welcome, Frank. The great voyage is about to begin."

Roy smiled and walked toward Ellen Reeves, bending down to kiss her cheek: "Welcome aboard, have a good vacation. Leave all the bad memories on shore."

He winked knowingly, clearly referring to the home invasion robbery she and Lampard had suffered a few weeks earlier, on the eve of the FA Cup final.

Lampard lowered his voice: "The Cole affair is making headlines right now, and the club is in the eye of the storm. Is it really appropriate for us to go on such a high-profile holiday? I've heard rumors that the FA might even be discussing a points deduction for us next season."

The waiter brought over the drinks. Roy took one and handed it to Ellen Reeves, then added ice to his and Lampard's glasses and handed one to Lampard.

"Frank, relax. All the lawyers in London are worried about us right now, and the only thing we can do to help is to get ourselves into top form."

He raised his glass to the blinding Mediterranean sun, "Smashing the Premier League trophy on the FA's desk next season will be more effective than any public relations statement."

Lampard raised an eyebrow and clinked glasses with Roy.

At that moment, Cheryl, dressed in a cool summer outfit and barefoot, walked over, warmly embraced Ellen Reeves, and then took her arm and led her to the poolside.

Cheryl's Girls Aloud teammates were also by the pool, including Sarah Harding with Pedretti.

Meanwhile, Roy's former Monaco teammate, Jérôme Rothen, who now plays for Paris Saint-Germain, was chatting with Nicola Roberts, a member of the group.

Meanwhile, Roy and Lampard leaned against the ship's side, discussing the widely publicized "Colegate" incident in hushed tones.

On the shore, the media used telephoto lenses to secretly take pictures from a distance, but outsiders were not allowed to enter the dock, so they could only capture images from a distance.

When Kenyon received the FA's final ruling call in his London office that day, his face turned ashen.

Upon hearing the verdict that "Chelsea will be deducted 15 points for the new season due to unauthorized contact with Cole, Ferdinand and Gerrard," he slammed the phone on the table.

"This is robbery! Blatant robbery!"

His roar shattered the silence of the office, making the glass windows rattle.

Kenyon roared on the phone: "This is blatant murder of Chelsea by the FA! You should have dug up the files on Ferguson's private contact with Stam long ago! And now you're selectively officiating against us? Listen, we will appeal to the Court of Arbitration for Sport to the end and let the world see the corrupt rules of English football! 15 points? You might as well just award Manchester United the championship trophy!"

After Kenyon roared angrily, he plopped down in his office chair.

The origins and development of "Colemen".

On January 26, British media revealed that Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho, CEO Kenyon, and agent Zahavi, along with Arsenal defender Cole and agent Barnett, met at the Royal Hotel in London. This action drew significant media attention because it violated the Football Association's rule prohibiting clubs from contacting players under contract privately.

Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger stated that he did not believe Cole would have colluded with Chelsea, and Kenyon assured Arsenal vice-chairman Dein that he had no interest in Cole and that the club would focus on improving relations between the two clubs. However, the FA still launched an investigation.

On March 11, Chelsea suddenly launched an attack, admitting during an investigation by the FA's lawyers that the meeting between the two sides had taken place at the insistence of Cole's agent. This statement caused a national uproar.

On March 12, Arsenal benched Cole for the FA Cup match, citing a back injury, but this move sparked a frenzy of speculation in the media.

On March 13, Cole's agent, Barnett, claimed in an interview with the British newspaper People that Chelsea's claims were utterly absurd. He admitted to meeting, but said he did not meet with anyone from Chelsea, only with agent Zahavi to inquire about foreign clubs.

The Sunday Mirror reports that Arsenal are planning to sell the fickle Cole for £25 million. The News of the World reports that a Royal Hotel waiter revealed that all five men were present at the time, and Mourinho almost flirted with Cole, saying, "You are the best in the world, I never dreamed I could sign you."

On March 14, Arsenal manager Arsène Wenger angrily stated that Chelsea naively thought they could shake Arsenal's morale and arrogantly disregarded the FA's regulations.

On March 24, the Premier League announced it would formally charge Chelsea and Arsenal defender Ashley Cole. Chelsea is suspected of violating Rule K5, which prohibits clubs from contacting players privately, while Cole is suspected of violating Rule K3, which prohibits contracted players from contacting clubs privately. Mourinho is suspected of violating Rule Q, which prohibits coaches from contacting players from other teams.

On June 1, the English Football Association announced that Mourinho, Chelsea, and Cole were all guilty.

The Football Association (FA) has issued its final ruling regarding Chelsea's alleged secret meeting with Ashley Cole and his agent at a hotel in January 2005, attempting to facilitate a transfer without informing Arsenal:
Chelsea have been found guilty of violating the K3 rules by contacting Ashley Cole privately.

It was subsequently announced that Cole had contacted Chelsea privately, violating the K5 rule, and was also found guilty.

Chelsea manager John Cole, who is under contract, violated the coaching management rules and was found guilty.

Chelsea Football Club has been fined £30 and deducted 15 league points for the new season.

Manager Mourinho has been fined £20.

Player Ashley Cole has been fined £10.

Agent Barnett was fined £10 and had his brokerage license suspended for 18 months.

In the original history, the FA rejected the suggestion to deduct 15 points and ultimately only deducted 3 points.

However, in the current timeline, Chelsea's record-breaking 110-point Premier League title win has shocked the world, and with Abramovich announcing that he will continue to invest heavily in signings during the summer transfer window, the FA does not want the Premier League to become a league dominated by one team.

Nobody watches a story where the ending is known in advance, except for Conan.

Roy was chatting with Lampard on the deck of the yacht, mentioning that they would be attending a party hosted by Pierre Casiraghi, a member of the Monaco royal family, that evening.

“Pierre is not even eighteen yet, but he’s already a well-known party prince in Europe. His parties are really exciting, he’s very outgoing, and he often invites me to attend, sometimes even in London. But I don’t really like going to those kinds of events all the time; it’s still quite fun to party occasionally.”

Just then, Mendes called.

Roy answered the phone calmly, and Mendes' urgent voice came through the receiver: "I just arrived in London, but the entire football world is in an uproar. The news that Chelsea has been deducted 15 points has shaken the whole football world!"

"How much?!" Roy asked, frowning. Being deducted 15 points at the start of the Premier League season is equivalent to the entire team being plunged into an economic hole of 7000-8000 gold coins at the start of a game in League of Legends.

This was even more fatal than the opponent's overwhelming advantage of having 5 kills, 3 outer turrets, and the first Rift Herald.

It's like your ADC starting with one less Infinity Edge and your mid laner starting with one less Luden's Echo.

This means your team would need to win five more games than Arsenal and Manchester United in the remainder of the season to close that 15-point gap.

Considering that top Premier League teams typically only lose 5-6 games per season, such a comeback task is almost impossible. It is equivalent to requiring your team to maintain a near-perfect record in the following games, while also hoping that both of these giants are in poor form.

No team in history has ever won the championship with such a huge disadvantage at the start, and theoretically, even making it into the top four would be extremely difficult.

First, from a rule perspective, Chelsea violated both Rule K5 (unlawful contact with a player by the club) and Rule Q (manager misconduct), constituting a double violation. This is more serious than Liverpool's single contact with Zieg in 2000, especially since it involves the title-winning team poaching Cole, a key player from Arsenal's unbeaten season, which seriously undermines the fairness of the league.

根据英足总《纪律守则》第12.3条对“系统性违规接触球员”的最高处罚标准（扣分上限为赛季总积分10%约11分或罚款年度收入5%），本次15分扣罚（占赛季总积分13.6%）明显超出常规尺度，属于历史性重罚。

Historically, Liverpool was only fined £30 for contacting Zieger privately in 2000. In the original case in 2005, Chelsea was fined £3 and had 3 points deducted. However, compared to the "£30 fine and 15 points deduction" in this parallel world, it was nothing. The severity of the punishment has increased dramatically.

Ultimately, the FA's drastic measures this time are driven by three considerations: First, Chelsea won the title last season with a crushing 110 points (leaving Arsenal by a whopping 24 points), and if they are allowed to poach players so recklessly, the Premier League will truly become a one-man show.

Secondly, Abramovich spent £2.3 million on players in two years (more than Arsenal and Manchester United combined), and this kind of money-driven football really needs to be curbed.

Thirdly, they wanted to make an example of someone by using a combination of "directly deducting 15 points equivalent to 5 wins + a huge fine".

While this punishment might seem like an overreaction, given Chelsea's dominant position at the time, the FA had no choice but to take this measure, just like when they actually only deducted 3 points back then.

To put it bluntly, the FA is being so ruthless this time because Chelsea has been absolutely phenomenal this season. If it were like in previous years, where Chelsea won the league but lost the Champions League and FA Cup, their advantage wouldn't have been that significant, and a 3-point deduction would have been enough.

But this time it's different. With a record-breaking 110 points, they won the championship and have won trophies both domestically and internationally. The entire Premier League is almost turning into Chelsea's personal show.

If this isn't addressed, what will the other teams do?
So the FA decided to take a drastic measure and deduct 15 points directly, hoping to make the league more suspenseful again.

To put it bluntly, this is a classic case of "the nail that sticks out gets hammered down"!

Lampard's eyes widened, and the wine glass in his hand suddenly stopped in mid-air.

"Deduct 15 points?"

His voice tightened, "This is tantamount to sentencing us to death."

After a long silence, Roy slowly uttered, "Since things have come to this, let's go on vacation first."

The deck suddenly became lively as Bridge boarded the ship, arm in arm with his girlfriend Vanessa, who was wearing a sexy black dress, chatting and laughing, completely unaware that the team had just been penalized 15 points.

Hey guys!

He waved excitedly to Roy and Lampard.

Although Bridge was a substitute, he was a close friend of Lampard and Roy, and the three of them often got together for drinks. Completely oblivious to the awkward atmosphere, he patted Lampard on the shoulder with a grin: "Frank, you look like you just lost a championship!"

Vanessa's eyes suddenly lit up, and he exclaimed in an exaggerated tone, "Oh my! Isn't this our French national treasure football star?"

She deliberately emphasized the words "national treasure" and added a playful kissing gesture.

She swayed two steps closer, her fingers lightly resting on Roy's shoulder: "Honestly, among all these rough guys in the Premier League, you're the one who best suits the romantic atmosphere of Paris."

She leaned forward slightly as she spoke, the neckline of her black halter dress barely visible.

"You're not this glamorous on TV."

She added a sentence in a low voice in French, her eyelashes fluttering twice.

Bridge, who was busy opening champagne, was completely unaware of his girlfriend's state.

Lampard, however, saw all of this and couldn't help but roll his eyes; he was all too familiar with Vanessa's tricks.

Vanessa was the central figure in Terry's "wife-swapping scandal," having multiple secret rendezvous with Terry behind Bridge's back, and even having to secretly undergo several abortions.

When the "sister-in-law scandal" was fully exposed, Terry was severely criticized, while Vanessa took the opportunity to make a fortune.

She not only readily admitted to cheating, but also proactively leaked her affairs with other players to the media.

What's most ingenious is that once the storm had passed, she turned around and wrote a book about these messy things to sell, even using her abortion records as a selling point.

Bridge was so angry that she broke off all contact with Terry, while the woman made a fortune from this wave of popularity.

Roy nodded and smiled at Vanessa, politely said "Have fun," and then made an excuse to slip away.

He needs to hurry up and call Kenyon and Mourinho. The new season hasn't even started yet, and they already need to figure out how to fill this 15-point gap. Chelsea's path to defending their title is going to be even more difficult now.

Just as Roy turned to leave, Lampard's phone suddenly rang.

He glanced at the caller ID, chuckled, and answered, "Hey, John!"

Terry on the other end of the phone seemed very excited, his voice so loud that Roy could hear him: "Frank! I've changed my mind. I'll fly directly to Sardinia tomorrow to meet you! The rooms are all booked. Oh, and tell Roy to wait for me; I need to talk to him about something!"

Lampard hung up the phone and shrugged at Roy: "Terry changed his mind halfway through. He said he's waiting to meet us in Sardinia. He sounded like he's coming specifically for you, probably to talk about the points deduction."

Roy had just nodded when he caught Vanessa's subtle movements out of the corner of his eye.

Ever since she boarded the yacht, this woman's eyes have been glued to Roy.

She was pretending to adjust the hem of her skirt, but the slit in the black skirt was almost up to her waist.

She twirled her fingers around the ends of her hair, and her toes, painted with red nail polish, tapped incessantly on the deck, like a wild cat waiting to be fed.

Bridge, oblivious to everything, was raising his champagne glass and shouting at the seagulls, "We're going to kick Manchester United back to the Stone Age this season!"

Although Roy was no saint, he at least knew the principle of not coveting a friend's wife.

But the thought of Terry, that loose-lipped bastard, coming along made his head throb with pain.

If that bastard sleeps with Bridge's girlfriend at his vacation party, he'll really become the Premier League's biggest joke of the year.

That night, Roy took Lampard and a few others to a lavish party hosted by Pierre Casiraghi.

Roy was very popular in Monaco, and his teammates Rothen and Pedretti, who won the Champions League with him, are still heroes in the hearts of Monaco fans.

In addition, Lampard and his team had just helped Chelsea win the Champions League, so this group of players became the focus of the entire stadium as soon as they entered the door.

Pierre Casiraghi jumped up from the sofa like a little fan meeting a superhero.

"My God! Roy's here!"

He was so excited he almost spilled the champagne. He rushed forward, grabbed Roy's hand, and shook it vigorously.

The entire party erupted in thunderous applause and whistles.

"Guys! Let me introduce myself! But I believe I don't need to."

Pierre put his arm around Roy's shoulder, his voice trembling: "That nutmeg shot in the 2004 Champions League final! The greatest player in Monaco's 100-year history! My ultimate idol!"

His voice cracked when he said the last word, sounding just like a teenage girl who had successfully chased after her idol.

Alonso walked over with a wine glass in hand, smiled, and clinked glasses with Roy: "Congratulations on winning the Champions League, you played beautifully in the final."

Roy nodded: "Congratulations on winning the European Grand Prix as well."

The two exchanged a few brief pleasantries.

Pierre, standing nearby, excitedly interjected, "Tonight is fantastic, both champions are here!"

In 2005, Alonso won his first Formula 1 World Championship for the Renault team.

Alonso told Roy, "I heard that after you won the Champions League, you said you'd come to F1 when you got tired of football titles. Briatore asked me to tell you that Renault will always welcome you."

Roy chuckled. "He's been keeping that in mind. But for now, I'll just focus on playing football. That was just a joke."

Pierre chimed in from the side, "If you were to actually drive an F1 car, the Monaco Grand Prix tickets would have to go up tenfold."

“If you stay in Monaco for two more days, Briatore said he’d throw you a special party.”

Alonso said, "He's already on his way here. I heard he's invited a lot of models and celebrities, and he's prepared some... you know, his signature games."

Roy waved his hand: "Let's skip it this time. Briatore's parties always go on until dawn, more exhausting than playing extra time. This trip is just to relax and soak up the sun."

He skillfully led his teammates around, introducing them to the big stars and F1 drivers who were based in Monaco.

After the party ended.

He told Lampard that several brands would be coming to Monaco before the ship sets sail tomorrow, and that he would be hosting a small reception for everyone to get to know each other.

Roy is very strict with his brand portfolio management. He has only accepted endorsements from five brands: Nike, Coca-Cola, Rolex, Dior, and BMW. However, he often receives offers from other brands, especially in Asia.

He introduced some unsuitable business opportunities to his teammates, keeping the benefits within the family so that everyone in the locker room could get something out of it.

As the yacht slowly sailed away from the golden afterglow of Monaco's harbor at dusk on June 2, the summer transfer storm in European football was just beginning to stir beneath the surface.

Chelsea's legal and public relations teams are busy all over Europe.

On the yacht deck, Bridge, Lampard, and Pedretti lay on deck chairs with their respective female companions, enjoying the breeze.

The setting sun shone through the porthole into Abu's luxurious bedroom, where Roy was shirtless and Cheryl had her arms around his waist.

He lifted her up and pressed her against the wall to make love.

With the new season about to begin, Roy has nothing to worry about except scoring goals.

(Word count will be restored tomorrow)
(End of this chapter)