Chapter 576: The Champions League Final, A Fateful Showdown
On June 4, 2017, at the Millennium Stadium in Cardiff, Wales, the 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League final was set to take place.
The stadium, which could hold over 80,000 spectators, was packed to the brim. Since the match was being held in the UK, the number of Manchester City fans in the stadium clearly outnumbered those supporting Real Madrid. The light blue jerseys of Manchester City fans filled more than half of the stands.
Even though Real Madrid fans were fewer in number, the energy and noise they generated were in no way less than that of the City supporters. The Real Madrid fans who came to Wales were die-hard supporters, having meticulously organized themselves beforehand. They brought everything from banners and flags bearing the Real Madrid crest to scarves for cheering, all perfectly prepared.
Even before the match began, Real Madrid fans in the south stand unveiled a giant portrait of Cristiano Ronaldo, immediately drawing the attention of the entire stadium.
"It seems like Ronaldo is really beloved by the Real Madrid fans. They went so far as to make such a huge portrait for him."
"Well, Ronaldo has been with Real Madrid for eight years now. He's given the best years of his career to the club. The fans appreciate everything he has contributed, so it's natural they hold him in such high regard."
"Ronaldo is already 32 this year. Who knows how much longer he'll stay with Real Madrid? I can't think of many players who retire at Real Madrid, even the most famous and talented stars."
Two years ago, rumors started circulating that Ronaldo was unhappy with Real Madrid over salary disputes, and there was even talk that he was considering leaving the club.
Neither the club nor Ronaldo ever commented on these rumors, but they weren't baseless. After all, two other top players in Ronaldo's tier had received significant salary raises after renewing their contracts with their clubs, and their wages were nearly double Ronaldo's.
Seeing Lin Quan and Messi get salary raises, Ronaldo likely demanded a similar raise from Real Madrid—if not for the money, then for his pride as a superstar. Whether his demands were met is unclear. What is certain is that Ronaldo has not yet renewed his contract, and with his current deal running out soon, if the two parties don't reach an agreement soon, Ronaldo might leave as early as this summer or the next.
So, the fans' gesture wasn't just an expression of their love for Ronaldo; it was also a way of pressuring the club to keep him.
Ronaldo, who was warming up on the pitch, was deeply moved when he saw his portrait in the stands. He ran over to greet the fans, even taking photos with a few die-hard supporters in the front row and gifting them several autographed footballs.
Ronaldo's warm interactions with the fans were met with cheers and applause. When it came to fan engagement, Ronaldo and Lin Quan were almost like two peas in a pod. Both were approachable and willing to fulfill various fan requests, as long as they weren't too excessive.
Not far away, Lin Quan was also chatting with a group of Chinese fans who had traveled all the way from Asia to watch the game.
"Brother Lin, over here!"
Lin Quan, who was juggling a ball near the sideline to keep his touch, heard familiar voices calling out and stopped to walk over.
Near the edge of the stands, a group of about a dozen Asian fans, all with dark hair and yellow skin, waved excitedly at him.
"Ahhh, Prince Lin is coming over!"
"He's seen us!"
Several young female fans squealed with excitement as they watched him approach. Seeing a superstar, who they usually only saw on TV or in newspapers, appear before them in person made them ecstatic.
"Hello everyone, I'm Lin Quan. Thank you so much for traveling so far to support us. I really appreciate it!"
Lin Quan was polite and humble, knowing that most of these people had come all the way just to see him. Traveling from Asia wasn't cheap, especially when factoring in tickets, accommodations, and other expenses. It was no small amount of money. Only true fans would go to such lengths to watch a match in person!
"Prince Lin, you're too kind. It's our good fortune to see an Asian player like you dominate a Champions League final. We should be thanking you!"
The one speaking was a man from Sichuan, surnamed He, who had a nickname: "Refund Brother."
Refund Brother had gained some notoriety in the football world after going viral during a World Cup qualifier last year involving China's national team.
Despite the national team's dismal performances in recent years, Refund Brother had spent large sums on tickets, even buying from scalpers, just to support his love for the sport. His deep love for football, despite his frustrations with the national team, eventually led him to Europe to watch high-level matches.
He had attended the European Championship last year and had even taken a picture with Lin Quan, so Lin Quan remembered him.
"You're right," Lin Quan nodded. "More and more East Asian players are making it abroad, which proves that we Asians aren't any worse than anyone else in football!"
"Exactly! You have no idea, Prince Lin. Ever since you became famous, fans from East Asia, and even all of Asia, have looked up to you as their idol. Your success has greatly raised the ceiling for Asian players, showing everyone our untapped potential!"
Lin Quan was surprised to learn about his influence in Asia. According to Refund Brother, Lin's emergence had sparked a football craze in Asia, increasing interest, discussions, and investments in the sport.
With Lin's success as an example, people started to recognize the importance of youth training. Many professional football academies had been established in recent years, hiring experienced and highly skilled coaches from countries like the Netherlands, Portugal, and Spain to help improve youth development.
After hearing all of this, Lin Quan felt deeply satisfied. The influence of a sports icon could have a powerful ripple effect on an entire sport.
Take basketball, for example—when Yao Ming rose to prominence, basketball's popularity soared in China. Even with the national football team's struggles, many fans in China still hold onto hope, continuing to support the team despite their disappointment. Whenever a match is on, these fans stop everything to watch, no matter how often they've been let down before.
Imagine if Chinese football had its own version of Yao Ming—a superstar who could take the sport to new heights in the country.
Lin Quan may not hold Chinese nationality, nor could he represent the Chinese national team, but Chinese fans still viewed him as one of their own. Many still regretted that the Chinese Football Association had missed their chance to bring Lin into the national team, believing he could have led them to a World Cup appearance.
"Yes, we just need to focus on building a strong youth system and improving the domestic league. I believe that one day, we'll see more Chinese players in top European leagues, and perhaps even see the national team improve," Lin Quan said.
"I sure hope so," Refund Brother sighed, his expression dimming as he seemed to remember something that quickly dampened his spirits.
"Those front-row seats weren't cheap, right? How much did you guys pay for them?" Lin Quan asked, changing the subject to avoid the depressing topic of the Chinese national team.
Had these fans not been sitting so close to the pitch, he might not have even noticed them amid the stadium's noise.
"The official price was 610 euros, but we couldn't get them directly. These tickets cost us 28,000 euros for 15 seats from scalpers."
Lin Quan was shocked by the price.
A ticket that originally cost 610 euros was being resold for three times as much. It was practically robbery!
"It was expensive, but the seats are great, and we're all sitting together. If we hadn't bought them from scalpers, we might not have gotten so many seats in a row."
Those who could afford to travel abroad for matches were generally well-off. After all, between plane tickets, accommodation, and match tickets, the costs could easily reach tens of thousands.
"Prince Lin, you have to win. Destroy Real Madrid! Tonight, we're all Manchester City fans!"
One young fan in his twenties took off his jacket to reveal a light blue number 10 jersey underneath, urging Lin Quan on.
Looking around, Lin Quan noticed that almost everyone, men and women alike, were wearing his number 10 Manchester City jersey.
True die-hard fans!
...
The weather was quite favorable that night. Although a few clouds lingered in the sky, there was no sign of rain. The temperature, around 14 to 15 degrees Celsius, with a gentle breeze, made for a pleasant atmosphere.
It was perfect weather for a battle!
Inside the players' tunnel, the 22 players on both teams were already eager to get started. Standing in two lines, they avoided making eye contact, projecting an intense "don't mess with me" vibe.
Before the match, former City player Kroos wanted to greet his old teammates, but sensing the tension in the tunnel, he quickly gave up on the idea.
Many of the players had connections, whether as national teammates or former club teammates. But right now, they had only one identity—Manchester City or Real Madrid players.
At that moment, all other relationships were put aside. On the pitch, the opponent wasn't a friend but an enemy!
A few minutes later, led by the referee, the players emerged from the tunnel, each holding the hand of a child mascot as they stepped onto the field.
As the players walked out, the fans from both sides roared and cheered, trying to outdo each other in volume. Despite Real Madrid fans' best efforts, their smaller numbers, combined with the fact that most of the seats near the players' tunnel were occupied by City fans, meant that the overwhelming cheers were for Manchester City.
"Go Prince Lin! Crush Ronaldo!"
Someone in the crowd shouted at the top of their lungs, loud enough for both teams' players to hear.
Ronaldo's lips twitched briefly, but he quickly regained his composure, even smirking with a look of disdain.
Lin Quan, curious, turned to find the source of the shout, but with so many people gathered near the tunnel, it was impossible to identify the culprit.
The photographers knew who the main stars were. From the moment Lin Quan and Ronaldo walked out, the cameras were fixed on them.
Especially during the pre-match handshakes, when Lin Quan and Ronaldo shook hands, the sound of camera shutters clicking filled the air as the press tried to capture the moment.
"I will win tonight!" Ronaldo whispered to Lin Quan as they shook hands.
Lin Quan paused for a moment, locking eyes with Ronaldo before replying, "Alright, I'm waiting for your challenge!"
After that, he moved on to the next Real Madrid player.
Ronaldo was momentarily angered by Lin Quan's words: Is this guy treating me like a challenger coming for his crown? How arrogant!
But despite his frustration, Ronaldo couldn't deny that Lin Quan had a point.
Manchester City, having won three consecutive Champions League titles and now reaching the final once again, were undoubtedly the reigning champions.
If Real Madrid wanted to take the Champions League trophy, they would have to get past City first!
After the coin toss and exchanging team flags, both teams returned to their respective halves.
The players huddled together for one final pep talk before the match began.
"Crush Manchester City! Win the Champions League!" The Real Madrid players rallied around a simple and straightforward chant.
On the other side, Manchester City's players were even more direct. Their chant consisted of just two words:
"Champions!"
"Champions!"
"Champions!"
After shouting it three times, they threw their hands up into the air!
At 18:45, in front of 84,500 spectators in the stadium and millions of viewers around the world, the referee blew the whistle to signal the start of the 2016-2017 Champions League final!
(End of Chapter)
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