A huge Real Madrid logo and the silhouette of the Champions League appeared in the stands of the Bernabéu, which was formed by the fans using cardboard in their hands. Every Real Madrid fan who found their seat would be given a piece of cardboard of different colors. They only needed to lift the cardboard to form a huge picture that covered the entire stadium. The atmosphere at the stadium was extremely feverish, and the confidence in Real Madrid's victory at the Bernabéu was bursting.
Poor Nottingham Forest did not have such treatment. Who asked them to be the real "away" this time?
The Nottingham Forest players in red jerseys huddled in the corner of the stands, surrounded by white squares, and the Real Madrid team song was also played on the stadium radio.
This was a scene that could not be seen in the general UEFA Champions League final. Real Madrid made full use of their home advantage. They had a good relationship with the top management of the UEFA, and Platini also acquiesced to their behavior that "went against the spirit of fair play."
"Long live! Madrid!! Long live! Madrid!! "
Seventy thousand people roared at the same time, making a deafening noise. In such a continuous roar, the players from both sides came out.
※ ※ ※
In fact, the players from both sides had been waiting in the tunnel of the Bernabéu for several minutes. The tunnel of the Bernabéu was different from that of the City Ground stadium. There was a wall made of iron fences in the tunnel, which separated the two teams. The players from both sides could see each other through the hollowed out net, but they could not make further physical contact.
Higuaín stood next to Gago, and the two Argentines were talking. They used to be rivals in the country, and later became a member of Real Madrid at the same time. Then the two men embarked on two completely different paths. Higuaín quickly matured and seized the opportunity to secure his position as Real Madrid's main striker, while Gago was unable to be put in an important position due to Real Madrid's overcrowded midfield, and eventually left the Bernabéu for Nottingham Forest. The two of them must have had a lot to talk about when they were together.
But in fact, the two of them were not as close as people thought. The two men chatted briefly, and Gago did not say a word.
He used to be very familiar with this tunnel, and he used to stand on the other side in white.
Now he stood opposite the man in white in red.
This was the first time he returned to the Bernabéu stadium since he became a member of Nottingham Forest. He did not know how the Bernabeu fans would treat him when he had the ball on the pitch. He had seen a lot of players who once belonged to a team and returned to their parent team's home stadium to play after leaving the team. He had seen what kind of treatment they enjoyed.
He was mentally prepared for that.
Higuaín saw Gago's worry through the wall. He smiled and said to Gago in Spanish, "Don't worry, the people here won't do that to you. After all, the team you joined is not Barcelona or Atletico Madrid. "
Gago glanced at Higuaín and did not take his words seriously. "What if we are ahead of you or win against you?"
Higuaín almost laughed out loud. "Fernando, to be honest, I don't think you can defeat us."
Gago rolled his eyes as he looked at his former teammate who was proud of his success in Real Madrid. "Let's wait and see."
After he finished talking to Higuaín, he suddenly realized that he was not worried about how he would be treated during the game. Because he had figured it out, he and the current Real Madrid were no longer the same people, so in that case, what did it matter how they treated him?
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Ribéry was not as worried as Gago because he was playing at home. If he returned to the City Ground stadium, he would definitely be booed. There was no doubt about that. He certainly knew that his choice to leave when the boss had a heart attack was a betrayal in the eyes of the Forest fans.
But for him, it was the only chance. The only chance for the king to lose control.
Due to the fact that the timing of his departure was not right, he did not chat with his former teammates in the Forest team, and no Forest player would take the initiative to come up to him. He hid in the Real Madrid team and kept his head down in silence.
Separated by a wall was his former teammate, Pepe.
Pepe looked down on Ribéry's departure. When the boss and the team were at their most difficult time, none of them chose to leave. Only Ribéry became a deserter. He glanced at Ribéry from the corner of his eyes, then suddenly leaned his head over and smiled at the Frenchman. "Franck, be careful during the game."
Sergio Ramos, who was standing in front of Ribéry, heard Pepe's words. Although he did not understand, he felt that Pepe's smile was not friendly. He turned around and glared at Pepe.
Pepe spoke in English, and Cristiano Ronaldo understood. He retorted, "Hey, boy. Watch your words, are you trying to intimidate us? " When he was at Manchester United, he did not get along with the Forest team. The two teams did not meet when he came to Real Madrid, but in such an environment today, the feeling of being a sworn enemy came back to him.
Pepe did not show any weakness. He grinned at Ronaldo and said, "Portuguese, you are not my target." He turned his head to the team's captain, George Wood, who stood in front of the team with his back to everyone and did not say a word.
Ronaldo certainly knew what he meant. He was not afraid of anything, but he was still a little afraid of George Wood. He did not speak.
Bale came out to be the peacemaker. "All right, don't get agitated. It's no good for us to argue now. The boss will scold you when he finds out. "He said to Pepe. He knew that Pepe looked down on Ribéry and Bendtner. This man was so clear about his likes and dislikes. In order to ease the atmosphere, he also took the initiative to greet Ribéry. "Franck, hello."
Pepe still looked at Ribéry and smiled. There was a hint of mockery in his smile.
Ribéry smiled at Bale and said helplessly, "Hello … Bale." He wanted to say "little monkey", but when he thought of his current identity, he changed it to "Bale." This seemed a little distant, but it was to prevent people from thinking too much.
Higuaín noticed the small commotion in front of the team. He looked out and asked, "What happened?"
Gago also looked up and saw Pepe's expression. He understood, "Pepe must be blaming Ribéry …"
"Blaming? Why? "
"Ribéry chose to leave Nottingham Forest and join Real Madrid … Didn't you know about this?"
"Hey, I thought it was a big deal. Isn't this kind of thing normal in football? A player leaving a team and joining another team … What's there to hold a grudge over? "
Gago also joined the team later and did not know much about the past. He shook his head. "I don't know either. Maybe this is Forest's style … "He had seen the" treatment "Bendtner received when he returned to the City Ground stadium. Other than not throwing a pig's head down, the Forest fans in the stands scolded Bendtner in different ways. They made up songs on the spot to humiliate the" traitor "who betrayed the team.
"English teams seem to be like this …" He added.
Higuaín smiled and shook his head. "I was wondering why you would have such worries. Turns out you've seen it a lot in England. Don't worry, this is Spain. This is Real Madrid. "
Pepe continued to stare at Ribéry and smiled.
Ribéry could only pretend not to see him. In the end, he simply closed his eyes.
Bale poked Pepe from behind. "That's enough, Pepe. Focus on the game! "
George Wood turned around and Pepe retracted her gaze.
"It's time to play." Wood said to the people behind him.
※ ※ ※
The Real Madrid players and Nottingham Forest players came out at the same time. There was a huge cheer in the stadium. The home fans cheered for Real Madrid and the away fans cheered for Forest. The cheers only lasted for a short time. When the live broadcast began to broadcast the lineups of both teams, there was a warm applause and cheers when the names of the Real Madrid players were called. When the names of the Forest players were called, there were sporadic boos in the stands.
Twain looked up at the stands around him. He grinned and said, "I'm surprised that there are only such scattered boos."
"We're not Barcelona." Kerslake said next to him.
"Nor Atlético Madrid." Eastwood added.
"Ha!" Twain laughed. "It doesn't matter. Soon they'll think we're more detestable than the two teams mentioned above."
※ ※ ※
The players from both teams entered the stadium and stood together to be photographed by the reporters. Then the away players took the initiative to shake hands with the referee and the home players. The players from both teams separated. The captains exchanged team flags and tossed a coin to pick a side.
Casillas was the current captain of Real Madrid. He lost the coin toss to Wood. Wood obtained the right to pick a side, while Casillas obtained the right to kick off.
Seeing this result, Twain shook his head lightly. "I want the right to kick off. Letting the other team control the ball first is disadvantageous to our tactical setup."
"We just need to withstand their attacks for five minutes." Kerslake did not think much of it. After all, the ball would eventually return to Forest's feet.
"You're very confident." Twain turned to look at Kerslake beside him and laughed.
"After following you for so long, if I'm not confident, I won't be able to keep up with your footsteps." Kerslake also laughed.
A feeling of tacit understanding rose from the bottom of their hearts.
Kerslake did not hear Twain's hearty laughter. Instead, Twain nodded to him. "Thank you, David, for accompanying me for so long."
This caught Kerslake off guard. He made a sound of surprise and did not know what to say.
Twain patted him on the shoulder. "The match is about to start. I hope it's as you said. Withstand for five minutes and we'll regain the initiative."
※ ※
Wood walked back after shaking hands with the three referees and Casillas. He made a gesture and his teammates immediately surrounded him.
"We're not here to win the second place." Wood stretched out his hand and placed it in the middle of the circle.
"Me neither." Bale pressed his hand down.
"This is the most glorious moment of my career." Pepe's hand.
"The treble." Akinfeev's big hand covered the palms of several people below.
Palms of different skin colors and different sizes were stacked one by one, piling higher and higher.
After everyone had put their hands in, Wood looked at everyone, and everyone looked at him. Just as the leader had said, they were comrades who had gone through life and death together in the same trench. They had supported each other all the way here and experienced the baptism of countless battles. Now, they stood on the last battlefield, ready to meet the last and most powerful enemy.
"I'm not good with words," Wood said. "Anyway … I'm very happy to be able to play with you. Let's win the championship together. "
Hearing him say so, everyone's hands swung down forcefully.
"Championship!!"
※ ※ ※
On Real Madrid's side, they also formed a circle. Everyone gathered together for the final battle mobilization.
"This is the Bernabéu, guys." Casillas's eyes swept across the faces of each of his teammates. "We must not fail here. The 70,000 people in the stands are all our motivation. We are Real Madrid! The glorious Real Madrid! "
He waved his hand forcefully.
"Don't give the opponent any chance! Win the tenth UEFA Champions League in one go!! "
※ ※ ※
When the players from both sides stood in their respective positions, waiting for the kickoff, the Bernabéu Stadium, which had been noisy for more than half an hour, also fell into a brief silence. In an instant, all sound disappeared. Everyone held their breath and waited for the game to start.
The referee stood in the center circle, looked at the watch on his wrist, and then looked at the fourth official on the sidelines. After getting permission to kick off, he blew the whistle loudly.
After Huntelaar passed the ball to Benzema, he ran forward. At the same time, Aaron Mitchell, who was waiting outside the center circle, rushed straight towards Benzema who had the ball.
Benzema did not give him a chance to intercept the ball on the spot. He turned and passed the ball to Lassana Diarra behind him. He brushed past Mitchell.
Tang En did not let Ibišević start in this game. Instead, he used Mitchell, who had scored two goals in the FA Cup final and was in excellent form. This was also his first time playing in the Champions League final. But Tang En was not worried that the kid could not withstand the pressure. The kid sometimes looked quite lively, and he had his own way of reducing pressure — it was to fantasize in his mind and release all the pressure through fantasy.
Mitchell ignored Benzema and continued to rush towards Diarra.
Diarra passed the ball backward again to the Argentine center back, Garay. Mitchell ignored Diarra and continued to pounce on Garay.
Garay did not pass back this time. He could see that if he continued to pass back to Casillas, the big man would also rush over without hesitation. He was just like a robot, setting a path in advance and moving forward all the way!
He passed the ball to Ramos on the side, and only then did Mitchell stop his sprinting footsteps.
Ramos had just received the ball when he found that Fernández had already rushed in front of him. He hurriedly spiked the ball, intending to avoid the Chilean.
Fernández was more difficult to deal with than he thought. He did not avoid the opponent and was entangled by him instead.
"Don't dawdle, pass the ball out!" Casillas had a clear view of the situation on the field from the back. If Ramos still wanted to continue to play in the rear defensive line, he was bound to be unlucky. From his position, he could clearly see that Nottingham Forest's overall formation was pressing forward with Real Madrid's return passes again and again. Huntelaar, who had just run up, was already in an offside position.
What did Nottingham Forest want to do by pressing so much in an away game?
Ramos was pressed too hard by Fernández, and he chose the most correct approach — to kick the ball forward with a big foot.
The seemingly blind big foot flew towards Huntelaar.
Huntelaar lost his position when he fought with Pepe for the header. He could not compete with Pepe in terms of strength. The football was headed back by Pepe.
In the midfield, Gago lifted his leg to hook the football in the air down, and Ribéry missed. But as soon as he turned around, the Frenchman came up again.
Seeing him like this, the Forest fans in the stands booed at the fans. After leaving the Forest team, there were only two players who could be booed by the Forest fans from the bottom of their hearts. One was Bendtner, and the other was Ribéry.
Ribéry interfered with Gago at the back, but Gago was no longer the young boy who could not even hold the ball and would always be stabbed from the back by his opponents. He protected the football and looked up to find the route for the ball.
In the end, he chose to give the football to Bentley on the side.
Ribéry was entangled with him, so this side was relatively empty. After Bentley received the ball, he dribbled a few steps forward. Diarra and Real Madrid's left back, Marcelo, both noticed him.
At this moment, Rafinha plugged in from behind Bentley at a high speed and swept past Marcelo.
Bentley passed an overhead ball and the football passed over Marcelo's head to Rafinha who plugged in.
Rafinha beautifully unloaded the football flying behind him. Marcelo turned a little slow, and Garay made up for him. Rafinha did not pose to make a feint, but directly swept the football into the penalty area. A low pass!
Şahin appeared behind Mitchell like a shadow. Mitchell attracted the attention of Real Madrid's other center back, David Luiz, but missed the football.
Şahin shot directly from the line of the penalty area!
Before the commentator had time to finish reading the names of both sides, Nottingham Forest's first shot had already appeared.
Nottingham Forest's beautiful cooperation put Real Madrid's goal in an instant in danger. At this time, the only person who could be relied on was their "Saint Igor."
What a good Casillas, he made a move almost at the same time as Şahin. Şahin shot with a shovel, and he pounced over there. The football was pushed out by his hand!
"What a — a big save! Casillas completed his first save of the game. He saved Real Madrid's goal! "The commentator roared excitedly.
"Ah!" Off the field, Twain held his head in his hands and looked incredulously at the scene that had just happened in front of Real Madrid's goal. He did not expect Nottingham Forest to be able to turn the tables and get such a good shot at the beginning, but he did not expect Casillas to still be able to block the shot at close range …
This man is really a monster!
"What kind of defense is this?" Casillas jumped up from the ground and yelled at his teammates. As the captain, he was more proactive than before.
Şahin sat on the ground and could not believe that Casillas had blocked the goal that he was determined to score. One had to know that when he shot, Casillas was still in front ready to defend against Mitchell's grab point. He should not have seen him … Could it be the instinct of a goalkeeper?
There was applause for Casillas in the stands. If it were not for their captain's heroic performance, Real Madrid might have conceded the goal in just thirty seconds.
The Spanish reporters in the press box were even more frightened. They could see it clearly from above.
"This bastard … He actually wants to attack against Real Madrid?"
※ ※ ※
Twain got up from his seat and applauded the Forest players on the field, expressing encouragement and appreciation for the team's faithful implementation of his tactical arrangements.
The group of Spanish reporters guessed correctly. He wanted to attack against Real Madrid in this game.
Real Madrid had always been stronger in offense than defense. Playing defensive counterattack against them would only make them suffer in the end. Giving too much of the field initiative to Real Madrid was tantamount to slow suicide.
He wanted to deal with Real Madrid with a more active and proactive attitude, pressing the whole field and counterattacking on the spot, not giving Real Madrid too much time and space, and not giving them a chance to display their footwork skills. He tried to use a fierce offensive to deter Real Madrid from the start, so that they would have some scruples and be unable to attack with full force.
He gently waved to the players and motioned for them to continue doing so.
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