Football: What Happened To Going To The Nightclub? I Have To Score

In the changing room of Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, the Real Madrid stars were preparing individually for the big game.

After warming up, most of them were sitting shirtless in their seats.

Marcelo, with his signature afro, was wearing headphones, dancing to the beat of the music he was listening to.

Benzema, a devout Muslim, had laid out a small prayer mat and was kneeling to pray.

Toni Kroos was by the mirror, doing what he did best—slicking back his hair with pomade, making sure it looked perfect.

Modric, focused as ever, was juggling a ball, trying to get the right feel for it before the match.

Gareth Bale, on the other hand, seemed completely unfazed by the upcoming game—he was watching golf videos on his phone!

Ronaldo observed all this with a growing sense of urgency. Glancing at his watch, he realized time was running out, and Coach Zidane was nowhere to be seen.

Ronaldo took a deep breath, clapped his hands, and stood up. "Guys!" he called out.

No one paid attention, except for Marcelo, who briefly looked up and removed his headphones.

Feeling slightly embarrassed, Ronaldo raised his voice. "Hey! Ladies! Wake up!"

This time, his roar got everyone's attention. The entire Real Madrid staff turned toward him, curious about what he was going to say. Even though he wasn't the captain, Ronaldo was the team's spiritual leader, and when he spoke, everyone listened.

"We've beaten so many strong opponents to get to this final. What's your goal?"

The question hung in the air. The players looked at each other, unsure how to respond.

Ronaldo answered for them. "In 2004, in the European Championship final, Portugal dominated, but we lost to Greece in the end."

Some of his teammates looked confused, not knowing where he was going with this, but they stayed quiet and listened.

"In 2009, the Champions League final—Manchester United lost 2-0 to Barcelona."

Ronaldo's voice grew more intense, his fists clenched tightly. "You might not remember these games well. It's been ten years. But I remember them clearly."

He paused, his voice lower but filled with emotion. "Every time I have a nightmare, it's always about those games. I can't forget the final scenes."

"The pain of those losses haunts me. Do you understand what that feels like?"

He looked around the room, his eyes burning with determination. "So, I made a promise to myself."

"Never again."

"Whenever I make it to a final, I will never let the title slip away. I will never allow it!"

Ronaldo's voice rose again as he continued, "Thanks to you, over the years, we've won—whether it was the Copa del Rey or the Champions League. We've lifted those trophies and had the last laugh."

"And this time... I'm asking you again. Let's give it everything we've got. Let's hold that damn trophy up together!"

"We are Real Madrid. We live for this. We live to be champions!"

"Champions!!!"

Ronaldo raised his arms, and the energy in the room soared.

"Champions!!!" the players shouted back in unison.

Ronaldo's speech had worked. The team was fired up and ready to give it their all.

Just then, Zidane walked in. He had been listening from the door.

"That's exactly right," Zidane said with a grin. "We're ready. Let's go out there and bring back our 11th Champions League title."

He paused, then added, "You all know the opposition as well as I do. Let's show them who we are."

On the Chelsea side, Coach Conte was going over his final tactical instructions. He glanced at the nervous faces of his players and offered a reassuring smile.

"I know for many of you, this is your first Champions League final," Conte said, looking around. "Except for Terry, most of you don't have much experience at this level."

He could sense their nerves, but he didn't see it as a bad thing. "Nervousness is normal," he continued. "It just shows how much you want to win."

"So I'm not going to put more pressure on you. You've already proven yourselves by making it this far. All you need to do now is keep playing the way you've been playing all season. Enjoy the game!"

"No matter who the opponent is, play our game. And in the end... let's be the last team standing."

"Come on, Chelsea!"

The Chelsea players, now just as fired up, stormed out of the locker room with determination.

Both teams, one dressed in blue and the other in white, arrived in the player tunnel at almost the same time. There was no communication between them—not even a glance exchanged.

Ronaldo wanted to get a sense of Su Luo's state of mind, but he was afraid of showing weakness. He kept his eyes fixed straight ahead.

As the referee team entered the tunnel, the atmosphere grew even more intense. The German referee glanced around, feeling the weight of the occasion. He had a hunch that this final wouldn't be easy.

After a spectacular opening ceremony, the Champions League final was about to begin.

As the players from both sides walked onto the pitch, countless fans across China were glued to their screens.

The match was being broadcast on CCTV 1, CCTV 5, and multiple internet platforms. Commentators He Wei, Zhan Jun, and Zhang Lu were gearing up for the biggest match of the year.

Zhan Jun, a stats expert, quickly recognized the referee. "The referee for tonight's final is Felix Brych from Germany. Interestingly, he's previously officiated Su Luo's Bundesliga matches."

Zhan Jun added with a smile, "It's rumored that Brych was born in Munich and has been a Bayern Munich fan since childhood. Maybe UEFA didn't anticipate this, but it's possible he might not be too fond of Su Luo."

He was mostly joking, but there was an underlying truth—referees are only human, after all, and their biases can sometimes influence decisions.

"Okay, both teams are lining up, and we're moments away from kickoff!" the commentator announced as the Champions League anthem echoed through the stadium.

As the coin toss took place, Chelsea captain Azpilicueta lost, and Real Madrid captain Sergio Ramos chose to kick off first.

The starting lineups were displayed on the screen:

Real Madrid:

Goalkeeper: Keylor Navas

Defenders: Carvajal, Ramos, Varane, Marcelo

Midfielders: Casemiro, Modric, Toni Kroos

Forwards: Gareth Bale, Benzema, Cristiano Ronaldo

"With Bale returning just in time, Real Madrid has their strongest lineup on the field."

"The 4-3-3 formation they've perfected over several seasons is packed with superstars and immense firepower."

"If it weren't for Chelsea's Su Luo and his incredible stats, Real Madrid would unquestionably be the strongest team this season."

Chelsea Lineup:

Goalkeeper: Courtois

Defenders: Azpilicueta, David Luiz, Rudiger

Midfielders: Willian, Matic, Kante, Marcos Alonso

Forwards: Hazard, Lukaku, Su Luo!

Director Zhang seemed concerned. "Both teams are very good at quick counterattacks," he began, analyzing the tactics. "Positional play won't be easy, and counterattacks could create more danger."

He paused briefly before continuing. "But when it comes to controlling the midfield, Real Madrid has a slight edge. Casemiro, Modric, and Toni Kroos aren't just defensively strong—they're also world-class in distributing the ball."

"In contrast, Chelsea's midfield control is a bit weaker. Kante and Matic, while effective, aren't exactly the most delicate players with the ball," Zhang added. "This means Su Luo will need to drop back frequently to help link up the midfield and attack."

Zhan Jun chimed in, seeing the game about to start. "Yes, Chelsea lacks a bit of experience in midfield control. Today's outcome could well depend on the performances of the superstars on both sides!"

As the referee's whistle blew, Zhan Jun's voice heightened with excitement. "Here we go! The final of the 2016-2017 UEFA Champions League is underway! Real Madrid and Chelsea face off on Europe's grandest stage to compete for glory!"

Across the world, fans stopped what they were doing, fixing their eyes on the game. In China, TV ratings on CCTV were climbing steadily, approaching the record-breaking 4.7% from the 2014 World Cup final. Over 70% of the TV audience was watching live—a clear indication of the immense popularity of this year's Champions League final.

In Cardiff's Millennium Stadium, also known as the National Stadium of Wales, the 74,500-seat venue was packed. The VIP boxes were filled with important figures from various fields, and even the on-site director couldn't resist zooming in on the notable guests.

Zhan Jun seized the moment, beginning his commentary. "As expected, Chelsea's owner, Roman Abramovich, is here. Seated next to him is the famous director Guy Ritchie, alongside Batman's butler Michael Caine and music star Ed Sheeran."

He chuckled. "Chelsea has no shortage of celebrity fans, but Real Madrid is equally well-represented. Look—tennis superstar Rafael Nadal, Spain's King Felipe VI, Tom Cruise, and sprinter Usain Bolt are all here!"

The camera then zoomed in on Chelsea's VIP box, where a group of stunning young women drew gasps from viewers. While the public might not have recognized most of them, one face stood out immediately.

"Wait... Taylor Swift! And right beside her is our very own CCTV reporter, Fan Shu," Zhan Jun exclaimed.

After a closer look, Zhan Jun recognized the other two women. "That's Josephine Van Derden, Su Luo's publicly confirmed girlfriend. And next to her is Erika Schmidt, a rising star from Germany's U17 track and field team with almost a million followers on Instagram!"

Zhan Jun trailed off, realizing the potential implications of these women appearing together. He quickly shifted the focus back to the game to avoid speculations.

Back on the field, Chelsea launched their first offensive after a brief period of cautious play from both sides. Zhan Jun picked up the pace of his commentary.

"Ronaldo's dribble was just intercepted by Kante in time! Now Chelsea's counterattack is fast! Two quick passes have taken the ball to the edge of Real Madrid's penalty area!"

"Su Luo has the ball now—Real Madrid's defenders know they can't afford to take any chances!"

"Casemiro is closing in, trying to contain Su Luo... Modric joins in for a double-team, and Su Luo looks trapped!"

The crowd held its breath as it seemed like Su Luo was about to lose possession. But then, in a flash, he pulled off an unexpected move.

"He stops abruptly—what a turn! A beautifully executed flick to shake off Modric!"

Casemiro, caught off guard, shifted his weight in the wrong direction as Su Luo controlled the ball effortlessly with the outside of his foot, breaking free from the Real Madrid defenders.

"He's passed two players! Varane is rushing over, but it's too late!"

"Su Luo sets up—Soviet cannon!!!"

Boom! Su Luo unleashed a powerful shot toward the goal. The ball tore through the air, heading straight for the top corner.

Real Madrid's goalkeeper, Navas, reacted a split second too late. Just as his heart sank, thinking the ball was going in, the sound of metal rang through the stadium.

Clang—

The ball struck the crossbar, narrowly missing a goal. The crowd gasped, and Navas breathed a sigh of relief.

"That was a high-quality shot! Su Luo nearly scored the opener within the first three minutes!" Zhan Jun shouted. "He's in fantastic form today—Real Madrid needs to be on high alert!"

The match, which had started cautiously, now had everyone on the edge of their seats. The excitement was building.

Su Luo, after coming so close to scoring, simply smiled.

"The momentum's with him," Zhan Jun concluded. "Real Madrid just got their wake-up call!"

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