Chapter 612: Change
Miracle!
Ten-man Manchester United score four to overturn the Galactic Battleship!
Star players fail as Real Madrid suffer humiliating defeat! Poor defense to blame, Red Devils' youth teach the arrogant Galácticos a lesson!
United deliver knockout blow to Real Madrid, as Ronaldo's successor steals the spotlight! Night of shame! Only one Real Madrid player can leave Kyiv with his head held high! Empty-handed!
Zidane's magic fails, Galácticos 2.0 set to break apart! Real Madrid's dream of a third consecutive Champions League shattered!
Perez to raid United for stars this summer! Rebuilding ahead for Real Madrid, but the key lies with their opponents! ...
The next morning, from England to Spain, from Europe to the entire world, all mainstream media were abuzz with reports of the Champions League final held at Kyiv's Olympic Stadium.
Almost everyone in the media and among the fans found Real Madrid's crushing defeat hard to believe.
Before the game, everyone had favored Real Madrid, expecting this star-studded Galácticos team to walk over Manchester United and lift the trophy, achieving their third consecutive Champions League win. This was the final everyone had anticipated.
But to everyone's shock, Manchester United took control for most of the game, ultimately achieving a comeback victory in extra time, despite playing with ten men.
...
"Three months shy of his 24th birthday, Manchester United's youngest-ever captain Bruno showcased his omnipotent skills on the pitch over 120 minutes.
His omnipresent defense, masterful organization, sharp breakthroughs, strong scoring ability, and seemingly limitless stamina...
Bruno demonstrated what it means to be versatile and unstoppable with a near-perfect performance that wowed the world!"
"But what impressed everyone the most was the final goal that sealed the game, which came from Bruno's long run.
After playing 115 minutes of high-intensity football, Bruno could still sprint at full speed, completely redefining everyone's understanding of physical limits!"
"Over 120 minutes, Bruno scored one goal and provided two assists, orchestrating Manchester United's great comeback. He was also named the Man of the Match for the second time in a Champions League final, making him the first player in the 21st century to win this honor twice. This 23-year-old United midfielder achieved what neither Messi nor Ronaldo could!"
While praising Manchester United and Bruno, Marca quickly turned its focus to Real Madrid, criticizing their performance as unworthy of the Galácticos name, especially in terms of fitness.
"Indeed, early in the second half, our stars already showed signs of fatigue. By extra time, we couldn't keep up with our opponents' pace and rhythm, leaving our players helpless to stop United's attacks. Despite having one more player, we could only watch as they repeatedly sent the ball into our net."
...
Marca argued that Zidane and his coaching staff should bear some responsibility, but the club's management needed to take the brunt of it due to the team's aging roster.
Real Madrid's starting eleven included six players over 30 years old, with the youngest, Varane, already past 25. The average age was 29.3 years, making it the fifth oldest team in Champions League final history, behind AC Milan in 2007, Inter Milan in 2010, Juventus in 2015, and Manchester United in 2011.
In contrast, Manchester United's lineup featured only one player over 30, Valencia. The youngest, Mbappe, was not even 20, and the average age was just 25.4 years, right in the prime of a footballer's career.
This disparity in fitness was a fundamental reason why United could mount a comeback despite being a man down. While Bruno's stamina and versatility were crucial, the overall fitness of United's players allowed them to compensate for their numerical disadvantage with relentless running.
Marca concluded that Real Madrid needed a significant rebuild, with several players needing to leave.
...
Aside from Marca, Real Madrid's mouthpiece AS also headlined with the question, "Self-deception? No!"
AS argued that Real Madrid's collapse was a wake-up call for everyone. The management should recognize the harsh realities of professional football. Relying on one set of players to dominate for a long time was impossible, and Real Madrid was not a retirement home.
AS directly criticized Zidane's squad choices, understanding his conservative approach regarding results but opposing his lack of trust in younger players like Asensio and Vallejo. They suggested that perhaps losing to a team with an average age of only 25 would prompt Zidane to reflect.
Compared to Marca and AS's criticism of Real Madrid's management and coach, more media outlets highly praised Manchester United's performance, especially Bruno, who was named Man of the Match for the second time in a Champions League final. The accolades and applause for him were overwhelming.
British media asserted that Bruno officially took the crown from Ronaldo. If, before this final, Bruno was considered the third man behind Messi and Ronaldo, after this match, he was seen as an equal to them, if not the current best player in the world.
...
When Bruno slowly woke up, still groggy, he felt something odd under his feet. He kicked hard a few times and immediately heard the angry roar of Swedish striker Ibrahimović: "Who the hell kicked my face?"
Bruno became more alert, turning to see three people squeezed into his bed. Somehow, Maguire and Ibrahimović had ended up there too.
What was going on? Why were these two idiots here?
Seeing the Swedish striker yell before going back to sleep, Bruno couldn't help but laugh. This guy got kicked in the face and still fell asleep?
Struggling to sit up, Bruno saw Cancelo lying on the floor, looking like someone had kicked him off the bed. Definitely not me, Bruno thought.
Shaking his head, Bruno then looked over at the adjacent bed, where Mahrez had somehow ended up in Kante's bed, the two hugging each other in sleep. My God, isn't that a bit too much?
Bruno finally managed to get up and moved to the sofa to collect his thoughts.
Last night at the Olympic Stadium in Kyiv, when he received the Saint Blaise Cup from UEFA President Ceferin, the atmosphere reached its peak. After that, they took photos and celebrated with the cup.
Bruno remembered all that clearly. But then they got too excited, partied in the locker room, popped champagne, someone even did a strip dance, and someone shouted about flying back to Manchester immediately to hit the bars.
After someone shoved a bottle of champagne into his hand, the rest was a blur...
...
Bruno rubbed his aching head, unable to recall what happened next, but he was sure he had collapsed and been carried back to the hotel. The others must have continued celebrating back here.
Looking over at De Jong and Sneijder on the other bed, Bruno checked his own jersey and shorts, feeling relieved they were intact.
"Why did I drink?" Bruno regretted.
Reeking of champagne and sweat, Bruno quickly grabbed his things and took a long, refreshing shower, changing into clean clothes afterward.
Looking at his teammates strewn about the beds and floor, Bruno shook his head and sighed. If the media saw this, it would be a worldwide scandal.
Leaving the room, Bruno found all the Manchester United players and coaches still asleep. Asking the hotel staff, he learned they had celebrated all night.
"You're the only one who was carried back," the female staff member laughed.
Bruno awkwardly waved it off. How embarrassing.
...
Passing the hotel conference room, Bruno saw Harry Kane asleep in the corner, hugging the Saint Blaise Cup. What's this now?
Bruno could easily picture the team's wild celebration, the fight for the cup, and Kane sneaking away to hide in the conference room, only to fall asleep.
He couldn't help but chuckle.
No wonder his teammates were so happy. Two years ago, Manchester United could hardly qualify for the Champions League. Who would have thought they'd be here today?
Back then, United was in turmoil, on the brink of collapse. Fortunately, the team changed ownership, Prince Jassim bought the club, hired Mourinho, and brought in players like Bruno and Kante, reviving the club and leading to this Champions League victory.
Reflecting on it now, it hadn't been easy.
But no matter what, many people's fates, including his own, had changed. Ibrahimović fulfilled his career's biggest dream, and Harry Kane broke his "championship drought" curse...
(END CHAPTER)
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