Chapter 84: One Goal to Fame! Ribéry Breaks Out!
September 10th, afternoon – The Hawthorns, West Bromwich
Premier League Matchday 5: Bayswater Chinese FC away at West Bromwich Albion.
Several national team players returned late, disrupting Yang Cheng's original match plans and preparations.
Especially with the league schedule now heavily compressed after the international break, Yang Cheng was forced to adjust.
In the 26th minute, West Brom midfielder Jonathan Greening fired a sudden long-range shot and broke the deadlock.
Bayswater Chinese FC launched a furious counterattack in response, but the Baggies defended tightly.
It wasn't until the second minute of first-half stoppage time that Gökhan Inler made a late run into the box and fired a shot near the penalty spot to equalize.
In the second half, Yang Cheng made several substitutions but couldn't break through again.
The match ended 1–1.
Yang Cheng had been mentally prepared and didn't blame his players.
Džeko, Roger Johnson, and others started, while Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott came on as subs in the second half.
…
September 15th, evening – Deutsche Bank Park, Frankfurt
UEFA Cup, Third Qualifying Round, First Leg: Bayswater Chinese FC vs Mainz (Away)
Because Mainz's home ground, Bruchwegstadion, only held 20,300 seats, they moved this UEFA Cup home match to the larger Frankfurt stadium.
Both teams were making their European debuts.
Mainz had reached the UEFA Cup via Fair Play points and had to start from the first qualifying round.
They had already beaten Armenia's Mika and Iceland's Keflavík by identical aggregate scores of 4–0.
In both previous rounds, they had used the home leg to gain an early advantage—yes, both ties were home first, away second.
This one was no different.
But unlike their dominance in Europe, Mainz were struggling in the Bundesliga—dead last, 0 wins from 4 games, only 1 goal scored and 8 conceded.
They had lost 0–1 to Köln, 0–2 at home to Werder Bremen, 0–2 away to Arminia Bielefeld, and 1–3 at home to Hamburg.
Losing to Bremen and Hamburg was understandable—but dropping games to Köln and Bielefeld raised serious concerns.
Before the match, Mainz coach Jürgen Klopp confidently promised:
"We're going to give the fans a pedal-to-the-metal football match!"
And to be fair, his players delivered.
They charged at Bayswater's goal like a turbo-charged Mercedes.
But they quickly realized this Premier League team was nothing like Mika or Keflavík.
Not only did Bayswater hold their ground defensively, but they also launched threatening counters.
Klopp's go-to striker, Egyptian forward Mohamed Zidan, found it nearly impossible to function as a lone striker.
And Diarra tightly marked Mainz's Brazilian playmaker Antonio da Silva, neutralizing him and preventing Mainz from organizing any attacks.
Meanwhile, Neuer, returning to Germany, was fired up and in top form.
From the opening minutes, Mainz struggled to produce anything dangerous.
That said, Friedrich led a solid back line that repeatedly shut down Bayswater's counters.
The deadlock continued into the second half.
In the 60th minute, Klopp made the first move—subbing off right winger Lüdemann and midfielder Antonio da Silva.
Yang Cheng responded by replacing a fatigued Ribéry with Ashley Young.
The French winger had just returned from national duty, played multiple matches, and was heavily marked in this one—his performance was fairly average.
In the 74th minute, still unable to break the tie, Mainz made their final sub:
Striker Benjamin Auer replaced midfielder Fabian Gerber, switching to a 4-4-2 to push harder on offense.
Yang Cheng immediately called over Theo Walcott to warm up.
Soon, the 16-year-old England youth returned to his side for final instructions.
"See number 28?"
Walcott nodded. "Matthias Abel."
"Good. After you go in, Ashley Young takes the right wing—you take the left."
Walcott looked surprised. He was right-footed—crossing from the left wasn't his strong suit.
Yang Cheng saw his hesitation and rested a hand on his shoulder.
"Your left foot's good. Trust it."
"Abel's 1.88 meters tall and has played two straight matches. He's gassed. He's slow and stiff—and that's your advantage."
Mainz's left side was patrolled by #24 Benjamin Weigelt, who was fast.
Lennon had tried to beat him several times on the counter, but got nothing.
Now Klopp had taken off Lüdemann and da Silva, and then subbed Gerber and switched to 4-4-2. It was clear—he was going all in on offense.
"I'll have the midfield and Lambert feed you. Time your run and cut behind. Go for goal yourself."
Yang Cheng gave Walcott a few hard pats of encouragement.
Walcott was only 16—but Yang's words lit a fire inside him.
He was ready.
…
Walcott came on for Aaron Lennon.
No one really understood what Yang Cheng expected from a 16-year-old sub.
And Walcott didn't run to the right wing.
During his Southampton youth days, he played striker and right wing—but he'd occasionally filled in on the left too.
Now, he had a quick word with Ashley Young, who switched sides.
Yang Cheng stood on the sideline and gestured toward Modrić and the other midfielders.
Then he looked up and locked eyes with Klopp.
Yang Cheng smiled confidently.
The game resumed.
Nothing looked much different at first.
The two new arrivals—Young and Walcott—were very lively.
As expected. Fresh legs.
Mainz weren't worried. They kept pushing.
Benjamin Auer partnered with Zidan up front—a classic big-and-small striker combo.
Klopp's idea was clear: let Auer clash with the center-backs and free up Zidan.
The Egyptian had excellent pace and technique.
But Yang Cheng had no intention of letting that work.
Bayswater pulled the midfield line back, tightening the space Zidan could receive in.
On the surface, it looked like they were slowly crumbling under Mainz's attack.
Even the commentators couldn't help but crack jokes.
"Benjamin Auer recently said he was in such great shape, he could outrun an antelope on his African vacation."
"Well, let's hope he brought some of that antelope speed back with him tonight."
"Not much time left—Klopp's team has to hit the turbo now!"
That wasn't just the commentator's view. The 30,000-plus fans in the stadium thought the same.
And so did the Mainz players on the pitch.
…
Walcott didn't need to understand German—he could feel the energy, the roar of over 30,000 people.
But tonight, he was destined to go to war against every last one of them.
From the moment he came on, he kept running.
Every time his team had possession, he would sprint into a space where he could launch forward.
After playing for years, he knew exactly when to accelerate—how to explode into top gear.
But no matter how many runs he made, his teammates couldn't find the right pass.
Mainz's defense, especially their counter-pressing after losing the ball, was intense.
In that sense, they reminded him of Bayswater Chinese FC.
But Walcott kept running.
Because football is a game of failure.
Out of 100 chances, 99 might go wrong—but all it takes is one.
And then came the 80th minute.
Mainz turned up the pressure.
In the 83rd minute, Bayswater lost possession in midfield.
Captain Luka Modrić immediately pressed, chasing down Mainz's holding midfielder, Pekovic.
Walcott watched and felt fired up.
At just 1.71 meters tall, Modrić was dwarfed by the 1.89-meter Pekovic. In size and strength, he was at a huge disadvantage.
But the Croatian closed in like a terrier and stuck to his man.
Pekovic's footwork was sloppy, and under pressure, he panicked.
Modrić poked the ball free.
Mainz quickly counter-pressed.
Andreasen tried to boot the ball forward, but it hit a defender and deflected in another direction.
In the chaos, Lassana Diarra was first to react. He shielded off his marker and laid it off to the right.
Piszczek surged forward and booted it long.
It looked like a clearance. Or maybe a long pass.
Lambert immediately chased it, glancing up to track the ball's flight.
Walcott called out.
The English striker understood and surged ahead, timing his leap perfectly to flick it on.
The ball skidded over the top of Mainz's defense, falling toward the left side of the penalty area.
And at that exact moment, Walcott launched.
Like a cheetah pouncing on an antelope across the African plains, he exploded into a blur of speed.
All the Mainz defenders saw was a red streak flying past them—Abel had no chance of catching him.
So fast!
"Danger!"
"Here comes Bayswater Chinese FC on the counter!"
"It's the substitute—Walcott—"
Before the commentator could even finish his sentence, Walcott had already reached the ball.
Every Mainz defender had been left in the dust.
The ball bounced off the turf.
Walcott, like a bolt of lightning, caught up, touched it forward, and stormed into the penalty box.
At that moment, the defenders were still at the edge of the area, staring helplessly at the red blur breaking through.
Now face-to-face with German keeper Timo Wache, Walcott slowed down, settled the ball—
And didn't shoot with his stronger right foot.
He'd seen Wache's positioning and balance.
So he swung with his left foot instead.
And buried it into the bottom-right corner of the net.
The entire stadium gasped.
Walcott spun and sprinted away, roaring.
"Bayswater Chinese FC break the deadlock!"
"1–0!"
"It's the young Englishman—Theo Walcott!"
"That goal just reminded everyone of a young Michael Owen!"
"No—Walcott is even younger."
"16 years and 6 months old!"
"That makes him the second youngest goalscorer in UEFA Cup history!"
"He just passed Sweden's Leif Andersson to take second place."
"Only Ghana's Nii Lamptey, who scored for Anderlecht in 1991 at 16 years, 2 months, and 18 days, is ahead of him."
"But Walcott is now the youngest scorer in the UEFA Cup in the 21st century!"
As Walcott scored, Yang Cheng couldn't contain himself—he jumped up, clapping with both hands.
"This kid's going to be famous!"
Fellow Englishman and short-statured striker Brian Kidd was especially emotional.
…
The match continued.
After Walcott's goal, Yang Cheng felt far more relaxed.
Mainz tried to fight back, but they were also wary of another Bayswater counterattack.
Once the game settled, Yang Cheng walked back to the dugout and chatted with his assistants.
"Brian, I'm handing Walcott and Gareth Bale over to you. Keep a close eye on them."
He laughed as he accepted a water bottle from the staff.
Joking—half-joking.
"The kid's got real potential. That speed—he's no slower than Lennon," Kidd agreed.
Yang Cheng nodded. Their pace was close.
At the moment, Aaron Lennon was more dangerous on the right wing.
But Yang Cheng believed that with proper development, Walcott had the higher ceiling.
Why? Because he listened.
Both Lennon and Walcott shared traits: short, slim builds.
That made physical duels a real problem.
Even someone as talented as Messi struggled early in his career due to lack of physical strength.
Cristiano Ronaldo, too—he was flimsy when he debuted, but he bulked up through training.
For speedsters like Lennon, Walcott, and Robben, contact at top speed didn't just lead to falls—it could cause serious injury.
That's why so many fast players were constantly injured.
There was no magic solution—they had to get stronger.
Yang Cheng had told Lennon many times:
His technique was great—his dribbling and feints made him deadly on the right.
But if he wanted to evolve, he needed to improve physically and become more well-rounded.
Lennon resisted gym work and didn't like adapting his game.
That was just his personality.
Walcott, on the other hand, was already technically outstanding for his age in England.
Sure, compared to technically gifted kids in continental Europe, he was above average—but not elite.
But he was fast, explosive, and very agile.
In Yang Cheng's previous life, Arsenal fans used to joke that Walcott's signature dribble was tripping over himself.
Why?
Because he lacked physical balance.
A long list of injuries only deepened his fear of contact.
And as he slowed down from injuries, he lost his greatest weapon.
Think about it—knowing Wenger's obsession with technique, would he have taken Walcott from Southampton if he hadn't shown enough skill?
Would he have dared to call him the next Thierry Henry?
"Walcott still has plenty of issues. Besides being too slight physically, he's fine when sprinting at full speed with the ball, but his coordination breaks down when changing pace or direction. We need to help him find his rhythm."
Brian Kidd looked at Yang Cheng as he spoke.
"Right now, he struggles switching from fast to slow and vice versa. His movements aren't fluid enough when shifting or changing direction—his technique loses precision, and his rhythm falls apart."
All of this could be improved through training.
But training alone wasn't enough. He needed minutes—time on the pitch to make mistakes, learn, and grow through experience.
That's how young players developed.
Some clicked right away. Others had to mess up, fix it, mess up again, and fix it again.
Walcott and Gareth Bale?
Neither belonged in the "quick learner" category.
For the record, both had blistering speed and explosive acceleration, but their profiles were completely different.
Gareth Bale was an all-or-nothing, high-volume player. His height meant he had to build upper body strength.
Just like in Yang Cheng's past life.
During a sprint, if a defender leaned into him, Bale could drag them along with his raw power.
His greatest advantage? Stamina.
He could sprint at top speed for extended distances.
Walcott, on the other hand, would go down with the slightest contact.
His smaller frame just couldn't handle the same level of physical challenge.
But these two profiles weren't good or bad—they were complementary.
That was why Yang Cheng had been willing to spend £3 million to bring both from Southampton.
Brian Kidd had developed plenty of young talent at Manchester United—including Ryan Giggs, who had a natural sense of rhythm.
Yang Cheng believed Kidd could help mold both of these young wingers.
Over the coming weeks, Yang Cheng planned to use them cautiously.
Mostly as second-half substitutes—when both teams were tired, and their pace could have maximum impact.
Just like Walcott tonight against Mainz.
Do well, and their confidence would skyrocket.
And it reduced injury risk too.
Nothing killed the development of a young player like frequent injuries.
Which brought things back to physical conditioning. Gym work was absolutely essential.
…
In the end, Bayswater Chinese FC secured a 1–0 win over Mainz in Germany thanks to Walcott's goal.
And the whole of England exploded.
England and Germany had long been footballing rivals—plenty of history and grudges between the two nations.
But more importantly, Walcott's goal reminded everyone of Michael Owen.
The golden boy who once set the world on fire.
The nostalgia hit hard.
The Sun, The Telegraph, The Guardian, The Mirror, The Times—every major outlet ran front-page spreads about Walcott's goal, singing the praises of his breakout moment.
The second youngest goalscorer in UEFA Cup history!
And in his very first European appearance!
For England, still desperately searching for a new superstar, this was like rain in the desert.
The media went into overdrive—some were already urging Sven-Göran Eriksson to call Walcott into the national team.
Yang Cheng and the club chose to cool the hype.
He called Walcott in for a one-on-one.
Told him to block out the noise.
"Brian Kidd and the staff will give you and Gareth tailored training programs, especially for your physique."
"We have very high expectations for you. Don't let this be the peak."
Walcott nodded, humbled.
But Yang Cheng still wasn't at ease.
He called his agent, Jonathan Barnett, warning him not to say anything reckless in interviews or media appearances.
Any disruption could derail the club's carefully structured development plan for Walcott and Bale.
He also asked Barnett to help settle things on the family front.
"You remember what I said before?"
"About... Rooney?"
"Exactly. I don't know if you believed me then. But now—you know I wasn't bluffing."
Barnett agreed without hesitation.
"Don't worry, Yang. I give you my word—I'll cooperate fully."
Barnett desperately wanted his agency to produce a star like Rooney.
With both player and agent on board, Bayswater Chinese FC rejected all media requests to interview Walcott.
They also made a public plea:
"He's still just a kid," said CEO Adam Crozier, urging the press to give the boy room to grow.
…
September 15th – Mainz away.
September 18th – Back in London. Premier League Matchday 6.
The opponent: Middlesbrough.
Disaster struck early—just 13 minutes in, Australian striker Mark Viduka headed in past Neuer to give the visitors the lead.
Bayswater threw everything forward in response.
It wasn't until the 68th minute that Ashley Young, coming off the bench, scored the equalizer with a clean finish after a late run.
Despite a flurry of chances, the home side couldn't break through again.
1–1. Full-time.
After six rounds, Bayswater Chinese FC stood at 3 wins and 3 draws—still unbeaten.
But they had surrendered their place at the top of the table.
Mourinho's Chelsea, with 5 wins and 1 loss, climbed to 15 points and claimed the lead.
West Ham followed with 13.
Then came Bayswater, Charlton, and Manchester United, all with 12.
…
September 20th – League Cup, Second Round.
Bayswater hosted Bournemouth.
The last time these two teams met, Yang Cheng's squad had still been in League Two (now called League One).
This time, Yang Cheng fielded a full reserve lineup, resting all starters.
The team had played three matches in just one week, and despite some rotation, the young squad was under pressure and not at their best.
The draw with Middlesbrough was proof of that.
But this wasn't the old Bayswater anymore.
Even a complete backup XI could control the match comfortably.
Up front, Yang Cheng started a trio of Gareth Bale, Džeko, and Walcott.
The attacking trident took turns battering Bournemouth's defense.
But it wasn't until the 76th minute that Džeko finally scored.
The team created plenty of chances but failed to convert due to various factors.
In the end, Bayswater won 1–0 and advanced to the League Cup third round.
…
September 24th – Goodison Park, Liverpool.
Premier League Matchday 7: Bayswater Chinese FC vs Everton (Away)
This season, Everton had started disastrously.
1 win, 5 losses—19th in the table.
Even worse, they had lost all 3 home matches so far.
Everton's dismal form had fans and pundits deeply concerned.
At home, David Moyes set up a conservative 4-5-1 formation.
Throughout the first half, Everton used a solid defensive shape to contain Bayswater Chinese FC's relentless waves of attack.
Former Bayswater keeper Joe Hart performed well, but Everton couldn't muster any real offensive threat of their own.
The first half ended in a scoreless draw.
At halftime, Yang Cheng made decisive adjustments.
With the attack struggling, he encouraged Yaya Touré to push forward more often and make use of his driving runs.
Barely a minute into the second half, Touré surged forward. Modrić threaded a pass into the box looking for Lambert, but center-back Yobo cut it out.
The ball deflected to the edge of the box.
Touré arrived first and fired a low, driven shot—
The ball zipped across the turf and buried itself into the bottom-right corner of Joe Hart's net.
1–0!
Moyes responded aggressively.
In the 49th minute, he subbed on striker Marcus Bent for midfielder Kevin Kilbane.
Then, in the 58th, he brought on Duncan Ferguson for Simon Davies.
Two substitutions—two strikers on, two midfielders off.
It was clear: Moyes was going for a "strength in numbers" approach.
But in the 67th minute, after a defensive interception, Bayswater launched a lightning-quick passing sequence.
A string of one-touch midfield passes brought the ball to Franck Ribéry on the left.
The French winger hadn't been himself since returning from international duty.
It was his first call-up, and the excitement had clearly disrupted his rhythm.
But now, facing Phil Neville and another defender, Geber, he broke through on the left wing.
Inside the box, defender Yobo came to close him down—
Ribéry spun, backheeled the ball into space.
Modrić, arriving at the edge of the six-yard box, calmly slotted it past Joe Hart into the left corner.
2–0!
Yang Cheng then brought on Gareth Bale and Theo Walcott to gain match experience, take advantage of their speed, and rest key players ahead of the midweek UEFA Cup match.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese FC 2–0 Everton (Away).
…
After losing 0–1 to Bayswater in the first leg, Jürgen Klopp made a bold statement:
"We will come back and turn it around on the road!"
In the following three Bundesliga matches, Mainz went 1 win, 1 draw, and 1 loss.
They lost 1–2 at home to Stuttgart, beat Kaiserslautern 2–0 away, and drew 1–1 at home against Dortmund.
Compared to their previous four-game losing streak, Mainz had clearly bounced back.
That gave Klopp renewed confidence.
Even before arriving in London, he began provoking Bayswater through the press.
It was all part of his strategy—using public boldness to rebuild belief in his underdog squad.
On the surface, he talked big, but his tactics told a different story.
Unlike the 4-3-3 he used at home, Klopp was much more cautious away.
Although it still looked like a 4-3-3, in practice, Zidan and Todorov dropped deeper behind Auer, forming more of a 4-3-2-1.
His midfield trio from the first leg returned, but Antonio da Silva and Geber dropped deeper to form a defensive line with Pekovic, functioning more like a triple pivot.
They would push up only selectively.
In practice, it resembled a Christmas Tree formation (4-3-2-1).
Formations are static. Players are not.
But it was clear Klopp's approach was far more cautious this time.
Still, deep down, he was the same passionate, fiery boxing-style coach.
…
Since returning from international duty, Ribéry's form had dipped noticeably.
Yes, he had a beautiful backheel assist against Everton, but the media still tore into him.
Compared to the first four matches, Ribéry looked like a different player.
Some questioned whether he had just been a flash in the pan.
In the dressing room, Yang Cheng reiterated his full confidence in Ribéry.
"This is a normal dip in form. I believe he'll bounce back soon."
He reaffirmed that no matter the situation, Ribéry was the team's most important core player.
That trust deeply moved the Frenchman.
During the team meeting, he vowed to work his way back into top form and prove the doubters wrong.
Yang Cheng expected Klopp to go all out at the start—at least enough to score early and level the tie.
They were both new to European competition.
Trailing long-term put immense pressure on players.
In football, the opponent isn't always just the other team—it's the clock.
So Yang Cheng's opening tactic was to set a trap—
Let Mainz come flying in... then punch them right in the face on the counter.
…
September 28th, evening – Loftus Road, London.
UEFA Cup, Third Qualifying Round, Second Leg: Bayswater Chinese FC vs Mainz (Home).
Just 4 minutes in, Mainz pushed forward and lost the ball.
Leighton Baines launched a quick counter and fed the ball to Ribéry on the left wing.
He was double-teamed by Abel and Geber.
Everyone thought the counter was dead in its tracks.
But Ribéry, with dazzling footwork and change of pace, somehow dribbled out of that tight space.
The entire Loftus Road crowd—over 18,000 strong—erupted in awe.
Even the commentator couldn't hold back.
"He got out of it!"
"Ribéry broke through!"
"Here comes Bayswater's counterattack!"
"Ribéry cuts inside…"
"Stops, shakes off Friedrich…"
"Shoots!"
"GOAL!!!!"
"RIBÉRY SCORES!!!!"
"What a brilliant strike!"
"A curling shot from the left edge of the box, straight into the top right corner!"
"A stunning goal from Franck Ribéry after a solo run from the left wing!"
"Absolutely breathtaking!"
"He beat two defenders on the wing, then dribbled past Friedrich before unleashing that shot."
"Ribéry has exploded out of the gate tonight!"
"All doubts are gone. All criticism silenced."
"Less than 5 minutes in, and Ribéry puts Bayswater Chinese FC in front!"
Inside the stadium, fans leapt from their seats, screaming Ribéry's name.
On the sideline, Yang Cheng jumped with both fists in the air, cupping his hands to his mouth, shouting at Ribéry.
With 30 years of experience in his past life, Yang Cheng knew players went through form slumps.
Especially young ones.
The media? They just wanted headlines.
Yang Cheng turned to the stands and waved his arms wildly—
The energy inside Loftus Road surged.
Ribéry's fourth-minute goal put Mainz in a terrible position.
They now trailed 0–2 on aggregate.
Under such desperate circumstances, many teams—especially ones like Mainz, who couldn't even win in their domestic league—would naturally choose to give up.
Or even collapse entirely.
But Yang Cheng didn't buy it.
Because his opponent was Jürgen Klopp.
And knowing Klopp's teams, Yang Cheng was certain Mainz wouldn't go down without a fight.
So he kept warning his players: stay sharp.
And sure enough—
They conceded just four minutes in, which meant Klopp's tactical plan had been exposed right out of the gate.
But rather than crumble, Mainz attacked even harder.
It was as if they didn't care about the score.
Didn't care how many they conceded.
All they cared about was pushing forward.
Attack. Attack. Attack.
For Bayswater, that wasn't a problem.
They stuck with the plan—set a trap, wait for Mainz to rush in, then strike back.
Mainz, however, became more cautious. It took longer.
Then, in the 34th minute, Bayswater struck again.
Lambert dropped deep to link up with the midfield. He and Modrić completed a perfect one-two. The Croatian burst into the box, drawing both center-backs.
Suddenly, Modrić played a left-footed pass to the left side of the box.
Ribéry, cutting diagonally, reached it and calmly slotted the ball home.
Brace!
The French winger raced to the sideline, dropped to his knees, and let out a roaring scream toward the sky.
Down 0–2 at halftime. 0–3 on aggregate. And yet Mainz still didn't stop.
The second half began, and they kept pressing.
In the early stages, Mainz created two huge chances.
First, Benjamin Auer fired a shot just over the crossbar.
Then, Todorov had a powerful header saved brilliantly by Neuer.
But just as Mainz started to believe, the dagger came in the 67th minute.
After winning the ball, Bayswater countered.
Ribéry passed down the left.
Leighton Baines overlapped and whipped in a cross.
Lambert got to the ball first and headed it in from close range.
3–0!
The stadium erupted.
This was a spectacular match.
The visitors didn't sit back, and the hosts were ruthlessly efficient.
The pace was electric. The drama, incredible.
When the game reached the 70th minute, Mainz's energy visibly faded.
Yang Cheng, knowing the game was won, made more substitutions.
Several young and reserve players came on to gain experience.
Mainz pulled one back in the 81st minute—Friedrich headed in from a corner by da Silva.
That would be their only goal across both legs.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese FC 3–1 Mainz (4–1 on aggregate).
…
In recent years, with the expansion of the Champions League, the UEFA Cup had been losing relevance.
But Bayswater's 3–1 win over Mainz still made waves across Europe.
Because this match had drawn attention from British, French, and German media alike.
England and Germany had their own football rivalry.
France? They were focused on Ribéry and Chimbonda.
Especially Ribéry.
As Domenech's most prized new call-up, Ribéry's dazzling performances in the Premier League had excited French media and fans.
Some were even calling him France's next big star—the heir to Zidane.
His recent dip in form had stirred worry and speculation.
But this two-goal display silenced the critics.
French media and fans were thrilled—support for Ribéry soared.
British media, meanwhile, were full of praise for Bayswater's brilliance.
A newly promoted side, still undefeated in the Premier League with 4 wins and 3 draws.
The only unbeaten team left in the league.
15 points—tied with second-place Charlton, and just behind Chelsea's 18.
And now, they'd dumped Mainz out of the UEFA Cup and advanced to the group stage.
For a promoted side, this was beyond remarkable.
Praise for Bayswater continued to grow—fans and pundits alike were impressed.
As for the German media?
Well… the Bundesliga had been declining for years. They were used to it.
…
After the Mainz match, Yang Cheng shifted his focus to Premier League Matchday 8, a home clash with Bolton.
As he had said during preseason, this was a tough opponent.
Forget their squad full of rugged veterans—the real threat was manager Sam Allardyce, one of England's most respected tacticians.
Yang Cheng wasn't taking them lightly.
Meanwhile, the UEFA Cup group stage draw had his full attention.
This time, Adam Crozier would fly to UEFA HQ in Nyon, Switzerland to attend the draw.
The UEFA Cup group format was surprisingly complicated.
After the third qualifying round, 40 teams would be split into eight groups.
Each group had five teams.
But unlike the Champions League's home-and-away round robin, the UEFA Cup schedule had to align with the Champions League, meaning it was much more condensed.
The top 3 teams from each group would advance—24 teams total.
Then they'd be joined by eight third-placed teams from the Champions League group stage to form a 32-team knockout phase.
The UEFA Cup group stage began in October.
Each team played four matches—two at home, two away.
Opponents were drawn randomly—you only played each team once.
This made upsets very likely.
Take Moyes' Everton, for example.
They had just lost 1–5 away to Romania's Dinamo Bucharest in their first-leg qualifier.
Even though they won the return leg 1–0, they were still eliminated.
In the group stage, with only one match per opponent, home vs. away matters a lot.
If you wanted to advance, you had to fight for every single point.
UEFA tried to balance the groups using seeding pots.
But since Bayswater Chinese FC were debuting in Europe, they were automatically placed in the lowest pot.
Which meant they had a very high chance of landing in a Group of Death.
Both media and club staff were worried.
Yang Cheng, of course, cared too—but he knew that now was not the time for fear.
Now was the time for confidence.
So during the tactical meeting ahead of the Bolton match, Yang Cheng addressed the players boldly:
"Don't worry about who we might draw—they're the ones who should be worried about us!"
"Across all of Europe, no matter who draws us, they're the ones who should be scared!"
"There's no pressure on us. No fear. Just go out and play our football. Beat them with our own strength. That's all we need."
Yang Cheng's confidence spread through the room.
The players straightened up.
Their self-belief returned.
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