Chapter 884: Volume 7: Heart of the Lion King, Heart of the Champion

Martin, a Spanish tour guide who is fluent in Chinese, brought a group of curious Chinese tourists to a tavern near the Bernabéu.

As soon as I entered the door and looked up, I saw a huge Real Madrid team logo on the wall directly opposite.

There's no loud music or hot babes here. It's not the same as what Martin said, there are only big-screen TVs and many fans watching TV with their heads up.

"This is the tavern opened by my uncle. If you come here, you will get a 50% discount!" Martin made his own decision without consulting his uncle's opinion. If his uncle is unwilling, then he will make up the difference out of his own pocket. In order to watch a Real Madrid game with peace of mind, he can be regarded as a bloody cost.

After settling down a group of Chinese tourists, Martin squeezed into the crowd, ordered a glass of beer, and looked up at his TV with the others.

On the TV, the players from both sides have not yet played, and the stands are already full of people. Those who can watch the game on the spot make these people who can only sit in front of the TV to watch the game very envious. Martin looked at the TV screen and kept smacking his lips.

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The Bernabéu stadium, which can accommodate 80,000 people, is full of seats, and you can't even find any empty seats. Although the game hadn't started yet, the fans here were already enthusiastic. They sang or shouted loudly, applauded, and the crowd was full of voices. The towering floodlights illuminated the venue brightly. The staff were busy laying the UEFA round flag on the center circle, and the reporters were waiting on both sides of the tunnel exit, waiting for the players from both sides to come out. There is also a gleaming silver trophy, which is the highest honor in European club competitions-the European Champions Cup.

This is not a replica in the club's honor showroom, this is the real thing with big ears.

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After warming up, the players have returned to their lounges. The coaches of both sides will make final preparations for the most important game of the season.

Now is not the time to talk about tactics again, and they don't have that much time. At this time, some coaches like to keep silent and leave time to the players themselves; some coaches like to chatter long and advocating his way. These short minutes often determine the direction of the 45 minutes of the first half, and the 45 minutes of the first half. So in such a game, the players of any team will inevitably feel nervous.

Even teams like Real Madrid and Nottingham Forest are no exception.

Raul Gonzalez entered the locker room for the first time. Since he retired, he has never entered the locker room before a game. But he did this today, which shows that today's game is really special.

Michel stood aside, now it was time for Raul to speak. The former captain's influence in the dressing room remains huge.

Lauer doesn't have a long story. "This is the last game I ever dreamed of. It's a pity that I can't fight side by side with you on the court." He looked at his former teammates and said affectionately. "But I am very happy that my team-mates can finally stand here. Looking at you, I suddenly want to make myself ten years younger... It has always been my dream to win the tenth Champions League for the club. Now this Dreams are entrusted to you.”

After he finished speaking, he said goodbye to Michelle and walked out of the locker room.

There was a moment of silence in the Real Madrid dressing room. As Raul's teammates, they can't forget Raul's reluctance when he chose to retire a season ago. That year, Real Madrid lost the league championship, and the Champions League also stopped at the semi-finals. It was the pains before Real Madrid's re-emergence, the darkness before dawn, but it was a pity that Raul caught up.

He had the opportunity to renew his contract for another year, but at the last minute he chose to give up. The 36-year-old is 37 years old after playing for another year. He really doesn't know what else he can do on the court. Sitting on the bench as the club's pet doll for people to admire? He is not the kind of person who is willing to sit on the bench, he has a champion's heart, and a person with such a heart is absolutely unwilling to bear this reality.

So it's better to retire.

Now he may regret it... Even if he is sitting on the bench, as long as he can wait for such a game, he may be willing to sit on the bench for a season.

But these are just people's guesses. No one knows what Raul is thinking now.

He turned out of the locker room, walked slowly into the VIP box in the stands, and sat with his family, ready to enjoy the game.

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Unlike the serious atmosphere in the Real Madrid dressing room, the atmosphere in the Nottingham Forest dressing room is a little more casual. The players sat or stood, looking at the leader standing against the wall. They were like a group of soldiers waiting to go to the battlefield, expecting their commander to stand up and yell at them, telling them that there was nothing to be afraid of, and that with him, everything would be fine. We'll go home after this battle.

Tang En stood against the wall, looking at the group of players in front of him, a different emotion welled up from the bottom of his heart. It seems that he is not leading a team, but an army. There are veterans who have followed him for several years, with unshaven faces, who haven't been home for many years, and have a cynical expression with a cigarette in their mouths. Never mind. There are also baby-faced recruits, who are so nervous that they can't even hold their guns, their lips are trembling, as if they are muttering to themselves or praying to God. They are facing the most important battle in the war. If they win the war, there will be a fundamental reversal. His large army will be directed at Berlin, and the armored troops will run over all obstacles on the road like ants. , but if they lose, they will wipe out the whole army, and no one will come back.

For a moment, he was in a trance, and he opened his mouth to say, "Survive, I will take you home after the war."

Tang En quickly shook his head, dispelling the hallucinations in his mind.

Everything in front of him became clear again, the player was still a player, not a World War II Allied soldier wearing a helmet crookedly, a dirty military uniform with a few buttons missing, and a cigarette dangling from his beard. This is the bright, clean and modern dressing room of the Bernabéu, not the stinky trench where sewage is flowing and rats are running everywhere.

However, the feeling in the battlefield did not dissipate, but became stronger and stronger.

Tang En scratched his head: "I really don't know what to say, really. I had a dream just now, which ended in a short time, but it still makes me remember deeply."

His words aroused great interest from the players. I didn't see the boss sleeping just now, why did he say he had a dream? Do you still dream when you fall asleep standing up?

"I found that we are all on the battlefield, and the planes are roaring and flying overhead." Tang En made a gesture, "Behind me is the sound of the motors of the armored forces, and there are explosions everywhere, very noisy. I am surrounded by you, The enemy has occupied a high ground, and we are going to launch a final charge. If we take that place, the large forces behind us will be able to advance smoothly, and if we don't take it down, we will all die there!"

"A seemingly absurd dream." Tang En waved his hand, dispelling the misty dream. "But the feeling is still there, telling me it's not a dream. In a few minutes, the most important game of our career will start. Today is a matter of life and death for us, I am not exaggerating, not exaggerating at all. We either Live to hold the trophy, or... die and be forgotten." He shrugged, "It's that simple. There is no third way for us to go. Live or die, here is champion or lose. Think about how we walked before Come on, forget about those two champions! They don't help today's game."

Tang En pointed to the magnificently decorated locker room, "This is the Bernabéu's locker room, much more beautiful than the city stadium. But don't be fooled by its glamorous appearance. We are in hell now, guys, Trust me. We can get the shit kicked out here, or we can go all out and go to glory."

Tang En withdrew his wandering gaze, stared at the players in front of him, stared into their eyes.

"We can walk out of this hell with our heads held high, but I can't do it for you now. In fact, I'm too old..." He stroked his grizzled hair. "Sometimes when I forget to dye my hair, I wake up in the morning and see myself in the mirror and I'm shocked."

In fact, forty-five years old is not considered old, but Tang En had a heart attack, which greatly consumed his vitality. After that serious illness, he looked older than his actual age...

"And when you get old like me, everything goes away from you, even the trophies. It's just a part of life. But you don't realize how precious they are until you lose them, Because that is a memory that can never be replaced in your life! No matter how many years pass, you can proudly say in front of others: 'I have experienced such a game and won the final victory!'" Tang En raised his chest and looked up. The expression is proud and proud.

"It's life, it's football. I mean don't let go of a moment in life or football, even if it costs a lot. It's a war, guys. Every minute, every moment. You need to fight for every goal! Yes, I don't deny that we don't have the dazzling star lineup like Real Madrid. Compared with them, we are like country bumpkins, but football is a game of eleven! It is a team A cooperative sport! The advantage we have over them is that we are a whole, a team! I believe that everyone in this team will be smashed for the team's victory! Fight for every ball!"

Tang En began to wave his arms, and his tone became more serious.

And as his tone became heavier, the flames in the eyes of the players began to burn.

"I know that the winners of any battle belong to those who work together and are not afraid of sacrifice. The same is true in football games. When you are a whole, when your hearts are full of the belief of victory, the world in this world There will be no one who can stop you. I also know that we are a hundred times stronger than that shining light bulb, because we are one! I also know that teamwork is the watershed between winners and losers! It is life and death. The watershed of death!!" Tang En roared loudly, and his players followed him and made similar noises.

"Let me tell you, in any battle, those who always care about teamwork will win the final victory!" He suddenly broke the marker pen in his hand with a snap, and the sound resounded in everyone's heart.

"A word of loose sand is like this pen! When you are in a difficult situation, when you face the most powerful enemy and the worst situation, you can always rely on your teammates! Now, look The teammates around you, look at him, look into his eyes! They will be your most reliable people in these 90 minutes! You are comrades-in-arms in the trenches, partners in life and death! When you run, You know they'll get the ball to you. When you lose the ball, you know they'll get it back for you. When you're in the middle of an attack, you know you're not alone because you've got them behind you! If you give up, you're putting them in a very dangerous situation. You're willing to go out of your way to protect and help your teammates, not because I ask you to, but because you know that when you're in danger, they ! Your teammates! They will do the same!!" His voice was short and powerful, as if he was hitting metal, making a clanging sound, accompanied by his gestures, which were inspiring.

"This is the...team, gentlemen."

Tang En spread his hands and looked at everyone with a slightly slower tone. The continuous excited speech made his face turn red and his panting become thicker. But it seems that his nuclear power heart is still very strong, and his life is not in danger at this moment.

Following his excited words, the players turned their heads to look at their teammates and read the same message from their eyes—hey, man, we are teammates.

"Now, you have the opportunity to leave one of the most precious treasures in your life. You have the opportunity to fight for the same goal with the best players in the history of professional football! This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. If you miss it, you will never Come back again! Play it as the last game of your life!" Tang En pointed to the door of the locker room, "No matter how powerful the enemy is, they are not your opponents. Because they are just a loose sand, and you are professional Best team in football history!"

"We are the strongest!!" Some of the players couldn't restrain their inner excitement and shouted out.

"I love football so much, I love the game. Because you guys always bring me back to my younger days and seeing you run and fight in the game, I think how meaningful my life is because I can still enjoy it. Seeing such passion! This is the whole motivation for my work! I hope that tonight, you can still make me young again...don't worry about my heart." Tang En supported his left chest and shook his head, "It's still strong It beats as hard as yours. It's hungry for victory, it's hungry for champions, and that never changes! Remember, folks, it's a nuclear-powered champion's heart! And you, it's that heart. The source of all motivation!!" Tang En pointed to the heart, and then pointed to the players in front of him.

"What are you talking about... Nottingham Forest today is not qualified to win the championship, not qualified to achieve the treble! Because we don't have big stars, we look weak. Now I am very happy that we have the opportunity to laugh at their ignorance and stupidity in person." Tang En laughed, "We are born to fight against others. If we are not qualified to win the championship, then who else in this world!" Tang En widened his eyes and looked around, "Who else is qualified!? Who else is there?" More qualified than us!?"

After taking a short breath, he continued: "Now, take our champion and let them talk. My words are finished, what should you do?"

The sitting players stood up one after another, and they raised their arms and shouted: "Go to win the championship! Champion! Champion!"

"Triple Crown! Triple Crown! We want to be Triple Crown!!"

The huge roar echoed in the locker room, amplified by the small space, stirring in everyone's heart. Tang En looked at those excited players, his expression still serious.

Even George Wood, who had always been as cold as ice, turned his head to look at his teammates who were so excited that they couldn't control themselves, pursing their lips tightly, and there was a raging fire burning in his pupils. In fact, deep in his heart, the flame burned even more vigorously.

At the beginning, his purpose of playing football was to make money to treat his mother, but now he enjoys this passion of constantly pursuing victory.

As Twain said: He loves football precisely because he loves this passion. It's like a drug in his life, he can't get rid of it...

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Perez Florentino shakes hands with Evan Dougherty on the Bernabeu podium, and in the stands of his own stadium, he can't hide his genuine superiority despite his politeness Feeling and arrogance, after all, he is the best chairman of Real Madrid in the past 20 years. Calderon, Boruda, and Sanz are all like clowns under his brilliance.

Real Madrid and Nottingham Forest are really not the same team. In this dazzling white palace made of marble, he is like a proud king, sitting on his throne, waiting quietly The other party's audience.

Evan Dalgety is a foreign envoy who came to the pilgrimage, humble and polite, inferior to others.

Evan didn't like this feeling. Where he is, the wish in almost everyone's mind is to see Real Madrid win, with Nottingham Forest ideally being a good opponent and then being the foil for Real Madrid's ten-time winner. Just like safflower needs green leaves.

This feeling made Evan Dalgety feel very lonely, and Alan Adams sitting next to him could not bring him the slightest sense of security. The two of them are like sheep trapped in a pack of wolves and can only be slaughtered.

It wasn't until he saw Tony Twain coming out of the corridor below and walking towards the coaching bench of the visiting team that his discomfort gradually disappeared.

We're not here to make a pilgrimage to the greatest club of the twentieth century, nor are we interested in visiting its five-star toilets. Tony, you remember this, don't forget. Ninety minutes later, don't make me shake hands with Florentino like that again!

Pull him off that bloody throne for me! !

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