LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 245
[Goaaaaal─! Goaaaaal─! Son Jinho’s opening goal! It’s like watching Lionel Messi score!!]
[Huh…? But where is Son Jinho going right now!?]
[…That’s where the Liverpool fans are.]
[Ah! Judging by the wavering in Son Jinho’s eyes, it looks like he might have taken a wrong turn.]
[Yes. Son Jinho immediately raises his hand to convey his apologies to the Liverpool fans.]
[But those Liverpool fans, already extremely excited, start throwing objects onto the pitch!]
[Yes, that’s bound to lead to a game stoppage…. Oh? Just as I was saying this, Steven Gerrard approaches Son Jinho!]
[Steven Gerrard is patting Son Jinho on the shoulder! And is it magic? The furious Liverpool fans begin to calm down.]
└Wow… Damn, that’s so cool.
└Phew… As expected of Liverpool’s eternal captain ㅠㅠ
└But seriously, why aren’t they renewing his contract? I heard his weekly wage was slashed.
└Didn’t FSG refuse to renew his contract?
└Wow lol, treating legends like that is just messed up.
└Honestly, it’s Americans who don’t understand the romance of football that are the problem, right?
***
“Booooo─!”
As soon as I recognized that the crowd before me consisted of Liverpool fans, I realized I had made a colossal mistake.
By the way, I had no intention of provoking the Liverpool fans with my celebration.
It’s just that the Liverpool fans were wearing red jerseys that looked similar to Manchester United’s, and the Dortmund cheers ringing in my ears added enough confusion.
But now wasn’t the time to make excuses; it was time for a sincere apology.
“I’m sorry. That was a genuine mistake.”
The referee approached and pulled out a card, while I conveyed my apologies to the Liverpool fans and players.
I could see the anger of the Liverpool players dissipating at my heartfelt apology.
“Drop dead, you jerk!”
However, the Liverpool fans, unable to see my sincere expression up close, were still erupting with anger.
Just as the continued barrage of thrown objects prompted the referee to temporarily halt the match, Mr. Hamba-hum… I mean Steven Gerrard approached me, patting my shoulder and graciously accepting my apology.
At that moment, the jeers of the enraged Liverpool fans subsided in an instant.
The Liverpool fans respected the judgment of their club legend, Steven Gerrard.
I was genuinely impressed by that sight.
‘Is this the dignity of the Liverpool captain?’
It was a realm entirely different from some captain somewhere who demands respect while skipping interviews.
“Son Jinho, your gaze just now was quite impure; you should respect me a bit more.”
Seeing Cristiano Ronaldo demanding respect made me genuinely worry about the future of Manchester United.
***
Once the debris thrown onto the pitch had been cleared, the referee blew the whistle to resume the match.
The game restarted with Liverpool’s kick-off, and Manchester United, propelled by Son Jinho’s opening goal, continuously battered the Liverpool net.
[Son Jinho, who blocked Liverpool’s counterattack, looked at Ronaldo.]
With the flow of the match completely shifted to Manchester United, Steven Gerrard began to move.
[Cristiano Ronaldo has evaded even the goalkeeper Simon Mignolet! And shoots!!]
Although Gerrard, whose skills had declined with age from his prime days…
[…!! Gerrard!!]
His influence on the Liverpool players was in no way diminished.
[He blocked it with his face! Steven Gerrard!!]
The captain’s hustle play, risking his body, ignited a fighting spirit among the Liverpool players.
They slowly began to regain the momentum lost to Manchester United.
In the fiercely contested first half at the 38th minute:
[Steven Gerrard dropped the ball to the left. Running swiftly is Alexis Sanchez.]
Steven Gerrard’s pass was aimed at Alexis Sanchez.
Son Jinho’s transfer to Manchester United triggered a chain reaction, leading Alexis Sanchez to Liverpool instead of Arsenal.
However, having adapted successfully to Arsenal, Sanchez quickly adjusted to the Liverpool club, shining in the 14/15 season as a ray of light in their attack.
As Sanchez entered the penalty box, calmly controlling the ball, he evaded Virgil van Dijk.
‘This has to go in.’
He glanced at David De Gea’s side and attempted a shot.
The Liverpool fans, sensing a goal, erupted in cheers and stood up.
But guarding Manchester United’s goal was David De Gea.
[Shuuuuuut─! Wowwwww─! Another brilliant save!]
[The spectacular save from David De Gea is like a beam of light! It feels like he’s shining from behind!]
De Gea made a save from Alexis Sanchez’s shot with animal-like reflexes.
“Vamos─!!!”
With a fantastic save, David De Gea kept Manchester United’s goal intact, swinging his fist in the air as he roared.
After Sanchez’s shot, the match continued on without any special moments, leading to the end of the first half.
***
The halftime ended, and the second half began.
‘The tactics are just like the first half.’
Brendan Rodgers did not modify the strategy he prepared.
While he had a strong Plan A, he lacked improvisation and a Plan B.
That was Brendan Rodgers’ limitation.
The old sage focused on exploiting Brendan Rodgers’ weaknesses.
We relentlessly pressured Liverpool according to the strategies laid out by the sage.
Unlike the evenly matched first half, the second half showcased a one-sided flow of Manchester United.
And shortly after the second half began, we found a great opportunity.
Faced with Manchester United’s strong assault, the Liverpool players dropped their lines and adopted a defensive stance.
As I received a pass from Ilkay Gündoğan and raised my head to survey the field, I caught a glimpse of the familiar figure.
“Jinho, the little boy inside me wants to be the FA Cup’s top scorer!!”
By chance, I locked eyes with Robin van Persie.
Seeing the Liverpool players adjusting their stances to prepare for a dribble, I didn’t get greedy and opted to pass.
The pass, swiftly dismantling Liverpool’s defensive line, slowed down perfectly in front of Robin van Persie.
Infiltrating the penalty box, Robin van Persie took a direct shot.
Robin van Persie’s shot sailed through Simon Mignolet’s legs and rattled the Liverpool net.
“Roowwwww─!”
Having tasted Son Jinho’s special pass, Robin van Persie ran towards me with an ecstatic expression and cheered.
***
Match concluded.
[Manchester United claims victory against Liverpool, achieving the double.]
[Now all that’s left is the Champions League! The red march of Manchester United towards the treble!]
[Son Jinho conveys his apologies to the Liverpool fans. “It wasn’t intentional.”]
[Son Jinho, “Steven Gerrard is one of the greatest captains in Premier League history.”]
[Manchester United’s captain Cristiano Ronaldo, responding to Son Jinho’s remarks…. “What about me?”]
[Son Jinho fell silent at Ronaldo’s question, getting unfollowed by Ronaldo.]
[Son Jinho, “It’s a familiar affair.”]
[Robin van Persie ahead of the treble takes a jab at his former club. “Listening to the voice of the little boy inside me was the best choice.”]
[Premier League’s top scorer Ronaldo, FA Cup’s top scorer Robin van Persie, and the remaining title goes to the Champions League’s top scorer, Son Jinho?]
***
Meanwhile, at that very moment.
The Copa del Rey final between Athletic Club and FC Barcelona was being held at Barcelona’s home ground, Camp Nou.
While preparing for the match, Lionel Messi smiled at the sight of Son Jinho lifting the FA Cup trophy.
‘Has it really been three years already?’
Messi suddenly recalled the past.
When he won the Ballon d’Or three times consecutively, rising to the pinnacle.
He felt as though he had lost his goal and motivation as a footballer.
Still, playing football at Camp Nou was enjoyable, but he couldn’t help but begin to become a bit lazy.
Of course, even though he had started slacking off in training, he remained the world’s best player, with just a handful of players able to stop him.
Just when Messi was about to give up on his development and settle into the present, he met Son Jinho in the Champions League quarter-finals.
The youthful boy, who refused to give up against Barcelona, pushed them to the very brink of elimination.
And perhaps, that was when it started.
The passion for football that was fading in Lionel Messi reignited.
‘Here I am meeting you on the grand stage of the Champions League final. Jinho, you must be as excited as I am now.’
While Lionel Messi looked forward to the Champions League final…
“Ugh. Poor Athletic Club, what can we do?”
“Let’s give them a moment of silence.”
Luis Suárez and Neymar, gazing at the cheerfully smiling Lionel Messi, quietly offered their condolences to Athletic Club.
And shortly afterward.
The match between Barcelona and Athletic Club commenced.
[Goaaaaal─! Just three minutes into the match, Lionel Messi scores!!]
No unexpected developments occurred.
***
[FC Barcelona defeats Athletic Club with a score of 4 to 1, claiming victory in the Copa del Rey.]
[Having secured the double, FC Barcelona challenges for the first-ever back-to-back treble.]
[The treble match in the final, Manchester United vs Barcelona. Which team will succeed in the treble?]