Liverpool fans lingered, unwilling to leave.
Twice finishing as runners-up in the league, so close to the title, and the glory of defeating Real Madrid twice in the 08-09 season seemed so far away now.
There is only one true heroism in the world: to see life as it is and still love it.
They would continue to support Liverpool.
After the match between Real Madrid and Liverpool concluded, news about the game instantly went viral worldwide, capturing the close attention of hundreds of millions.
Major media outlets scrambled to report on it.
"Champions League Final: Real Madrid VS Manchester United!"
"Ronaldo Leads the Champions League Scoring Charts, Set to Be Crowned King of the Champions League!"
"Betting Company Releases Odds: Real Madrid at 1.13, Man United at 1.52; Over 70% of Fans Believe Real Madrid Will Secure a Three-Peat!"
"Liverpool Exits with Honor!"
...
@Madridista: Watching this match, I feel like Real Madrid isn't that strong after all! We struggled.
@UnitedFan: Take a closer look at the squad depth of Real Madrid and Man United. The former has super subs like Bale, Asensio, and Vázquez. What about Man United? We have Fellaini.
@Tactico: The Champions League final demands stability; it truly tests the players' experience. Madrid has that in spades.
@LiverpoolFC: Look at Ramos's foul—he knows how to make a decisive impact in crucial matches, and his interventions go beyond logic. It's criminal.
@Neutral: Dirty is dirty. Why make excuses for it?
@LingHive: I hope Ling stays extra careful. Even if they lose the match, he must avoid getting injured by Ramos.
...
Time flew by in the monotony of training, and soon it was May 8th.
Today, after training, he planned to visit the campus.
Old Trafford was only 4.3km away from the University of Manchester.
So Ling decided not to drive.
Instead, he put on a baseball cap and strolled through the streets of Manchester.
Feeling the bustling energy of the crowd, the weariness in his heart seemed to fade away.
In his previous life, due to his playful nature, he hadn't put much effort into his studies and naturally missed the opportunity to attend university.
After about half an hour, he arrived at the school gate and followed small groups of students into the campus.
The campus was shaded by lush trees and filled with the fragrance of flowers and plants.
More importantly, there was an abundance of vitality here, completely different from the intense, pressure-cooker atmosphere at the club.
He wandered aimlessly through the campus, admiring the blend of classical and modern architecture, and soaking in the rich academic atmosphere and diverse campus environment.
Ling suddenly felt a surge of anticipation for his future life outside of football.
Unconsciously, he found himself at the football pitch in the southern campus, where a match was underway.
Ling stopped to watch.
"The level seems pretty decent," he thought.
When it came to football, he was qualified to judge others—after all, it was his livelihood.
"Jeremy?"
Ling suddenly heard a pleasant voice, one that sounded somewhat familiar, though he couldn't quite place it.
He instinctively turned around and realized it was the girl he had met at the bar a few days ago.
He smiled and nodded. "Hello."
When Maria saw it was Ling, the corners of her lips curved upward into an elegant smile.
After their encounter at the bar, she had learned about Ling through Kevin De Bruyne.
She had been thinking about finding an opportunity to watch a Man United match, but she never expected to run into him here.
"If it weren't for this outfit, I wouldn't have recognized you. After all, it's not often you see someone dressed so plainly at a bar."
No sooner had Maria finished speaking than she asked, "Are you also a student at the University of Manchester?"
"Not yet."
Ling was still wondering what had given him away, only to realize it was the casual clothes he was wearing.
Maria's eyebrows arched slightly as she continued, "I'm not one yet either. I'll be starting in August. Let me formally introduce myself—Maria, School of Arts."
Hearing this, Ling smiled, thinking this girl was quite interesting.
He replied earnestly, "Hello, I'm Jeremy Ling, from the Business School, majoring in Football Management."
Three people approached from the far end of the pitch.
The leader, a bald man with a graying beard, fixed his gaze on the field with intense scrutiny.
He muttered under his breath, almost inaudibly, "The width on the wings isn't being utilized properly, the midfield transitions are too slow, the forwards aren't moving quickly enough..."
"Valentina, make sure you don't date a football coach when you grow up. Just look at your father to see how boring they can be."
The middle-aged woman beside him sighed helplessly and spoke to the 7-year-old girl.
Then she turned to the 13-year-old boy.
"And you, don't follow in your father's footsteps, or you'll never find a girlfriend."
The boy named Marius ignored her and excitedly pointed ahead. "Mom, look! Who is sister talking to?"
Before Cristina Serra could react, Pep Guardiola suddenly lifted his head, his eyes locking onto the man wearing the baseball cap.
A few days ago, Maria had approached him, saying she had been harassed by Kyle Walker.
Guardiola knew Walker all too well—the guy often harassed women when drunk and had even publicly exposed himself before.
However, adhering to the principle that the club shouldn't interfere in players' private lives too much, he usually turned a blind eye.
But who would have thought his own daughter would nearly become a victim?
And as everyone knew, Guardiola adored his daughter.
That very day, citing "excessive drinking during training," he penalized several Man City players heavily.
As for whether he would make things harder for Kyle Walker later, only Guardiola could know.
A surge of inexplicable anger rose in Guardiola initially, and he quickened his pace.
Only when he got closer did he see the face hidden under the baseball cap.
"Ling?"
Before he could figure out the whole story, Marius suddenly let out an excited shout, pulling a jersey from his bag while running.
A Manchester United No. 7 jersey.
Only when he reached Ling did he gasp, "Jeremy, can you sign this for me? I'm your biggest fan!"
Although Guardiola was Man City's head coach, as a young person, wouldn't Marius naturally prefer a heroic players?
Currently, Man City's strength was more balanced, a machine, lacking that kind of "hero" who could turn the tide single-handedly, while Man United was the complete opposite.
Their overall strength was inferior to Man City's, and their season had started rocky.
In such circumstances, a youth academy player emerged, frequently saving Man United in crucial matches.
Especially his impactful breakthroughs, which were unforgettable once seen.
Ling looked puzzled as he took the jersey and signed it, then glanced up at Guardiola, whose face was ashen not far away, and tentatively asked.
"Should I go now?"
Maria shook her head gently and waved to her parents.
Cristina held onto Guardiola's arm and said earnestly, "Thank you for the other day. Who knows what might have happened otherwise?"
"It was nothing."
Ling didn't feel awkward at all and replied openly.
Guardiola remained silent, occasionally shooting glances as if urging Ling to leave quickly.
He was clearly torn between gratitude as a father and rivalry as a manager of a rival club.
This annoyed Ling a bit.
'I helped your daughter, and you can't even say thanks?'
So he stood his ground, chatting with Cristina and Maria.
After all, having been reborn, he had a firm grasp on social niceties.
Maria occasionally burst into silvery laughter, and Cristina's gaze grew increasingly approving.
He even took photos with Marius and Valentina, making the two kids jump with excitement.
..
Half an hour later.
Ling was still somewhat reluctant to leave but bid them farewell.
Others might fear Guardiola, but he wasn't intimidated in the slightest.
Given that Man United and Man City were city rivals with endless grudges, he knew he'd never end up under Guardiola's management anyway.
Before turning to leave, he even raised an eyebrow at Guardiola.
After this interesting little episode, May 13th arrived quickly.
The 37th round of the Premier League was about to begin!
Manchester United vs. Brighton!
---------
Read 30 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator