A few days before the match, Mourinho had expressed confidence through interviews.
"I do not deny that Real Madrid's record this season has been outstanding. But our Inter are a tactically complete team. Football is not a one-man game. I have my reasons for being confident. It will be proven on the pitch."
It was meant to restore his players' momentum through calculated media play.
And to lower the morale of the opposition.
But when the match began, all of it proved meaningless.
Perhaps he would have been better off preparing one more tactical response instead of giving interviews.
Even then, the result might have been the same.
'There is only one option left.'
And so, the final that carried the fate of both teams rushed toward its conclusion.
"Marco Materazzi comes on to replace Walter Samuel. His expression is intense. He has not even done anything yet, but the crowd is already booing."
"That shows his reputation."
Marco Materazzi.
The man who provoked Zinedine Zidane by insulting his sister in the 2006 World Cup final, a player known as the king of dirty play.
There was even a saying that if La Liga had Pepe, Serie A had Materazzi.
'No, Pepe is nothing compared to him.'
Ho-young knew him all too well.
Nicknamed "Ma-Tackle."
A vicious defender who delivered brutal tackles as if it were routine, to the point that compilation videos of his worst challenges circulated online.
Compared to him, Pepe looked mild.
As Ho-young expected, the provocation began as soon as play resumed.
"Hey. Stop smelling like garlic and go back to your own country."
Materazzi marked Ho-young closely, firing off crude trash talk.
But Ho-young maintained his composure and steadied himself.
'Ignoring him is the answer. Just play as usual. There isn't much time left.'
He knew exactly what kind of player Materazzi was and could predict the kind of insults he would use.
Even when Materazzi said,
"I saw on Facebook that your girlfriend is amazing. Was it Monica? She looks just like a prostitute I know. The service is incredible."
The insults were shameless, but the pattern was predictable enough that Ho-young did not take the bait.
'He has not changed at all.'
Modern football had evolved to include more subtle psychological tactics, but Materazzi was like a street thug.
When Ho-young did not react at all, Materazzi escalated.
"I read an article. Your mother and I are about the same age, right? I heard she is in Paris now. Is that true?"
Once again, he targeted family.
Ho-young's face hardened like stone.
There were things he could endure and things he could not. This was the latter.
But.
He clenched his teeth.
And made a promise to himself.
He would crush him so thoroughly he would not recover.
"Around the 70th minute, Real Madrid's momentum rises sharply. Ho-young receives the ball."
"Materazzi charges in aggressively as soon as he takes his first touch. That was dangerous."
"Fortunately, Ho-young evades him well. He could have been clipped and gone down. Referee Massimo from Switzerland gives Materazzi a warning."
Loud boos poured from the stands.
Although Ho-young avoided contact and no foul was given, it could easily have been a booking for a high challenge.
However, referee Massimo let it go and allowed play to continue.
Materazzi continued to commit subtle and rough fouls.
'He really came on to take me out.'
As expected of an Italian defender, he was difficult to deal with.
No matter how many offers AC Milan sent, Ho-young had never seriously considered Serie A for that very reason.
One moment of distraction, and anything could happen.
With the World Cup approaching, he had to be especially careful.
Then, around the 75th minute.
Raúl Albiol sent a long ball toward the second line.
"Ho-young moves toward the aerial ball."
"Materazzi also goes up to challenge."
Materazzi committed fully to the duel.
Over 190 centimeters tall and weighing around 90 kilograms, he was a powerful presence.
Ho-young was known for his strong physique, but Materazzi believed that such a size difference could not be easily overcome.
So he leaped.
And drove his elbow toward Ho-young's face.
Eyes, nose, jaw, it did not matter. He intended to break something and send him off the pitch.
He did not care if he was sent off.
If Ho-young disappeared, there would still be a chance for a comeback.
The moment he swung his elbow with full force.
Thud!
"Ugh!"
"Oh! Ho-young and Materazzi collide heavily. The medical team rushes in. It looks serious."
"Oh no. That was a solid collision. There is blood coming from his nose. He is struggling to steady himself. They need to check for a concussion."
Play was temporarily stopped, and Inter's medical staff hurried onto the pitch.
"Marco! Are you alright?"
"Materazzi! Stay with us!"
The one lying on the ground was not Ho-young, but Materazzi.
"W, what…"
He still could not grasp what had happened.
He simply stared blankly.
"What happened?"
"You went up for the ball and got hit in the jaw. Don't you remember?"
"Ah… ah…"
He remembered throwing the elbow.
But he did not remember that just before that, his jaw had slammed into Ho-young's shoulder.
"Damn it."
The impact was so severe that he could not get up.
It felt like he had crashed into a wall.
That was no coincidence. Ho-young had already coveted Pepe's Astonishing Physical Duel ability.
With a comprehensive understanding of physical battles and how to use his body efficiently, he handled Materazzi with ease.
If the opponent charged in with such intent, standing still and taking it would have been foolish.
An eye for an eye, a tooth for a tooth.
If you were certain, it was better to strike first.
In the end, Materazzi, badly shaken, had to be substituted just ten minutes after coming on.
Ho-young, meanwhile, received only a warning.
The referee judged that Ho-young had jumped first for the ball, and that Materazzi had arrived late and too close.
Mourinho's final card had failed.
There was no hope left.
From then on, Real Madrid controlled the match comfortably.
Inter's players ran tirelessly, but the score remained 2-0.
Once their defensive line was shaken, they kept conceding space behind them, and Inter grew more hesitant.
Then in the 80th minute.
Some Inter players, seemingly half resigned, began playing roughly out of frustration.
Back tackles, side tackles, whenever Ho-young touched the ball, he was targeted mercilessly.
"The crowd is booing loudly. Some fans are even throwing food onto the pitch."
"That is unacceptable. It goes against the spirit of fair play."
Eventually, Scolari made a substitution to protect his player.
"Raúl González comes on to replace the exhausted Ho-young."
"That is the right decision. It is better to take him off in this situation. The Champions League Golden Boot is already secured."
Applause echoed throughout the stadium as Ho-young walked off before full time.
Raúl, waiting to enter, clasped his hand.
"You did well. We will finish it."
"I'll leave it to you."
Raúl González, who had led Real Madrid in the past.
And Ho-young, who was leading them now.
The substitution intensified the atmosphere in the stadium.
For any Real Madrid fan, it was a moment that sent chills down the spine.
The same was true for Ho-young.
How long had he waited for this moment.
His gaze turned to Raúl.
[Raúl González]
[Possessed Talents: Lord of the Rings (T), Lord of the Rings' Lobbing Shot (SU), Firm Professionalism (SS), Unextinguished Fighting Spirit (S+3), Astonishing Football IQ (S-), (More...)]
(When conditions are met, one talent can be coveted.)
(If a T-grade Title is coveted, part of the sense can be acquired. Must be over 18 years old.)
(S-grade and above require hidden conditions.)
(Condition 1: Train together for 5000 minutes)
(Condition 2: Win La Liga as a Real Madrid player)
(Condition 3: Win the Champions League as a Real Madrid player)
(Hidden condition: Unlocks after coveting at least one talent.)
Real Madrid's eternal captain.
It had taken two years to meet the conditions to obtain Raúl's talent.
The match was not technically over, but unless something unbelievable happened, it would be possible.
And indeed.
Although Diego Milito managed to force in one goal just before full time, the match ended there.
Whistle.
"Full time! The 90 minutes are over."
"Real Madrid are the champions of the 2009-2010 Champions League. What an incredible achievement."
Fireworks exploded into the night sky.
The victory ceremony prepared by Real Madrid began.
The stadium erupted.
"Waaaaaaah!"
Players and staff poured onto the pitch, turning the green grass white.
"Real Madrid, the club with the most European titles, have now won their tenth trophy, achieving La Décima."
"They have also completed the double. Without a doubt, it was the best season. One that will be remembered in history."
Champions League winners.
Ho-young had achieved the highest honor possible at club level.
And he had done it just two years after debuting in the top division.
The rewards were equally remarkable.
By finishing first in the scoring charts and scoring more goals than Diego Milito in this match, he successfully coveted Milito's talent.
Nicknamed El Príncipe, meaning The Prince, his signature ability was finishing.
[El Príncipe's Finishing Ability (U) is being coveted.]
[El Príncipe's Finishing Ability (U) and Peerless Finishing Ability (W+2) have successfully merged.]
[Peerless Finishing Ability (W+3) ↑]
[Lord of the Rings' Lobbing Shot (SU) is being coveted. Time required to fully acquire: 100 days → 8 days. During these 8 days, no other talent can be coveted.]
That was not all.
Alfredo Di Stéfano's L-grade talent could be obtained by fulfilling two conditions, making 100 official appearances as a Real Madrid player and speaking with Alfredo Di Stéfano for 1200 minutes.
It truly was the best season.
And the best night was only beginning.
"Madrid! Madrid!"
"Woooooo!"
When Raúl lifted the Big Ears trophy high above his head, thunderous cheers followed. When Ho-young raised it second, tears began to flow among the crowd.
The tenth title.
They had waited eight long years for this moment.
And they could only be grateful to Ho-young, the hero who made it possible.
"Ho-young! Ho-young!"
"I will be your fan even after I die!"
For those whose lives revolved around football, he had become a savior.
Ho-young.
A name that would never be forgotten in Madrid.
That night.
As the parade continued at the Santiago Bernabéu, countless articles about Ho-young flooded out just one hour after the match ended.
"Breaking News. Ho-young's sprint in the Champions League final reached a top speed of 37.8 kilometers per hour. Over 40 meters, he was far ahead of Usain Bolt. The fastest dribbling speed ever recorded in football. With acceleration, he could even challenge for a 100-meter gold medal."
"Ho-young's incredible rainbow flick, Italian media call him the leading candidate for the FIFA Puskás Award."
"French media say, 'Ho-young is the strongest candidate for the 2010 Ballon d'Or, but the World Cup will decide.'"
"Can the Ballon d'Or, often criticized as a popularity contest, be awarded to an Asian player?"
"Breaking News. Ho-young wins a treble of individual honors, Champions League Best XI, Best Player, and Golden Boot, while also setting numerous records as the first Asian and youngest ever."
"South Korea national team coach Heo Sung-soo says, 'Calling up Ho-young for the 2010 South Africa World Cup is only natural.'"
At the same time, major European clubs began knocking on Real Madrid's door with offers.
Manchester United, Chelsea, Manchester City, AC Milan, and Bayern Munich moved first, igniting transfer rumors.
But when Calderón heard the news at the stadium, he smiled confidently and released a statement immediately.
"Real Madrid president Calderón says, 'We will not sell him for any price. Ho-young is eternal Los Blancos.'"
From that day on, the battle over Ho-young began.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
◇ One bonus chapter will be released for every 200 Power Stones.
◇ You can read the ahead chapter on Pat if you're interested: p-atreon.c-om/Blownleaves (Just remove the hyphen to access normally.)