Chapter 114: The Pass is Like Iron, Yet Now We Step Forward from the Start
After the crushing defeat to Real Madrid, a gloomy mist hung over the Colney training base.
However, misfortunes never come singly! Arsenal's request to the FA to postpone the 35th round of the league before the Champions League semi-final was rejected.
Following the disastrous 1:5 loss to Real Madrid, Arsenal faced the "Battle of Tianwangshan" (decisive battle) in the 35th round of the Premier League—hosting Manchester United at home!
If Arsenal, leading by six points, could defeat Manchester United, they could clinch the Premier League title, which they hadn't won in ten years, three rounds early based on goal difference advantage.
This decisive battle was scheduled for April 28th, while Arsenal had to play the first and second legs of the Champions League semi-final on April 25th and May 2nd respectively.
Three high-end matches in one week. Therefore, according to convention, Arsenal applied to the FA to postpone the 35th round match before playing Real Madrid.
Highlight the key point: According to convention.
In other words, Arsenal's request wasn't excessive; they were just following procedure. However, the FA unexpectedly rejected it.
Once the news broke, all of the UK and Europe was in an uproar.
Betting companies raised Arsenal's odds of winning the Champions League by 5% and lowered their odds of winning the Premier League by 2%.
The betting companies believed Arsenal had to make a choice, and a normal person would naturally choose the Premier League.
Because scoring five goals at the Bernabéu was too hard, too hard, too hard. It was better to focus on the league to avoid ending up empty-handed on both fronts.
The logic was sound!
But Arsenal was unwilling to accept it!
They had come all this way, fighting Bayern and destroying Barça. If not for that damn red card...
Many Arsenal fans gathered outside the FA office building to protest.
On the internet, the FA and Manchester United's official websites were overwhelmed by Arsenal fans. Then, Manchester United fans launched a retaliatory action and occupied Arsenal's official website.
On the surface, it seemed the FA was forcing Arsenal to focus on the Premier League, which would be disadvantageous to Manchester United, who were struggling to chase points. It seemed Manchester United was also a victim, but that wasn't actually the case.
Arsenal played the first leg of the semi-final on April 25th and had to face Manchester United on April 28th. Two high-end matches in three days—the main players' bodies would definitely be fatigued.
Playing under these conditions, the probability of Arsenal losing to Manchester United was high. Manchester United was naturally the beneficiary.
If anyone said Sir Alex Ferguson wasn't pulling strings behind this, even Manchester United fans probably wouldn't believe it.
...
...
April 26th, morning. After Xia Qi returned from his morning run, there were a few guests in the living room. Xia Qi recognized one of them.
"Cheryl? Sister, what are you doing here?"
Britain's sweetheart, Cheryl, opened her arms and naturally gave Xia Qi a cheek kiss.
She whispered in Xia Qi's ear, "Little rascal, you wipe your mouth and cut contact after eating?"
Xia Qi smiled awkwardly.
It turned out that Sky Sports wanted to do an exclusive interview regarding recent topics.
Xia Qi couldn't refuse this interview, and he also had words he wanted to say to the fans.
After getting Xia Qi's permission, Cheryl's entourage began setting up lighting and audio... Xia Qi went upstairs to grab his phone and ask Wenger for leave.
Cheryl followed him upstairs. After Xia Qi hung up, she pinned him against the wall.
"Is Emma prettier, or am I?"
This was a fatal question.
The peach-like Cheryl was truly beautiful, and Xia Qi, having tasted the flavor, knew her goodness even better.
Xia Qi unconsciously swallowed his saliva.
Cheryl's fingertips slid slowly down from Xia Qi's lips... and she knelt on the floor...
"Sister, we can't. It won't be finished in an hour. They're all waiting downstairs."
"An hour?" Cheryl smiled charmingly. "If you can really last that long, Sister will give you a gift."
After "halftime," Cheryl interviewed Xia Qi with a smile in the corners of her eyes.
"Xia, first of all, thank you for accepting our interview."
"It's my honor."
"Sitting in the stands and witnessing your teammates being slaughtered by Real Madrid with your own eyes, what kind of feeling was that?"
"First, I want to say sorry to the fans."
After speaking, Xia Qi stood up from his chair and bowed to the camera.
"I'm not apologizing for my sliding tackle. That tackle was a good play; it was Messi himself who was too fragile. I am apologizing for my first yellow card. I shouldn't have shown off my jersey."
"That night, I sat in the stands on pins and needles. Every goal by Ronaldo stabbed into my chest like a bayonet. I hated that I couldn't fight.
The current situation is very disadvantageous for us. We are trailing 1:5 in the Champions League semi-final, which means we have to score at least 5 goals at the Bernabéu. As everyone knows, this is very difficult.
Just when we needed help, we were backstabbed by the 'fair and just' FA.
Thanks to their fairness and justice, we need to play three matches in a week!
I know some people have already called for giving up on the Champions League to focus on the league. Others say that since we lead Manchester United by six points anyway, we should give up the match on the 28th to escape the trap of three matches in a week.
I know these views all make sense, but football is about pressing forward indomitably. Killing gods if you meet gods, killing Buddhas if you meet Buddhas...
I also know our Arsenal lacks this kind of bloodiness (grit). This is also the reason we haven't won a title in ten years.
For ten years, we've gotten used to dropping the ball at crucial moments. This is also why Ferguson and Mourinho look down on us; in their eyes, we are just a 'Softie Factory.'
I also, also, also know that playing Real Madrid, then Manchester United, then Real Madrid again will be very, very, very difficult. The main players might suffer a three-game losing streak after playing three times in a week, and we might even ruin our great lead in the league.
However, what I want to say is that a championship team is forged through one arduous battle after another. You can't calculate a championship by hiding in a room and doing math.
There was a great man in China who said a sentence during his hardest and most difficult times. I can't say this sentence in English because my English level can't find the appropriate words.
Almighty circle of friends, please help me translate this."
After speaking, Xia Qi cleared his throat and said in Mandarin:
"Xióng guān màn dào zhēn rú tiě, ér jīn mài bù cóng tóu yuè.
Cóng tóu yuè, cāng shān rú hǎi, cán yáng rú xuè."
(Idle translation: The strong pass is like a wall of iron, yet with firm strides we are crossing its summit. We are crossing its summit; the rolling hills are sea-blue, the dying sun is blood-red.)
Then he said in English: "I know my idea is crazy—to just kill our way through like this. When we stand at the summit stepping on the corpses of Manchester United and Real Madrid, and look back, we will find that the difficulties we worried about today were nothing at all."
Cheryl sat in front of Xia Qi and asked with a smile, "Your idea is indeed crazy. If the main players don't get rest, it's extremely likely you'll end up empty-handed this season."
"What is there to fear? A 'Softie Factory' Arsenal can make Sir Alex afraid; wouldn't a Arsenal that is no longer soft make people even more afraid?"
"And we are still young. Luke Shaw is 18, I'm 19, De Bruyne is 22, Wilshere is 21, Mario is 23..."
"We are a young Arsenal. When our temperament contains the spirit of pressing forward indomitably without fearing difficulties, not only will Sir Alex tremble, but all of Europe will tremble at it."
Cheryl asked, "So your final meaning is?"
"Main squad plays Manchester United and Real Madrid. One battle to decide the Premier League champion, one battle to get the ticket to Wembley."
(The 2012-2013 Champions League Final was held at Wembley Stadium in London, UK.)
Cheryl smiled and said, "Truly a crazy idea. Listening to it makes my blood boil. I promise I'll be there to support you for these two matches."
"If you support me, please help me bring a replica of the 'Barclays' trophy. I think the 'fair and just' FA won't bring the real one to the Emirates Stadium."
"So confident?"
"Of course!"
"..."
...
...
April 26th, 9:00 PM, Colney Training Base.
"Arsène, have you decided to field the second team against Manchester United?"
"Pat, didn't we already agree on this?"
"You'd better watch Xia Qi's exclusive interview. I think what he said is right."
"What did he say?..."
April 26th, 9:00 PM, Carrington Training Base.
Ferguson picked up the remote and turned off the TV.
"F*ck. Those bastards next door actually sold our child to Arsenal. That kid has our Red Devil blood flowing in him."
April 26th, evening. Gerrard watched Xia Qi on TV and smiled.
He felt Xia Qi couldn't stay at Arsenal anymore; this was publicly questioning the Professor's decision. He took out his phone and called the distant Klopp.
Let me tell you a little secret: Liverpool and Dortmund manager Klopp were already in contact. As the cornerstone of Liverpool, Gerrard had phone exchanges with Uncle Zha (Klopp).
Tonight, he wanted to talk to his future team Boss about the cornerstone of another team...
April 26th, 9:00 PM, Ciudad Real Madrid (Valdebebas), Madrid, Spain. Mourinho turned off the TV with a gloomy face. He stood at the office window facing the wind, looking outside, thinking about who knows what...
Xia Qi's exclusive interview was like a stone thrown in, breaking the calmness of the lake water.
There were many opposing voices, and many supporting ones too. The two factions argued incessantly on the internet.
But the topic that became the number one hot search wasn't where Arsenal should go, but the great man's poem.
How to translate that poem became the password to internet traffic.
Some translated "Xiong guan man dao zhen ru tie" as "Iron-cast castle." Xia Qi wanted to commit suicide after seeing it. Of course, there were also high-level translations.
But no matter how they translated it, they could never translate the unique charm of Song Ci (poetry).
27th, morning. Xia Qi returned from his morning exercise.
He saw Jack's whole family wearing his Number 9 jersey, with a "Barclays" trophy placed on the table.
"What are you doing? Match day is tomorrow."
"Xia, we are not softies. We weren't before, and we definitely aren't now."
"So?"
"Let's fight together!"
Seeing the sacred and glorious look of Jack's family of three, Xia Qi was also infected.
Community football culture penetrated deep into the blood of the English, influencing their lives.
"It's an honor to be comrades with you, but today I must first convince that old man."
"The Professor isn't a softie. It's just that 'even a clever housewife cannot cook without rice' (he had no resources). You can understand if you look at the Gunners of the past."
"Don't worry. Actually, I've always respected him very much. He is a great coach; that is indisputable."
"Xia, I promise you the Emirates Stadium will become the most terrifying devil's home ground. Ferguson shouldn't dream of gaining even a sliver of advantage."
Xia Qi bid farewell to Jack's family. After leaving the house,
He met many people along the way shouting "Jiayou" (Go/Add Oil) to him. Some even pulled out "Barclays" cups and shouted "Champion" at him. Xia Qi pressed the car horn to respond.
As a result, he honked too many times and summoned the police uncle.
After accepting the penalty, the police officer writing the ticket shouted at him, " The championship belongs to Arsenal!"
Xia Qi subconsciously pressed the horn again... Done for. The record for the fastest police response in history was born.
When he arrived at the club, it was already past nine. He found that almost all the teammates who usually arrived around ten were already there. Many had already organized their gear; it was obvious these people had been there for a while.
"Why are you guys so early today?"
"How can you lift the cup without me?"
"Haha, you watched my interview?"
"Together?"
Xia Qi extended his palm to them. One hand, two hands, three hands... Every teammate in the locker room stacked their palms together...
Wenger's Office.
"How is it? How is the players' fighting spirit?"
"It seems we don't need to mobilize them. They..."
...
...
April 27th, noon. Manchester United checked into the Tottenham training base.
April 27th, 5:00 PM. Arsenal's official website announced the starting lineup for the match VS Manchester United on the evening of April 28th in advance.
Starting Lineup: 4-5-1
Goalkeeper: Martinez
Defenders: Luke Shaw, Mertesacker, Umtiti, Aurier
Midfielders: Cazorla, Arteta, De Bruyne, Wilshere, Xia Qi
Forward: Balotelli
Not long after the news was posted, cheers could be faintly heard from outside the Colney training base.
Many of the fans gathered at the gate dispersed. Many called their friends to discuss how to dress up the Devil's Home Ground...
An hour later, Manchester United also announced their starting lineup in advance.
Starting Lineup: 4-4-2
Goalkeeper: De Gea
Defenders: Evra, Evans, Rafael da Silva, Phil Jones
Midfielders: Giggs, Carrick, Valencia, Kagawa Shinji
Forwards: Van Persie, Rooney
Before the match even started, the two managers began going tit-for-tat.
Not long after, the contest between players began:
Van Persie left a message on his social media platform:
The championship belongs to Manchester United!
He also added a note: I know Arsenal too well. They like: He attached a picture of high diving, without text explanation.
But did this need a text explanation? (Implying they would bottle it/dive).
Once this message came out, it was instantly liked by tens of thousands of people, and many Manchester United players reposted it.
Former teammate Arteta commented under Van Persie's post: Keep dreaming!
At the same time, Arteta called on all Arsenal fans on his social app: Tomorrow night, let's witness Arsenal's third Premier League crown together at the Emirates Stadium.
The confrontation between the two also detonated the internet.
Many people expressed their views on social media.
While everyone was discussing heatedly, Sky Sports broadcasted a segment of Xia Qi's interview.
Cheryl: "Why are you so sure the championship belongs to Arsenal?"
Xia Qi: "Because of Manchester United. Because of Sir Alex."
"If you ask who is the greatest coach in the Premier League, I think there are many answers. In the eyes of us at Arsenal, it has to be the Professor. In the hearts of Manchester United fans, it might be Sir Alex.
But if you ask who has been the best coach in the Premier League for the last twenty years, there is only one answer, and that is Sir Alex. Bar none.
He has won five FA Cups, four League Cups, ten Community Shields, one Cup Winners' Cup, one European Super Cup, two Champions League trophies, one Intercontinental Cup, one Club World Cup, and twelve Premier League titles.
Such achievements are unmatched by anyone in his era.
Sir Alex wants to bow out with perfection. From his standpoint, that is beyond reproach. But from our standpoint...
We hope for a kind of inheritance—to defeat the best coach of the last twenty years in the Premier League, to inherit and carry forward the football culture...
'In this land, talented people emerge in every generation, each leading the way for hundreds of years.' This is the best ceremony to bid farewell to Sir Alex's retirement, not letting him leave with an invincible posture.
Defeating the strong, with each generation stronger than the last—this is the true meaning of football. This is the correct inheritance."
Cheryl: "I think Sir Alex will definitely be very unhappy."
Xia Qi: "That is the meaning of Arsenal's existence."
After this interview aired, the internet became lively again. Many felt Xia Qi spoke very well. Even Manchester United people admitted:
I know that kid is talking nonsense, but I can't refute it. I can only pinch my nose and accept it...
(END CHAPTER)
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