"Liverpool supporters created a statue of Leo Lin. Yet just ten hours after it was placed on a street in Liverpool, the statue was destroyed."
"Liverpool are now searching for those responsible. Supporters have also reached out to Barnett online, hoping he can help them find the culprits."
"Those two never should have done it. Absolutely not, because everyone at Liverpool FC is furious!"
Rodri was still lying in bed, imagining Liverpool supporters making a statue of him just as they had for Leo, when Oyarzabal burst into his room, pulled away his covers, and told him to get up immediately.
It was the first time Oyarzabal had ever seen Leo so furious.
Leo was not angry because his statue had been destroyed. He was angry because the people responsible had shown complete contempt for Liverpool supporters.
The fans had only just erected the statue on a street in Liverpool, and ten hours later, these people had destroyed it. It was a direct provocation against Liverpool supporters and, by extension, Liverpool FC itself.
"Considering the rivalries between clubs, I think we can at least start by finding out which clubs these guys support."
Leo immediately stopped Rodri after he said that.
"No. We can't make malicious assumptions about other people based on our own biases. People like this probably aren't even genuine fans."
Whether the culprits had considered Barnett's involvement before destroying Leo's statue was unclear. Barnett quickly mobilized his management company, however, and helped Liverpool identify the suspects in just 16 minutes. Half an hour later, they found the two men responsible.
Both were enormous, heavily built men. Had Barnett not brought so many people with him, they might not have been able to restrain the pair inside the bar.
During questioning, both men insisted they had done nothing. Then Liverpool obtained footage from a security camera at a bubble tea shop on a nearby corner, confirming that they were indeed the ones who had destroyed Leo's statue.
They had first pushed the statue over and tried to smash it. When they realized their tools were not strong enough to destroy the statue itself, they attacked its base instead. Once the base had been shattered, the statue could no longer stand on the streets of Liverpool.
After realizing their actions had been recorded, the two men stopped pretending. When asked why they had targeted Leo's statue, their response made Barnett laugh.
"He hasn't retired yet, and he hasn't even played for Liverpool that long."
"Liverpool supporters shouldn't have given him a statue. If Lin gets one, clubs everywhere will end up lowering their standards for which players deserve statues!"
"Look at the players who already have statues at their clubs. They're true legends. Lin doesn't deserve to stand alongside them!"
When Liverpool made their statements public, the two men were met with an outpouring of fury from the club's supporters.
"Look at this. People who don't even support Liverpool are trying to tell us what we should do, as though they understand what's best for our club better than we do!"
"Any Liverpool supporter knows what Lin has done for this club over the years. Without him, the Liverpool we have today wouldn't exist!"
"There's no point saying anything else to those two. Just remember this. Don't ever show your faces on the streets of Liverpool again, and definitely don't go anywhere near Lin's statue!"
"How dare they say something like that about a World Cup champion and two-time Ballon d'Or winner?"
Only then did Liverpool supporters realize that they had placed Leo's statue on a public street without providing sufficient protection, giving those men an opportunity to attack it.
Liverpool FC soon announced that they would work with the supporters to create a new statue, one that would be larger and better than the first. This time, the club would cover every expense.
Mike personally addressed the supporters through Liverpool's official platform.
"Hello, Liverpool supporters. I'm Mike."
"We have always planned to create a statue of Lin. Our intention was to wait until after his retirement, then place it directly in front of Anfield's main entrance."
"So when you told us that you had already made a statue of Lin and intended to display it on the streets of Liverpool, we were delighted and fully supported you."
"After what happened yesterday, we were every bit as angry as you were. That is why we have decided to bring our plans for Lin's statue forward."
"We will hire the finest sculptors and use the best materials available to create the largest footballer statue in the world. It will stand in the most prominent and prestigious position outside Anfield's main entrance."
"We respect Lin just as deeply as you do. Like you, we also hope that he will remain here until he retires."
"We are also announcing that a new statue of Gerrard will be commissioned and placed beside Lin's."
"Liverpool will then launch a series of statues honoring the club's historic legends, immortalizing the great players who will forever be remembered at Anfield."
"In the future, generations of young Liverpool supporters will see these statues and learn the history of Liverpool FC through them."
The destruction of Leo's statue sent shock waves through European football, but it also presented Mike with an opportunity.
While everyone's attention was fixed on Liverpool's statue, he officially unveiled the club's long-planned series of statues honoring its legends. Liverpool also released the digital concept images for Leo's statue, which had already been prepared.
The design was so spectacular that even Leo was stunned when he saw it.
Liverpool's plans were unlike anything other clubs had done before.
Leo's monument would be more than a conventional statue. Liverpool intended to incorporate the same projection technology previously used during the giant-screen celebration on the bridge.
At designated times each month after nightfall, Liverpool FC would activate the projection system built into Leo's statue. A colossal image of Leo would then appear in the sky above Anfield.
Finally, Mike addressed every Liverpool supporter.
"There will always be people who try to destroy Lin and break the spirit of Liverpool supporters through acts like this."
"But I want to tell them something. You can destroy Lin's statue because it is a physical object."
"But you will never destroy us!"
"As long as Lin is here, so are we!"
"As long as we are here, so is Lin!"
...
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