Capítulo 321: The Final Confrontation
Before heading to the Netherlands, Aldrich participated in a unique ceremony. Arthur insisted that the entire family go to church together. In the quiet church, the heavily built Arthur knelt humbly beneath the statue of Jesus, praying earnestly with his eyes shut.
Aldrich's family observed a heritage of faith, although they weren't fanatical about it. He usually drifted through it, occasionally accompanying his family for show, without ever truly feeling like a devoted believer in his heart.
His parents embraced him in turn, kissing him on the forehead, and even his brothers joined in the affection. Even his nephew, Bowen, earnestly wanted to hug Aldrich.
After this seemingly ceremonial send-off, akin to preparing Aldrich for battle, the team departed for Amsterdam three days ahead of schedule.
This year, Millwall had a peculiar connection with the Netherlands. They played a final here last year, visited Eindhoven in the second half of the year, and now they were returning again. Visiting this country three times in a year was quite rare.
However, this was advantageous; the players were no strangers to the Netherlands, and the neutral fans were familiar with them. Upon stepping off the plane this year, they were greeted by at least three times the enthusiasm from fans than they had experienced the previous year.
Their plan was similar to before: rest on the first day, allowing the team to enjoy sightseeing around the city, provided they didn't venture into the red-light district for a wild night. The second day would involve a training session on the pitch, and the third day would be a half-day of rest before preparing for the final.
Real Madrid's arrival in Amsterdam has set the city aflame with football excitement. The focus of Europe is on this vibrant city on the water, and the ultimate showdown is about to begin!
May 20th, Amsterdam Arena.the Champions League final was on the verge of beginning. The fans of Millwall and Real Madrid filled the stands, with Real Madrid boasting a slightly larger contingent, as their fans were wealthier and could afford to buy tickets from neutral fans at exorbitant prices.
The colors in the stands were unmistakable: Real Madrid's traditional noble, elegant white versus Millwall's blue, which embodied loyalty and dignity.
While blue symbolizes nobility in Europe, Millwall clearly did not associate with that; their blue represented loyalty and dignity.
Before the match, entertainment was provided for the fans, with cameras capturing the moment. The banners waved by the fans cheered on their teams, while some well-known figures were present, with the passionate embrace of Stefano and Puskas in the VIP box becoming the most talked-about scene before the final.
Real Madrid's president, Sanz, was naturally present, feeling a bit discontented. Puskas and Stefano, both legendary figures for Real Madrid, were now firmly placed as spectators in Millwall's home stands. The connection was tenuous and it seemed like their presence was orchestrated by Millwall, capitalizing on the "Legends Reunited" hype to boost ticket sales, leaving Real Madrid in a rather unfavorable position.
As everything progressed smoothly, everyone anticipated the moment the final would kick off. In the locker room, Aldrich was making his last motivational speech.
The players were fit and ready; Millwall was set to attack with their strongest lineup, brimming with unspoken determination.
Aldrich stood before the players, his expression serious. "The media says today's final is a milestone for me, Aldrich Hall, on my way to becoming a legend. If I win the championship, I'll be one of the legendary coaches in football. I won't deny this, but I believe that losing today won't make me worthless. I have 30, 40, or even 50 more years to fight. I genuinely believe I'll become a legend. But for you, your careers won't last as long—no 30 or 40 years… The Champions League final is the pinnacle of club football. I won't say you only have this one chance to play in a final, because that's not the case! We are incredibly strong, and every season we'll be favorites to win. I have that confidence, and you should too. But you need to cherish your careers. In a final like this, every match counts; missing it or losing will never compare to the glory of winning, standing on the podium, holding the trophy high. Whether I become a legend or not isn't important. If I don't succeed before I hit 40 or 50, I can still fight for another 10 years. But you don't have that luxury. Get to the final and tell yourselves: win it, win it without regrets!"
After delivering his speech, Aldrich opened the locker room door and led the way out.
Inside, the three team captains rallied the spirit of the squad, eagerly awaiting this long-awaited day, with no reason to feel intimidated.
As Aldrich stepped out of the players' tunnel to the sidelines, the live cameras immediately focused on him, surrounded by countless reporters snapping photos. The young coach wore a calm expression, glancing at Real Madrid's coaching bench, and noticed their head coach hadn't emerged yet, likely still delivering his own speech inside the locker room.
After a while, the Real Madrid players appeared in the tunnel, forming two lines opposite Millwall's squad. They were almost all strangers to each other, so there was minimal interaction beforehand, each appearing solemn and focused, like warriors about to enter battle.
The coaching staff of Real Madrid emerged, and Aldrich patiently waited for their head coach, Heynckes.
Heynckes had a tumultuous season, leading Real Madrid to a rather dismal performance in the league, ultimately finishing third, while both teams, historically speaking, had made it to the Champions League final. This marked Millwall's first time, and for Real Madrid, a return to the final after many years.
Unlike many other famous coaches whose careers were primarily with top clubs, Heynckes had journeyed through several teams, leading only a few elite squads. Before coaching Real Madrid, the most prestigious team he had led was Bayern Munich. Each time a big club took notice of him, it was due to his breakthroughs with smaller teams.
His achievements were built step by step, and Aldrich greatly respected him.
Just before the match, Aldrich shook hands with Heynckes, expressing his admiration. Their pleasant, friendly conversation wrapped up as they returned to their respective coaching benches.
As the referee led the players onto the pitch, both teams walked in with heads held high.
"The 1997-98 UEFA Champions League final is about to commence. The two teams reaching the final this season are Millwall from England and Real Madrid from Spain. Fans watching this match probably know that Millwall has historically made it to the final in their first-ever Champions League appearance, just one win away from replicating Nottingham Forest's miracle. Real Madrid, on the other hand, has gone 32 years without lifting the Champions League trophy, making their title of 'Kings of the Cup' somewhat hollow. Despite having the most titles, they haven't achieved convincing results on this stage for over three decades, with their best being a runner-up finish at the hands of Liverpool, then the reigning kings of Europe. Whoever lifts the trophy today will take home a championship of special significance."
As the Champions League anthem played in the stadium, both starting lineups were introduced by the commentators.
Millwall's formation was 4-3-3.
**Goalkeeper:** Butt
**Defenders:** Schneider, Helguera, Southgate, Capdevila
**Midfielders:** Makelele, Pirlo, Nedved
**Forwards:** Shevchenko, Trezeguet, Larsson
Real Madrid lined up in a 4-4-2 formation.
**Goalkeeper:** Ilgner
**Defenders:** Panucci, Sanchez, Hierro, Carlos
**Midfielders:** Karembeu, Redondo, Seedorf, Raul
**Forwards:** Mijatovic, Morientes
Millwall's starting lineup was unsurprising; whether 4-3-3 or 4-2-3-1, it would depend on the tactics during the match.
The players from Real Madrid were also all well-known.
If Aldrich envied anything about Real Madrid, it was their goalkeeper.
Ilgner started today, with the bench featuring Canizares, while there were even Casillas in the lower-tier teams.
As for the other positions at Real Madrid, Aldrich did not think Millwall was inferior or that Real Madrid's players would always outperform them in a suitable tactical system. Even if the individual abilities of Real Madrid's players were higher, that didn't guarantee they would excel against Millwall.
Today, Real Madrid's midfield had a diamond formation, with Redondo anchoring—an epitome of elegance.
Seedorf and Karembeu played as central midfielders, capable of attacking and defending adeptly, while Raul in a more advanced role resembled a second striker, able to both create and finish. Under Capello, he had achieved terrifying statistics with over 20 goals for the season.
Mijatović and Suker, last season's striking pair, have been separated. It seems Suker, who could practically play the violin with his left foot, doesn't quite jive with Heynckes. The coach prefers someone like Morientes—a tall, strong center-forward who can hold up the ball, provide a focal point, and also boasts solid technical skills and speed.
Aldrich stared at Sanchez, slightly lost in thought. A Real Madrid legend, Sanchez had spent his entire career at the club, and his father held a long-standing place in Real Madrid's history. The Sanchez family was a myth in the club's narrative.
Aldrich envied them and pondered when Millwall would have such a legend.
Real Madrid and Barcelona were the two clubs Aldrich admired the most!
Firstly, he respected how they maintained their club's core qualities, not chasing profits. Even as Real Madrid embarked on international commercialization, their aim was never personal gain. The club's members didn't expect dividends at season's end. The goal was to generate revenue solely for enhancing the team's capabilities and offering fans the highest quality football experience. This was inherently part of a traditional club's philanthropic nature. While other big clubs turned into private property or profit machines, Real Madrid and Barcelona stood as exceptions in the era of football driven by monetary interests.
Secondly, he admired how these giants dared to experiment!
They could dismiss the best coaches, break apart successful squads, overturn what was once considered effective strategy...
In football, it wasn't hard to find a couple of teams that self-sabotaged themselves, as every club has its moments of folly.
However, when considering which clubs have repeatedly undergone such tumultuous transformations throughout history, one only needed to look at Barcelona and Real Madrid.
The very act of holding elections signifies that a club could undergo seismic changes. The phenomenon of "new ruler, new subjects" is more apparent here than in any other club. Coupled with the pressure from fans and the influence of member votes, it's no surprise that the club often faces turmoil, making it all too familiar.
Aldrich felt regretful; although Heynckes was a good coach, from his perspective, he would have preferred to face Capello's Real Madrid.
That team from the previous season that clinched the Spanish league title over a daunting Barcelona!
Unfortunately, Capello couldn't handle the pressure from Real Madrid's fans.
Aldrich felt regret, perhaps even the Real Madrid fans felt it too. If Capello had stayed, maybe Real Madrid wouldn't have lagged so far behind Barcelona in the league standings.
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