章節 161: Chapter 161 Champions League Knockout! Curse With Wenger!
"As everyone knows, Chinese captain Su Luo is famous in the football world as the king of nightclubs.
"Union Berlin arrived in London last night. As soon as they got off the plane, Su Luo slipped out to dance at a disco by himself.
"Fabric, the most popular nightclub in London, had many customers confirm that Su Luo appeared, and this reporter also took photos of him.
"For Arsenal, this might be good news. If Berlin's core player Su Luo is not in top condition, Wenger's team will have an easier time winning this game.
"The Sun will continue to track the key battles of the UEFA Champions League round of 16 and provide you with first-hand information..."
The day before the Arsenal vs Union Berlin match, Su Luo, as expected, couldn't escape the paparazzi when he went to the nightclub.
Fortunately, this wasn't the first time this had happened. From Union Berlin's management to the players and the fans, everyone was well aware of Su Luo's habits.
As Union Berlin fans tweeted:
"Su Luo went to the nightclub to disco before the big match. Is there a problem? No problem!"
"What about the disco? He still leads the team to victory."
"The English press is predictable! It's the notorious Sun."
The headline on the front page of The Sun was full of articles trying to discredit Su Luo, the captain of Union Berlin. They attempted to paint him as a party animal with no professionalism. Even Su Luo's previous achievements were described as mere luck or talent abuse, with no mention of his hard work.
As expected from English media, The Sun was biased toward Arsenal, hoping to dampen Union Berlin's morale.
Some England fans were also influenced by The Sun, likening Su Luo to a fast-fading star like Wilshere. Union Berlin fans, knowing Su Luo's true nature, couldn't stand it and launched a counterattack on Twitter.
Soon, German netizens' 840 comments attracted cynicism from Arsenal fans.
"How can he be compared to Wilshere?"
"He's just a Chinese player. Maybe his age isn't even accurate. He could be older than 18."
"What kind of serious player goes to nightclubs every day?"
Su Luo couldn't have predicted that his actions would spark such a heated argument between fans from both countries. Initially, the dispute centered around Su Luo, but it soon escalated to fans from both countries attacking each other's football history.
"In the 2010 World Cup, your team got eliminated 4-1, remember?"
"Lampard's shot was in!"
"The 1966 World Cup Championship is ours!"
"We have four World Cup titles; you only have one, and you stole it!"
The arguments intensified, involving more and more people. The UEFA Champions League clash now symbolized national pride.
Even Arsenal players got dragged into the fray. In an interview with Sky Sports before the match, Wilshere expressed his disdain for Su Luo.
"Su Luo is capable now, but in two years, he might not be. He's far behind Messi and Ronaldo."
Ronaldo had won the 2014 Ballon d'Or, and Messi won the 2015 award. Su Luo was a top-three finalist but didn't attend the ceremony, choosing to stay in China with his family. He knew that Messi, who led his team to the Champions League title, deserved the Ballon d'Or.
Only Champions League and World Cup honors can secure the Ballon d'Or. No matter how strong other performances are, they pale in comparison. Plus, Messi had the Ballon d'Or advantage. If other players' achievements were on par with his or if there was no clear standout, the Ballon d'Or would definitely go to Messi.
For example, Sneijder, Xavi, and Iniesta were all robbed in 2010. Sneijder was the absolute core of the Champions League champions and World Cup runners-up, while Xavi and Iniesta were heroes of the World Cup-winning team. Yet, the combined Ballon d'Or and World Player of the Year trophy went to Messi. It was outrageous.
In 2015, the Ballon d'Or was a foregone conclusion. For 2016, Su Luo had a chance, provided he performed well in the Champions League.
Back to the present, Wilshere's comments irked the Union Berlin players. Mahrez publicly supported Su Luo.
"After playing in the Premier League for one season and staying in the Bundesliga for half a year, Su is definitely the strongest and hardest-working player I've ever seen, bar none! He doesn't go to nightclubs for extravagance. It's his way of maintaining his state. The intensity of Su Luo's competition and training is unbearable for those with weak health."
Mahrez subtly mocked Wilshere's injury-prone nature. French striker Giroud also supported his teammate.
"It's not about talking. It's about scoring goals on the field. Let's see who scores more, Su Luo or me!"
Forsberg added, "First score 20 league goals, then compare with Su Luo."
Giroud had only scored 14 goals last season, ranking sixth on the scorer list, and had just 9 goals this season, 7 behind Harry Kane at the top. Su Luo, meanwhile, had already scored 40 league goals and 16 in the Champions League, including four consecutive hat-tricks in the group stage. Giroud's confidence seemed misplaced.
Berlin fans laughed. Even Tottenham striker Harry Kane liked a netizen's comment mocking Giroud, though he quickly unliked it. But it had already been screenshotted by eager fans.
Ahead of the Arsenal vs Union Berlin clash, London rivals enjoyed the drama. The online feud eventually drew in the coaches. Facing the media and social networks, people from both sides continued their war of words.
Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger tweeted:
"Su is a very talented young man. If he joins Arsenal, with the right guidance, he will definitely be on the right track. Now it seems that he may have gone astray."
In fact, when Su Luo led his team to the Bundesliga title, Wenger had already noticed him. But Wenger, familiar with Huaxia players, felt that Su Luo was not consistent. Later, when Su Luo won the Bundesliga championship and his market value soared to nearly 100 million, Arsenal could no longer afford him.
Currently, according to the Bundesliga's "Transfer Market" news, Su Luo's value fluctuates around 115 million. Wenger wanted to downplay Su Luo to make it easier to sign him, but his remarks offended Union Berlin's coach Neuhaus.
"Mr. Wenger means I don't discipline my players well? I know better than anyone what kind of player Su Luo is. He knows what he's doing. There is absolutely no question about his professionalism," Neuhaus retorted. "I will not allow anyone to underestimate Su Luo's love for football! We will prove it on the field!"
Wenger quickly responded, "Very well, we will prove our strength and beat the Bundesliga team to avenge our shame!"
The war of words heated up the anticipation for the match. Both sides were ready for a fierce battle. For neutral fans and onlookers, it promised to be a thrilling game, hopefully with plenty of goals, red and yellow cards, and player conflicts.
On the day of the match, all members of Union Berlin drove to the Emirates Stadium. Surprisingly, no North London fans disturbed their rest outside the hotel, leaving everyone well-rested and full of energy.
However, Su Luo noticed that his teammates seemed a little too excited. The hotel and the stadium were just 20 minutes apart, and they sang non-stop on the bus, turning it into a zoo.
"Coach, do you want them to calm down?" Su Luo asked Neuhaus.
"Forget it, we're almost at the stadium. Everyone is probably just nervous," Neuhaus replied.
"Nervous?"
"Yes, it's their first Champions League knockout match, after all."
Indeed, except for the injured Sane, everyone was experiencing the Champions League knockout stage for the first time. Every play in this round was crucial, a completely different concept from the group stage. Even Su Luo himself had no experience to effectively guide his teammates. They would have to take it one step at a time.
As he looked at the spectacular Emirates Stadium outside the window, Su Luo wasn't sure what would happen in two hours.
"Welcome to PP Juli Sports. I'm commentator Zhan Jun, and with me is our old friend Zhang Luzhang," the broadcast began.
"Many fans probably haven't slept, eagerly waiting for this important match!"
"The overlord of North London, Premier League powerhouse Arsenal, hosts Union Berlin, the biggest dark horse in this Champions League!"
"Our country's player Su Luo, the team's core, is playing against a Premier League team for the second time."
"Director Zhang, which team do you favor for this match?"
"Hehehe," Director Zhang grinned. "Emotionally, I hope Su Luo's team will win. However, Arsenal have the home advantage, so they cannot be underestimated."
"The two teams are quite similar. Both like to pass quickly through the midfield and cooperate in small areas in the front court to create threats. But Arsenal are more integrated, while Union Berlin plays around Su Luo."
"Who dominates will depend on the players' performance on the spot."
"Okay! We can see that Su Luo has appeared on the screen. As the captain of Union Berlin, he is starting the game!"
In the player tunnel, due to the previous online war of words, there was already tension between the players from both sides. The broadcast camera clearly showed both teams standing apart with serious expressions, not communicating with each other. For the first time, the players had no friendly interactions.
As Su Luo stepped into the Emirates Stadium with a little caddy, he felt the palpable tension. It was his first Champions League knockout match! One missed play could determine the outcome!
But facing the pressure made Su Luo even more excited.
"Today is an away game! Let's go all out and score goals. The pressure is on Arsenal, right?" he thought, ready for the challenge.
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