Chapter 375 Invincible Hero's Era

The second half had four minutes of injury time, but it didn't really matter, because Inter Milan still hadn't scored. It was unlikely they could tie the score in those four minutes.

At least Liverpool fans weren't worried.

Inter Milan fans were also resigned, because with only four minutes left in the game, this Inter Milan didn't seem capable of creating a miracle. If it had been the Inter Milan led by Mourinho back then, they might have had more confidence…

The four minutes of injury time passed quickly, and when the referee blew the whistle to end the game, Liverpool players and coaches who had been waiting outside rushed onto the field.

The green turf quickly became a red sea.

Inter Milan players in blue dotted the scene, heads bowed, enduring the pain of defeat. For them, it was a truly bitter season…

※※※

Chen Hero didn't immediately celebrate the victory with his teammates because he was surrounded by the media.

As the biggest contributor to Liverpool's championship victory, scoring two goals in this game, the best player of the match, and the Europa League's all-time leading scorer with a record-breaking season, he was naturally the target of the media.

"How does it feel to break the record, Hero?"

"How does it feel to be the best in history?"

"Congratulations on winning the championship, Hero! Can you share your feelings?"

"Is it especially fulfilling to score thirty goals in one Europa League season?"

Reporters thrust their microphones toward Chen Hero.

Chen Hero was eager to celebrate the victory and the championship with his teammates, and he couldn't be bothered answering the reporters' questions one by one. Besides, what kind of questions were those reporters asking? "What are your feelings?" "How do you feel?" "What's your experience?"... Please, what do you think I'm feeling? What else could I be feeling?

He raised his hands high and shouted loudly, "I feel great right now! Please don't bother me while I'm feeling great!"

His answer greatly exceeded the reporters' expectations. No one expected Chen Hero to be so blunt… They had interviewed many players, and in their great joy, these players might be a little incoherent at most, but Chen Hero's reaction wasn't just simple incoherence, was it?

Taking advantage of the reporters' surprise, Chen Hero pushed through the crowd, squeezed out, and ran toward his teammates, embracing them in a celebratory frenzy.

The reporters looked at each other. They couldn't very well pull away Liverpool's other players just to interview Chen Hero, could they?

Many people shook their heads, sighing, "He really has a personality…"

※※※

When Liverpool's captain Gerrard raised the Europa League trophy high on the elaborately decorated podium, red confetti and streamers fluttered down from the sky over the Amsterdam Arena.

"We Are the Champions" played, and Liverpool once again stood at the top of Europe!

Although this European championship was slightly less valuable than the Champions League championship, it was precious to the Liverpool people who had been groping forward in the dark for more than six years. Because this championship restored many people's confidence in Liverpool, making them feel that the team's future was still promising.

That was the most important thing.

Wasn't that exactly what the Liverpool executives had been hoping for when they decided to take a gamble on the Europa League?

Liverpool needed a springboard to revitalize, and the Europa League was the best springboard—not lacking in attention or value. If Liverpool could win this competition, then Liverpool themselves would be full of confidence, and the whole of Europe would begin to re-examine Liverpool's rise.

After Gerrard put the trophy down, he handed it to Chen Hero next to him.

"Raise it, Hero!"

Chen Hero was the second to hold the trophy, and no one else had any objections. Chen Hero had really made a great contribution to Liverpool's Europa League title this season. Without Chen Hero, Liverpool would not have reached the final at all.

If it weren't for him, Liverpool wouldn't know how to deal with Inter Milan's iron-barrel formation in the final…

Chen Hero took the Europa League trophy from the captain's hand. In the competition with Messi, he had already won a championship trophy, while Messi had lost the Champions League trophy this season—Barcelona was eliminated in the semi-finals, and Messi missed out on defending his title.

Looking at the trophy in front of him, Chen Hero felt excited. Although he had even held up the Champions League trophy, he was still very excited every time he won a championship. His pursuit of victory and honor was endless, as if he would never get tired of it.

He couldn't understand the mentality of those superstars in the first Galácticos era, who lost their fighting spirit and motivation after winning a championship… Who in this world would think they had too many championships?

Chen Hero would never think so. He wished he could monopolize all the championship honors he encountered in his career.

He took a deep breath, lifted the championship trophy with all his strength, and shouted out his thoughts, "Prepare to welcome the era of the Invincible Hero!!"

※※※

The entire Liverpool team took the Europa League trophy and flew back to Liverpool the next day. At the airport, they were enthusiastically cheered by hundreds of Liverpool fans, as well as many media outlets.

At the airport, they boarded a double-decker open-top bus and paraded with the championship trophy, receiving cheers and tributes from Liverpool fans along the way.

Liverpool hadn't even celebrated so grandly when they won the League Cup last season. It seemed that the European "League Cup" was different from the domestic one.

The last game of this season was over. Liverpool finished second in the league this season, securing direct qualification for the Champions League group stage next season. At the same time, they also won a European championship this season and could compete with the Champions League champion at the beginning of next season.

For Liverpool fans, it had been a long time since they had been as happy as they were now.

Many people were starting to look forward to Liverpool's prospects for next season—after three years, they had finally returned to the Champions League! What kind of performance could Liverpool have in this most prestigious competition?

※※※

For the fans and players, this was a perfect season, and this day was also a happy day. They only needed to enjoy this day and carry this happy mood with them on vacation.

But for Liverpool's coach Martin O'Neill and general manager Niang, their work had already begun.

"Liverpool has Champions League genes." At the celebration banquet, while others were discussing where to go on vacation, Niang pulled O'Neill aside to start discussing plans for next season. He first said to O'Neill, "So we hope to go as far as possible in the Champions League, but considering that we haven't played in the Champions League for three years, and the team will definitely add players, and there will be problems with integration… Our goal for next season is… at least the top sixteen."

O'Neill nodded, "It would be too embarrassing for Liverpool if we couldn't even get out of the group stage. We don't want to be this season's Inter Milan, and I'm not interested in defending the Europa League title."

Niang smiled.

"Because of the new stadium plan, our transfer budget for this season won't be too big…" His words made O'Neill's heart tighten—as a head coach, the thing he feared most was hearing such a sentence. Back then, Wenger was poor at Arsenal for so long that he had developed a habit of thrift and frugality. He wouldn't even spend money when he had it, all because Arsenal were building the new Emirates Stadium.

"But we will try our best to guarantee your requirements for signings. We also know very well that the main framework of Liverpool has basically been built, and what needs to be done in the transfer market is nothing more than patching and repairing."

Martin O'Neill knew that these were just polite words. Transfer fees needed to be fought for. No general manager of any club would hand over the money in their hands willingly. It was as if he was cutting out a piece of their heart.

He said, "Our flanks are still too weak. The only real wingers are Adam Johnson and Sanchez. We were lucky this season that these two wingers didn't get injured much. Most of the time they were healthy. But we can't be so lucky every season, so…"

Niang nodded, "So we still need to sign wingers. Hmm… what do you think of Bale?"

"Bale? Which one?" Martin O'Neill didn't react for a moment.

"Which Bale is more famous in world football right now?"

O'Neill realized it as soon as he asked the question, and he looked at Niang in disbelief, "That's Tottenham's pillar!"

"So what? Beckham was also Manchester United's pillar back then." Niang didn't care.

"That's different, Beckham fell out with Ferguson…"

"Bale can also be disappointed with Tottenham…"

"Are you saying…"

"Tottenham didn't qualify for European competitions this season, not just the Champions League, but not even the Europa League. I have inside information that Redknapp is going to be fired. In fact, he is no longer Tottenham's coach, but Tottenham's official hasn't announced the news yet. But many people know… Bale is very dissatisfied and disappointed with the club's dismissal of Redknapp. And then, Bale was seriously injured this season, and only returned at the end of the season. Tottenham is also very dissatisfied with him, thinking that he is made of glass, too easy to get injured, taking a high salary, but not contributing to the team, so…"

"Have you been in contact with the player himself?" O'Neill interrupted Niang and asked eagerly.

"We have reached an agreement. As long as we can work it out with Tottenham, he will be yours!" A confident smile appeared on Niang's face.

O'Neill felt a little dizzy. He didn't expect that a pie would really fall from the sky and hit him on the head… Gareth Bale, this left-wing speedster, is an excellent winger who has emerged in English football and even European football in recent years. His speed, passing, shooting, and free kicks are all very good. Such a winger is very suitable for his ideas.

A center forward like Chen Hero needs a steady stream of passes from the flanks. Bale can handle that.

If Bale really comes, it will definitely be a boost for Liverpool!

With such a strong reinforcement, he doesn't care if there is less transfer budget for other positions…

He was already looking forward to the attacking combination of Bale on the left, Sanchez on the right, and Chen Hero in the middle next season…