Chapter 1 When Liverpool Returned From Madrid

When Liverpool returned from Madrid, they received a warm welcome from the Liverpool fans.

It felt as if they had won the European Champions Cup. In reality, they had only qualified for the semi-finals.

But for Liverpool fans, this was a great victory worth celebrating.

Chen Hero followed the players onto the bus and returned to Liverpool city from the airport.

As soon as they left the airport, they saw many Liverpool fans gathered on both sides of the road, wearing Liverpool's red jerseys, holding up Liverpool scarves, waving their arms, clapping, and singing rhythmically.

Seeing this scene suddenly, one would think that Liverpool had returned from Madrid with a trophy.

Chen Hero found it strange: "We only made it to the semi-finals, it's not like we won a championship, is it really necessary?"

Steven Gerrard, who was sitting next to him, didn't seem surprised.

"Although we didn't win the championship, it's almost like we did..." Gerrard said, looking at the excited Liverpool fans outside the window.

Chen Hero turned his head to look at the captain, puzzled.

Seeing his confused look, Gerrard smiled. Instead of answering Chen Hero's question, he asked him one.

"Hero, do you know when was the last time Liverpool participated in the Champions League?"

How would Chen Hero know this? He wasn't a die-hard Liverpool fan who knew everything about Liverpool's past.

He shook his head: "I don't know. Anyway, I've been here for almost three seasons, and this is the first time I've represented Liverpool in the Champions League."

Gerrard nodded and said, "The last time we participated in the Champions League was in the 09-10 season. Since then, until this season, we haven't participated in the Champions League for three seasons. This season is our first season back on this top stage. For them..."

He pointed to the excited fans outside.

"For them, we didn't just eliminate Real Madrid and enter the top four, Hero."

"What else could there be?"

"There's also... confidence." Gerrard said with a smile. "This is the most important thing, Hero. This is our first season back in the Champions League, and we eliminated the defending champions, and we also ended their two-year unbeaten record at home..."

Gerrard spoke slowly, and at this moment he didn't seem like Liverpool's captain, but an ordinary Liverpool fan. He explained everything he saw to Chen Hero in the tone of a fan.

"This is not just a victory, it is a sign of Liverpool's revival, and the symbolic meaning is far greater than the actual meaning. This is only our first season. If we can participate in the Champions League steadily every season in the future, then one day... one day..."

Speaking of this, Liverpool's captain paused.

He lowered his head and looked at his hands.

Chen Hero followed his gaze and found that the captain's hands were clenched into fists.

Gerrard didn't continue to say what would happen one day, and Chen Hero didn't ask.

The two fell into silence.

After a while, Gerrard raised his head again, his eyes passing over Chen Hero and looking directly at the Liverpool fans outside.

"One day..."

Chen Hero suddenly continued: "One day, we will stand at the top of Europe again!"

Gerrard looked at Chen Hero again, and found Chen Hero was smiling at him.

"Actually, I don't really understand the feelings and moods of Liverpool fans... After all, I have only joined this team for less than three seasons, and they..." Chen Hero pointed to the Liverpool fans outside, "Perhaps three generations have been Liverpool fans. But I think I still understand one thing, that is... no one doesn't like championships, no one doesn't like more championships. If Liverpool wants to revive, it needs many, many championships, right?"

Gerrard also laughed.

"That's right, we need championships. We need many, many championships. Hero, we are very greedy, one or two championships can't satisfy us..." Gerrard's current thoughts were very similar to Kenny Dalglish's original thoughts, believing that the young Chen Hero was the hope for Liverpool's revival. No matter what, they must keep him and let him stay at Liverpool for as long as possible.

Chen Hero didn't think about leaving Liverpool at all. He nodded and continued Gerrard's words: "The more the merrier!"

※※※

Outside the bus, Liverpool fans kept waving their arms, singing Liverpool's team song, and various fan songs. Except that it hadn't reached the point where everyone was out in the streets, the scene was really similar to Liverpool returning with a trophy.

But they were not cheering for a physical trophy.

The reason they were so happy was the unprecedentedly high confidence.

Beating Real Madrid on the road filled them with confidence in their team's future.

Liverpool's future suddenly became bright because of this game, as if no matter what happened in the future, it would not shake everyone's confidence in this team.

If a team can defeat its opponents and advance to the semi-finals on the road, facing so many unfavorable situations, then what difficulties will they not be able to cope with in the future?

In fact, this is the biggest gain for the Liverpool team and fans in this game...

※※※

Liverpool's elimination of Real Madrid on the road not only excited Liverpool fans, but also became the focus of discussion in European football.

It's not new for the defending champion to be out, but it's a bit unusual to be out in this way at their home, a home where they haven't lost a game in two years.

Spanish media did concentrate on criticizing Pepe's mistake in the game the next day, believing that it was that completely amateur mistake that led to Real Madrid's defeat.

Of course, there were also voices criticizing Real Madrid coach Mourinho's conservatism. However, such voices did not cause much waves.

In the eyes of other media, it was a remarkable thing for Liverpool to beat Real Madrid on the road. After all, even Guardiola's Barcelona was unable to conquer that stadium. But Liverpool took it down...

Chen Hero, who scored twice in the game, naturally became the number one contributor to Liverpool's victory and received key attention and praise from many media.

Some media simply used "Hero Conquers the Bernabéu" as the headline.

"...Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo could not stop Chen Hero. It seems that only Barcelona and Messi can challenge him. But judging from the semi-final draw, the two teams can only meet in the final..."

"Hero is now the hottest center forward in world football—Messi and Ronaldo are not considered true center forwards. It is said that many teams are interested in him, but I don't think Liverpool will let this important player go if they still want to return to the top..."

"Hero scored twice in yesterday's game. This is his eighteenth goal in the Champions League this season! With these two goals, he has tied Messi's record of eighteen Champions League goals in a single season set in the 11-12 season! It's really terrifying data! And he has at least two more games to further break this record... Messi must be very depressed now, because the record he created was really short-lived..."

※※※

Messi wasn't depressed, he was just annoyed.

The game between Liverpool and Real Madrid was a fight between鹬蚌 (yù bàng, a clam and a snipe fighting each other), he just needed to reap the benefits. (idiom: 河蚌相争，渔翁得利 hébàng xiāngzhēng, yúwēng délì - when two parties fight, a third party benefits)

No matter which team was eliminated, it was a good thing for him. However, he still tended to hope that Liverpool would be eliminated, so that Chen Hero would not threaten his record.

Unexpectedly, it was Liverpool who advanced in the end, and Chen Hero scored twice in the game, tying his record of eighteen goals.

There were two more games to come, and as long as he scored one goal, he would break the record.

This reality made Messi very unhappy. It was okay to be a supporting role for anyone, but he didn't want to be a supporting role for Chen Hero. Who knew what excessive things that bastard would say?

This kind of person has no demeanor at all. He bites people randomly when he loses. What would happen if he won? A typical smug villain!

But this was not the most annoying thing for Messi. The most annoying thing for him was this reality—his opponent Chen Hero scored eighteen goals, and what about himself? Twelve goals!

If it were in other seasons, this number of goals would be enough to guarantee him the Champions League Golden Boot this season, and this number would once again make him a name that the whole of Europe would talk about.

But now, his twelve goals seemed to be mocking him.

Because he was a full six goals behind Chen Hero!

Although Barcelona also reached the semi-finals, and Messi also had at least two more game opportunities, this gap of six goals now seemed like a huge chasm, an insurmountable divide.

He suddenly remembered when Chen Hero was suspended for the entire group stage, and when he returned, he was exactly six goals behind himself.

How could he have the confidence and courage to say that he wanted to catch up with himself and become the top scorer?

Either he has infinite confidence in himself, or he is infinitely arrogant...

Now, if he were to shout out to catch up with Chen Hero and reverse the situation to win the Golden Boot... he was actually a little unsure in his heart.

But... he can't admit defeat at this time! Even if the difference is big, he must be tough on the mouth.

Last time you reversed me, this time let me try to reverse you!

If you can do it, then I can too!

But Messi is still an introverted person after all, and he didn't shout it out as directly as Chen Hero, wishing the whole world would know. He just swore in his heart and clenched his fists as proof.