Chapter 2251 - 576: The Trophy Belongs to the Champion
Neuer avoided the right option.
The ball dove into the net under his desperate gaze.
After five rounds of penalty kicks, the score was 4:3.
Milan’s coaching staff and substitute players rushed onto the field.
Once again.
Huang Kaiwen once again killed the opponent in the penalty shootout!
Before he could make a move, Huang Kaiwen, who scored the winning goal, was surrounded.
"Saint Kevin!!!"
"Saint Kevin!!!"
"Saint Kevin!!!"
He was lifted by his teammates and tossed into the sky again and again.
The UEFA staff were already engraving the name AC Milan on the trophy on site.
"Huang Kaiwen!!!"
"Huang Kaiwen once again became the key figure in the penalty shootout."
"The Allianz Arena once again echoed with his name."
"In this UEFA Champions League final, Italian giant AC Milan met Bundesliga giant Bayern Munich, and the media beforehand portrayed it as a war for survival, a battle for the future fortunes of the two nations’ football. It was as much about competition as it was about life and death."
"Seventy years after the alliance, they finally faced each other in battle. The pre-final surprise added much drama to this final, and with the birth of the Milan Prince in the storm, it might be the beginning of another legend, but Huang Kaiwen’s story is far from over."
"Facing Bayern, who have Europe’s strongest defensive midfield and right flank, AC Milan was once suppressed. The situation reversed after Huang Kaiwen took the field, but Buffon’s red card added another twist to the match.
Perhaps this is AC Milan’s curse, as their goalkeepers can’t manage to finish the UEFA Champions League final.
But Huang Kaiwen stepped up again; one time might be a coincidence, but Huang Kaiwen standing at the top of Europe twice as a goalkeeper is enough to say something.
When Huang Kaiwen looked at the night view of Milan City drenched in sweat at four in the morning, this was preparing to defend the throne of European football.
Every day, besides training, Huang Kaiwen practiced saves, leaving last. This was Huang Kaiwen challenging himself.
Many reporters asked Huang Kaiwen: Is the team suffering from Kevin-dependence syndrome? Why must you be the one to play at crucial moments?
Huang Kaiwen gave many answers.
But he never answered directly.
However, his entire career generously answered this question: Without hesitation, who else but me!
There are no two victors on a football field.
Schweinsteiger knelt painfully on the sidelines.
Olic, who missed the penalty, covered his face and cried.
At this moment, football is at its coldest.
It does not reward you for your tears.
In many cases, a single goal far outweighs its weight.
The allure of the UEFA Champions League trophy is like this.
Even if you play for the league’s top club, there’s no guarantee you’ll have a chance to touch the Champions League trophy.
All you can do is strive, strive, and strive again.
That trophy is the deep-seated regret of countless top players.
Fontaine, Baggio, Totti... even Schweinsteiger’s childhood idol Cantona never touched the Champions League trophy.
The statement that a great career doesn’t need trophies to count is mere politeness.
Otherwise, there wouldn’t be so many people lamenting that Ronaldo never won a Champions League.
At this moment.
Bayern players are immersed in defeat.
Losing a match is not scary; what’s scary is the fear for the future.
No one can guarantee that their career will have another chance to enter the UEFA Champions League final.
No one knows whether tomorrow or an accident will come first.
Losing such a match feels like losing a lifetime of efforts.
Confusion and frustration linger in the heart.
Timoshchuk stood silently against the advertising board, looking at the brightly lit center of the field.
With the growth of young player Boateng, Bayern has informed him that he will not be offered a new contract at the end of the season.
Perhaps Müller and Neuer will have another chance.
But for him, this farewell is forever.
Whether at the Allianz Arena or with the UEFA Champions League trophy.
Timoshchuk uttered through his nasal sound, silently humming a folk song from his hometown.
"Somewhere by the Black Sea, a young man mounts his steed, a girl silently weeps, for he is leaving Ukraine..."
...
"Get up, everyone get up!"
Alonso bent down to pull Lahm.
"Hmm?"
Lahm looked up, bewildered.
Alonso roughly pulled him up, pinched Lahm’s left cheek, and shouted: "Look at yourself, what do you look like? You need to remember you’re the captain of Bayern Munich, not just Philipp Lahm."
Lahm nodded.
Indeed.
At this moment, he should fulfill his responsibilities as a captain.
Heynckes stood by the field, nodded in satisfaction.
Maybe he won’t be the coach next time, but these kids will still have a chance to reach the top of Europe.
Alonso and Lahm pulled up one teammate after another, encouraging, consoling, persuading, and inspiring.
There has never been an eternal champion in football.
This time they failed, but there’s always a next time.
Almost instantly, the Bayern players lying on the ground were all pulled up.
Xabi Alonso blocked in front of Huang Kaiwen and asked: "Jersey swap?"
"Sure!"
Huang Kaiwen took off his jersey and handed it to Alonso and draped Alonso’s jersey over his shoulder, saying: "The last penalty was nice."
"I’ll be back again."
Alonso said with a cold face.
He knows that to lift the Champions League trophy, Huang Kaiwen is the hurdle that must be overcome.
"Alright, but you’ll have to fight your former teammate; Cristiano said the same thing."
Huang Kaiwen said, looking at Alonso’s back.
The cool Alonso stumbled slightly, almost falling.
After regaining his balance, he quickly quickened his pace.
"Let’s go, to thank the fans."
Huang Kaiwen walked to the sideline and helped up Nesta, who was on crutches.