Chapter 485: Chapter 485
Richard wore a serious expression as he walked toward the Manchester City locker room.
Alongside him, the tunnel stretched like a narrow, dimly lit corridor, the walls lined with intimidating reminders of Inter Milan’s presence. Large banners hung deliberately in the away section, each one emblazoned with the names and numbers of Inter players—carefully chosen to provoke and unsettle.
It was clear that Inter had intentionally curated this display to play on the away team’s nerves, a subtle yet ruthless reminder of their dominance in the game so far.
"Psychological strategy." Richard nodded as he decided that, for the new stadium, he would also follow this strategy.
When he arrived, he immediately found the door already half open. He had already notified the staff about his arrival.
Inside, he walked past each player, assessing their mental state, and felt unsatisfied when he confirmed that their fighting spirit was low.
He tapped the blackboard to gather their attention.
"Today is a final that determines the title, and the loser will become a stepping stone for the opponent. If you are waiting for a moment that will make you stand out, waiting for a game that will make Europe and the world remember you, then today is that moment! Yes! I have a great wish: I want Manchester City to be the first love of a new generation of football fans!"
The players listened to Richard, somewhat baffled. Even the staff was taken aback.
’What is he talking about? A final? And... first love? We’re here to play football, not talk about love!’
Seeing that he had managed to gather their attention, Richard felt satisfied.
He continued, "Everyone who falls in love with football has a catalyst—a match, a star player, a moment, a name, a photo... names like Busby’s Manchester United, Paisley’s Liverpool, Sacchi’s Milan, Belgium’s Red Devils, Italy’s catenaccio, Maradona’s Argentina, Brazil’s samba team, Barcelona’s Dream Team, and many others. I hope we can become the first love for countless fans, letting them fall in love with our football, remember each of us, and cherish our journey. But this requires great moments, thrilling matches, our own style, our philosophy of the game, our fighting spirit, and so on. I believe we already have what it takes to achieve greatness. What we need now is the will to bring it to life. Do you have confidence?"
The players exchanged glances.
"What I mean is—play every match as if your life depends on it! Treat every match like it’s a final! I know we’ve conceded two goals, and yes, it’s a setback—but that doesn’t define us! This is the moment to rise, to fight harder, to show everyone who we are! Every pass, every tackle, every shot counts. Every one of you has the power to change the game. The scoreboard is not the story—your spirit is! Today, we decide how we will be remembered. So get out there, give everything, and leave nothing behind!"
Richard then pointed at Lampard. "Do you want to win this match?"
"Y-yes.." Lampard replied stammered, shocked.
Richard’s gaze sharpened, pointing at Trezeguer. "What about you?"
"Y-yes!" came the firmer reply.
"You?" he continued, moving down the line, pointing at each player.
Richard let a slow, satisfied smile spread across his face. "Good. That’s what I want to hear. Not just words, not just nods—commitment. Every single one of you must want it more than anything else today. The team wins only when every individual believes in victory with their whole heart. Now, go out there and show it!"
Done with that, Richard nodded to O’Neill and Mourinho before leaving the locker room. On the surface, it seemed as though his job was finished, his presence no longer required.
But in reality, he lingered outside, just out of sight. At a moment , motivation alone wasn’t enough—he knew the fire he had just lit in the players needed to be fanned carefully. The rest would be handled by the coaching staff, whose job it was to channel that energy, refine it, and turn it into focused, disciplined play on the pitch.
When the match began, O’Neill signaled to the team, decisively adjusting their attacking and defensive approach.
If they were only one goal behind, they could maintain balance between attack and defense. But being two goals down meant they had to go all out. Whether they lost by one or two goals, the result would be the same; if the final group position came down to tie-breakers, their chances were slim.
Inter Milan was now aggressively pushing through the middle, exploiting City’s weaknesses. City quickly decided to abandon central attacks and focus on the flanks instead.
After Manchester City kicked off again, Lampard held back from advancing, sending the ball laterally before passing to the wing.
Zambrotta and Zanetti surged forward boldly. With this shift, City’s attacking threats became clear. The reason was simple—there was a numerical advantage on the flanks!
Ronaldinho once again faced off against West, now joined by Šimić. The young but experienced defender had successfully contained him many times and knew Ronaldinho’s dribbling patterns well. Whenever Ronaldinho attacked, West stayed close, waiting for the perfect moment to intercept—or, if necessary, dominate him with strength to force a foul.
However, Ronaldinho had a different plan. He skillfully pulled the ball back, drawing West in.
Just as West moved forward to apply pressure, Zambrotta appeared out of nowhere, sprinting past him along the sideline, while Šimić was momentarily out of position.
"Crap!" he cursed as West suddenly surged forward to block Ronaldinho. Whether it was overconfidence or something else, the fact was clear: West’s advance left a gap in the defense.
’I should be marking Ronaldinho! I’m the full-back!’
Sure enough, this time is different. Exploiting West’s overconfidence, Ronaldinho executed an elegant flick, sending the ball soaring over his head and landing perfectly at Zambrotta’s feet.
Zambrotta smoothly began dribbling laterally along the baseline. City’s full-back burst down the flank, breaking through Inter Milan’s defensive setup. In response, the defensive line had no choice but to compress, protecting the critical area in front of goal. Just as and Cauet and Bergomi prepared to double-team, Zambrotta swiftly played the ball back.
Ronaldinho, positioned at the edge of the penalty area, received the ball and shot without hesitation!
His strike was of top quality, heading straight for the near corner. But Inter Milan goalkeeper Pagliuca showcased his incredible skill, blocking it with one hand and sending the ball out for a corner.
The crowd gasped, then erupted in applause, celebrating Pagliuca’s outstanding save. In the VIP box, Richard initially showed a hint of regret, but soon applauded, clearly satisfied with the team’s attacking method.
"Just play !" he yelling.
Inter had a weak defensive link. When City surged through midfield quickly, Inter’s attacking players couldn’t retreat in time. With only four defenders and two midfielders at the back, attacking the flanks allowed City to outnumber them quickly. With clever passing and movement, the chances of success were high—even with Cauet covering the flanks. Thᴇ link to the origɪn of this information rᴇsts ɪn nοvelfire.net
With a balanced two-on-two situation, Manchester City held their own. Simeone stayed cautious; he knew leaving the middle open would make Zidane a lethal threat.
City quickly took a corner, and Zambrotta gathered the ball on the side, feigning a cross to get past Zanetti before moving inside. From a 45-degree angle at the edge of the box, he unleashed a long-range shot!
Pagliuca once again showed his skill. Though caught off guard, he managed to deflect the ball.
The ball bounced straight to Trezeguet, who calmly controlled it. Bergomi quickly approached, blocking the shooting angle with his body, but Trezeguet stayed composed. He maneuvered cleverly around West and fired a precise shot!
"What a response from Manchester City! Only one minute into the second half, David Trezeguet is on target. Pagliuca did well to save Zambrotta’s effort, but he couldn’t clear the danger. The Frenchman stayed calm, took his time, maneuvered past West effortlessly, and fired the ball home. Game on—Manchester City is now just one goal behind!"
After the goal, Trezeguet ran to the center, hugging the ball tightly as he made his way back.
Normally, scoring Manchester City’s first goal in the UEFA Champions League this season would have been a moment of celebration. Cheers, high-fives, perhaps even a brief pause to savor the moment. But this team had a tradition: when trailing, no player celebrated until the score was level. There was no time to waste—they needed to resume play immediately and push to equalize or take the lead.
Seeing his players sprint back, Richard nodded in approval. This was exactly what he wanted from his team—the hunger, the focus, the refusal to settle for small victories.
Although their overall strength had diminished compared to previous seasons, their spirit was clearly renewed.
They would no longer act like second- or third-tier teams that celebrated merely for scoring a goal against stronger opponents, regardless of the match’s final outcome. No, this team had ambition. They were learning to measure themselves by results, by resilience, by the drive to control their own destiny rather than reveling in fleeting moments of glory.
Richard allowed himself a small, satisfied smile. The hunger was there. The focus was there. Now, all that remained was to channel it into decisive action on the pitch.