Chapter 731: The Battle for England's Greatest Club
Manchester United defeated Manchester City 4–2 to claim the FA Cup title, and the victory became the focus of media coverage the next day.
Reuters: "At Wembley Stadium, Mourinho's Manchester United triumphed 4–2 over a strong Manchester City team, claiming the FA Cup for the 15th time in history. This historic competition now sees its first-ever four consecutive titles won by a single team."
Manchester Evening News: "2–4: Manchester City falls to United as Guardiola's team suffers their 10th defeat to their rivals in three seasons."
The Times: "Mourinho secures his 16th trophy as Manchester United manager. His next goal? Back-to-back trebles?"
The match drew attention not just in the UK but across Europe, with major media outlets highlighting United's achievement:
Xinhua News Agency (China): "Founded in 1871, the FA Cup celebrates its 148th year. The most successful team in this historic competition remains Manchester United, who previously led with 14 titles, ahead of Arsenal's 12. With this latest victory, they've extended their lead. Mourinho, known for his mastery in cup competitions, adds another trophy to his illustrious career."Kicker (Germany): "Three years, 16 trophies—Mourinho has built Manchester United's third empire."Record (Portugal): "Bruno Fernandes: the god of football!"L'Équipe (France): "Kanté helps Manchester United secure the FA Cup title."De Telegraaf (Netherlands): "Van Dijk, United's defensive anchor, was key to their FA Cup success."
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Returning to Manchester from London with the FA Cup trophy, United hosted yet another championship parade.
Just a week prior, they had celebrated their record 16th English league title. Now, it was their 15th FA Cup victory being honored.
Despite three consecutive years of frequent celebrations, United fans were ecstatic. After all, who would complain about their team winning too many trophies?
Following a night of jubilant festivities, Mourinho wasted no time. By the start of the new week, he led the squad to Spain to prepare for the Champions League final, set to take place on the evening of June 1.
Preparation for the Champions League Final
United's preparations for the final began later than their opponents, Liverpool, who had started their training immediately after the Premier League concluded.
However, this was unavoidable—while Liverpool had no further commitments after the league ended, United had the FA Cup final to contend with. Nevertheless, with two full weeks to prepare, there was ample time.
United rented Real Madrid's Valdebebas training base for their pre-final camp.
Real Madrid, having endured a trophyless season, had already disbanded for the summer, making their facilities available to United. Despite the complex relationship between the two clubs, Real Madrid president Florentino Pérez approved the arrangement.
Liverpool, meanwhile, set up their camp at Atlético Madrid's training base.
...
On May 31, the day before the final, both teams trained at the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium to familiarize themselves with the venue.
At their respective press conferences, Mourinho and Klopp spoke highly of their opponents, expressing anticipation for a thrilling final.
However, despite the coaches' cordial words, the atmosphere between the teams' fans and media was anything but harmonious.
Tensions Between Rivals
Liverpool's last Champions League final appearance was in 2006–2007, 12 years ago. Fans and the club alike believed it was time to bring the trophy back to Anfield.
The stakes were particularly high: if Liverpool lost, United would equal Liverpool's tally of European Cups—a prospect intolerable to Liverpool supporters.
On United's side, having claimed the Champions League title just last year, they were eager to defend their crown. A victory would not only see them join Real Madrid as back-to-back Champions League winners in the modern era but also allow them to equal Liverpool's European trophy count.
Coupled with United's dominance in English league titles, such a victory would solidify their claim as England's greatest club, "stepping over Liverpool's corpse" to do so, as some put it.
Unsurprisingly, such sentiments infuriated Liverpool fans. Tensions escalated to the point where multiple altercations occurred between the teams' supporters, forcing Madrid police into action to maintain order.
The Stage is Set
With both teams having arrived in Madrid and tensions at a boiling point, the stage was set for a Champions League final steeped in history, pride, and rivalry.
June 1st: The Road to the Wanda Metropolitano
By late afternoon on June 1st, Liverpool's team bus was the first to leave their hotel. Shortly after, Manchester United's bus also departed, heading toward the Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.
Around the same time, countless Manchester United fans from across the globe followed the team bus, merging with fans already gathered outside the stadium to welcome and escort their team.
The bus windows were opened, and team captain Bruno Fernandes leaned out, waving a Manchester United flag. This instantly drew thunderous cheers from the fans.
"Glory to Manchester United!"
"United are champions!"
...
A few minutes after United's arrival, Liverpool's bus pulled in.
Though Liverpool had departed their hotel earlier, their slightly greater distance from the stadium meant they arrived later than their rivals.
Cheers erupted from the Liverpool fans as their bus arrived, though their numbers and fervor paled in comparison to United's.
The Wanda Metropolitano Stadium can accommodate 68,000 fans. While UEFA allocated only around 16,000 tickets to each club, the remaining 35,000 tickets, distributed to sponsors and other partners, largely ended up in the hands of both teams' supporters.
In the end, Manchester United fans secured approximately 38,000 tickets, while Liverpool fans obtained around 30,000.
But it wasn't just ticket holders who came to Madrid—thousands of fans without tickets gathered outside the stadium to cheer for their teams.
As the television cameras panned across the packed stands, it became clear that the 68,000-seat stadium was nearly full, even though neither team had yet taken to the pitch.
Fans watching from pubs expressed envy and frustration, longing to be at the stadium themselves. But with tickets selling out almost instantly, most were left to watch from afar.
...
Final Preparations
The players completed their warm-ups and returned to their respective dressing rooms, where their managers prepared for the most important match of the season.
This was not the time for tactical lectures; every possible scenario had already been analyzed and rehearsed countless times. For a Champions League final, meticulous preparation was a given, with multiple strategy meetings and precision training sessions leading up to the event.
Some coaches preferred to keep pre-match talks brief, allowing their players to approach the game with a calm mindset. Others favored long, impassioned speeches to rally their squads for the challenge ahead.
For many, stirring speeches were the last tool available to make a difference when tactics had already been perfected. In this regard, Liverpool's Jürgen Klopp was unmatched. Known for his passionate and motivational style, Klopp excelled at energizing his players and conveying both tactical clarity and fighting spirit.
"This is my fourth final as Liverpool's manager, but we haven't won a single trophy yet," Klopp began. "The critics call me the eternal runner-up and claim Liverpool is cursed when it comes to winning championships."
Looking into the eyes of his players, Klopp continued with heartfelt emotion:
"This match is a dream I've been chasing for years. After losing three finals and the Premier League title three weeks ago, I've been dreaming of this moment—of standing here with all of you once again."
"You're extraordinary. In my eyes, you deserve the glory of lifting the Champions League trophy," Klopp declared. "To reach the pinnacle of Europe alongside you has always been my dream. And when this 90 minutes is over, I want us to lift that trophy together."
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In United's Dressing Room
Meanwhile, in the Manchester United dressing room, José Mourinho addressed his squad.
"We've already won the Premier League. We've won the FA Cup," Mourinho began.
"But a double isn't enough. I want a treble!" he declared, his voice full of conviction. "And I know you want it too."
"Never before in football history has a team achieved back-to-back trebles," Mourinho said with a sly smile. "That's a record only the strongest can set. And we are the strongest!"
"Let's defend our treble!"
"Defend the treble!"
"Defend the treble!"
The players shouted in unison, their faces flushed with excitement.
The manager's words had struck a chord—this historic feat was theirs to claim.
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