Chapter 739: Defending the Treble
After scoring, Jesse Lingard, a Manchester United academy product who spent most of the season on the bench, sprinted across the pitch at the Wanda Metropolitano. His face, contorted with emotion, revealed his sheer excitement.
Due to United's abundance of attacking talent—Harry Kane, Rashford, Mbappé, Mahrez, Greenwood, and McTominay—Lingard often found himself low in the pecking order and with limited playing time this season.
Yet, the 25-year-old forward, a loyal graduate of United's youth academy, never complained. He trained diligently and waited patiently for his opportunities.
Tonight, in the biggest match of his career, Lingard answered Mourinho's late call. Thrown into the action in the dying moments of this high-stakes Champions League final, he delivered a decisive blow against United's fiercest rivals, Liverpool.
For Lingard, this was undoubtedly the most glorious moment of his career.
Surrounded by jubilant teammates, Greenwood loudly asked, "Are we European champions now?"
"Not yet. There are still a few minutes left. Stay focused—don't let up!" captain Bruno Fernandes shouted.
With stoppage time looming, only three or four minutes remained. On paper, Liverpool had almost no chance of scoring twice. But football's greatest mystery lies in the fact that nothing is certain until the final whistle blows.
Twenty years ago, on the fabled night at Camp Nou, Bayern Munich led Manchester United as the match entered stoppage time. UEFA officials had even begun engraving Bayern's name onto the trophy. But United scored twice in injury time to snatch the Champions League title, creating the legendary "Miracle of Camp Nou."
Today, United faced an opponent equally famed for their resilience—Liverpool, creators of the "Miracle of Istanbul." If anyone could stage a last-minute comeback, it was them.
Bruno was quick to remind his teammates not to lose focus. "The game isn't over yet. Don't let your guard down!"
Liverpool's players, however, were visibly deflated. They knew how critical this late two-goal deficit was.
On the sidelines, Klopp stood motionless. His team had performed exceptionally, but United had proven too resilient.
Indeed, Liverpool, having equalized three times, had shown remarkable determination. But they were up against an even tougher opponent in Manchester United.
Stoppage Time: Three Minutes
In those three minutes, Liverpool launched an all-out attack, pushing forward with near-desperation.
United, on the other hand, dropped deep and focused solely on defending. For those three minutes, Mourinho's "park-the-bus" strategy was in full effect.
When the allotted stoppage time expired, referee Damir Skomina refrained from blowing the whistle, allowing Liverpool to finish their final attacking move.
"Time's up! Hey, time's up!" Mourinho shouted from the touchline, pointing emphatically at his watch.
Sadio Mané sent a diagonal long ball into the box after bypassing Cancelo. Origi and Maguire clashed in a contested aerial duel, with De Gea eventually punching the ball away. N'Golo Kanté cleared it further upfield.
Then came the sound of two short whistles followed by a long one. Skomina had signaled the end of the match.
Manchester United Are Champions Again!
The Wanda Metropolitano erupted into deafening cheers as the final whistle echoed across the stadium.
"The match is over!!" commentator He Wei exclaimed, drawing out his words in excitement.
"5-3! Manchester United have emerged victorious!"
"Goals from Gundogan, Bruno Fernandes, Harry Kane, Greenwood, and Lingard secured United a 5-3 victory over Liverpool to clinch the 2018-2019 UEFA Champions League title!"
"This is Manchester United's fifth Champions League crown. They've now tied Liverpool and Bayern Munich as the third-most successful clubs in the tournament's history, trailing only Real Madrid with 12 titles and AC Milan with seven!"
"Congratulations to Manchester United, to Mourinho, to Bruno, to Gundogan, to Lingard, to Mbappé, to Harry Kane, to Rashford, to Greenwood, to Kanté, to Luke Shaw... They are the champions of Europe!"
Scenes of Jubilation
The pitch was awash with celebration. United's substitutes and coaching staff, who had been waiting anxiously on the sidelines during stoppage time, stormed the field as soon as the whistle blew.
Manchester United's players reveled in their triumph, joyously releasing their emotions.
Liverpool's players, in stark contrast, were crestfallen. Some crouched down, others knelt, while a few lay flat on the pitch, staring blankly at the night sky above the Wanda Metropolitano.
They had given everything and performed admirably, yet it wasn't enough to conquer Europe.
For Liverpool, this was a cruelly familiar feeling. Despite an extraordinary Premier League campaign with just one defeat and a record 97 points, they had fallen short of their first league title.
Now, after a valiant effort in the Champions League final, they faced heartbreak once more. The weight of disappointment was palpable among the players, leaving them feeling utterly crushed.
Manchester United manager José Mourinho was surrounded by a sea of reporters.
Having led United to back-to-back Champions League triumphs, Mourinho was undeniably the center of attention on this historic night.
"Mr. Mourinho, how does it feel to win the Champions League two years in a row?"
"Coach Mourinho, do you have a message for Manchester United and your fans right now?"
"Mr. Mourinho…"
Ignoring the barrage of questions, Mourinho made his way toward Liverpool manager Jürgen Klopp for the post-match handshake.
Though United won with a seemingly comfortable 5-3 scoreline, the game itself was far more challenging than the scoreline suggested. Klopp and his Liverpool side had pushed United to their limits, earning Mourinho's respect.
"Congratulations, Mr. Mourinho," said Klopp, maintaining his composure despite the crushing defeat of his team's European dreams.
Mourinho clasped Klopp's hand firmly and replied earnestly, "This was an extraordinary match. A great coach leading a great team made it incredibly tough for us."
Their exchange was brief. Klopp had to console his players, while Mourinho was drawn back to the reporters and the chance to celebrate with his squad.
On the Pitch
Manchester United captain Bruno Fernandes was also fielding questions from the press.
"It was a fantastic match," Bruno said. "Both teams had the quality to win, but we came out on top. We played the way we train, showing the world how exceptional we truly are."
One reporter, looking for controversy, asked, "Bruno, can you comment on United's penalty in the first half?"
Bruno shot the reporter a cold glance before replying firmly, "It was the correct decision."
After answering a few more questions, Bruno left the media to join his teammates. Together, they made their way around the pitch, acknowledging and thanking the Manchester United fans who had traveled to Madrid.
The team then headed to the locker room to freshen up and change into special championship T-shirts prepared for the occasion. Afterward, they returned to the pitch for the trophy presentation.
Award Ceremony
Liverpool received their silver medals first. One by one, the players and staff ascended the stage.
Their expressions were somber. Some players' eyes were visibly red, evidence of the tears shed.
Next, it was Manchester United's turn. The players, now clad in their championship attire, stepped forward to receive their gold medals from UEFA President Aleksander Čeferin.
"Congratulations, Bruno," Čeferin said warmly as he shook the captain's hand.
Bruno was the last United player to take the stage, as the honor of lifting the trophy awaited him.
Čeferin handed the trophy to Bruno with a smile. "Congratulations. You are truly deserving champions of Europe."
"Thank you, Mr. President," Bruno replied, eagerly taking the iconic silverware.
His teammates were already counting down.
"Three… two… one!" they shouted.
Before they could finish, Bruno roared, "We are—"
"Champions!" the team yelled in unison as Bruno raised the Champions League trophy high above his head.
The Wanda Metropolitano erupted with cheers, and countless Manchester United fans worldwide joined in a triumphant roar: "We are champions!"
Behind the stage, a flurry of red confetti shot into the air, while dazzling ribbons cascaded from the stadium roof.
The anthem "We Are the Champions" echoed throughout the arena, and fireworks illuminated the Madrid night sky.
A Historic Achievement
"Congratulations to Manchester United, to Mourinho, to Bruno… to all of them. They are the champions of the 2018-2019 UEFA Champions League!"
"But it doesn't end there. United are also this season's FA Cup champions and Premier League champions, completing a domestic treble. This marks their third consecutive Premier League title!"
"And let's not forget, United have now won European silverware for three straight years. Two seasons ago, they lifted the Europa League trophy. Last year, they were crowned Champions League winners. And this year, they've defended their title, becoming only the second team since the competition's 1992 reformation to achieve back-to-back triumphs!"
"Last year, United achieved their second historic treble: Champions League, Premier League, and FA Cup. This year, they've done it again, becoming the first team in history to defend a treble. Congratulations to them!" commentator He Wei exclaimed passionately.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Cortez10