"It's rigged! This is definitely rigged!"
"This is the most outrageous Champions League group draw in history!"
In North London's media circles, where many outlets served as Arsenal's mouthpieces, the outrage was loud and unfiltered.
They harshly criticized UEFA's just-concluded Champions League group draw.
Fans were equally stirred up in heated debate.
"Three reigning champions in one group—how is that even possible? Is UEFA playing favorites?"
"How can so many strong teams all end up in the same group?"
"Borussia Dortmund won the Bundesliga last season—why are they only in Pot 4?!"
At Arsenal's training ground, the players were also caught off guard after seeing the draw results.
Kai took a deep breath.
He hadn't expected that Dortmund, who dethroned Bayern Munich to win the Bundesliga last season, would end up in Pot 4 for this season's Champions League.
But soon, he understood.
Dortmund's revival hadn't begun until Jürgen Klopp took over in 2008. Until then, they'd been quiet for years.
Their UEFA coefficient was extremely low.
So they were placed in Pot 4 accordingly.
While it was true that all three teams drawn into Arsenal's group were reigning league champions—
Their UEFA rankings weren't high, making it entirely possible for them to land in the same group.
Inside the hall, the Arsenal players were visibly frustrated.
Each of their three group-stage opponents was a serious threat.
This season's AC Milan had a formidable defense featuring the graceful warrior Nesta, Zambrotta, and Brazilian prodigy Thiago Silva.
In midfield stood legends like Pirlo and the fierce Gattuso.
And up front were the monstrous Zlatan Ibrahimović and Italian golden boy Pato!
Ajax and Dortmund were no slouches either—
Like Arsenal, they too were known as "youth battalions."
Suddenly, Van Persie shook his head hard and shouted:
"So what?! Sure, we're not reigning champions—
but we've got our captain!
We've scored eleven goals in two league games—
Let those Serie A and Bundesliga champs be the ones to fear us!"
The words instantly reignited the fire in the Arsenal players' eyes.
"Yeah, it's them who should be afraid!
We've got the best attacking power in Europe!
Why should we be scared of anyone?"
Kai strode forward, turned off the TV, and clapped his hands forcefully.
Wenger didn't interrupt.
All eyes were on their captain, with respect and intensity.
"Robin's right. We are the team others should fear.
Reigning champions? We're here to take down the elites!"
"This season, we'll make the entire footballing world witness—
the rise of the Red and White Storm across the Champions League!"
Kai's voice was firm and decisive!
The room burst into roaring applause and cheers!
The Arsenal players were fired up, shouting encouragement to one another.
Young Van Dijk was trembling with excitement—it would be his first Champions League appearance.
Gibbs yelled loudly:
"Captain's right! I don't care how golden that Milan kid Pato is—
He's not better than our captain!"
Koscielny followed up enthusiastically:
"Dortmund and Ajax dare call themselves youth armies?
Let's show them what a real youth storm looks like!"
The Arsenal players were burning with fighting spirit.
Wenger looked on, full of satisfaction.
Kai's arrival had injected this team with unmatched energy.
This version of Arsenal was young and fearless—
Each player like a roaring beast, ready to devour Europe!
"Three Reigning Champions Pile On Arsenal! UEFA Creates Record-Breaking Group of Death!"
"Can the Gunners Break the Curse of the UCL Round of 16?"
"Milan Boss Allegri Warns: In San Siro, Our Maestro Pirlo Will Teach That Arsenal Kid What a True Midfield Master Looks Like!"
The media went wild.
Serie A and Bundesliga circles were abuzz too—
because their teams had been drawn against Arsenal.
This season's Arsenal had become the center of attention across European football.
And the reason was clear:
Their record-breaking summer signing—
The first-ever £100 million man: Kai!
Milan and Dortmund fans were eager.
Could this so-called genius still shine under the spotlight of the Champions League?
The Champions League draw ceremony came to a dramatic end.
The entire European football world was in an uproar!
Some were excited, others distressed.
Arsenal had drawn a group of death full of reigning champions —
while Manchester City fans wore bitter expressions…
They had drawn last season's Champions League winner: Barcelona!
The discussions outside the pitch showed no signs of cooling down.
But Arsenal paid no attention to the noise.
They threw themselves fully into training —
This season, the call to fight on multiple fronts was about to begin!
Before their first Champions League group stage match,
they still had one more Premier League fixture to play.
Fans quickly turned their attention to Arsenal's next match.
Premier League, Round 3.
Home match against newly promoted QPR (Queens Park Rangers)!
Last season, QPR had narrowly lost the Championship title by a single point,
overtaken by Crystal Palace in the final round.
And that final-round six-goal massacre, led by Kai,
was what sealed the Championship for Palace!
Now Arsenal fans suddenly understood—
QPR was the team Kai had ruthlessly crushed last season!
The Gunners' fanbase erupted with joy:
"Could we be in for another one-sided slaughter tonight at the Emirates?"
Pre-match, the South London media went wild too.
Many of them had been Crystal Palace's mouthpieces last season.
"Enemies Meet Again! QPR Fled to the Premier League, But Still Can't Escape Kai!"
"How Many Goals Will QPR Concede Tonight? Can They Leave With a Smile?"
These headlines stirred the pre-match atmosphere even further.
QPR was livid reading them—
but there was nothing they could do.
Ahead of Round 3 of the Premier League,
they could only look at this Kai-led Arsenal side with dread.
This season, QPR was still managed by Crouch.
Though he had led them to promotion last season, he had lost the title,
and his position remained unstable.
The first two league matches this season?
Two straight draws.
Fans were already voicing dissatisfaction.
The club's top brass was also beginning to question things.
And just when Crouch urgently needed a win to stabilize the team,
they drew Arsenal…
Crouch was silently weeping inside.
August 27th!
Round 3 of the Premier League!
The final league fixture before the Champions League group stage kicks off.
The looming arrival of the Champions League had fans even more excited
and more focused on how this round of league matches would play out.
The QPR players boarded the team bus in low spirits.
They drove toward North London.
"This match is going to be tough…"
Crouch hesitated, trying to choose his words.
The players sat with heads bowed, the mood heavy.
All along the way, they could hear cheers and chants echoing through North London's streets.
Inside the QPR bus, there was dead silence.
It was as if they were approaching a fortress—
the Gunners' stronghold.
Everywhere they looked, it was red and white — Arsenal fans everywhere.
The momentum outside felt so powerful
it seemed to crush them through the bus windows.
Crouch's expression was grim.
He didn't even want to give a pre-match pep talk.
He just hoped this league match would end quickly.
An hour later.
Inside the massive Emirates Stadium, the crowd once again roared to life!
Arsenal fans waved a red-and-white sea across the stands.
They chanted in unison, welcoming their players
as they emerged from the tunnel with heads held high.
And the moment Kai led his teammates onto the pitch—
the stadium erupted into thunderous cheers!
The QPR players were stunned.
Deafening roars from all directions made their hearts pound uncontrollably.
They couldn't even stand steadily.
The referee blew the whistle!
Round 3 of the Premier League had officially begun!
~~----------------------
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