Chapter 172 – Double Champion! Hat Trick! A Half-Century-Old Record Has Been Broken!
The biggest difference between league play and cup competitions is this: the league tests a team's ability to maintain high-level performance consistently over the long haul.
Anyone who regularly watches FA Cup or League Cup finals has probably noticed that, even when there's a massive gap in league standings or clear differences in strength—when a top-tier giant faces a lower-division team—it's not uncommon for the final to be tightly contested, or even result in an upset.
Now, in the knockout rounds, that's not all that rare. There are many factors at play.
But in the final? When both sides are fully focused?
Why does that still happen?
Because cup competitions—especially finals—are all about putting everything on the line in one game.
One match decides everything!
When a team pours all its energy, resources, and preparation into a single match, and every player is in peak form, they can unleash incredible power.
That's also why winning the Treble is so difficult.
Because a team must not only perform at a consistently high level throughout the long, grueling league season, but also rise to the occasion in every single win-or-go-home cup match.
And we're talking about two cup competitions, not one.
The difficulty of that is far beyond most people's imagination.
Take this FA Cup final, for example.
Before the match, the overwhelming majority of media outlets and fans favored Bayswater Chinese over Chelsea.
Why?
Chelsea had failed to finish in the top four in the league and missed out on next season's Champions League. The players' morale had taken a massive hit.
There were constant rumors of internal turmoil—reports suggesting that Peter Kenyon would take the fall for missing out on Champions League qualification.
Moreover, regardless of whether Hiddink stayed or left, sporting director Arnesen was expected to resign in disgrace.
Talks of a squad overhaul and new signings were swirling.
Drogba had even gone public, telling the media that the striker he most wanted to partner with was Eto'o.
Of course, some media jabbed back, saying Drogba's own position wasn't secure—Chelsea were targeting Džeko.
In short, all sorts of rumors painted a picture of Chelsea as a club stacked with negative debuffs.
How were they supposed to beat the red-hot Bayswater Chinese?
In the odds from the top three bookmakers, Bayswater Chinese were miles ahead of Chelsea.
It got to the point where it felt like—if Bayswater Chinese didn't win—it had to be a fix. A throw. A scandal.
And sure enough, Bayswater Chinese started the match brilliantly.
Yang Cheng's trademark opening high press paid off once again.
For the first ten-plus minutes, they pinned Chelsea back completely.
By the 9th minute, they'd already opened the scoring.
Could it get any better?
It felt like everything was pushing Bayswater Chinese toward victory.
But as the team's head coach, Yang Cheng knew all too well—this kind of scenario was dangerous!
After so many years in coaching, he never underestimated any opponent.
Especially not a powerhouse like Chelsea.
Once Hiddink adjusted his tactics, Chelsea stopped pretending. They gave up all pretense of style or control, dropped deep, camped in their own half, and went into full-on park-the-bus mode—waiting to hit on the counter.
Prestige? Dignity?
Forget it.
They wanted to win.
Starting from the 15th minute, Chelsea tightened up and withstood wave after wave of Bayswater Chinese attacks.
The first half ended 1–0.
During halftime, Yang Cheng repeatedly warned every player to stay alert.
"Our opponent is Chelsea—one of the strongest teams in the Premier League and all of Europe!"
"Don't take anything for granted!"
He singled out Matuidi and Aaron Ramsey for praise.
Why?
Because Ramsey had already clocked nearly 8 kilometers in the first half alone.
That's the kind of distance many players might only cover in a full 90 minutes—and he did it in 45.
Matuidi also ran a ton and contributed well on both offense and defense.
Yang Cheng's praise served one purpose: to remind everyone to keep their heads straight and not lose focus.
But right at the start of the second half, Chelsea launched a surprise counterattack.
Bayswater Chinese's young players, used to dominating the first half, were caught completely off guard.
First, Lampard unleashed a long-range rocket that came dangerously close to scoring.
Then Anelka fired a shot from the edge of the box that shaved the outside of the post on its way out.
Two quick waves of pressure—and Chelsea had made a statement.
Bayswater Chinese responded with a counterattack of their own.
Ramsey and Lewandowski pulled off a brilliant one-two, with Ramsey threading a pass into the right side of the penalty area.
Walcott sprinted through at high speed and drilled a low shot.
But Cech smothered it again.
Then, in the 62nd minute, Chelsea launched another counterattack.
Anelka got a shot off just outside the box, but Matić got in the way—no real danger.
The ball spilled out to the right wing.
Bosingwa sprinted up and received the pass. After a quick adjustment, he sent in a curling cross.
The ball arched through the air and dropped perfectly near the penalty spot on the right side.
Drogba burst forward, muscled Kompany out of the way, and chested the ball down.
Before the ball hit the ground, the Ivorian spun and blasted it with his right foot on the volley.
From the moment he controlled the ball to the shot, Kompany was shielded completely—he couldn't do a thing.
The shot came out of nowhere.
Begović had been positioned on the left side of the goal, not expecting the ball to be shifted right.
Though the German keeper dove full stretch, he was a fraction too slow.
The ball smashed into the bottom-left corner of Bayswater Chinese's net.
1–1!
Wembley Stadium erupted with the roars of Chelsea fans.
Over 40,000 voices screamed at the top of their lungs!
For Chelsea, there was nothing more satisfying than ending their season by bringing down Bayswater Chinese.
Their West London rivals had haunted them with painful memories over the years.
Especially this season.
Bayswater Chinese were aiming for the Treble.
They had already bagged the Community Shield, the UEFA Super Cup, the Club World Cup, and the Premier League.
If they added the FA Cup and Champions League, that would make it a sextuple.
Something never before achieved in world football history.
And Chelsea?
They were going home empty-handed. Worse yet, they had finished sixth in the league and missed out on the Champions League entirely.
Since Abramovich had taken over the club, Chelsea had never failed to qualify for Europe's top competition.
This was a humiliating, bitter season.
Made even worse by the glow of their West London rivals.
So yes—they were desperate to watch Chelsea's players bring down Bayswater Chinese in the FA Cup Final.
So what if you want the Treble?
Dreaming of a sextuple?
Drop dead!
…
"They're too young."
Brian Kidd shook his head with a sigh.
No matter how brilliant Yang Cheng's tactics were, no matter how many halftime instructions were given—young players were still young. Lacking experience, lacking maturity.
"This goal will have a huge impact," Yang Cheng said, his years of coaching experience setting off alarm bells.
"Exactly. Their momentum has shifted," Brian Kidd agreed.
Football, at the end of the day, is played by people.
If Chelsea were a volcano, then this season's failures, frustrations, and all the pressure had been stones plugging the crater.
Now, that stone had been moved.
And the lava—Chelsea's fury—was starting to erupt uncontrollably.
At the center of it all was Drogba.
That maddening, love-hate, unstoppable beast.
After the Restart, Chelsea Immediately Launched into Attack
Now that they had equalized, the fire that had been snuffed out was burning brighter than ever.
All because of that one goal from Drogba!
"There's no containing it now—we'll have to fight them head-on!" Yang Cheng said firmly.
Backing off now would be suicide. It would only add fuel to Chelsea's momentum.
Football is different from real life.
In real life, if you remove the stone blocking a volcano's mouth, putting it back might delay the eruption, but the pressure will still build. It's just buying time.
But in a football match, you only need to survive 90 minutes. If you hold the line, the game ends.
"If they're strong, we'll just be stronger!"
"If we lose this battle, it only proves we're not strong enough—we don't deserve the Treble!"
"But if we win it, our young players will gain more than anyone can imagine!"
Yang Cheng said this with complete conviction.
Brian Kidd understood what he meant and nodded vigorously.
Yang Cheng quickly stepped to the touchline.
Everyone thought he was preparing a substitution, but instead, during a stoppage, he called Marcelo over—the closest player to the sideline—and passed on tactical instructions.
…
"He didn't dare make a substitution after all!" said Chelsea assistant coach Ray Wilkins, watching Yang Cheng closely. He breathed a sigh of relief.
"The Champions League final in three days is what Yang Cheng really cares about," Hiddink said calmly.
From his perspective, Chelsea had gained an advantage with the schedule.
And also, Yang Cheng's starting lineup today was simply too young.
Hiddink didn't care about who scored.
But the Bosingwa-to-Drogba route had been a key attacking focus—something he'd been preparing for a long time.
Yet when Marcelo returned to the pitch and began relaying Yang Cheng's instructions to his teammates, Bayswater Chinese began to shift tactically, and Hiddink and Wilkins both suddenly grew serious.
Yang Cheng hadn't made a substitution.
But his adjustments were bold—bolder than Hiddink had expected.
"He's really going toe-to-toe with us now?" Wilkins blurted in disbelief.
They had just conceded an equalizer, momentum had swung, and Yang Cheng still chose to push up and go all-out?
That took guts.
"Not just that," Hiddink said, his eyes narrowing as he watched the field.
"Marcelo and Piszczek have pushed higher. There's a wider gap between Fonte and Kompany. Matić is sitting deeper…"
As the match resumed, Hiddink kept murmuring as he observed Bayswater Chinese's positional changes.
"Hazard and Walcott are drifting more into the half-spaces…"
Everything pointed to one thing—Yang Cheng was changing formations.
Bayswater Chinese players were shifting tactics and repositioning in real time.
Changing formations mid-match was taboo!
If Yang Cheng's decision to press forward and fight fire with fire was already bold...
Then to attempt a formation shift without even making a substitution? That was madness!
"He's lost his mind! Yang Cheng's gone insane!" Wilkins exclaimed in disbelief.
"Is he actually trying to play a three-man backline?"
He chuckled in disbelief, "He dares to play a back three in the Premier League?"
"Has his brain rusted over? Does he not realize the Premier League is built around fast wingers constantly bombarding the flanks?"
Even Hiddink found it hard to believe. "Is he underestimating our wingers?"
Sure, Malouda and Anelka weren't the absolute fastest.
But they were world-class.
Especially Malouda.
Anelka was more of a runner and finisher, but Malouda was a pure, traditional winger.
What was Yang Cheng thinking?
Hiddink turned his head and saw Yang Cheng standing at the touchline, barking instructions nonstop.
One moment he was yelling for Hazard, the next for Marcelo. Then Walcott. Then Piszczek...
And then Fonte. And Kompany...
Hiddink started to put the pieces together.
Yang Cheng wasn't just adjusting tactics—he was constantly repositioning players.
Was he really switching to a back three?
The whole world knows that the weakness of a back three is defending the wings.
Even in Serie A, or the Bundesliga, or La Liga, it's getting harder to make it work.
To use it in the Premier League—land of elite wingers?
That's suicide!
But the more he watched Yang Cheng adjust things, the less it seemed like reckless improvisation.
It looked like he had planned for this.
Had Yang Cheng prepared for this switch to a back three all along?
Had Bayswater Chinese trained for this formation?
…
Having coached for decades—especially living through an era in his previous life when football tactics exploded and evolved rapidly—Yang Cheng's understanding of tactical systems was far beyond that of any current coach.
Even Guardiola.
In his view, the back three wasn't some evil, suicidal setup.
Not even in the Premier League.
People in his past life had doubted whether Guardiola's football philosophy could succeed in the English top flight.
But it had.
Others doubted whether Messi could survive in the Premier League.
Though it was never tested, Yang Cheng believed he absolutely could.
Because footballers are living beings.
Drawing formation diagrams, mapping player positions—that's a mechanical way of understanding football.
But what's the essence of football tactics?
It's never changed since the game began.
It's about creating numerical superiority.
That's why a red card is the ultimate punishment in football.
Because it gives the other team a permanent advantage in every tactical scenario.
Every manager, when designing tactics, aims to create numerical superiority in a specific zone.
From that standpoint, tireless players are the dream of every coach.
The benefits of a back three are obvious.
It lets you load more attacking players into midfield and forward positions.
But football is a game of balance—every advantage comes with a drawback.
The greatest weakness of the back three is vulnerability on the flanks.
Especially in a setup like the one Yang Cheng was using now.
A 3-4-3—not a 3-5-2 or 3-6-1.
Which meant their flanks were very exposed defensively.
If the opposition managed to get in behind, the outside center-backs would have to sprint out to cover in one-on-one situations.
For center-backs like José Fonte and Kompany, going up against someone like Malouda—or even Anelka—one-on-one was not ideal.
If they got beaten, there'd be no help—just a direct path to the penalty area.
That's the price every back-three system has to pay.
Guardiola's Barcelona had also used a 3-4-3.
But what set Barça apart was their supreme passing and ball control.
They could maintain possession for long stretches, meaning their backline was rarely under direct pressure.
Even so, that system still got punished.
Yang Cheng's approach was nothing like Barça's.
Bayswater Chinese didn't have that level of pass-and-move dominance, but they could make up for it with cohesion and teamwork.
In this back-three system, when facing an opponent's attack through the middle, it was straightforward.
But when the ball went wide—as it often would against Chelsea—Yang Cheng's focus was to attack down Chelsea's right.
That meant making Marcelo and Hazard's side the primary offensive channel.
So Chelsea Often Regained Possession on Their Right Flank
But when they did, they would find that Bayswater Chinese's entire formation was tilted heavily to the left side.
From Lewandowski up top, to Hazard and Marcelo, Bayswater Chinese's left side was far from undermanned—they were all involved in the defensive transition.
What if Chelsea launched a quick counter down Marcelo's flank, catching him out of position?
Yang Cheng had two contingency plans in place.
First, Matuidi would quickly slide across to cover the wing, with Aaron Ramsey also shifting left to help. Piszczek would drop back into the defensive line, and Matić would hold the pivot.
In this scenario, Bayswater Chinese's back four would reshape into Matuidi, José Fonte, Kompany, and Piszczek.
This was the low-impact solution.
If Matuidi couldn't get back in time?
Then José Fonte would shift out wide directly.
That would leave the back line as José Fonte, Matić, Kompany, and Piszczek.
Yang Cheng had drilled this rotation pattern into the team during training camps.
But the complex positional switches and the overall fluidity of the system demanded a high level of coordination.
Even with Bayswater Chinese's excellent team chemistry, mistakes were very possible.
The biggest danger lay in whether Matuidi or José Fonte could successfully plug the gap behind Marcelo.
If they couldn't—everything would fall apart.
Another threat was if Chelsea's attack was halted on the left and they quickly switched play across the pitch to find Malouda on the right.
If Piszczek had pushed too far forward on offense and couldn't recover in time, it could be fatal.
That's why Yang Cheng stood at the sideline, constantly shouting instructions, urging players to call out positioning to one another.
And it wasn't just him—José Fonte, Begović, Kompany, and others were all shouting and organizing the defense.
After conceding the equalizer in the 62nd minute, Yang Cheng had immediately implemented the tactical shift.
It took nearly ten minutes of live adjustment and on-field communication to settle into the system.
Especially on the left flank.
During that time, Bayswater Chinese completely overwhelmed Chelsea on their left side.
The combination of Marcelo and Hazard, along with Lewandowski drifting wide to create space.
Even Walcott began appearing frequently on the left to provide support, creating a massive numerical advantage.
Chelsea's entire right flank was under siege.
The attacking pressure from Bayswater Chinese was so relentless that Chelsea were forced to pull back and defend.
That's how ferocious the offensive momentum was during this phase.
Chelsea's counterattacks, meanwhile, failed to threaten.
Which only fueled Bayswater Chinese's confidence and made them press even harder.
In the 76th minute, Matić—near the halfway line in his own half—passed to Aaron Ramsey.
The Welshman dropped deep to receive the ball, surrounded by Chelsea defenders. He immediately laid it back.
Then Ramsey darted forward into an open space.
Matić's next pass sliced between two defenders, finding Ramsey again with perfect timing.
But Ramsey was quickly surrounded again and had to cut the ball back diagonally to José Fonte.
The Portuguese center-back took a touch, crossed the halfway line, and quickly pinged a diagonal ball to Marcelo on the left in the final third.
Hugging the left sideline, Marcelo had just taken the ball under control when Hazard darted forward.
The Belgian sprinted from the left edge of the penalty area toward the byline, making it seem like Marcelo was about to thread the ball through.
Bosingwa was drawn out of the box to follow Hazard.
Essien dropped back instantly to cover the space Bosingwa left behind.
But just then, Marcelo whipped in a sharp left-footed mid-range cross—not to Hazard.
The Belgian had only faked the run.
Marcelo's pass cut in diagonally, threading just ahead of the recovering Essien and into the left side of the penalty area.
At that moment, Lewandowski burst forward, beating Alex to the ball near the byline on the left side of the box.
Alex chased hard, and as Lewandowski caught up to the pass, it looked like he was going to cross, so the Brazilian defender went into a sliding tackle.
But Lewandowski had anticipated it. He cut the ball back masterfully to his right foot and pulled it inside.
Alex slid straight past and right off the pitch—completely out of play—unable to stop the Polish striker from crossing.
At nearly the same moment, Walcott appeared out of nowhere near the edge of the six-yard box—right behind John Terry.
As Terry turned to react, the Little Tiger dove forward, connecting with a stunning header.
He drove the ball fiercely into the right corner of Chelsea's goal.
Cech dove full stretch, throwing himself at it—but he was too late!
The ball rocketed into Chelsea's net!
"GOAL!!!!"
"Bayswater Chinese retake the lead against Chelsea!"
"2–1!"
"A header from Theo Walcott—the Little Tiger strikes again!"
"Brace for Walcott!!"
"Another goal from him!"
"Walcott's movement was razor sharp—his sense of danger is off the charts! He sniffed out that chance in an instant!"
"This is a crushing blow for Chelsea."
"They held on for the entire first half, worked hard to equalize..."
"And now they're trailing again."
"This is going to be a massive psychological hurdle for the Blues!"
…
The moment Bayswater Chinese took the lead again, Hiddink made a double substitution.
He brought on Kalou for Mikel.
And Ballack for Essien.
That reshaped Chelsea into something like a 4-4-2.
Malouda and Kalou operated as wingers, with Drogba and Anelka forming the front two, and Lampard and Ballack anchoring central midfield.
But once the match resumed, Yang Cheng noticed both Malouda and Kalou were pushing very high—playing more like attackers.
Even Ashley Cole and Bosingwa had started to surge forward.
As Chelsea reshaped, Yang Cheng waved his hand decisively—Bayswater Chinese returned to their familiar 4-3-3 setup.
The 3-4-3 they had been using? That had simply been exploiting Chelsea's lack of pace on the wings and their inability to make quick, horizontal switches of play.
In truth, the back-three system is incredibly risky when it hasn't been thoroughly drilled.
If the opponent finds your weakness and targets it, you can be in real trouble.
And when Yang Cheng saw that Hiddink had switched to a 4-4-2 and was clearly preparing to flood the flanks, he switched back immediately.
Substitutions on one side, tactical adjustments on the other.
Over the next ten minutes or so, the game remained intense—but deadlocked.
Neither side created any real chances.
Until the 85th minute, when Chelsea began piling on the pressure.
With time running out, they threw everything forward.
Even their defenders pushed high, sending more and more bodies into attack.
In the 87th minute, Chelsea carved out a golden opportunity.
Lampard surged into the area and squared the ball to Ballack.
The German midfielder lofted a pinpoint chip into the box.
Drogba shielded Kompany, rose high, and headed the ball toward the right corner of the six-yard box.
Anelka had been waiting—he darted past José Fonte and poked the ball toward goal.
It was headed for the bottom right corner.
But at the crucial moment, Begović flung himself sideways and got a hand to it—punching it away with a single palm!
Marcelo Immediately Cleared the Ball Out of Bounds Along the Left Sideline, Giving Chelsea a Throw-In
Wembley erupted!
Bayswater Chinese fans roared in celebration of Begović's phenomenal save.
Chelsea supporters, on the other hand, were filled with frustration.
That goal had looked like a sure thing. Practically guaranteed.
And yet, this relatively unknown backup keeper from Bayswater Chinese had managed to keep it out.
Yang Cheng clenched his fists on the sideline, shouting in praise of Begović.
Brian Kidd, Pedro Jaro, and the rest of the coaching staff were all visibly emotional.
They knew exactly how good Begović was from training—he was a young keeper with tremendous potential.
The only problem was, Bayswater Chinese already had a world-class No.1 in Manuel Neuer.
Which meant Begović rarely got opportunities to play.
But perhaps because of that, every time Begović did take the pitch, he gave it everything he had—seizing every chance to showcase his ability and prove himself to the world.
Especially against a club like Chelsea—he wanted everyone to see what he could do.
In a way, Yang Cheng thought this kind of setup was perfect.
…
Chelsea took the throw-in quickly, but José Fonte reacted first and booted it out of play again.
Another throw-in for Chelsea.
Bosingwa tossed it in once more. After two or three short passes, the ball was intercepted just outside the box by Matić, who stepped in to cut off a pass aimed at Lampard.
The moment he took possession, Matić took one step forward, adjusted his stride, and launched a driven ground pass through midfield.
Hazard received it on the left, flicked it inside, and surged forward with the ball.
Bosingwa had pushed high and was now caught out. Alex shifted over to cover the right flank and closed in on Hazard.
But the Belgian suddenly halted and spun around, dragging the ball laterally with expert control before laying it off.
Lewandowski ran onto it centrally and redirected it into the right half-space.
That's when everyone realized—Terry was the only one hanging back in Chelsea's back line, watching Lewandowski, while both fullbacks had pushed high and Lampard and Ballack were also committed forward.
The moment Lewandowski played the pass, Walcott was free—completely unmarked—charging forward with long, explosive strides.
Wembley roared to life.
The Little Tiger sprinted toward the right side of the penalty area.
Terry chased with everything he had and finally caught up just outside the penalty spot on the right.
But just as the Chelsea captain closed in, Walcott stopped abruptly, cut inside with his right foot, then dragged the ball laterally with his left.
It was a silky, premeditated move.
Terry couldn't stop in time.
The captain flew right past him.
Walcott followed up with a swift left-footed strike.
Cech had been stationed slightly toward the right post. When Walcott made his move, the keeper shifted his weight toward the center in anticipation.
His instincts told him Walcott would go far post with his left foot—so he adjusted his position.
What he didn't expect was for Walcott to shoot immediately—with the inside of his left foot.
The ball traveled like a laser, skimming just past the base of the right post, and into Chelsea's net.
Cech had just shifted his weight and had no chance of recovering.
All he could do was watch helplessly as the ball rolled into the net.
"Hat trick!!!"
"The Little Tiger!"
"Walcott scores a hat trick!!"
"My God! This English wonderkid has just scored a hat trick in the FA Cup Final!!"
"To everyone watching at home, remember this incredible moment!"
"In the FA Cup's 139-year history, only three players have ever scored a hat trick in the final."
"But since the competition's modern format began in the 20th century, only one player had previously accomplished this feat."
"That was in the 1952/1953 FA Cup Final at the old Wembley, when local striker Stan Mortensen scored three goals for Blackpool against Bolton."
"He was the only player in history to score a hat trick in an FA Cup Final at old Wembley!"
"And now, we have a new name!"
"Remember it well—Theo Walcott!"
"He has become the first player in history to score a hat trick in an FA Cup Final at the new Wembley Stadium!"
"And only the fourth player ever to do it in an FA Cup Final!"
"The last time we saw a hat trick in an FA Cup Final was more than half a century ago."
"Today, Walcott has written his name into legend!"
Walcott himself hadn't even realized it yet.
Records like this—especially obscure ones—tend to fly under the radar.
But once the stadium announcer, voice cracking with emotion, bellowed the news over the PA system, Wembley exploded again. Fans across the stands shouted Walcott's name in unison.
Bayswater Chinese players ran over in droves to celebrate with him.
Even many Chelsea fans found themselves applauding the Little Tiger.
No one had expected it.
No one thought Walcott would be the one to break a record that had stood for more than half a century on this very afternoon.
It was unbelievable.
Even Yang Cheng found it hard to believe.
"This kid just hit the jackpot," Brian Kidd laughed out loud.
Was it luck?
Sure—but not entirely.
Walcott's incredible positioning, blinding speed, increasingly polished technique, composure in front of goal, and clever finishing—all of it came together to create that historic strike.
"This kid's going to blow up after this," Brian Kidd chuckled, still grinning.
Yang Cheng, on the other hand, looked a little helpless.
With the way the British media operated, and the prestige of the FA Cup, and now with a half-century-old record being broken—there was no way the press wouldn't go into overdrive.
In fact, knowing the British press and how they could squeeze headlines from a frog, Walcott was in for a media storm.
"I need to talk to him. Pour some cold water and keep him grounded," Yang Cheng said with a sigh—the kind of "trouble" any coach would be happy to have.
Brian Kidd nodded repeatedly.
Walcott was still young.
Despite being in the spotlight for years, he was still only 20.
If he let this get to his head, if he started believing the hype—it could be the end of his career trajectory.
But Yang Cheng expected far more from him than that.
…
When Walcott scored his third goal, the match was all but decided.
Just moments earlier, Chelsea had looked fierce and relentless.
Now, they were like a balloon that had been popped—their morale evaporated in seconds.
Bayswater Chinese stayed composed and disciplined, holding the 3–1 lead until the final whistle.
And the moment it blew, Yang Cheng stood on the touchline, clapping vigorously for his players.
The 3–1 scoreline looked comfortable on paper.
But anyone who experienced it knew—it had been anything but.
Throughout the match, even the slightest lapse could've cost Bayswater Chinese everything.
Especially after Drogba's equalizer.
During That Period, the Pressure on Bayswater Chinese Was Immense
Yang Cheng's decisive tactical shift—focusing their strength on attacking Chelsea's right flank—successfully suppressed the previously unstoppable Blues and allowed them to regain the lead.
Which ultimately led to Walcott's third goal.
At that moment, Yang Cheng finally exhaled deeply.
But he couldn't contain his joy and excitement.
The fifth trophy of the season was in hand!
At the very least, they were now double champions!
The Premier League and FA Cup they had lost last season were finally reclaimed!
Just thinking about it made Yang Cheng want to throw his head back and roar into the sky.
But he held it in.
Because he knew—there was still one final, decisive battle in three days.
Yang Cheng turned and looked back at the bench.
Many coaches, staff, and players from the substitutes' bench had already stormed onto the pitch in celebration.
Only Brian Kidd remained, silently standing behind him.
When Yang Cheng looked closely, he saw that Kidd's eyes—aged and weathered—were red with emotion.
They had worked together for many years. Yang Cheng considered himself to know Brian Kidd well.
He knew that Kidd's resentment toward Ferguson stemmed mostly from the drastic downturn in his career after leaving Manchester United.
As a United legend, Kidd had loyally supported Ferguson and helped build the most powerful United side in history.
But just before that team reached its absolute peak—just before the legendary treble—he had left.
He wasn't part of the glory.
Instead, he was questioned and doubted at Blackburn, and his coaching career never recovered.
That contrast had gnawed at him for years.
So yes—he held a grudge against Ferguson.
If Ferguson hadn't been so stubborn, if the two hadn't clashed, would he have ever left United?
Had he stayed, he would've been a key part of that historic treble.
And if Ferguson hadn't kicked him while he was down, would he have lost his job at Blackburn?
All of it built up inside Brian Kidd, and he needed a place to release it—or he'd never find peace.
And now, the team he had helped build from the ground up was rising!
Double champions!
Just one step away from a historic treble!
And if they won the Champions League this season, their accomplishment would surpass United's famous 1999 treble.
Because Bayswater Chinese would become sextuple champions.
After United's treble, they played in the inaugural Club World Cup the following season—only to be humiliated by Romário's Vasco da Gama.
And in the 2000 Charity Shield—now called the Community Shield—they lost to Chelsea.
So if Bayswater Chinese could win the Champions League in three days' time, their legacy would surpass United's.
Undeniably.
"Brian!"
Yang Cheng walked up and wrapped an arm around Kidd's shoulders, beaming with pride.
"Remember what I told you the first time we met?"
Kidd blinked hard, fighting back the emotion threatening to overcome him.
"I remember it perfectly."
"Good!" Yang Cheng grinned confidently. "Then get ready. In three days, when we bring home the most important trophy of all, that promise I made to you will be fulfilled!"
At that, Brian Kidd burst out laughing.
"It took you six years, but you're finally admitting it—you were selling me a dream back then!" he laughed, shaking with joy.
But the way he laughed—there was a sense that even if it was a dream, he had gladly bought into it, and he wouldn't mind being sold a few more.
…
And sure enough, Yang Cheng and Brian Kidd had been right.
After the FA Cup final, the entire UK exploded with excitement!
Not just because Bayswater Chinese had secured the double.
But because of Walcott's hat trick.
Gareth Bale and Walcott—the British Twin Stars—were already household names. And this season, their performance had grown even more consistent and mature.
Now, Walcott had delivered a hat trick in the FA Cup Final.
It was like Christmas all over again for the British media.
Practically every outlet jumped on the story. Everyone was chasing after the latest headlines about Bayswater Chinese and Walcott.
Following the final, the club held a formal celebration dinner.
A victory meant a victory banquet.
Outside the venue, fans and reporters packed the streets—drawn there by Bayswater Chinese, and especially by Walcott.
The next morning, the team had their regular recovery training session.
But by early morning, the road outside the Brent Training Centre was already gridlocked with reporters and fans.
Yang Cheng eventually had to call the police to maintain order, just so he and the players could enter the training ground.
The craziest part?
Some die-hard fans even tried to break into the training center.
That was the final straw.
Yang Cheng immediately ordered his staff to upgrade the training ground's gates and tighten overall security measures.
It was getting dangerous.
But it also served as a stark reminder to Yang Cheng:
The Champions League final was coming up.
And the whole world knew that two of the most intense football fanbases were involved.
The hooligans of England, and the notoriously racist sections of Italy.
Not to mention Barça's Catalan supporters—far from mild-mannered.
A Champions League final between an English club and a team flying the Catalan flag, in Italy? You didn't need imagination to picture what that might look like.
So Yang Cheng instructed Adam Crozier to immediately send personnel to Italy to reassess the hotel and security arrangements.
He personally called UEFA president Michel Platini to express concern over security and suggested UEFA coordinate directly with the local government and police in Rome to ensure the safety of Bayswater Chinese's traveling supporters.
But he didn't stop there.
That same afternoon, Yang Cheng held a press conference, inviting major outlets including The Times, The Daily Telegraph, The Mirror, The Sun, The Guardian, and others.
He issued a public appeal for fans to remain calm and rational, especially those traveling to Rome.
The club's fan services department quickly rolled out a series of new measures, including emergency contact channels for supporters.
Meanwhile, in Spain, Barcelona thrashed Athletic Bilbao 4–1 in the Copa del Rey final.
At Valencia's Mestalla Stadium, Barça had gone behind early, but Messi's goal and assist turned the match around, and all four of their goals came in the second half.
This led many to express concern about Guardiola's side.
Yang Cheng's team was known for explosive starts.
Barça, by contrast, had consistently struggled in the opening stages of matches.
It made sense—they preferred possession football, slowly building rhythm. That required time.
So now, many predicted that the opening phase of the Champions League Final would be absolutely crucial.
It would all come down to who could seize the initiative.
Yang Cheng?
Or Guardiola?
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