Chapter 223: Treble Champions! Bayswater Chinese Club Played a Historic Season!
"Bayswater Chinese Club is currently the strongest team in European football. Without tightening our defense, we simply couldn't have won!"
At the post-match press conference, Wenger candidly explained the decisions he made across both legs of the semifinal and acknowledged the strength of Yang Cheng and his team.
The Arsenal manager praised the team spirit his players displayed—something different from the Arsenal of old.
"This was a team of heroes. Koscielny even shed blood on the pitch."
"I'm proud of every single player, whether they played or not."
"I'm also grateful to all Arsenal fans—those at home and those who came to the stadium. Their unwavering support gave us the strength to hold on until the end!"
After the heartbreak of losing last year, Arsenal had made it back to the Champions League final. Wenger made no secret of what the goal was now.
"Obviously, when you reach a Champions League final, there's only one target: to win."
"As fate would have it, we're facing a familiar opponent—Barcelona, just like in 2006."
Wenger admitted that Guardiola's Barça was stronger than Rijkaard's version.
"But today's Arsenal is no longer the Arsenal of 2006 either. We have the confidence to avoid repeating our past mistakes."
Wenger emphasized that now was not the time for Arsenal to celebrate.
Only after the final—only after beating Barcelona—would there be reason to rejoice.
As for criticism from fans and media over Arsenal's recent pragmatic approach, Wenger expressed understanding.
"In the past, many fans who loved our style of play may have been disappointed by these recent matches."
"But I want to say this—this wasn't just my game. It wasn't just about Arsenal's players."
"It belonged to everyone!"
"We may not have played with flair or beauty, but we won!"
"And for this team, and for Arsenal, that matters deeply."
Wenger reiterated that he would never abandon his footballing philosophy. Arsenal would continue with their characteristic style—though in certain matches, more pragmatic tactics would be employed.
And in the Champions League final against Barcelona—would he be conservative again?
"Why not?" Wenger replied with a smile. "If it means winning, why should we say no?"
This version of Wenger felt foreign to many journalists in the room.
But none of them could find a valid reason to challenge him.
…
"The truth is, over two legs, we couldn't even score a single goal."
"That's why we're not in the Champions League final."
At his own post-match press conference, Yang Cheng expressed his disappointment at the team's elimination.
He felt that the intense nature of the match had exposed several of Bayswater Chinese Club's issues.
"We're not strong enough yet, not perfect enough. There are still many areas where we need to improve. Our players still need to grow and develop further."
Yang Cheng said he had personally congratulated Wenger and Arsenal after the match.
"They deserved to go through. No doubt about it."
"I've never seen Arsenal play this conservatively before, investing so much into defending."
"It wasn't just the back line and the three defensive midfielders—Fàbregas was tracking back, too."
"Even Arshavin and Van Persie were defending deep, often just in front of our No. 4 position."
"That made it an extremely tough match."
"We tried everything—every variation we could think of—to break through Arsenal's defense. Nothing worked."
"Especially in the second leg, I felt our players were a bit anxious. We lacked sharpness in build-up and passing combinations. There's still a lot of work to do on team chemistry."
That said, Yang Cheng remained proud of his players.
"We've won the League Cup. The Premier League title is basically secured. We've reached the FA Cup final. And we made it to the Champions League semifinals. If that's considered failure, then the standard is far too harsh."
Yang Cheng insisted that Bayswater Chinese Club wouldn't be knocked down so easily.
"Yes, getting knocked out of the Champions League really hurts. All of us are disappointed."
"Everyone saw—we were the best-performing team in Europe this season. But in the end, we didn't reach the final."
"But I believe we'll bounce back soon."
"For now, what's most important is getting out of this shadow quickly. We still have the league and the FA Cup final to win."
To the fans, Yang Cheng said, the players owed no apology.
"If anyone should apologize, it's me. I'm the head coach. I didn't lead the team to victory. That's on me. I owe all Bayswater Chinese Club fans an apology."
"But the players? No. They've done nothing wrong. They gave everything."
…
Yang Cheng's perspective was widely supported in the media, including The Times.
The Times argued that the key to Arsenal's success over both legs was locking down Bayswater's midfield.
That effectively suffocated their attacking play.
"Bayswater Chinese Club is widely considered the strongest team in world football today—and that's no exaggeration."
"This season, especially after Toni Kroos joined, the general consensus was that Yang Cheng's team had reached near-perfect structural balance."
"His player selection, his tactical thinking—it's all been remarkable."
"And most importantly, he has an enviable group of players."
"Under Yang Cheng, Bayswater swept through Europe this season, thrilling fans across the globe with their football."
"But against Arsenal, under intense defensive pressure, some vulnerabilities emerged—most notably, the attack lost its creativity when the midfield was stifled."
The Times highlighted how effective Wenger's containment of Modrić, Toni Kroos, and Matić had been.
Wenger committed heavy defensive resources to that midfield battle.
Up front, the attacking trio of Gareth Bale, Lewandowski, and Walcott also showed some shortcomings.
Their struggle was clear—against dense defenses, they lacked the tools to break through.
All three heavily relied on service from midfield. Once that supply line was cut, their impact dwindled.
"Yang Cheng did attempt adjustments, asking Marcelo and Piszczek—his fullbacks—to shoulder more responsibility in build-up and distribution. Especially Marcelo, who certainly has the ability."
"But clearly, it wasn't enough."
The Times concluded that Wenger, in these two legs, had essentially staked his entire coaching legacy—abandoning his long-held footballing ideals to play defensive counterattacking football.
He gambled—and he won, earning a place in the final.
"But now, he must prove himself again—this time, in the final against Barcelona."
British columnist Martin Samuel slammed Wenger in his post-match column.
A close friend of Chelsea, Samuel argued that Wenger had gone from one extreme to another.
"He used anti-football tactics to beat Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese Club."
"Arsenal won!"
"But Wenger lost!"
Samuel believed that although Bayswater Chinese Club failed to reach the Champions League final, they never once deviated from their footballing philosophy or tactical identity over the two legs.
"They were attacking from start to finish!"
"Wenger and his Arsenal, on the other hand, defended with everything they had—sometimes not even willing to cross the halfway line."
Samuel also noted that luck had deserted Yang Cheng's side.
Across both legs, Bayswater created a multitude of golden chances. Had luck favored them just once, Wenger's team wouldn't have made it to the final.
"Arsenal earned their ticket to the final—but they lost the soul of football."
The Guardian agreed that Bayswater Chinese Club had not truly lost.
"Defeat? No. Bayswater Chinese Club played a magnificent season!"
The Guardian wrote that defending was always easier than attacking. There was a time when Yang Cheng's teams also relied on counterattacks and deep defending—but that was when they were weaker, even still in the lower leagues.
But ever since they reached the Premier League, ever since they grew stronger, Yang Cheng had stayed committed to attacking football.
"This season's Bayswater Chinese Club has been nothing short of great!"
"They've played for over eight months, across four competitions, and won the League Cup."
"Heading into the second leg, with only two weeks left in the season, they were still fighting on three fronts."
"Across all of Europe, only Yang Cheng and his Bayswater Chinese Club could say that!"
"Even now, despite being knocked out of the Champions League, they've all but secured the Premier League title and reached the FA Cup final."
"No matter what happens next, Yang Cheng has every reason to be proud of his team and his players!"
The Guardian added that while football often judges success by results, it shouldn't only judge by trophies.
"Whether Bayswater Chinese Club finishes this season with the Premier League and FA Cup or not, our evaluation of this team—of Yang Cheng's work and the players' efforts…"
"Even of their talent and capabilities—should not change."
"They are the strongest team in world football right now!"
"And we have every reason to believe that Yang Cheng and his Bayswater Chinese Club will come back even stronger next season!"
…
Beyond the UK, major media outlets across Europe—La Gazzetta dello Sport, Bild, L'Équipe, and even Spain's Marca, AS, and Sport—unanimously praised Yang Cheng and Bayswater Chinese Club.
As for Arsenal, the general consensus was that their result was respectable—but their style left much to be desired.
The Catalan press in particular was merciless, blasting Wenger's side with phrases like "anti-football," "dirty tactics," and more.
They practically wanted to disqualify Arsenal from the Champions League final.
The funny thing?
For all their criticism, not one of those media outlets said out loud that they would've preferred Bayswater Chinese Club in the final.
And that irony said it all.
Even more interesting—beyond the press, fans around the world were overwhelmingly on Bayswater's side.
After analyzing online opinion and media response, the club concluded something surprising: even though they'd been eliminated from the Champions League, the image of Bayswater Chinese Club as a powerhouse hadn't been weakened—on the contrary, it had grown even stronger.
In fact, it further cemented their status in the minds of global fans as the top dog.
Why?
Most fans believed it was precisely because Bayswater Chinese Club was too strong.
So strong that Arsenal—a historic club—had to abandon their long-cherished attacking identity, retreating into a bunker just to barely hold them off and scrape into the final.
And a team that forces its opponents into submission like that?
They'll be back.
Next season, after experiencing this blow, Bayswater Chinese Club would return even more formidable.
…
May 7, afternoon – Premier League Matchday 36.
Bayswater Chinese Club traveled north to face Newcastle United.
Only three days had passed since their Champions League exit.
Yang Cheng heavily rotated his squad for the trip to the Magpies, mainly to give his regular starters more rest.
This match didn't carry much weight—Bayswater only needed a draw to clinch the Premier League title two rounds early.
But the team was clearly still reeling.
In the first half, Alan Pardew's Newcastle set up in a classic 4-4-2, playing deep and counterattacking. Time and again, they thwarted Bayswater's attacks.
Krul was a wall in goal, making one save after another.
Then in the 36th minute, a swift Newcastle counter culminated in Shola Ameobi finding the net.
In the 43rd minute, from a corner kick, center-back Steven Taylor struck again.
2–0.
Bayswater Chinese Club trailed by two goals at halftime.
As the players trudged off the pitch, they realized something was off.
Yang Cheng—who always stood waiting at the tunnel—wasn't there.
Even assistant coach Brian Kidd was nowhere in sight.
A wave of unease spread among the players.
When they stepped into the dressing room, they were met with Yang Cheng's stormy expression.
"Your first-half performance was absolute garbage!"
"You looked like a bunch of cowards!"
"You get knocked out of the Champions League once and you fall apart like this?!"
"Isn't that embarrassing?!"
St. James' Park doesn't have the best soundproofing. Even from the tunnel, you could hear Yang Cheng's furious voice echoing out from the visitors' dressing room.
Then came the crashing sound.
In a fit of rage, Yang Cheng grabbed the tactics board and smashed it onto the ground right in front of the players. Then he kicked a water bottle across the room.
The dressing room fell silent. No one dared to make a sound.
"I'll say this once: if anyone doesn't want to play properly, they can get the hell out!"
After that, Yang Cheng quickly pulled himself together and began outlining the second-half strategy.
And just as nearly 50,000 Newcastle fans at St. James' Park were anticipating their team upsetting the soon-to-be champions…
BANG! Just one minute into the second half, Aaron Ramsey made a late run to the edge of the box and unleashed a low strike, beating Krul at the near post.
1–2!
The Welsh midfielder didn't celebrate.
He sprinted straight to the goal, scooped up the ball from the back of the net, and shouted for his teammates to hurry back.
He placed the ball in the center circle and waved his arms emphatically, rallying his teammates.
"Let's wake the hell up! We're still behind!"
"Don't let people laugh at us!"
Yang Cheng stood on the touchline and clearly heard Aaron Ramsey's rallying cry.
As the match resumed, Bayswater Chinese Club launched wave after wave of attacks.
Compared to the first half, the team looked completely transformed.
The players were the same, but their spirit and fighting will were totally different.
In the 62nd minute, Eden Hazard received the ball on the left, beat multiple defenders, and delivered a lofted diagonal pass.
Di María made a blistering diagonal run into the right side of the box, met the pass, and calmly slotted it past Krul.
2–2!
They were level!
But Bayswater Chinese Club wasn't done yet.
Yang Cheng quickly made substitutions.
Both Harry Kane and Paul Pogba were itching to get on.
Especially Kane.
When a team hits a rough patch, it's the academy graduates who often show the strongest will and courage.
Yes, a draw would've secured the Premier League title early—but right now, Bayswater Chinese Club needed more than just a draw.
Yang Cheng made his move.
Harry Kane and Pogba came on together.
And in the 76th minute, Kane dropped deep to receive a pass from Ramsey, then turned and delivered a precise through ball.
Pogba surged into the left side of the box and smashed the ball into the net with his right foot.
3–2!
They had turned it around!
In the 82nd minute, Pogba again got on the ball in the middle of the park. Sandwiched between two defenders, he used his strength and footwork to create space and lifted a delicate pass forward.
Giroud rose above the goal scorer Steven Taylor and headed home from close range.
4–2!
A stunning comeback!
And the onslaught wasn't over yet.
In the 87th minute, Newcastle's Argentine center-back Fabricio Coloccini brought down Harry Kane while defending, earning a straight red card.
Bayswater Chinese Club was awarded a penalty.
Kane initially wanted to let a teammate take it, but everyone insisted he should do it himself.
The English striker placed the ball, took a deep breath, and ran up.
A clean, clinical strike buried the ball in the bottom corner.
5–2!
Kane exploded with emotion, racing to the camera at the side of the pitch and repeatedly tapping the club crest on his chest, shouting directly into the lens.
The boos in the stadium drowned out his words, but his message was clear.
He wanted the world to know—Bayswater Chinese Club is unbeatable!
He and his teammates would fight with everything they had to protect that legacy.
…
In the end, Bayswater Chinese Club completed a stunning 5–2 comeback victory on the road.
At just 17 years old, Harry Kane scored the first Premier League goal of his career.
Even if it was a penalty, it still mattered.
The young striker had long drawn attention. He wasn't the most naturally gifted player—Arsenal had once passed on him for that reason.
But he was undoubtedly one of the most dedicated and hardworking—always precise, always disciplined in training and matches.
And even with a generational talent like Paul Pogba on the field, Kane didn't fade into the background.
On the contrary, as a homegrown player, a native Londoner, and a product of Bayswater Chinese Club's academy, Kane already carried himself like a future leader.
He even had the confidence to direct his teammates during the match.
It wasn't just Kane—Aaron Ramsey also showed tremendous leadership.
In moments like these, the value of the homegrown core truly shined.
After the match, the football world sang Bayswater Chinese Club's praises.
Yes, the first half had been dreadful—but they responded with a five-goal storm in the second.
To clinch the Premier League title with such a dramatic comeback? Absolutely unforgettable.
And it was clear Yang Cheng hadn't even fielded his strongest lineup—he had rotated heavily.
In this round, Manchester City lost 1–2 away to Everton.
Ancelotti had also seemingly rotated, holding back just a little.
Arsenal, drained from their midweek war with Bayswater, lost 1–3 away to Stoke City.
Manchester United beat Chelsea 2–1 at home.
Those two were now fighting over fifth and sixth place—well outside the top four, with no real stakes left.
Liverpool destroyed Fulham 5–2 away, with Torres and Suárez's strike partnership looking more dangerous than ever.
At the end of this round, Bayswater Chinese Club officially secured the 2010/11 Premier League title with two rounds to spare.
They became only the second club after Manchester United to win three consecutive Premier League titles.
Media across Britain, Europe, and the world erupted in praise for Bayswater Chinese Club.
Yang Cheng, meanwhile, was fully focused on preparing for the FA Cup Final one week later.
After losing the Champions League, he was determined to win this trophy.
…
May 14, afternoon – Wembley Stadium, London.
FA Cup Final: Bayswater Chinese Club vs. Manchester City.
Both teams fielded their strongest squads.
Manchester City lined up in Ancelotti's preferred and most familiar 4-3-2-1 Christmas Tree formation:
Goalkeeper: Joe Hart
Defense: Leighton Baines, Giorgio Chiellini, Lúcio, Pablo Zabaleta
Midfield (Defensive): Nigel de Jong, Andrea Pirlo, Yaya Touré
Midfield (Attacking): David Silva, Kaká
Forward: Zlatan Ibrahimović
Unlike their last meeting, Gareth Barry missed out due to injury, but Chiellini had returned—making City's backline far more solid.
Bayswater Chinese Club used their usual 4-3-3:
Goalkeeper: Thibaut Courtois
Defense: Marcelo, Thiago Silva, Pepe, Łukasz Piszczek
Midfield: Nemanja Matić (deep), Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić (central)
Attack: Gareth Bale, Robert Lewandowski, Theo Walcott
Throughout the past week, Yang Cheng had repeatedly reminded his players of the Newcastle comeback—using it to inspire them and help them recover from their Champions League disappointment.
Whether it worked or not would soon be tested on the pitch.
The atmosphere reached a fever pitch as British pop star Stacey Solomon performed the pre-match anthem.
The match officially kicked off under the whistle of referee Martin Atkinson.
Right from the start, Bayswater Chinese Club launched a ferocious attack.
Within two minutes, they had already earned a corner.
They kept pressing, crafting several shooting chances.
But Manchester City's defense was tight and well-organized. After their Champions League exit and seeing Arsenal's success, Ancelotti had clearly adjusted his tactics.
The Sky Blues used a more targeted defensive setup in this final.
And when it came to defending, Ancelotti was second to none.
People often forgot—this burly Italian on City's bench was once so conservative that even Juventus fans couldn't stand him.
City held firm until the 20th minute before finally stringing a meaningful attack together.
Zlatan Ibrahimović broke into the box to receive a pass, but Courtois came off his line, putting him off. Zlatan hesitated slightly after trapping the ball and missed a golden chance to shoot.
Just one minute later, David Silva slipped through a clever pass, and Kaká broke into the box and took a shot—but Pepe was there to block it, preventing any real threat.
It was Manchester City's first shot of the game.
But Bayswater Chinese Club quickly resumed their offensive.
The most dangerous moment of the first half came in the 35th minute.
Lewandowski dropped deep to receive the ball, shook off his marker, and delivered a sharp through pass.
Gareth Bale made a perfectly timed run, beating the offside trap and surging into the left side of the box.
Under pressure from Lúcio, the Welshman cut the ball back into the heart of the six-yard box.
Walcott, charging in from deep, met it with a first-time shot.
Unbelievably, Joe Hart produced a world-class save to deny the close-range effort.
The entire Wembley Stadium was left stunned.
No one had expected Joe Hart, facing his former club, to pull off such a miraculous stop.
Just before halftime, Bale had another chance from a direct free kick on the right side of the attacking third.
But this time, his shot flew high over the bar.
The first half ended 0–0.
Bayswater had fired 14 shots. Manchester City managed just 4.
The second half kicked off with much the same pattern.
Bayswater launched wave after wave of attacks, while City focused on defending and hitting on the break.
In the 56th minute, Pirlo played a sharp ball from deep to Ibrahimović in the box.
But Thiago Silva blocked the Swede's shot, sending it out for a corner.
The resulting set piece ended with a wayward long-range effort from Yaya Touré.
The game was becoming increasingly deadlocked.
And as the 60-minute mark passed, the tempo noticeably slowed.
Many began to worry—would this be a repeat of Bayswater's Champions League semifinal loss to Arsenal?
Even the Sky Sports commentators voiced concern:
"Yang Cheng should probably make some tactical changes—strengthen the attack."
"Maybe it's time to bring on Eden Hazard."
"With the Belgian's dribbling ability, he could definitely make something happen out there."
But just as the words left the commentator's mouth, Bayswater produced a spectacular attacking sequence.
62nd minute—Matić passed to Piszczek, who played it straight into Walcott.
The Englishman received with his back to goal and laid it off to Modrić.
The Croatian midfielder carried the ball forward, then found Lewandowski dropping back.
They played a slick one-two just outside the right edge of the box.
Modrić, now free on the right side of the penalty arc, looked up and attempted a diagonal pass toward Bale on the left side of the box.
Lúcio read it perfectly, stepped in, and cleared.
The ball landed around the 30-meter mark.
Toni Kroos got to it first and calmly controlled.
He looked up.
City's defensive line was pushing forward, trying to force Bayswater's attackers out of the box.
Lewandowski was too far away. Walcott was offside. But Bale…
Yes—Gareth Bale!
Kroos noticed that Bale, having failed to receive Modrić's pass, had smartly dropped deep with the line to stay onside.
And his body language said it all—he was ready to explode forward.
Without hesitation, Kroos sent a direct through ball down the left.
He'd been playing with Bale for a year—he knew just how fast the Welshman was.
He also knew exactly how early to release the pass.
The ball zipped across the turf—quick, sharp, and sudden.
If it wasn't fast and unexpected, it would never penetrate the twin walls of City's midfield trio and back four.
Everyone watching thought the pass had been overhit.
But the next second, Bale went into overdrive, sprinting like a bullet toward the byline.
Fans at home and in the stadium all gasped in unison.
He was that fast.
So fast that before anyone could react, he was already at the left corner of City's penalty area.
For reasons unknown, Joe Hart didn't come off his line.
Maybe he thought the ball was going out.
So when Bale arrived, Hart hesitated.
He was almost flush with the near post.
Bale, at full speed, reached the byline just before the ball could roll out and awkwardly hooked it back with his left foot.
The momentum threw him off balance—he tumbled out of play.
The ball arced toward the penalty spot.
Joe Hart turned, tracking it.
And Lewandowski, who had just reached the edge of the box, timed his run to perfection, sprinting into the area and attacking the ball.
Time seemed to slow.
Then—BANG. A smooth, clinical push shot.
The ball ripped into the back of the net.
GOAL!
1–0!
The next second, Wembley exploded with cheers from Bayswater's supporters.
Even the Sky Sports commentators couldn't help but cheer.
"Absolutely brilliant!"
"62nd minute—Gareth Bale with the assist, and a composed finish from Lewandowski gives Bayswater the breakthrough!"
"After an hour of attacking pressure, they finally find the net!"
"1–0!"
"And now the pressure is on Manchester City."
"Ancelotti must make a change—fast."
…
As soon as Bayswater scored, Ancelotti made adjustments.
Carlos Tévez came on.
Then Robinho replaced David Silva.
City's formation shifted to a sort of 4-2-3-1.
Pirlo and Yaya Touré anchored the midfield. Robinho, Kaká, and Tévez played behind Ibrahimović.
City began launching more aggressive counterattacks.
But in the 79th minute, Bayswater intercepted in midfield and countered quickly.
Bale led the break down the left, but City recovered well.
So the Welshman pulled the ball back to Marcelo, who had surged up the left channel.
Marcelo played a low pass to the top of the box.
Lewandowski, with his back to goal, received it and flicked it backward with a deft heel pass into the left side of the area.
Bale burst past Lúcio again.
The aging Brazilian center-back simply couldn't keep up.
In his younger years, maybe. But not now.
All he could do was watch as Bale cut inside and buried a low left-footed shot into the far corner.
2–0.
But just when everyone thought it was going to be a goal, Chiellini appeared at the last second near the goal line, sliding in to clear the ball away from danger.
The ball, however, stayed within the six-yard box.
Chaos erupted.
Before anyone could react, Walcott burst onto the scene and smashed the ball in with his left foot—beating everyone to it.
2–0!
Wembley Stadium erupted into a sea of red, blue, and white celebration. Bayswater Chinese Club had done it!
If the one-goal lead had felt shaky, Walcott's strike sealed the deal.
In the final ten minutes, no matter how City tried to organize and press forward, they couldn't break through Bayswater's defense.
Yang Cheng made several substitutions to manage the tempo and secure the result.
And ultimately, they held the 2–0 lead to the final whistle.
At Wembley Stadium, Bayswater Chinese Club defeated Manchester City by two goals to lift the 2010/11 FA Cup!
With the League Cup and the Premier League already in the bag, they had officially completed the domestic treble!
As soon as referee Martin Atkinson blew the final whistle, the crowd in the stands couldn't contain their excitement. Fans rushed to their feet, roaring with pride and joy.
"Let's congratulate Bayswater Chinese Club!"
"Congratulations to Yang Cheng and his players!"
"With goals from Lewandowski and Walcott, they've defeated Manchester City 2–0 to win the FA Cup!"
"They've now secured the domestic treble—FA Cup, League Cup, and Premier League!"
"In the history of English top-flight football, no team had ever achieved a domestic treble before. Bayswater Chinese Club are the first!"
"This is also their second treble after the 2008/09 season."
"Compared to that team—or United's 1998/99 treble—they lack the Champions League, but they've added a League Cup title."
"That may slightly diminish the shine of this treble, but it's still an extraordinary achievement!"
"Especially considering—they were one step away from a quadruple."
"And we have every reason to believe that Yang Cheng and his Bayswater side will bring even more surprises in the future."
…
After lifting the FA Cup at Wembley, Yang Cheng's team received widespread praise.
Ancelotti was the first to offer congratulations post-match.
In his media interviews, he repeatedly praised Bayswater Chinese Club and all they had accomplished.
Media outlets from Britain, across Europe, and around the world echoed the sentiment.
As The Guardian had written earlier—Bayswater Chinese Club had completed a magnificent season.
A treble!
L'Équipe in France ran a full-length feature on Yang Cheng and his squad, calling it the beginning of a championship era.
This young team was maturing.
With players like Pepe and Modrić entering their prime, the squad's core was stronger than ever.
Even more interesting—three days after the FA Cup final, Bayswater Chinese Club were back at Wembley.
This time for a rescheduled Premier League Matchday 37.
The rest of the league had already played that weekend. Because of the FA Cup final, both Bayswater and Manchester City had their games postponed to Wednesday.
City faced Stoke City.
Bayswater's opponent? Fulham—a West London derby.
It was also their final home game of the season.
Before kickoff, all of Fulham's players, led by manager Mark Hughes, lined up on the pitch to form a guard of honor for the newly crowned league and cup champions.
A full 90,000 fans filled Wembley to witness the champions enter.
Captain Modrić led the team out, holding the FA Cup trophy high.
Every player's name was announced over the stadium speakers and greeted by thunderous applause from the crowd.
When Yang Cheng appeared at the end of the line, the ovation reached its peak.
The entire stadium erupted in cheers.
Even Mark Hughes couldn't hide the envy in his eyes.
Today, Bayswater Chinese Club would also receive the Premier League trophy.
And it hit Hughes hard.
Yang Cheng, so young, seemed like a trophy machine—constantly collecting titles and breaking records.
The team he built had earned the respect of all.
As Yang Cheng passed, Hughes shook his hand and sincerely offered his congratulations.
Yang Cheng, ever respectful, thanked him in return.
But maybe that pre-match ceremony lit a fire in Fulham's players.
They played with surprising aggression and intensity.
They racked up five yellow cards during the match.
Still, Bayswater were clinical—scoring in the 4th minute of the first half, and again in the 49th of the second.
Amazingly, both goals came from Vincent Kompany.
One from a corner, the other from a free kick.
Unbelievable.
In the end, Bayswater Chinese Club won 2–0 at home.
After the match, a stage was quickly set up on the pitch for the trophy ceremony.
Unlike the FA Cup or League Cup, the Premier League trophy is awarded mid-pitch, with large sponsor banners prominently displayed.
FA Chairman David Bernstein, CEO Alex Horne, and Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore were all present to award the trophy.
Before a roaring crowd of 90,000, captain Modrić lifted the Premier League trophy once again!
The League Cup trophy had also been brought to the stadium.
After the ceremony, Modrić and the squad took all three trophies on a lap of honor around the pitch, greeting and thanking the fans.
The atmosphere was electric.
All 90,000 fans were singing in celebration.
Later, in messages to the fans, players like Modrić, Gareth Bale, Walcott, and Lewandowski vowed that next season, they would bring home the Champions League—to make up for the one regret of this campaign.
The crowd roared even louder.
Sky Sports broadcast the entire ceremony live.
And through the cameras, you could even see fans in the stands wiping away tears.
Tears of joy.
Shortly after, the entire Bayswater squad boarded an open-top bus, carrying all three trophies, and headed north from Wembley to their Brent training center.
Until their new Prudential Stadium officially opens, the club's honor room remains at Brent.
Countless fans followed behind the bus in long processions, creating a festive parade atmosphere.
More and more fans joined along the way.
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