Chapter 249: Clinching the Title Early! Barça, Your Godfather Is Here! Go Fight for Chelsea!
The match at the Bernabéu ended with a 2–1 comeback win for the Bayswater Chinese.
With a 5–2 aggregate score, they eliminated Real Madrid and advanced to the Champions League final.
It was their first final appearance since winning the Treble in 2009.
And when the final whistle blew, the entire Bernabéu erupted in a thunderous wave of boos.
The home fans were filled with resentment—toward Yang Cheng and his team.
In recent years, every time this Premier League powerhouse visited the Bernabéu, they brought nothing but pain.
This time, they stopped Real Madrid right at the door to the final.
If in the past, even after losing on the pitch, Madrid fans could still proudly say,
"We are Real Madrid—the greatest club in football!"
Then this time... it was different.
Before the match, media buzzed with reports:
Real Madrid's revenue this season would be surpassed by the Bayswater Chinese.
They lost financially.
They lost on the pitch.
What pride did Madrid have left?
Still, the 70,000+ Madridistas at the Bernabéu and countless viewers worldwide could see clearly—
Mourinho's team had truly given their all.
But in terms of sheer strength, they simply weren't on the Bayswater Chinese's level.
To put it nicely:
Madrid went all out to beat Barça in the Clásico just three days ago,
which left them unable to resist the Bayswater Chinese's relentless assault.
As boos rained down, Mourinho—with his new buzz cut—walked to the visiting bench and shook Yang Cheng's hand.
"Congratulations on reaching the final."
Mourinho might seem arrogant in public,
but privately, he wasn't like that at all.
The "Special One" persona was a tactic, part of his coaching strategy.
Calculated. Intentional.
And yes—sometimes it backfired.
"And congrats on basically securing La Liga too," Yang Cheng replied with a smile as they shook hands.
Mourinho gave a faint smile.
"But honestly, for me and for Real Madrid, the Champions League is always the bigger goal."
Yang Cheng chuckled,
"Then why go all out in the Clásico?"
Mourinho didn't respond.
If the first leg hadn't ended 1–3, he might've saved something for tonight.
But after conceding that third goal in London, he knew it was over.
At that point, gambling further would have risked losing everything.
"You're in great shape now—strong squad, in the final. Whether it's Barça or City, you'll be the favorites."
There was envy in Mourinho's tone.
Yang Cheng didn't deny it.
But he shifted the topic.
"You still managed to neutralize Džeko. He didn't pose much of a threat tonight."
That made Mourinho's face darken a little.
He knew—Džeko was once one of Yang Cheng's favorites.
Yang Cheng had even said that Džeko was the most dangerous striker in Europe.
But at Real Madrid, he hadn't lived up to expectations.
"Our teams are just… different. Philosophies too," Mourinho said.
He'd known that before accepting the Madrid job.
All this Clásico hype, the "Messi vs. Ronaldo" narrative—
at the end of the day, it was all marketing.
La Liga was falling behind the Premier League in every aspect:
Financial strengthGlobal appealBusiness operationsForeign investment interest
In this environment, Madrid and Barça had to carry the weight of the entire league.
And Messi and Ronaldo were carefully crafted icons.
Let's not forget—look at the freedom those two had tactically.
Did anyone in Yang Cheng's or Ancelotti's team enjoy that level of privilege?
Gareth Bale was a superstar at the Bayswater Chinese, right?
Yet in every match, he tracked back deep—even into his own box.
Lewandowski scored like a machine.
Yet he still pressed up front and worked hard to create space for teammates.
Cristiano and Messi?
Their job was simple: attack.
And any Madrid or Barça coach had no choice—
they had to build their entire system around maximizing the output of these two.
Sure, some might argue:
"They're that good—of course the system should revolve around them."
But here's the thing:
Maximizing their individual output doesn't always mean maximizing the team's performance.
As Yang Cheng just said—Džeko's role was stifled.
Why?
Because his job wasn't to score.
It was to serve Ronaldo,
to be the target man, the frontline anchor of Madrid's attacking structure.
This wasn't new.
It happened back in 2007/08 at Manchester United.
That season, Ronaldo scored like never before—his peak.
But most experts agreed:
his tactical value was actually less than in 2006/07.
Many believed Ferguson's system had tilted too far in one direction.
Look at Yang Cheng's front three—Bale, Lewandowski, Walcott.
If he dedicated the whole squad to just one of them,
their individual numbers would skyrocket.
But the team's overall dominance would become unstable.
There's a conflict between the individual and the collective.
Madrid and Barça, for business reasons, had long prioritized stars.
It wasn't new.
Remember Galáctico 1.0?
Star-studded, but underachieving.
That's why.
Mourinho didn't need to say anything.
Yang Cheng could already feel his frustration.
Coaching a superclub is never easy.
Nor is it something outsiders can fully understand.
That's professional ethics.
Yang Cheng had lived it before—in a past life.
He understood.
"Don't worry, José. Losing to this season's Champions League winner is nothing to be ashamed of," Yang Cheng joked on purpose.
Of course Mourinho understood. Smiling, he extended his hand and shook Yang Cheng's.
"What we're missing most right now is a proper right winger. I really like Di María."
Yang Cheng's smile froze instantly—he nearly cursed out loud.
Are you seriously trying to poach one of my key players?
A defeated manager, and you're still making moves like this?
Mourinho, seeing Yang Cheng's expression, chuckled and walked off.
He'd achieved his goal—to rattle him.
But he truly did like Di María.
And for good reason—Di María had fantastic dribbling and crossing abilities, lightning-fast pace, and, most importantly, excellent tactical awareness. He was a world-class supporting attacker.
In a Real Madrid side built entirely around Cristiano Ronaldo, Di María would fit like a glove.
Gareth Bale was also a great option, but clearly impossible to pry away.
As for Hazard, Mourinho had never liked naturally gifted players like that.
He never had.
…
Bayswater Chinese 2–1 away win.
5–2 aggregate.
Champions League Final—booked.
News of their triumph spread like wildfire around the world, sparking endless media coverage and fan discussion.
This was the Bayswater Chinese's first return to the Champions League final since winning the treble in 2009.
Given their phenomenal season, nearly every outlet hailed them as the clear favorites—regardless of whether they'd face City or Barça.
At the post-match press conference, Yang Cheng was unusually candid.
"I know it won't be easy, but I believe that if we all unite and play at our best in the final, we have the ability to win the Champions League."
Still, Yang Cheng was cautious.
With the FA Cup final secured, the Premier League title virtually wrapped up, and now a place in the Champions League final—
"As I've always said, our focus is still just one thing: play every game like it's a final."
The British media erupted with praise.
Some even hoped Ancelotti's City would defeat Barça at the Camp Nou and set up a Premier League final in Europe.
But the very next day at the Camp Nou, against a Barça side still playing with a back three, City were overwhelmed from the start.
Ancelotti had clearly anticipated this outcome.
City sat deep again, ceding possession entirely.
For much of the match, luck was on their side.
First, Messi weaved through multiple defenders and played Pedro in—his shot hit the side netting.
Then Messi had a one-on-one, but Joe Hart saved it.
Iniesta's follow-up was cleared off the line by Chiellini and Boateng.
But right before halftime, Messi dribbled into the final third and split the defense with a killer pass.
Iniesta latched on near the penalty spot and calmly slotted it home.
1–0.
Just four minutes into the second half, Messi received the ball on the right edge of the box,
dribbled past two defenders, and finished at the near post.
2–0.
Aggregate: 2–1.
If City were the "chosen ones" in the first leg,
then in the Camp Nou, their limitations were brutally exposed.
Guardiola's tiki-taka was still the most dominant system in modern football.
Now trailing on aggregate, Ancelotti had no choice but to go for broke.
City made several attacking substitutions.
64th minute—Kaká's dribble and long-range strike won a corner.
Pirlo whipped it in perfectly.
Yaya Touré leapt at the near post and powered in a header.
2–1!
Aggregate: 2–2.
But more importantly—City had an away goal.
Suddenly, the tides had turned again.
Barça responded with more subs to boost their attack.
Ancelotti, in turn, reinforced his defense.
But in the 77th minute, Jerome Boateng fouled Villa as the last man—straight red card.
No argument—clear tactical foul.
83rd minute, Xavi found Messi with a beautiful through ball.
From 18 meters out on the right side, Messi let fly—
and hit the right post again!
That made it four post hits across both legs—
all off the right post.
Everyone watching could feel it:
Barça were cursed.
They had the pressure, the home crowd, and the quality.
They even had the lead.
But still, City held the edge thanks to that away goal.
Guardiola went all-in.
Alves, Adriano, and others came on.
With City down to ten, they parked the bus.
Barça attacked in waves but couldn't break through.
Even strikers like Agüero and Tévez dropped deep to defend.
Then, in the 92nd minute—Messi picked up the ball near midfield.
He sprinted past Gareth Barry,
then surged between Chiellini and Leighton Baines on the right.
He beat three defenders and raced toward the six-yard box—
until Joe Hart took him out.
Penalty.
The ref pointed to the spot immediately.
Hart received a yellow.
This was it. Barça's final chance.
Given all the earlier shots that struck the right post,
Hart guessed Messi would go left.
But Messi went right.
The shot wasn't even clean—
it struck the underside of the crossbar and bounced in.
That told you everything about the pressure Messi was under.
His foot was shaking.
His nerves were real.
But the ball still found the back of the net.
3–1.
Barça through.
Camp Nou erupted in thunderous cheers.
Messi had done it.
3–2 on aggregate!
Barcelona, with Messi's last-minute penalty, eliminated Manchester City and reached the Champions League final!
…
As soon as the match at the Camp Nou ended, fans and media around the world began to buzz with debate.
The penalty in the dying minutes sparked widespread controversy.
Sky Sports, reviewing the play from multiple angles, could not find definitive evidence to confirm whether Joe Hart had touched Messi or not.
If he hadn't, then it was a brilliant save, not a penalty.
But, due to the lack of a clear angle, there also wasn't proof that Hart didn't touch him.
And so, the dispute began.
Some believed Hart never touched Messi—calling it a dive.
Others argued, "Messi was already clean through. Why would he dive?"
Opinions split.
Arguments flared.
But the result stood.
Barça advanced to the final with a 3–2 aggregate win.
For the Bayswater Chinese, whether it was a penalty or not no longer mattered.
The official result wasn't changing.
At most, people joked:
"Barça, your godfather's here!"
What Yang Cheng saw instead was the issues exposed by Manchester City.
At the back, Lúcio was already 34.
The Brazilian center-back, once dominant due to his physicality, was no longer a reliable starter.
This season, he'd already begun to lose his spot to Jerome Boateng.
Savic wasn't trusted much either by Ancelotti.
Whether it was Boateng or Savic, City's defense lacked stability.
For instance, at Camp Nou, Boateng got sent off.
City's squad was strong, yes—but the defense was something the Bayswater Chinese would need to target.
As for the final against Barça, Yang Cheng immediately called a staff meeting to discuss tactics.
Lately, Guardiola seemed to have gone off the rails—persistently using a 3-4-3 formation.
But the question was:
Would he dare use it in the Champions League final against the Bayswater Chinese?
After all, the Bayswater Chinese had the most dangerous wide attack in world football.
It was hard to predict.
"Barça's three-at-the-back system does reflect Guardiola's tactical philosophy," said Brian Kidd, "but it also has to do with Abidal being out."
Abidal had always been one of Pep's most trusted left-backs—solid defensively.
Adriano, on the other hand, was more attack-minded, but unreliable at the back.
And with Abidal sidelined due to liver cancer, he wouldn't return this season.
That forced Guardiola to experiment more—leading to the 3-4-3 approach.
A back three made fullbacks less important.
Barça's trio usually consisted of Puyol, Piqué, and Alves.
Montoya, Fontàs, and others rotated in occasionally.
Why could Barça get away with this?
Their absurdly high possession numbers.
Like in the two legs against City—80% possession.
When your opponent barely has the ball, you don't need four defenders.
As long as they maintained effective counter-pressing,
Barça's back three wasn't an issue.
"I doubt they'll use three at the back against us," said Gianni Vio, head of tactical analysis.
"We're not City, and we're not Arsenal."
He backed it with data.
Vio, though not a former player, had trained in Italy's elite coaching system.
A set-piece master, and now a rising star in data analytics.
He embodied the Italian instinct for tactical nuance—it was in his blood.
Both viewpoints had merit.
Supporters for each side of the debate emerged.
Even Yang Cheng admitted—
"With Guardiola, no one can really predict what he'll do.
What if he just loses it like he did in my past life?"
The guy's brain didn't quite work like most people's.
So, Yang Cheng began assigning tasks.
There were still over 20 days until the Champions League final.
Yang Cheng ordered his scouting team to station members in Barcelona.
He wanted everything—every movement, every hint of change—monitored closely.
"In battle, intelligence is everything."
Meanwhile, the team's training and recovery routines would revolve around two key matches:
May 5: FA Cup Final vs. Chelsea at WembleyMay 19: Champions League Final vs. Barcelona at Allianz Arena, Munich
There were two weeks between them—ample time to prepare and rotate.
Having survived the most brutal stretch—five straight top-tier clashes—
the road to the treble was now wide open.
Yang Cheng and everyone present felt a surge of confidence.
"But let me say this one more time—the more favorable our position, the more we must focus on the details. Stay grounded!"
He pounded the oval-shaped table with his right hand to drive the point home.
"Every day from now on, every task—big or small—must be done to perfection!"
Everyone in the room had either been trained by Yang Cheng personally or handpicked by him.
They had worked together for years.
He trusted their ability.
Now, all that remained was attitude and discipline.
…
As the storm of the Champions League semifinal began to settle,
the league returned to center stage for fans and media alike.
Even though the Bayswater Chinese had just beaten City in a key clash,
and extended their lead to six points,
the title wasn't mathematically clinched.
So the Premier League still had everyone's attention.
Especially in the battle for relegation.
In the presidential suite of the Mandarin Oriental Hotel, just south of Hyde Park in London, American real estate tycoon Stephen Ross was in a foul mood—all because of the Premier League relegation battle.
He had arrived in London a month ago, and had stayed ever since.
For someone as busy as him to manage his U.S.-based companies remotely and live long-term in London,
there was one reason only—to oversee and support his team, Queens Park Rangers (QPR), in the fight for survival.
He desperately wanted QPR to stay in the Premier League.
But the current situation was bleak.
Scattered across his desk were countless newspapers.
Every article analyzing the relegation picture pointed to the one thing Stephen Ross least wanted to see:
QPR were the relegation favorites.
After 35 matches, QPR had earned just 28 points, sitting 20th in the table.
Yes—bottom of the league.
But there was still a glimmer of hope.
19th place Blackburn had 31 points,
18th place Bolton had 33,
and both 17th place Wigan and 16th place Aston Villa had 34.
All those teams were in poor form.
There were three games left.
Six points to catch up.
Not impossible—just extremely difficult.
One month ago, Ross had flown in personally.
He even went as far as offering a massive survival bonus to motivate the team—
and it worked.
In the last three matches:
QPR beat Swansea 3–0 at homeLost narrowly 0–1 to West Brom awayAnd then beat Tottenham 1–0 at Loftus Road
Without those two wins, they wouldn't even be at 28 points.
So the bonus scheme had shown its value.
But QPR's biggest problem? The schedule.
Matchday 36: Away to ChelseaMatchday 37: Home vs. Stoke CityMatchday 38: Away to Manchester City
A brutal finish.
So today, Stephen Ross made up his mind—to increase the team's incentives.
He had no choice.
If QPR were relegated, the World Football Challenge he invested millions in that summer would take a massive hit.
And the £130 million he had poured into QPR?
That would go down the drain too.
Stephen Ross was rich—but not that rich.
When Matt Higgins, Charlie Stillitano, and Daniel Hillman arrived at his suite,
Ross laid down his plan.
"In addition to the pre-season incentive structure and survival bonus already in place,
I'm adding a new match-based reward:
every point earned from now on will be rewarded immediately."
"£2 million per Premier League point."
The three executives were stunned.
That was a serious payout.
If QPR somehow pulled off three wins—nine points—
that would be £18 million in match bonuses alone.
With the existing rewards, the total prize pool would become astronomical.
Likely the richest survival incentive in Premier League history.
Of course, split among the squad, no one player would get all of it.
But even so, for a relegation-threatened side,
it was a fortune.
"I've done my research. From what I hear, it's going to take at least 36 points to survive this year."
"We've got no margin for error!"
Ross thumped the table.
That meant QPR had to win all three remaining games.
A daunting task.
That was why the media had already written QPR off.
The three club executives fell silent.
At the start of the season, they had boldly entered the Premier League,
boasting about how they would challenge the Bayswater Chinese.
Now?
The Bayswater Chinese were chasing a treble,
while QPR were fighting for their lives.
There were no words to describe the feeling.
But they all shared the same thought:
"Whose brilliant idea was it to say the Premier League was easy?"
"Step forward so we can beat the hell out of you!"
…
April 28, afternoon.
Premier League Matchday 36.
Bayswater Chinese away vs. Swansea.
Brendan Rodgers' Swansea had performed well this season.
As a newly promoted team, they were solidly mid-table—
a great achievement.
They played attractive football and stuck to a modern 4-2-3-1 system.
At home against the Bayswater Chinese, Swansea held strong for 28 minutes.
But then Hazard assisted Giroud, who poked the ball in from close range.
1–0.
Yang Cheng fielded a heavily rotated lineup.
After a brutal stretch of top-tier clashes, his team was physically and mentally drained.
The media and fans had praised them for their performances.
A rotated squad made perfect sense.
But even then, Swansea couldn't keep up.
31st minute—Danny Graham scored to equalize.
33rd minute—Hazard assisted Walcott, who made it 2–1.
Second half, 54th minute—Ramsey scored to extend the lead.
59th minute—Giroud assisted Walcott again for his brace.
4–1.
Yang Cheng then subbed in youngsters Harry Kane, Pogba, and Sterling.
Final score: 4–1 to the Bayswater Chinese.
By the way, this match saw them concede their 9th goal of the league season.
Courtois now had 26 clean sheets.
And the team still had one match in hand.
…
Perhaps because the title was all but settled,
some teams began to lose focus.
Wenger's Arsenal drew 1–1 away at Stoke.
The Gunners had played well all season,
but now that the title was out of reach and top four was secure,
they looked mentally checked out.
Manchester City won their match this round at home, narrowly defeating Manchester United 1–0 thanks to a goal from Jerome Boateng.
Boateng had been heavily criticized after receiving a red card against Barça.
But this time, in a crucial moment, he stepped up and helped the Blue Moon claim victory in the city derby.
Liverpool, meanwhile, beat Norwich 3–0 away from home with a hat-trick from Luis Suárez.
Also scoring a hat-trick was Samuel Eto'o for Chelsea, in their match against Queens Park Rangers—dubbed by the media as the West London Derby.
No surprise there.
With four clubs in West London, every match is a derby.
Adding to the spectacle, the British media revealed that QPR's American owner had offered a massive bonus if the team avoided relegation.
Reportedly, the total bonus could reach an astronomical £30 million.
So QPR were desperate.
But they were no match for Chelsea.
They conceded in the first minute.
Another in the 13th.
Eto'o then added two more in the 19th and 25th minutes.
How could they keep playing after that?
In the second half, Chelsea scored twice more.
QPR pulled one back through Djibril Cissé at the very end—just to save face.
But the 1–6 thrashing essentially crushed QPR's survival hopes.
After the match at Stamford Bridge, British media reported that QPR's American owner, real estate magnate Stephen Ross, left the stadium at halftime with the score already 0–4.
He didn't even speak to the players or club officials.
Instead, he booked the earliest flight back to New York.
"Six months on the market, no buyers.
Over £30 million spent during the winter window, and still relegated.
Stephen Ross has lost at least £100 million this year."
And that's just the beginning.
Loftus Road averaged 17,000 fans per match this season.
Matchday revenue was around £15 million.
QPR had only managed to sustain this squad thanks to Premier League broadcasting revenue.
With relegation, even with parachute payments,
the squad would collapse.
Attendance would plummet, matchday revenue would crash.
If Ross refused to invest further, QPR could face financial collapse.
They might not even keep their spot in the Championship.
Just look at Southampton, Leeds United—cautionary tales.
…
After Matchday 36, the Premier League resumed with its rescheduled Matchday 34 fixtures midweek.
Originally postponed due to the FA Cup semifinals.
The Bayswater Chinese, away from home, beat Sunderland 1–0, thanks to a 20th-minute goal from Lewandowski.
Chelsea lost 0–2 at home to Newcastle.
Tottenham beat Bolton 4–1 away.
Liverpool lost 0–1 at home to Fulham.
After this round, the Bayswater Chinese were officially crowned Premier League champions.
Fans and media alike were ecstatic.
Praise for Yang Cheng's side flooded the press.
But Yang Cheng and his team chose not to celebrate publicly.
After the final whistle, Yang Cheng merely allowed the players to celebrate briefly in the dressing room.
"We still have two finals to play—
the FA Cup and the Champions League."
"Those are our true priorities now."
He reminded everyone to stay focused.
Winning the league didn't mean they could relax.
"Anyone who's not in form for the finals—don't expect to play."
The message was clear.
Everyone could see it—
Chelsea's 0–2 home loss to Newcastle was because Di Matteo had already given up on the league.
Why bother?
They had no chance of getting back into the top four.
The Daily Mail reported that Chelsea's new objective was a domestic and European double.
No, not the Premier League and Champions League.
But the FA Cup and Europa League.
Di Matteo's side had just eliminated La Liga's Athletic Bilbao 5–3 on aggregate in the semifinals.
They would face Atlético Madrid in the final.
So once again—Champions League final: Bayswater Chinese vs. Barcelona.
Europa League final: Chelsea vs. Atlético Madrid.
Premier League vs. La Liga.
The Daily Mail also revealed that Chelsea's board had told Di Matteo:
"Win both trophies, and the job is yours."
…
May 3rd, Thursday.
52 hours before the FA Cup final.
After morning training, Di Matteo gathered his squad at Cobham for a pre-lunch team meeting in the club's media room.
As the name suggested, it was a motivational talk ahead of the FA Cup final.
"For all of us at Chelsea, this season has been a rollercoaster," he began.
"We've seen chaos, upheaval.
Some of us lost things—then clawed them back."
"Some of you have spent the season dealing with contract drama.
You might be leaving after this season."
"And some of us… have already left."
He had started the season as assistant to Villas-Boas,
but took over mid-season as head coach.
He knew everything that had happened at Chelsea this year.
And as a bystander-turned-leader, he understood why it had happened.
But some truths couldn't be said aloud.
Everyone knew anyway.
But speaking them out loud? That would open a whole new can of worms.
"I've never once believed we're weaker than any of the top teams—not even the Bayswater Chinese."
"I've also never thought being 30, or even 34, is old."
"And even more, I've never thought any one of you in this room is unnecessary or doesn't belong on this team."
"Not one!"
"Every single one of you is a creator and witness to Chelsea's success. You've seen this club evolve from ordinary to elite. You've shaped Chelsea's style and soul!"
Di Matteo was beginning to get emotional.
He wanted to spark something inside his players—
ignite their pride, their drive.
Because if this Chelsea team was going to beat the Bayswater Chinese,
it would only be through collective belief and effort.
And everything he said—
it was exactly what the squad needed and wanted to hear.
"A lot of people say I'm just a placeholder—someone disposable."
Di Matteo gave a wry smile.
"Maybe they're right. Who knows?"
"But what I do know is this—
even if I leave after this season, even if this is the end for me here at Chelsea—
that doesn't matter."
"What matters is that, as long as I'm in this seat,
I'll give everything I have to help you, help this team, to beat every opponent."
"To win every game we can—including lifting trophies!"
He stepped to the center of the room, standing amongst his players.
Everyone listened.
Everyone felt it.
Maybe Chelsea's season had been chaotic.
But ever since the managerial change, the team had clearly improved.
And Di Matteo—through a string of knockout matches and key victories—
had proven himself as a capable head coach.
No, not world-class yet.
But definitely not second-rate either.
There were plenty of rumors about Chelsea preparing a record offer to lure Guardiola from Barcelona.
If that happened, Di Matteo would either return to assistant coach or leave entirely.
But none of that mattered for now.
All that mattered was the next game.
Di Matteo wanted to leave behind something beautiful—
for his career, for Chelsea, and for every player in that room.
"Over the last few months, I've spoken to many of you one-on-one.
And I've asked the same question repeatedly:
What's stopping you from giving everything for this club?"
"Today, I'm asking all of you again."
"Speak freely. We have 52 hours to fix anything that needs fixing."
"Maybe I can't solve every issue—but I swear, I'll do everything I can."
"Because if we want to win at Wembley this weekend,
every one of you has to give 100%."
"Our opponent is the Bayswater Chinese—
a team we all want to beat!"
"I believe, when nothing holds you back,
when you're free to give your all—
that's when we're strongest.
And that's when we have our best shot at beating them!"
The room was silent.
But their eyes—they burned with resolve.
Just as Roman Abramovich's advisor, Piet De Visser, had once said:
"When you change the manager, no matter who comes in,
the players lose their last excuse not to fight for the badge."
That's why they made the change.
And now, Di Matteo's speech was, in essence,
a final challenge to his players:
The man you hated, the one who divided this locker room, is gone.
So what's stopping you now?
If something still is—say it now.
If not—then fight for Chelsea. With everything you've got.
…
No one outside of Cobham knew what was said that day.
But everyone could sense something had changed.
Club reporters noticed the energy—
Chelsea players trained with more intensity than ever before.
In post-training interviews, the hunger was obvious.
Even knowing they'd be facing the juggernaut Bayswater Chinese in the FA Cup Final,
Chelsea players were confident and even openly defiant.
Club captain John Terry declared:
"For me, this is the most important final of my life."
"When I was a kid, I dreamed of lifting the FA Cup."
"For every Englishman, it's a trophy that never gets old."
Frank Lampard echoed the sentiment:
"This is the kind of final you dream of winning—
maybe even more than the Champions League."
"The FA Cup holds a special place in English football."
Meanwhile, Didier Drogba's contract negotiations had broken down.
The tension was no secret:
Early in the season, Chelsea had refused to offer Drogba a two-year extension.They rejected his demand for no pay cut.Now, with his form improving, the club had softened its stance—offering one year at £100k per week.
Drogba took it as an insult.
He said as much in the media.
The club stood firm—no further negotiations.
Talks collapsed.
But even so, Drogba declared:
"This might be my last FA Cup Final for Chelsea.
I want to score.
I want to win."
"Me and my teammates—we're ready."
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