Chapter 331: Atlético Are Strong, But I Hope They Fulfill Their Champions League Dream Next Year
"We're ahead, José! We scored first!"
In front of Chelsea's roaring bench, Holland threw his arms around Mourinho and shouted uncontrollably, unable to hide his excitement.
Had it just been about winning the FA Cup, Holland wouldn't have been so ecstatic.
He had been working alongside Mourinho for almost two years now—they'd already secured two Premier League titles and two League Cups. He'd seen his fair share of big moments.
But what Chelsea were chasing today wasn't just another trophy—it was a historic achievement that would be etched into the annals of English football forever.
If they could win this FA Cup, Chelsea would become the first team in Premier League history to complete a domestic treble: the Premier League, the League Cup, and the FA Cup.
Every member of this squad—not just the players, but coaches like Holland himself—would be remembered as legends.
Mourinho understood Holland's emotions perfectly. He patted his assistant on the shoulder to calm him down, then turned to the bench to signal the young players to remain composed.
On the pitch, Li Ang—having just vented his own excitement after the goal—mirrored Mourinho's gesture, holding up his hands to calm the team.
"Hey, hey! Listen up, guys... Let's celebrate quickly and then refocus. No getting carried away. Stay locked in!
I know it's not easy, but we have to take this trophy back to Stamford Bridge.
Don't give Arsenal even the slightest chance to come back!
There's still a long way to go in this match—let's take it one step at a time and lock this win down with both hands…"
Li Ang's composed leadership quickly brought the rest of the players back to focus.
He was right. There was still plenty of time left.
And in a cup final like this, while passion could be an asset, discipline was even more crucial. Mistakes could cost everything.
It wasn't time to celebrate just yet.
Only when this season was truly over—and every trophy had been won—would they be able to let loose.
Chelsea had to be the ones smiling at the end. And they would be.
The team's goal celebration didn't last long.
In fact, their calm regrouping after scoring surprised even the neutral fans in the stadium.
Mourinho stood by the touchline, smiling with pride and satisfaction.
On the other side, Wenger's expression grew heavier, the lines of concern at the corners of his eyes deepening.
"That goal was... unconventional. Szczęsny had already done his best—his save was excellent. But Ibra's reaction and Li Ang's finishing were simply perfect.
You really can't blame Szczęsny for that one. Even the defenders did all they could to stop it.
But unpredictable, uncontrollable moments like this are part of what makes football beautiful.
It's unfortunate, but perhaps luck isn't on Arsenal's side today.
Hopefully, the players can recover quickly and shake off the psychological blow of conceding…"
The Sky Sports commentator tried to offer a neutral take in Arsenal's defense.
But in a major final—especially against an undefeated Chelsea—bouncing back from such a setback was no easy task.
Once the game restarted, Arsenal's players braced for a Chelsea onslaught. They expected the Blues to pounce and try to extend their lead before halftime.
But Chelsea didn't attack with wild passion at all. Instead, they dropped back, tightened their shape, and calmly focused on protecting their lead.
This shocked Arsenal—not because they were disappointed, but because the sudden lack of pressure allowed them to take a breath.
And yet... that same composure from Chelsea only added to the psychological pressure.
Not only were their opponents stronger—they were also smarter. More disciplined. More in control. They weren't going to take unnecessary risks.
It was brutal for the underdogs.
Wenger hesitated, torn between options. But in the end, he stuck to his old habit—waiting until halftime before making any major tactical changes.
Chelsea, on the other hand, were in no rush.
When they realized Arsenal weren't going to push forward in the final minutes of the half, they simply held the line, maintaining their 1–0 lead heading into the break.
It was proof that Chelsea's tactical setup for this match was spot on.
Arsenal's opening minutes with their high pressing had caught Chelsea slightly off guard—but Mourinho already had contingencies in place.
That gave the entire Chelsea squad confidence to stay calm and stick to the plan.
During the 15-minute break, Mourinho presented two new tactical adjustments.
"For the opening of the second half, we can still afford to let go of attacking initiative.
Our key time window will be the 65th minute.
There's no way Arsenal can keep up this high-intensity pressing beyond that point.
That's when we take control of the tempo.
Now, if they don't push hard at the start of the second half, then we'll raise our possession rate. But keep calm—they're the ones who should panic, not us.
Once they press higher, we'll do what we do best…"
Standing in the middle of the locker room, Mourinho's eyes gleamed with confidence.
Li Ang nodded silently. He was calm as ever.
As always, he trusted Mourinho's tactical vision and in-game decisions without question.
It had nothing to do with Mourinho's media reputation or managerial legacy.
It was because they had already made history together.
They had won the sextuple.
They had dethroned Barcelona's dominance in La Liga.
They had even defended the Champions League title—one of football's greatest feats.
Li Ang didn't need Mourinho to prove anything anymore.
And Mourinho trusted Li Ang completely—his most tactically aware and loyal player.
On the pitch, they had full faith in each other. No hesitation.
If Mourinho made the call, Li Ang would carry it out to the letter.
If the call turned out to be wrong, Li Ang believed Mourinho would adjust accordingly.
It was that simple.
…
The 15-minute break flew by.
As Chelsea implemented their refined tactical plan, Arsenal also regrouped and unified their strategy once more.
The second half kicked off swiftly, but Arsenal didn't immediately go all-in or ramp up the tempo at full throttle.
Instead, they opted to slow the pace, as if deliberately postponing the decisive phase of the match.
But that, too, had been anticipated by Chelsea's players.
Li Ang quickly implemented one of Mourinho's pre-planned contingencies, coordinating with Kroos to extend Chelsea's ball possession time deep in their own half.
This was, in essence, a tactical blueprint straight from the "Galactic Barcelona" playbook.
From a strategic perspective, controlling the ball in your own half after taking the lead was a brilliant way to sap your opponent's willpower and shield your defense.
Barcelona of old had the technical foundation to make this tactic work beautifully.
If the opposition lost patience and pressed too hard, they would be exposed to lightning-fast counters.
Sure, many neutral fans might call this "passing for passing's sake," a boring or even cowardly style of play.
But it was precisely this method that helped that legendary Barça team defeat countless top opponents.
And Mourinho—one of the coaches most familiar with Barcelona's system and how to beat it—had no qualms about integrating its strengths into his own team.
Mourinho was a pragmatist through and through.
And Chelsea's squad had long since embraced that mentality.
If a tactic worked, they'd use it. No ego, no shame.
And so, one of the most ironic scenes in recent football unfolded in front of a global audience:
Chelsea, the team that had beaten Barcelona through sheer physicality for two straight seasons, was now using Barcelona-style possession to toy with Arsenal.
Many neutrals watching at home couldn't help but find it absurd—maybe even a little hilarious.
But Arsenal's players weren't laughing. They were just frustrated.
Wenger's halftime strategy had centered on patience—conceding the ball to bait Chelsea into attacking, creating openings for counterplay.
If Chelsea committed numbers forward, Arsenal would strike. That was the plan.
But now Chelsea weren't attacking.
They were calmly stringing passes across the backline.
This was not in the script.
What were Arsenal supposed to do now?
Press up and risk space behind? Or sit back and let the clock tick away?
Anxiety crept in. The players began to second-guess.
Wenger stood on the sideline, watching Chelsea's near-mocking possession, and felt completely helpless.
Mourinho could feel the professor's angry glare from across the pitch.
He didn't even blink.
That's the whole point of tactical chess. Make your opponent uncomfortable. Make them feel like they're losing before they actually do.
Force Chelsea to make the first mistake?
Not happening.
If Arsenal had the discipline to hold out... Mourinho would tip his hat.
But he doubted it.
Most teams would be uneasy holding a 1–0 lead in a final.
Not Chelsea. They thrived in these situations.
They could defend that scoreline all the way to the final whistle without breaking a sweat.
No rush.
Chelsea's players were serene. Focused. Composed.
But the more they stayed calm, the more time slipped away—and the more agitated Arsenal became.
Before Mourinho's planned turning point even arrived, Arsenal blinked first.
At the 60-minute mark, they finally resumed their high press, charging forward in waves to wrest control of the ball.
Li Ang, unbothered, launched a massive clearance straight back to Szczęsny.
Millions of Arsenal fans watching from home exploded in outrage.
"You absolute bastard! You're really gonna play like that?! Not giving us a single damn chance?!"
The boos at Wembley were deafening. Tens of thousands of furious Gunners fans jeered Li Ang relentlessly.
But he'd faced worse.
He'd stood in front of 100,000 at Camp Nou and been booed by every one of them.
This was child's play.
And most importantly—this was all part of the plan.
Arsenal wanted the ball?
Fine. Take it.
But remember—if you take it, you better commit to it.
Leave space. Throw bodies forward.
No regrets. All in.
Heh…
Except for Ibrahimović staying up top, every other Chelsea player had dropped deep into their own half.
Oxlade-Chamberlain, fired up and ready to charge, found himself immediately clattered by Li Ang—ball and all—sent tumbling out over the sideline.
No foul. No injury. But definitely pain.
His head rang as he lay on the turf.
It was a clean but brutal challenge—a message.
Li Ang had just drawn a line in the grass.
He received a stern verbal warning from the referee, but he didn't care. Totally worth it.
The impact on Arsenal's rhythm was immediate.
Just as they tried to build momentum—bam—it was gone.
Wenger erupted on the sidelines, furiously complaining to the fourth official.
But Mourinho didn't even need to react—Holland was already on it, barking back:
"What's wrong, professor? Can't take it now that you're losing?!"
Wenger, always a passionate figure, had his fuse lit. He stormed toward Holland, sleeves already rolling up.
Before it escalated, staffers from both benches rushed in to pull them apart.
After some heated words and forced pleasantries, both coaches returned to their benches—still fuming.
The referee paused the match and gave both benches a final warning.
Mourinho, slightly disappointed that Wenger didn't get ejected, was still pleased with the result.
More time eaten. Less chance of a comeback.
When the game resumed, Arsenal finally managed to push their tempo—but by then, the clock had reached the 70th minute.
Wenger realized what had happened and cursed under his breath. He'd been outmaneuvered.
There was no getting that time back.
He bit down, turned to the bench, and waved—all remaining attacking players, warm up now.
The final act of this FA Cup Final was about to begin.
Chelsea regrouped with razor-sharp focus.
But something felt... off.
After several minutes of Arsenal's full-frontal assault, Chelsea's defenders noticed it.
The pressure wasn't what they had expected.
"They're starting to run out of gas."
Li Ang saw it clearly.
He turned his head—and Kroos met his eyes.
No words needed. They were in sync.
The next instant, as Cazorla dribbled forward looking for an opening, Li Ang pounced.
Cazorla had no choice but to pass laterally to the supporting Ramsey.
But at the exact same moment, Kroos, who had been hanging back all half, suddenly sprang forward, intercepting the pass cleanly before Ramsey could react!
Chelsea's counterstrike had begun.
Kroos surged into open space.
Coquelin, following Toulalan's urgent shouts, stepped up to intervene—
But by then, Chelsea were already rolling downhill at full speed.
But Kroos had no intention of going one-on-one with Coquelin. The moment he saw Li Ang making his run, he calmly slipped the ball into the open space ahead of him.
Arsenal had just committed numbers forward in attack, and now they were completely out of position to mount a swift recovery.
Li Ang faced the retreating Toulalan, but didn't give the veteran midfielder even a moment to delay him.
Kroos's pass led him beautifully, and Li Ang didn't even bother with a first touch. Instead, he knocked the ball ahead and burst forward with a powerful surge.
He blew past Toulalan in a single stride.
However, the heavy touch created a new problem—Monreal, who had left De Bruyne behind, was sprinting toward the loose ball.
The ball was rolling toward Monreal, and by all appearances, he was clearly going to get there first.
But Li Ang didn't hesitate. He didn't have time to second-guess or be frustrated.
He just pushed his physical limits further, exploding in a sprint with everything he had left.
At the last possible moment—just a fraction of a second before Monreal's foot reached the ball—Li Ang lunged and poked it forward to the right flank.
De Bruyne, who had already given up on the play, suddenly found the ball at his feet.
Thankfully, his reaction was sharp. He took it in stride and immediately drove toward Arsenal's end line.
After a quick glance up, De Bruyne delivered a perfect cross into the box.
Ibrahimović was in the middle, but Mertesacker stuck to him like glue. The two leapt simultaneously, battling in mid-air.
In the end, Mertesacker—better positioned—won the header and cleared the ball outside the box.
But the next second, the cameras zoomed in on Kroos, who was already stepping up!
Arsenal fans around the world gasped in unison.
But just when everyone expected a thunderous volley, Kroos pulled off a masterclass—a dummy shot followed by a slick drag-back, completely wrong-footing the incoming Koscielny!
Smooth and seamless, Kroos's movement was lightning-quick.
Before Arsenal's defense could react, he floated a delicate lob toward the far post, right over Mertesacker's zone.
The ball wasn't hit hard, but the placement was immaculate.
Toulalan's panicked shout came too late—Monreal was already being bulldozed aside by Li Ang's momentum.
Szczęsny tried to shift his feet and react, but Li Ang's diving header was already underway!
In a flash of white and blue, Li Ang launched himself toward the ball, making contact just before sliding over the end line behind Arsenal's goal.
As he turned back mid-slide, the ball slammed into the netting.
His teammates were already sprinting toward him, erupting in celebration.
"What a play! Kroos dummies Koscielny! The cross is in—Li Ang's header—IT'S IN!!! IT'S IN!!! LI ANG SCORES AGAIN!!! CHELSEA LEADS ARSENAL 2–0 AT WEMBLEY!!!"
"Oh my goodness, this is minute 74! That goal might've just killed off the game! What a pass from Kroos! What a header from Li Ang! The chemistry between them is unreal!"
In the PPTV studio, Zhan Jun and Zhang Lu could barely contain themselves, practically shouting over each other with joy.
On the pitch, Li Ang opened his arms wide as Kroos sprinted over—his first to embrace him in celebration.
"I told you, Toni! You were going to win everything here! We're going to win every damn thing!"
"I always believed you! That's why I came!"
They didn't even get to finish their sentence before they were swarmed by teammates.
Wembley exploded into a sea of blue once again—just like it had in the League Cup final.
With this goal, Chelsea fans finally breathed easy.
How could they lose now?
This scoreline—this game state—felt absolutely untouchable.
But while the fans partied, Chelsea's players and Mourinho on the sideline stayed laser-focused.
They weren't done yet.
Arsenal, on the other hand, looked crushed.
And just before play resumed, Mourinho made two substitutions.
Ashley Cole and Maguire entered the pitch, replacing Bertrand and De Bruyne.
At the same time, Kalas, Ramires, and Lampard were seen warming up on the sideline.
Chelsea was about to go full fortress mode.
Arsenal began their last-ditch assault—but it felt forced, heavy-legged.
Cavani, leading the line, was visibly frustrated.
With ten minutes to go, Wenger sent on Giroud and Walcott—his final offensive options.
Wilshere had just returned from injury and was in no condition to contribute meaningfully.
Having Giroud to help share the load gave Cavani some breathing room.
Arsenal turned to long-ball tactics, launching cross after cross into the box.
A few did create half-chances.
But most shots were rushed, awkward, and under pressure.
Cech was calm and assured, giving Arsenal no second chances.
Four minutes of stoppage time were added.
In the final moments, Mourinho brought on Lampard for Hazard.
Chelsea shifted to a 5-4-1, parking four defensive midfielders just outside the penalty area.
Their airtight setup smothered Arsenal's last flickers of hope.
When the referee blew the final whistle, history was made.
Chelsea became the first team in Premier League history to win all three major domestic trophies in a single season.
For the second time this season, Chelsea celebrated a cup title at Wembley.
Their players, now seasoned veterans of triumph, slid across the turf in a group knee-slide to the roaring of their fans.
Arsenal's players collapsed in disappointment—some on the grass, some standing, hands on hips, staring into the stands.
They wanted nothing more than to leave this cursed stadium.
But they still had to attend the medal ceremony—so they endured it in silence.
Li Ang took the time to console some of the Arsenal players he knew.
Mertesacker. Cazorla. Ramsey.
No matter win or lose, he always made time to greet old friends after the game.
But during post-match interviews, the warmth vanished from his expression.
He put on his standard polite smile.
"This was a tough match. It wasn't easy. Arsenal are strong opponents. I was lucky to get my first goal. I took the chance, that's all.
Still two more goal contributions to reach 80 this season? Well… I'm not that interested in personal stats anymore.
I know both Cris and Leo have had better numbers. I've still got a long way to go to reach their level.
As for the Champions League final… Atlético are a very strong side.
But I hope they fulfill their Champions League dream next year."
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/johanssen10