"Puyol Should Get the Death Penalty! Injuring Ronaldo and Su Hang—Such Malicious Intent!"
"Ronaldo's Knee Injury Recurs? The Outlook Is Grim!"
"Su Hang's Right Ankle Hit Again—Season Likely Over?"
You have to admit, media headlines can be over the top.
But when it comes to predicting injuries to Real Madrid players, they're often not far from the truth.
Soon, Real Madrid officially and reluctantly announced:
"Ronaldo has suffered a knee injury that aggravated an old problem. He will require surgery. We regret to inform everyone that Ronaldo will miss the rest of the season."
!!!
For Real Madrid fans, it felt like the sky had collapsed halfway!
Ronaldo's season was over!
This…
"Puyol, you bastard!"
"Ogre, you're not even human!"
"Shameless! Puyol should be banned for life!"
"Last time it was like this, this time it's the same—Puyol is nothing but a butcher!"
"He's the Bowen of football!"
Spurs: ???
Soon after, Su Hang's medical report was also released.
At Su Hang's own request, it was written in extreme detail.
Packed with technical jargon.
To outsiders, it looked terrifying.
But in reality, it was just a soft tissue bruise on his left elbow and a minor tear in his right Achilles tendon.
The first barely even counts as an injury.
You could get that just from bumping into something.
The second one… did need rest. He was certain to miss the next two or three matches.
Even in the best case, it would take a month.
No one knew if he'd make it back for the last one or two games of the season.
But even if he did, it wouldn't matter much.
Because Real Madrid's most crucial battle—the Champions League—was just days away.
Luxemburgo's recklessness had effectively sidelined two of the team's main strikers.
So what now? Face Liverpool with Owen and Raúl?
Owen: ???
Raúl: Do you mind your manners?
In this situation, Marca, usually Real Madrid's staunchest supporter, was the first to attack Luxemburgo.
Clara's Column:
"We all know locker room matters should never be leaked lightly."
"But before this El Clásico, rumors emerged claiming Su Hang wanted the team to abandon the league and give up against Barcelona."
"As soon as this came out, more than 40% of Real Madrid fans turned against Su Hang, severely damaging his reputation."
"So I ask—who leaked it?"
"As the rumors spread, more and more claims surfaced. Some even said Su Hang abused his position as fourth captain to force his views onto other players."
"If not for Luxemburgo's supposed brilliance, Real Madrid would have been humiliated by Barcelona."
"Well then, Luxemburgo—did your brilliance foresee the mess we're in now?"
"Since someone has already leaked Real Madrid's locker room secrets, I'll make everything public and let people judge right from wrong."
"And no, don't ask how I know. If the original leaker has the guts to apologize, I'll reveal my source."
Before dropping her revelations, Clara even defended Su Hang.
The truth was, her source could only have been Su Hang himself.
Clara, dressed in her Friday black outfit, had Su Hang completely in her grasp.
She really knew what she was doing.
Clara's Column:
"Before El Clásico, Real Madrid held a team meeting. Luxemburgo, driven by self-interest, insisted the squad fight on both the Champions League and league fronts."
"But most of the players disagreed, because they knew their condition better than anyone. Yet no one dared challenge Luxemburgo, so the meeting was deadlocked."
"Finally, Su Hang stood up for the players, saying the team should focus all their energy on the top priority—and what fans wanted most—the Champions League! Bring home the big-eared trophy!"
"This decision received unanimous approval from every player!"
"So to those who say Su Hang used his fourth captaincy to pressure others—think for a second. Who could he possibly pressure? What power does a fourth captain have?"
"Su Hang is a leader of opinion, yes—but this was everyone's opinion."
"But Luxemburgo ignored the squad's wishes. To pander to fans, he forced Real Madrid to fight on two fronts. And this is the result."
"If this costs Real Madrid the Champions League, or even the league title—can he take responsibility?"
Clara's accusations landed with force.
Real Madrid's management and coaching staff were left on the back foot.
In the end, Luxemburgo stepped out with empty words, claiming the team still had confidence against Liverpool.
Even without two key players, he said, there were many other great talents in the squad.
This time, most Real Madrid fans stayed rational. They didn't blindly trust Luxemburgo. They decided to wait for the upcoming results before making their judgment.
For Real Madrid, anything but victory was bad news.
Luckily… Barcelona also brought some red-colored "good news."
Puyol's medical report came out:
A fractured right hand.
Two broken ribs.
Severe injuries.
Season over.
At the same time, La Liga fined and suspended Puyol further for his malicious tackle.
With the red card suspension added, he received a total five-match ban.
Of course, given his injuries, the suspension hardly mattered.
But still, the punishment was an official judgment.
It was the league saying: Puyol, you were in the wrong.
...
Back home.
News began spreading about Su Hang—nicknamed "Real Madrid's Crown Prince," "White-Clad God of Death," "Rolls-Royce Trident," "Mister Su Trident," and "siu."
On a sports channel program, He Wei also mentioned Su Hang, confirming that he was indeed "siu."
Both the host and guest Han Qiaosheng were surprised and delighted.
The sports channel's influence had been unrivaled in recent years.
So before long, Su Hang's name spread quickly among fans at home.
But at this critical moment, Football News, in their front-page coverage of El Clásico, expressed disappointment in Su Hang.
Football News:
"Puyol accuses Su Hang of a deliberate elbow! His vindictive personality is truly regrettable!"
"He has damaged the reputation of football on the international stage."
"This incident should make us reflect deeply."
"We extend our sincere apologies to Barcelona, to Puyol, and to football fans everywhere."
Not long after, some so-called football experts echoed Football News' stance.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser