Florentino: "The team is still assessing Su Hang's condition. The future remains uncertain."
Luxemburgo: "Su Hang isn't the only one. Real Madrid has the ability to secure a big win with our current squad!"
Everyone except Luxemburgo understood the truth.
The more certain they were about Su Hang's return, the more they had to act as if the future was unpredictable.
That way, when it finally happened, the impact would be overwhelming.
And that shock would become a source of strength for the weary players and fans alike.
Right now, Real Madrid desperately needed that kind of spirit.
At some point, it had become undeniable.
Su Hang… was the very heart of Real Madrid's fighting spirit!
...
May 25th, Istanbul, Atatürk Olympic Stadium.
The Champions League final kicked off.
AC Milan stormed ahead, leading Liverpool 3–0 at halftime.
Rumor had it they even opened champagne in the dressing room during the break.
But in the second half, Liverpool suddenly erupted, clawing back with three goals to force extra time and then a penalty shootout.
In the end, Liverpool triumphed on penalties—miraculously becoming the first team in Champions League history to overturn a three-goal deficit in the final and win the trophy!
They had created a miracle!
Despite finishing fifth in the Premier League and missing out on direct qualification for the next Champions League, this victory secured their place in next season's tournament.
An unexpected lifeline.
Their European glory more than made up for their domestic struggles.
The whole world celebrated them.
And if Real Madrid had given up on El Clásico this season, they too might have had a great chance to be the ones lifting the trophy.
After all, in the eyes of the public, neither Liverpool nor AC Milan could match the Galácticos.
...
The next day.
The "Miracle of Istanbul" dominated headlines across the globe.
Everywhere—except Spain.
Only one story could push aside the Champions League champions there...
Marca: "Su Hang returns! He has canceled his rehabilitation sessions and will play in the final, do-or-die round!"
AS: "Real Madrid officially releases squad list for the last La Liga match—Su Hang is in it!!!"
A legend!
The eternal legend!
La Liga erupted!
Madrid exploded with fireworks, cheers, and celebrations!
Even more jubilant than the Copa del Rey celebrations last season.
"Su Hang is back at last!"
"My beloved Su Hang! Real Madrid is saved!"
"Whether last year or this year, Su Hang is Real Madrid's salvation!"
"He's here—he's finally here!"
"I'll always love Su Hang! I'll always support Su Hang!"
"Bravo, Su Hang! This is the true spirit of Real Madrid!"
"Su Hang will never let the fans down—never!"
"I'm going to the game, damn it! I have to be there to support Su Hang!"
"Damn it! Why isn't this match at the Bernabéu!"
"Fuck! Get to Zaragoza and grab tickets!"
"Double the price! No—triple! Whatever it takes, I need a ticket for the final round!"
Madrid went insane!
Zaragoza, Spain's fifth-largest city, lies 300 kilometers from Madrid.
Countless Real Madrid fans drove there two days early, flashing cash everywhere!
They searched all over for locals willing to sell tickets.
At any price!
For Zaragoza, currently ninth in the table, the final result hardly mattered.
Lose, and they'd drop to eleventh.
Win, and they'd climb to eighth.
Either way, it made little difference.
With nothing at stake, the tickets held little real value for their fans.
So when Real Madrid supporters offered good money, they sold them readily.
What they didn't expect was that the later offers would climb higher and higher.
Those who sold early lost out badly!
In the end, 95% of the seats in Zaragoza's 30,000-capacity stadium were bought by Real Madrid fans!
And outside, another 20,000 to 30,000 Madridistas gathered, waiting for the decisive match and its outcome!
It was as if they were on a pilgrimage.
Football had never seen anything like it.
An away team had completely taken over the opponent's stadium—inside and out.
Layer upon layer of white encircled the arena.
Such was the power of the Galácticos.
Barcelona: ???
...
When match day arrived, European media set aside the Champions League story to cover Spain's "pilgrimage phenomenon."
Meanwhile, the Real Madrid team bus slowly rolled into Zaragoza.
...
As it approached the stadium, the players looked calm on the outside, but inside their hearts were pounding.
All along the way, they had seen countless white flags.
Real Madrid's fans were everywhere.
Yet that loyalty also brought pressure.
Facing such devotion, if they failed to win—or worse, failed to overtake Barcelona—they would become the greatest villains in Real Madrid's history.
Excitement slowly gave way to fear.
Screeeech!
The bus lurched to a sudden stop.
Several players were startled.
Pavón even tumbled out of his seat.
"What happened?" Raúl stood up, but before he could finish, he froze at the sight before him. "This..."
The others rose too, only to be stunned into silence.
Outside, a flood of Zaragoza's blue jerseys clashed with the sea of white jerseys from Madrid—locked in a standoff at the gates of the stadium!
These were Zaragoza's hardcore supporters.
The only ones who had refused to sell their tickets despite the lucrative offers.
They were on their way in when they clashed with Real Madrid fans waiting outside.
The Madridistas acted as though victory was already guaranteed.
To Zaragoza's diehards, that was an insult!
The standoff grew.
Zaragoza's numbers were fewer, and soon they were surrounded by thousands of Madrid supporters.
The scene grew dangerously tense.
Stadium security couldn't keep control.
They had already called the police.
But the police would take at least half an hour to arrive.
That was Spanish efficiency for you.
And even then, it would be nearly impossible to manage the crowd.
There were simply too many people.
"This can't go on! Something terrible will happen!" Raúl's voice trembled with worry. "If violence breaks out, people will die—not just one or two!"
The crowd was massive, bodies packed tightly together.
Even without fighting, a stampede could kill dozens—maybe hundreds.
This wasn't just about reputations anymore.
It was about lives.
As captain, Raúl made a quick decision.
"Open the doors!" he ordered the driver.
The driver hesitated. "Raúl, but… if you go out there… it'll be dangerous!"