"He's absolutely a future superstar."
"In fact, I believe that within three years, he'll be a strong contender for the title of the world's best forward!"
"He's like Shevchenko when he first exploded onto the scene—but with a better platform and far greater commercial value!"
Two minutes later, the referee's whistle brought the match to an end.
Liverpool's players hung their heads in disappointment.
Their Champions League campaign for the season was over.
Su Hang was the undisputed Man of the Match.
His final goal was also voted the best goal of this round of the Champions League.
All across Europe, Su Hang's astonishing goal-scoring display stunned fans and pundits alike.
Bild: "Record breaker! Real Madrid captain Su Hang becomes the first player in history to score hat-tricks in consecutive Champions League knockout matches!"
Kicker: "Six goals across two legs—single-handedly eliminating Liverpool! Su Hang was born with Champions League DNA!"
Gazzetta dello Sport: "He saved Real Madrid three times last season, rescued them again in this year's group stage finale, and now led the comeback against Liverpool! Su Hang has saved Real Madrid five times in the Champions League!"
France Football: "Mr. Clutch Su Hang—the Champions League depends on him! Over the past two seasons, no one at Real Madrid has shone brighter in Europe!"
AS: "Su Hang is a natural-born Champions League killer! Four goals and three assists last season, eight goals this season—twelve in total, just one short of Shevchenko's thirteen!"
Marca: "The home crowd turns! Anfield applauds Su Hang, completely conquered by the Real Madrid captain! The last man to conquer an English giant like this was Ronaldo!"
If Su Hang's league stats put him at the level of a top-class star—his overall performance that of a first-tier player, and his ball control perhaps a notch below—then in the Champions League, both his stats and performances are at the level of a true superstar.
A player like that might not mean much to an ordinary club, since smaller teams rarely go far in the Champions League and usually focus on league results.
But for elite clubs, it's a different story.
What they need most are these "cup specialists"—especially those with the "comeback gene," players who thrive under pressure and deliver decisive moments.
Faced with Su Hang's overwhelming dominance, the English media were left speechless.
Because Su Hang had done exactly what he said he would.
No one in the Premier League could stop him.
Back-to-back hat-tricks.
This wasn't about defending him anymore—it was about being torn apart!
Liverpool were second in the Premier League, ahead of Manchester United and just behind Chelsea.
If even Liverpool couldn't contain him, who could?
And Chelsea had already faced Real Madrid last season.
Back then, Su Hang scored twice and assisted twice, leading Real Madrid past Chelsea and into the semifinals.
But soon enough, the English media struck back.
Sky Sports: "Su Hang's back-to-back hat-tricks can't hide Real Madrid's decline! Ronaldo, Zidane, and Figo all struggling with injuries—Los Blancos are facing a midfield crisis!"
The Times: "Su Hang leads Real Madrid into the quarterfinals, but the next round could turn them into a gift for their opponents!"
BBC: "Real Madrid's three Ballon d'Or winners could miss the next Champions League match! Worse yet, they're about to be stretched thin across three competitions!"
And sure enough, the reports were right.
Real Madrid soon announced Figo's injury, ruling him out for at least a month—possibly two if recovery went poorly.
Still, the club released some reassuring news to calm fans.
According to the medical team, Zidane and Ronaldo had a chance of returning in time for the quarterfinals, twenty days later.
...
Before long, the Champions League quarterfinal lineup was set.
From the Premier League, Manchester United had crashed out early in the group stage.
Liverpool were crushed by Real Madrid.
Chelsea lost controversially to Barcelona.
Only Arsenal remained as England's sole representative.
Serie A showed its enduring strength, with the northern trio—Juventus, Inter Milan, and AC Milan—all advancing to the quarterfinals, each as group winners.
La Liga's two giants, Real Madrid and Barcelona, also made it through, though just barely.
Interestingly, both teams achieved cross-season revenge.
Chelsea, eliminated by Barcelona this time, had eliminated them last season.
Liverpool, eliminated by Real Madrid, had also knocked them out the year before.
La Liga had regained its honor against the Premier League.
The remaining two spots went to Benfica of Portugal's Primeira Liga and Lyon from France's Ligue 1.
The Champions League quarterfinal draw ceremony was held in grand fashion.
Arsenal drew Juventus—two evenly matched powerhouses at the top of their game.
AC Milan drew Lyon—dominant in Ligue 1 but still a step below the Rossoneri.
Barcelona received a seemingly easy draw against Benfica, though considering Porto's Champions League triumph two years earlier, Portuguese teams couldn't be underestimated.
About one in five fans believed Benfica could pull off a miracle against Ronaldinho's Barcelona.
Real Madrid, meanwhile, drew Inter Milan—a true clash of titans.
Both teams were among the world's elite and had exchanged players frequently in recent seasons.
Inter's standout defender Samuel had arrived thanks to Real Madrid's "gift."
But compared to that, their new starting defensive midfielder, Cambiasso, was practically a "donation" from Real Madrid.
Fans might remember him—he once reminded Su Hang outside the training ground that he was running late.
Su Hang didn't take the advice, but he appreciated the kind reminder.
That year, Cambiasso struggled for minutes under the shadow of midfielders like Beckham and Zidane.
Real Madrid were desperate for a strong defensive midfielder, and while Cambiasso was versatile, his defensive edge wasn't exceptional.
Talks broke down, and he was eventually sidelined.
In the summer of 2004, Cambiasso left Real Madrid on a free transfer to join Inter Milan.
He quickly earned Roberto Mancini's trust, becoming Inter's midfield anchor—tireless, versatile, and intelligent.
That season, he won the Golden Pirate Award—Inter's internal honor for their best player.
This season, his form remained steady, and his market value skyrocketed.
Gazzetta dello Sport named him one of "the two most promising South American players in Serie A," forming the so-called "South American Duo."
The other was AC Milan's Kaká.
Sometimes, you can't help but marvel at UEFA's "luck" in their draws.
They always seem to pair the most talked-about teams, and somehow, the "big clients" in need always end up with the most favorable "gift boxes."
It's precision matchmaking.
One word—ingenious!