But Materazzi's troubles didn't end there.
Lip-reading experts deciphered his insults toward Zidane, confirming exactly what Su Hang had revealed.
The incident became a rallying point for European feminist groups.
They organized demonstrations across major capitals—Paris, London, Berlin, and Rome.
Some women even went topless to protest what they called European men's disrespect and oppression of women.
Materazzi's situation quickly spiraled out of control.
In Europe and America, once public opinion turns against you, there's almost no way back.
Online activists and media movements may not always bring constructive dialogue, but they can unleash enormous social pressure.
It wasn't just feminist groups—many advocacy communities across different causes joined the discussion, amplifying the controversy.
Before long, the uproar had spread far beyond football itself, turning into a broader cultural debate about respect and responsibility.
Under the growing public pressure, Inter Milan had no choice but to hold a press conference for Materazzi.
In front of countless cameras, Materazzi broke down in tears, publicly apologizing to Zidane, Zidane's family—especially his sister—his teammates, and all the other players who took part in that match, including Su Hang.
Only then did those groups finally relent.
Zidane, however, never responded to Materazzi's apology.
The reason was simple—
Zidane would never forgive him.
The only reason Zidane didn't confront Materazzi in the parking lot that night was because… he knew he couldn't win.
Of course, he knew someone who could.
But he worried that if Su Hang stepped in, UEFA would suspend him too, so he kept quiet.
Still, Zidane wasn't going to let it go.
Once his playing career was over, he planned to find Materazzi and settle things personally.
One-on-one—no backup, no interference.
Materazzi: "One-on-one is fine, but are you sure you can beat me?"
Zidane: "I said one-on-one. I didn't say who it would be, did I, Su?"
Su Hang: "Captain Su Hang, standing by!"
...
"Ding! Roberto Carlos has completely made peace with you. He's gifted you his skill: Curved Cross."
"Curved Cross: Superstar-level skill. A cross delivered with a curling trajectory—it's a defender's nightmare. Your Long Pass, Curve, and Set Piece attributes are enhanced."
Long Pass: 80 +1
Curve: 70 +2
Set Pieces: 85 +1
The Curved Cross is actually a fundamental skill.
"Fundamental" doesn't mean "unimportant."
It's a core technique used constantly—a must-have in every player's repertoire.
It not only bends around defenders but also reduces the chance of goalkeepers rushing out to intercept.
That part is key—nearly half of all one-on-one chances are ruined by keepers charging out.
So a well-executed Curved Cross puts both defenders and goalkeepers under pressure.
The old tension between Su Hang and Roberto Carlos finally vanished.
Their embrace on the pitch during the celebration marked a full reconciliation.
Everything returned to the harmony of old times.
...
April 9, La Liga Matchday 32.
Good news arrived.
While Real Madrid beat Real Sociedad 2–0, Barcelona—drained from the Champions League—failed to recover in time.
Messi, who had recently injured Beckham, suffered a torn right thigh muscle after a foul by a Benfica player in the Champions League.
He was expected to be sidelined for 75 days.
The bad news: his season was over.
The good news: he'd recover in time for the World Cup.
And it wasn't just Messi—Deco also picked up an injury in the following league match.
Barcelona lost 0–1.
They handed over the league's top spot.
Real Madrid climbed to first place!
...
April 12, Copa del Rey Final.
Ronaldo continued his brilliant Champions League form, scoring twice and assisting once to lead Real Madrid to victory.
It was the club's second trophy of the season, following the Supercopa de España.
But bad luck struck again—Raúl limped off injured, expected to miss three to four weeks, possibly sidelined for all remaining matches.
...
April 23, La Liga Matchday 34.
More good news for Real Madrid.
Beckham made his comeback, coming off the bench to deliver an assist.
Meanwhile, a half-rotated Barcelona side was held to a draw.
The points gap between the two La Liga giants widened further.
Sport commented: "Knowing their Champions League hopes are slim, Real Madrid only rested Ronaldo. They're destined to fall at Highbury!"
Mundo Deportivo added: "Once again, Real Madrid face the choice between the league and the Champions League. They've chosen the league, but this time, their luck will run out!"
In truth, it's not that Real Madrid avoided rotation—they were rotating.
At least until injuries decimated their lineup.
Cassano, Robinho, Pavón, Raúl Bravo, Diogo, Gravesen, even Guti—weren't these all rotation players?
But now, all of them could start. They'd practically become the first team.
So the Catalan media's criticism didn't hold much weight.
Real Madrid wasn't alone, though.
Their Champions League semifinal opponents, Arsenal, faced similar criticism from the English press.
Executives from Tottenham and Blackburn were furious at Arsenal's supposed "lack of commitment" to the Champions League.
They argued Arsenal should focus entirely on their tie against Real Madrid to earn more UEFA points for the Premier League and help establish it as the world's best league.
Yet Arsenal had fielded their strongest lineup in their previous Premier League match.
Disappointing, according to their critics.
Quite the "big picture," isn't it?
But one look at the Premier League table made things clear.
Arsenal, Tottenham, and Blackburn were locked in a fierce race for fourth place—
the final Champions League qualification spot, worth its weight in gold.
So Tottenham and Blackburn's outrage was really about the top four battle.
It had absolutely nothing to do with UEFA points or the Premier League's reputation.
If Arsenal actually let themselves be talked into resting players, they'd be fools.
That's not to say Arsenal couldn't choose to abandon the league to focus on Europe.
They could—but only if it was their own decision, not because they were pressured or manipulated into it.
A team without a firm, independent vision will never reach the pinnacle of world football, let alone stay there.
Dutch Total Football, Real Madrid's Galáctico system, Barcelona's tiki-taka, Bayern's machine-like dominance, Mourinho's extreme counter-attack, Klopp's relentless pressing and chaos, Guardiola's total control and possession...
None of them is "the best." None is unbeatable.
Metal, wood, water, fire, and earth—each balances and restrains the others.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
p@treon com / GhostParser