In the past, Su Hang had only been a substitute at Real Madrid, far from remarkable.
But after a full season of experience, his importance to the team had grown steadily.
Even by Barcelona's standards, Su Hang's skills might only rank as average among players in Europe's top five leagues—but his numbers were already on par with elite players.
And in comparison, Arsenal seemed even more promising.
Because of this, Barcelona repeatedly—both openly and subtly—voiced their doubts about Real Madrid while expressing support for Arsenal.
That naturally earned them plenty of goodwill from Arsenal fans.
Over the past two years, there had been a fair amount of player movement between the two clubs,
and most of it had been mutually beneficial.
Take Cesc Fabregas, for example. Unable to secure regular playing time at Barcelona, he joined Arsenal and flourished under Arsène Wenger's guidance, quickly showing signs of becoming the team's next midfield general.
Likewise, Barcelona happily took in Arsenal's veterans like Overmars and Petit—players no longer central to Arsenal's plans—allowing the Gunners to earn a decent return.
For a time, Arsenal and Barcelona fans seemed to share the same spirit—united in purpose!
Both were preparing to defeat their respective opponents and meet in the Champions League final.
Real Madrid, however, had no reason to form any kind of alliance with AC Milan.
When asked about it, Real Madrid captain Su Hang gave one of his trademark cheeky replies in an interview.
Su Hang: "Honestly, I really admire the brotherhood between Arsenal and Barcelona."
"I'm even thinking about moving a marriage office over there so they can tie the knot on the spot."
"They're so close—I just hope they don't have a falling out later. That would be awkward."
"Oh, and by the way, I heard Henry still hasn't renewed his contract with Arsenal. Isn't that because Barcelona's inviting him to Camp Nou?"
Ahem!
The reporters nearby nearly choked.
Well… there had been some whispers about that.
It was a sensitive subject.
In the past, the transfers between the two clubs had all been win-win deals—players who didn't fit one team but thrived with the other.
But if Henry were to join Barcelona? That would be something Arsenal fans could never accept.
He was their King of Highbury—a legend destined to retire at Arsenal.
He couldn't go to Barcelona.
At least… not while still in his prime.
"Oh, right! When I played for the Spanish national team, I chatted a bit with Arsenal's Cesc Fabregas." Su Hang continued mischievously, planting another seed. "He's an incredibly talented player."
"I believe he'll become indispensable to Arsenal in the future."
"But maybe Arsenal should think ahead—if Barcelona ever comes calling for Fabregas, how will they convince him to stay?"
"It's like me—if I weren't playing for Real Madrid, as someone who came up through their youth system, I'd find it hard to ignore their call."
"It's not that Arsenal isn't a great club—it's just that we call that loyalty and devotion, something truly rare and admirable."
The reporters immediately relaxed, some even laughing.
Henry's potential transfer to Barcelona was indeed possible—if Barça offered him a salary too tempting to refuse.
After all, Arsenal had everything except money.
Building the Emirates Stadium had left the club cash-strapped for years, and that wasn't about to change anytime soon.
Arsenal were already slipping this season, and Henry could feel it.
To make the most of his final peak years, moving to Barcelona—just as strong, if not stronger, and offering better pay—made perfect sense.
Could Fabregas, Hleb, or Alexander Song compare to Ronaldinho?
Could Van Persie match Eto'o?
Of course not.
But to suggest that Fabregas would one day move to Barcelona? No one believed it.
After all, Wenger had practically let Vieira go just to make room for Fabregas.
Everyone knew he was grooming Cesc to be the team's midfield core.
Meanwhile, Barcelona's midfield was stacked: Ronaldinho aside, they had Xavi, Motta, Iniesta, and Messi, and kept adding more stars like Deco and Van Bommel.
Competition there was brutal.
Even if Fabregas returned and earned a spot, he'd never become the centerpiece of the team.
So…
Even a fool could see where the better choice lay.
In response to Su Hang's "divide-and-conquer" tactic, Wenger gave a calm and confident reply upon arriving in Madrid:
"As for Fabregas, rest assured—Cesc will forever leave his talent at Arsenal!"
Su Hang could only grin and say, "Fair enough!"
And indeed, Fabregas really did leave his talent at Arsenal.
That's how football works sometimes—you blink, and while his talent stays at Arsenal, the man himself ends up in Barcelona.
...
April 25th, the day of the Champions League semifinal second leg.
The Bernabéu was packed to capacity, with reporters and cameras filling every corner.
Both lineups had surprises in store.
"Looks like Arsenal know how crucial this match is—even Bergkamp has traveled with the team!"
"In his interview, Bergkamp said they're determined to win the Champions League this season!"
"Though he's not in the starting lineup, there's no doubt the Dutchman will appear off the bench in the second half."
"Arsenal's current attacking midfielder Hleb has done well, but he's still a long way from Bergkamp's former level."
"Real Madrid also surprised everyone—Figo's made a last-minute return! So those rumors about his recovery weren't just a smokescreen."
"And he's starting, which means he must be in pretty good shape."
As both teams stepped onto the pitch, the commentators began their introductions.
"Alright, everyone. I know most of you already know these two teams by heart, but for the new fans watching today, let's go over the lineups," the commentator said enthusiastically from the studio.
"Leading the line is Real Madrid captain Su Hang."
"Behind him is Cassano—those two will start up front today."
"Next comes Figo as the attacking midfielder. Over the past year and a half, he's been brilliant in this role, which is why expectations for Portugal are sky-high heading into the World Cup."
"Figo joins Cristiano Ronaldo, Deco, Quaresma, and Simao—what a golden generation of Portuguese talent!"
"Then we have Beckham, 'The Beast' Baptista, and Gravesen forming Real Madrid's trio in midfield—using numbers to compensate for the lack of a true defensive anchor."
"Next, the back four: Roberto Carlos, Helguera, Sergio Ramos, and Salgado."
"And finally, Casillas in goal."
On the other side stood Arsenal.
They lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation—the most popular setup in recent years, and the same system Real Madrid had been using earlier in the season.
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
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