Real Madrid's midfield lined up from left to right with Robinho, Baptista, Guti, and Beckham.
At the back were Roberto Carlos, Helguera, Pavón, and Sergio Ramos.
Many believe Sergio Ramos only became a star after switching from Right Back to Center Back.
But in truth, whether during his breakout season with Sevilla last year or upon joining Real Madrid, Ramos had primarily played as a Center Back.
It was only with the Spanish national team that he often featured as a Right Back.
That versatility proved he could handle both positions with ease.
In the 77th minute, Ashley Cole switched into overdrive, bursting down the flank into the attacking third before sending in a cross.
Van Persie struck it first time, connecting cleanly without letting the ball touch the ground—
A stunning display of technique.
The shot skimmed past the post.
Up ahead, Henry, who had been calling for the ball, looked frustrated.
If Van Persie had steadied it before shooting—or passed it to him—it would have been the better choice.
There's no doubt Van Persie's finishing is sharp; his sudden, first-time strikes can often turn a 50–50 chance into an 80–20 one.
But that same impulsiveness also means he sometimes wastes a chance that could've become great by pulling the trigger too soon.
Learning to balance those instincts is the self-growth Van Persie still needs.
But tonight's match wasn't meant for growth.
In the 82nd minute, Guti threaded a through ball down the right for Beckham.
Beckham shaped to send in a high cross but instead whipped a sharp, low pass skimming across the turf.
Cassano made the run, met the ball, and swept it across the goalmouth.
Su Hang battled fiercely with Campbell in front of goal. After locking him down, Su Hang didn't force a finish—he let the ball roll past.
Robinho, cutting inside from the left without the ball, charged in at the far post and smashed it home.
Five-one!
Real Madrid extended their lead!
The Bernabéu erupted in another wave of celebration.
This time, it was truly sealed.
Time crawled for Arsenal; every remaining minute became sheer torment.
In the 87th minute, Guti's midfield dribbling provoked a reckless challenge from the tracking Van Persie, who brought him down.
The referee didn't even bother showing a yellow card—there was no need.
The free kick came from quite a distance out.
Beckham stepped up for a tactical delivery, curling the ball into the box.
And everyone knew what that meant—Beckham's cross curved perfectly, begging for someone to attack it.
Thud!
Su Hang had read it perfectly. His anticipation, vision, and flawless chemistry with Beckham saw him move early, timing his leap to perfection.
He didn't rise high, but he seemed to hang in the air, gliding for a moment.
Ball and man met as one.
Su Hang barely needed to flick his head—the ball seemed to fly into the net on its own.
It looked effortless. That's the magic of Beckham's passing—every teammate knows it.
"Ohhh! My God!"
"Six-one! This must be their most satisfying win of the season!"
"It's been far too easy."
"Even in the final minute, Real Madrid still looked dangerous!"
"And Arsenal… the whistle blows! No added time—the referee ends the match outright!"
"Arsenal have no complaints; it's mercy from the referee."
"Nor do Real Madrid—they probably couldn't bring themselves to keep going either."
"Six-one on the night, seven-one on aggregate—Real Madrid have demolished Arsenal! This is one of the Gunners' most humiliating defeats of the 21st century!"
"This Arsenal team is still in its prime, yet they were completely outclassed by a supposedly aging Galácticos. Judging by the scoreline, they weren't even in the same league."
"But without Lehmann's red card, I believe this match would have looked very different."
"Wait—what's that? There seems to be a confrontation on the touchline!"
"Wenger and the Arsenal players have surrounded the referee!"
Tension erupted on the field.
"That shouldn't have been a red card! Your decision changed the entire game!" Wenger shouted, both furious and heartbroken.
The referee wasn't biased, but that decision was one Arsenal simply couldn't stomach.
Even in defeat, Arsenal should never have lost 6–1. At worst, one or two goals.
Henry, Bergkamp, Pires, Campbell—all of them were fuming.
As the winners, Real Madrid's players naturally stepped in to protect the referee's authority and safety.
Soon, words were exchanged between both teams.
"Don't do this, Henry…" Su Hang stepped forward and held him back. "I understand your anger. I'm not going to say something like 'that's football.'"
"But we played the whole match. We can't deny everyone's effort in those seventy-plus minutes just because the result didn't go as expected."
"For Arsenal, it was a nightmare start—you couldn't perform at your best. That's truly unfortunate."
"We all go through times like this, moments of helplessness. But the only thing we can do is get better next time—and make sure it doesn't happen again."
Henry's breathing slowed; his emotions began to settle.
As Arsenal's captain, he started helping to calm things down.
On the sidelines, Wenger too regained his composure after venting his frustration.
Among the world's elite managers, Wenger was one of the most principled. Deeply versed in football's rules, he was always someone who preferred to advocate for structural changes to protect players and teams—
Not the kind to fight tooth and nail for every small advantage.
That's what set him apart from coaches like Ferguson, Mourinho, or Guardiola.
It's also why he would later play a key role in reforms to rules such as the offside law.
"This was a regrettable match. No one will walk away satisfied—not even Real Madrid," Wenger said quietly before leading his team off the Bernabéu pitch in silence.
Moments later, the Bernabéu erupted into a sea of celebration.
Figo was named Man of the Match.
In the post-match interviews, Real Madrid's players were asked about the on-field confrontation.
Facing the cameras, Su Hang spoke sincerely:
"There was a major controversial decision in this match—it changed the flow completely."
"A call that influences a game this deeply can hardly be called great officiating."
"Arsenal are absolutely a Champions League-level team, but they only played at a tenth of their true capacity tonight—and that was due to circumstances beyond their control."
"But I have to say, in terms of fairness, the decision itself wasn't wrong. Real Madrid weren't the beneficiaries of it."
"If you had to choose between a confirmed goal or sending off an opponent, everyone would take the goal. That's why we surrounded the referee at the time—to make our case."
"If I had to sum this match up in one sentence: Arsenal lost unfairly, but Real Madrid won fair and square."
...
(35 Chapters Ahead)
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