Nyon, Switzerland. UEFA headquarters blazed with lights.
President Aleksander Čeferin wearily set down the phone, vigorously massaging his throbbing temples to alleviate the mental pressure.
What kind of mess was this? Since assuming the UEFA presidency in 2016, he had never encountered such a tricky situation.
In football, there exists a strict red line: racial discrimination.
In recent years, the world has striven to eliminate racism, yet this phenomenon persists like weeds.
But regardless of how hard it is to solve, UEFA's position had to be clearly stated.
Čeferin reopened the video already circulated by FIFA, Man United, the European Anti-Racism Association, and major media outlets.
It clearly documented Filipe Luís's racist gestures and the entire process of Ling's violent retaliation.
Soon after, the Chinese embassy also called to apply pressure.
Deducting points from the relevant teams or disqualifying them from matches would be too extreme and could cause major trouble.
However, suspensions, stadium closures, and fines were just routine measures—punishments that wouldn't hurt enough to reflect UEFA's "zero tolerance" stance.
...
At that moment, FIFA President Gianni Infantino got out of bed and hastily called a press conference to emphasize FIFA's stance, solemnly stating.
"Now there's no need to debate the rights and wrongs of the matter. The Atletico Madrid player did engage in racial discrimination, and UEFA must take timely action! And it must be a very strict 'zero tolerance' measure! FIFA will stand up and fight alongside all players!"
Čeferin helplessly scrolled through Twitter and found that many players had already taken to social media, fiercely criticizing Filipe's racist behavior.
Whether they were genuinely committed to eradicating racism or just showing support, the public was united.
...
@Cristiano: I hope that everyone, on the football pitch and in every corner of the world, can be filled with education and respect in their hearts. We must say no to racial discrimination and reject any discriminatory or offensive behavior!
@paulpogba: If I learned anything today, it's that when someone possesses a dark heart, nothing and no one can ever change them! No to racism!
@KMbappe: If the relevant institutions don't want to find a real solution, then let us try to find one ourselves, for our own sake!
@MarcusRashford: You are not alone, Jeremy. We stand with you, we will support you.
@HarryMaguire93: Jeremy, I fully support you, brother!
...
Soon after, major sponsors began making statements.
Puma, having placed all its bets on Ling, was naturally the fastest brand to step forward.
Adidas and Nike, merely a few hours slower, discovered their product sales in China had plummeted—the decline curve was enough to give anyone a heart attack.
Nike, as Atletico Madrid's jersey sponsor, cursed loudly after suffering this unexpected fallout.
...
After the Man United players returned to Manchester, they immediately held an official press conference, with both Jose Mourinho and Ling in attendance.
Ling was utterly exhausted after a high-intensity match and a whole night of turmoil, his weariness clearly evident.
Facing the reporters' questions, Ling picked up his prepared speech notes, took a deep breath and spoke.
"I sincerely apologize for and regret the incident that occurred after the cup match," Ling said.
"My actions were unacceptable and unprofessional. I reiterate, there is no excuse for my actions, but I believe it is necessary to clarify what I endured before taking those actions."
He looked up at the cameras. "I will never justify my actions, but from the moment the opposing player stepped onto the pitch, I was subjected to constant insults from him containing severe racism and personal attacks. Initially, I chose not to respond because I wanted the match to continue rather than be interrupted, and I planned to file a complaint with UEFA afterward."
Ling continued, "But after the match, the opposing player's behavior became even more egregious. In my professional career, I have never experienced such severe verbal racial discrimination. It clouded my judgment and thinking. With the help of my lawyer, I have already filed a complaint with the police and have begun reporting the racist behavior directed at me to the relevant departments of UEFA and FIFA."
This was immediately followed by statements from Mourinho and executive Ed Woodward, firmly expressing Man United's support.
After the press conference, Ling met with his agent, Jorge Mendes and the two carefully discussed how to handle the incident.
The plan was to defend him at all costs.
As long as they insisted that Filipe had committed racial discrimination, Ling's actions could be classified as a standard brawl.
For instance, Eric Cantona was once fined £200,000 and banned for 9 months fundamentally because he assaulted a fan.
In contrast, punishments for players fighting each other aren't as severe.
Ling was a product of the Man United academy, had made massive contributions last season, and most importantly, he was morally in the right.
Plus, Čeferin knew the potential of the Chinese market; he couldn't afford to severely punish Ling.
Truth be told, the English FA also wanted to go easy on him.
Chinese viewership had increased by 73% compared to the previous year—unprecedented in Premier League history.
...
Soon, the UEFA secretariat traveled to England to announce the final decision.
Čeferin focused entirely on condemning racial discrimination during the meeting.
"For some time, racial discrimination seemed like a distant memory. But in recent years, it has revived! This is an ugly, unacceptable behavior. We will never tolerate it."
The verdict was announced:
Filipe Luís was suspended for 8 matches, part of Atlético Madrid's stadium would be closed for their next two Champions League matches, and the club was fined €150,000.
Jeremy Ling received a 3-match ban covering all club competitions under UEFA's jurisdiction (which coincided perfectly with the next three Premier League rounds) and Man United was fined €150,000.
It was a satisfactory outcome for all parties—except for Filipe, whose nose was nearly broken and whose resentment towards Ling had reached its peak.
...
After everything was settled, Ling was escorted back to his home by his assistant.
As soon as he arrived at the entrance, he saw a familiar figure.
"Maria, what are you doing here?" Ling asked in surprise.
Maria's eyes flickered with nervousness. "How are you?"
"You haven't seen me fight!" Ling immediately laughed and even flexed his biceps.
"I kicked Costa away with my left foot and knocked down Lemar with my right fist!"
Seeing this, Maria let out a long sigh of relief. "I bought you a few pieces of clothing the other day. I said I'd help you revamp your style, but you've been too busy to find the time."
Ling took the shopping bag, glanced inside, and noticed it was from the brand he officially endorsed.
He smiled, "Thank you. I'll treat you to a meal when I have time."
Maria hadn't chosen expensive luxury items, which made him feel less awkward.
This girl had pretty high emotional intelligence.
"The university opening ceremony is this afternoon at two o'clock. Can you pick me up, and we'll go together?" Maria asked, nodding.
Then, watching Ling yawn, she quickly added, "You should get some rest now. I need to go back and prepare a few things."
After waving goodbye to Maria, Ling quickly washed up and fell into a deep sleep.
...
Meanwhile, at Pep Guardiola's home.
Maria placed a cup of coffee on the coffee table, walked behind Guardiola, and began massaging his shoulders.
Tentatively, she asked, "Dad, what do you think about Jeremy's situation?"
"With my eyes," Guardiola replied dryly.
No sooner had Guardiola spoken than he felt a sharp pain in his shoulders, nearly causing him to spit out his coffee.
Turning to see Maria's angry expression, Guardiola sighed silently.
"I'll issue a statement in my personal capacity. Premier League clubs will likely unite as well. Jeremy definitely won't face severe punishment, so you don't need to worry too much about that brat," he said.
"By the way, shall I drive you to school this afternoon?"
Maria smiled sheepishly. "Ling and I already have plans."
Guardiola's face instantly darkened as he closed his tablet.
As Ling and Maria grew closer, he found himself feeling like a superfluous parent.
He took immense pride in his children, especially Maria, who had grown incredibly confident.
Deep down, he recognized Ling as the ideal partner for his daughter, but Guardiola couldn't shake his discomfort.
Could Ling care for her the way a father does?
He decided to let things take their natural course.
...
However, when he opened the door that afternoon to see Ling standing beside a yellow Camaro, the corner of his mouth twitched involuntarily.
Why did he feel like some punk was stealing his daughter away?
"I suggest you prepare yourself. Given your situation, suspension is inevitable—you'll likely miss several upcoming matches," Guardiola said with feigned nonchalance.
"As long as it doesn't affect the Champions League. The league season has just begun," Ling shrugged.
"Man United can win without me."
"You only led us by six points last season. Losing two matches early could put you in an unrecoverable position," Guardiola retorted, irritated by Ling's confident tone.
He was about to argue further when he suddenly froze.
Maria emerged wearing a fitted floral dress that showcased her tall, elegant figure perfectly.
Her shoulder-length hair and fair complexion radiated unprecedented confidence.
His daughter rarely dressed like this!
Guardiola felt as if he'd taken a critical hit.
His desire to argue vanished as he turned to leave in dejection!
"Dad, I'll come watch your match tomorrow!" Maria said, giving him a light hug.
His mood softened slightly as he mumbled, "Be careful."
When he returned to the sofa, his wife Christina teased him, "Darling, are you crying? Anything you'd like to share?"
His other children, Marius and Valentina, covered their mouths to suppress their laughter.
...
On the way to Manchester University, Maria gazed at Ling with sparkling eyes.
His 185cm height and well-proportioned physique elevated his simple British suit into high fashion.
"When I start my own brand, you absolutely must model for my advertisements!" Maria said, smoothing her dress.
Ling nodded. "Of course, no problem. When I win the Ballon d'Or, I'll promote you for free!"
Bathed in the streaming sunlight, the girl's smile shone as brilliantly as a summer sunbeam.
"Then you should win the Ballon d'Or soon," Maria said, extending her pinky finger.
Ling steadily parked the car and hooked his thumb with hers.
When he entered his football management classroom, he immediately attracted everyone's attention.
The students gave him warm applause, admiring his courage to fight back against racism.
Ling didn't refuse his classmates' requests for autographs.
After completing enrollment, he applied for an exemption from campus attendance.
Football management wasn't strict; as long as he met the academic standards, there were special provisions for professional players like him.
...
August 28th. The third round of the Premier League.
The streets were packed with crowds clearly divided into red and white.
Since joining the Man United first team, Ling had never played at Wembley.
Unfortunately, due to his suspension, fans couldn't witness him playing today.
Ling and Maria watched the match together from the stands.
In the away section, Ling waved to his teammates.
Man United's starting striker was Romelu Lukaku, while the defense consisted of Antonio Valencia, Eric Bailly, Harry Maguire, and Luke Shaw.
Peter Drury: "Welcome to Wembley! Man United have started steadily without their suspended star, Jeremy Ling. And wait—a mistake at the back from Danny Rose! Lukaku intercepts!"
Jim Beglin, "He's one-on-one with Lloris..."
Peter Drury, "And he slots it home from a tight angle! Manchester United take the lead!"
Ling excitedly stood up to cheer.
Mourinho chose to strengthen the defense after the goal, playing conservatively.
The first half ended 1-0.
However, after halftime, the United players seemed to slack off.
Peter Drury: "Trippier stands over the corner in the 50th minute. He whips it in... Kane loses Maguire!"
Jim Beglin: "A free header!"
Peter Drury: "And it brushes past De Gea! Tottenham are level!"
United tried to counterattack, but Lukaku, affected by the FIFA virus and fatigue, squandered several excellent chances.
Wasting chances comes with a punishment.
Peter Drury: "Trippier with a beautiful through ball. Eriksen dribbles into the penalty area... cuts it back from the byline..."
Jim Beglin: "Kane is there again!"
Peter Drury: "Harry Kane taps it in! Tottenham Hotspur have turned it around! 2-1!"
The roles reversed as Mauricio Pochettino parked the bus.
In the 79th minute, a shot by Riyad Mahrez was blocked, and Valencia fired the rebound high over the bar.
The score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
The stadium's Man United fans fell into disbelief.
Post-match commentators noted, "Lukaku wasted chances he shouldn't have. He bulked up for the World Cup despite the coaching staff's advice, and his speed and stamina are struggling to keep up with the Premier League pace."
Man United dropped to 5th place.
Man City beat Wolves 2-1, Liverpool defeated Brighton 1-0, and Chelsea overcame Newcastle 2-1.
Fans were surprised that United had already fallen behind in the title race.
...
Three days later, the Grimaldi Forum in Monaco was dazzling with stars for the UEFA Champions League draw and awards ceremony.
Representatives from all 32 clubs walked the red carpet.
When Cristiano Ronaldo appeared, fans cheered, though the man beside him was Juventus's Allegri, not Zidane.
When Ling arrived, the atmosphere reached its peak.
The locals were very friendly toward him.
Pogba, standing beside him, joked, "Jeremy, if you're looking for a wealthy partner, Monaco girls are your best bet."
Ling just curled his lip.
Inside, the draw was conducted by Brazilian star Kaká and Uruguayan star Diego Forlán.
Unsurprisingly, Man United landed a favorable group: Lyon, Shakhtar Donetsk, and Hoffenheim.
Group B was the undeniable "Group of Death," featuring Barcelona, Tottenham, Inter Milan, and PSV.
Pep Guardiola, sitting in the audience, wore a grim expression knowing Man City had drawn Juventus, but he remained confident.
After the draw, the highly anticipated awards ceremony began.
David Beckham won the UEFA President's Award.
De Gea won Best Goalkeeper, Sergio Ramos won Best Defender, Pogba won Best Midfielder, and Ronaldo won Best Forward.
Finally, the entire audience held their breath for the most prestigious award: UEFA Men's Player of the Year.
The award judges players based on domestic and international performances.
Who would win? Modrić? Pogba? Or Ling?
UEFA President Čeferin looked toward the big screen.
A red club emblem appeared, followed by highlights of Man United's number 7.
"In the 2017-18 season, he helped Man United reclaim the Champions League trophy after a decade!" the announcer boomed.
"He made 11 appearances, scoring 13 goals, and completed a hat-trick in the final! In the Premier League, he broke the single-season scoring record with 38 goals!"
"Your UEFA Men's Player of the Year... Jeremy Ling!!!"
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