Chapter 130 Returning to the Wishing Well
"Ladies and gentlemen, as the referee's whistle blows, the 2008/09 UEFA Champions League final has come to a close. AC Milan defeated Barcelona 2-0 to win the Big Ears trophy this season. Cabrini won the Champions League Golden Boot with a staggering 14 goals, also equaling the 47-year-old Champions League single-season goal record held by his predecessor Altafini..."
In the broadcast footage, Barcelona players sat or lay down, their faces filled with dejection; Milan players ran with their heads held high towards their own fans' stands, celebrating this exciting moment with them; an engraver etched AC Milan's name onto the Champions League trophy; Berlusconi, Galliani, and other Milan club executives and legends emerged from their boxes, smiling as they entered the stadium…
Once the podium was set up, the Barcelona players lined up and walked past it, reluctantly letting Platini put the silver medal symbolizing their runner-up finish on their heads, before turning around and taking it off.
No one is happy about the runner-up medal; the runner-up is the biggest loser.
Next, Platini, with a fake smile, presented the championship medals to the Milan players one by one, while Berlusconi handed the Champions League trophy to Maldini.
As Maldini raised the Champions League trophy high above his head, red fireworks burst forth all around, and golden ribbons rained down, pushing the frenzied atmosphere to its peak.
Fino had lost count of how many people had hugged and kissed him. His brain had lost the ability to think; he was just excitedly laughing and joking with his teammates, enjoying the happiness and joy of the moment.
After the group photo was taken, the players' families entered the field.
The players rushed to their families, embracing, kissing, and weeping with joy. They posed for photos with their families, holding the trophy, basking in the glory and the warmth of family. In this heartwarming moment, Fino was all alone. He looked around blankly, his smile gradually fading.
Like fireworks that blaze brilliantly for a fleeting moment before fading away, the happiness and joy of winning the championship vanished suddenly. In the Olympic Stadium, which can hold 70,000 people, amidst the fireworks and ribbons, Fino felt a deep sense of loneliness.
The excitement belongs to others; he only has himself.
He suddenly didn't want to stay on the field anymore. He walked through the bustling crowd and headed alone toward the players' tunnel.
But in the players' tunnel, he encountered someone who shouldn't have been there: Xabi Alonso.
Alonso smiled and opened his arms to him.
Fino quickened his pace and threw himself into Alonso's arms. After a few seconds of embracing, he took a step back and, forcing himself to stay alert, asked, "How did you get in?"
"Hmm, maybe it's because I'm somewhat famous?" Alonso joked. "I said I was going to comfort my teammates on the Spanish national team, and security let me in."
Fino laughed: "You really know how to find excuses to go out and comfort Harvey and the others?"
“Of course not, I’m here to congratulate you, Fino. Congratulations on winning the Champions League and the Golden Boot! Your performance was fantastic! I have a feeling you’ll win the Ballon d’Or and FIFA World Player of the Year this year.” Alonso put his hand on Fino’s shoulder.
Alonso watched the entire match, including the awards ceremony, from the neutral fans' stand. He was there for Fino, and his eyes were naturally fixed on him.
When Milan lifted the trophy, he saw the smile on Fino's face, but when the players' families entered the stadium, he immediately noticed the dejection on Fino's face.
Fino's vanished smile pained him deeply. He knew Fino's past and could understand Fino's feelings at this moment.
He wanted to do something for Fino, even if it was just a hug. He wanted Fino to know that she wasn't alone on such a memorable night.
So, as Fino slowly made his way through the crowd, he scanned his face to enter the player tunnel and waited for Fino. The moment Fino entered, he opened his arms to him.
“It’s almost midnight now, you certainly won’t be heading back to Milan tonight. Handsome boy, may I book you for tonight?” Alonso lightly kissed Fino’s cheek.
A gentle, clean kiss, fleeting and without any ulterior motives, is a mature and steady older brother comforting his younger brother who is feeling down.
Despite it being only their second time meeting in real life, they felt no distance between them. Alonso's actions were natural, and Fino accepted it well.
It was as if they had always been that close.
“Okay.” Fino nodded. His teammates were all with their families, and he really didn’t want to be all alone.
Alonso couldn't stay in the players' tunnel for too long; it would be awkward if he ran into either Barcelona or Milan players. Fino and Alonso agreed on a meeting place later, Fino quickly showered, changed his clothes, and then went to Ancelotti with his backpack to ask for leave.
Ancelotti readily agreed. He hadn't originally planned to keep the players cooped up in the hotel tonight; such a happy moment should naturally be spent with their families.
He reminded Fino to be careful and not to miss the meeting time the next afternoon, then waved for Fino to leave.
The celebrations on the field continued, and Nesta began searching the field for Fino. His parents wanted to meet Fino, and they had a great fondness for the boy their son had once brought home.
Nesta searched around but couldn't find Fino, so he grabbed Pirlo who was passing by and asked, "Hey, Andrea, have you seen Fino?"
Pirlo then realized that Fino had already left the stadium.
He suddenly realized that Fino was all alone at this moment of celebration with his family.
He thought Fino had already returned to the locker room, so he hurriedly ran back to the locker room to look for her, not wanting her to be alone in the locker room.
But when they got back to the locker room, they found that Fino's backpack had also disappeared. They didn't know when Fino had left.
Pirlo stood there, stunned.
Considering that Fino had played a full 90 minutes of football and spent several hours on awards and celebrations, he must be starving, so Alonso suggested that they go eat first.
Perhaps because of the Champions League final, quite a few restaurants on the street were still open, waiting to serve fans who had finished watching the game.
Fino was more familiar with Rome than Alonso. After asking Alonso about his preferences, he took him to a restaurant that Nesta had taken him to before.
Nesta approves of this restaurant; everyone who's eaten there raves about it.
After filling his stomach, it was nearly 1 a.m. Fino's low spirits gradually returned to normal with Alonso's comforting words, but the excitement of winning the championship still kept his mind and body excited, and he didn't want to go back to rest.
"Harvey, are you tired? If you are, I can take you back to your hotel to rest. If you are not tired, I can take you on a night tour of Rome."
Alonso chuckled softly: "Didn't we already agree to meet at your place tonight? Of course I'll stay with you the whole time."
Fino had once strolled through Rome with Nesta and still remembered the streets of Rome's old city. He took Alonso and began wandering through Rome along the same paths he had walked with Nesta.
The city of Rome was much quieter at night than during the day. Fino and Alonso chatted and strolled along, and before they knew it, they had arrived near the Trevi Fountain.
Fino remembered the legend of the Trevi Fountain in Rome that Nesta had told him, and he recounted the legend to Alonso.
"Did your wish come true?" Alonso turned and sat down on the edge of the pool, turning to ask Fino.
Fino shook his head, thought for a moment, and then nodded: "I don't believe in making wishes, so I just threw a coin into the fountain without making a wish, but my fixed wish of 'returning to Rome' has come true. I play in Serie A, and coming to Rome to play is a regular occurrence for me. Even if 'returning to Rome' specifically refers to returning to the Trevi Fountain, it has come true tonight."
Alonso laughed: "Looks like it works."
Fino took a coin out of his wallet and placed it in Alonso's palm.
"Since it's spiritual, then make a wish. I hope your wish will come true."
Alonso shook his head: "I don't have any wishes that need to be fulfilled."
He and Fino were the same kind of people, believing that fate was in their own hands.
"For example, could you smoothly transfer to your preferred club?" Fino suggested.
Alonso will definitely leave Liverpool this summer. Fino has not inquired about his next destination, but hopes that his transfer will go smoothly and that he will not be like last summer, when he was tormented by Liverpool all summer and was forced to stay in the end.
Alonso tossed a coin in his hand and confessed to Fino, "My agent team has already been in contact with Real Madrid, but nothing is finalized until the very last moment, just like last summer. I thought I could come to Italy to join you, but..."
Alonso shook his head.
“Real Madrid?” Fino turned and sat on the pool wall next to Alonso. “With Florentino taking over, Real Madrid is bound to make some big moves, and it feels like things will be chaotic for a while. But with the reinforcements in the summer, the team’s strength will definitely increase significantly, and you’ll be teammates with the previous two Ballon d’Or winners.”
"Aren't you going to try to persuade me to come to Milan? I'd rather be teammates with the future Ballon d'Or winner!" Alonso joked.
Fino shook his head and sighed, "My own future is not necessarily in Milan."
He told Alonso about Galliani's reprimand, omitting some of the dirty tricks involving the club that couldn't be revealed to the public.
"Mendes felt this was just a routine reprimand from the club's management because, logically speaking, Milan had no reason to sell me. But I wasn't as optimistic as him. The club is like a lump of fermenting dough, smooth and shiny on the surface, but riddled with holes inside, hiding countless secrets."
Alonso put his arm around his shoulder and comforted him, saying, "Mendes has a point. Players can't just focus on playing football; their relationships with the club are also complicated. The more important a player is, the more likely they are to be feared by the club's management, and they always have to be given a warning."
He gave an example.
"Liverpool's new owners are two Americans. These businessmen are scoundrels. They conspired to pull off a scheme to transfer the £390 million debt incurred by Liverpool through leveraged acquisition to the club's accounts, causing Liverpool's finances to deteriorate rapidly. They not only conspired to harm Liverpool, but they also fought fiercely among themselves. Important players in the team were both summoned by the two of them for talks, and they coerced and bribed the players to take sides, including me and Gerrard."
"So how did you do it?" Fino asked curiously.
"I don't care if they die." Alonso sneered. "Fini, this is advice from someone who's been there: don't get too emotionally invested in the club, because sincerity will always be betrayed. Just be true to your contract and put your future first."
Thinking of what Alonso had gone through last summer, Fino held Alonso's hand tightly, hoping to offer him some comfort and strength.
Alonso shook their clasped hands and continued, "We come from the youth academy to the first team, so we will inevitably have a deep affection for our parent club. But we must learn to separate the club's interests from our personal interests. Perhaps the team is a faith to us, but in the eyes of the club's management, it is just a business. Don't sacrifice your future to serve someone else's business. You must learn to break free from the club's moral blackmail and not let so-called 'loyalty' ruin your future."
He thought of his good friend Gerald.
In 2005, Liverpool took advantage of Gerrard's loyalty and showed him no respect during the contract renewal process, leaving him out in the cold for a month. Heartbroken by the club, Gerrard considered transferring, but ultimately stayed under the club's moral pressure.
"Don't worry, I really want to be like Maldini, playing for one city, but many things can't be forced. If you can't have what you want, you can only accept what comes your way."
Alonso gave him a deep look, and only after confirming that there was no reluctance on Fino's face did he feel relieved and gently kiss Fino's forehead again.
Alonso flipped the coin in his hand, pondered for a few seconds, and then tossed it into the wishing well.
He didn't believe in making wishes, but since he was already here, he figured he might as well give it a try.
My first wish: I hope the transfer this summer can be completed smoothly.
My second wish: I hope to have the opportunity to become teammates with Fino in the future.
My third wish: to return to Rome.
...
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Author's Note: Happy Qixi Festival! [Let me see...]
Thank you everyone for your support! [heart emoji]
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