Chapter 258
The final round of the league was played at the Bernabeu.
For Real Madrid fans, winning or losing this game doesn't make much difference. In the world of football, there is no difference between second and third place.
There were still fans in the stands, but it seemed much quieter than before.
"The starting lineup has been announced, and in this lineup, Van Nistelrooy is on the list! Previously, Van Nistelrooy was injured and missed nearly half of the season. After his comeback, as the new strikers of Real Madrid got along better and better, his playing time was further compressed..."
The media on the sidelines are reporting.
Van Nistelrooy and Cristiano looked at each other in the player tunnel. Only they knew what this game would be like.
The Dutchman doesn't like those fancy farewells, whether it's a farewell ceremony or a farewell match. To him, it seems like a meaningless waste. Nothing is more appropriate than a game in which he gives his all.
He also wanted to play in the 2012 European Cup, and he needed to ensure his playing time before that and ensure that he was always in good shape in the game, so he decided to leave Real Madrid without hesitation.
The only one in this team who understands why he made such a choice is Cristiano.
“The game begins!”
With the referee's whistle, the White Army sounded the horn to start the game from left to right.
This match was very exciting and Real Madrid won a big victory of 5-0.
Cristiano scored the first goal in less than five minutes of the game, with a long-range shot that directly blew away the goalkeeper's fingers. Then Benzema scored a goal from a corner kick to expand the score.
The second half was a show where Real Madrid scored numerous goals.
Kaka made a long run and passed the ball to the goal, then he went straight into the penalty area and shot. Ramos also got a chance to score with a header during the corner kick.
In the 87th minute of the game, Cristiano was looking for Van Nistelrooy. The no longer young king of the penalty area was still like a lion, ready to hunt at any time.
Cristiano retreated to the midfield, took the ball from Kaka's feet, trotted forward two steps, and suddenly kicked a long arc pass with the outside of his foot directly to the front court. Benzema and Van Nistelrooy immediately launched a swift and extremely oppressive fast break.
The ball seemed to have found Van Nistelrooy, and Benzema pretended to make a forward pass to attract attention in front of the goal.
When the defender reacted, two Almeria defensive players hurriedly retreated to surround Van Nistelrooy, but the Dutchman was extremely calm and at the moment when the goalkeeper chose to take the initiative, he lobbed the ball over the goalkeeper and hit the goal.
"Ruud van Nistelrooy scored a last-gasp goal!! Real Madrid beat Almeria 5-0!! Three more league points! With a total of 87 points and a slightly lower goal difference, Real Madrid is third in the league behind Atletico Madrid!"
Cristiano trotted to Van Nistelrooy's side, looked at him, and their eyes met for a moment. The Dutchman smiled knowingly and opened his arms to hug Cristiano.
"This game looks like a great outcome for my farewell match, I can't think of anything better than this," said Van Nistelrooy.
Sometimes he would want to sigh about fate. He and Cristiano met and separated at Manchester United, met again and separated at Real Madrid, and it seemed that the Portuguese was involved in every first goal and last goal.
The same was true for the game that just ended.
The Portuguese scored the first goal, as if composing a battle song for Real Madrid that was destined to be a glorious victory, and Cristiano was the first note to be struck; and he scored the last goal before everything was over, as if it was a fateful alternation and ending.
Cristiano gave Van Nistelrooy a stronger hug in return. He pursed his lips tightly, his eyes more determined and calm: "Luther, I wish you get what you want."
"Thank you," Ruud van Nistelrooy replied. He patted Cristiano on the shoulder and looked at the club staff running towards them. He suddenly whispered to Cristiano, "Want some advice from someone who has been through this, Ronnie?"
Cristiano was somewhat surprised and looked at Van Nistelrooy.
Ruud van Nistelrooy said: "Always put yourself first, Ronnie, follow your heart, the club is just a vehicle to realize your dreams, it is not a necessity, and only you, only us, are unique."
He pointed his finger at the team logo on Cristiano's jersey, then pointed at himself. The pride of the Dutch was like a clear mirror, with him standing on one side and the Portuguese reflected on the other.
Cristiano paused slightly. He knew what Van Nistelrooy meant, and he also understood what Van Nistelrooy wanted to think about leaving the club.
He looked down at the team logo on his jersey, then curled his lips and said, "I understand, Luther."
He responded, but still lowered his head and kissed the team badge on his chest: "My heart is to lead them to win five consecutive championships. I want to be the one who writes history."
Real Madrid was once his dream club. He had good and bad memories here. These were all his choices, and the Portuguese never regretted his choice.
Cristiano looked at Van Nistelrooy. Van Nistelrooy paused for a moment and then smiled knowingly. He nodded and said, "Mourinho is right. You are an ambitious person. Perhaps your ambition is greater than Florentino's."
"What he wants is not in conflict with what I want, but we are different." Cristiano said softly. He put his arm around Van Nistelrooy's waist. The two of them faced the camera that was following them. He blinked and changed the subject. "Luther, the camera is coming, smile."
Fanny smiled.
After the camera moved away, he told Cristiano: "I'm sure of that. I like your ambition, Ronnie, it makes me feel alive."
Cristiano smiled.
Ruud van Nistelrooy then went on to say: "And I am absolutely certain that the football era of the 21st century is your era and I am glad that I am part of it."
After he finished speaking, he patted Cristiano on the shoulder and motioned for the boy to go with him to thank the audience.
In Cristiano's first game in Manchester, he took the young No. 7 shirt to say farewell at the end of the game, and now, it is an end.
…
The end of the league does not mean the end of the season. A week later, the Champions League final lit up at the Stadium of Light in Lisbon, Portugal.
Cristiano felt like he was back home. The family box in the stands was filled with Ronaldo's family, and in order to avoid suspicion, the Wright family also sat in Kaka's VIP box.
Cristiano's national team teammates were watching the game at home, and this time there were especially many familiar faces in the stands -
Costa and Figo, who have retired, are like set alarm clocks, always appearing in Cristiano's finals. Then there is Ricardo, the great goalkeeper who was left on the field after the World Cup, as well as Deco and Nuno...
Almost all of Portugal's golden generation gathered here.
Just a few seats away, the camera also captured Ferguson and Ancelotti.
The two famous coaches sitting together reminded people of the two Ballon d'Or winners they once coached together, who are now in the same team - Real Madrid.
"Ancelotti and Ferguson are sitting in the stands together! The two famous coaches who coached Kaka and Ronaldo in the past are now watching the Champions League final tonight. I wonder if the result tonight will satisfy them?"
"The appearance of the two coaches may also be related to some recent rumors of personnel changes? As the season is coming to an end, Real Madrid has lost to its arch-rival Barcelona in all other competitions except for the pre-season opener. Mourinho's coaching and tactics are quite controversial, and rumors of a change of coach are rife..."
“…”
Before the game even started, broadcasts of the game had already spread all over the world. There is never a shortage of attention and gossip about football.
As the summer transfer window is approaching, in addition to who will win the Big Ear Cup tonight, the biggest topic of discussion is the stay or departure of each team's personnel. Whether it is a player or a coach, each person is just a fast-moving consumer product with a clear price tag on it.
This is the final night of the derby between the two city rivals in Madrid, Real Madrid versus Atletico Madrid, a real "Madrid derby".
Van Nistelrooy was not in the starting lineup for the final, which came as no surprise to him, but he made the squad and sat calmly on the bench.
The hostility between Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid is not just on the surface of being in the same city. Real Madrid was founded by upper-class people, while Atletico Madrid originated from the common people. The confrontation between the two teams is in a sense a class confrontation, and when these come to the stadium, they turn into an irreconcilable gunpowder smell.
The Stadium of Light has doubled its security staff for tonight's match.
The whistle blew to signal the start of the game.
Atletico Madrid's iron-like defense became a nightmare for Real Madrid. As the game progressed, Real Madrid did not play its usual smooth offensive posture, which made all the fans on the field worried.
Compared to the anxiety of the Madrid fans, the Atletico fans in the stands increasingly smelled the scent of breaking the deadlock. They sang and cheered as one.
Ferguson looked at Cristiano who was running tirelessly on the field. His boy was wearing the No. 7 jersey and his running style had never changed, but he was wearing a white jersey.
"Cristiano was fouled and fell to the ground! The referee gave a free kick in the frontcourt! Ronaldo took the penalty!"
Atletico Madrid were particularly unhappy with the free kick decision given by the referee, and a group of people gathered around the referee to protest.
Back to Atletico Madrid's striker Torres strode up to Cristiano and stared at him. He knew how much of a threat giving the ball to the Portuguese would pose to their goal, and he didn't want to take any risks at all.
He rushed to Cristiano, not hiding his anger and provocation, as if Cristiano was going to take a penalty kick instead of a free kick.
Ferguson was not at all surprised by the anger and hidden panic on the Atletico side. The most effective way to stop Cristiano's attack was to foul the boy.
But it is also a risk because Cristiano has his unique skills.
Cristiano stood on the penalty spot holding the ball. This position was very close to the goal, but the angle was a little small. It was on the front left side outside the penalty area, almost parallel to the goal.
But Atletico Madrid cannot take it lightly.
He was knocked back by Torres who rushed over. He raised his eyebrows and looked over, and saw that the other party pushed him and said, "You are a fucking clown."
Ramos and Kaka rushed over almost one after the other, and the referee also hurried over to try to separate the two.
Ramos faced his good friend in the national team and could only stand in front of him and separate the two with his body. He heard Torres' angry hissing and cursed Cristiano again: "Clown! Son of a bitch!"
Cristiano looked over and laughed. He had heard dirtier things than this. He guessed that Torres rarely did such "dirty work". Even the swearing and disrupting the mentality of the free throw taker were very stiff.
He grinned at Torres mockingly: "Why are you afraid of me?"
This further aroused the anger of the man on the opposite side. Torres almost rushed to Cristiano, but was suddenly stopped by Ramos.
"Enough! You don't want to get a card, do you?" Ramos growled, and he pulled Torres aside.
The next second, he felt himself being pushed away. His teammate, the Brazilian Kaka, pushed them away with a cold face and shouted in a low voice: "Get out of my way, Ramos, the two of you, stay away from him!"
Ramos paused for a moment, feeling a little puzzled that he was also scolded, but he didn't have time to think about it. He instinctively pulled his friend. On one side was his friend, and on the other side was his teammate. Ramos thought desperately in his heart that he should not have intervened and should have asked Pepe to mediate.
Soon, the referee blew a verbal warning and signaled that the game should continue.
The position of this free kick was too tricky. Cristiano tried hard to reduce the angle of the ball, but it still hit the side post and flew out.
The fans in the stadium booed loudly, while the Atletico players seemed relieved and even showed a little smile of victory.
Ferguson narrowed his eyes, chewed his gum expressionlessly, and snorted heavily.
Ancenotti sat next to him and clearly felt the suppressed anger of the Scottish coach.
He touched his cheek and thought, this kick was of high quality. If it was his disciple, she would be very proud and happy, even though the ball did not go in.
But that doesn't mean anything, the first half isn't over yet.
Ancelotti thought with ease in his heart that the Portuguese boy had grown much more than he had noticed before, or rather, he had grown much faster than he had expected. And in the blink of an eye, after not seeing him for a while, Kaka had also changed a lot. Although Kaka was never afraid of the gunpowder on the field when he was in AC Milan, he was not a person who would take the initiative to provoke trouble.
But looking at what happened just now, he had never seen Kaka knock away the opposing player like a bullfighter.
Tsk tsk.
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