The Quickest Kickoff

Aldrich sat down next to Cristiano Ronaldo and asked softly, "Are you scared?"

Cristiano wrinkled his nose, making a dismissive face. "I wasn't at first, but the doctor made it sound so scary!"

Aldrich chuckled and nodded. "Doctors do have a knack for that. Some of the ones outside, just looking to make money, will exaggerate illnesses so much that patients would go bankrupt for treatment. But our team doctor is professional. He's honest and straightforward. He probably wanted to explain the necessity of the surgery by pointing out the serious consequences."

Cristiano shook his head slightly. "But he could've just told me! Instead, he went out of his way to tell my family. Look, my mom was scared to tears. I think it was unnecessary. If surgery's needed, then let's just do it."

Aldrich raised his hand and ruffled Cristiano's hair, deliberately messing it up. "Don't think of yourself as an adult yet. You're still a minor. Without your family's consent, whether the surgery succeeds or not, it would still be wrong to proceed! I heard you've been making waves in the youth team lately. So, how's it been? Playing against other strong European youth teams—any insights?"

Cristiano shrugged nonchalantly. "It's whatever. I don't think the European youth teams are that great."

In the "Next Generation" league between European club youth teams, Millwall's youth team had already advanced to the quarterfinals, with Cristiano as the star of the attack.

With Ronaldo approaching 16 and now having to undergo surgery, Aldrich's heart couldn't help but soften.

"Want anything? I'll get you something special for your 16th birthday."

Ronaldo quickly glanced around, then tilted his head and asked seriously, "Anything?"

Aldrich felt an urge to smack him on the head. This kid was utterly shameless.

If you ask for a sports car, I'll just give you a model of one!

He nodded.

Without hesitation, Cristiano blurted, "Let me play in the first team."

This time, Aldrich gave him a light but firm smack on the head.

You couldn't help but be both annoyed and amused by him.

"How many times have I told you? You're in a critical developmental stage. Can you really handle the physicality of playing against adults 10, even 15 years older than you? What if you get injured—or worse, seriously hurt? It could ruin your entire career."

Cristiano rubbed his head, his expression stubborn. "I'm not asking to be a starter. Just let me play occasionally. Right now, playing with a bunch of kids is boring."

Aldrich didn't even know how to respond. The irony was too much. This boy was still a kid himself, yet he refused to see it.

It probably had something to do with his constant progression through age groups. At 12, he trained with the U14s. At 14, he moved up to the U16s. Now, nearing 16, he was already with the U18s.

And still, he had the audacity to call the 18-year-olds kids and claim it was boring!

"Well? What about your promise?"

"Fine. I'll arrange it, but you need to focus on the surgery first."

"Deal!"

Aldrich stood up with a wry smile. After exchanging a few more words with Cristiano's parents, he had the club arrange a hotel for their stay.

Aldrich arrived nearly half an hour late to the pre-match press conference with Spartak Moscow. Upon entering the press room, he immediately apologized but did not provide a reason for his delay. There wasn't much to discuss about the upcoming match; one word summed it up: win!

Millwall now had 7 points, sitting in second place in the group. However, if they lost or drew, their chances of advancing would become less favorable.

In this group, Hamburg had underperformed, losing points to the other three teams. Lisbon Sporting, now in third place with 4 points, could potentially reach 7 points if they defeated Hamburg in this round.

Aldrich didn't want to leave things hanging until the final match. If Millwall won tonight, with their advantage over Lisbon Sporting (one win and one draw), they would secure a spot in the knockout stages.

Cristiano Ronaldo's surgery was scheduled earlier than expected. The following afternoon, accompanied by his family, he went in for the procedure. According to Mechel, the operation was simple and didn't require much preparation.

By evening, Ronaldo had already recovered from the surgery, coming out of the operating room seemingly as lively as ever. He acted as though he'd just taken a stroll through the operating room and was eager to train. His mother, Dolores, was startled and quickly insisted he rest. Fortunately, the club had sent VIP tickets for the Champions League match that evening, so Ronaldo, along with his siblings and parents, went to Lion King Stadium to watch the game.

Coincidentally, Kaka's family had also been invited to the stadium that night, sitting in the adjacent box to Ronaldo's family.

Before the match kicked off, Aldrich made his way over to Kaka's box. Kaka, looking as healthy as ever, was still recovering, unable to do any heavy exercise for fear of injuring his spine again. Aldrich stopped by to chat briefly with the family, wishing them an enjoyable time watching the game.

Kaka stood by the window of the box, taking in the breathtaking view of the packed stadium. Millwall flags waved proudly in the stands, and though such a powerful atmosphere wasn't new to Kaka from Brazil, the way the English fans were backing their team was a completely different experience. The stadium reverberated with chants, a blue sea of fans, with flags and banners all shouting out Millwall's current greatness.

Aldrich made his way to the box where Cristiano Ronaldo's family was seated. This was actually Cristiano's first time sitting in a VIP box to watch a match. Previously, after his good performance in training, he'd received free tickets and watched the games alongside his teammates in the stands. But today, he sat with the poise of a host, sitting straight-backed and exuding a façade of mature detachment. He pointed around and told his family to make themselves comfortable—drinks and snacks were available at their leisure. 

When Aldrich entered, Ronaldo's parents stood up to greet him, thanking him for the support despite the surgery earlier that day.

Aldrich stood by the door, speaking quietly with Dolores.

"The club is leaving for Japan tomorrow to participate in a cup competition. We're taking him along, and if you all have time, please join us as well. The club will cover all expenses. He'll be turning 16 soon, and I'd like him to make his professional debut in the next match. It's a significant moment for him. I believe having his family there to support him, to watch him, will make him even happier."

Dolores covered her mouth in disbelief, her wide eyes showing just how surprised she was.

Yesterday, she had been fearful that Cristiano Ronaldo's football dream was over, but today, not only had the surgery been a success, but they had also received news that would lift the spirits of the entire family.

"Okay. Alright! We'll definitely be there to cheer him on."

"Great. The club staff will contact you to handle the details. You'll be going as tourists while he's with us for the match. There will be a translator with you the whole time. I have to go now to oversee the match. If you have any questions, feel free to call me. Goodbye."

Dolores waved as Aldrich left. After the door closed, she placed her hand on her chest, overwhelmed with emotion.

"Mr. Hall, what a wonderful person…"

As the Champions League anthem played through the stadium, Aldrich arrived late, walking out from the player's tunnel. He first shook hands with Spartak Moscow's manager, exchanged a few pleasantries, patted the man on the arm, and returned to his seat in the home team's dugout. He picked up a bottle of water, took a sip, and adopted a more serious, focused expression.

This match was crucial. Not only was it a chance for revenge, but with the upcoming schedule, Millwall would be heading to Tokyo after this match. Following that, the demanding pace of the Premier League would resume, making it essential to reduce pressure where possible in the final round of the Champions League group stage.

Sparta Moscow currently has 12 points and has already secured qualification, but the match is far from meaningless. They definitely want to top the group to avoid ending up in the "group of death" in the next phase, as the draw for the next stage will mix the first and second-place teams from each group. If they finish second in their group, they could end up in a group with two group winners.

In the fifth round of the Champions League group stage, Millwall welcomed Sparta Moscow to Lion King Stadium—a team they were eager to defeat. So far, only Bayern Munich and Sparta Moscow have beaten Millwall in European competitions. In a way, Sparta Moscow's victory over Millwall has raised their profile significantly in the past two months, and many are curious about this team: How could they possibly beat the unstoppable Millwall? Objectively speaking, Sparta Moscow's victory was largely thanks to their home advantage. Their away performances haven't been outstanding, and they only managed to snatch a narrow win against Hamburg through counterattacks. But today, facing a Millwall team with a terrifying home record, will their counter-attacking tactics still work?

Millwall's performance in the first half of the season has slipped compared to last year, and many attribute this to Nedvěd's serious injury. Even though Klose has been performing well as an attacking midfielder, providing excellent playmaking and scoring data, he cannot replace Nedvěd's role. With Nedvěd in the team, Millwall's formation was highly flexible—4231, 433, 442, 4312, 4321. In these constantly shifting formations, Nedvěd was both an offensive and defensive asset. He was the key to Millwall's fluid attack and the creation of confusion in the opponent's defense. Klose, however, offers fewer variations. Switching between 433 and 442 is common, and although he's effective when partnering with Henry as a forward duo, the attack has become less dynamic. As a result, Millwall's offensive power has been somewhat weakened.

Despite this, Klose is still highly regarded. He is capable of playing many roles in the attack: center forward, winger, attacking midfielder, and second striker. Moreover, he is still very young, with a bright future ahead of him.

Today, Millwall is starting Klose as an attacking midfielder, at least in the initial lineup, though the formation can change flexibly.

Spartak Moscow seemed a little disorganized after kick-off, likely due to their four consecutive victories in the Champions League group stage and their recent win over Millwall. Instead of compacting their formation, their forwards and attacking midfielders pushed up high, looking to press for the ball early.

Pirlo, standing just behind the center circle, launched a massive long ball forward. Klose had already started his run, instinctively moving forward, thinking Ronaldinho would create space on the wing, letting him get into position for the ball. But before Ronaldinho could make his move, Pirlo's pass was already heading toward Klose's head.

With his back to the goal, Klose, all height and long legs, leaped backward, flicking the ball with a perfectly timed header.

The ball bounced into the small penalty area behind him, and Henry, like a shadow, zipped through the two defenders. He'd read the play perfectly. He knew that Klose wouldn't be able to direct the ball to his feet, given his position and the way the header came in. With Klose facing away from goal, the ball was bound to drop into the box. Henry's timing was impeccable, and as the ball fell, he was in the right place at the right time!

Henry controlled the ball in the box, with the goalkeeper charging at him. Without a second thought, he feinted to one side, slipped past the keeper, and then calmly slotted the ball into the empty net.

The game had begun… in just 8 seconds.