Chapter 231 Return To East Berlin! The Champions League Knockout Round Is Coming!

Wenger's face was ashen. He had been standing on the sidelines, anxiously watching the game, barely able to contain his frustration. Now, he felt utterly defeated.

Su Luo had just scored again—another hat trick. Arsenal had gone from a 2-0 lead to trailing 2-3. It was a familiar pattern, one Wenger had seen too many times. Su Luo had bested him four times already; Wenger had never managed to win against him.

His only regret was that Arsenal didn't have the financial power to sign a player like Su Luo.

When Arsenal had equalized, there was still hope, but it was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Su Luo, Fabregas, and others combined for a brilliant passing sequence that left Arsenal's defense in shambles. Fabregas slipped the ball to the left, Ajar collected it and sent a cross in, Pedro pulled Mustafi out of position, and Mount made a run, dragging Koscielny with him. The ball was played back to the top of the box, where Su Luo arrived late and unleashed a deadly strike.

Hat trick complete. Three goals in seven minutes. The game was over.

Despite their strength, Arsenal couldn't stop Chelsea. They had come close, but Su Luo proved to be the difference.

In the end, Chelsea defeated Arsenal 3-2 at home, maintaining their perfect record at the top of the standings with 24 consecutive victories—the best in Europe. This streak continued to grow, and Su Luo had now scored 51 Premier League goals in just 24 games. Breaking the unprecedented record of 60 league goals in a single season seemed inevitable.

After the game, Wenger made a shocking revelation at the press conference.

"I'm feeling a bit old. My energy and stamina aren't what they used to be, and the intensity of the game is taking a toll on my heart. Maybe after this season, I should spend more time with my family."

The media was stunned. Was Wenger really considering retirement after losing to Chelsea?

Arsenal fans had often called for Wenger to step down, frustrated by years without a major trophy, but they never truly wanted him to leave. The thought of Wenger retiring sent a wave of panic through the fanbase.

Who would lead Arsenal if Wenger left? Would the club fall out of the top four? Could they even become a mid-table team?

Suddenly, the nickname "Coach Killer" attached to Su Luo gained traction. It had started as a joke among fans, but now even reputable outlets like The Times and the Daily Mail began tallying up the coaches who had been sacked after losing to Su Luo. Klopp, Guardiola, Jens Keller—all had been victims, and now Wenger seemed poised to join them.

Chelsea fans found the media's analysis amusing. The conclusion was always the same: Su Luo was simply too strong to be countered tactically. Opponents could only hope to outscore Chelsea or pray that Su Luo got injured.

After all, Su Luo was the only player in the world averaging more than two goals per game. He was, quite literally, unstoppable.

Following the 3-2 victory over Arsenal, Chelsea was given a brief two-day break. Their next Premier League match was in eight days, but another grueling stretch of fixtures was looming.

After an away match against Burnley on February 12, Chelsea would face Union Berlin three days later, and then, three days after that, they had the FA Cup fifth-round match against Wolves. Three matches in nine days—Chelsea was fighting on multiple fronts.

Given the tight schedule, Conte opted to rest his key players against Burnley, fielding a full bench. Even Su Luo didn't start.

Burnley played with tenacity, scoring a goal on a counter-attack in the first half to lead 1-0. They then hunkered down, defending resolutely. Despite Chelsea controlling 70% of possession, they couldn't find the back of the net.

Even so, Conte refrained from bringing on his star players. It wasn't until the 91st minute that Mount showed a moment of brilliance, slipping into the box during stoppage time and scoring a crucial equalizer.

With Mount's late goal, Chelsea salvaged a point, but their 24-match winning streak came to an end. It was a record unlikely to be broken, not even by the likes of Real Madrid or Bayern Munich at their peak.

After the match, Chelsea remained atop the league with 73 points, five points clear of Manchester City. Arsenal, Tottenham, Liverpool, and others were more than ten points behind, effectively out of the title race. Only Manchester City had a slim hope of catching Chelsea.

In an interview, Guardiola remarked, "Chelsea is stretching themselves thin with their four-front battle. This is our chance. If they start neglecting the league, Manchester City might just overtake them."

He had a point. As the Champions League progressed, more and more of Chelsea's focus would be drawn to Europe, potentially leading to rotation in the league.

Chelsea had rested their players against Burnley in preparation for the Champions League knockout stages. What Arsenal, Manchester City, Tottenham, Liverpool, and Manchester United couldn't do, Burnley had managed by catching Chelsea at the right time.

The morning after the draw with Burnley, the Chelsea team set off for East Berlin.

"Su is coming back! Su is coming back!"

Anya was so excited that she could hardly sleep. At Uncle Hans' house, she had been up all night with anticipation. Tomorrow night, Su Luo would once again appear at the old Forest Management Stadium.

After undergoing a bone marrow transplant and more than six months of recovery, Anya had gradually regained her health and even returned to school. Though she still needed to continue chemotherapy, the doctors assured her that she was out of immediate danger. If everything continued as planned, Anya was expected to recover fully.

The Hans family had endured a tough journey, but they had finally made it through. Anya had become somewhat of a local celebrity in East Berlin. Ever since Su Luo helped fulfill her wish by scoring a goal in the Bundesliga, the Berlin media had been following and reporting on her story.

In an interview, Anya said, "The reason I was able to persevere was mainly because of my parents' care and the courage Su Luo gave me. His relentless fighting spirit inspired me to successfully beat the disease."

She added, "Su will be back soon. Even though he's our opponent now, I still want to cheer for him. I hope the Berlin fans won't blame me for that."

The loyal Union Berlin fans didn't mind at all. In fact, many of them wanted to cheer for Su Luo too. To the people of East Berlin, Su Luo was like one of their own, a child they had watched grow up. He would always be a part of their community, and the Iron League would always consider him family.

When the plane landed at Berlin Airport, Su Luo felt a wave of emotion as he stepped onto the familiar ground. He was back. But he couldn't help wondering how the fans in the North Stand would receive him when he arrived at the stadium.

"Su, is this team strong? Will it be an easy match?" Brazilian teammate Willian asked curiously.

Before Su Luo could respond, Rudiger spoke up, "This team knocked Real Madrid out last year. What do you think? Even though they lost Su and a few key players, their fighting spirit remains strong. Don't underestimate them."

Rudiger's serious warning left Chelsea's players slightly uneasy. Could a team that had sold most of its key players really maintain its strength?

Su Luo didn't think Rudiger was exaggerating. He was concerned that his teammates might not fully grasp the challenge they were about to face. Despite losing some star players, Union Berlin had managed to hold onto second place in the Bundesliga, a testament to their strength.

Their forward duo, Salah and Sane, were world-class talents. Over the summer, they had also secured England's rising star, Declan Rice, from West Ham's U23 squad. After half a season of development, Rice had started to dominate the midfield after the winter break, making Union Berlin's defense much sturdier. Though he was only 18 years old, Rice had already earned a place in England's national team under Coach Southgate, becoming a key midfielder.

Union Berlin even managed to poach Schalke 04's main midfielder, Goretzka. With the 155 million euros they earned from Su Luo's transfer, they paid off debts and still had funds left to sign players like Kimmich, Mahrez, and Rudiger. Union Berlin was no longer short of money—they could afford competitive wages and transfer fees. Their strategy of finding young talents and selling them for high prices had brought the club into a virtuous cycle. Even without additional investment, they could thrive in the Bundesliga.

So, Su Luo knew this match wouldn't be easy.

The Champions League Round of 16 was about to ignite once more. After a long winter break, fans around the world were eagerly awaiting the return of Europe's most thrilling competition. The knockout rounds of the Champions League were known for producing unforgettable moments.

On the morning of the match, the Chelsea players prepared themselves with a nutritious breakfast and some light recovery training. Su Luo ate sparingly, following his usual pre-match routine. He believed that keeping a slight hunger helped him perform better on the field. Eating too much would slow his reaction time. If he needed energy later, a banana would do the trick.

As they approached the stadium, Su Luo noticed how different it felt coming in as a visitor. The journey through the forest to the stadium made it seem like they were heading into a remote jungle rather than an international city.

"Is Berlin really this remote? Did we take a wrong turn?" Mount and Pedro joked, looking bewildered.

Mason Mount, who had been performing well recently, had earned a spot in Conte's squad and would likely get a chance to play in the Champions League.

"Welcome to the Old Forest Management Stadium!" Su Luo announced with a grin as they passed through the trees, revealing the simple yet familiar stadium. A flood of memories rushed back to him—the first time he had come here, Uncle Hans had called him to help repair the stadium.

Now, more than three years later, Su Luo had transformed from a young boy expelled by Evergrande to a Ballon d'Or winner. He was back where it all began.

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