Chapter 267 Peak Duels With Real Madrid And Manchester City!

In the second half of the Champions League semi-final, the result was no surprise.

Barcelona lost 3-0 in the first half at Camp Nou, with Su Luo scoring a hat-trick, completely conquering the legendary stadium. From that moment on, Barcelona's chances of advancing dropped to less than 30%.

When they arrived at Stamford Bridge, they gave it their all, and the MSN trio (Messi, Suárez, Neymar) played with determination. But despite their efforts, Chelsea won 3-0 again, with an aggregate score of 6-0.

Su Luo was simply unstoppable, scoring 5 goals and providing 1 assist over both legs, completely dominating the tie. It was clear that the heartbreak of last year's semi-final defeat had fueled his desire this season. Now, Su Luo was terrorizing Europe.

The Spanish media outlet Mundo Deportivo didn't even know who to blame for the loss. They pointed fingers at Atlético Madrid in an article, claiming, "For two consecutive years, Atlético Madrid used dirty tactics to stop Su Luo, but they only succeeded in creating a monster. Atlético Madrid has unleashed a demon."

Chelsea were now the first team to book their spot in the Champions League final at Cardiff's Millennium Stadium.

Meanwhile, there was little suspense in the other semi-final between Real Madrid and Juventus. In the first leg at the Bernabéu, Ronaldo and Bale scored two goals on the counter-attack, giving Real Madrid a 2-0 advantage.

Juventus hoped to pull off a miracle in the second leg in Turin. They played one of their best matches of the season, and their lineup was solid: Buffon in goal, a defense consisting of Barzagli, Bonucci, Chiellini, and Alex Sandro, with a midfield featuring Khedira, Pjanić, and Dybala. Up front, Higuaín and Mandžukić formed a dangerous partnership.

Despite their strength, Juventus were unable to break through Real Madrid's defense. Navas and Varane made key saves to deny Juventus the equalizer. Juventus were playing at the highest level, dominating Real Madrid in their own stadium.

On the other hand, Real Madrid looked disjointed, like a circus act. Their 2-0 lead from the first leg seemed to make them overconfident. Zidane's tactics were completely outclassed by Allegri, who was clearly the better tactician on the day.

But Real Madrid had luck on their side. Despite Juventus' relentless pressure, the first half ended scoreless. At the start of the second half, Benzema took a low shot from outside the box, and it took a deflection, wrong-footing Buffon. Real Madrid now led 3-0 on aggregate.

Juventus couldn't hold back any longer and launched an all-out attack. Dybala, nearly exhausted, threaded a through ball past three defenders. Pjanić delivered a cross, Mandžukić dummied the ball, and Higuaín finished it off to score! Juventus pulled one back, but they were still three goals away from leveling the aggregate score.

Real Madrid then exploited Juventus' desperation. Modrić sent a perfectly timed through ball that split the defense. Bale raced forward and calmly finished one-on-one with Buffon. Juventus were crushed, and the tie ended with Real Madrid advancing 4-1 on aggregate.

The scoreline didn't reflect the match. Anyone who watched the game knew Juventus had been the better team. They did everything right, but the woodwork and bad luck denied them. Real Madrid, on the other hand, advanced comfortably to the final once again.

After the match, the nickname "Qi Xuanzong" (Zidane's honorific) grew in popularity. Real Madrid had a knack for surviving dangerous situations this season. While their squad was strong, luck seemed to be their greatest ally.

Looking ahead to the final, betting companies favored Real Madrid to win. The odds were already out: 2.1 for Real Madrid to win, 1.3 for a draw, and 4.2 for Chelsea to pull off an upset. Many believed Real Madrid, with their perfect record in Champions League finals, would take the trophy.

Chelsea, on the other hand, had only been to two finals before: losing to Manchester United on penalties and beating Bayern Munich, also on penalties. Their win rate stood at 50%.

The general consensus in Europe was clear: "Finals are different from other matches. It's more about mental strength than anything else. Even the best players can disappear under the pressure of a Champions League final."

The Real Madrid squad that won in 2014 hadn't changed much. Almost all their players had experience in finals, unlike Chelsea, where most of the veterans had left. This lack of experience could be Chelsea's biggest weakness.

Despite this, Su Luo and his teammates weren't too concerned. Public opinion doesn't win finals—strength does. And Su Luo had never been afraid of any challenge.

With the semi-finals over, the football world shifted its focus to the Champions League final. There were still a few weeks to go, enough time to settle the national league campaigns. Once the dust settled, all eyes would be on Cardiff for the grand finale.

As for Chelsea, their players would soon get some rest before preparing for the biggest match of their careers.

Just two days after the Champions League semi-final, the penultimate round of the Premier League kicked off!

Chelsea's opponent was West Bromwich Albion, and Chelsea had already secured the Premier League title. As per football tradition, their opponents lined up on either side of the player tunnel to applaud and welcome the champions onto the pitch—an unwritten custom in world football.

Of course, in this relatively meaningless game, Conte decided not to field his main players. They didn't get the chance to experience the honor of being applauded like kings.

Instead, young talents like Mason Mount and Loftus-Cheek were treated like royalty. Su Luo and the rest of the senior players were comfortably seated in the stands, casually chatting and enjoying the game.

"Have you noticed how much Mason has matured? He's got so much potential," one of the players remarked.

"Yeah, he's been really sharp in these situations. His future looks bright," Su Luo agreed with a nod.

The stars in the stands were relaxed, while the young players on the field were fired up. They knew how rare it was to get game time, so they were determined to make the most of it.

West Brom couldn't handle Chelsea's relentless attacks. In the end, they had no choice but to surrender, losing 2-0. Chelsea comfortably cruised to victory without any drama.

Before the final round of the Premier League, Chelsea had one more game to play—a rescheduled fixture against Watford. This time, Conte fielded his main players, wanting them to regain match sharpness ahead of the Champions League final.

Watford, on the other hand, were fighting for survival. They were on the brink of relegation, just five points above the drop zone. Desperate for points, they saw Chelsea as an opportunity to get a crucial win.

Watford started the game strong and even had the upper hand early on. But Chelsea had Su Luo.

In a lightning-fast counter-attack, Su Luo broke the deadlock and put Chelsea ahead! He'd now set a new Premier League record with 72 goals in a single season.

Not stopping there, Su Luo delivered two god-level assists, perfectly finding his teammates in the box. Lukaku headed one in to make it 2-0!

Then, Azpilicueta made a solo run into the penalty area and slotted the ball into the net with a low shot. 3-0!

Chelsea extended their unbeaten streak to 37 games. With just one game remaining, they had the chance to go an entire Premier League season without losing.

Before the Champions League final, Chelsea had two more key fixtures. One was the final game of the league, and the other was the FA Cup final. With a week between each game, it would allow the players to stay in form.

After all, going too long without competitive matches could be dangerous, making it hard to regain rhythm before such a high-stakes final.

In Su Luo's previous timeline, the FA Cup final was contested between Arsenal and Chelsea. That time, Wenger led Arsenal to victory, ending their trophy drought. But this time, Arsenal had been eliminated by Manchester City in the semi-finals.

Now, Chelsea faced a familiar foe in the final: their old rival, Manchester City. It would be the third clash between these two giants this season.

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