Chapter 383: Chapter 382: Little horse, do you feel like killing Bayern?
May 25, 2001, Meazza Stadium in Milan, Italy.
The UEFA Champions League final was about to commence, with Bayern Munich facing Valencia CF.
This was a duel between "losers."
Of course, this was a rather golden type of loser.
The former was the loser of the Champions League final two years prior.
The latter was last year’s Champions League final loser.
Between these two losers, one was bound to break free from their cocoon and transform, becoming a new powerhouse in the new century.
Both sides ended the one hundred and twenty minutes tied one to one.
It’s worth mentioning that both goals came from penalties.
Valencia’s key player Mendieta scored the penalty.
For Bayern, after Scholl missed a penalty earlier, they got another chance in the second half which Effenberg successfully converted.
In the penalty shootout, Bayern’s Paolo Sergio missed the first kick, but the German goalkeeper Kahn was spectacular, saving the shots by Zahovic and Caboni in succession.
After five rounds, the shootout entered the sudden death phase.
Though different from the "Golden Goal sudden death" in the extra time stage of the UEFA Cup final, the Champions League final’s "penalty sudden death" was also very thrilling.
In the end, Valencia’s Pellegrino became the villain for the team, missing his penalty and sending Bayern to the championship podium.
Valencia reached the Champions League final for two consecutive years but failed to win the title both times, a fact which sealed their fate of dissolution that summer.
The Champions League final is a place where opportunity and crisis coexist.
Reaching the Champions League final is a sign of a team’s ascension.
But failing to win the final can also be a sign of a team’s disintegration, with the future Tottenham serving as a classic example.
Only a very few teams can maintain their strength after losing in the Champions League final.
Among those few, an even smaller number can actually win the Championship Trophy afterward, thereby securing their status as a powerhouse.
Bayern is a typical example, reaching the semi-finals three times in three years, twice to the final, and finally winning it this year.
Other examples include Juventus before and Real Madrid, Manchester United, Chelsea, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, Paris Saint-Germain, and Liverpool thereafter.
Valencia sadly almost made it onto this list.
What a pity...
The excitement level of this Champions League final was no less than any other final, and it even had the gimmick of "all goals from penalties."
But when it comes to the excitement level, it really fell short by miles compared to the UEFA Cup final the day before.
As a result, many fans believe that this year’s most exciting, highest-quality match was the final of the UEFA Cup.
This caused strong dissatisfaction among Bayern fans.
Before Bayern lifted the Champions League trophy, they were also supporting Liverpool and Sporting Lisbon.
Because both teams had former Bayern players, Babel and Matthaus.
But after Bayern’s victory, of course, they only supported their own team.
Bayern star Effenberg even mocked Matthaus as he lifted the Championship Trophy, shouting that even without Matthaus, Bayern Munich could be the kings of Europe!
This remark spread across Europe like wildfire through the media.
What hurt Matthaus was that afterward, Effenberg stepped forward to clarify.
’Clarification’ did not mean that he had not said those words, but rather that what he actually said was "even without Matthaus, Bayern Munich could still become the Champions League winners."
Good lord.
That’s some direct confrontation, isn’t it?
Moreover, the media exposed that during the trailing phase, Effenberg, trying to boost morale, shouted at his teammates, "Come on brothers, Matthaus has never won the Champions League in his lifetime, let’s win one and piss her off!"
Afterward, Bayern players confirmed the authenticity of this story.
Matthaus was furious.
Originally, before this, Matthaus had already given a heads up to Sporting Lisbon that he was ready to go make a fortune in the Turkish Super League.
When you talk about tycoons, it’s these guys they were referring to first.
They were willing to offer Matthaus top European wages and a series of special treatments. Playing for a year in Turkey would net him at least five times what he’d make in a year at Bayern and Sporting Lisbon!
After all, Matthaus was a Golden Ball and World’s Best Footballer winner, having claimed a treble this year, he was the only player in Sporting Lisbon with peak credentials, honors, and ability.
Of course, Matthaus wasn’t initially swayed.
If Deng Kai didn’t leave, he planned to study coaching tactics with him for another year.
But the Turkish tycoons made it clear... they had unlimited models on tap.
Matthaus was tempted right away.
He even had in-depth communications with the Turkish tycoons about the model issue, declaring himself a believer in love, thinking that money defiled it.
He never paid for prostitutes.
When the Turkish tycoons heard this, they understood; you like them free, right? Oh no... you like some drama, right?
Easy!
We’ll arrange a few who know how to play their parts, students, colleagues, a boss’s wife, ensuring you reroute the path of youth.
Then this incident with Effenberge and Bayern happened.
Matthaus was truly furious.
He, with a mouth as big as Maradona’s, had a smooth career, but it was only in Bayern that he had been wronged.
Slapped by Lizarazu, provoked by Effenberge, scapegoated for Bayern’s Champions League final loss.
And he never managed to reclaim his dignity.
Matthaus was nearly driven to a heart attack from the anger.
Just when he had calmed himself down and was ready to move on and continue talking deals with the Turkish tycoons, Deng Kai’s call came through.
After Matthaus picked up the phone, Deng Kai just blurted out, "Lothar, Effenberge has gone too far! If I were you, I’d be damned if I didn’t go for a Champions League Trophy just to slap him in the face!"
Matthaus was so taken aback he almost couldn’t catch his breath, inwardly screaming: No, you’re not me, I don’t plan to go for the Champions League, it’s too hard.
But how could such words be admitted in front of a junior?
"Heh heh." Matthaus laughed awkwardly.
Deng Kai continued, "I’ve already discussed it with Mr. Trigella, if Sporting Lisbon can complete sincere reinforcements before August, I probably won’t leave this summer."
Matthaus was stunned, "You’re not leaving? I heard that Manchester United, Liverpool, Juventus, AC Milan, Lazio and other teams all hope to sign you. If not now, when do you plan to leave?"
"Besides, even if you don’t want to leave, will Sporting Lisbon be able to resist selling you?"
Deng Kai smiled faintly, "None of those teams you mentioned promised me a treatment as a core team player. Not a single one, except for AC Milan, was willing to guarantee me a starting spot!"
"So, do I go or not?"
"If they can’t even promise me a starting position, how could their offers possibly tempt the team?"
"As the new treble winner, the team’s Championship bonus is enough to absorb a loss from a twenty-million-euro deal. As long as my value next year isn’t twenty million less than now, the team won’t lose out."
"On the other hand, my value isn’t even twenty million euros right now. As long as I don’t want to leave, the team definitely won’t force me to."
Matthaus pondered, "Transfermarkt values have a delay, and players younger than sixteen are unpredictable in their development, posing a great risk of decline, so undervaluation compared to market rates is very normal."
"If you were Quaresma’s age, with this year’s performance, thirty million euros would be reasonable."
"Similarly, considering your age, indeed no team dares give you a core role. They can’t even afford it, nobody would accept a sixteen-year-old kid as a leader."
Deng Kai gestured for Hathaway to turn up the TV volume while asking, "So... let’s not talk too much, are we going for the Champions League next season or not?"
From the TV, Effenberge’s voice came through, "I told my teammates that without the Champions League, Matthaus would be furious to see us win one..."
Matthaus nearly crushed his phone.
Deng Kai continued to add fuel to the fire, "Alright, let’s not talk about the Champions League; many see that as unrealistic. What about the European Super Cup before next season starts?"
"Sporting Lisbon and Bayern Munich... Are you sure you want to miss out on that match?"
This time Matthaus couldn’t hold back anymore, "Damn it! I must avenge this slight! Charge! Charge, damn it! Take down Bayern! Take down Effenberge!"
