Chapter 268 – The Enduring Beauty (3)

268

2035.04.23.Sunday
Champions League semi-final second leg Estadio Santiago Bernabéu.

The moment I entered the home stadium of Real Madrid, the dream club that always ranks among the top three football clubs, a tremendous cheer poured out.

“What? Why are they cheering for us?”
“It must be an illusion. The real guys over there are warming up too. They are cheering for their players.”
“Not really… Don’t the crowd just seem to welcome us?”

When everyone entered the ground to warm up before the game, everyone was bewildered by the enthusiastic cheers.

“Red! Red! Red!”
“The Executioner of Catalonia!!”
“Conqueror of Barcelona to the arms of Reyes de Europa, King of Europe!!”

My face popped up on the billboard.
Then, when the announcer at Real Madrid’s home stadium shouted my name, the crowd chanted along in unison.

“… Since when did the Bernabeu become our home?”
“Minjun, I heard that you are Los Blancos over there?”

The card section that everyone found while looking around with fierce expressions.
A huge card section in the stands was creating the words ‘Hong is Los Blancos!!’.

“Why is Hong also in Korean?”

Real Madrid home fans go wild as they laugh at the absurd sight.

“You really aren’t going to go to Madrid, are you?”
“Because it isn’t.”
“Then what about the interview? Look at that reaction.”
“Ah, I said it was just pissed off. Fuck Barcelona.”

I am breaking out in a cold sweat while making excuses to my colleagues who question me suspiciously.

“Red! Nice to see you again. Are you cool today too? I really think a white uniform would look good on you. Ah~ I look forward to it. Running with Hong would be really fun. When we’re together, no one can stop us! Looking forward to it already. The way I pass and you decide.”

The root of all evil ran like a dog that saw its owner.
Fuck this….

“Go away.”

This is a stalker.

“Minjoon. Are you really not going? It’s only been a year. Yes?”
“Oh, not really!! You even said in an interview that you would not leave until we won the league and the Champions League!!!”

The impulsive interview had consequences, and Newcastle fans rose up like bees at my Real Madrid remarks.

Because of this, I had to say that I would never leave Newcastle until I won the Premier League and the Champions League, saying I would stop making rash remarks.

‘I couldn’t even achieve my purpose of coming to Newcastle in the first place, but where am I going….’

However, it is not possible to disclose the terms of the contract.
Aww, it’s frustrating.

It was all Jorge Garcia, that bastard stalker, who rekindled public opinion that seemed to subside.

Accepting my Real Madrid drip as a documentary for the purpose of half-joking and mocking Barcelona, ​​”I expected to be a team with Hong Min-jun”, “Me and him will go beyond coexistence and create great synergy!”, “If I had the authority, what would I do? I will recruit Hong even if I use it!”, “He is my only rival and understanding!” Etc., He blew up the embers that had subsided with all kinds of crazy interviews.

In the meantime, I personally experienced and verified my performance in the last game, my ability to score goals with my own ability even while the entire team was consistently behind, so how can Real Madrid supporters not go crazy?

The real problem is whether that Jorge Garcian or Jorge is gay.

“If you come to our team, I don’t mind moving to the right. Oh, do you enjoy playing inside? Don’t worry, I’m good at sideplay, so we’ll be the perfect duo!”
“Go away!! Shut up!!”

* * *

“Yesterday’s Media Day was quite a hot topic, right?”
Haha, isn’t Jorge Garcia’s wish for Hong Min-joon famous? This time, as expected, I pointed out Minjun Hong. Ah, it looks like the starting lineup has been announced now. Let’s take a look together… Uh?”

Immediately after the starting lineup was announced, the broadcasters divided their opinions.

“A unique lineup appeared, right? Rotation member Jonathan Silva made a surprise starter. At the beginning of the season, coach Botmann, who showed customized tactics against Liverpool… Have you prepared something against Real Madrid this time?”
“I see a change in formation more than that. It’s a 3-5-2 formation… Have Newcastle ever tried a three-back? I think it’s the first time I can remember.”

I was taken aback by the unexpected lineup and formation.
The commentator, who was looking at the data in a hurry, continued with an ambiguous expression.

“As far as I know, threebacks this season… No, I think it’s the first time Bottman has taken the Newcastle helm.”
“Still, isn’t Bottmann a tactically flexible coach?”

Newcastle manager Bottman is not the type to build a team with a clear football philosophy.
For example, a style like Carlo Angelotti rather than a style like Pep Guardiola, Mourinho or Bielsa.

It was only a boat with a flexible style that devises tactics according to the given squad rather than composing players and tactics according to his soccer philosophy, so he played various games such as 4-2-3-1 and 4-3-3 during the season. Didn’t you show the tactic?

However, even if he is a tactically flexible manager, there is a degree of law.
The first three hundred of his career out of the blue in this important match in the Champions League final.

“This is so… On the surface, there seems to be no difference between four and three backs, whether there are 4 or 3 defenders. But really, really, there’s a big difference. It’s a completely different platform tactically.”
“You’re right. Why are there players who are evaluated as being a center back suitable for a three-back or a side defender suitable for a wingback? It’s not like that for nothing.”
“This is a mistake that tactically excellent coaches sometimes make. It’s not just about having good tactics. It’s more about how mastery the players are with that tactic. Especially in a big game like this, a clumsy change can turn into a big disaster— kuhmm.”

The commentators, who had been worried, came to their senses belatedly at the PD’s signal and entered into a commentary for correction.

“But coach Botman, even when young, is by no means easygoing. Aren’t you the manager who made Newcastle, which was evaluated as a power in the relegation zone just two or three years ago, rise to where it is now?”
“That’s right. He is a young but talented director. I think I have prepared enough for this game.”
“First of all, our Hong Min-jun will sortie with two tops, right? He has often played in the front line and showed good form, so I expect a good performance today.”

Although it is impossible to pick up the spilled water, the relay team, sweating profusely belatedly and doing their best to turn the circuit of hope, soon found a subject to turn the topic.

“Uh? What is this? Are the Real Madrid home fans cheering for the Newcastle squad right now?”
“Uh… It’s a huge shout… What is it? Why… Oh, I see Hong Min-joon on the display board.”
“Yeah~ Minjun Hong is very popular. Uh? No way? Even the card section?”
“This is a rare treat even for a Real Madrid playerhaha.”

The broadcaster’s fuss reached its climax when letters made from the card section of the Bernabéu spectators appeared beyond the screen.

“Big uh… It’s a truly heartbreaking sight. Not another team, but Real Madrid, a Korean player who is so anxious to sign.”
“I never dreamed that a player like this would come out in Korea. Viewers, can you see? Not Newcastle home. Hong Min-joon is calling from Real Madrid home!!”

* * *

‘Well….’

If I were a Real player, I wouldn’t have known, but I would have never thought I’d come to Real Madrid for a guillotine match and be greeted with such fervent cheers at Real’s home stadium.

Is it a face too?
What… The face is not without influence, but it must be because of Barcelona.

The ‘former’ Barcelona player robbed Barcelona so much that it went down in history, and even had an interview saying that he would go to Real Madrid.

This is like a ‘former’ Japanese nationality player naturalized in another country and robbing Japan at an all-time high, saying ‘I love Korea! I want to become a naturalized Korean and wear the Taegeuk mark!”

… Of course, a player who once played an A-match as a national team member cannot become a national team member just because he is naturalized, but if we imagine that, how will Koreans react?

Maybe that’s exactly how Real Madrid fans feel right now.
They sent Barcelona on a tour of the past and exploded in the aftermath, so wouldn’t all the teams that hate Barcelona send the same reaction? Should I visit the home stadium of RCD Espanyol?

Thank you for supporting me… I don’t know if they’ll cheer me on when the game is over.
I would have enjoyed it when Barcelona was robbed, but if Real Madrid, which I support, is robbed like a dog and eliminated from the Champions League, I will send out booing instead of cheering.

As a result, my expectations were wrong.
Real Madrid fans booed from halfway through the first half, even before the game was over.

“Why is this a PK!!”
“Didn’t that bastard take money from the Middle East!?”
“Hong Min-joon, what about that Asian man!!”

… Well.