Starting as a Defensive Midfielder at Real Madrid

“The match is over! The match is over! Congratulations to Chelsea! They’ve reached the Champions League final two years in a row! Whether or not they win the trophy again this year, they’ve already set a new club record! And let’s also not lose sight of Atlético’s players — they may have lost today and missed out on the final, but their future remains bright! In recent seasons, we’ve seen their remarkable resilience and indomitable spirit. Maybe they were just a bit unlucky today. Most of their core players are still young — and in football, youth is the greatest asset! So don’t be discouraged — believe in yourselves, lift your heads, and come back stronger next year!”

In the LeSports live broadcast studio, commentator Jian Jun struggled to keep from shouting in excitement as he read his carefully prepared remarks.

First congratulating Chelsea, then consoling Atlético — balancing personal feelings with professional commentary — this was vintage Jian Jun.

Meanwhile, next to him, Coach Zhang was grinning from ear to ear as he watched Li Ang hugging and laughing with his teammates on camera.

Normally, they had already praised Li Ang countless times during matches.

Now, without needing to say anything, Zhang’s chuckles were enough for viewers to imagine him showering Li Ang with endless compliments.

But what Zhang was thinking now was different:

If Li Ang successfully defended his Champions League title this year, how high would his place in football history rise?

After last season’s Champions League triumph,

Li Ang had already joined Cristiano Ronaldo and Messi as the players with the most Champions League titles among active players.

And unlike Messi — whose first Champions League title remained controversial —

Li Ang, like Ronaldo, had won all his trophies as a full starter and key figure.

When fans talked about the Champions League,

the conversation always circled around Cristiano Ronaldo, Messi, and Li Ang.

If Li Ang led Chelsea to another Champions League crown this summer,

he would pull ahead of Ronaldo and Messi, becoming the only active player with four titles!

While this alone wouldn’t immediately anoint Li Ang as the undisputed best player in the world,

it would further cement his place among football’s all-time greats.

The idea of football’s “Big Three” would gain even broader recognition.

Coach Zhang eagerly anticipated this moment.

And Chinese fans around the world celebrated Chelsea’s victory with fiery passion.

Li Ang had once again become the center of the football world.

Whether Cristiano Ronaldo could reclaim the spotlight depended on whether he could overturn Juventus the following night.

If Ronaldo staged another miraculous comeback,

the world’s media would feast on the renewed rivalry between him and Li Ang.

It wasn’t an exaggeration —

last season’s Chelsea vs Real Madrid group match had shattered group-stage viewership records.

If they met in the Champions League final,

the attention would be overwhelming.

Mourinho vs Real Madrid.

Li Ang vs Real Madrid.

Mourinho vs Ancelotti.

Li Ang vs Cristiano Ronaldo…

Any one of these matchups would fill newspapers and broadcasts for weeks.

Thus, after Chelsea’s victory,

European media unified in their hope for Real Madrid’s comeback.

For Madrid, the media wave was a double-edged sword.

Confidence, yes — but also crushing pressure.

Few players could turn pressure into motivation like Cristiano Ronaldo —

a rare, priceless talent.

Most players, however, would inevitably feel the strain.

In Madrid’s squad, Cristiano and Ramos were the emotional anchors,

but even they were now physically and mentally drained.

Could they still perform miracles at the season’s end?

Many die-hard Madrid fans didn’t realize the danger yet.

But Li Ang, observing calmly, was already worried.

Even Chelsea — after enduring a brutal April — had immediately prioritized player rest.

Mourinho had given key players time off,

even at the cost of possibly losing their unbeaten run.

The club’s medical staff had already issued red alerts for seven key players.

Even Europe’s fittest team, Chelsea, had reached their limit —

let alone Real Madrid, whose starters had been run into the ground all year.

Meanwhile, Juventus had already secured the Serie A title,

giving Allegri the freedom to rotate his squad heavily.

Psychologically and physically, Juventus entered the second leg in a much stronger position.

From a neutral perspective,

Li Ang honestly believed Juventus were more likely to advance.

But personal loyalty trumped objectivity.

Having taken leave in Madrid,

Li Ang made his stance clear on social media:

He would attend the Bernabéu to cheer for Real Madrid.

His loyalty won him even greater affection from Madrid fans.

On the night of May 4th,

Li Ang, accompanied by agent Jorge Mendes, sat in the VIP section at the Bernabéu.

Before the match, he had already embraced a host of Madrid legends:

Raúl, Figo, Roberto Carlos, Guti, Morientes…

A gathering of football royalty — all coming to witness Real Madrid’s do-or-die battle.

Even celebrities and political figures were present,

highlighting the immense hype around the match.

Ancelotti unveiled a tactical surprise —

benching James Rodríguez and starting Isco instead.

This move shocked many pundits and fans alike.

Li Ang was intrigued.

Though Madrid still used a 4-3-3 on paper,

this strategy reminded him of Mourinho’s old modified 4-2-2-2 system.

Isco added more ball control and dribbling creativity to midfield,

just like Di María once did under Mourinho.

Isco could sap Juventus’ defenders’ energy before James came in for the kill.

Li Ang wasn’t certain,

but it was very similar to the way Zidane later used Isco.

He patiently observed the formations as the players took their places.

At exactly 7:45 PM local Madrid time,

the referee blew the whistle —

and the epic showdown began!

Like reheating an old dish, Spanish media outlets couldn’t resist stirring things up again.

Not just during the summer window — even in the past few winter windows, plenty of Spanish sports media had used the same rumor for traffic.

Now, with Li Ang having achieved huge success at Chelsea — not only leading the team to a Premier League three-peat but also standing on the brink of a back-to-back Champions League triumph —

the €80+ million Chelsea had spent on him seemed like an incredible bargain, and Real Madrid looked like the big losers.

They hadn’t just “sold cheaply” their future captain for the next decade,

they had also lost what could have been football’s undisputed best midfielder.

Given that, it was understandable that Real Madrid had long harbored hopes of bringing Li Ang back to the Bernabéu —

even neutral fans could understand the desperation.

But the real question was:

Why would Chelsea sell him now?

Thus, most people still treated the rumors as entertainment.

Few fans truly believed Madrid could drop a hundred million-plus and snatch Li Ang back so easily.

At first, when the new batch of transfer rumors surfaced,

most fans just laughed it off.

But once Marca, AS, and then even Bild and Sky Sports reported that Real Madrid had officially decided to go after Li Ang,

more fans started taking notice.

“No way, Madrid! You’ve been teasing this for three years — now you’re serious?!”

“Can Madrid pass Financial Fair Play? Buying Li Ang now would cost a fortune.”

“You guys are stuck in old impressions. Real haven’t been heavy spenders for years. Their wage structure is tight too. And remember — the money from Li Ang’s original sale practically covered Bale’s transfer, and they funded James with the sales of Morata and Matuidi later. They can absolutely afford to splash big on Li Ang now!”

“If you look at it that way, Real’s recent achievements are impressive — not much spending, but always in the Champions League semis.”

“Don’t forget: for a club like Madrid, not winning is itself a failure. Poor Ancelotti — so much pressure.”

More and more fans joined the debate about Li Ang’s potential return to Madrid.

Sensing the massive engagement, major sports media across Europe started digging deeper.

But throughout the storm, Li Ang himself remained silent.

No confirmation, no denial —

he continued showing up for training every day like nothing was happening.

After training, he would stay for extra drills, or go out to team dinners.

While Mendes was busy helping Cristiano Ronaldo with contract talks,

Li Ang didn’t add to his agent’s workload.

In fact, his silence perfectly aligned with his management team’s strategy:

Don’t clarify. Let the buzz build.

The longer Li Ang stayed linked with Real Madrid,

the more attention he drew — especially tied to football’s biggest club.

When he left Madrid, although his endorsements continued to rise annually,

many Chinese companies had regretted losing their poster boy.

Now, with rumors of a return,

Chinese corporations were buzzing again —

ready to throw massive endorsement deals at him if he wore Madrid’s white jersey once more.

These weren’t small deals either —

even calculated in pounds, the potential increase would amount to tens of millions.

Mendes, energized by the opportunity, called Li Ang for his opinion.

But Li Ang simply replied:

“No rush.”

He truly wasn’t in a hurry.

Endorsements, millions — none of that mattered now.

Only one thing mattered:

winning the Champions League again.

Until the season was over, he refused to let his mind be distracted.

His focus and intense training were his silent answer to the world.

Mendes, knowing Li Ang’s temperament after so many years,

put the transfer negotiations temporarily on hold.

On May 11th, after days of swirling transfer rumors,

Li Ang finally appeared on the pitch — his first public sighting since the gossip storm erupted.

He looked calm, composed —

completely unaffected by the noise.

Mourinho seemed equally unfazed, even shrugging and smiling when the TV cameras caught him.

Arsenal’s players, meanwhile, kept sneaking curious glances at Li Ang,

their expressions equal parts admiration and amusement.

They had already locked down fourth place in the league, leaving Tottenham behind.

Their fighting spirit wasn’t particularly strong.

But Li Ang — having rested and sharpened his edge — craved the thrill of competition.

From the first whistle,

he relentlessly charged at Arsenal’s defense.

This version of Li Ang was “selfish” in the best sense —

hungry, confident, relentless, like the world’s top attacking stars.

Unprepared, Arsenal’s defenders were soon repeatedly carved open.

By the 8th minute,

Li Ang had already created multiple chances.

Driving forward from midfield again,

he forced Flamini to retreat nervously.

Seeing Flamini back off, Ramsey had no choice but to fall back too.

Wenger, watching from the sideline, immediately sensed danger.

But before he could shout instructions,

Li Ang reached his shooting range, adjusted his stride, and pulled the trigger!

He was about 34 meters out —

a distance few players dared shoot from anymore since Cristiano Ronaldo’s decline in long-range shooting.

But this was still well within Li Ang’s range.

Ospina, fully aware of Li Ang’s threat,

moved early and leapt with all his might.

The ball, screaming through the air,

brushed Ospina’s fingertips —

deviated slightly —

but still crashed into the net off the inside of the post!

Li Ang, confirming the goal,

didn’t race to the corner flag in wild celebration.

Instead, he turned, smiling calmly, arms outstretched, welcoming his teammates.

The first to arrive was Kroos, and soon the whole team mobbed him.

The TV cameras caught Li Ang’s serene, confident grin perfectly.

His demeanor proved one thing:

He was utterly unmoved by the storm raging outside.

He was still the same player:

stepping onto the field, fighting purely for victory.

The season wasn’t over yet.

He would keep fighting —

and he would keep chasing his dream of defending the Champions League crown!