Chapter 1 When Chen Hero Walked off the Field

As Chen Hero walked off the field to receive treatment, there was only one sound in the entire Anfield stadium: the Liverpool fans chanting Chen Hero's name. When Chen Hero raised his right fist, the sound turned into cheers, as if they had rehearsed it beforehand.

This scene amazed the AC Milan players.

In the English Premier League, this scene was familiar to everyone. But AC Milan in Serie A didn't understand what was going on.

Chen Hero could make more than 30,000 fans change their behavior with a single gesture… Had this man's prestige in Liverpool reached such a terrifying level?

Some people didn't believe it and couldn't figure out what magic Chen Hero used to command so many fans.

But they could see that Liverpool's fans didn't want Chen Hero to leave the field like this.

In fact, they hoped Chen Hero would leave the field… Because if he went down, the biggest threat would be gone. Even if they were one goal behind, they would dare to equalize the score, or even surpass it, in the following games.

After Suarez was injured, Liverpool didn't have any decent strikers. If Chen Hero was also injured and left the field, Liverpool would really have to play a "no striker" tactic.

But this idea was destined to be just a beautiful fantasy.

Such a small skin injury was like a mosquito bite to Chen Hero. How could he be substituted off the field because of this?

On the sidelines, he received Brookner's treatment to stop the bleeding and bandage the wound. A circle of white bandage was wrapped around his head.

At the same time, assistant coach Sami Lee had already run back to the locker room to retrieve a brand-new jersey for him.

After Brookner finished bandaging, he habitually wanted to say something to Chen Hero, but the words came to his lips, and he changed his mind.

"I think you'd better use less… Hey, what am I saying to you? I know you won't listen!"

Chen Hero grinned, "Thank you for your kindness, doctor. But less headers, would that still be Chen Hero?"

After he finished speaking, he took off his dirty jersey, revealing his strong muscles and the large tattoo on his back—he finally didn't have to worry about a yellow card to show off his tattoo and muscles. But the time was short, and he quickly put on the jersey that Sami Lee handed over, making the female fans on the sidelines and in front of the TV shout regretfully.

After he sorted out his jersey, he raised his hand to the head coach on the field to indicate that he was ready and could play.

However, the referee seemed to be busy observing the intense game and didn't have time to take care of him, or he didn't see him at all.

It didn't matter if he didn't see him, Liverpool fans would remind him.

Everyone started chanting, "Hero! Hero! Hero!!"

The sound resounded throughout the stadium, and for a while, there was only this sound in the stadium.

Unless the referee was deaf, he couldn't possibly not hear it. He also knew what it meant.

After hearing the fans' shouts, he turned his head and looked at the sidelines, and found Chen Hero standing there, reaching out to him.

So he directly beckoned and signaled Chen Hero to enter the field.

The shouts in the stands briefly turned into cheers, and then they started shouting Chen Hero's name again.

In the midst of the huge shouts, Chen Hero ran back onto the field, and then he waved his fist at the stands.

The shouts suddenly became louder.

Everyone welcomed Chen Hero's return with the most enthusiastic shouts.

As long as Chen Hero stayed on the field, they would feel at ease and believe that they could eventually win the game.

Seeing this scene, Liverpool commentator Harry Levy sighed: "Those media are right, Liverpool is indeed suffering from the disease of 'Hero Dependence Syndrome'. But so what? In my opinion, relying on Hero is the safest thing in the world. Relying on him, we can rest easy. As long as he doesn't leave Liverpool, we can keep relying on him… What's wrong with that?"

※※※

Chen Hero returned to the field, although he had a white bandage wrapped around his head, and his image didn't look particularly good, it greatly boosted Liverpool's morale.

Before, they were also quite worried, after all, Chen Hero looked so scary after he was injured, his face was covered in blood…

Who knew how serious the injury was? What if his head was cracked open by the opponent?

Unexpectedly, Chen Hero only underwent simple hemostasis treatment, and then returned to the field. Many people breathed a sigh of relief—not only Liverpool fans have "Hero Dependence Syndrome," but many Liverpool players also have "Hero Dependence Syndrome."

※※※

When Chen Hero returned to the field, there was very little time left in the first half of the game.

Liverpool didn't score another goal, and AC Milan kept defending, not attacking. Even though they lost a goal, they didn't seem to be in a hurry.

In fact, this was also within Allegri's plan.

So when he saw the goal being lost, he didn't feel so annoyed.

In the various contingency plans he had made for the team, the situation of being one goal behind in the first half occurred many times.

He knew very well Liverpool's attacking strength. This was also a game at Liverpool's home field. It was indeed very difficult, almost impossible, to prevent Liverpool from scoring a goal. So it was better to lose one goal than to lose more goals, right?

Therefore, the team couldn't panic after losing the goal, and couldn't rush out to attack. Because that would only give Liverpool more attacking opportunities and allow them to score more goals.

He asked the team to continue to defend after losing the goal, whether it was the first half or the second half. It wasn't a big deal to only lose one goal in the away game and lose 0:1. Back at home, such a goal difference was not worth mentioning at all.

The team executed his orders very well and continued to defend after losing the goal.

Only Ibrahimović seemed very unhappy, repeatedly waving his hands on the field to signal everyone to press forward. As a result, he found that no one was listening, which made him stomp his feet and complain.

Even the commentators noticed it and said, "Ibrahimović seems particularly dissatisfied with his teammates' defensive retreat…"

Ibrahimović hoped that the team could quickly equalize the score, and then take advantage of the situation to suppress the attack. Maybe they could even overtake the score?

He felt that coach Allegri was too conservative.

He hated conservative football, he liked offensive football. Because in conservative football, he would have no use for his talents, and he would be reduced from the protagonist to a supporting role. This was something he couldn't accept.

The first half ended, 1:0, Liverpool, playing at home, were slightly ahead.

Allegri was very satisfied with the team's performance in the first half, only Ibrahimović wrote all his unhappiness on his face, as if afraid that others wouldn't see it.

※※※

During the fifteen-minute half-time break, Brookner re-bandaged Chen Hero's forehead wound. This time he did a more detailed treatment. Before, it was just a simple treatment, and the bandage was wrapped around a few more times than before, looking like an Indian Asan.

Chen Hero curled his lips: "If you do this, I won't be able to head the ball!"

"I just want you to use less headers!" Brookner didn't give in at all.

Chen Hero rolled his eyes.

Martin O'Neill praised the team's performance and then made arrangements for the situations Liverpool might encounter in the second half.

He wasn't very sure what AC Milan would do in the second half, so he could only say all the possibilities and then tell everyone what to do in response to these possibilities.

If AC Milan was eager to equalize the score and pressed forward in a big way, that would be the best. Liverpool could defend steadily and counterattack, hitting accurately.

If AC Milan continued to defend stubbornly and then waited until the last ten minutes or so, taking advantage of Liverpool's relaxation, and then suddenly exerted their strength, then Liverpool would have to increase their attention in the final moments of the game and not let the opponent succeed. At the same time, they had to continue to strengthen their attack in the second half, because leading by only one goal was not enough.

If AC Milan defended stubbornly from beginning to end in the second half, and had no intention of attacking at all, feeling that they were satisfied with only losing one goal, then Liverpool would have to score as soon as possible to break the deadlock, and expand the one-goal lead to a two-goal lead, forcing AC Milan to press out and attack them, so that there would be more gaps in the defense.

Specifically, in terms of how to attack, Martin O'Neill asked the players to continue crossing at a forty-five-degree angle, using Chen Hero's header…

Speaking of this, he suddenly stopped, turned his head and looked at Chen Hero, who was wrapped up like an Indian Asan.

Chen Hero certainly knew what he meant, so he rolled his eyes at team doctor Brookner again, and then said to Martin O'Neill, and also to all his teammates: "I'm fine, you just hang the ball on my head, it's all my fault if I don't score!"

Although O'Neill was strange in his heart how Chen Hero would ensure his hit rate in this way, he still nodded: "Just do what Hero said."

He could only choose to trust Chen Hero, because he had no one else to believe in besides Chen Hero.

※※※

At the same time, in AC Milan's locker room, Ibrahimović expressed his dissatisfaction with Allegri: "I think we should attack in the second half, we can't always be pressed and beaten by the opponent…"

But Allegri rejected his suggestion: "It's very dangerous to attack, Zlatan. This is their home field, and you know how powerful Liverpool's attack is. In this game, we are playing away, and losing only one goal is the best result for us. Any bit of indulgence may lead to disaster. This is the Champions League semi-final, and I have to be careful."

He said this on his lips, but what he was thinking in his heart was: Who doesn't know what you want to do? Don't you just want to compete with Chen Hero for goals? If you let your temper come, what tactics will this team have?

After being rejected, Ibrahimović didn't continue to pester Allegri, he sat back down, but the expression on his face was not good.

Allegri also pretended not to see it and continued to talk to his players about the tactics for the second half.

"We only lost one goal in the first half in the face of their bombardment, which is a remarkable achievement! We must continue to defend in the second half…"

Hearing his words, Ibrahimović snorted in his heart: Cowardice is cowardice, don't find so many high-sounding reasons for yourself! As the head coach of a Serie A powerhouse, he is so timid. Under him, it would be strange if this team had the ability to revive!

Ibrahimović felt that he should talk to Berlusconi or Galliani properly. He especially disliked Allegri now. If he wanted to stay in the team, Allegri must get out, otherwise… he didn't mind reconsidering his choice…