Chapter 160 The Scum of the Earth

Chen Yingxiong's words at the airport not only infuriated Barcelona fans but also embarrassed UEFA.

Michel Platini's fondness for Barcelona was no secret in European football. With his pursuit of the FIFA presidency, Barcelona might find itself favored worldwide.

It was possible that this Barcelona team could create a new era surpassing predecessors like the Dream Team and Dream Team II.

But Liverpool and Chen Yingxiong emerged, shattering their dreams.

If there were a vote for the person UEFA least wanted to succeed, Liverpool and Chen Yingxiong would undoubtedly win by a landslide.

The thought of potentially presenting the trophy to Liverpool in the finals filled Platini with grief and indignation.

Perhaps his desperate run for the FIFA presidency was partly motivated by a desire to escape this position and rid himself of this awkwardness?

And Chen Yingxiong's sanctimonious words at the airport sounded like a scolding to those with guilty consciences.

This was why UEFA felt uncomfortable and embarrassed.

Chen Yingxiong's distortion of fair play was a slap in their faces.

Because under Platini's leadership, UEFA had become increasingly devoid of fairness.

Platini had never expected Liverpool to display such formidable fighting strength at home. When Chen Yingxiong declared he would decisively end the semifinal suspense in the first leg, he, like many others, dismissed it as a joke.

Now, Barcelona and he himself had become a joke.

Had he known, he would have made arrangements to prevent this from happening.

While not as blatant as when Barcelona played Chelsea at Stamford Bridge, he could have at least ensured Liverpool won by fewer goals.

That way, Barcelona would still have had a chance to turn things around at home.

They wouldn't be completely finished as they were now.

Even the Barcelona players themselves didn't believe they could win a spot in the finals.

He had missed the best opportunity, and now there was no chance or need to act. He couldn't possibly have Barcelona score seven consecutive goals at home for the most incredible comeback in history, could he?

If he did, he dared to bet that not only would his FIFA presidential bid be over, but his political career would also be terminated.

Although he truly, deeply loved Barcelona, he couldn't sacrifice his political life for them…

He could only temporarily record this slap in the face from Liverpool and see if he had a chance to retaliate next season. If not next season, then the season after that. He would always vent this frustration!

※※※

The second leg between Liverpool and Barcelona was meaningless.

This was evident from the sparse crowd in the stands.

Because Barcelona was destined to lose this game, coupled with dissatisfaction over Barcelona's crushing defeat in the first leg, many Barcelona fans boycotted the game in protest.

The Camp Nou stadium, which could hold over 80,000 people, was only about half-full, with half of the stands empty.

In the history of the century-old Barcelona club, had such a situation ever occurred?

This was a great shame!

An even greater shame than being scored on six times by Liverpool.

After all, that was only harm from the opponent, while these empty stands were harm from their own fans, hurting deeper and causing greater pain!

This scene was broadcast worldwide, and they became a laughingstock once again.

Continuous setbacks had caused the Barcelona players to perform without any fighting spirit on the field.

In the end, Liverpool defeated Barcelona 3:1 away, eliminating them with a 9:1 aggregate score and advancing to the finals.

Barcelona's only goal was scored by Messi, which should have been a face-saving goal. But after Messi scored, the stands were filled with boos and white handkerchiefs, without any cheers or applause.

Even Messi wasn't in the mood to celebrate. He covered his head with his hands, covered his ears, and ran back with his head down. He didn't seem to want to hear the piercing boos or see the white handkerchiefs waved by the angry fans.

His opponent, Chen Yingxiong, scored twice in this match.

Chen Yingxiong was truly Barcelona's nemesis. He could infuriate Barcelona fans to death with anything he did.

After scoring his first goal, he went straight over the advertising boards, ran to an empty stand, sat down in the first row, and began to applaud himself, making celebratory gestures.

Behind him and to his left and right were large, empty stands. He looked particularly conspicuous and noticeable in this background.

Barcelona fans considered his celebration a provocation and insult to them.

So they gave Chen Yingxiong huge boos, and other fans in the stands wanted to beat him up.

But before they could get to him, Chen Yingxiong had already returned to the field.

Waiting for him was a yellow card from the referee.

Chen Yingxiong knew that the referee was deliberately trying to make trouble for him. The rules said you weren't allowed to climb the wire mesh to celebrate, and you weren't allowed to take off your shirt to celebrate, but it didn't say you weren't allowed to sit in the stands to celebrate a goal, did it?

This yellow card was the referee's way of trying to disgust him.

Unfortunately, they didn't succeed in disgusting him.

He was in an incredibly good mood right now!

※※※

After the game, Chen Yingxiong voluntarily accepted interviews with reporters in the mixed zone.

This was not a common sight.

In the past, reporters had begged Chen Yingxiong for interviews, and he would only grant them based on his mood. If he was in a bad mood, he would say one word, or even no words at all, and turn around and leave, leaving the reporters helpless.

Today, the sun had risen in the west. Chen Yingxiong actually stopped to accept interviews with reporters.

But everyone quickly realized that there was no such thing as free lunch in this world.

Chen Yingxiong wasn't there to fulfill the reporters' interview wishes; he was there to complain!

"I was very surprised today. When I entered the stadium, I thought I had come to the wrong place…" Chen Yingxiong began to speak eloquently in front of the camera.

"To be honest, I have rarely seen such an empty stadium. I think even in my home country of China, the professional leagues haven't seen such an empty stadium in many years… I only know what caused this, but I am very disappointed in the Barcelona fans, very disappointed…" He looked pained, but the reporters watching his performance next to him were already feeling disgusted. Of course, the reporters from Liverpool were trying hard to hold back their laughter, afraid of ruining the atmosphere and making Chen Yingxiong unable to continue his act.

"In England, even if a team is relegated, the fans will flock to the stadium and won't leave any empty seats. They also won't boo their own team at home. They will only applaud and use this method to express their love for the team. I like fans like that. I think that kind of relationship between fans and the team is normal. But what did I see at the Camp Nou? What I saw was shame!" He suddenly raised his voice, shocking the reporters with different reactions. Everyone refocused their attention on him.

"Shame! A great shame! An utter disgrace! Barcelona, a famous club, their fans chose to be deserters when the team needed them most! Shameful! Hateful! Despicable!" Chen Yingxiong's words became harsher and his voice louder with each sentence.

"No matter what problems you encounter, no matter what situations arise, that's not a reason for fans to abandon their team! Even if it's the end of the world, fans should always stand with their team! I feel sad for the Barcelona team… I feel sad for Guardiola. They brought so many championships back for the fans, played the most beautiful football, and made Barcelona the most watched and powerful team in the world of football… But what did they get in return? They spoiled a pack of ingrates! What's one failure? What's a high-scoring failure? What does losing the chance to participate in the finals mean? It means nothing! We Liverpool haven't won a Premier League title in twenty-two years, and we haven't won a championship in five or six years. Have Liverpool fans ever been deserters?"

Originally, the Liverpool reporters were watching Chen Yingxiong disgust Barcelona, and they were holding back their laughter in their hearts, as if they were watching a joke. But now, hearing Chen Yingxiong say this, they couldn't help but straighten their chests, with a proud and self-satisfied look. They felt that they were indeed qualified to feel proud in front of their fellow Barcelona reporters and fans.

"No, Liverpool fans haven't! They still support their team, just like the team song says, the Liverpool team and fans will never walk alone, no matter what storms and darkness they face! But look at you, look at Barcelona, what a tragedy! So many championships haven't been exchanged for unconditional support from the fans for their team. What's the use of fans who can only share wealth but not adversity? I admit that Barcelona didn't perform well in the second leg, but looking at these empty stands, even if I were in their place, I wouldn't have the fighting spirit or interest to work hard. So I think the Barcelona fans are the main culprits for Barcelona reaching this point. You are unwilling to accept failure, but you don't know that those who can't afford to lose are not qualified to win! You even have the nerve to hold up banners in the stadium and ask the team why they lost. I think you should first ask yourselves why this team should win for you! Your actions have tarnished the Barcelona team emblem and shamed the Barcelona tradition! I know what you're going to ask, I'm not excited at all to beat a team like this, because it's not worth my happiness. This Barcelona team is not even as good as an English relegated team!"

After speaking, he turned around and walked away. His words left the reporters at the scene stunned.

Everyone knew that he was deliberately trying to disgust the Barcelona fans because those fans had booed him non-stop for ninety minutes.

But… why did even those reporters who were the most hardcore supporters of Barcelona feel in their hearts that what Chen Yingxiong said was right at this moment?

And after they thought of this, they became even more angry and even more dissatisfied with Chen Yingxiong.

Perhaps it was because Chen Yingxiong had hit the nail on the head, hitting their most fatal weakness. Everyone could treat insults that didn't hurt or itch as Chen Yingxiong being a mad dog, ignoring him, so naturally there would be no impact.

But his every sentence was like a knife, stabbing at the Barcelona people's wounds, one knife at a time, tearing open the unhealed scars, picking open the skin, and turning up the festering flesh inside.

Making the Barcelona people mad with pain and crazy with anger.

What he said was so straightforward, so accurate, that we couldn't even find words to refute him… We lost the game and were lectured by him like this, it's so unfair!