Chapter 1 Teammates Pass the Ball Forward

Teammates passed the soccer ball forward. Chen Hero stopped the ball with his chest in the center circle. Just as he got the ball under control, Pepe crashed into him from behind.

Some Chinese fans have nicknamed Pepe "Shaolin Monk," which shows his style of play.

He rammed into Chen Hero with all his might. If it had been someone like Alves, he would have clutched his face, fallen to the ground, and rolled around in agony.

But with Chen Hero, only his upper body swayed a bit.

Pepe didn't expect that one collision to break Chen Hero open. He had more tricks up his sleeve.

He grabbed Chen Hero's shoulder with one hand, pulling him hard, while poking at the ball with his foot.

At the same time, just as Pepe entangled Chen Hero, Varane ran up and stuck to Chen Hero with his six-foot-three frame. The two double-teamed him.

Chen Hero, sandwiched between the two, protected the ball by constantly switching the foot he used to control it, while making good use of his physical advantages. For example, he stuck his butt out to squeeze Pepe away and then stuck his foot out to block Varane's steal.

Varane's right foot poked directly into Chen Hero's ankle. If it had been anyone else, they would have screamed, clutched their ankle, and fallen to the ground in agony.

But Chen Hero was unmoved, only protecting the ball.

He was waiting for his teammates to run up and support him.

Once his teammates ran up, he would pass the ball to them, and then he would cut and run without resistance. His teammates would pass the ball back, and he would quickly shake off Real Madrid's defense.

But this depended on him being able to successfully protect the ball...

The Real Madrid players were quite polite at first, but later they realized that they couldn't be polite to an animal like Chen Hero. If you were polite to him, he wouldn't be polite to you.

Later, they simply fouled him directly. Pepe hugged Chen Hero around the waist and threw him to the ground.

Chen Hero fell to the ground again and again. If this continued, both sides would quickly get angry.

The Liverpool players were upset when they saw their teammate Chen Hero being treated so roughly by the other side, and the referee mostly just issued verbal warnings.

So they stepped forward to defend Chen Hero.

Liverpool's movements also became bigger...

※※※

When the players on both sides start making big moves, things can easily go wrong.

Before long, Gerrard was injured in a collision. His ankle seemed to be sprained, and his expression was painful. It looked like he wouldn't be able to continue the game.

Martin O'Neill frowned when he saw this scene on the sidelines. Gerrard was the team's captain, and he had been quite competitive this season, unlike last season when he was frequently injured.

But now, at the most critical moment, he was injured!

Could Gerrard still continue the game?

Martin O'Neill didn't even consider this question. What he was considering was that no matter what Gerrard's injury was, he should quickly replace him. He didn't want Gerrard to be out for the rest of the season because of this game.

So, without waiting for Brookner to give any advice, he didn't even wait for Brookner to be allowed onto the field to check on Gerrard's injury. He directly called up Sahin, who was sitting on the bench.

"It looks like Gerrard can't continue the game! Sahin suddenly ran to the sidelines to warm up..."

Gerrard also saw this scene on the field. He obviously didn't want to be substituted. When Brookner came up, he expressed his opinion to him.

"I think I'm fine. I can keep going."

The reason Gerrard didn't want to be substituted was that he felt it was a critical time for the team. If he left the field at this time, he wouldn't be able to help the team. As captain, how could he desert when the team needed him most?

"No, you're in big trouble." Brookner still had that unquestionable, professional tone. "Stevie, your ankle is almost swollen to the size of an egg. If you insist on continuing the game, then you have to be prepared to miss all the games this season."

Brookner's words frightened Gerrard.

Gerrard wasn't the kind of hot-blooded youth anymore. He naturally knew what was more important.

Give up the entire league for one Champions League game? He really couldn't do it.

But when he thought that he had finally managed to tie Real Madrid 1:1 away from home, and at this critical moment, he was injured and unable to contribute to the team, he felt very unwilling.

At this time, Chen Hero came over and squatted down next to Gerrard. "Don't worry, Captain. It's just Real Madrid, right? I'll take them down for you!"

Gerrard was already familiar with Chen Hero's style. When he saw Chen Hero looking so confident, a smile finally appeared on his face.

He wasn't laughing at Chen Hero's boastful words, he was feeling relieved—that's right, how could I forget about him? Liverpool still has him, even without me!

I'm going to retire sooner or later, Hero is the future of Liverpool!

He suddenly became very cooperative and nodded to Brookner: "Okay, I won't insist on staying on the field."

Brookner glanced back at Chen Hero and smiled at him.

Obviously, he was thanking Chen Hero for helping him convince Gerrard.

Who would have thought that Chen Hero wouldn't appreciate it? He rolled his eyes—he wasn't helping the doctor convince Gerrard, he was just telling Gerrard a fact.

Gerrard stood up with Brookner's help. Then he took off the captain's armband from his arm and handed it to Chen Hero.

"Extend your arm." Seeing that Chen Hero extended his hand, Gerrard shook his head and said.

Chen Hero was puzzled and offered his right arm. Gerrard shook his head again: "Left arm."

Chen Hero turned around, and then Gerrard put the captain's armband on Chen Hero's arm.

After putting it on, he patted the captain's armband on Chen Hero's arm.

"It's what you said, Hero. Take down Real Madrid for me!" After saying that, he squeezed Chen Hero's arm hard.

After saying that, he turned around and walked off the field with Brookner, limping, but not walking slowly. He had to buy time for his team, it wasn't worth wasting time here.

Chen Hero looked at his limping figure walking quickly off the field and suddenly felt his left arm was wrapped very tightly. He looked down and realized that Gerrard had tied the captain's armband very tightly to his arm, as if he was afraid it would be pulled off in a fierce physical confrontation.

He reached out to touch it. It had been a long time since he had worn this thing. The last time seemed to be at the Saint Temple Cup in China?

※※※

"Ah, Gerrard gave the captain's armband to Hero, it looks like he's going to be substituted..."

The commentators were amazed when they saw this scene.

"Hero is wearing the captain's armband! Although he's worn it before...this is his first time in such an important game! In the quarter-finals of the European Champions League, facing the strong enemy Real Madrid, he wears the captain's armband and leads the team as Liverpool's captain!" The Chinese commentator began to get emotional after seeing this scene.

"Gerrard's departure, I don't know if it's good news or bad news for Liverpool..."

The English commentators said worriedly.

※※※

On the sidelines, Liverpool completed the substitution. Gerrard was replaced by Sahin.

When the Turkish kid came on the field, there was a burst of boos aimed at him from the stands. As a player who once played for Real Madrid, Sahin never reached his potential in Real Madrid, and finally had to transfer to Liverpool. Now that he has encountered them in a life-and-death battle, Real Madrid fans will definitely regard him as a traitor.

After the booing, the Real Madrid fans still felt a little relieved. Liverpool's captain was injured and left the field, what ability does Liverpool have to counterattack?

They felt more and more that their team was bound to win!

The Liverpool fans fell silent.

The captain was injured and left the field, how much chance is there of winning?

※※※

Martin O'Neill stepped forward to comfort Gerrard, who was being substituted: "Don't take it to heart, Stevie. I'm doing this to pave the way for future games. Liverpool's season isn't over yet..."

Unexpectedly, Gerrard wasn't very frustrated. He smiled at O'Neill: "I'm not worried at all, Boss. Hero is still on the field, isn't he?"

Both of them turned their eyes to the big guy who was looking down and adjusting his captain's armband.

Real Madrid's hope, not only for the future but also for this game, rests on him...

※※※

After the game restarted, Real Madrid didn't restrain themselves because of Liverpool captain Gerrard's injury. Their movements were still very big. Perhaps Gerrard's injury gave them motivation—if they could take down another Liverpool player, like Chen Hero or something, wouldn't this game be without suspense?

And the Liverpool players were also full of anger—you took down our captain, we have to settle this score with you!

In the next game, the movements of both sides were bigger, and the tempers were also bigger.

The referee had to frequently show cards, but the anger of both sides had been aroused by his previous indecision, and now it was no longer possible to suppress it by showing a few yellow cards...

Since yellow cards can't suppress it, then red cards can, right?

In the seventy-first minute, Suarez was tackled from behind by Alonso while he was dribbling the ball during a counter-attack, and as a result, he received a yellow card warning from the referee. Suarez, who received the card, did not become honest because of this. He was obviously very dissatisfied with the referee's penalty, because before that, he was dribbling the ball in the frontcourt when Alonso tackled him from behind, taking both the ball and the man down, but at that time the referee didn't show anything!

Therefore, after the referee showed him the card, he directly applauded!

How could this obvious behavior of provoking and mocking the referee escape additional punishment?

The referee blew his whistle again and raised the yellow card a second time towards Suarez's back!

"Ah! Suarez applauded the referee after receiving a yellow card... he's really too impetuous! In this way, after Gerrard was injured and left the field, Liverpool have to play with ten men again!"

"Two yellows turn into one red! Suarez received his second yellow card and was sent off with a red card!"

"Suarez's soul was possessed by a demon at this moment! His being sent off is tantamount to adding insult to injury for Liverpool!"

The other Liverpool players saw this and rushed up to argue with the referee and put pressure on him, hoping that he could withdraw his decision.

Chen Hero, as the captain, didn't do this. Logically speaking, this was his job—he ran over and hugged Suarez, who was walking straight down without looking back, and said in his ear: "I completely understand your feelings, Luis!"

Suarez was a little surprised. In fact, he wasn't really indifferent to the red card when he didn't look back, but it was a kind of cover-up, a cover-up for the fear and anxiety in his heart... In fact, after he applauded, he understood what this action would bring him.

He even thought of the headlines in tomorrow's newspaper, Liverpool lost the Champions League, and he would become the scapegoat!

At this moment, Chen Hero ran over and put his arm around his shoulder.

Then he told him in his ear that he completely understood Suarez's feelings.

How could this not surprise Suarez?

At this time, it would be nice if no one scolded him for being impulsive, but Chen Hero actually came to tell him that he completely understood his actions!

Chen Hero continued: "Sometimes you have to fight violence with violence to deal with them. Leave the next game to us. Ten people, we can still beat them!"

After saying that, he pushed Suarez hard: "Don't dawdle, get off the field quickly, we don't have much time, Luis!"

Suarez was still moved by Chen Hero's understanding just now, but now when he heard Chen Hero's words, all the atmosphere was gone. He rolled his eyes and quickly walked off the field.

After Chen Hero sent Suarez away, he turned around and ran back to his teammates who were still besieging the referee, dragging them out of the crowd one by one.

"Okay, okay! Stop making a fuss here! Go do what you're supposed to do!"

"Go, go, why are you talking so much to him? Even if you kill him, he can't change the penalty..."

Although Chen Hero pulled everyone out, Sanchez and Skrtel were still given a yellow card by the referee for being too aggressive in their words while besieging the referee.

Chen Hero told his teammates not to take these things to heart and score a goal first.

Gerrard was injured and left the field, Suarez was sent off, Liverpool were playing with ten men away from home, but looking at Chen Hero's expression, he didn't seem worried about these things.

He raised his arm and extended his index finger: "Just one goal is enough to send them to hell!"