Cardiff is the capital of Wales.

Its area is equivalent to one-tenth of London.

A poet once said, "You can never predict the direction of the wind in Cardiff."

England and Scotland gave birth to *Braveheart*, why couldn't Wales give birth to a classic drama?

As the Champions League final approached, hundreds of thousands of fans poured into the city.

"Why are pictures of Bale and Ramsey everywhere?"

"They are both Welsh, and the clubs of two Welsh players have reached the Champions League final!"

Three days before the Champions League final.

The players and coaching staff of the two clubs arrived in Cardiff in advance.

Real Madrid's chairman, Florentino, also arrived in Wales early.

The great battle was imminent.

Cadena SER, however, exposed a recording of him: "If Neymar played for the Galácticos, then it would be very easy for him to win the Ballon d'Or. Real Madrid can always get players everything they want. Real Madrid missed out on Neymar, everyone knows that."

This sentence had no impact on the morale of the Real Madrid team. The players just treated it as a joke.

Zidane believed that Bale could be sold, freeing up salary space to bring in Neymar.

Florentino didn't agree: Sell Bale? Isn't that a slap in my own face?

The two teams staggered their training times at the Millennium Stadium.

The players from both sides didn't meet and wouldn't actively meet.

After each training session, Li Kang no longer watched game footage, but instead watched documentaries from various clubs.

He still couldn't understand Zidane's tactical arrangements.

In the documentary *La Undécima*, the tactical adjustments in the Real Madrid locker room were broadcast live—perhaps they shouldn't be called adjustments.

Zidane was just shouting, "Stay calm, don't lose the ball easily! Focus on defense! Casemiro can take more long shots! Marcelo and Carvajal, you two need to actively push forward and participate in the attack."

Then, Nacho, Modrić, Varane, and Benzema communicated about tactical details.

This style was completely different from other clubs!

Interestingly, even Real Madrid's official account was complaining: Mysterious metaphysics.

Simione once said after a La Liga derby: "I thought Zidane would find Atletico Madrid's weaknesses in the second half and make adjustments, so I changed my formation again... but he didn't do anything! Atletico Madrid lost the game like that."

Maguire handed over a dry towel and said, "The closer we get to the game, the more nervous I get."

Welbeck asked in confusion, "What's there to be nervous about? I even dreamed of scoring against Real Madrid when I took a nap!"

Maguire patted him on the shoulder and said seriously, "The smarter you are, the more anxious you become."

In the distance.

Wenger looked calm.

He had failed on the Champions League final stage, and it was the kind of failure where he was reversed by his opponent.

Finals day.

The entire city of Cardiff was brightly lit.

Posters of Bale and Ramsey were everywhere.

The Real Madrid and Arsenal fans were surprisingly calm. They gathered on both sides of the street, waiting for the club buses to enter.

At the main entrance of the Millennium Stadium.

The senior management of the two clubs entered surrounded by reporters.

The Kroenke father and son were about to say something.

Suddenly, the long guns and short cannons in front of them moved away.

A burst of exclamations rang out from the crowd behind: "Beckenbauer!"

The reporters turned around in an orderly manner and excitedly surrounded him.

Although Beckenbauer had left the FIFA Executive Committee early, he was still a celebrity that UEFA and FIFA had to invite on major occasions.

In terms of influence in the football world, few legends could compare with him. After all, he was once able to "openly" influence the host country of the World Cup and not let the world find any fault with it.

As for helping the German team replace the Korean referee during the World Cup in South Korea and Japan? Compared to that, those were minor matters.

"Both clubs have world-class players. I've been looking forward to their peak showdown for a month."

"Predictions?"

"Real Madrid is used to exerting their strength in the second half of this season. Arsenal may be able to suppress their opponents in the first half, just like Atletico Madrid."

"The Galácticos will bring on Bale around the sixtieth to seventieth minute to decide the outcome of the game!"

Beckenbauer's tone was a little perfunctory.

The reporters were a little disappointed with the answer: Real Madrid had been playing like this for almost the entire 16/17 season, couldn't the Kaiser just directly state which club he favored to win the championship?

Gradually, the topic shifted to the Gunners' two hundred million man.

The German legend's eyes lit up, and he immediately became radiant.

"He is a treasure who went from the Bundesliga to the world!"

"Every time I see him raising his hand to direct in the game, a strange feeling of emotion wells up in my heart."

The applause was sparse.

The reporters were greatly disappointed. This was almost the same line that Beckenbauer used to evaluate Messi ten years ago: "Every time I see Messi get the ball in the game, I feel an inexplicable emotion in my heart."

Millennium Stadium.

The stands that could accommodate more than 70,000 people were divided into two halves.

One half was pure white interspersed with purple, and the other half was red and white. Small flags of different colors were gently waved.

The green field was covered with a dark blue carpet, and hundreds of staff members were squatting around it.

The passionate Champions League theme song sounded.

Three flags slowly appeared: the Champions League logo, the Arsenal team flag, and the Real Madrid team flag.

"CCTV5! CCTV5! Good evening, viewers."

"Welcome to the 2016/17 Champions League final."

"Arsenal and Real Madrid will stage a peak showdown in Cardiff, the capital of Wales!"

"We will witness the final splendor of this season at the Millennium Stadium!"

"On the road to the final, Arsenal and Real Madrid have shown their different temperaments!"

"Liverpool legend Ian Rush has placed the Big Ears trophy on the stand at the exit of the tunnel!"

"Whichever side lifts this Champions League trophy will create history!"

"Will the Gunners reach the top of Europe?"

"Will Real Madrid become the first defending champion since the Champions League was reformed?"

"Let's wait and see."

Duan Xuan and He Wei tried hard to adjust their emotions: because one of them was a Ronaldo fan and the other was a Real Madrid fan.

During the commentary, they had to maintain a neutral attitude.

The temperature in Cardiff at night was a bit low.

Everyone in the player tunnel put on a coat.

Ramos and Carvajal warmly embraced their national team teammates in the opposing lineup.

Isco quietly pulled down his zipper, revealing the purple jersey inside.

"Li, the Champions League slogan on the Real Madrid jersey is printed better than the Arsenal jersey."

Li Kang lowered his head, took a closer look, and nodded seriously.

The warmth of the national team lasted only a dozen seconds.

The atmosphere in the tunnel quickly returned to being tense.

Maguire took a deep breath, adjusted his hairstyle, and whispered, "Li, that Pepe is staring at you with ill intentions!"

Hearing this, Xhaka immediately looked provocatively at the Real Madrid defender.

The powder keg was about to be ignited at any moment.

Only Ronaldo stood at the very front of the line, quietly looking at the green field where the final would take place, his eyes full of determination.

I got back from work too late and I have a cold and fever, I can't write anymore.

(End of this chapter)