CHAPTER 423: THE PRESS FIRST

On the eve of the match, Richard and Mourinho took the team to the Amsterdam ArenA to get acclimated to the pitch, while O’Neill attended an official press conference organized by UEFA. For Manchester City, Zanetti accompanied O’Neill, while for Real Madrid, Jupp Heynckes was joined by Fernando Hierro as captain.

"Señor Heynckes, Real Madrid have waited 32 years for this moment. How does it feel to finally bring back the final?"

"It is a historic night. For the club, for the fans, and for the players. To end such a long wait... it is the dream of every Madridista. I am proud of my team’s discipline and character against such a strong Manchester City side. Their performance deserves applause."

"Coach, in La Liga you finished fourth, eleven points behind Barcelona, and you were knocked out of the Copa del Rey by Alavés. Some say you’ve only saved your job for one more week. Others say tonight is your farewell. How do you respond?"

Heynckes looked directly at the journalist who asked the question before replying."Tonight is about the players and this triumph. My future is not important right now. What matters is that Real Madrid are champions of Europe again."

The journalist then turned to Hierro."Fernando, as captain, how do you view the contrast—struggling in Spain, but triumphing in Europe?"

Hierro’s mouth twitched, but he forced a small smile and answered carefully, preferring to keep the focus on the match.

Seeing there was no dramatic answer coming from either Heynckes or Hierro, the journalists inevitably shifted their attention to Manchester City after the Real Madrid press session.

"Manchester City won the Premier League with two rounds to spare, setting a record for the most unbeaten matches this season. Will your focus now shift to European competition? Do you believe City have what it takes to lift the trophy?"

Addressing the journalist, O’Neill replied humbly:"We take every match one at a time. Right now, although the trophy feels within reach, everything can change in ninety minutes—especially against Real Madrid. They have outstanding coaches and players. They are favorites because their experience surpasses ours."

"Then how do you see yourself compared to Heynckes? UK media have called you the best at organizing defenses, with the fewest goals conceded in the league. Some suggest Madrid will struggle to score tomorrow. Who would you say is stronger in that sense—you or Heynckes? Surely you’re aware of Real Madrid’s tactical setup?"

Faced with the biting question, O’Neill smiled faintly. Journalists would always be journalists.

"I won’t compare myself to my peers—that’s a matter of respect. A great coach should know how to adapt strategies to their players and to the circumstances of the game. To judge coaches solely on numbers is both ignorant and superficial. I’m looking forward to tomorrow’s match, but the result won’t change my admiration and respect for Coach Heynckes."

While the media pressed both teams with questions, Richard stood up and returned to his VIP room. He stopped by the suite’s floor-to-ceiling window overlooking the Amsterdam ArenA. From this vantage point, he could take in the entire stadium.

After the previous season’s disappointing fourth-place finish, Ajax regrouped and stormed back to win the Eredivisie, finishing 17 points ahead of runners-up PSV Eindhoven. They also lifted the KNVB Cup, thrashing PSV 5–0 in the final. Yet even with that success, there was growing concern among fans and former Ajax greats about the club losing its "DNA."

Following the weak 1996–97 campaign, everyone pointed to one conclusion: something needed to change. Out of that realization came the Coronel Commission, established to analyze the club’s policies both technically and generally, including its non-football operations. One of its reports criticized Ajax management, arguing that non-football executives needed stronger football knowledge to lead the club effectively, rather than relying solely on business credentials.

This year, rumors were flying again as Ajax changed its structure by becoming a publicly traded company on the stock market. The move sparked heated debate within the fanbase and the club itself about how commercialization might affect Ajax’s culture and traditions.

"And they’re right. Next season, Ajax will collapse," Richard thought, rubbing his chin.

Most of the club’s "Golden Generation" had already departed for Spain and Italy, and the replacements—whether from the youth academy or cheaper signings—couldn’t match their level right away. On top of that, there was no clear successor to Louis van Gaal’s system, and the team had lost its identity.

Richard glanced at Miss Heysen beside him, seeking his thoughts.

Expecting some answer, Richard was caught off guard when Miss Heysen instead placed a financial report in front of him.

Richard was momentarily speechless. "Do you... carry this report with you every day?"

"Just in case," She replied calmly, "and it proves I’m right."

"..."

Richard decided not to respond. Instead, he picked up the report. "Then... what does this mean?"

"You’re asking if we can snatch some Ajax players," She said, leaning back, "but the question is which ones. If it’s the established stars, then you really need to think carefully, because..."

"Because...?" Richard prompted.

"Because, after our league victory, we’ve already incurred a huge number of bonuses. Combine that with the high wage expenditures from last year, and—simply put—even if you don’t spend a single penny this summer, we won’t have the funds to pay players when winter comes."

"..."

Her words hit Richard like a brick wall. The complexity of Manchester City’s finances gave him a headache just thinking about it.

Indeed, to make Manchester City an attractive destination, players like Cannavaro, Ronaldo, Zidane, Makelele, and Thuram—these established stars—were out of reach. Their wages alone would crush the budget. Even approaching them would require careful planning, timing, and a little luck, something Richard had never underestimated before.

Manchester City’s total wage expenditures—including staff, coaches, and players—were the highest in England. Over the past year, they had exceeded twenty million pounds, while the club’s income wasn’t even close to covering that—less than half, in fact. This left the club with just over six hundred thousand pounds in available funds.

Would they need to arrange another emergency loan from the Maddox group?

Ah, and if an audit were to take place, while it might not pose an immediate threat, the long-term consequences could be dangerous.

He then shook his head. "Let’s talk about it later—the match is about to start."

The Amsterdam Arena was packed, the roar of thousands of fans vibrating through the stands. The air was electric, charged with anticipation and adrenaline. In the away team’s locker room, the Manchester City players sat on the benches, upright and focused. Every pair of eyes was locked on O’Neill, waiting for his final pre-match words.

Mourinho leaned casually against the doorframe, hands in his pockets, listening intently to the motivational speech.

"About three years ago, most of you joined this team—Ronaldo, Henrik, Neil, Mark, William, Andriy. The rest of you came in two years ago, or last season. You might not remember what I told those veterans back then, but I’ll repeat it: your opponents today are Real Madrid. I repeat—Real Madrid.

Three years have passed. We have conquered England. We’ve faced every traditional English powerhouse multiple times. Are they to be feared? No. We’ve proven, through hard work and determination, that we are stronger than them.

But this is not the destination. Today, I want to ask you a new question: where do we set our limits? Is it the Champions League? No. Our limits are not trophies—they are history itself. We want to leave a glorious mark on the beautiful game.

Along the way, we will face Real Madrid, a team that has reached the Champions League semifinals five years in a row. In the future, we may face AC Milan, Juventus, Bayern Munich, or other titans of Europe. But our goal is not merely to defeat them—it cannot be that simple. Winning against one opponent does not mean we stop.

We must keep winning—until the very last day you step off the pitch. And when that day comes, we will look back together at the legacy we created, the classic moments we forged, the stories others will tell for generations. I believe in this. Do you?"

The team erupted. Zanetti, as captain, was the first to roar. Then the others followed, voices rising in unison:

"Yes!"

O’Neill smiled, pulling his left hand from his pocket and pushing open the locker room door. "The outside world is your stage. Enjoy the match. Make the world recognize you. Treat every game as part of your legend. Keep this mindset—forever, forever, forever. Never settle!"

The room exploded with applause.

Clap!

Clap!

Clap!

The players rose to their feet, hearts pounding, adrenaline surging. Today, history awaited them—and they were ready to take it. They had ascended to the Premier League, toppling giants and defying expectations, and now they stood on the European stage, the eyes of all Europe upon them.

Manchester City, the newly crowned Premier League champions, faced off against Real Madrid, a club steeped in history, with a trophy cabinet that gleamed like a fortress of silver and gold. The weight of legacy pressed down on the young City squad, but it only fueled their determination.