The All-Around Center Forward
Chapter 937 936: Champion Temperament
The final ten minutes.
The moment of truth has arrived!
Suker stood at the center circle, stepping on the ball, waiting for the kickoff.
Based on that goal, Chelsea's morale soared; they clearly saw the hope of victory.
However, for Suker, ten minutes was enough!
After 80 minutes of play, Chelsea's stamina was also running low.
Moreover, in previous breakthroughs, Suker had caused Chelsea's defense to accumulate yellow cards.
To stop Suker next, they would have to consider whether to risk a red card.
Another thing was that Suker's burst time had arrived!
Suker did not use the State Recovery Card in the second half.
Chelsea's defensive actions were very aggressive and intense, and Suker believed there was a risk of injury, so he had been saving it for when it was most needed.
And now, that time had come!
Suker also greatly admired Chelsea's tenacity.
In this match, Chelsea's possession rate was pitifully low; ordinary players facing such a passive situation would probably have collapsed mentally long ago.
But Chelsea still held on for 80 minutes and even scored an equalizer.
This was already very impressive.
But next, it was Real Madrid's time!
Suker did not believe that the longer the situation dragged on, the more advantageous it would be for Chelsea.
Certainly, Chelsea had a lot of experience.
But did Real Madrid have no experience?
Moreover, under Pintus's physical training, Real Madrid's performance in extreme conditions was better.
Therefore, the next ten minutes would be the true test for Chelsea.
It was also Real Madrid's opportunity!
Gareth Bale was substituted, and Di Maria came on.
80 minutes, a full-strength Di Maria.
Could Ashley Cole, who was already panting from Gareth Bale's earlier efforts, really stop Di Maria?
If Di Maria couldn't be stopped, Suker would also get a chance to score!
Chelsea had fought to the point of exhaustion.
They had been given enough respect!
But next, Real Madrid was going to kill the game!
Hala! Madrid! —
Hala! Madrid! —
Hala! Madrid! —
In the stands, Real Madrid fans cheered loudly.
Despite being tied, they were still cheering for their home team.
Many team's fans, when faced with such a moment, often complain, "Why couldn't they hold on? Why did they concede?"
But Real Madrid fans did not; they were confident that even in this situation, Real Madrid could still win the match!
They trusted their players, which is why they showed such an attitude.
Suker called this 'Champion's temperament'!
No matter how difficult the environment!
No matter how bad the situation!
As long as hope was not given up, there was a chance for victory!
What's more, it was a draw now; what was this pressure compared to that!
"Chelsea is in trouble!"
Modrić shook his head and sighed.
Mandžukić and Dujmović, standing nearby, also nodded and sighed.
Although Chelsea's performance was tenacious, at critical moments, Suker's performance was always so astonishing.
And now, Suker was bound to deliver an even more aggressive performance.
Furthermore, after Di Maria came on, Suker's shooting opportunities would also increase.
And, Chelsea's stamina had declined severely; could they really stop Suker, that physical monster?
"The game has entered its final stage. Chelsea equalized in the 83rd minute. Can Real Madrid use the final period to launch a counterattack? Can Suker provide Real Madrid with another chance to win the Champions League?"
González felt his palms sweating.
The situation was becoming tense.
Chelsea's resilience truly surprised him, but he still believed Real Madrid could win the match.
Even if the game was dragged into extra time, Real Madrid would still secure the victory.
The match restarted!
As soon as Sukic kicked off, Real Madrid immediately entered attacking mode.
Only 10 minutes remained, but Real Madrid still hoped to end the game in regular time, rather than dragging it into extra time.
This also required them to play more calmly.
As for Chelsea, their only goal at this point was to defend and prevent a goal!
"Mark your man!"
Lampard shouted, turning to run towards Suker.
His calves felt heavy, somewhat stiff.
His chest burned, but he couldn't relax yet.
He had to defend Suker.
As he got close to Suker, Lampard secretly grabbed Suker's jersey, but Suker reached out and pushed Lampard away.
Lampard continued to stick to him.
The current tactic was still very effective: stick to Suker like glue.
Besides Lampard, Bosingwa also ran next to Suker, with the two of them creating a pincer movement.
Suker saw this and looked towards the far right wing.
Di Maria was performing well, constantly passing and dribbling, posing a constant threat to Chelsea's defense.
In the 85th minute, Di Maria broke through on the wing and crossed from the byline.
The ball was kicked out of bounds by David Luiz.
Real Madrid's corner kick, still taken by Di Maria, who played a short corner with Srna, who had pushed forward, and then lofted it into the center again.
Kaka headed the ball, but Čech punched it away.
The ball flew out of the penalty area, Alonso controlled it, and passed it back to Di Maria.
In the 87th minute, Di Maria dribbled with continuous feints, again went to the byline, and swept a pass into the center.
Suker and Benzema both surged forward to challenge for the ball.
But the ball was barely cleared by Cahill, and Alonso volleyed it, sending the ball out of bounds.
Real Madrid's offensive continued to be sharp.
Time quickly entered injury time.
At this moment, all the fans in the stadium became tense.
Even in the VIP box, Florentino and others fell silent with tension.
Everyone was watching the game.
Four minutes of injury time!
Real Madrid's attack continued!
The ball was passed to Di Maria again.
90+2 minutes!
Di Maria crossed once more.
And this time, Suker suddenly broke free from the marking of Lampard and Bosingwa.
Then, he retreated two steps backward.
At this moment, Chelsea's defense was slightly disrupted.
Benzema jumped to contest the header, but because he was facing away from the goal, he could only head the ball to the penalty spot.
Just then, Suker suddenly stepped forward, tapping the ball with the instep of his left foot.
The ball was chipped high, soaring over the onrushing Cahill.
Suker first bumped Lampard to prevent him from interfering.
At the same time, he turned his body to meet the falling ball and powerfully pulled his right foot back!
Bang!
Suker executed a sideways, falling volley!
From close range, the ball pierced through the crowd, striking the crossbar like a cannonball and bouncing into the net!
The goal shook violently!
The net trembled!
The entire stadium fell silent in an instant.
At this moment, Chelsea fans felt a chill in their hearts.
Goal!
Whoosh!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!—
Tens of thousands of Real Madrid fans in the stadium were the first to react, erupting in cheers.
Everyone jumped up from their seats, raising their arms high, cheering and shouting loudly.
On the bench, the tense Real Madrid players also showed expressions of joyous surprise.
Gareth Bale had been covering his mouth with a towel, not daring to blink, but the moment he saw the goal, he suddenly jumped up, flung the towel away, and rushed towards the corner flag like a madman.
"We won!! We won!!!!—"
Gareth Bale tackled Suker to the ground.
His entire body trembled with excitement!
Gareth Bale had a cold exterior but a warm heart; he usually didn't talk much and lacked some expressive ability, but at this moment, his emotions completely exploded.
Not just Gareth Bale, Carvajal, Granero, Callejón, Şahin, and other Real Madrid players all rushed towards the corner flag, piling on top of Suker in a joyful dogpile.
"Goal!!!! Goal!!!! Sukic!!!!!—"
"Game-winner!! The Golden goal!!!!—"
"A goal in the 2nd minute of injury time! Sukic calmly chipped and shot inside the penalty area, helping Real Madrid regain the lead. With only two minutes left in the game, Real Madrid has completely killed the match!"
"Chelsea played very tenaciously, but they still couldn't stop Real Madrid, couldn't stop Sukic!"
"Real Madrid leads Chelsea 2:1. They are just one step away from Real Madrid's Champions League consecutive titles!"
The entire city of Madrid was ignited.
Especially the Real Madrid fans gathered around the Bernabéu stadium, at the moment Sukic scored, a violent wave of sound swept through like a hurricane.
People threw their support scarves, balls, plastic cups, and everything else into the sky.
The cheers of tens of thousands of people and their jumping movements were like an earthquake.
Consecutive Champions League titles!
They were about to witness history once again!
Winning this honor will solidify Real Madrid's reputation as the true 'King of the Champions League.'
Suker's goal was incredibly crucial!
In the VIP box, Florentino and others erupted in cheers the moment the goal was scored.
Zidane, Davor Suker, Zorancic, Carlos, and others embraced each other.
They collectively cheered for that magnificent goal.
Sukic also raised his hands, his small face flushed with excitement.
This feeling was completely different from watching the match at home.
On the field, Real Madrid players were celebrating, while Chelsea players on the other side looked dejected.
Drogba squatted on the ground, his chest visibly heaving; even the 'Beast's' body was on the verge of exhaustion.
Drogba played with immense effort in this match.
From defense to offense, his presence was seen everywhere.
He was already 34 years old; at this age, many players had retired, but he still persevered.
He knew he wouldn't get another chance at a Champions League, so he treated this Champions League as his last hope.
However, they still couldn't overcome the mountain that was Real Madrid!
Did they play poorly?
No!
Drogba believed they had played well enough.
They successfully limited Suker in the first half, keeping his goals to one, but that single goal was enough to seal their fate!
More than helplessness, it was a sense of powerlessness.
His heart was still telling him:
You should fight!
You should battle!
But his body could no longer support him; his legs were trembling, unable to keep going.
If it were a draw, it would be fine, but being behind with only two minutes left, they had no options left.
Real Madrid made a substitution!
Benzema came off, Carvajal came on.
This substitution wasted some more time.
By the time the substitution was completed, only tens of seconds remained.
The Referee was also a sentimental person; he gave Chelsea's veterans an extra minute.
Stoppage time was four minutes, but at the five-minute mark, he still hadn't blown the whistle.
It wasn't until Drogba, while dribbling forward, lost strength in his legs and tripped himself, falling to the ground, that the Referee finally blew the whistle for the end of the match.
The 2011/2012 Champions League concluded.
After 90 minutes of fierce battle!
Real Madrid defeated Chelsea 2:1.
"Full-time! The match is over! Real Madrid has claimed victory; they are the 2011/2012 Champions League winner!"
"Following last season, they successfully defended their Champions League title, equaling AC Milan's achievement of two consecutive Champions League wins, and based on their historical number of titles, Real Madrid has already become the most brilliant and decorated team in Champions League history!"
"Let us congratulate Real Madrid! They have once again ascended to the top of Europe!"
The camera showed Gareth Bale, who excitedly knelt on the ground, shedding tears of joy.
"Gareth Bale! Perhaps when he looks back on his career, he will be grateful for his decision to join Real Madrid!"
"This season, Gareth Bale and Real Madrid complemented each other, achieving greatness together!"
The camera showed Kaka, who pointed both hands to the sky, silently murmuring words.
"Kaka! From the youthful prodigy who arrived in Europe to today's top midfielder, he always delivers surprising performances. When we list Suker's honors, it's easy to see Kaka's presence; he is always by Suker's side, playing a crucial role in Suker's glory!"
"As the captain of Croatia, Srna's growth has been astonishing. From Juventus to the Big Five Leagues, shining brightly at Inter Milan, following Mourinho to join Real Madrid, today Srna is absolutely the world's best right-back!"
Srna's voice appeared on the big screen.
Modrić, Mandžukić, and Dujmović also clapped, sending their blessings to their friend.
A moment later, Mandžukić suddenly said, "Wait! Srna seems to have won three consecutive Champions League titles!"
Dujmović: "Suker has four, though!"
"No!" Mandžukić turned his head, eyes wide: "He has three consecutive titles! Inter Milan won in the 09/10 season! Real Madrid won in the 10/11 season! Real Madrid won in the 11/12 season! This guy has three consecutive titles!"
Dujmović paused, then couldn't help but curse: "Damn it! That's incredible?!"
Modrić was also stunned.
He hadn't thought in that direction, but after being reminded, he also realized.
Not three Champions League titles, but three consecutive titles!
There probably isn't another player like that in Champions League history, right?
On the field, Real Madrid players were celebrating, while Chelsea players were downcast.
Drogba pursed his lips, his eyes a little red.
They had given their all, but still couldn't secure the victory.
At this moment, how much he longed for his past self, who could do anything.
But now, his physical condition had indeed declined significantly.
Pat!
Drogba felt someone tap him on the back. He turned to look and saw Suker smiling and extending his hand to him.
Drogba also extended his hand and shook it.
Suker pulled Drogba up.
"Congratulations on winning the championship!"
"We played a wonderful match!"
The two briefly embraced, and Drogba was the first to take off his jersey and hand it over.
"Am I worthy of a jersey swap?"
Suker smiled: "Of course!"
The two exchanged jerseys, and only then did Suker turn and leave.
Not far away, Torres was also looking at Suker. As a player from the same era, he had also thought about exchanging jerseys with Suker.
But thinking of his poor performance, he still didn't walk over.
At this moment, Suker actually walked over voluntarily.
"Torres!" Suker extended his hand: "I hope you can regain your form soon!"
Hearing this, Torres paused, then gave a bitter smile: "That should be very difficult!"
Suker smiled and playfully bumped Torres's chest with his fist.
"On the streets of Madrid, I can still hear some children shouting 'Niño' (Spanish: Holy Child). Come on, man, play with more confidence! Don't be afraid to waste chances; it can't get any worse anyway!"
Torres was torn between laughter and tears: "Are you comforting me?"
Suker smiled and nodded: "I still remember the 2008 European Cup final, the guy who pushed us to the brink. I look forward to the day you regain your confidence and form!"
Torres smiled and said: "If I could return to my peak, I would make things very difficult for you guys, but thank you!"
The two smiled and embraced.
Torres voluntarily handed over his jersey.
Afterward, Suker shook hands with other Chelsea players before heading towards the press area.
The match was over; next were interviews and the awards ceremony.
Facing the camera, Suker spoke eloquently.
"This season was very difficult for me. Both the League and the Champions League had very strong opponents, but the final outcome still moved in a good direction!"
"I think this season is worth remembering, not just for my goal count, but for the entire season's performance. This championship is also the result of our collective efforts. Yes, we did it!"
Facing the camera, Suker raised his arms, shouting and laughing with love: "Hala! Madrid!"
Suker's shout caused a chain reaction among the fans in the stands.
The Real Madrid fans, already bursting with excitement, began to shout loudly, following Suker's chant.
In an instant, the entire Allianz Arena was filled with the chant of 'Hala! Madrid!'
And with that chant, Suker walked into the player tunnel and returned to the locker room, preparing for the upcoming awards ceremony!
Inside the locker room, Real Madrid players had already opened the champagne.
Champagne was spraying, and the players were dancing and shouting joyfully, creating a lively scene.
And when Suker walked into the locker room, he was even lifted up by everyone.
Suker snatched the champagne from Kaka's hand and took a big gulp.
The cold champagne going down, especially with the championship as the premise, made him feel refreshed all over.
"Awesome!!!"
Suker shouted with delight, then violently shook the champagne, cheering happily:
"We are the champions!!!!"
The entire locker room erupted again.
Everyone raised their arms, shouting along.
We are the champions!!!!!!