Right after the match against Real Madrid, Mourinho entered the press conference room.
He could have wrapped it up with a short interview with a reporter, but he chose to attend the session, even if it was a bit uncomfortable.
He responded with sad eyes.
"We lost today. But if luck had been on our side, we might have won."
"Are you implying that Real Madrid's win was down to luck?"
It was a question that could easily stir controversy.
But Mourinho didn't avoid it. In a low, weary voice, he spoke calmly.
"Today's match was a mess. Not because we were poor. In fact, we gave it everything we had. The one who underperformed was referee Roberto Rosetti."
As always, Mourinho's blunt words sent reporters scrambling to type.
It wasn't the first time he had criticized a referee, so no one was too surprised. Still, his comment was juicy enough for headlines.
Mourinho didn't stop there.
"He made a critical mistake today."
"Can you specify which moment?"
"Do I really need to spell it out? There were several questionable decisions. But that's not all. The ball boys on the sidelines disrupted the flow of the match in subtle ways, and we were affected by it."
"Ahem…"
The topic had already drifted far from Inter's performance or the outcome.
And that's exactly what Mourinho wanted. He continued shifting the reporters' attention.
"One more thing. We, Inter, achieved something we hadn't in a long time. Reaching the Champions League semifinals is no easy feat. And next year, we'll strengthen the squad and try again."
"Can you share any names on your transfer list? There's speculation that the race to sign Ho-young will heat up during this summer window. Are you interested?"
"He's an astonishing player. Only 16 years old, but the buyout clause to sign him is quite steep. Still, given his ability, it's a tempting figure. But the key lies in Ho-young's decision. And let's not forget, he's still a youth player, under 18. You can't just bring him to Milan immediately. If we truly want to sign him, we'll need time to prepare."
"So, you're saying the door is open?"
"Why would anyone close the door on a player like that? If I were Madrid's manager, I'd increase his release clause tenfold the moment the season ends. But personally, I'd love to see him play in Italy. Whether it's with us or not, watching him on the pitch would be incredible."
That day, Mourinho spoke more than usual during the press conference, churning out headlines by the dozen.
He deflected the mood by criticizing the referee and drew all the attention to himself through heated exchanges with journalists.
This was Mourinho's way of protecting his players.
Though he was dissatisfied with the performance that day, he had no intention of blaming his squad.
They had brought Inter to the Champions League semifinals, and for that, he was grateful.
And from that day on, Mourinho expressed serious interest in Ho-young and formally requested the club to pursue his transfer.
The following day, a huge match was held at Old Trafford.
It was the second leg of the Champions League semifinal between Manchester United and Barcelona, and the stadium was already buzzing before kickoff.
Despite Barcelona's 4-2 win in the first leg, no one could say for certain who would come out on top.
Barcelona, too, were in a difficult position and couldn't afford to be complacent.
The aftermath of El Clásico was still lingering.
Iniesta hadn't recovered from his injury and couldn't play, while Dani Alves, suspended due to accumulated bookings in the Champions League, wasn't even on the bench.
Meanwhile, Manchester United, lining up in their usual 4-4-2 formation, had a smooth start.
And sure enough, United were dominant at Old Trafford.
Around the 22nd minute of the first half.
After receiving a soft pass from Michael Carrick, Rooney made a breakthrough, and left-back Sylvinho failed to block his cross.
That led to United's first goal.
A perfect combination between Park Ji-sung and Cristiano Ronaldo, waiting on the far post.
The scorer was Ronaldo.
It was his eighth goal in the Champions League, putting him level at the top of the scoring chart alongside Ho-young and Messi.
And United didn't stop there. Just before the first half ended, Nemanja Vidić scored a header to extend the lead.
Pep Guardiola tried to turn the tide in the second half, but Sir Alex Ferguson, a legendary manager, didn't let the opportunity slip.
Barcelona did manage to pull one back through Thierry Henry midway through the second half.
However, just before the final whistle, Wayne Rooney's goal sealed the victory for Manchester United.
The final score was 3-1 to United.
And the aggregate score was 5-5.
The score was tied, but the ultimate winner was Manchester United.
[By virtue of the away goals rule, Manchester United advance to the final alongside Real Madrid! United make it to the Champions League final for the second year in a row.]
[A heartbreaking result for Barcelona. The aftermath of El Clásico hit them hard. You could really feel Iniesta's absence today. With their midfield disconnected, their passing lacked cohesion.]
[So, you could say Michael Carrick and Park Ji-sung making life difficult for Xavi Hernández was the key to United's victory. And let's not forget Edwin van der Sar's brilliant saves. Overall, Manchester United were exceptionally well-prepared.]
[Indeed. The contrast between the two teams was stark. United were in top form, while Barcelona were at their worst.]
Toward the end of the season, United had found breathing room in the Premier League as Liverpool began to fall off.
That gave Ferguson the freedom to manage his squad more efficiently.
On the other hand, Barcelona, locked in a tight league race with Real Madrid, couldn't afford to take a break. That pressure had finally caught up to them.
It was a crushing blow for Barcelona.
[Lionel Messi looks utterly dejected. Just imagine how disappointing this must be. Many believed Barcelona could achieve a treble this season.]
[Unbelievable misfortune for manager Guardiola. You could say Real Madrid took everything from him. Though the Copa del Rey and La Liga are still in play.]
For Manchester United, Real Madrid had practically done them a favor.
Korean netizens went wild over the result.
Even those who normally didn't follow football started paying attention.
[Park Ji-sung vs. Ho-young, clash in the Champions League final!]
└ Ferguson should go kneel to Ho-young right now. Without El Clásico, United wouldn't have made it.
└ LOL Ferguson better trade Ronaldo for Ho-young or something. This transfer window's gonna be insane. He's 16 now, so if he joins the Premier League, it's instant stardom.
└ Wow... never thought I'd live to see this. Two Koreans in the Champions League final? I'm pre-ordering fried chicken now for match day.
└ But why a Wednesday? Seriously, Champions League finals should be on weekends.
└ Who cares. Let either of them win. Korean win is a win.
└ Honestly, just change the headline to Ronaldo vs. Ho-young. "Twin Tigers Showdown" sounds perfect.
The final was scheduled for May 27 in Rome, Italy.
But before that, Real Madrid had a few important things to take care of.
The next day at Valdebebas.
Schuster gathered the players and banned all external activities.
They were instructed to spend every waking hour, except for sleep, focusing solely on the remaining fixtures.
"There are only five matches left this season. Win them all, and we lift two trophies. Fail to win just one, and we lose one title each time. That's what's at stake for your careers."
"Understood."
"Yes, sir."
No one expressed any complaints.
If they could endure just three more weeks, they could reach the pinnacle of football.
The current point gap with Barcelona was just 2 points.
Having crashed out of the Champions League, Barcelona would now pour everything into La Liga.
That meant Madrid had to set aside everything else and concentrate purely on football.
'We're almost there.'
As the season neared its end, Ho-young found himself reflecting on many things.
It would be a lie to say he had no regrets, but overall, it had been a satisfying season.
Especially in the Champions League and El Clásico, he had gained a lot.
Just a few days earlier, he had taken:
From Adriano, Potential (S+3) and Innate Strength of the Football Monster (SU).
From Vieira, Black Octopus' Instantaneous Ball Interception (SU).
From Cambiasso, Excellent Spatial Awareness (A+3).
In El Clásico, he had taken Lionel Messi's Unrivaled Football Sense (SS+2) and Thierry Henry's King's Curling Shot (SU).
It would take 40 days to fully digest them all.
'This is a ridiculous level of growth.'
Lately, he could feel it more than ever.
He was becoming a true football machine.
That wasn't a bad thing in itself, but he worried his talents might soon reach capacity again.
That's why—
'I need to start consolidating and crafting SSS-grade talents.'
That was his next goal.
Their next match was against Mallorca on May 10.
From start to finish, Real Madrid dominated.
Raul scored a hat-trick in the first half, virtually sealing the win. Ho-young, who started the match, scored the team's fourth goal to seal the deal.
With that, he reached an astonishing 20 goals in his debut season.
Thanks to that performance, Real Madrid successfully maintained their position at the top of the league.
There was some concern about the upcoming matches against Villarreal and Valencia, but once the games started, those fears proved unfounded.
Neither team could pose a threat to Madrid.
In Spain, there simply wasn't a team that could stop them anymore.
Now, just one more step remained to claim the league title.
But before that, came the Champions League final against Manchester United.
Time flew by, and the day before the final arrived.
Tuesday, May 26.
There was no training in the morning, as the team was scheduled to fly in the afternoon, but Ho-young was busy from the start of the day.
Calls of support poured in from his parents, coach Cha Bum-kun, Monica, and school friends.
Even an international package arrived from the WooHooHyung fan café.
Inside were a lucky pouch and a handwritten letter from the café administrators.
What was surprising was that everyone supporting Ho-young said the exact same thing.
—It's okay if you lose, just don't get hurt.
Words of concern for Ho-young.
But true to his nature, Ho-young left Madrid determined not to lose no matter what, like a rebellious child refusing to obey.
He arrived in Rome, Italy, the battleground of the final, in the early hours of the next day.
(To be continued.)
◇◇◇
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