Towards the end of the match, Real Madrid players were showing signs of fatigue due to their continuous offensive pressure on Arsenal.
Many had even given up, leading them to start playing poorly on the field.
Only Cristiano Ronaldo, the Portuguese superstar, still wanted to give it a try.
He picked up the ball outside the box, constantly feinting to shake off the defenders.
Blaise Matuidi stuck close to him, not giving an inch.
The two collided during the scramble, and Cristiano Ronaldo fell to the ground.
Seeing this, some Real Madrid players who were on good terms with Cristiano Ronaldo immediately surrounded the Main Referee, signaling that it was a foul and a free kick should be awarded.
However, Arsenal players believed Cristiano Ronaldo was faking it, and both sides started arguing on the field, creating a tense atmosphere.
"Hey... guys, you've lost hope, why are you still struggling?"
Fabregas mocked the Real Madrid players. Coming from La Masia, he would never be polite to Real Madrid.
Marcelo stepped forward and confronted Fabregas, muttering incessantly.
"Damn it... the match isn't over yet, how do you know you're definitely going to advance?"
Although Marcelo knew very well that they had lost this match.
But knowing it in his heart was one thing; admitting it verbally was another!
His good brother had been fouled and fallen; could he not stand up and argue a bit?
As for the Main Referee, Frank, after a brief consideration, he chose to show Cristiano Ronaldo a yellow card, believing he had faked a fall.
Because he also knew that the outcome of the match was no longer in doubt, and he was now too lazy to continue being the villain.
Anyway, he had tried his best to complete the task assigned to him...
But Real Madrid didn't perform well, so who could be blamed?
This decision further angered the Real Madrid players, and Mourinho was also fuming on the sidelines, pointing fingers at the Main Referee.
Meanwhile, Arsenal fans burst into laughter, loudly mocking Real Madrid and Cristiano Ronaldo's "performance."
In the 94th minute of the match, with one minute left, Real Madrid earned a very good free kick thanks to Kaka's efforts.
Cristiano Ronaldo stood before the ball, his eyes revealing a hint of despair and unwillingness, but more so, a strong desire to score.
In the Portuguese's heart, since this knockout stage could no longer be advanced... then he would score one more goal and complete a hat-trick at Emirates Stadium.
By then, he would have scored 5 goals across both legs, matching Fly.
This way, Mendes could market "Real Madrid lost, Cristiano Ronaldo didn't lose."
Thus proving that he himself was no worse than Fly, but merely because his teammates were not good enough...
Even though the idea that "Real Madrid teammates are worse than Arsenal teammates" was laughable, Cristiano Ronaldo could simply pretend not to care and forcefully assert it.
Anyway, as long as he didn't admit it, no one could do anything to him.
After the Main Referee blew the whistle, Cristiano Ronaldo took his run, struck the ball, and shot... the ball bypassed the wall, flying straight towards the top right corner of the goal.
At the crucial moment, Szczęsny made a diving save, his fingertips touching the ball, slightly changing its direction, causing it to graze the crossbar and Fly out of bounds.
"Cristiano Ronaldo shoots, oh... a beautiful direct free kick, but at the crucial moment, Arsenal goalkeeper Szczęsny once again stepped up and kept this shot out of the goal."
From the commentary booth, Peter almost shouted this sentence.
When this shot was saved by Szczęsny, the Main Referee did not give Real Madrid another chance and immediately blew the final whistle.
As the Main Referee's two short and one long whistle sounded, the match finally ended, and Arsenal players could no longer suppress their excitement. They cheered, jumped, and rushed towards the center of the field.
Wenger, uncharacteristically, shed his "gentleman" facade, excitedly ran towards the players, embracing them tightly, tears welling up in the old coach's eyes.
Emirates Stadium instantly turned into a sea of joy. Arsenal fans sang their team anthem, waved flags, threw their hats into the air, and celebrated this hard-won victory to their hearts' content.
Meanwhile, Real Madrid fans were visibly dejected, many quietly getting up and leaving the stadium with crestfallen faces.
In the VIP box, Taylor jumped up, tightly hugging her friend beside her, repeatedly muttering, "Hani did it... I knew he was the best!"
No sooner had she spoken than Taylor quickly pulled out her phone to capture this unforgettable moment, ready to share her joy with the world.
#Great victory, congratulations Hani, I will always support you from behind, you are the best!!! (heart emoji) (lips emoji)#
Emma Watson, observing Taylor's excitement as if she had won a Grammy, couldn't help but purse her lips, thinking to herself:
"Is it necessary? It's not even the Final; anyone who didn't know would think Fly had already won the Champions League..."
On the other side, as the Main Referee's final whistle struck like a heavy hammer, the Real Madrid players stood frozen on the green field, as if all their strength had been drained.
Cristiano Ronaldo stared blankly at the scoreboard, hands on his hips, his chest heaving violently, his eyes filled with unwillingness and helplessness. His golden boots were still stained with grass, but there was no longer any chance to change the score.
Higuain slumped to the ground, hands covering his head. The countless fruitless shots from this match now flooded his mind like a tide, becoming an indelible regret.
He wondered... if he had seized those chances, would they be the ones winning the match now?
Casillas violently ripped off his captain's armband and threw it to the ground, then reluctantly picked it up and clutched it in his hand, his knuckles white from the effort. His roar was drowned out by the cheers of Arsenal fans, but it could not vent the indignation in his heart.
Just one step away... after nine years, they were just one step away from the Champions League Final!
But this one step became an insurmountable chasm for them.
Casillas knew very well that this Arsenal team was stronger than them now.
Being beaten 5-3 by them at Bernabéu was not bad luck, but a result of their strength.
Just that unreasonable goal-scoring machine of theirs kept Real Madrid scrambling.
As for the rest of the players, they were no pushovers either.
It could only be said that Real Madrid still had a long way to go to win the Champions League...
Read 70+ more chapters on patreon.com/brainiacc