"The Times: Arsenal eliminate Real Madrid 7-5 on aggregate, reaching the Champions League Final after five years!"
"The Telegraph: Arsenal eliminate Real Madrid, Fly scores twice, bringing his single-season Champions League goals to 28."
"Sky Sports: Arsenal eliminate Real Madrid to reach the Champions League Final; Premier League teams meet at the pinnacle of Europe again after three years, truly deserving the title of the world's top League."
"Marca: Real Madrid narrowly lose to Arsenal, with all La Liga teams eliminated from the Champions League this season."
"World Sport: Real Madrid suffer a crushing defeat to Arsenal, far behind Barcelona; reaching the Champions League semi-finals was purely due to good draw luck."
"France Football: The battle for the Ballon d'Or is completely over; Fly Adams' Ballon d'Or odds have dropped to 1.2, breaking historical records."
"Titan Sports: American youth Fly scores 5 goals in two legs, leading Arsenal to eliminate Real Madrid and advance to the Champions League Final, a light for the American people."
"The Korea Herald: After the great Republic of Korea, Fly scores twice to eliminate Real Madrid and advance to the Champions League Final, the pride of Korea."
"The Sun: Arsenal superstar Fly Adams passionately celebrates with his girlfriend Taylor Swift after the match, Emma Watson becomes a third wheel, and Hermione's fans curse Fly for not being a gentleman."
...
May 6th.
The sunlight in Manchester slanted across the outside of the Carrington Training Ground press conference hall, and the air was filled with the mixed scent of grass and sweat.
Although Manchester United had just drawn 1-1 with Schalke 04 away last night, advancing to the Champions League Final with a 6-2 aggregate score.
The atmosphere in the press hall was not as relaxed and pleasant as the outside world might have imagined.
After all, awaiting them was their old rival, Arsenal, whom they had been entangled with for many years — and also the team that had defeated Manchester United twice in the League this season, ultimately lifting the Premier League Champions trophy.
Sir Alex Ferguson, dressed in a sharp suit and wearing reading glasses, slowly entered the press conference hall.
His characteristic Scottish gaze now held a complex mix of emotions.
The camera flashes instantly lit up, followed by a flurry of questions.
"Ferguson, Manchester United is about to meet Arsenal in the Champions League Final, and they defeated you twice in the League this season. What are your thoughts on this?" A British reporter was the first to pose this sharp question.
Ferguson gently adjusted his glasses, his gaze sweeping over every reporter present, and said in a deep voice:
"The results in the League are in the past. In the world of football, there are no eternal winners, and no eternal losers."
"Arsenal is indeed a very excellent team, especially their performance in the League this season is commendable, but the Champions League Final is a new battlefield, and everything will start anew."
The Scottish Old Man's voice was deep and powerful, carrying an undeniable authority.
"So, what advantages do you think Manchester United has to defeat Arsenal in the final?" another reporter pressed.
Ferguson's mouth curved slightly upward, revealing a confident smile: "We at Manchester United possess unparalleled team spirit and abundant experience in major competitions."
"Look at our players, Rooney, Giggs, Rio Ferdinand... they are all warriors who have been through countless tough battles."
"In the Champions League, experience often plays a decisive role, especially in a one-off final with no room for error, even more so....."
"Moreover, our attacking firepower should not be underestimated. The striking combination of Rooney and Berbatov is enough to make any team's defense tremble."
At this point, Ferguson's gaze became even more resolute, and he continued: "We have overcome many strong opponents in the knockout stages, which is enough to prove our strength."
"I believe my players are ready, and they are eager to prove themselves in the final."
"But Arsenal's Frey Adams is in red-hot form; in the last round against Real Madrid, he scored 5 goals again in the two legs. How do you plan to limit him?" A reporter raised a question about the opponent's key player.
Hearing this headache-inducing name, Ferguson's brows furrowed slightly, then smoothed out again:
"Frey Adams is indeed a very excellent player, and his performance in the match against Real Madrid was stunning."
"But football is a game of eleven players; we will not formulate tactics specifically for one player. We will start with overall defense, cutting off their passing lanes and compressing their attacking space."
"At the same time, we must also put enough pressure on Arsenal in attack, so that they have no time to attack with full force."
"I believe our coaching staff has developed a complete tactical plan, and the players will execute it resolutely."
"So what do you think this final means for Manchester United? After all, Arsenal just won the Premier League Champions; if they also win the Champions League, will it be a huge blow to Manchester United?" This question instantly made the atmosphere tense.
A sharp glint flashed in Ferguson's eyes, and he said sternly: "This final is an opportunity for Manchester United to prove itself again."
"We will not be discouraged by the loss in the League; on the contrary, this will become our driving force."
"In Manchester United's history, there has never been a lack of stories of comebacks from adversity; it can even be said that... we are the team in all of England, and even all of Europe, that is best at staging comebacks."
"Of course, we long for the championship, eager to use this Saint Bride's Cup to declare Manchester United's strong return."
"As for Arsenal, if they want to achieve their dream of a double, they must first overcome this hurdle of ours... and I can clearly tell everyone that we will not let them succeed easily."
"Many people may not know something... we recently won the FA Cup, and if we can also win the Champions League, then we will be even more successful than Arsenal this season!"
"Because for two championships, the Champions League is greater than the Premier League, and the FA Cup is greater than the English League Cup..."
"In other words, as long as we win the final at the end of the month, we can surpass Arsenal and become the most successful European football club this season."
Finally, Ferguson's tone softened slightly, and he still chose to leave some room for himself and the team: "No matter the outcome of the final, I am proud of my players."
"They have put in tremendous effort this season, and it has not been easy to get to this point... I believe this final will be a spectacular showdown, and I look forward to my players showing their best selves at Wembley Stadium."
"We are Manchester United; we will never fear any opponent. We will launch the fiercest assault for the championship!"
With that, Ferguson stood up, nodded slightly to the reporters, and then strode out of the press conference hall.
The sunlight once again fell upon him, outlining a resolute and spirited back, which, though somewhat weathered, still brimmed with vitality.
At this moment, the entire Carrington Training Ground seemed to be infused with a powerful force; everyone knew that Manchester United was ready to engage in a thrilling showdown with Arsenal on the Champions League Final stage.
At Wembley Stadium, England's football holy ground, two Premier League teams are staging a European-level showdown, with all the elements perfectly aligned...
The Fleet Street reporters couldn't help but feel a rush of excitement, releasing various articles, making it seem as if English football had already conquered the world.
...
May 8th.
In the thirty-sixth round of the Premier League, Arsenal traveled to challenge Stoke City.
Wenger directly fielded an all-substitute lineup for this match, and they were cleanly beaten 3-1 by Stoke City, losing by two goals, which became Arsenal's worst defeat in the League this season.
At the post-match press conference, the Fleet Street media paid no attention to such a "meaningless" match; instead, they asked Wenger for his views on Ferguson's comments from a few days prior.
Wenger, regarding his old rival, did not lash out but simply smiled faintly and said:
"Alex is right... the Champions League Final is a battlefield on another level, completely unrelated to past League encounters."
"As newcomers to the Champions League Final stage, we certainly don't possess the extensive experience that Manchester United has from top to bottom..."
"We can only make up for this through other means."
"What aspects will Arsenal use to compensate?" a reporter pressed.
Upon hearing this, Wenger took a sip of the mineral water on the table, then slowly said: "We have a group of excellent young players who are full of vitality and creativity."
"Players like Fly, Jack Wilshere, Cesc Fabregas, Rafael Varane, and others... they have already proven their strength this season."
"Our team's tactical system emphasizes possession and attacking organization; in attack, we have multiple scoring methods."
"Moreover, our team spirit has always been the core strength of the team... when facing difficulties, our players always unite and fight together."
"Manchester United has their advantages, and we have our strengths. The outcome of the final depends on the performance of both sides on the field, not on pre-match rhetoric."
"So, what do you think about Ferguson's defensive strategy specifically targeting Frey Adams?" another reporter posed a question.
Wenger smiled upon hearing this, made a peculiar expression, and said with slight exaggeration: "Fly is an important player for our team; his ability is obvious to all."
"It's normal for opponents to devise defensive strategies against him, but football is a team sport, and we won't change our style of play because of the opponent's remarks or strategies."
"Fly has many excellent teammates around him; they will support and cooperate with each other. We believe that as long as we exert the power of the team, any difficulty can be overcome."
"Moreover, given Fly's performance on the field this season, do you think he can be limited in a short period?"
"I don't know if Fly will be limited in the future... because I don't have the ability to predict the future."
"But for now, at the end of this month, I don't believe Alex can find an effective way to limit him... if Fly were really so easy to limit, then Guardiola and José Mourinho wouldn't have been at a loss because of Fly."
As the press conference drew to a close, Wenger reiterated: "Arsenal will not be disturbed by outside voices, no matter what Alex says in front of the media... we will focus on improving ourselves and preparing fully for the Champions League Final."
"The charm of football is that you never know the result until the very last moment."
"We will go into the final with confidence and determination, giving our all to fight for Arsenal's honor, and for the club's first Champions League title!!!"
With that, Wenger stood up, nodded slightly to the reporters, and walked out of the press conference hall with firm steps, leaving the reporters behind him in a flurry of discussion.
His figure, at this moment, still exuded an undeniable charm and conviction, as if telling everyone... this season's Arsenal, no one can defeat them!
Fly watched the entire interview from his home in London and couldn't help but sigh:
"The Old Man is truly becoming more and more regal now... It seems that saying is true, achievements give people the greatest confidence, and this is especially true in competitive sports!"
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