Chapter 137: The Harshest Fine in History! I Really Don't Want to Go to the Camp Nou!
The Tsar assists and scores to lead the comeback!
Yang Cheng praises the team's fighting spirit after dramatic away win!
Milan's golden boy frozen out—French destroyer emerges as hidden gem!
Terrifying stats light up San Siro—Rossoneri beaten fair and square!
Redemption at San Siro—Yang Cheng avenges last season's heartbreak!
Beyond the Tsar, another key man shines—Bosnian striker completes stunning evolution!
A crushing defeat tears the veil from Milan's decline—Rossoneri crash out in the Round of 16!
...
The moment Bayswater Chinese completed their 3–1 away comeback against AC Milan, media and fans around the world erupted.
No one had expected a result like this.
Just two months ago, Kaká had swept the Ballon d'Or and FIFA World Player of the Year.
Now, in this match, he was completely frozen out by Lass Diarra.
As La Gazzetta dello Sport put it, "The Brazilian looked like he was sleepwalking."
To say Kaká made no contribution would be unfair.
But in Milan's moment of need, he didn't rise to the occasion. His sluggish performance was undeniable.
Lass Diarra, on the other hand, became an overnight sensation.
Still two months shy of his 23rd birthday, the French midfielder had already won back-to-back Premier League tackle titles—and looked set to retain his crown this season.
Relentless stamina, ferocious tackling, and underrated passing—this was the image of Lass Diarra.
Earlier in the season, he had shut down Cristiano Ronaldo in a match against Manchester United.
Now? He had neutralized Ballon d'Or winner Kaká.
La Gazzetta dello Sport wrote that the Pirlo-Kaká connection was Milan's lifeblood in midfield, but at San Siro, that link was completely severed—by one man.
"He looked like a next-gen Gattuso, covering massive ground, running like a madman, and shutting down Kaká with startling ease."
The paper even listed moments when Kaká squared off against Diarra—and couldn't get the better of him even once.
It was stunning.
Of course, they also offered a softer excuse for Kaká's poor showing:
"He's paying the price for a congested fixture schedule."
Still, there was no doubt—Kaká's disappearance had doomed Milan.
Beyond that, the Italian media said Milan were beaten because their trademark strength—possession—was taken from them.
In Serie A, Milan were known for controlling matches.
But in this game, Bayswater Chinese held 57.3% possession, took 15 shots, hit the target 7 times, and scored 3 goals.
Their passing, their chance creation, their efficiency—all were top-tier.
Even more impressively, ESPN's post-match data showed Lass Diarra led all players in distance covered. Modrić was only a few hundred meters behind.
Every Bayswater Chinese outfield player ran over 10 kilometers.
Seven players ran over 11 kilometers.
Milan?
Only Gattuso cracked the 11-kilometer mark. No one else came close.
The difference in possession and running stats painted a clear picture of Milan's inferiority.
And the reason was obvious: age.
"The oldest squad in Europe's top five leagues met the youngest—and the result was 1–3."
The Italian media concluded that Milan urgently needed to start rebuilding.
...
Unlike the criticism from Italy, the British media were full of praise for Bayswater Chinese.
Especially for the man of the match: Arshavin.
The Times once again referenced Yang Cheng's creative decision last season to change Arshavin's position—crediting it for unlocking the Russian's full potential, along with Maicon's.
Now, Arshavin played more like a second striker or a free-roaming forward.
He popped up everywhere on the pitch.
And in this match against Milan, "the seemingly slight Russian covered 11 kilometers, made 4 key passes, 4 tackles, 4 interceptions, and committed 3 fouls."
He wasn't just an attacking force—his contribution in the press and in defense was equally impressive.
"With Džeko ahead of him, Arshavin can fully exploit his dribbling and close control, drifting unpredictably into space, impossible to mark."
"Every time he touched the ball, it was like he was electrified—unstoppable unless you fouled him."
"Add in his dazzling footwork, deceptive change of pace, and impressive speed—he's a nightmare for any defender."
The Times said Arshavin's only weakness was his lack of strength.
But behind the towering Džeko, that wasn't a problem.
"He's already one of the world's greatest stars."
Džeko, who also registered a goal and an assist, received glowing reviews as well.
The Premier League's top scorer, the Bosnian striker had caught the attention of every major club in Europe.
United, Chelsea, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Bayern—they were all watching him.
At San Siro, Džeko showed just how complete he was.
Even against Nesta, he held up the ball with ease.
Whether creating chances or finishing them, Džeko looked unstoppable.
Two-footed, technically sharp—his composure and control made him one of the best strikers in the game.
"Almost every Bayswater Chinese attack this season has involved Džeko."
The Guardian cut straight to the point—with a number:
£7.05 million.
What did that mean?
That was the total transfer fee spent on the four best players in this game.
Arshavin, Lass Diarra, Džeko, and Di María.
Together, they cost less than £7.1 million.
Roughly €10 million.
The most expensive?
Arshavin: £6 million.
Lass Diarra: Free transfer.
Džeko: £50,000.
Di María: £1 million.
Total? £7.05 million.
The Guardian noted that Bayswater Chinese had a special eye for identifying and developing talent.
Arshavin, signed for £6 million, was now worth at least £25 million after that performance in Milan—a 4x increase.
Džeko? Bought for £50,000—now valued at £20 million.
Di María had reached £15 million.
Lass Diarra? Free at the time—now? You'd need at least £20 million to even start negotiations.
The Guardian went further, listing other stars: Modrić, Maicon, Baines.
After joining Bayswater Chinese, all their values had skyrocketed.
"Over the past few years, Yang Cheng's team has become the Premier League's ultimate talent factory."
"Every summer, fans worry—can Bayswater Chinese stay competitive after selling off another batch of players?"
"But every season ends the same: the more they sell, the stronger they get!"
The Guardian wrote that while clubs like Sevilla in La Liga, Porto in Portugal, and Lyon in France were known for selling players, Bayswater Chinese were one of a kind in the Premier League.
...
After the comeback win at San Siro, Yang Cheng was full of emotion at the post-match press conference.
"We made a mistake early and conceded, which was very disappointing," he admitted.
"But we quickly regained our rhythm and turned the game around!"
"The battle at San Siro was extremely important for us. It showed the incredible spirit of Bayswater Chinese—the determination and will to never give up, even when cornered!"
"We'll carry that spirit, that fight, and that belief with us moving forward!"
When a reporter asked if the 3–1 comeback had all but secured a spot in the Champions League quarterfinals—matching last season's result—and whether the goal this year was to win it all, Yang Cheng jokingly replied:
"Why not?"
"I've always believed we're capable of competing with any team—and beating them!"
"We're a young squad. That can be a weakness, sure. But it can also be a strength."
"And I truly believe—we haven't even reached our best yet."
Ancelotti, on the other hand, was visibly disappointed but refused to concede defeat.
"We still have 90 minutes to play."
"Yes, losing 1–3 at home is hard to swallow. But we've come back from worse before."
"I believe we still have a chance in the second leg."
Was Ancelotti referring to Istanbul?
No—he meant that night in La Coruña.
...
The news of Bayswater Chinese's 3–1 win over AC Milan didn't dominate headlines for long.
Three days later, the Premier League resumed with Round 27.
In the first match of the round, Arsenal visited Birmingham.
Just 2 minutes and 30 seconds in, Birmingham center-back Martin Taylor launched into a reckless challenge—sliding straight through Eduardo da Silva's left leg.
His leg snapped instantly, visibly twisted and mangled.
The referee went straight to the red card.
Medical staff rushed in. Eduardo had to be treated with an oxygen mask.
The match was paused for seven minutes.
Sky Sports immediately cut away from the replay footage, citing that it was too disturbing to air.
Arsenal won 2–0.
But after the match, Wenger was furious.
"I don't think someone like him should be allowed to play football again."
Medical reports revealed both Eduardo's tibia and fibula had been fractured.
He was expected to face a long, painful recovery.
This wasn't the first brutal injury in English football.
Back in 2006, in a Manchester United vs. Liverpool match, Alan Smith had suffered a similar leg-break.
Even more coincidentally, that same round, a violent tackle occurred in the Championship too.
The football world was stunned.
Following the round, Arsenal vice-chairman David Dein held a press conference at the Emirates.
As FA vice-chairman as well, Dein expressed regret and deep sorrow over Eduardo's injury.
"But beyond sympathy, we need action."
He listed violent injuries in the Premier League from 2000 to now.
"For years, we've tolerated malicious fouls."
"Even today, we hear former players like Steve Bruce—cold-blooded butchers—say Martin Taylor's tackle wasn't even worthy of a yellow card!"
"I don't know what he's basing that on. Maybe in his time, football was about inflicting pain for fun. But for the rest of us—for the Premier League and the fans around the world—it's a disgrace."
"An absolute disgrace."
Bruce, formerly Birmingham's coach and Taylor's mentor, had just taken over at Wigan in November 2007.
After the match, he was the first to defend Taylor, saying there was nothing wrong with the challenge—not even yellow-worthy.
Dein used that statement as a rallying point.
"This wasn't just an ordinary foul that resulted in injury."
"According to sports medicine expert Tim Allardyce, Eduardo's leg bones pierced through the skin, twisted into an L-shape. Blood vessels were likely severely damaged. In the worst-case scenario, we're talking amputation."
"I want to remind everyone—we're discussing a football match. A reckless, malicious challenge has not only ended a 25-year-old's promising career, but may have left him permanently disabled!"
"And Bruce tells us that wasn't even a foul? Not even a yellow?"
Dein emphasized the influence such incidents have—especially on young players.
After the match, Birmingham's 22-year-old midfielder Sebastian Larsson criticized Wenger for "being childish."
"Sure, it looked terrible, but everyone knows Taylor didn't mean to hurt him."
"Wenger's reaction only proves he's a loser—and so is the whole Arsenal team."
Dein pointed to Larsson's comments as proof of the cultural rot.
Larsson had transferred from Arsenal to Birmingham in the summer of 2007 for £1 million.
Clearly, he had some resentment toward his former club.
But that wasn't the point.
"The issue," said Dein, "is that a 22-year-old doesn't even see what happened as a problem. He's completely indifferent to Eduardo's pain."
Dein argued that the FA and Premier League needed to set a new standard for young players.
These violent tackles were damaging the Premier League's image globally.
For a league striving for international appeal, that was a serious issue.
And even for Premier League clubs, these weren't victories.
"If we don't take this seriously, who's next?"
As soon as David Dein spoke out, Bayswater Chinese CEO Adam Crozier immediately followed suit.
The former FA chief held a press conference at Bayswater Stadium to publicly support Dein.
"In recent years, the Premier League has seen more than a few malicious injury incidents. This is absolutely unacceptable!"
Crozier emphasized that from a commercial standpoint, no league or club wants to be associated with violent, reputation-damaging incidents.
"The Premier League and FA must step up and take action!"
"The referees' committee must implement stronger measures to improve officiating quality and consistency!"
In Manchester, Manchester United CEO David Gill also held a press conference, backing Dein and Crozier, and calling for harsh penalties against reckless fouls.
United knew the pain firsthand—Alan Smith had suffered a similar horrific injury in 2006 against Liverpool.
"Every time one of these tackles happens, people say, 'He didn't mean to do it.'"
"Yes, we believe he didn't mean to."
"But that can't be an excuse for inaction."
"We must find ways to prevent and restrain such fouls."
Gill noted that such incidents were rare on the continent, but the Premier League had fostered a culture where aggressive fouls were almost encouraged.
In London, Chelsea CEO Peter Kenyon also voiced his support, stating that the Premier League and FA should step in, clean up the environment, and introduce policy changes.
Soon after, Liverpool, Everton, Manchester City, and Tottenham also issued statements.
Yang Cheng, in an interview with Sky Sports, said he had watched the entire foul in detail.
"I don't have any strange hobbies—I just wanted to understand what really happened."
Yang Cheng firmly stated that the idea that Martin Taylor didn't mean to injure Eduardo was completely indefensible.
"We all know football is a contact sport. Fouls happen everywhere."
"But there are rules."
"We've had players—even in our own team—try to intimidate opponents early in matches or test the referee's threshold."
"But we must learn self-control. Everyone knows the difference between going for the ball and going for the man—or worse, going out there to cause harm."
"I don't know what Taylor's true intentions were. Maybe he just wanted to hurt Eduardo a little. Maybe he didn't mean for it to go this far."
"But it doesn't matter."
"No one knows what was in his heart. What matters is his boot smashed into Eduardo's shin. Not the foot, not the ankle—the shin, and with shocking force."
"That horrific moment—broadcast live during a Premier League match—was one of the most gruesome and brutal scenes modern football has witnessed in decades."
"It's a stain on the Premier League."
"Because it was seen live by fans all over the world."
"Was it intentional? Maybe. Maybe not. But does that matter?"
"We're adults. We judge by results."
"Everyone must be held accountable for their actions."
"There are a lot of ways to intimidate opponents. Why choose to physically injure them? Is that acceptable in football?"
"I know people will say, 'There have been worse tackles.'"
"But I want to remind everyone—this one was seen live, by millions of fans, and will be reported in countless countries and media outlets. This is a massive blow to the Premier League's image."
"I believe the Premier League and FA must act."
"At the very least, they have a responsibility to protect the image of the league and English football."
Ferguson, Benítez, and other top managers echoed Yang Cheng's sentiment.
Fans and media alike were increasingly outraged by the rise of reckless fouls.
The pressure forced the FA and Premier League to respond.
The FA urgently convened a board meeting to discuss Eduardo's injury.
The referees' committee also held internal meetings to evaluate the incident and review potential loopholes in current rules.
Within the Premier League, representatives of all 20 clubs held an emergency meeting.
Led by Adam Crozier, several clubs called on the league to push the FA and the referees' committee to enforce stricter punishments for malicious fouls and improve referee training.
They also proposed aligning Premier League officiating standards more closely with UEFA's.
For once, even Birmingham didn't object.
The reason? Simple.
Premier League CEO Richard Scudamore had privately warned: if officiating standards weren't reformed and malicious fouls not punished more harshly, the big clubs would demand a restructuring of overseas broadcast revenue sharing.
With that threat hanging over them, the league quickly reached consensus and notified both the FA and the referees' committee.
Just three days later, the FA announced its decision.
Martin Taylor was found guilty of a malicious foul that caused Eduardo da Silva's serious injury.
He was banned for three months.
It was late February.
That meant Martin Taylor's season was officially over.
This was the harshest disciplinary ruling for a foul in Premier League history.
The entire British football world—media, fans, and professionals—was stunned.
The FA stated it would work with the referees' committee to issue new guidelines specifically targeting malicious fouls.
Future incidents like Taylor's would be punished severely.
At the same time, they promised to improve referee training and raise officiating standards in the Premier League.
...
In the same Round 27, Liverpool edged Middlesbrough 3–2, thanks to a hat-trick from Fernando Torres.
Manchester United crushed Newcastle 5–1 away, with both Ronaldo and Rooney scoring braces.
Bayswater Chinese hosted Aston Villa.
In the 32nd minute, Gareth Barry converted a penalty to give Villa the lead.
But in the second half, Bayswater Chinese turned up the heat.
In the 48th minute, Walcott made a driving run down the right and won a corner with a low cross.
Rakitić delivered the ball to the far post, where José Fonte's header was saved—
—but Walcott pounced in the chaos and backheeled it into the net.
1–1!
Game on.
Bayswater Chinese increased the pressure.
In the 51st minute, Walcott again broke through the middle and slid a through ball to Lewandowski.
The Polish striker burst into the box and finished low near the penalty spot—
2–1!
Back-to-back goals sent Wembley into a frenzy.
Just four minutes later, Bayswater Chinese put together their most brilliant attacking move of the match.
After clearing the ball from their own penalty area, Matić picked it up outside the box, shook off a defender, turned, and launched a long ball forward.
The Serbian midfielder's pass landed perfectly around the 30-meter line in Aston Villa's half.
Bayswater Chinese's front three all burst forward at full speed, forming a 3-on-4 situation in attack.
Lewandowski reached the ball first and headed it down.
But before the Polish striker could control it, Walcott came charging in diagonally from the right channel and tapped the ball past a defender.
After beating the defender, Walcott drove forward with the ball.
As he approached the top of the box, he faced Curtis Davies. With a smooth feint and a sudden burst to the left, the lightning-fast Little Tiger created a shooting lane.
He swung his left foot.
From the edge of the box, he struck with the outside of his left foot, aiming low toward the far right corner.
Goalkeeper Scott Carson, leaning left, had no chance to reach it.
3–1! A brace!
Wembley exploded in deafening cheers as fans chanted Walcott's name.
In the 77th minute, Bayswater Chinese struck again.
Left-back Marcelo carried the ball past midfield and played a precise through ball down the left channel.
Lewandowski sprinted onto it, entered the box, and squared the ball across goal.
Gareth Bale arrived like a bullet and calmly side-footed the ball into the net with his left.
4–1!
The score remained until the final whistle.
Due to Champions League rotation, Yang Cheng had shuffled his front three.
But Walcott exceeded all expectations, scoring two and assisting once.
Lewandowski had a goal and two assists.
Bale also added one.
18+18+19!
The Times used those three numbers as its headline—praising Bayswater Chinese's three young attackers.
Despite a slow first half, the four-goal second-half explosion left a deep impression.
Walcott in particular stood out.
He was involved in all three goals, and played like a tiger unleashed.
But what really impressed was the fluid movement and positioning of the front three.
As The Times put it: "It felt very much like Manchester United's chaos trio of Rooney, Tévez, and Ronaldo—gloriously unpredictable."
...
A week later, the Premier League resumed with Round 28.
With the Champions League second leg coming in three days, Yang Cheng once again rotated.
The previously explosive front three were shut down by Middlesbrough's defense.
Such is life with young players—their form fluctuates.
And Middlesbrough's defense was no joke.
Jonathan Woodgate was solid as a rock.
Had it not been for injuries, he would've been one of the world's best center-backs.
After more than an hour of deadlock, Gareth Bale broke into the box from the left and was brought down.
Penalty.
Middlesbrough protested, calling it a dive.
But Sky Sports' slow-mo replay confirmed—it was a clear foul.
Bale calmly converted.
Then, just before full time, Matuidi smashed in a long-range rocket to seal it.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 2–0 away at Middlesbrough.
Manchester United beat Fulham 3–0 away.
Chelsea demolished West Ham 4–0 on the road.
Arsenal were held 1–1 at home by Aston Villa.
Liverpool beat Bolton 3–1 away.
...
March 4th, evening — Wembley Stadium, London.
Champions League Round of 16, second leg.
Bayswater Chinese vs. AC Milan.
Nearly 80,000 fans packed the stadium—
a new record since the team moved into Wembley.
Not just because of the home side,
but because of Milan's aura.
Everyone wanted to see how Bayswater Chinese would eliminate the defending champions.
The media was full of speculation about Yang Cheng's lineup decisions.
With a 3–1 lead from the first leg, most believed Bayswater Chinese were already through.
But how would they approach the second leg at home?
Since taking over, Yang Cheng had never lost a home match.
A staggering record—surpassing even Mourinho's unbeaten run at Chelsea.
Fans believed in him.
Many pundits advised caution.
Let Milan come out and press.
Then hit them on the counter.
That was the prevailing wisdom.
Yang Cheng did the opposite.
He chose to go on the attack.
As a coach with plenty of Champions League knockout experience, he knew—
Clinging to a 3–1 lead was dangerous.
Especially when a coach starts to believe, even subconsciously, that "the job is done."
That's fatal.
How tragic is it to pop the champagne at halftime?
Yang Cheng only needed to take a few steps over to the visiting bench and ask Ancelotti to find out.
Even more importantly—
Bayswater Chinese were young and inexperienced in knockout football.
They had no idea how dangerous AC Milan could be.
Especially Kaká.
One tiny lapse was all he needed to change everything.
So before the match, Yang Cheng drilled the players on one thing—mentality.
Once they walked out onto the pitch,
forget the first leg.
Play this like a final.
Every part of their prep mirrored a normal match.
Routine. Precise. Intense.
He wanted to remind them:
Champions League knockout football allows no complacency.
Tactically, things were similar to the first leg.
Lass Diarra was still tasked with marking Kaká.
But this time, Ancelotti returned to his 4-3-2-1 "Christmas Tree" formation.
Same backline and holding midfield trio.
The only change? Seedorf replaced Inzaghi.
Up front: Pato led the line, with Seedorf and Kaká behind.
From kickoff, Bayswater Chinese pressed hard.
That was their trademark lightning-fast start.
The goal was to force the game into the kind of high tempo they thrived on.
Milan, predictably, sat deep and defended.
The opening ten minutes?
Completely one-sided.
Bayswater Chinese created multiple chances.
The most dangerous came in the 10th minute.
Džeko dropped deep to receive, then slipped a perfect pass.
Arshavin burst into the box from the right corner, then squared the ball.
Yaya Touré arrived late—one-on-one with Dida.
But the Ivorian's shot was parried wide.
A huge missed opportunity.
The entire stadium groaned in frustration.
The following corner didn't lead to a goal either.
AC Milan launched a counterattack and, by the 15th minute, finally registered their first shot on target—courtesy of young Pato.
But the rest of the game remained firmly under Bayswater Chinese's control, with wave after wave of attacks that showed no sign of letting up, despite their first-leg advantage.
Playing at home, Bayswater Chinese pinned AC Milan back into full defensive mode.
The first half ended 0–0.
After the break, it was Milan who came out pushing.
Ancelotti's side could no longer afford to sit back.
They were two goals down on aggregate and had conceded three away goals. To advance, they needed to score three times.
Time was running out.
Yang Cheng had expected Milan's second-half surge. The hosts had controlled the first-half rhythm completely, making Milan look uncomfortable.
If Ancelotti didn't push forward now, it would be equivalent to raising the white flag.
The game changed.
Milan attacked. Bayswater Chinese defended and countered.
In the 60th minute, just as Milan were surging forward, Bayswater Chinese intercepted the ball at the edge of their box.
Modrić sent a diagonal pass.
Di María took off down the left wing, sprinting past the halfway line. Chased by Oddo and Gattuso, he cut the ball to Džeko in the center.
The Bosnian forward controlled the ball and turned, slipping past Kaladze and playing a brilliant through ball behind the line.
Arshavin sprinted through, beating Nesta to the ball and poking it into the box.
One-on-one, the Russian calmly slotted the ball into the far corner.
1–0!
Wembley erupted.
Nearly 80,000 fans screamed in unison, shaking the very foundations of the stadium.
Even Yang Cheng, standing at the touchline, looked up in disbelief at the sea of people.
Nearly 80,000!
He clearly remembered—two years ago, when the club first moved into Wembley, they couldn't even fill half the stadium.
But now?
Almost completely full.
That kind of crowd wasn't common for the league, but for this Champions League night—it was astonishing.
"We've officially informed Norman Foster: expand the new stadium's capacity. Build it as big as physically possible!" Yang Cheng said, staring in awe at the packed stands.
Many of those in attendance weren't even Bayswater Chinese fans. Their clothing gave them away.
True diehards, at the very least, would be wearing the club jersey.
But it didn't matter.
As Adam Crozier once said:
As long as they're willing to come in—whether it's for the Champions League, AC Milan, or just because Bayswater Chinese has the cheapest tickets—that's good enough.
The first time is the hardest.
Once someone's attended once, they're more likely to come again.
At this stage, Bayswater Chinese's mission was to attract as many fans as possible.
How to keep them? That could be figured out later.
"Norman Foster's probably losing his mind right now," Brian Kidd laughed.
For an architect, nothing's worse than a client suddenly changing requirements.
Especially ones as daunting as this.
Yang Cheng laughed too.
He was playing the role of a nightmare client now.
But no choice—6.5k capacity was just too small.
With no real room for future expansion, they had to go big now.
Foster had warned them: there's a height restriction in Central London.
If they exceeded it, the city wouldn't approve.
So the only way? Dig deeper. Build underground.
"Massive project," Kidd muttered.
Yang Cheng nodded. And yes, it would cost a fortune.
As Xia Qing said, she'd become numb to it.
Why?
Because everything was over budget.
Brent training base? Over budget.
Satellite academies? Over budget.
Even Yang Cheng's own villa renovations? Over budget.
So a new stadium plus four buildings running over? Not surprising.
"But honestly, if we can get crowds of 80 or 90 thousand every match—the atmosphere would be insane," Kidd said, visibly excited.
Across Europe, stadiums with 90k+ capacity were rare.
Camp Nou in Barcelona was one of them.
Which, funny enough—Yang Cheng had never visited.
He'd been to the Bernabéu twice, but never the Camp Nou.
...
After Arshavin's goal, the match was essentially over.
Milan would need four goals in the remaining time.
Ancelotti and the Milan players looked resigned. They had league games to focus on.
Final score: Bayswater Chinese 1–0 AC Milan
Aggregate: 4–1.
A clear, resounding victory.
The defending champions were out.
And with that, revenge for last season was complete.
The other three Premier League teams all advanced to the quarterfinals too.
Four English clubs in the Champions League last eight—half the field.
A sign of Premier League dominance.
And once again—Real Madrid were out in the Round of 16.
Just as Yang Cheng had predicted—Schuster's squad still lacked the strength to compete.
After the Round of 16, UEFA held the quarterfinal draw at its headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland.
Bayswater Chinese drew Barcelona.
Yang Cheng was stunned.
He had literally thought, "I've never played at Camp Nou," during the Milan match…
And here it was.
What timing.
Was the FA behind this? Surely not.
But I really didn't want to go to Camp Nou!
Among the four English teams, Bayswater Chinese drew Barcelona.
Manchester United? They drew Liverpool.
A Champions League quarterfinal Manchester Derby—pure drama.
But it also meant one thing:
The semifinals would not be an all-English affair.
UEFA would never allow all four semifinal spots to go to English clubs.
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