Chapter 244: All-Out Battle! The Most Valuable Treble in History! Let the Pressure Fall on Manchester City!
Clap! Clap! Clap!
Yang Cheng strode quickly into the home dressing room at Wembley Stadium, applauding with both hands.
The noisy, jubilant atmosphere among the players instantly quieted down.
All eyes turned toward the head coach.
Yang Cheng was all smiles—clearly in a very good mood.
A 1–0 home win over Manchester United might not sound like much, but given the timing of the match, it was an incredibly hard-fought victory.
After all, this heavyweight clash came sandwiched between the two legs of the Champions League quarterfinals.
Everyone knew the manager was about to say something important.
"Guys, take a seat. I've got some good news!"
Yang Cheng gestured for them to sit.
But before he even finished the sentence, how could anyone stay seated?
"Just before our match ended, up at the Etihad in Manchester, City drew 2–2 with Chelsea!"
The second those words left his mouth, the dressing room erupted again.
Walcott, Gareth Bale, and several others leapt into the air in celebration.
"Fantastic!"
"City dropped points again!"
"That's brilliant!"
Only after the players had their moment did Yang Cheng continue.
"As it stands on the table, we've played 31 matches: 27 wins, 3 draws, 1 loss—84 points."
"City now have 80 points—we're four points ahead!"
Another round of cheers filled the room.
To some, a four-point lead might not seem like much.
But with only seven league matches left, pulling ahead at this stage was no small feat.
Both teams were going all out for the title, both operating at peak form, and neither was likely to drop many points.
For example, the Bayswater Chinese's loss to Norwich had been a brutal, all-out effort.
But a loss was a loss—these things happen.
No team wins forever.
By this point, every match was a war of attrition.
Dropping points was rare—and costly.
So, a four-point lead at this point didn't guarantee the title,
but it meant one thing above all: they now held the initiative.
More importantly, it gave the Bayswater Chinese some room for error.
There were battles on all fronts:
The Premier League, Champions League, FA Cup.
They couldn't cover everything, and rotation risks were inevitable.
That lead—those four points—became priceless.
At the very least, it gave the squad confidence.
"I want to make one thing clear:
Our fight isn't over yet!"
Yang Cheng's voice cut through the room like a blade, and the players immediately went silent.
"There are still seven league matches to go.
We're still in the Champions League. We're still in the FA Cup.
We still have a lot of big, tough matches ahead."
"But in every match we've played so far, including today's, we've always lived by one motto."
"One sentence I've repeated to you all, again and again."
He raised his right index finger and said it again, loudly:
"We are the strongest!"
"Not just in the Premier League. Not just in Europe."
"We are the strongest team in the world—with the strongest squad in the world!"
"As long as we stay focused, as long as we fight for every match,
we can win every title.
We can become unbeatable!"
The players were visibly stirred by Yang Cheng's words.
Fresh off the good news, hearing their coach speak with such confidence sparked something inside them—
Belief.
And also, responsibility.
They were the best.
So they had to chase down every title.
Only then could they proudly say to the world:
We are the strongest team on Earth.
"I've done the math," Yang Cheng continued. "We've got 13 matches left this season."
That startled some of the players.
Wasn't this Matchday 31? How could there still be 13 matches left?
But they quickly figured it out.
FA Cup: Semifinal and FinalChampions League: Quarterfinal second leg, two Semifinal legs, and the FinalPremier League: Final seven matches
Total: 13 games.
"Now I've got one request for all of you."
Everyone sat up straight.
"For these last 13 matches, I want you to treat every single one like a Champions League Final.
Give everything you've got."
"No one knows how far we'll go by the end of this season.
But I hope you give your all for every game."
"Because if you do that, I believe we'll achieve a result
that'll make you proud—
make the fans proud—
and make the whole world cheer for you!"
…
No one outside the dressing room knew exactly what Yang Cheng had said.
The media was more focused on hyping the "Premier League Clasico."
But the result of the match caught everyone off guard.
From start to finish, Manchester United managed just three shots.
Zero on target.
That's right—
Two shots in the first half, one in the second.
All of them missed the goal.
The Sun had the sharpest line in their post-match commentary:
"Courtois took a 90-minute nap and woke up with his 23rd clean sheet of the season."
"That puts him just one shy of Čech's Premier League record of 24 clean sheets."
In this global spotlight match, United were soundly beaten in every statistical category:
possession, passing accuracy, total passes, attacking play—you name it.
Only in defensive stats did they show strength—
because that's all they did.
Defend.
It was shocking.
The Guardian called it a humiliation:
"No comeback, no Red Devils."
"That used to be Ferguson's pride—the Red Devil spirit."
"But what we saw at Wembley was a team doing nothing but defending, defending, and more defending."
"Maybe United were truly scared of the Bayswater Chinese.
How else do you explain such a passive tactical approach?"
The Guardian went even further, declaring:
"Ferguson is old.
Too old to chase glory with courage and ambition."
At the post-match press conference, Ferguson defended himself.
"I'm the manager. I have to protect my players.
We played the way that gave us the best chance to win."
A reporter shot back:
"But you lost.
You lost, embarrassed yourselves, and pretty much handed the league's first-ever four-peat to the Bayswater Chinese."
"Manchester United's proud tradition crumbled in the face of an unprecedented four-in-a-row!"
Ferguson, furious, stormed out.
The Times later wrote that the reporters' grilling had been unnecessarily harsh.
"Looking across European football today, aside from Barcelona,
no team has the nerve to take on the Bayswater Chinese head-to-head."
"Ferguson's United are still rebuilding.
They're a half-finished product—especially in the front line."
"But Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese is already a fully matured team, with players who've been working together for years and possess remarkable chemistry."
"In that context, expecting Manchester United to go toe-to-toe in a head-on attacking battle was clearly unrealistic."
The Times argued that the real reason many media outlets were harsh on Ferguson was because they still couldn't accept the rise of the Bayswater Chinese.
"In their eyes, the Bayswater Chinese are still that bottom-tier, bankrupt club from years ago. But the truth is, Yang Cheng's team is now one of the strongest in European football."
"Maybe even the strongest—no qualifiers necessary!"
However, The Times also acknowledged that United's performance in this match was unquestionably poor.
Especially in attack—they posed virtually no threat.
Rooney was completely neutralized and offered nothing as a striker.
Three shots the entire match. Zero on target.
That stat sheet was ugly, no way around it.
As for Yang Cheng's Bayswater Chinese, British media showered them with praise.
Especially given how consistent they had been all season.
The biggest improvement in Yang Cheng's team this year? Their dominance.
To put it simply—after 31 Premier League matches, they had only conceded 8 goals.
A staggering number.
If it were just great defense, maybe that would be understandable.
But this team also boasts the most terrifying attacking firepower in Europe.
That's what makes it so outrageous.
Over the past few years, as they've grown stronger and stronger, the Bayswater Chinese have drawn more and more attention from fans around the world.
Now, expectations have risen.
But so have the challenges.
Take this season, for example.
The Times ran an entire feature analyzing the situation:
So far this season, the Bayswater Chinese are widely regarded as the only team in Europe's top five leagues with a realistic shot at the treble.
But achieving that treble will be extraordinarily difficult.
They're fighting on all three fronts.
They still have to face Arsenal and Manchester City in the league, plus the Champions League quarterfinals and semifinals, and an FA Cup semifinal against Liverpool.
All massive matches.
"In these high-stakes showdowns, if Yang Cheng's team slips even slightly—if they make even one mistake—it could bring the whole campaign crashing down and destroy their treble hopes."
"To put it more bluntly: if the Bayswater Chinese get complacent with what they've already achieved, they could lose everything in April."
The Times put it plainly—professional sports is brutal.
"It doesn't care how well you've played over the past few months or how much you've sacrificed."
"If they want titles, the Bayswater Chinese will have to face even more punishing trials."
Given the current state of the Premier League, Champions League, and FA Cup,
The Times concluded that if Yang Cheng's side really does win the treble again—
it would be the most valuable treble in football history.
Even more impressive than United's 1999 triumph or the Bayswater Chinese's own treble in 2009.
…
April 3rd, evening. Wembley Stadium, London.
Champions League Quarterfinal Second Leg – Bayswater Chinese vs. Bayern Munich.
After a 0–2 defeat at home in the first leg, everyone was curious:
What kind of tactical plan would Heynckes come up with for the return leg?
When the starting lineup was announced, the answer was obvious.
Bayern Munich starting XI:
Goalkeeper: Neuer
Defense: Alaba, Badstuber, Van Buyten, Lahm
Midfield: Schweinsteiger and Gustavo as a double pivot,
Attacking midfield: Ribéry, Thomas Müller, Altıntop
Striker: Gómez
From a triple-pivot in the first leg to a 4-2-3-1 with only two holding mids in the second—
Heynckes was going all-in.
They had to score at least two away goals to stay in the tie.
In the dressing room before kickoff, Yang Cheng took one look at Bayern's lineup and guessed their intent.
He confidently told his players, "Bayern will press from the start."
"They have no choice."
"If they can score early and close the gap, their confidence will grow.
If not, and the game drags on, time becomes their worst enemy."
Given Bayern's strengths, the key was making Gómez a threat up top, and using Müller's intelligent runs and finishing.
Yang Cheng expected them to attack down the flanks.
Altıntop and Ribéry would be Bayern's most dangerous weapons.
And sure enough, the match began exactly as Yang Cheng had predicted.
Bayern came out aggressively.
Barely a minute in, Lahm, Altıntop, and Müller linked up on the right side.
They tried to find Gómez in the box.
The big striker was clearly targeting Thiago Silva.
Though the Brazilian was one of the best defenders in the world, his only weakness was his height—
and the aerial duels that came with it.
Gómez going after Silva? Totally expected.
Silva didn't try to challenge in the air.
He simply blocked Gómez's positioning, staying grounded and using his body.
The header lacked power.
Courtois quickly charged forward and claimed the ball.
Then, in one fluid motion, he sprinted to the edge of the box and threw it long with one arm.
Kroos was waiting in the center circle.
He chested it down and played it to Matić,
then spun and sprinted forward.
Matić, reading his movement, passed it right back.
Kroos, now facing forward, scanned the pitch and unleashed a long pass.
It was low, flat, and just cleared the heads of Bayern's back line—
falling behind them with speed and precision.
It dropped into Bayern's 30-meter zone, not quite in the penalty area.
Gareth Bale flew onto it like a missile, beating Van Buyten to the ball
and touching it forward into the left side of the box.
Then came the acceleration.
It was unreal—he looked like he was about to take off.
Bale caught up to his own pass at the edge of the box.
He faked a cross into the center—
but really sent it behind Badstuber.
The Bayern center-back lunged into a sliding tackle, trying to block the cross—
but was completely fooled.
Behind him, Lewandowski was wide open.
One touch to control, one strike—
straight into the bottom-right corner of Neuer's goal.
1–0!
"GOOOOAAAL!!!"
"Not even three minutes in, and it's a lightning counterattack from the Bayswater Chinese!"
"Gareth Bale once again flashes his breathtaking speed to break through Bayern's backline and deliver a brilliant assist!"
"Lewandowski with the perfect finish—this goal could be absolutely pivotal!"
"1–0!"
"This is a nightmare scenario for Bayern."
"Now they need to score at least three goals."
"And at the Bayswater Chinese's home ground, let's be honest—that's nearly impossible."
"Bayern's early aggression may have been a bit too reckless."
"Or perhaps it's more accurate to say, they were throwing everything into attack—completely ignoring the defense behind them."
"Before this match, everyone already knew Bayern's chances of a comeback were slim, but most still expected a thrilling clash—because Bayern had to score."
"What no one expected was how fast—how suddenly—the Bayswater Chinese would strike."
"Less than 3 minutes in, and the aggregate score was already 3–0!"
…
Bayern's all-out assault failed to produce a goal.
Instead, they conceded on the Bayswater Chinese's first counterattack—their first shot on target.
It was a devastating blow.
But as Heynckes had said, Bundesliga clubs don't break easily.
They're not that fragile.
After conceding, Bayern quickly regrouped.
However, there was one noticeable shift—they didn't dare to attack as recklessly as before.
It was clear to everyone: Bayern's mentality had been completely manipulated by their opponent.
If they pressed too high again, the Bayswater Chinese would definitely punish them on the counter.
Bayern were hesitant—and afraid.
As Bayern began to play more cautiously, the match's rhythm shifted.
The Bayswater Chinese, with their tight passing game and dominant midfield, took control.
And Yang Cheng? He was being smart.
With his team competing on three fronts, any chance to conserve energy was worth taking.
He signaled for the team to slow the tempo, manage the game, and let Bayern chase shadows.
The Germans had no good answer for it.
Standing on the sideline, Yang Cheng watched both teams and couldn't help but feel a quiet satisfaction.
His mind flashed back to the 2012–13 Champions League—
when Bayern had destroyed Barcelona in both legs of the semifinal.
Many believed it was the collapse of the Dream Team dynasty.
But in truth, it wasn't.
Throughout history, every dominant team faces the same inevitable problem after 3–4 years at the top:
Motivation.
Once players have won everything there is to win—beaten everyone there is to beat—
what more is there to drive them?
Coaches face the same issue.
That's why Guardiola chose to leave Barcelona in 2012.
He realized that both he and his locker room lacked the fire.
And when motivation is gone, problems start surfacing.
Tensions between coach and players, players and management—it all bubbles up.
Guardiola left. Vilanova stepped in.
As the assistant promoted to head coach, Vilanova had to do something different.
He had to reignite a squad that had lost its hunger.
Guardiola's tiki-taka was stable, but it had grown stale.
Not just for fans—but for the players themselves.
No one wants to feel like a cog in a machine—mindlessly repeating the same thing day after day.
So Vilanova made things more direct, more aggressive.
He needed to inject something new.
But with an aging squad, and players already having achieved everything,
the pressing and intensity up front were gone.
And once you lose pressure up top, your exposed backline pays the price.
That's how Barcelona got annihilated 7–0 on aggregate by Bayern.
Everyone at Barça—management, coaching staff, players—tried to avoid that collapse.
But it happened anyway.
Because it's human nature.
People are like this.
So is there a way to avoid that fate?
Yes—but Barcelona refused to do it.
Transfers.
Sell players. Bring in new ones.
The most straightforward, brutal, yet effective way to inject fresh blood.
Many people wondered how the Bayswater Chinese had been so successful in recent years.
The answer?
Yang Cheng always sold players.
And he always brought in new talent.
That's how you keep things fresh.
That's how you maintain motivation.
That's how you build a dynasty that doesn't fade.
Which is why—
the same tactical system that Heynckes used to crush Barcelona in Yang Cheng's past life…
was now powerless against Yang Cheng's version.
Not because Heynckes' tactics were inferior.
But because Barcelona had internal issues.
And the Bayswater Chinese did not.
Now it was Bayern who were exposing their flaws—trying to break down a perfectly functioning machine.
Then came stoppage time in the first half.
Gustavo, under no pressure, made a careless back pass—
right into the path of Di María.
The Argentine pounced.
He blew past Alaba and drove into the right side of the box.
From just inside the six-yard box, he cut the ball back across goal.
Lewandowski, unmarked, calmly tapped it into the net.
2–0.
4–0 on aggregate.
Game. Over.
As the referee blew the whistle for halftime,
all 90,000 fans at Wembley stood up in unison,
roaring in applause for their team.
The Bayswater Chinese had completely dominated the first half.
Bayern, against this intricate web of passing and movement,
had no answers.
And now, everyone knew—
the Bayswater Chinese had one foot firmly in the semifinals.
…
The second half kicked off,
but Bayern still had no answers.
The game dragged on for a bit with neither side threatening.
Then, in the 71st minute, Ribéry produced a flash of brilliance.
On the left flank, he used pure individual skill to beat both Piszczek and Pepe,
cutting into the box and firing past Courtois.
1–2.
A consolation goal, more than anything.
But just six minutes later, the Bayswater Chinese struck back.
After winning the ball in midfield, they launched another rapid counter.
Di María drove forward down the right channel.
Lewandowski pulled wide, dragging defenders with him and opening up the middle.
Di María carried the ball deep into Bayern's 30-meter zone,
then played it wide left to Bale.
With Lahm and Gustavo pressuring him,
Bale cut inside and delivered a diagonal through ball.
On the far side of the box—Lewandowski, unmarked.
One touch to control. One strike.
Goal.
3–1.
Lewandowski hat trick.
Then came the substitutions.
Bayern first brought on Contento for Alaba—to shore up defense.
Then they replaced Altıntop with Olic—to chase goals.
Yang Cheng, in the 80th minute, sent on youth:
Pogba, Harry Kane, and Sterling.
The rest of the match saw no further goals.
The Bayswater Chinese, with Lewandowski's hat trick,
defeated Bayern Munich 3–1 at home.
5–1 on aggregate.
They sent the Bundesliga champions packing.
Sure, fans and pundits everywhere had expected this result—
but few expected it to be so comprehensive,
so utterly dominant over both legs.
For the past two or three seasons, the Bayswater Chinese have been the undisputed frontrunners for the Champions League title—and this year, their performance has been nothing short of unforgettable.
Especially the level of consistency and dominance that Yang Cheng's team has shown.
And all of it stems from one thing: the midfield.
Even Germany's Süddeutsche Zeitung had to admit—after Bayern were thrashed at Wembley—that in terms of overall strength, the Bayswater Chinese had the slight edge over the Bundesliga champions.
British media, on the other hand, had mixed emotions.
On the one hand, they were thrilled that the Bayswater Chinese had once again advanced to the Champions League semifinals.
But on the other, there was deep disappointment over Wenger's Arsenal, who, despite winning 1–0 at home in the first leg, lost 1–3 at Camp Nou to Guardiola's Barcelona.
Messi put on a spectacular performance, and Barça overturned the deficit to win 3–2 on aggregate.
Liverpool also fell short—after drawing 1–1 at home to Real Madrid, they lost 0–2 away at the Bernabéu.
Mourinho's side advanced to the semifinals with a 3–1 aggregate win.
The final team through? Ancelotti's Manchester City.
After a 0–0 draw away to Milan, they won 3–1 at home, eliminating the Rossoneri.
As a result, the Champions League semifinals shaped up to be a Premier League vs La Liga showdown:
Bayswater Chinese vs Real MadridManchester City vs Barcelona
Mourinho, in particular, had not only ended Real Madrid's long-standing Round of 16 curse this season but had now guided them into the last four.
…
While the media and fans were busy analyzing the semifinal draw and hyping up the Premier League–La Liga showdown, Yang Cheng called an urgent meeting at the Bayswater Chinese's Brent training center the day after the win over Bayern.
He summoned every department.
Even CEO Adam Crozier arrived at the training base alongside the operations staff.
The topic wasn't the Champions League draw or anything like that—
It was the schedule.
Yang Cheng never made a fuss over small things.
So when he treated this seriously, everyone knew what that meant:
The Bayswater Chinese were about to enter a truly brutal run of fixtures.
Because of the compressed calendar due to the 2012 Euros and London Olympics,
this year's Premier League season would end on May 13th.
The FA Cup Final would be on May 5th.
The Champions League Final would take place on May 19th.
The result?
A nightmare schedule for any club playing on three fronts.
The doubleheader against Manchester United and Bayern was already behind them.
But now came the real test:
April 7 – Premier League Matchday 32, away to Stoke CityApril 10 – Matchday 33, home vs ArsenalApril 14 – FA Cup Semifinal, away vs Liverpool(Meanwhile, other teams would play Matchday 34)April 17 – Champions League Semifinal First Leg, home vs Real MadridApril 21 – Matchday 35, home vs Manchester CityApril 24 – Champions League Semifinal Second Leg, away vs Real MadridApril 28 – Matchday 36, away vs SwanseaMay 2 – Matchday 34 makeup game, away vs SunderlandMay 5 – (if qualified) FA Cup FinalMay 13 – Premier League Matchday 38
If the Bayswater Chinese reached the Champions League Final, they'd be off to the Allianz Arena on May 19.
Looking at the entire calendar, if the team wanted to win the treble, every single match from here on out would be vital.
Every week would be a double-match week.
And the worst part?
From mid- to late April, they'd be facing Arsenal, Real Madrid, Manchester City, and Liverpool—five high-stakes matches tangled together.
This kind of schedule would be a nightmare for any team in the world.
Not just the Bayswater Chinese.
And who, anywhere in global football, could guarantee victory across such a stretch?
No one.
But if they wanted the treble—
They had to win them all.
Manchester City were breathing down their necks in the league.
Liverpool stood in their way in the FA Cup.
Real Madrid waited in the Champions League.
There was no room for error.
And even if you ignored the elite showdowns, every other opponent was still tough:
Stoke City sat 13thEverton and Sunderland were in the top 10Swansea were 11thFinal opponent Wigan were fighting relegation
In other words, no easy games left.
And Yang Cheng's team had to win every single one.
When assistant coach Brian Kidd finished outlining the situation and the mountain they were about to climb,
a chill ran through the room.
This was hell.
Of course, no one was trying to sabotage the Bayswater Chinese—
the fixture list had been set before the season began.
The real issue?
They were still alive in every competition.
They were chasing the treble.
Which meant this nightmare was always going to arrive.
There were only two options:
Make compromises and abandon one or two trophies.Go all-in on every front. Fight to the end.
No middle ground.
After Kidd finished, Yang Cheng stood up.
He spoke calmly, firmly:
"For years, I've always emphasized one thing."
"In the dictionary of the Bayswater Chinese—
in the blood of our players—
the word 'give up' does not exist."
"We will never forfeit a match.
We will never back out of a competition."
Yang Cheng had drilled that belief into every player.
That's why they gave 100% every time they stepped on the pitch.
They might lose—
But they would never quit.
Because Yang Cheng believed this:
You can't have it both ways.
You can't call it 'strategic rotation' while demanding full effort from your players in every match.
That's hypocrisy.
Once you start "strategically giving up,"
you're telling your players it's okay not to fight.
Not to chase every ball.
As for rotation?
That's normal.
The Bayswater Chinese had always rotated.
Even in seasons when they almost ended with nothing.
Yang Cheng never wavered.
And it was that unwavering belief
that gave this team their trademark toughness.
"I know the schedule ahead is brutal," Yang Cheng said.
"I asked Brian to explain all of it, not to discourage you—
but to let you know what we're up against."
"In the face of this madness, I need every one of you—
every department—
to work together at full capacity."
"My job is to lead the players and make sure we perform on the pitch.
Your job is to clear the road, give us peace of mind, and let us focus on football."
Heads nodded all around.
Everyone understood.
A football victory is never solely the work of the players and coaches on the pitch—it belongs to the countless people working silently behind the scenes.
Booking hotels and flights for away games, handling administrative procedures, responding to emergencies…
These tasks fall to different departments and people who might never be recognized,
but a single mistake in any one of those links can impact the entire team's preparation.
Yang Cheng still remembered the 2009 Champions League final from his previous life—
Ferguson once claimed that a major factor in Manchester United's defeat was the poor soundproofing of their hotel, which caused most players to sleep badly the night before.
Maybe that was an excuse.
Maybe it was real.
But—if such an error hadn't occurred,
would United have had a better chance of beating Barça?
In football, anything is possible.
Yang Cheng and everyone in the room knew: they couldn't control what happened on the pitch.
But what they could do—was eliminate every possible off-field risk.
Adam Crozier was the first to stand up.
"You and the players don't need to worry," he promised.
"I'll call an emergency office meeting right after this. From now until the end of the season, every aspect of the club's operations will revolve around the first team."
"I'll personally take charge of anything related to the senior squad—I promise you that."
After Crozier's statement, Head of Sports Science Saad Fawcett also stood up.
He pledged that he and his department would fully support and coordinate with Yang Cheng's needs.
Then came the medical chief David Fevre, head scout Gary Worthington, sporting director Dan Ashworth…
All responsible for different fields.
And now, one after another, they all pledged their support for Yang Cheng and the first team.
Yang Cheng was pleased.
He had worked with all of them for years.
In this club, smooth talkers didn't survive.
The entire system had been built by him—
every department, every role, every key person had been hand-picked and approved by Yang Cheng.
"So now," Yang Cheng said, "I can speak on behalf of the first team and make you a promise."
"Even though the upcoming schedule is brutal, even though we'll face countless challenges, even if our opponents push us to the edge…"
"I, and my players, will keep fighting on all three fronts—we'll fight until the last minute!"
"We'll fight for the four-peat, and we'll fight for the treble!"
As his words rang out, the meeting room erupted into thunderous applause.
Every person there felt proud of what the Bayswater Chinese had achieved.
…
April 7th, afternoon. Premier League Matchday 32: Bayswater Chinese vs. Stoke City (away).
Tony Pulis's Stoke lined up in a 4-4-2, but packed the back with a rigid, ironclad low block.
Though they had climbed out of the relegation zone, they were far from safe.
Yang Cheng's team had just gone toe-to-toe with Bayern in the Champions League and were set to face Arsenal next—
so he rotated heavily.
But against a parked bus at home, even the best teams struggle.
Stoke weren't pushovers.
With names like Crouch and Pennant up front, and Robert Huth and Shawcross anchoring the back, they were solid and experienced.
The Bayswater Chinese kept hammering.
Against a bunker defense, long-range shooting becomes key.
Ramsey alone took three shots from distance.
Pogba, Giroud—also tried their luck repeatedly.
Hazard used his dribbling and ball control to try and break them down,
but none of it led to a breakthrough.
One side defending with everything, the other attacking relentlessly—
it was one-way traffic, but still goalless.
Until the 68th minute.
Ramsey, from midfield, played a piercing through ball.
Walcott exploded down the right wing, sprinting all the way to the edge of the box.
Near the right edge of the penalty area,
he faked a stop, then reaccelerated, and drove to the byline.
He whipped in a cross, but Huth blocked it out for a corner.
Enter Kevin De Bruyne.
He jogged to the corner flag, flicked the ball from the ball boy into his arms,
wiped it on his shirt,
set it down carefully, adjusted the turf beneath the ball,
then backed up slowly.
In the box:
Kompany, José Fonte, Walker, Pogba—all surged into the penalty area.
De Bruyne raised his left hand, gave a signal, and curled the ball in.
It dipped hard and fast into the middle of the penalty area.
Chaos.
Kompany shoved off Shawcross, who was grabbing his shirt.
Reading the ball's trajectory, the Belgian took a step forward—
leapt high into the air.
With his famously bald head gleaming,
Kompany thumped the ball with a powerful header toward the left corner.
Goalkeeper Sorensen reacted quickly—dived full stretch—
but there was no stopping it.
Goal.
The ball slammed into the left side of the net.
Kompany froze for a second,
then turned and sprinted to the corner flag—
kneeling in front of the away fans, screaming in triumph.
His teammates mobbed him seconds later.
"GOAL!"
"Kompany with the header!"
"A massive goal for the Bayswater Chinese!"
Stoke players protested furiously.
Shawcross complained to the ref, claiming a foul by Kompany.
Replay showed both players using their hands. Neither was clean.
But the ref had made his decision: goal stands.
1–0!
A vital goal.
With those 3 points, the Bayswater Chinese would now heap pressure on Manchester City, who were set to play Arsenal next.
The Blue Moon would now have to beat Arsenal to stay in the race.
Cameras showed Tony Pulis fuming on the touchline, shouting about the goal.
Yang Cheng, by contrast, was punching the air, roaring in celebration.
A clear contrast.
After more than an hour of relentless attacking,
the Bayswater Chinese finally broke Stoke's wall.
And Yang Cheng?
He could finally breathe.
Now—the pressure was all on Manchester City.
Thank you for the support, friends. If you want to read more chapters in advance, go to my Patreon.
Read 40 Chapters In Advance: patreon.com/Canserbero10