Chapter 803: Champions Before and After Arrival
Running, celebrating, shouting, the entire Manchester City team was immersed in immense joy, even Guardiola couldn't contain his excitement as he paced back and forth on the sidelines, enthusiastically embracing each player.
His eyes were slightly red; this wasn't just the club's first Champions League trophy, but also the first Champions League trophy of his coaching career. This moment had haunted him for a long time.
Not far away, Wang Feng personally came to Guardiola after celebrating with everyone, expressing his gratitude. Without the coach's tactical analysis and arrangements, Manchester City wouldn't have achieved such remarkable results.
"We achieved this together," Guardiola said, "Without you, the team couldn't have executed the tactics so smoothly."
Soon, the players gathered around, intending to lift Guardiola high into the air. The Spaniard was very happy, so he let them have their fun.
After tossing Guardiola, they set their sights on Wang Feng. The Chinese superstar also experienced the feeling of weightlessness as he was lifted high, overlooking a sea of smiling faces, his heart filled with satisfaction.
While one side celebrated in joy, Bayern's players left the field with a sense of sadness. Ancelotti congratulated Wang Feng before leaving, "I thought of a thousand ways to restrain you, but you always found a thousand and one ways to escape."
Robben, Alonso, Müller, and other familiar faces expressed similar sentiments. "You performed better and deserved the victory," the Dutchman said with a despondent expression.
As for Huang Hu, who suffered defeat in his first Champions League final, the Chinese superstar specially comforted him, "Keep up your status as a key player for Bayern. Here, you will always have the opportunity to compete for the title."
The young player nodded vigorously. Although everything was hard-won and exhausting at the moment, he was eager to stay on this stage. Hard work was the only way forward.
After the award ceremony stage was set up, everyone in Manchester City couldn't wait to receive their medals and lift the trophy.
After bidding farewell to Bayern, they quickly lined up and took turns to step onto the podium, where UEFA President Ceferin personally presented the trophy.
At the end of the line, Kompany tremblingly took the trophy and slowly walked to the front with all his teammates, raising the trophy together amidst deafening cheers at the Cardiff Millennium Stadium.
Then, as usual, friends and family entered the field to take celebratory photos together. At this moment, everyone abandoned their reserve and eagerly took turns holding the trophy.
Even Mansour wasn't an exception; he didn't care about his current status and mingled with the players.
Of course, Wang Feng didn't do the same. There were already many photos of him with the Champions League trophy at home, even little Haohao had lost interest.
"When I grow up, I'll take a photo with the trophy with Dad, that'll be fun." He declared solemnly, like a little adult.
The family couldn't help but smile. Wang Feng lifted his son and said with a smile, "Then we have a deal, you must bring your own trophy back in the future."
On the side, Xiaoyao looked on enviously and also asked Dad to hold her. Wang Feng had to hold both of them, his arms suddenly heavy. Unconsciously, his children had grown so big.
A quadruple champion season, a full sweep of honors! Manchester City's performance this season shook the entire England and caused a sensation worldwide.
At this moment, the happiest people are undoubtedly the citizens of Manchester. The two most glorious clubs in the Premier League belong to this city.
Are the Red Devils declining? We still have the Blue Moon, the throne of Manchester never falls! Soon, the club received congratulatory letters from all major Premier League powerhouses. Regardless of the circumstances, this achievement is also a glory for all Premier League teams.
Including the cross-town rivals Manchester United, direct competitors like Chelsea, Tottenham, Arsenal, Liverpool, Everton, and so on, all congratulated the Blue Moon on achieving the grand slam.
Wang Feng, who was awarded the Best Player and Top Scorer of the Champions League, received worship from everyone. Those who used to have opinions about him now couldn't say anything critical anymore.
"We have witnessed two historic moments in football, both closely related to the Chinese superstar," the French newspaper L'Equipe published a related report, "First, the collapse of the Real Madrid dynasty, ending their consecutive championships at ten."
"Second is the rise of Manchester City, creating a new record for English clubs."
"In the past, some voices believed that Wang Feng's collaboration with the Galacticos made it easy to compete for championships, that the platform made the star."
"Now, ironclad facts prove that the platform doesn't mean everything. The true football god's brilliance will never be overshadowed."
"When the Chinese superstar arrived in Madrid with three Champions League trophies in hand, he was a unique savior, and now he is equally extraordinary in Manchester."
"Wang Feng truly embodies the motto 'a champion before arrival, a champion after departure,' which has nothing to do with the team environment. He is undoubtedly the king of the Champions League."
The Times' front-page headline read "Mighty Manchester City Sweeps Across Europe!", stating that this current Blue Moon team is fully qualified to be called the best team in English history.
They have set a new record in modern football for over a century, winning all domestic trophies and the European championship.
Even when looking at European history as a whole, they are among the top teams. Perhaps only Real Madrid, who won ten consecutive championships, slightly surpasses them.
"With the continuous development of modern football, its competitiveness has also rapidly increased, but there have been super strong teams like Real Madrid and Manchester City, bursting with brilliant glory."
"As the most dazzling among them, Wang Feng's role is crucial. When the Blue Moon takes over the throne of the Galacticos, the Chinese superstar's supreme status becomes even more unshakable."
The Manchester Evening News believes that Wang Feng has completed the final piece of the puzzle to become a god, and from now on, no one can find a reason to question him. He is truly the football god.
"He has conquered all opponents, all leagues, and this era, no, perhaps several eras."
Regarding Manchester City's overall strength, the Manchester Evening News believes that only "first-class" can describe it, not yet reaching the top level. The team doesn't have many big names and is far from the level of giants like Real Madrid, Barcelona, and Bayern.
But Wang Feng greatly raised the team's ceiling, and their historic achievements today come from this.
Spanish newspapers Marca and AS congratulated Manchester City on their honors, expressing their admiration.
"The abilities of the Chinese superstar still exceed everyone's expectations, even possibly his own, otherwise he wouldn't have left Real Madrid so easily."
And it's apparent that the Galacticos, losing their most important pillar, will need quite some time to adapt. Ronaldo is very strong, but he is not Wang Feng.
Catalonia's Mundo Deportivo took a somewhat gloating tone, admitting that lifting the league trophy again after eleven years was satisfying enough, and losing to Manchester City in the Champions League semifinals was not unjust.
As for Real Madrid, who came away empty-handed, it might not be easy for them to rise again.
But soon after, these people couldn't be happy because their homes were stolen by tycoons.