Chapter 151: Data Is King! Taking On Atlético to Make a Statement!
Adam Crozier had never considered himself a particularly principled man.
Especially not since becoming a professional executive.
Too much integrity, and you'd never make it in this business.
From Shengshi Advertising to the FA to Royal Mail, every step he took was a step up the ladder.
What attracted him was nothing more than money, status, and influence.
Coming from Royal Mail to Bayswater Chinese FC felt more like an accident in his career trajectory.
It was never in his original plans!
And yet, not only did he end up working at Bayswater Chinese FC, he stayed for three years.
The money wasn't great, the status wasn't high, and the influence wasn't all that significant.
Sometimes, looking back, even he couldn't understand why he chose Bayswater Chinese FC in the first place.
He must've been out of his mind, tricked by Yang Cheng.
But when he calmed down and really thought about it, he'd admit—working at Bayswater Chinese FC wasn't so bad after all.
A boss who trusted him and gave him full authority to run things—wasn't that the dream scenario for any professional manager?
The money wasn't huge, but with bonuses, it added up.
The status and influence may have been limited at first, but as the club's performance improved over the years, Adam Crozier's standing and influence in British and even European football circles steadily rose.
But most importantly—he was happy here.
Especially seeing with his own eyes how a lower-league team steadily grew under his management, and now had won both the Premier League and the Champions League—what could be more satisfying than that?
That's why he racked his brains planning the club's long-term development.
Including the high-end strategy he'd recently proposed.
The goal was to seize the high ground in British and even European football.
And yet, at this very moment, facing Manchester City chairman Mubarak's offer, Adam Crozier was honestly feeling a little dazed.
Based on his personality, he should at least be tempted—if not outright accepting, then at least hesitating.
But what he said was: "You're joking, right?"
"No, no, we're very serious."
Mubarak's expression was indeed very serious. "Whatever your current salary is at Bayswater Chinese FC, we'll offer triple!"
Triple the salary!
Adam Crozier was genuinely shocked.
His current salary was still £1 million per year—a figure he'd agreed on with Yang Cheng back then.
But every Christmas, Yang Cheng gave him a red envelope—another £1 million.
Even so, Manchester City's offer of £3 million annually was undeniably tempting.
And that's without even counting bonuses.
"To be honest, I'm really happy working at Bayswater Chinese FC. Mr. Yang Cheng trusts me a lot, and—"
Mubarak raised both hands to pause him. "Everything you've gained at Bayswater Chinese FC—trust, authority, support—we'll offer you twice as much. Or even more."
"We're new to the scene and in dire need of an experienced executive like you to take the reins."
He paused for a moment before continuing, "Bayswater Chinese FC's achievements over the past few years are indeed impressive, truly admirable. But it's also clear they're approaching a ceiling—especially with plans to build a stadium of that scale. The investment is massive."
"They'll be saddled with heavy debt. Just look at Arsenal—they're a cautionary tale."
Arsenal?
The first person who came to Adam Crozier's mind was Yang Cheng.
He didn't believe Bayswater Chinese FC would become another Arsenal.
Because Yang Cheng and Arsène Wenger were entirely different.
In recent years, Bayswater Chinese FC had won the league on a budget fit for a relegation-tier team, and won the Champions League with a mid-table payroll.
All of this proved one thing: Yang Cheng was the club's core competitive advantage.
Another Arsenal?
Adam Crozier wouldn't dare say it was impossible—but it was extremely unlikely.
That belief stemmed from his deep understanding of and trust in Yang Cheng.
"At Bayswater Chinese FC, there's only one irreplaceable person!"
He didn't know why, but Yang Cheng's words surfaced in his mind.
Yang Cheng had been referring to players.
But Adam Crozier felt it applied to every employee—including himself.
If he was honest with himself, he knew that his contributions to the club's current success—especially in operations—had been significant.
But was it really as massive as the media claimed?
Deep down, he knew the answer.
Behind nearly every major decision, there had been guidance and support from Yang Cheng.
That realization instantly sobered him up.
"Thank you very much for the recognition, Mr. Mubarak."
Adam Crozier remained polite. "But I'll say it again—I'm very satisfied with my current job. And I don't believe Bayswater Chinese FC will become the next Arsenal."
He paused for a moment and then, still courteously, shared some high-level insights into club operations with Mubarak.
For instance, he believed modern professional football was no longer something that could be handled by one or a few people. It was all about teamwork and systems.
Every department of the club had contributed significantly to its growth.
"So I don't think I'd bring much to Manchester City, and I definitely couldn't replicate Bayswater Chinese FC's success."
Mubarak looked disappointed.
They had done extensive research on Adam Crozier.
That included two third-party studies on executives from major Premier League and European clubs.
In terms of ability, resume, and every other metric, Adam Crozier was a standout.
He far surpassed even Chelsea CEO Peter Kenyon.
It was only after all this groundwork that Mubarak reached out to him personally.
He hadn't expected to be rejected.
"No worries, Adam. We've still got time—you can think it over," Mubarak said, not giving up yet.
"No need, but thank you for the kind offer, Mr. Mubarak. I really haven't considered leaving Bayswater Chinese FC."
"At least not for the foreseeable future."
Adam Crozier was never one to drag things out.
Just like when he'd seen the writing on the wall at Royal Mail, he'd decisively resigned.
Now, he didn't want to dwell on this any further, avoiding any potential negative consequences for himself or the club.
Seeing how firm his stance was, Mubarak could only sigh in disappointment.
...
Two days later, when Yang Cheng returned home to his house on the west side of Holland Park, Xia Qing had already prepared dinner and was waiting for him.
The couple ate and chatted about club affairs.
Xia Qing mentioned something she'd just heard from a few former colleagues.
Manchester City had attempted to poach Bayswater Chinese FC's CEO, Adam Crozier.
"From what I've heard, there was contact—but it failed. That's why the headhunting firm has taken on the task again."
If the recruitment had succeeded, Manchester City wouldn't have needed to commission a new search.
But soon, Xia Qing noticed something odd about Yang Cheng's reaction.
He just kept eating, showing no sign of surprise.
"You already knew about this, didn't you?"
Yang Cheng didn't answer. He just chuckled. "Seems like your sources are pretty sharp."
Only two days and word had already spread.
Xia Qing rolled her eyes.
So Yang Cheng had known all along.
"They met in the lobby of the Churchill Hotel, right after the Premier League shareholders' meeting," Yang Cheng said, giving her the exact time and place.
"How Did You Know? Did He Confess to You?"
As soon as Xia Qing finished asking, she immediately reconsidered her own question. "No, wait—he's not that stupid."
Adam Crozier was a shrewd operator, a true veteran of the professional world. A guy like him would never go to his boss and admit that a rival had tried to poach him.
Loyalty signaling?
Quite the opposite—it would actually be a dangerous signal.
As for using the opportunity to negotiate a raise? That was overthinking it.
Professional executives weren't like football players. The latter were far more scarce and in higher demand.
Besides, only the very top-tier players—those few rare gems—had the leverage to use a rival's interest to drive up their own market value.
"Adam Crozier didn't say a word. Everything carried on like normal," Yang Cheng explained, resolving her confusion.
"At the time, a Sun reporter happened to sneak into the hotel lobby and snapped a photo of them meeting. Add to that the fact that City's been on the hunt for a new executive for a while, and I put two and two together."
Big clubs usually had all kinds of backchannel communication with the media.
"So he really turned them down?" Xia Qing asked, sounding a little worried.
It was Manchester City, after all—the so-called oil-rich Middle Eastern tycoons with bottomless pockets.
"It's simple. Talk to him about renewing his contract. That'll tell us everything."
After a brief pause, Yang Cheng added, "Over the past two or three years, our club has grown really quickly. But in terms of salary, Adam's pay is only mid-to-upper tier among Premier League executives."
David Dein at Arsenal, Peter Kenyon at Chelsea, David Gill at Manchester United—even Daniel Levy at Tottenham—all earned more than Adam Crozier.
Of course, Yang Cheng also gave him a hefty annual bonus in the form of a red envelope.
As for whether other clubs did the same—Yang Cheng didn't know.
"How much of a raise are we talking?" Xia Qing understood where this was going.
If Adam Crozier had rejected Manchester City, that meant he had a genuine attachment to Bayswater Chinese FC and was willing to stay.
In that case, offering him a renewed contract was not just compensation for turning down City—it was also a way to further solidify his bond with the club.
If he refused to extend his contract, that would indicate his desire to leave.
Bayswater Chinese FC thrived on teamwork now. Losing Adam Crozier would certainly affect the team—but it wouldn't be fatal, especially if preparations were made early for a smooth handover.
After working together for years, parting on good terms would be the dignified choice.
"A hundred percent raise—£2 million."
That would make him one of the highest-paid executives in the Premier League.
And if you factored in bonuses, he might very well be the highest.
Of course, no one knew whether Manchester City would come back with an even bigger offer down the line.
Xia Qing understood what Yang Cheng meant. "Then the other senior executives, like Omar Berrada, might need raises too."
Use those you're familiar with—don't risk bringing in strangers.
Bayswater Chinese FC's current team had excellent chemistry and had already proven their competitiveness. It was best to keep things stable if possible.
...
After wrapping up the discussion on executive compensation, Yang Cheng brought up the planned additional investment in the sports science and data analysis departments.
They needed at least another £2 million, and they'd also have to increase the departments' salary budgets.
"They're planning to hire a batch of professional data analysts soon."
"Data analysis?" Xia Qing sighed. The mere mention of investment gave her a headache these days.
"We already have quite a few people in the data department, and don't we purchase massive datasets from OPTA and others every year? Why do we need more investment?"
"It's not enough," Yang Cheng replied.
"The data we can buy is also available to everyone else. We can pay for custom datasets from those companies—but so can other clubs."
Data usage in football was becoming more widespread than ever.
Just looking at OPTA's growth proved that.
Moreover, some nimble, data-savvy football analysis companies were starting to emerge.
For now, the data available to fans was still basic at best.
Stuff like player running distances, number of passes, and so on.
Slightly more advanced would be heatmaps, pass frequencies, distribution patterns—but even those required a subscription.
Many clubs were now building custom services on top of these basic and advanced datasets.
For example, scouting a player before a transfer—or analyzing an opponent team.
But again, what Bayswater Chinese FC could buy, others could buy too.
For Yang Cheng, who came from 2024, the current datasets still felt far too basic.
Even the advanced data that clubs were using in 2024 was accessible to regular fans by then.
What about the high-level, restricted data?
That was basically all paywalled content.
Not to mention that many clubs kept their core data under strict confidentiality.
In fact, in some clubs, even the head coach only had partial access to the most sensitive internal data.
Take, for example, youth training data models used to project player growth.
Different clubs created their own data models based on their specific tactical styles.
Youth academies could input various player metrics into these big data models—basic ones like height, weight, bone age, body fat percentage, to more nuanced ones like dominant foot usage, movement range, sprint speed, and variations in running.
Using these detailed data points, the model could assess a player's strengths and weaknesses.
Scouts could also input data, and the system would simulate whether the player was worth following or developing—helping identify top youth prospects.
Of course, data was dead without context.
Yang Cheng had always believed a saying from his past life: "Talking about data without watching the game, or talking about the game without using data—both are bullshit."
Football was a team sport that generated an overwhelming amount of data.
That made analysis extremely complex—and very easy to misinterpret.
For instance, it was rumored that Sir Alex Ferguson sold Jaap Stam based on data analysis results.
Sam Allardyce was also a big believer in data—but his coaching achievements weren't exactly stellar.
On the flip side, Kevin De Bruyne hired a third-party data firm when negotiating his Manchester City renewal, using a data report to successfully secure a blockbuster contract. That showed how seriously City took data.
Memphis Depay used a third-party data company to find a club that suited his style, transferred to Lyon, and tore up Ligue 1. That too proved the power of data.
Then there were clubs like Brighton, whose owner came from a data background and leaned heavily on analytics in recruitment—with clear results to show for it.
So, data and football were inherently complementary.
Outside of youth development, Yang Cheng planned to build a big data model for the first team that would assign scores to player performance on the pitch.
For example, offensive scoring—a completed pass in different zones of the pitch had completely different tactical values.
Simply put, a long pass from Thiago Silva was not the same as one from Toni Kroos.
Likewise, a dribble past a defender by Džeko near the box was tactically very different from one by Modrić in midfield.
This required digging much deeper into the data—assigning weight and scores to every action.
There'd be offensive scores, organizational scores, defensive scores.
Such complex analysis couldn't be done manually—Bayswater Chinese FC needed to develop its own custom big data analytics model.
In time, as more data and match footage became available, the volume of information would grow, and the analysis would only become more accurate and reliable.
But None of This Can Be Bought Outside — It Will Become the Core Competitive Edge of Big Clubs!
The most typical example was Brighton.
The counterexample? Manchester United.
After Bayswater Chinese FC moved into the Brent Training Center, the first-team training pitch was equipped with 14 high-definition cameras to record every movement made by the players.
With a fully automated tracking system, the footage from those cameras could be converted into various types of data—such as passing accuracy, direction, and speed; sprint speeds; and even down to the precision of a player's first touch—that is, how far the ball travels after their initial contact.
As the volume of data increased, the data analysis team began to struggle with the workload.
So Gianni Vio proposed recruiting more professional data analysts from outside.
This even included outstanding students from top universities such as University of London, Imperial College, Oxford, and Cambridge.
Wasn't this the biggest advantage of being based in London?
Yang Cheng supported Gianni Vio's proposal.
He was extremely optimistic about the future of big data, and firmly believed it would become Bayswater Chinese FC's core competitive edge in the future.
...
Speaking of data, Yang Cheng suddenly thought of another issue.
Whether in Europe or across the world, investment in football—or sports-related fields in general—was still very low.
But was there a market demand from fans?
The answer was obvious.
A thought flashed through Yang Cheng's mind. He put down his chopsticks, walked into the living room, opened his laptop, and went to a German business directory website to search for a company called Onefootball.
But nothing came up.
"That's not right… wasn't it founded in 2008?" Yang Cheng muttered to himself.
Xia Qing noticed his unusual behavior and walked over with a concerned expression.
In his previous life, Yang Cheng had been invited to visit the Onefootball company and had chatted with its founder and CEO, Lucas von Cranach.
That guy from the '80s generation was seriously impressive.
From 2001 to 2005, he studied Investment and Finance at the Technical University of Berlin.
While still in university, in 2002, he joined Germany's renowned investment firm Bertelsmann Ventures as an analyst.
Through that connection, he spent half a year studying Financial Management at the University of California, Berkeley in 2002, and another four months studying Investment Management at the London School of Economics in 2003.
After leaving Bertelsmann Ventures in 2003, he moved to Siemens' Spanish HQ in Madrid as an analyst, and shortly after jumped ship to Capital Dynamics.
In 2006, he joined the Horstmann Group as a senior assistant.
It wasn't until 2008 that he left to start his own company.
Why did Yang Cheng remember him so vividly?
Because the guy was a polyglot—fluent in multiple languages—so his company attracted talent from around the world, in all kinds of languages, making it incredibly creative and innovative.
When Yang Cheng visited the company back then, the two of them chatted in a mix of German, Spanish, French, and English. It had been a hilarious and unforgettable exchange.
Oh, right.
Yang Cheng suddenly remembered—the company probably didn't go by that name yet.
He quickly searched for Lucas von Cranach.
Sure enough, a company named Motain popped up.
"Can you check out this company?" Yang Cheng asked Xia Qing.
Seeing her puzzled expression, he explained, "I'm very interested in their business."
Xia Qing knew Yang Cheng wasn't one to throw ideas around randomly.
She immediately jotted down the name, returned to the dining table, picked up her phone, and contacted a colleague in Germany, asking them to dig up information on the company.
"Come on, eat while it's hot," she urged after the call.
Once Yang Cheng sat back down, she asked with concern, "So what's so special about this company?"
"Football startups are few and far between. This one is developing mobile applications—basic apps for Samsung, Nokia, Sony, etc.—pushing out live match updates, scores, and news."
Before Yang Cheng had traveled back in time, there were two major players in the sports information space.
One was Onefootball.
The other was Minute Media, founded by an Israeli entrepreneur in 2011, which later moved its headquarters to London.
Onefootball focused purely on football, while Minute Media diversified across all sports.
But both companies had enormous valuations and huge user bases before Yang Cheng's time-travel.
Which really wasn't surprising.
To this day, there wasn't a truly great global football fan community.
What's more, Onefootball later became a football-focused data company that partnered with numerous top clubs and leagues.
That's why, while discussing data-related investments with Xia Qing, Yang Cheng thought of this company.
People in finance move fast.
And most importantly—Motain was barely a blip on the radar.
Within the time it took to finish dinner, Xia Qing had already received a call back.
The company was struggling financially and on the verge of bankruptcy. Its headquarters were located in Bochum, Germany.
"Want me to take a trip to Germany?" Xia Qing knew Yang Cheng all too well.
He immediately chuckled and nodded without hesitation. "Thanks, I'll owe you one."
"What should I say when we meet?"
"Simple. Just show him your iPhone, and tell him—this is the future."
After a pause, Yang Cheng added, "We'll invest, not acquire. Let him continue running the company. He can seek additional financing in the future. But we can suggest he relocate to London. Tell him we have better resources and channels here that can help him."
With Bayswater Chinese FC's current influence in the UK and across European football, forging partnerships like this would be effortless.
And it would be a major boost for the company's growth.
Especially considering that, at the moment, major leagues and clubs didn't take internet broadcasting rights all that seriously. They could secure some of those rights early on and avoid future disputes.
"What if he doesn't accept?" Xia Qing asked, concerned.
Yang Cheng didn't hesitate. "Then we'll find someone and do it ourselves!"
Now that he'd set his sights on this track, Yang Cheng wasn't letting go of this juicy opportunity.
Lucas von Cranach was in a tough spot right now—teaming up with Yang Cheng was his best option.
And if not? Yang Cheng could simply build a team from scratch. It wouldn't be that hard.
Just more effort.
"Xiaoqing, this is a big deal. Like I said before, the future will belong to the internet. Traditional media will decline. And whoever makes the loudest noise online—they will be the boss!"
Xia Qing finally understood the vision and strategy Yang Cheng was laying out. "Got it. I'll go to Germany tomorrow."
...
Xia Qing personally flew to Germany.
Two days later, she brought Lucas von Cranach back to London.
Yang Cheng met him at the Royal Lancaster Hotel near the north gate of Hyde Park, and the two had a long and lively conversation about the future.
Cranach revealed that his interest in this space came from being a diehard fan of FC Köln.
And as a fan, his biggest frustration was the telecom companies' expensive and delayed SMS match alerts.
So he wanted to develop a mobile app for that.
Yang Cheng told him straight up: Apple was the future. Stop developing for other platforms entirely.
Especially now, when Android wasn't yet fully mature.
"I've looked into the iPhone," Cranach explained. "Their sales are decent, sure—but the platform is still small. They've only sold, what, two or three million units?"
"Do you know how many users Nokia's Symbian OS has around the world?"
"If All Else Fails, There's Still Microsoft's WP System."
Yang Cheng didn't say anything. He simply reached over and placed a brand-new, still-sealed iPhone 3G in front of von Cranach, and told him with absolute conviction, "Within the next two to three years, this will completely replace Nokia and disrupt the entire mobile phone industry!"
Not only that, Yang Cheng also informed him that Apple had its own App Store.
So, time was of the essence.
They had to act quickly, get in while Apple's ecosystem was still young, and grab the first wave of traffic.
Von Cranach was deeply conflicted.
After speaking at length with Yang Cheng, he was fully convinced that Yang Cheng was a rational and composed investor.
But he simply couldn't understand why Yang Cheng was so bullish on Apple—and so pessimistic about Nokia.
This was the world's largest mobile phone manufacturer!
Apple had only sold two or three million units—how could it replace Nokia in just a few years?
"I'm not just talking—I've already invested £600,000 in Apple stock," Yang Cheng said with a smile.
Still, von Cranach wasn't convinced.
Elite individuals like him often had their own firm beliefs and judgments.
He remained absolutely certain that Nokia's Symbian platform was the future.
There was definitely a touch of European arrogance in that mindset.
Even though Nokia was from Finland.
In the end, Yang Cheng proposed a compromise.
He would invest £650,000 in von Cranach's company in exchange for 45% equity.
That meant the company was valued at over €2 million.
Not bad at all for a startup on the verge of bankruptcy.
Yang Cheng would also establish a new company in London called Onefootball, and permanently buy out the rights to the Motain sports app on both iOS and Android, including shared media resources for the next three years.
Yang Cheng's demands were simple: use the funding to immediately develop an iOS app, get it on the App Store as quickly as possible, and help build a London-based team.
Of course, the London company would no longer have much to do with von Cranach.
In essence, Yang Cheng was spending £650,000 to acquire 45% of Motain.
Then spending additional money to use that "borrowed chicken to lay eggs"—i.e., have the Motain team code a native iOS app.
Yang Cheng had a key, unique feature in mind for the iPhone version of the app:
Real-time match updates and instant score notifications through the iPhone's system integration.
It wasn't a hard feature to implement, and von Cranach agreed to it immediately.
As for why the deal was for three years?
Yang Cheng wasn't sure if Motain would even still exist three years from now, once they lost the Apple-side business.
However, if the timing was right, it could be the perfect opportunity to buy out Motain altogether.
Especially since, with new funding, von Cranach would definitely throw himself into the German football market.
Who knew how von Cranach would view today's negotiation a few years down the line?
As for Yang Cheng, he had already done more than enough.
It wasn't his fault von Cranach didn't believe him.
...
With Yang Cheng's £650,000 investment, von Cranach promised to have the iOS app online within two weeks.
Mobile apps were still quite simple at this stage.
As for building the London team, von Cranach would take full responsibility.
Follow-up legal agreements and formal contracts would be handled by Xia Qing and the legal team.
After settling that matter, Yang Cheng turned his attention back to Adam Crozier's contract renewal.
What surprised him was that Adam Crozier didn't hesitate at all.
He agreed to renew on the spot.
£2 million?
The guy even looked flattered—clearly not expecting such a generous offer.
Yang Cheng told him directly: under Crozier's management over the past few years, the club's revenue had grown steadily.
It was only natural that his salary should rise in proportion.
"Well then, thank you, Boss!" Adam Crozier agreed cheerfully.
Neither of them mentioned Manchester City's poaching attempt.
Crozier didn't bring it up—after all, it was a sensitive topic.
Yang Cheng didn't want to bring it up either. He didn't want to seem like the kind of boss who only offered raises after his people were approached by rivals.
Of course, if it weren't for City's interest, Crozier's raise probably would've come a bit later.
Better late than never.
Once everything was settled, the players began returning from international duty.
The good news: no one came back injured.
The bad news: most of the national team players had played two full matches during the break.
Most of them were World Cup qualifiers.
Add in long-distance travel, and many players were visibly fatigued.
Right after the Premier League's fourth round, the first Champions League group stage match would begin—with Atlético Madrid as the opponent.
Yang Cheng had to carefully consider the players' fitness levels.
Luckily, the Round 4 fixture was a home game against Bolton, so he wasn't too worried.
...
The spotlight match of the Premier League's fourth round was the Northwest Derby.
Manchester United visited Anfield to face Liverpool.
Ferguson took some bold risks in this one, especially with a midweek Champions League match looming.
More importantly, United had a dominant 7–1–0 record over the last eight derbies.
Liverpool, on the other hand, had no European pressure and came out swinging.
Cristiano Ronaldo was still out, so Ferguson started a front three of Tevez, Berbatov, and Rooney.
The midfield trio was Anderson, Carrick, and Scholes.
It was a risky setup—especially given Rooney's poor form lately.
United scored just over two minutes into the game.
Tevez opened the scoring for the Red Devils.
But from then on, it was all Liverpool.
The Reds created chance after chance.
Gerrard and Torres had just returned from injury, so both started on the bench.
In the 12th minute, Aurelio delivered a corner. Van der Sar came out but failed to secure the ball.
The Dutch keeper, off-balance and on the ground, still managed to block Kuyt's close-range shot.
But in a cruel twist of fate, the ball bounced off Wes Brown's leg and into the net.
Own goal!
Later, Riera dribbled past three defenders and went down in the box.
The referee ignored appeals for a penalty.
Liverpool completely dominated the midfield.
In the second half, with sides switched, Liverpool remained on top.
Gerrard came off the bench, making Liverpool's midfield control even more evident.
In the 77th minute, Kuyt delivered a brilliant pass and Babel smashed it into the net—Liverpool came from behind to beat United 2–1.
Ferguson paid the price for his gamble!
In another match, Arsenal thrashed Blackburn 4–0 on the road.
Manchester City, playing at home, edged Chelsea 4–3 thanks to an Adebayor hat trick and a goal from Robinho.
It was a brutal loss for the Blues.
In the 77th minute, John Terry fouled Adebayor, conceding a penalty and earning a red card.
City scored twice after that, completing the 4–3 comeback.
This match made it clear: after their summer signings, City's overall strength had improved significantly.
Now the big question was—can Sven-Göran Eriksson pull this squad together quickly?
Judging by his time at Lazio, the Swedish manager definitely had the chops.
Bayswater Chinese FC Hosts Bolton at Home in This Round
Yang Cheng rotated the squad significantly for the match.
Players like Matic, Matuidi, José Fonte, and Lewandowski all started.
Just three minutes into the game, Bayswater Chinese FC produced a brilliant attacking sequence in the final third.
Gareth Bale, receiving a pass from Matuidi on the left flank, attempted a cross to the far post, targeting Walcott.
Goalkeeper Jääskeläinen came off his line, trying to claim the ball midair.
Unexpectedly, the usually reliable Jääskeläinen made an error—the ball slipped from his hands.
In that critical moment, Lewandowski rushed in and stabbed the ball into Bolton's net.
Three minutes in, Bayswater Chinese FC opened the scoring.
1–0!
The home side continued to ramp up the pressure.
In the 26th minute, Walcott earned a corner on the right wing.
Modrić took the corner, causing a scramble in the box.
The ball was cleared just outside the penalty area.
Marcelo quickly sent it back in with a diagonal cross, landing perfectly at the far post.
The Little Tiger made a darting run and volleyed it in from close range.
2–0!
After scoring two, Bayswater Chinese FC eased off slightly on the attack.
Bolton took the opportunity to counter.
But in the 42nd minute, Neuer intercepted a through ball and launched a quick counterattack with a powerful throw.
Matić and Modrić exchanged passes, and the Croatian delivered a precise through ball.
Lewandowski cut into the right side of the box and calmly slotted it home—his second of the night!
3–0!
Wembley exploded!
76,000 fans in attendance, initially concerned about how the team would perform after heavy rotation, were now completely reassured.
Up 3–0 at halftime—what more could they ask?
In the second half, Bayswater Chinese FC maintained control over the game and held onto the 3–0 lead until the final whistle.
After this round, Liverpool sat atop the Premier League with 10 points.
Chelsea's loss to Manchester City dropped them out of the top four.
Bayswater Chinese FC, Arsenal, and City all had 9 points, but thanks to goal difference, Yang Cheng's team climbed to second place in the league—with one match in hand.
...
On the evening of September 16, in the first round of the Champions League group stage, Bayswater Chinese FC hosted Atlético Madrid at home.
This marked Atlético's return to the Champions League group stage after 11 years.
Their last appearance was back in the 1996–97 season.
At the time, they were basking in the afterglow of their domestic double, featuring stars like Kiko and Futre.
But since 1997, Atlético had failed to make it back—until this season.
It was also from this very season that fans began to associate Atlético with producing top-class strikers.
A clear reflection of their tactical philosophy—offense-first.
In this visit to Wembley, Mexican head coach Javier Aguirre deployed a 4-4-2 formation:
Goalkeeper: Franco
Defense: Antonio López, Ujfalusi, Heitinga, Perea
Midfield: Luis García, Maniche, Assunção, Simão
Forwards: Agüero and Diego Forlán
So far this season, Atlético had played four matches.
Two in the Champions League qualifying rounds—they lost 0–1 away to Schalke 04 while missing key players.
Agüero and others had been away at the Olympics with the Argentine U23 team.
But once Agüero returned, Atlético smashed Schalke 4–0 at home.
The Argentine forward notched two assists and a goal—truly outstanding.
Players like Perea, Assunção, Simão, Luis García, and Maxi Rodríguez also put in strong performances, prompting Aguirre to declare, "Atlético has found its best lineup!"
And sure enough, they opened the La Liga season by thrashing Málaga 4–0 at home.
Back-to-back dominant wins had Atlético riding high.
However, after the two-week international break, Atlético lost 1–2 at home to Valladolid.
But it was clear they were conserving energy for their Champions League debut.
Starters like Agüero and Forlán were all rested.
Aguirre confidently stated he would be aiming to win away against Bayswater Chinese FC.
Several players also spoke to the media, expressing determination to perform well in their Champions League debut.
El Mundo even published a headline: "Agüero Makes His Champions League Debut—He Will Lead Atlético to Greater Heights!"
Everyone had high expectations for this match—and for Agüero's performance in particular.
The Argentine striker was in sensational form recently.
And true to their reputation, Atlético came out aggressive, even away from home.
Just 38 seconds in, Agüero received a pass from Diego Forlán and charged between Pepe and Thiago Silva, breaking into the box and shooting from close range.
Fortunately, Neuer was sharp and focused—he abandoned his line at just the right moment and smothered the shot.
Crisis averted.
The entire crowd of 90,000 at Wembley gasped in unison!
That attack came out of nowhere.
Yang Cheng, pacing nervously on the touchline, barked at Pepe, Thiago Silva, and Yaya Touré, urging them to stay focused and dial in.
Thirty seconds in, and the opposition had already launched such a dangerous move? That was terrifying.
"Simão and Luis García stretch the width. In the middle, you've got Forlán and Agüero—both mobile, unpredictable, and individually brilliant," said Brian Kidd, shaking his head.
"They rotate and support each other. No designated lead striker. Forlán's great at passing; Agüero's great at dropping deep and then bursting forward. It's a nightmare for defenders."
That last attack came from exactly that pattern—Agüero dropping deep and then suddenly surging forward.
Forlán drifted wide to receive the ball, pulling defenders out of position and creating a lane for Agüero's run.
Hard to defend against something like that.
"The real issue was Yaya Touré and Pepe losing focus at the start," Yang Cheng said.
Yes, Atlético executed the play well.
But the main problem was the home team's lapse in defense.
That said, Yang Cheng wasn't unprepared for Atlético.
He just hadn't expected Aguirre to be this bold—going on the offensive even away to Bayswater Chinese FC.
"Looks like even after winning the Champions League, our name doesn't carry enough weight in Europe. They clearly don't see us as a top side!" Yang Cheng sneered.
If they did, Atlético would've approached the match with more caution—instead of coming out swinging.
But if that was how they wanted to play?
Then Yang Cheng had no problem using Atlético to make a statement!
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