The next day.
In the physio room at Carrington.
The Man United players were all lying on beds, the smell of muscle spray filling the air as they enjoyed the services of the massage therapists.
"Ling, your calf muscle is a bit tight. You'd better use some heat rub to loosen it up."
A slightly chubby middle-aged man said softly, pressing his thumbs into Ling's leg.
"Let's have some then."
Ling nodded in agreement, wincing slightly.
The person massaging him was named Rod Thornley.
He had been a massage therapist at Man United for nearly twenty years.
His brother was a former Man United player, and his brother-in-law was the legendary Gary Neville.
Although he was something of a connection hire, his professional skills were indeed top-notch.
Previously, Wayne Rooney often indulged in wine and women but was still able to maintain a sufficient level of competitive form, and Rod Thornley deserved a lot of credit for keeping him patched together.
Taking advantage of the break during the massage.
Ling and his teammates started watching the other Champions League semi-final on the wall-mounted TV: Real Madrid at home against Liverpool.
8th minute of the match.
Mohamed Salah sent a chipped pass from outside the box, Roberto Firmino turned and laid it off, and Trent Alexander-Arnold followed up with a low shot into the net.
No one expected Liverpool to be the first to score at the Bernabéu.
The Man United players looked at each other, a wild thought forming in their minds: 'if Liverpool could win this match...'
On the sidelines, Zinedine Zidane remained calm and composed, his shiny bald head reflecting a dazzling light under the stadium floodlights.
He made some simple adjustments.
But then, Real Madrid gradually took control of the game's rhythm, and the obscure 4-3-1-2 formation once again shone brightly.
37th minute of the match.
Casemiro won a one-on-one duel against Firmino, snatching the ball from his feet with brute strength.
Real Madrid's formation instantly transitioned from defense to attack.
Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema made runs straight into Liverpool's backline, Isco positioned himself in the heart of the midfield to distribute, while Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić pulled out to the flanks.
Casemiro passed directly to Kroos on the side.
The German maestro dribbled to the 30-meter area, deftly flicked the ball to evade Arnold's reckless challenge, and then curled a pass into the penalty area.
Benzema, as the ultimate supporting player, knew his role well.
He decisively let the ball go past him, confusing the defenders.
Ronaldo met the ball with a furious shot!
The ball grazed Loris Karius's fingertips and flew into the goal.
1-1!
Before the first half was even over, Real Madrid had equalized, a display of power that was despair-inducing for any opponent.
In the 57th minute, Zidane brought on Gareth Bale for Isco.
This substitution had an immediate effect.
Modrić held off Jordan Henderson's close marking and sent a precise pass with the outside of his foot to the right flank.
Bale made a powerful overlapping run past Andy Robertson from the outside, and upon entering the box, he took a shot, once again breaching the goal guarded by Karius.
2-1!
Before the Real Madrid fans could even finish celebrating the goal, just two minutes later, Marcelo made an overlapping run, dribbled past Arnold, and sent a high cross from the byline.
Ronaldo leaped high, towering over Virgil van Dijk—hanging in the air as only he can—and delivered a Tomahawk Header.
The ball slammed into the top right corner of the net.
3-1!
The Santiago Bernabéu was completely ignited, with Real Madrid fans roaring in a frenzy.
From the days of spending crazily yet getting knocked out in the Round of 16 year after year, to Mourinho laying the foundation for counter-attacks and reclaiming the La Liga title, to Carlo Ancelotti enriching the playstyle and winning La Decima, and after a brief experiment with Rafa Benítez.
Finally, all the efforts bore fruit. Real Madrid, under Zidane, won two consecutive titles and was creating an unprecedented legend.
Their current squad included the best players in every position in modern football.
These talented players could execute any tactic set by Zidane, finding ways to dismantle any opponent's strategy.
But was Real Madrid truly invincible?
Of course not.
The fact that Atletico Madrid could give Real Madrid a run for their money showed that they still had many weaknesses.
Amidst Jurgen Klopp's roars from the sidelines, every Liverpool player began to fight desperately, contesting every ball with all their might.
Under Liverpool's frantic pressing, Real Madrid's ball distribution gradually became difficult.
But more shocking than their attacking prowess was the mentality of the Real Madrid players.
Their belief that they would ultimately win was unshakable.
On the sidelines, Zidane's expression remained calm, as if he were telling the world.
"I've seen it all in the Champions League. I'm not going to capsize."
And the situation on the field seemed to confirm this.
Real Madrid's defense was compressed to the extreme at times, but they stumbled along without conceding a goal.
Everyone saw the mark of a champion in Real Madrid.
In the end, they maintained the scoreline until the final whistle.
After the match, in an interview with reporters, Klopp stated that he had not lost hope of advancing and that they would create a miracle back at Anfield.
As for Zidane?
He believed that no team could stop Real Madrid's march, and this season's Champions League title could only belong to Real Madrid.
The Man United players in the physio room fell silent.
They suddenly lost confidence in themselves.
Even if they beat Roma, so what?
Wouldn't they just lose to Real Madrid in the end?
It was an indescribable sense of confusion; they seemed to have lost their direction.
Ling carefully reviewed the schedule in his mind.
The Premier League season ended on May 13th, and the Champions League final was on May 27th.
If Man United could win the league title, he could also win the Premier League Golden Boot award.
Even if the module given by the system couldn't directly improve his personal ability, the half-month period in between would be enough for him to benefit greatly from training.
Perhaps he could give Real Madrid a surprise.
After more than half a season of learning, his understanding of tactics was already very deep.
If they could snatch a goal within the first 20, or at most 30, minutes, Man United was not without a chance.
"Guys, we're at the top of the Premier League. We beat City. Being scared before the game even starts is a bit out of line."
Lingard, sensing the downcast atmosphere, stared at everyone and said fiercely.
The word "fear" was not in his dictionary!
"Right, don't let future events affect you now. We just have to play our best, and leave the rest to God!"
Ling chimed in, sitting up on the massage table.
He then added with a grin, "In this world, apart from math problems, nothing is really that difficult."
The Man United players all laughed at his words, the tension breaking, and most of their worries were dispelled.
They started chatting about the league match tomorrow.
...
Late at night.
News about the Champions League semi-finals was eagerly reported by the media, dominating the trending lists on Twitter and all major platforms.
@BBCSport: Real Madrid 3-1 Liverpool: A Display of Champion's Style! The Three-Peat is growing closer!
@SkySportsNews: Man United 2-1 Roma: Mourinho's Pragmatic Tactics May Be Ugly, But They Work!
@FootballDaily: The Legendary Script Has Been Written, the Protagonist Is Not Liverpool, Man United, or Roma, but Real Madrid!
@CR7_Stat: Ronaldo Scores a Brace, Leads the Top Scorer Chart! The King of Europe!
@MadridZone: A three-peat, Real Madrid is really going to establish a dynasty! This team is immortal.
@TacticalAnalysis: At the start of the season, Real Madrid sold Morata, James Rodriguez, and Pepe, but Zidane simply refused to buy replacements. Instead, he even loaned out Kovacic. All I can say is, Zidane is absolutely incredible.
@MessiFan10: Ronaldo is truly unstoppable. Over the last five seasons, he has won the Champions League Golden Boot four times. It hurts to say, but he owns this competition.
@UnitedStand: Even if Man United manage to reach the final, what do they have to compete against Real Madrid? We are at a disadvantage in every position, our squad depth doesn't compare to Real Madrid's. We need a miracle.
@MourinhoEra: Replying to @UnitedStand: Actually, I think there might be a chance. When facing a Real Madrid squad that is far stronger, Man United still has one deadly tactic: defensive counter-attacks. Even if Real Madrid surpasses Man United in 99% of aspects, as long as this tactic exists, we have room to maneuver. Jose lives for these games.
@GunnerBlog: Let's not focus on the Champions League final just yet. Tomorrow's farewell match for Wenger is something worth looking forward to. The end of an era.
...
Time flies, and soon the 36th round of the Premier League is about to begin.
The Emirates Stadium was packed to the rafters.
Today, there is only one focus: Arsène Wenger bidding farewell to his greatest rival of 22 years, Manchester United.
By the pitch.
Wenger, Mourinho, and Sir Alex Ferguson stand side by side, like old friends reunited after many years of war.
Arsenal fans can't help but recall the Premier League of over a decade ago.
Wenger's "Invincibles" Arsenal, Mourinho's powerhouse Chelsea, and Ferguson's dominant Man United—three giants locked in constant rivalry and grudges.
But in the future, only one will remain active, a thought that evokes a collective sigh from the football world.
Time, after all, is the most powerful force that reshapes everything.
Meanwhile, in the broadcast room.
"Good evening, viewers! And a very special welcome to North London," Peter Drury announced with gravitas.
"The sun sets on an era today. Welcome to the 2017-18 Premier League season, Round 36!"
"Arsenal versus Manchester United!"
"Now, let me introduce the starting lineups for both sides."
"In the famous red and white, attacking from left to right, is Arsenal, lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, looking to give Le Professeur a proper send-off."
"In the black away kit is Manchester United, also lining up in a 4-2-3-1 formation, looking to spoil the party and secure the title!"
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Ling will join england after the World cup.