Kiev Olympic Stadium.
The Man United fans who had already reached the exit tunnels, hearing the thunderous cheers from the pitch, wore expressions of disbelief.
An incredible thought emerged, like the magic bean from Grimm's Fairy Tales, instantly growing into a towering beanstalk after being planted in their chests.
They scrambled back to the stands, breathlessly looking down at the pitch.
Hundreds of lights cascaded like flowing water, converging on the vibrant young man on the pitch.
Like a soaring eagle, he leaped high and punched the air fiercely, decisively dispelling the gloom in the hearts of Man United fans.
The fans still couldn't quite believe their eyes, collectively turning their gaze to the scoreboard, where the numbers clearly read: 2-2!
They hysterically shook the fans who hadn't left the stadium, screaming wildly.
"We equalized? Did we really equalize?"
The despair in their hearts vanished, replaced by boundless hope.
On the pitch and the substitutes' bench, the Man United players felt their blood boiling as they frantically ran towards the corner of the field.
They crowded around Ling, thrusting out their arms with bulging veins!
Their chests swelled with an unwavering belief in victory, for which they were willing to sacrifice everything they had.
Peter Drury: "What is heroism? It is not about being invincible with flawless brilliance, nor is it about fleeting glory in a single moment! It is about charging forward despite knowing the road ahead is rough! Jeremy Ling has pressed the button to reverse destiny!"
Jim Beglin: "Whatever Mourinho said at half-time, whatever spirit resides in this club, it has resurfaced. They were dead and buried, Peter, but they refused to lie down!"
Beside them, Zinedine Zidane was still in a daze, clutching his head in disbelief.
He finally understood how Bayer Leverkusen must have felt in 2002!
...
The match resumed, but the dynamic had shifted.
Real Madrid had assumed Man United would seize the momentum to attack and try to kill the game in regular time.
But the Man United players remained as steady as if they had lost something before, with the entire team turtling in their own half to defend.
Because they knew the gap in strength between themselves and Real Madrid, they adhered to their pre-match objective: to drag the game into a penalty shootout.
Real Madrid likewise gave Man United no opportunities, seizing the chance to pass the ball around in their own half to recover their heavily depleted stamina.
Beep-beep-beep!
Soon, the referee blew the whistle to end regular time!
Players from both sides trudged wearily to the sidelines.
According to FIFA regulations, there is only a brief five-minute break before extra time begins.
Man United physiotherapists transformed into F1 pit crew members, swarming around the Man United players.
Rod Thornley vigorously massaged Ling's thighs, continuously applying warm ointment while asking.
"How's the strength?"
"A bit more."
Ling took the water bottle handed by Rui Faria, gulped a mouthful to rinse his mouth.
This wasn't ordinary pure water but a specialized carbohydrate solution.
Rinsing the mouth lowers oral temperature and leaves a faint amount of energy, helping to alleviate exercise fatigue.
Then he took a few small sips and ate a banana.
On the neighboring substitute bench, Cristiano Ronaldo also lay on the turf, eyes closed and focused, receiving a massage.
Real Madrid would never fear extra time—their formidable resilience would make opponents despair.
Luka Modrić changed his headband again, listening to Zidane's instructions.
Casemiro carefully savored his sports drink as if it were delicious Yakult.
Drury: "The calm before the final storm. Thirty more minutes to decide the fate of Europe. For Real Madrid, they are one step away from the fairy tale perfect ending. For Man United, they are writing history with blood and sweat. But in sports, if we consider only the spiritual aspect, there are no losers here tonight."
...
The five minutes passed quickly, and players from both teams returned to the pitch.
Beep!
With the referee's whistle, the first half of extra time officially began!
"Zidane used his final substitution, bringing on Theo Hernandez to replace the injured Ramos," Beglin noted.
"Wearing the captain's armband is the second captain Marcelo, while Ronaldo is the team's third captain, though I believe he's already the spiritual leader of Real Madrid!"
Real Madrid maintained their 4-3-3 formation, though Nacho moved back to central defense partnering with Varane, while Theo played as right back.
However, his current level was far from what he would achieve later in his career.
Ling and Lingard swapped positions again, looking for opportunities to attack Theo.
96th minute of the match.
With Modrić's deep positioning, Paul Pogba could push forward without restraint, orchestrating attacks from the left side.
He appeared like the master of the Olympic Stadium, displaying everything he had learned throughout his career.
Mateo Kovacic also performed far above his usual level.
Continuous passing combinations. Kovacic spotted the perfect moment and decisively launched a long pass!
The football traced a beautiful arc, flying diagonally toward the left inside channel.
Ling firmly withstood Theo's pressure from behind, using his height advantage to overpower Modrić, heading the ball toward the side.
"Lukaku!" Drury shouted. "Charging out like a rhinoceros!"
The impact of Ramos' substitution far exceeded Zidane's expectations.
Nacho failed to time his interception accurately, allowing Lukaku to easily receive the pass.
Under the despairing gazes of tens of thousands of Real Madrid fans in the stadium, Lukaku controlled the ball with his thigh without hesitation before unleashing a powerful volley, putting every ounce of his strength into it!
He wanted to become a hero too!
The ball roared toward the bottom right corner of the goal—Man United were mere centimeters away from taking the lead!
But Keylor Navas, the Costa Rican goalkeeper overlooked by Real Madrid's hierarchy, stood tall!
With a slight jump in place, he stretched his body to the limit, pulling Real Madrid back from the brink of hell!
Regretful sighs echoed throughout the Kiev Olympic Stadium.
"Oh, Navas! He has defied gravity!" Drury cried. "Real Madrid fans break out in a cold sweat before erupting into thunderous cheers—it's not just Man United who have a miracle-working goalkeeper!"
...
Anyone wanting to overturn the Galaxy Battleship must pay an unimaginable price.
Just two minutes later, Real Madrid players demonstrated their determination.
Raphael Varane decisively won the ball back from Lukaku and delivered it to Casemiro.
Even though he was nearly cramping, he still managed a stable pass.
The ball shot like a sharp sword into Man United's territory.
As the camera rapidly panned, two figures appeared on screen.
Matic and Ronaldo!
The former was closer to the ball, but the latter never stopped running as if there were no obstacles ahead!
That fierce determination made people take notice!
Matic surprisingly made an error, underhitting his pass.
Ronaldo immediately changed direction.
Antonio Valencia felt his heart drop in terror as he desperately charged toward the ball.
But he wasn't fast enough.
Ultimately, he resolutely threw himself into a sliding tackle, launching his entire body forward, hoping to make contact with the ball.
Ronaldo reacted in the blink of an eye, jabbing the ball outward with his right foot.
The ball rolled unimpeded toward the penalty area while Ronaldo lost his balance and fell.
Beep!
The piercing whistle echoed across the stadium, seemingly attracting dark clouds that gave a sense of impending storm.
Since there were other defenders behind Valencia, the referee only showed a yellow card.
Real Madrid won a free kick 29.5 meters from goal!
Who would take it? There was only one answer—Cristiano Ronaldo!
Even though he would be leaving next season, even though he wasn't wearing the captain's armband.
Toni Kroos, Modrić and Bale had no objections—instead, they looked on with anticipation.
David De Gea nervously adjusted the wall's positioning, sweat continuously beading on his forehead.
He knew Ronaldo's free-kick quality.
Sir Alex Ferguson once remarked: "No goalkeeper in the world could save that shot."
At this moment, Ronaldo inexplicably felt that he could produce something even better.
Under countless watchful eyes, Ronaldo placed the football carefully and retreated four steps slowly, rolling up his shorts to reveal his muscular legs.
He took several deep breaths in succession!
From being the enemy of all England to becoming the Premier League's best... from the humiliation of the "wink" to silencing the Camp Nou... from trailing 1-4 in Ballon d'Or awards to drawing level at 5-5.
He had faced countless setbacks but always managed to turn the tide against all odds.
As the camera zoomed in closer, the screen revealed a pair of hawk-like eyes, their gleam seeming to emanate from the edge of a black hole's event horizon.
They symbolized resilience, struggle, and eternal pursuit!
Run-up, arm swing, shot!
Every movement was crisp and clean, filled with aesthetic power!
BOOM!
The ball soared rapidly over the wall!
De Gea reacted simultaneously, pushing off the grass with both feet and diving to his left!
He had prepared thoroughly, covering most of the goal area.
But the ball didn't follow the trajectory he anticipated.
Instead, just as it was about to clear the crossbar, it dipped sharply!
Like an elevator in free fall!
Finally, the ball brushed against the crossbar and nestled into the net, bouncing a few times before coming to rest on the turf.
The Olympic Stadium fell into complete silence!
3-2!
Then, Ronaldo's iconic celebration unfolded once again.
"SIUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU!!!"
Drury: "CRISTIANO RONALDO! THE MAN WHO WRITES HIS OWN LEGEND! From rock bottom to the pinnacle, he needed just three seconds! The King of the Champions League has risen again!"
The entire stadium of Real Madrid fans roared in response.
Real Madrid players from the bench rushed onto the field.
They were now just one step away from lifting the Champions League trophy once more!