Want to know what truly counts as applause that never seems to end? Then you should have been at the Golden Boy Awards ceremony.
As Leo Lin raised the trophy high and waved it to the crowd in celebration, most of the players in attendance rose to their feet and applauded.
The looks Drogba and Casillas gave Leo Lin were filled with expectation.
One was a Premier League legend, the other a Spanish icon—both placed great hopes in Leo Lin.
Fans in the livestream went completely wild. Leo Lin's speech had ignited the fighting spirit of countless viewers.
As he slowly stepped down from the stage and returned to his seat, the Golden Boy Awards ceremony officially came to an end, transitioning into the banquet segment.
Guests moved toward the buffet area, sampling the food while chatting and networking.
Barnett knew very well that this was a perfect opportunity to help Leo Lin build connections.
He took Leo Lin around the venue, introducing him to everyone he knew without exception. Leo Lin handled it effortlessly—neither overly humble nor arrogant—while still expressing genuine goodwill. Many legendary figures and influential personalities from various circles quickly took an interest in him.
"Maybe we should do a show together sometime. I'd be very interested in having a proper chat with you."
Ronaldo greeted Leo Lin warmly. As a legendary Brazilian center forward, he had observed Leo Lin's attacking movement more than once.
Sharp, intelligent, full of flair—it even reminded him of his good friend Ronaldinho.
At the same time, a luxury diamond ring brand released an official announcement across its entire online platform: Leo Lin had become the new ambassador for their men's diamond ring line for the next three years.
Liverpool FC's official account, Sky Sports, and the Premier League News all reposted the announcement simultaneously, offering their congratulations to Leo Lin.
On social media, Leo Lin shot to number one on the sports trending list and broke into the top ten overall, with news of his Golden Boy win flooding every platform.
Countless fans poured in to congratulate him.
"Congratulations to Lin on winning the Golden Boy Award—absolutely well deserved!"
"The Golden Boy Award has finally found its true owner. The best player of the year!"
"Liverpool and Spain both struck gold—what a massive win!"
"As a Liverpool fan, I used to doubt Lin joining the club, but now I'm lining up to apologize!"
After receiving the Golden Boy Award, Leo Lin and Barnett wasted no time and rushed back to Liverpool.
While Leo Lin was still on the plane, the live broadcast of the Champions League knockout-stage draw had already begun.
He could only receive real-time updates through messages, while back at Liverpool's official club facilities, all the players had gathered together to watch the draw live.
In the ESPN livestream, fans of every team were glued to the screen, waiting for the final results.
Jon Champion was analyzing the draw situation for the viewers.
"Under the original Champions League group-stage format, group winners could only be drawn against runners-up from other groups, which helped avoid big teams meeting too early."
"But this season, the performances of several top teams were surprising—they only finished second in their groups."
"For example, Manchester United, Barcelona, Tottenham, Paris Saint-Germain, and others are now all in the mix. That greatly increases the chances of heavyweight clashes happening early."
"Some people are calling this the strongest Champions League knockout stage in history, because there are very few genuinely weak teams."
"Aside from Basel—whom some fans jokingly call a 'gift package'—every other team has real strength."
Just twelve hours after presenting the Golden Boy Award, Drogba and Casillas appeared once again in the studio to conduct the draw for this season's Champions League knockout stage.
At the same time, Roberto Firmino was nervously chanting under his breath:
"Basel!"
"Basel!"
"Basel!"
Basel: "Is that really polite?"
At 10:00 a.m. Central European Time, the draw officially began.
Drogba and Casillas each took turns drawing from the boxes. Each pair of teams formed a Round of 16 matchup, with the winner advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals.
"The first matchup—Chelsea have been drawn."
"Their opponent comes from Portugal: Porto!"
"The second matchup—the first team drawn is Manchester City from the Premier League."
"Their opponent is Basel."
When Basel were paired with Manchester City, the tension that fans had been holding onto instantly collapsed.
"No disrespect to Basel, but can I just go cry for a moment?"
"What if Basel somehow turns around and knocks City out… wouldn't that be—"
"Wake up already. Stop dreaming."
Casillas and Drogba continued with the draw.
"Sevilla from La Liga will face Manchester United from the Premier League!"
The Europa League kings against United—another heavyweight showdown.
"Bayern Munich from the Bundesliga will face Besiktas from the Turkish Super Lig."
"Juventus from Serie A will play Tottenham Hotspur from the Premier League."
"Real Madrid from La Liga will take on Paris Saint-Germain from Ligue 1!"
When Real Madrid drew PSG, fans everywhere exploded with excitement. Without question, this was a true clash of titans.
Only Liverpool fans remained calm—almost eerily so.
Four teams were left, and Liverpool could draw either Barcelona or Shakhtar Donetsk.
Shakhtar would be manageable. But if they drew Barcelona this early, Liverpool fans genuinely wouldn't know whether to laugh or cry.
Drogba drew the next team—Liverpool.
Casillas vigorously mixed the remaining balls. Liverpool's players held their breath, while many fans covered their eyes, unable to watch.
"Liverpool from the Premier League will face Barcelona from La Liga!"
The moment the announcement was made, the entire internet exploded. Liverpool versus Barcelona—another collision of giants.
Shakhtar Donetsk were ultimately drawn against Roma, completing the Round of 16 matchups.
After turning off the broadcast, Klopp looked remarkably calm.
When the news reached Leo Lin, he wasn't nearly as surprised as Barnett had expected.
"There's really nothing to be shocked about," Leo Lin said. "If you want to win the Champions League, you're going to face them sooner or later."
"So what if it's Barcelona?"
"If you're afraid, then don't play football. Just go home and lie down."
His tone was casual, but his expression was full of resolve. Barnett nodded repeatedly.
Once the matchups were confirmed, both teams immediately began their preparations.
Klopp repeatedly emphasized the importance of Messi.
This was standard for any team facing Barcelona—Messi was their most dangerous weapon.
"The midfield must help the defense, run like their lives depend on it, and absolutely cannot let Barcelona's midfield pass the ball comfortably!"
Klopp still intended to rely on high-intensity pressing combined with constant movement and rotations to break Barcelona down.
The first leg would be played at Liverpool's home ground—Anfield.
Klopp hoped to use the home advantage to secure a lead. Only then would Liverpool have a real chance of advancing over the two legs.
...
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