[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-145":6},{"origin":4,"title":5},"english","Start with R9 Template",{"chapter":7,"nextChapterSlug":19,"prevChapterSlug":20,"totalChapters":21,"novelImage":22},{"id":8,"novel_id":9,"title":10,"slug":11,"index":12,"content":13,"wordcount":14,"created_at":15,"updated_at":15,"volume":16,"translator":17,"content_hash":18},1388754,1840,"Chapter 145 - 145","start-with-r9-template-chapter-145",145,"\u003Cp>Parc des Princes, Paris\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>80th Minute\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The night air in Paris was thick with tension.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>PSG was chasing the game, desperate to overturn the deficit. But in the Champions League, there is one rule: never bet against the King.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Casemiro collected a loose ball in the right half-space. He looked up and clipped a teasing cross toward the penalty spot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The ball hung in the air.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Cristiano Ronaldo, wearing the all-white of Real Madrid, leaped.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He rose above the PSG defenders, his knees level with their heads.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He seemed to pause in mid-air, defying gravity, waiting for the ball to meet him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Thump.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A tomahawk header!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Violent, precise, unstoppable. The ball rocketed past Areola before the goalkeeper could blink.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>1-2 Real Madrid!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronaldo landed. He sprinted dozens of meters toward the corner flag, leaped into his signature mid-air turn, and landed with his arms spread wide, back to the crowd.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"SIUUU!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The roar from the traveling Madridistas was deafening.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Cristiano! Cristiano!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They recalled a scene from nine years ago, when a shy young man walked onto the Bernabéu pitch.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, at 33, he was becoming a god.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He showed no signs of aging. He was leading Madrid toward a historic \"Three-Peat\"—a feat no club had achieved in the modern era.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the sidelines, Zinedine Zidane stroked his smooth head with a slight smirk playing on his lips.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He felt it. The aura.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Madrid could win it all again!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Champions League Round of 16 Roundup\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Besiktas 1 - 3 Bayern Munich (1-8 Agg) The Bavarian machine was ruthless. Thomas Muller, Robert Lewandowski, and Kingsley Coman tore the Turkish champions apart.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Even Mats Hummels got on the scoresheet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bayern still looked unsatisfied, hungry for more blood.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Manchester City 1 - 2 Basel (5-2 Agg) At the Etihad, Pep Guardiola rotated his squad.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>City lost the match but cruised through on aggregate. In the post-match interview, Guardiola was dismissive.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We focus on the league now,\" Guardiola said, his eyes cold. \"As for United vs. Liverpool? I hope United lose. We want the title wrapped up.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The lineup was set. A gathering of giants.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Premier League: Manchester City, Liverpool, Manchester United. (if you wondering as why the premier league have 5 teams in ucl, is that Man united qualified because they won Europa league last season).\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>La Liga: Real Madrid, Barcelona.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Serie A: Juventus, Roma.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bundesliga: Bayern Munich.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a historic field—all teams from the top four leagues.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No underdogs and definitely no easy games.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>UEFA Headquarters, Nyon March 16th\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The atmosphere in the draw hall was suffocating. Club delegates in expensive suits sat nervously.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Back at Carrington, the Manchester United squad gathered around the TV in the canteen.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling sat next to Marcus Rashford, chewing his lip.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"We should draw Bayern,\" Ling muttered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>In his previous life, United had crashed out to Sevilla. This was uncharted territory.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The timeline had shifted.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the screen, Andriy Shevchenko, the final ambassador, walked onto the stage. He stirred the plastic balls in the glass bowl.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The clattering sound echoed like gunfire.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He picked the first ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>AS ROMA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A murmur went through the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Roma were the \"soft target.\" An aging squad led by Edin Dzeko and Daniele De Rossi.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Everyone wanted them.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shevchenko picked the second ball.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>FC BARCELONA.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>A collective sigh of relief from the other teams.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>At the Barcelona training ground, Samuel Umtiti burst out laughing. Gerard Piqué grinned.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was practically a gift. (lmao)\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>JUVENTUS.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Massimiliano Allegri straightened his tie. He felt a sudden wave of dizziness.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Please not them. Anyone but them.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shevchenko opened the paper.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>REAL MADRID.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Allegri nearly collapsed under the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was a rematch of the previous year's final, where Madrid had crushed them 4-1. And worse, it meant facing Ronaldo—the \"Juve Killer.\" ..... again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zidane's expression remained enigmatic. He knew the stats. Ronaldo had faced Juve five times and scored seven goals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was destiny.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Two ties left. Four teams. Liverpool. Manchester City. Bayern Munich. Manchester United.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Shevchenko stirred the bowl again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>LIVERPOOL.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jurgen Klopp leaned forward while Pep Guardiola sat motionless.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>MANCHESTER CITY.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>An all-English civil war.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Klopp grimaced. Liverpool had lost heavily to City in the league. But this was Europe. This was Anfield.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would make them bleed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>That left two balls. The inevitability settled over the room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>MANCHESTER UNITED versus BAYERN MUNICH.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jupp Heynckes, the Bayern manager, let out a long breath.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He had wanted Arsenal (his favorite punching bag), but United was acceptable. Since 2008, Bayern had never been eliminated by an English team.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They had history on their side.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>On the other side of the aisle, Mourinho's face was stone cold.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He remembered the 2012 semi-final with Real Madrid.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Losing on penalties to Bayern. Ronaldo, Kaka, Ramos—all missing the shot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was the only time Mourinho had cried after a defeat.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'Revenge time huh,' Mourinho thought.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>...\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Carrington Training Ground\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The canteen went silent.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>United vs. Bayern.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The history was heavy. 1999. The Treble. But also 2001, 2010, 2014.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Bayern had knocked United out the last two times they met.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Why is everyone so quiet?\" Ling's voice cut through the gloom. \"Didn't we beat them in '99? Solskjaer's winner? Fergie Time?\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Zlatan Ibrahimović stood up, his massive body casting a shadow over the table.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Look at yourselves!\" the lion roared. \"Does history decide the game? No! We decide the game!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If they think we cannot win,\" Zlatan snarled, \"then we must turn the impossible into the possible! We are Manchester United!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The speech ignited a spark. Heads lifted. Chests puffed out.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Jesse Lingard jumped onto the table, stomping his foot.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"YEAH!\" Lingard howled. \"First we crush Liverpool on Sunday! Then we take down the Germans! Let's go!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"LET'S GO!\"\u003C\u002Fp>",957,"2026-06-05T22:48:23.062Z",1,"novelbin.me","26980633549b56d090303f61569cc6edd58623f47fcaa6ab39b5a89ce0faba63","start-with-r9-template-chapter-146","start-with-r9-template-chapter-44",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]