[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":-1},["ShallowReactive",2],{"origin-start-with-r9-template":3,"chapter-start-with-r9-template-start-with-r9-template-chapter-24":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},1388706,1840,"Chapter 24: Dressing Room Talk","start-with-r9-template-chapter-24",24,"\u003Cp>Mourinho slammed his fist against the tactics board with a \"bang,\" launching into a furious tirade.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Although I don't want to criticize individual performances, some of you have been so poor that you simply don't deserve to win.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"You need to understand, I'm not talking about one or two games, but three, four, five, even half a season—your performances in goals, assists, pressing, and tackling have all been declining.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As Mourinho counted on his fingers one by one, the temperature in the dressing room seemed to drop to freezing point.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>All the Manchester United players trembled, as if stripped naked and thrown into a blizzard.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho, like an enraged lion, scanned the room and continued his rebuke.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"So I think it's enough, because others are fighting for opportunities too and everyone should have their chance.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"But when you get that chance and fail to deliver a good enough performance, then you must, and you can only, accept the terrible outcome.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"That's on you!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I suggest every one of you remember my words clearly, or it'll be too late for regrets later!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's as simple as that!!!\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With that, Mourinho stormed out, heading to the post-match press conference.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Sitting in the corner, Martial couldn't conceal the resentment in his heart, his hands clenched so tightly that his fingernails nearly pierced his flesh.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It was you who stripped me of the No. 9 jersey.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>'It was you who kept me on the bench for so long. And now you're shifting the blame onto me.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Manchester United players glanced subtly toward the corner, just starting to relax when they noticed Ibrahimovic standing up, their nerves tightening once again.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Mourinho might scold people, but he never resorts to physical confrontation.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>This one was different.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ibrahimovic looked at the young Manchester United players, the curses on the tip of his tongue ultimately left unspoken as he softened his tone slightly.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If you came to Manchester United just to collect a paycheck and stroll around casually, then tell me now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The transfer window isn't over yet. I'll speak with José about finding more suitable clubs for you.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If not, then you must take every match seriously, because everyone else is putting in the effort to win.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Today's match is in the past. Don't dwell on what's already happened. Learn from it and keep moving forward.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After speaking, Ibrahimovic glanced at Martial from the corner of his eye and quietly began packing his gear.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Throughout his career, he had encountered many immature players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>To put it bluntly, he had once been like that himself—subconsciously believing he could never be at fault.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whenever conflicts arose with others, he would develop strong resistance, his attitude in training turning negative and extreme.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Fortunately, someone had helped him correct that unhealthy mindset.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Now, whether as a teammate or a senior player, he didn't want to see Martial go down that same destructive path.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling watched Ibrahimovic's commanding figure and thought to himself that Mourinho and Ibrahimovic were a perfect match.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>With the former's stubborn personality, he often clashed irreconcilably with players.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>But with the latter in the mix, it actually helped stabilize the locker room.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>....\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Half an hour later, on the bus back to Manchester, although the atmosphere remained tense, it was no longer suffocating.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The Manchester United players understood that the manager's criticism was directed at their actions, not at them personally.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As long as they maintained the right attitude, they wouldn't be subjected to unwarranted scoldings.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After returning to the training ground, Mourinho held a brief meeting before announcing the start of a two-week break.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Whether you were heading off to play for your national team or vacationing on the beaches of Hawaii, he didn't care in the slightest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As he had said, everyone was fighting for opportunities.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>If you didn't cherish yours, someone else surely would.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then Mourinho and Ibrahimovic set off for Monaco to attend the Champions League group stage draw.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling sighed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He would have liked to go too, but he wasn't important enough yet.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>So he could only return to his dorm, review the previous match and watch the live broadcast on TV.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"Welcome to the 2017-18 UEFA Champions League group stage draw and UEFA awards ceremony.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"The camera focuses on Ronaldo, Messi, and Buffon—the top three nominees for UEFA Best Player.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"...\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling couldn't help but zone out momentarily.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Although the venue was filled with star players from various teams, they all seemed overshadowed by the brilliance emanating from those two individuals.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>When would he ever stand on that awards podium himself?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling shook his head.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hadn't even secured a solid starting position yet, and here he was fantasizing about winning awards.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He needed to keep his feet on the ground!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling gave himself a stern mental lecture before continuing to watch with keen interest.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>First presented was the UEFA President's Award.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Totti, who announced his retirement last season, stood up and slowly walked onto the stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"It's an honor to receive this award. My dream was to wear only one team's jersey throughout my entire career, and now I can truly say I've achieved it.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The audience responded with continuous applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>No matter how football evolves, players who remain loyal to one club throughout their careers deserve everyone's respect.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Next came the Champions League Best Goalkeeper award.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Juventus' veteran Buffon held the trophy high and declared.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I'm proud to receive this award at my age.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"If there's a secret to winning awards, I believe it's maintaining my hunger for honors. That's the only way I know how to perform at the highest level.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>The players also gave him warm applause.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Most of them had grown up watching Buffon play, and now they were key players for top clubs while he was still active.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>They simultaneously mourned for Juventus and Italy's substitute goalkeepers.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Then the atmosphere shifted as it became Real Madrid's exclusive showcase.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Champions League Best Defender: Ramos!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Champions League Best Midfielder: Modric!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Champions League Best Forward: Ronaldo!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>UEFA Men's Player of the Year: Ronaldo!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>There was no helping it.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>After all, Real Madrid was the first team to successfully defend the Champions League title since the tournament's reform.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their dominant performance last season made sweeping the midfield and forward awards completely undisputed.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ronaldo held his trophy representing glory and delivered his acceptance speech with a smile.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I play for a fantastic team, Real Madrid.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>\"I love scoring goals, I love winning trophies, whether team or individual awards. I feel very happy right now.\"\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>While walking off stage, Messi shook hands with Ronaldo to congratulate him.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Their relationship was actually quite good, with mutual respect between them, not a rivalry like their fans.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>It was just some extreme fans who kept stirring up conflicts under banners like 'If you like Ronaldo, you must hate Messi' and 'If you like Messi, you must hate Ronaldo.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Anyway, Ling didn't pay attention to such messy matters.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He opened his phone and played 'Good Luck Comes.'\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He hoped Mourinho wouldn't have too much bad luck.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>He didn't want his first Champions League campaign to end without even making it out of the group stage.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>As the cheerful, festive melody played.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Ling stared at the screen in astonishment.\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Damn, the best possible draw!\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Is Manchester United UEFA's favorite son?\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group A: Benfica, Manchester United, Basel, CSKA Moscow\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group B: Bayern Munich, Paris Saint-Germain, Anderlecht, Celtic\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group C: Chelsea, Atlético Madrid, Roma, Qarabag\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group D: Juventus, Barcelona, Olympiacos, Sporting CP\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group E: Spartak Moscow, Sevilla, Liverpool, Maribor\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group F: Shakhtar Donetsk, Manchester City, Napoli, Feyenoord\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group G: Monaco, Porto, Beşiktaş, Leipzig\u003C\u002Fp>\n\u003Cp>Group H: Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund, Tottenham Hotspur, APOEL\u003C\u002Fp>",1274,"2026-06-05T22:48:22.783Z",1,"novelbin.me","6e9d485c8e73dd2d4e9c0a8633fb0a2bf322837e45233c5b501507f25384c743","start-with-r9-template-chapter-118","start-with-r9-template-chapter-23",371,"https:\u002F\u002Fnovelzhen.com\u002Fimages\u002Fcovers\u002Fstart-with-r9-template-cover.jpg"]