Football Dynasty

With the aggregate score at Manchester City 3 – 2 Barcelona, everyone inside Maine Road already sensed how the second half would unfold.

Barcelona were certain to push forward, employing a more aggressive approach, unleashing wave after wave of attacks. In response, Manchester City prepared to dig in, grounding themselves defensively and waiting for the chance to spring forward on the counter once Barcelona overcommitted.

But not everyone agreed with that approach.

"We need to attack! We can't just sit back and defend—we have to maintain momentum!" Zidane was the first to speak up in the dressing room. His words shocked the others, cutting through the tense silence like a blade.

Unlike O'Neill and Mourinho, who preferred to play safe and strike on the counter, Zidane couldn't accept such a cautious approach. He had grown up at Cannes and then Marseille, in an environment where the game was about taking initiative, dictating the rhythm, and attacking with flair. For him, football wasn't about retreating into a shell—it was about imposing your will on the opponent.

As Mourinho laid out the defensive adjustments for the second half, Zidane shook his head, visibly frustrated.

"We can't just defend," he said firmly, his voice carrying through the dressing room. "If we sit back, they'll suffocate us. We need to attack, to keep the momentum on our side!"

The room fell quiet for a moment.

Mourinho's jaw tightened, but he didn't immediately snap back.

O'Neill stepped in, his tone calm and measured. "Zinedine, we understand. But if we go head-to-head with Barcelona, we'll leave ourselves wide open. We can hurt them on the counter—our first goal already proved that. Trust the plan."

Zidane folded his arms, still unconvinced. His body language said everything.

O'Neill couldn't help but sigh. This was the hidden drawback of signing superstar players. Everyone knew that for the last three seasons in Ligue 1, Zidane had already been regarded as one of the very best. Naturally, his status, confidence, and personal philosophy often clashed with the tactical discipline demanded by the team.

Superstars often believed their instincts outweighed the coach's strategy. After all, it was their individual brilliance that had carried them to the top. Why shouldn't their judgment be trusted? For City, this was both a blessing and a curse: Zidane's genius could turn a match on its head, but it also carried the risk of fracturing the team's unity.

His outburst here was a perfect example. His vision of the game wasn't wrong—but voicing it so openly disrupted the fragile cohesion of a side that needed to withstand Barcelona's storm together.

Thankfully, in this moment, Zidane was the only one to speak up. Even Makelele, who might have shared similar thoughts, chose to stay quiet.

With no one backing him, Zidane was left standing alone, his voice carrying less weight than he had hoped. Reluctantly, he took a step back, the tension in the room easing slightly.

After the tactical discussion had wound down, Mourinho noticed Zidane still sulking quietly in the corner. Finally, he walked over and placed a firm hand on the Frenchman's shoulder.

"I understand, I really do. You want to attack, you want to play your game. That's why you're here—because you can change matches on your own. But listen to me carefully. One mistake, and everything we've built tonight is gone. You'll get your chances, I promise you. But you have to trust the plan. Discipline first, brilliance second. If we don't survive together, your talent won't matter. Do you understand?"

The response?

Zidane gave no reply—only a slow shake of his head. Then, without a word, he rose from his seat and walked toward the tunnel, his figure disappearing into the shadows.

The young Mourinho stood there, watching him go, his expression unreadable. All he could do was wonder what was going through Zidane's mind.

There was a reason why Mourinho and O'Neill chose to dig in, grounding their team defensively.

Figo had a high success rate in one-on-one situations against Finnan, but once Makelele and Gallas closed in to help, Finnan could focus solely on defending the flank. That extra support made life much harder for Figo, who struggled to deliver quality crosses, even seeing a low-driven attempt intercepted by Makelele in the final eight minutes of the first half.

Their plan was clear: contain Figo, then catch Barcelona off guard when their attack became predictable.

PHWEEEEEE~

At this juncture, Barcelona's formation had pushed too far upfield.

Figo, who had been their primary outlet on the right, tried to take on Finnan once more. But this time, as he cut inside, Thuram stepped up aggressively and dispossessed him cleanly with a perfectly timed tackle.

The ball spilled free, and before Barcelona's midfielders could react, Makelele pounced, snapping up possession and immediately looking forward.

After winning the ball, Makelele deftly chipped a pass into the attacking area.

Zidane, receiving it near the center circle, quickly turned. De La Peña and Popescu retreated to cover, but Zidane's long, powerful strides carried him forward with undeniable speed.

Guardiola, sensing the danger, began to drop back. He didn't rush into a challenge; instead, he aimed to form a defensive block with the center-backs to absorb the attack.

Larsson drifted wide, calling for a pass. As Zidane approached the frontline, Guardiola finally prepared to step in.

Zidane feinted to the right, and Guardiola followed closely.

Then, out of nowhere, a shadow streaked down the right flank—Ronaldo. The sight spiked Guardiola's anxiety. His focus stayed locked on Zidane, the most dangerous man on the pitch at that moment.

Suddenly, Zidane and Ronaldo executed a quick overlap, momentarily freezing him.

"Where's the ball?" Guardiola panicked. He whipped his head left, lunging to intercept—

That crafty Brazilian!

As the two crossed paths, Zidane never even looked like he'd passed. The ball seemed to vanish from his feet, left behind like a hidden gift. Ronaldo, charging in from behind, collected it in full stride.

In the director's box, Richard shot to his feet.

The Brazilian burst forward with frightening acceleration, his powerful frame leaving Nadal in his wake.

One-on-one with the keeper, Ronaldo didn't hesitate—he lashed a thunderous shot toward the near post.

Vítor Baía reacted instantly, springing to his right and throwing out a strong hand. The ball smacked against his palm with a loud thud before spinning away for a corner.

The crowd erupted, half in relief, half in awe of the lightning-quick counterattack they had just witnessed.

"Fuck!" Richard cursed under his breath in the director's box, slamming his fist against the railing. That chance should have buried Barcelona.

On the touchline, Mourinho reacted instantly. He jumped up from his seat, leaned close to O'Neill, and whispered rapidly in his ear. O'Neill turned, his brow furrowed, eyes searching Mourinho's expression. For a moment, the head coach hesitated—unsure if now was the right time.

But Mourinho's gaze was steady, sharp, almost burning with conviction. O'Neill held that look for a long second before finally giving a small, decisive nod. The reasoning Mourinho had given was undeniable; there was no turning back now.

"Mark, Lúcio, Frank!" Mourinho barked.

On the bench, Van Bommel, Lúcio, and Lampard shot to their feet, exchanging glances of sudden anticipation. Without a word, they stripped off their jackets and jogged toward the touchline, beginning their warm-ups.

Two minutes later, the ball rolled out of play near the halfway line. The fourth official stepped forward, holding up the electronic board.

Three numbers lit up at once.

Out: Zidane – Larsson – PiresIn: Van Bommel – Lúcio – Lampard

The message was unmistakable.

All-out defense.

On the pitch, Zidane froze. His name glowing red on the board felt like a public insult. He stared at the sideline, his jaw tightening as realization sank in. Larsson clapped politely and jogged off, Pires gave a quick nod and trotted toward the bench, but Zidane lingered.

As he made his slow walk toward the touchline, the atmosphere thickened. O'Neill waited near the edge of the technical area, arms folded, his expression stern but composed. Zidane didn't even glance at him. He brushed past, his eyes fixed forward, his pride burning hotter than the cheers or jeers around him.

The boiling point came seconds later. Reaching the bench, Zidane snatched a water bottle, raised it to his lips—and then, with a sharp twist of anger, hurled it to the ground. The plastic burst open, spraying water across the turf.

Mourinho, crouched low near the technical area, didn't flinch—his eyes were locked on the field, already moving three steps ahead.

O'Neill, however, felt the sting. The moment Zidane bypassed him without acknowledgment, without even a handshake, he knew this was more than just a substitution. It was a fracture.

But he couldn't help it. For him, the result came first.

Did the decision work?

PHWEEEEE~

Full-time: Manchester City 0 – 1 Barcelona

Aggregate: Manchester City 3 – 2 Barcelona

In other words, even if they didn't play beautifully, Barcelona were defeated by Manchester City!

Richard, who had spent the entire second half on edge, his heart pounding with every Barcelona attack, finally let out a long breath as the referee blew the whistle. The tension that had knotted his shoulders seemed to melt away all at once.

It felt almost unreal. We lose, but we won!

Against Barcelona!

The final whistle still echoed when the pitch erupted into chaos.

Barcelona's players collapsed to their knees, some clutching their heads, others staring blankly at the turf, unable to comprehend the cruel reality. They had fought, dominated at times, but it wasn't enough.

In stark contrast, Manchester City's players burst into life. It was like the Champions League final had just been won. They sprinted in every direction, arms raised, screaming into the night sky.

The fans had been holding their breath for ninety minutes, hearts in their throats. Now, every ounce of fear and tension exploded into pure ecstasy. Maine Road was shaking—songs thundered, scarves waved, and tears streamed down faces as if the club had conquered the world.

Yet, amid the joy, there were moments less worthy of celebration. A few die-hard fans crossed the line—mocking Barcelona's fallen players, laughing at their despair, some even jeering with pointed gestures as Rivaldo sat slumped on the grass, his head in his hands.

Thankfully, Ronaldo was there. The Brazilian striker, despite being on the opposite side of the battle, jogged over and wrapped his arms around his compatriot. Rivaldo leaned into the embrace, his shoulders trembling as Ronaldo whispered words only he could hear.

O'Neill, after the match, met with Van Gaal. Following a firm handshake, they exchanged a few words.

He offered an apology to Van Gaal for the fans' disrespectful gestures, and Van Gaal graciously accepted it, commending Manchester City for their performance. With that, the two managers parted ways and left the pitch.

Since this was a Champions League quarter-final—and with Manchester City also holding a high position in the Premier League table—the post-match proceedings were more than just routine mixed-zone interviews; a full press conference awaited.

While the players headed toward the mixed zone to face the media, O'Neill stepped into a packed room of reporters.

They wasted no time in criticizing City's style of play. Of course, despite the criticism, the fact remained: Manchester City had advanced to the semi-finals. Most journalists siding with City speculated that O'Neill would unleash his frustration on Barcelona, especially since much of the criticism had come from foreign journalists rather than the English press. Yet when asked about Barcelona's performance, O'Neill surprised everyone.

"Today's Barcelona was one of the strongest teams Manchester City has faced this season," he began. "Although they lost the match, they didn't lose their spirit or momentum. If they can maintain this level, they'll finish the season in a respectable league position and remain competitive in the years ahead. Conversely, I believe our players were a bit lackadaisical at the start—showing insufficient focus and respect for our opponents. That put us on the back foot early and led to the opening goal against us. Thankfully, they adjusted quickly. While I'm pleased we turned it around, I hope we don't have to rely on falling behind to re-energize ourselves in the future."

The reporters pressed further, eager to hear O'Neill take aim at Barcelona.

Yet his demeanor remained composed and respectful. Rather than ridiculing them, he offered genuine praise. Even Iván de la Peña—who had his shortcomings—earned O'Neill's recognition for his effort and focus throughout the match.

"Coach, did you notice what some of your fans did at the end of the match—mocking Barcelona's players as they walked off the pitch? Does this kind of behavior happen often here? Is it a sign that English hooliganism still hasn't completely disappeared?"

"..."

O'Neill's mouth twitched.

The discussion inevitably turned to the controversial incident from the match.

As a coach who had worked in England for many years, he had a rather laid-back perspective on such matters.

Even back when Manchester City were still playing in the First Division, he had seen it all. People who disliked him always found ways to insult him—so should he really get worked up over a single inappropriate gesture from a player on the pitch?

In English football, the sheer volume of vulgar gestures and abuse from opposing fans often carried a far greater impact than one individual's actions. It's the same as what happened today with Barcelona—their players, and Van Gaal as their manager, faced it directly.

Do you think this sort of thing doesn't happen in the Netherlands?

Take De Klassieker—Ajax vs Feyenoord. It's the Dutch equivalent of Spain's El Clásico in terms of intensity.

Amsterdam represents cultural liberalism, wealth, and historical dominance, while Rotterdam symbolizes working-class grit and resilience, rebuilt after the devastation of World War II.

And then there's Ajax vs PSV Eindhoven. PSV represents the south, while Ajax embodies artistic, capital-city flair. This rivalry is less cultural and more about footballing dominance—a straight fight for league supremacy, especially in the 1990s.

If you can't handle that kind of pressure, perhaps you shouldn't be a head coach in the first place.

Success always attracts attention, and attention always brings both admiration and hostility. That's football. It's not unique to England, and it's certainly not going away.

The psychology of the football world is strange: fail, and people laugh at you; succeed, and some will hate you; be mediocre, and you'll still face criticism.

Manchester City's rapid rise was already enough to fuel resentment.

In a world where the spotlight shines so brightly, no team is ever universally liked.