Treble -6
The Copa del Rey final had ended. Real Madrid crushed Mallorca 3-0 and lifted the winner's cup.
Sergio Pepe hoisting the trophy sent the Madridistas who'd traveled all the way to the neutral venue in Seville into a frenzy of cheers.
"Madrid, Madrid, Madrid! ¡Hala Madrid!"
We thanked the fans who'd come to the stadium and headed back to the hotel.
Upon arriving at the hotel, I had a personal regret. Back in the day, I could've grabbed a meal with Youngbeom at a nearby spot and bonded a bit.
But the timing was shit.
Real Madrid was down to just one trophy before completing the Treble, and as the team's ace, I was practically imprisoned under Valverde's intense supervision.
Once back in Madrid, the club's obsession with the Treble ramped up even more. They were so paranoid about key players getting injured that they handled all three meals, not letting us touch outside food.
A few players grumbled about the policy, but in the face of the grand Treble achievement, minority opinions were ignored.
"Just three days left—suck it up. Better than missing the Champions League final with food poisoning, right?"
"Jesus is right. We're on the verge of etching our names in history! Who'd wanna sit out a game like that over a upset stomach, idiots?"
Of course, my endorsement alongside the veterans carried weight. The club showed its appreciation for my supportive stance in its own way, and I nodded in satisfaction. Good relationships thrive on that give-and-take sincerity.
"By the way, how much did Sergio Pepe get?"
"…You're the only one who asked for a gesture of goodwill, Jesus?"
What the hell. Are they suckers or something?
#
While Real Madrid prepped for the Champions League final, Korean soccer fans were glued to the U-20 World Cup.
South Korea's second opponent was South American powerhouse Argentina. Buoyed by their first-win morale against Portugal, the Korean U-20 team put up a solid fight.
Thanks to JuAdam and the Korean U-20 players' efforts, the game stayed level until the final whistle.
This match put JuAdam on the radar of overseas scouts, paving the way for his future move abroad.
# On the day of the Real Madrid vs. Liverpool Champions League final, Madridistas and Kop fans flooded Atatürk Olympic Stadium.
Tobias Schweinsteiger, who became Liverpool's manager last season on Klopp's recommendation, had a dismal first half with sacking rumors swirling.
"He just needs a bit of time to imprint his tactical style. Late in the first half, Liverpool started showing his colors. Trust him as you trusted me."
With Klopp's backing, the club and fans held out, and Liverpool bounced back in the second half to snag 4th place and Champions League qualification.
Building on that, this season they battled Arsenal for the league title—but Arsenal took it after reaching the UEFA Europa League final. They made the FA Cup final too, only to get smashed by Manchester United for runner-up.
Korean soccer communities mocked Liverpool's plight.
Koreans might not get the memes, but the UK vibe was similar. Liverpool was determined not to suffer the humiliation of three runner-ups in one season.
The two teams, with everything on the line, clashed fiercely from kickoff.
5th minute of the first half.
Liverpool's Charlie Stone shoved Luis Garcia with his hand and stole the ball. Garcia, knocked down, protested with arms up, but the ref signaled him to get up.
Charlie Stone, with the ball, lofted a long pass to Roberto Costa infiltrating Real Madrid's half.
Roberto Costa's cool shot was denied by Ter Stegen's save. The ball crossed the line for a Liverpool corner.
Captain Sergio Pepe rushed the ref claiming push, but it stood as Liverpool's goal.
Furious at the call, Real Madrid players erupted. Sergio Pepe got a yellow for protesting hard. Liverpool fans went wild, belting out their anthem.
"Walk on, walk on, with hope in your heart"
"And you'll never walk alone! You'll never walk alone!"
Early first-half shock goal rattled Real Madrid's young prospect Jesus Gonzalez. The team rarely conceded first this season.
The pressure of starting a Champions League final mixed with conceding first showed in his shaky play.
Jesus Gonzalez forced a breakthrough against Liverpool's coordinated defense, lost the ball, and Liverpool countered. Paul Smith, Liverpool's wonderkid, rifled a mid-range screamer into the net.
In Atatürk Olympic Stadium—the site of Istanbul's miracle—Liverpool's second goal, Paul Smith's CL debut strike as next-gen captain, sent Kop into ecstasy.
Watching dejected Madridistas and self-blaming Jesus Gonzalez, Jesus quietly smirked.
Perfect. Heroes always show up last! Let 'em score one more—recreate the Istanbul miracle, gazua!