Chapter 168: Tragic Rome

Words : 1553 Updated : Sep 29th, 2025

A wild wind howled, and heavy snow surged. The first snowfall in Croatia arrived at the tail end of November. On November 24th, a blizzard descended upon the entire country. Fluffy snowflakes drifted from the sky, swept by gusts of wind in all directions. In the biting cold, snowflakes melted upon contact with skin, stealing warmth from the body with their icy touch. Yet, compared to the harsh environment, it was the scoreline that left the Roma players in greater despair. 2004/2005 UEFA Champions League – Group Stage, Round 5. At the 31-minute mark, Dinamo Zagreb 2:0 Roma. Roma had completely collapsed in this season's Champions League. Not only were they crushed in their previous four matches, but in the last round against Real Madrid, Daniele De Rossi had been shown a red card. Philippe Mexès had just returned, and now they had lost De Rossi. But that wasn't the biggest blow. As Roma's spiritual leader, their "Eighth King of Rome" Francesco Totti was absent due to the death of his mother. Grieving and in pain, he missed the match entirely. With two key players out and the brutal weather conditions, the Roma squad was utterly unprepared. Series of setbacks had already sapped their morale, and the cruel environment only worsened it. Tactical discipline and winning confidence had all been thrown to the wind. The whole Roma team played in a daze. Even their defense was full of holes. When a ball dropped and skidded several meters across the snowy turf, they were completely caught off guard. In contrast, Dinamo Zagreb's players seemed to know exactly where the ball would land, demonstrating precise judgment and awareness of their surroundings. This only demoralized Roma further. The two conceded goals were the clearest proof. "Roma has completely collapsed!" Even the Italian commentator could only shake his head helplessly. As the second seed from Serie A, Roma had been the most highly regarded team aside from AC Milan. But no one expected them to completely fall apart in the Champions League. It was as if misfortune had cursed them — every match worse than the last, problems piling up. First came the constant coaching changes. Then conflict between players and staff. And in the most crucial moment, the death of Totti's mother left the team without their soul. Add to that the brutal conditions of this away match — it was no surprise Roma performed so poorly. When the whistle blew for halftime, Dinamo Zagreb's fans were already celebrating. Despite the snowstorm. Despite the wind that cut their faces like knives. Nothing could contain their inner fire. They were winning! Even if it was only halftime, Dinamo Zagreb had performed spectacularly against a completely demoralized Roma side. "Roma can't handle this kind of pitch at all!" Back in the locker room, Srna spoke excitedly. In these snowy conditions, predicting the ball's landing spot required players to aim slightly ahead, as the ball would skid after bouncing. It had to be said — the snow had worked in their favor. It wasn't heavy enough to accumulate, and with tens of thousands of fans generating heat, the surface was wet and slippery — something Roma players were completely unaccustomed to. But for Dinamo Zagreb's players, this kind of winter weather was familiar territory. "Stay sharp in the second half," said Šuker, wrapped in a blanket. "Let's win this game!" The players' eyes lit up. They had never come this close to the Champions League knockout stage. A win here would give them a great shot at reaching the Round of 16. The Champions League Round of 16 — what an incredible milestone that would be! For substitutes like Rakitić, excitement surged through their veins. They were impressed. Truly impressed. Under such tough conditions, there was no way to not admire what the starters had accomplished. In a group featuring Real Madrid, Bayer Leverkusen, and Roma... Dinamo Zagreb had carved out a bloody path forward! Just one more win, and they would have a high probability of advancing. What an achievement! "Second half — just stabilize the match, don't launch reckless attacks..." Even coach Belić's voice was trembling. As this moment approached, he too was overwhelmed with nerves. At the beginning of the season, even qualifying for the group stage had seemed like a miracle. But these guys had bulldozed through group play, producing match after brilliant match. Their performances had even made Belić a minor celebrity in European football. Now, all they needed to do was hold steady. Halftime ended quickly. Both teams returned to the pitch. "Pass it here! Pass it!" "Hold it! Stay calm!" Šuker dribbled sideways, escaping the pressure, then smoothly sent the ball right to Modrić. The move was fluid and effortless. Roma's press was weak, and Šuker had room to play comfortably. He already had one goal under his belt this match. Now, his mission was to help control the tempo, so he dropped deeper into midfield to organize play. Up front, Mandžukić was enough to hold the line. Dinamo Zagreb was clearly trying to slow the match down. Roma, on the other hand, had no spirit left. With four straight losses, even winning the final two matches wouldn't be enough to qualify. Combined with all the drama and turmoil, they simply lacked the will to fight. Their Champions League campaign was over. If Totti had been on the field, perhaps they'd have had some motivation left, but without him... Dinamo Zagreb continued to pass the ball around, and the minutes ticked by. The fans were already chanting for victory. Winning this match would keep Dinamo Zagreb in control of their fate. "On this snowy day, at the Maksimir Stadium, we are once again celebrating victory! These boys have been incredible!" "I can't wait to see what they'll do next." Commentator Klaušević glanced at the clock — 75 minutes in. "Dinamo Zagreb makes a substitution. Belić sends on Strinić and Šildenfeld. These two have performed exceptionally well off the bench — a smart decision to help maintain control." With the substitutions complete, Roma had even less chance. They kept lofting balls into the box, but Dinamo Zagreb packed the area with defenders. Their center forward was completely smothered and couldn't even get into a contest. Eventually, injury time arrived. Dinamo Zagreb fought to the very end. And as the final seconds of stoppage time ticked away, the referee blew the whistle. Full-time: Dinamo Zagreb 2:0 Roma. Another victory secured. After five group stage matches, Dinamo Zagreb had three wins and two draws, staying firmly at the top. Group B standings: 1st: Dinamo Zagreb, 3-2-0, 11 pts, 13 goals for, 6 against2nd: Bayer Leverkusen, 2-2-1, 8 pts, 10 GF, 7 GA3rd: Real Madrid, 2-2-1, 8 pts, 10 GF, 9 GA4th: Roma, 0-0-5, 0 pts, 2 GF, 13 GA After five rounds, some Champions League groups already had clear qualifiers. But Group B remained fiercely contested. Dinamo Zagreb still faced a major challenge — an away match. Leverkusen would need to beat Roma to have a shot at advancing. Real Madrid too — they'd have to grit their teeth and win. That way, they could tie on points. Of course, if Real Madrid lost at home to Dinamo Zagreb, Leverkusen could qualify second. But Madrid was thinking the same thing. Both teams still had a chance to advance. If Madrid thrashed Dinamo Zagreb and boosted their goal difference, and Leverkusen did the same to Roma, they could both qualify. Group B was still up in the air. Until the last minute, no one could say who would go through. Right now, Dinamo Zagreb had the best shot — as long as they didn't mess it up. "Is this really the record we set?" Duimović stared at the standings in the newspaper, practically pressing his face to the page. Five matches, three wins, two draws. Even now, it felt surreal. "Stop staring," said Srna, holding a game controller. "We've got to play Real Madrid next — at the Bernabéu. Get a grip." "And what are you doing?" Duimović asked, pointing at the screen. "Finding my confidence in the game!" Srna replied. Then he turned back to the match. The scoreboard read: Real Madrid 4:0 Dinamo Zagreb. "You suck at this game," Duimović muttered. Srna exploded. "You can say I'm a bad footballer, but never say I suck at video games!" "Come on then! Let me destroy you!" The two launched into a fierce Pro Evolution Soccer match. Šuker watched, blinking. "These two have zero nerves." "I think it's a good thing," Modrić said. "Better than being too anxious to walk." He nodded toward a corner. Šuker looked over and saw Mandžukić walking stiffly toward the fridge, his arms and legs completely out of sync. "He's walking out of rhythm!" Šuker laughed and cursed. He never expected that their most fearless player — big-game Mandžukić — would be the most nervous. Playing against Real Madrid was one thing. Playing at the Bernabéu was another. Beating them at home? Damn near impossible. "Their defense sucks. We've got a shot," Šuker growled. "Let's storm the Bernabéu!"

Chapter 168: Tragic Rome

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