Chapter 175: Old Trafford

Words : 1434 Updated : Oct 1st, 2025

England, Northwestern, Manchester. When discussing football in the early 21st century, one team that cannot be bypassed is Manchester United. Manchester United is known as the "Red Devils," famous for their iron will. The Red Devil spirit infused by Ferguson has made countless Manchester United fans fanatical. The brilliant Manchester United Class of '92, together with Ferguson, created the glorious treble achievement. By virtue of this honor, they ascended to the top worldwide. It can be said that they are currently the most successful football club, with fans spread across the globe. The "Number 9 of Carrington" is the heart of Manchester United. Old Trafford is the soul of Manchester United! Old Trafford, also called the "Theatre of Dreams," is a stadium many players dream of playing at. Playing here represents a lot. Some even say if you haven't played at Old Trafford, you can't be considered truly successful. Of course, that's an exaggeration. But it reveals how much players value what it symbolizes. Now, players like Suker and others gather by the floor-to-ceiling window, overlooking the Old Trafford stadium that represents the highest peak of football. "The Theatre of Dreams!" Šrna looks at the magnificent stadium. Although the Maksimir Stadium is good, it always seems a bit inferior compared to this stadium. "Tomorrow, we play here!" Modrić clenches his fist slightly. His eyes show intense fighting spirit. Suker is right; opportunities must be fought for, and he also wants to fight for his future. "Rest well today. Tomorrow is a big battle!" Suker yawns. No one responds. Suker's cheek twitches slightly. "Shouldn't you guys go to sleep?" Nobody moves. "Get out! I want to sleep! Do I have to say it so clearly? Get out! Get out!" Suker starts kicking them out. Otherwise, who knows how long these guys would stay. At night, Modrić sleeps by the window. Through the darkness, he turns his head to look at the magnificent stadium. Maybe... he really has a chance to play on this stage. "Stop looking! Just play well tomorrow." Suddenly, a voice comes from beside him. Modrić turns, surprised: "You're not asleep?" "Can't sleep!" Suker shakes his blanket. "Tomorrow we play Manchester United. It's hard to sleep." "It's not just about Manchester United." Suker mumbles softly. "Huh? What else is it?" Suker waves it off: "Sleep, sleep! I'm going to sleep now." Watching Suker fall silent, Modrić feels puzzled. Suker lies on his side, his eyes shining brightly under the moonlight. Cristiano Ronaldo! One of the future duo superstars! Who would have thought they'd face each other so soon? The next day, evening. Old Trafford has already been swarmed by countless Manchester United fans. The loud cheers roar like a tsunami. The fiery red tide feels like flames, making hearts race. Manchester United's passionate fans add color to the game with their intense cheers. At the player tunnel, both teams line up. Manchester United (4-4-2):Goalkeeper: Carroll.Defenders: Neville, Silvestre, Specht, O'Shea.Midfielders: Ronaldo, Scholes, Keane, Giggs.Forwards: Van Nistelrooy, Rooney. Dinamo Zagreb (4-3-3):Goalkeeper: Grestechi.Defenders: Šrna, Jarni, Štimac, Pranjić.Midfielders: Vukojević, Duijmović, Modrić.Forwards: Valjević, Mandžukić, Suker. Standing at the tunnel, Suker looks serious. Playing in the Champions League knockout stage, especially at Old Trafford, brings immense pressure. Luckily, they had already adapted some at Bernabéu, or else this home atmosphere could have made them weak-kneed. Suker takes a deep breath, loosening his shoulders slightly. He feels someone watching him. Turning, he sees Ronaldo staring straight at him. Their eyes meet. Ronaldo snorts lightly and quickly turns away. Suker sneers. "What's with the attitude !" Ronaldo is only 19, in the prime of youth, with a few streaks of white in his hair. At this time, he's still called "Little Ronaldo," wearing Beckham's old number 7 jersey, playing as a winger. Currently, Ronaldo hasn't yet developed the killer finishing skills he has later. This guy loves dribbling and showing off on the wings! This often causes conflict with Van Nistelrooy. "Look ahead!" Van Nistelrooy pushes Ronaldo from behind. Seeing Ronaldo's tense expression, Suker also tenses up but doesn't say anything. Soon, both teams take the field. Roar!!!!!!!!!! Old Trafford is on fire. The tens of thousands of Manchester United fans' cheers make the atmosphere extremely lively. The pressure on Dinamo Zagreb from the fans' roaring is enormous. "After the match starts, give the ball to me." Modrić voluntarily says. Everyone looks at him — he rarely asks for the ball. This shows Modrić's strong desire to perform. "Go for it!" Suker pats Modrić on the shoulder. "Oh!!! Equalizer!! Dinamo Zagreb!! A brilliant counterattack!! From their own half to scoring, only four passes broke through Manchester United's defense!!" "We have to admire Dinamo Zagreb's number 10, Luka Modrić's performance!!" "In this match, he shoulders the organizing duties in midfield for Dinamo Zagreb. Even under pressure from Roy Keane, Scholes, and Giggs, he remains fearless and performs even better." "He delivers several exquisite passes to the front and tears through Manchester United's defense multiple times!" "And at the 39th minute, he and Suker connected with four consecutive passes, ending with Suker scoring the equalizer!" "Manchester United has been forced to a draw in the first half!" The whole Old Trafford is filled with disbelief. Manchester United fans hold their heads — they've conceded a goal. And in the first half. Is their defense too weak or the opponent's attack too strong? And that Dinamo Zagreb number 10! No one is marking him? Suker celebrates the goal. At midfield, Modrić gets up from the ground. He's sweating heavily and breathing hard, covered with grass stains, looking extremely worn out. Roy Keane walks past Modrić, glaring fiercely. Modrić lifts his chin, showing no fear, ready to confront. "Kid! What's with that look ?" Roy Keane gets angry and walks toward Modrić. If it were others, they'd be scared and retreat. But Modrić stands his ground. "Hey! Calm down!" Giggs pulls Roy Keane away. Giggs knows well they just conceded and Roy Keane is furious. This guy can easily lose control and do crazy things. Meanwhile, Suker also runs back to pull Modrić away. "What did you argue about with him?" Suker asks sharply. Though Modrić looks weak and gentle, he's stubborn, reckless, and headstrong. Modrić says solemnly, "I can't be intimidated by him, or else I can't compete in midfield." Suker is a bit surprised, then pats Modrić on the shoulder: "You're playing great." Hearing this, Modrić finally smiles. At Manchester United's coaching bench. Ferguson chews gum, eyes fixed on the pitch. His gaze moves between Suker and Modrić. He naturally knows both of them. How could he not know the latest "Youth Storm," Dinamo Zagreb's star supermarket? But in this match, Modrić's performance surprises him. He thought Modrić was a quiet, gentle guy, but turns out he keeps threatening their defense. His style is very tough! Ferguson likes this kind of player. Most importantly, Manchester United's midfield is aging, and they do need a young midfield brain. "Have we made an offer for Dinamo Zagreb's number 10?" Ferguson asks his assistant coach. "No." Assistant coach answers briefly. Ferguson: "Make an offer, see if we can bring him to Old Trafford." The assistant coach is not surprised. Modrić's performance in the first half is indeed tempting. After 45 minutes, the half ends 1:1. Inside Dinamo Zagreb's locker room: "In the second half, Suker will drop back more to help Luka." "No need," Modrić looks at Bešić: "Coach, trust me, I can manage midfield myself this game." Bešić looks deeply at Modrić and nods: "Alright, then no change to the second-half tactics. Keep pressing on the left." Meanwhile, inside Manchester United's locker room. Before Ferguson arrives, Van Nistelrooy swears at Ronaldo. "What are you doing? Having fun on the wing? You're delaying the attack!" "If it were Beckham, he would have passed to me long ago. Because of you delaying, we can't launch smooth counterattacks." Ronaldo keeps silent, face tense. He's new to Manchester United, with low status in the locker room, so he can't provoke conflict. Seeing Ronaldo silent, Van Nistelrooy curses even louder. Just then, the door opens. Ferguson enters. The room instantly falls silent. Ferguson's expression is calm, but his face is slightly flushed. Everyone feels uneasy. They know Ferguson's "hairdryer treatment" is about to start.

Chapter 175: Old Trafford

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