The team flew from Birmingham to Madrid after undergoing training for four days at their training grounds at Wilford.
Twain was very familiar with Spain’s capital. He has been in Madrid numerous times before.
The moment the team stepped out of the airport, they could tell that the city was gearing up for the Champions League finals.
Promotional banners and posters were hung on the walls by the sides of the roads all the way to the hotel that they were staying in.
The team might not have stepped foot in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium yet, but they could already envision the sort of scenes that they would see there.
Besides the promotional banners and posters for the Champions League finals, the respective team flags of the two finalist teams were also hung in the air.
There were significantly more Real Madrid flags than Nottingham Forest flags. That is to be expected, since they were playing in Madrid, and this is the home advantage that Real Madrid gets to enjoy. If they were to be playing in a ‘neutral’ venue however, the number of team flags should be the same for both teams.
The entire city of Madrid was basked in excitement over Real Madrid’s qualification for the Champions League finals. The Real Madrid fans all believed that their team has a 85% chance of winning the match.
Their beliefs were not unfounded. Real Madrid would be playing on their own home grounds, and the fact that they are playing in the Bernabéu Stadium would undoubtedly spur the players on and make them play at their best. After all, it is not often that a team gets to play on their own home grounds in the Champions League finals.
As the bus that Forest rode on drove past the downtown area of the city, the team saw numerous Real Madrid fans congregating around the streets. Such sights could be seen throughout the city, and their numbers would only increase as the day for the finals draw close.
The Real Madrid fans waved at them upon seeing the bus. They did not appear to be hostile, and there does not appear to be tension in the air either.
However, Twain knew very well that the expressions on those fans’ faces would change the moment his team creates trouble for Real Madrid in the finals.
It was not as if he has not heard the ear-splitting boos from the Real Madrid fans in the Bernabéu Stadium before. He knew that they are capable of showing hostility towards opposing teams.
Nonetheless, boos would not perturb Twain in the slightest, since he was someone who attracted boos wherever he went, and he has grown used to them.
“Look at that. Look at how they are smiling at all of you. Wave back, lads. You are not going to see such amiable smiles during the match for sure.”
Twain said to his players, and laughter instantly rang out within the bus.
The bus turned and stopped before the entrance to the hotel. There were many reporters who were already waiting before the doors.
The reporters from all over the world have all gathered here in Madrid to provide the fans with timely updates regarding the Champions League finals.
The Forest players have all grown used to being in the spotlight and seeing large crowds of reporters surrounding them. Thus, they paid the reporters no attention when they alighted from the bus, and they walked straight into the hotel.
Some of the more popular players were still stopped by the reporters, however. They were asked a few questions, but the reporters quickly changed their target when they noticed that Tony Twain had finally alighted from the bus after everyone else did, and they collectively flocked over towards him.
Twain felt as though he was looking at a pack of drooling wolves when he saw the reporters charge at him. He whistled in response.
“Mr. Twain. Is this your first time playing a match in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium?”
“I don’t know. I don’t remember.”
“Can you predict the results of the match?”
“Sorry, I have never predicted the results of any match.”
Twain might have said that, but the reporters did not think that he was speaking the truth. They had their ways to make him talk.
“Mr. Twain. Firstly, I’d like to congratulate you for achieving the Double by clinching both the Premier League trophy and the FA Cup trophy. So… Are you confident of clinching your third trophy?”
“We made it into the finals. How could we be fighting for second place?”
Twain flung his hands out.
He said he was not going to predict the results of the match earlier, but didn’t he just predict the match with those words of his?
The reporters laughed in satisfaction.
“How would you describe Real Madrid as a team? They too have won the league title this season…”
“Real Madrid is a very strong team. They are the strongest team in Spain. I am very happy that we can face such an opponent in the finals, and not some other never-heard-before team.” Twain appeared to have shown enough respect for Real Madrid.
“Are you worried that the stress of achieving the Treble would affect your team’s performances now that you are so close to achieving it?”
Twain smiled. “I am worried about them not being able to sleep well at night. I’m also worried that they will get injured during the match. And, I’m also worried that our plane back to England would be a little late… But, I’ve never worried about them performing badly on the pitch. Performing badly? What the hell is that?”
Twain oozed of confidence as he dealt with the reporters’ questions with ease. If there were any fan girls of his standing by the side right now, they would have shrieked in joy at his behavior.
“You look like you are full of confidence, Mr. Twain. We all know that Franck Ribéry was a player whom you brought over to England from the French Ligue 2. But he has betrayed you now…”
Twain cut the reporter off. “I’m sorry. This is something that happened many years ago. Please do not ask questions that have nothing to do with the match.”
“Uh… Are you worried that he would score against you in the finals?” The reporter hesitated for a moment before phrasing his question as one that seemed to have something to do with the finals.
“He is a Real Madrid player right now. Would it be surprising if he scored against me?” Twain looked at the reporters who had anticipation written all over their faces and paused. “He is a brilliant player and he has performed well in Real Madrid. I am very pleased to know that I didn’t make the wrong judgment back then.”
When he finished his words, he pushed away the reporters and thronged towards the security guards. He was then escorted into the hotel by them.
“Mr. Twain! I still have another question…”
“Manager Twain! Manager Twain!”
The question about Ribéry caused Twain to remember the past, and that upset him, because he did not like to reminisce about the past before the public.
Twain ignored the shouts from the reporters behind him and he briskly made his way into the elevator. When he turned around, there was not even a twinge of a smile on his face. His expression remained unchanged right up till the moment the elevator doors closed before the horde of reporters.
The expression on his face was a clear sign to the reporters that he was angry and that the interview was over.
In truth, he has almost forgotten about Ribéry ever since the latter left the club for Real Madrid. The two have not kept in contact since then, and the last time the two communicated with each other was when Ribéry left Twain a letter after his departure.
However, that very letter had been ripped up and scattered into the morning breeze at Wilford by Twain himself.
The British media is very egotistical. They would not report about a particular player once he stops playing in England. They show total indifference to the footballing matters that happen in other countries, but they are willing to report about even the smallest of things related to British football. Hence, it is not easy to read news reports about a particular player who is playing in La Liga.
When Twain first learned of their opponents in the Champions League finals, he thought of Ribéry.
He feels a mixture of emotions towards the lad. He really likes Ribéry as a player, since he was the one who brought him over to England from France, and he was also the one who personally groomed him into the player that he is today. However, he still resents him for abandoning him and the club back then.
There might not be many players left in the club who used to play in the same team as Ribéry right now, but Twain was still intent on teaching Ribéry a lesson for what he did all those years ago.
Despite being 31 years of age this year, Ribéry is still able to find a spot as a starting player for Real Madrid. His pace might have gone on the decline over the years, but his technique, experience and fight makes up for his lack of pace.
The fact that Ribéry is still able to play as a starting player for Real Madrid when van der Vaart left years ago is proof of the difference in status between the two players during their time in Forest. Ribéry was the core of the team, whereas van der Vaart was just a starting player for Forest.
Twain took the elevator to the 11th floor. Kerslake was waiting for him at the lobby, and he waved the room key at Twain when he walked out.
“Your room’s 1101.”
Twain received the room key from Kerslake.
Kerslake asked, “Have you thought about what you are going to say to Ribéry when you see him?”
Twain shrugged. “If his team loses to us, I’d hug him. If they win… Ah, damn. It’s bad omen to talk about such things before the match!”
He walked into his room with the room key in his hand.
※※※
Ribéry was receiving a massage in the physical therapy room at Valdebebas due to a slight back ache. The team doctor did not make any comments about his back ache, but Ribéry insisted on getting a massage for it because he did not want to jeopardize his chance to play in the finals.
He lied on the bed and quietly enjoyed the masseur’s service. A while later, he suddenly felt tired and he closed his eyes a little.
The memories in the recesses of his mind began surfacing against his wishes when their opponent for the finals was decided, and they have been surfacing a lot more actively these few days with the finals drawing close.
He remembered those days when he was in Nottingham Forest.
His footballing career prior to being a player at Nottingham Forest was not worth remembering. In fact, he has almost forgotten about them by now. He would certainly not disagree if anyone were to say that his professional footballing career only started when he joined Nottingham Forest.
Nottingham Forest, Nottingham Forest…
How many years has it been since I left? It’s been almost 5 years.
Ribéry has not faced off with his former team on the pitch ever since he left Forest. He could not believe that the very first time he is going to meet them would be in the Champions League finals.
Destiny sure is cruel.
One cannot think of Nottingham Forest without thinking about its leader, or their boss Tony Twain.
Ribéry was certain that the current Forest members still refer to Twain as their ‘boss’. Over here in Spain however, footballers do not refer to their manager as the ‘boss’.
It is a feat that his ex-boss is able to stay and manage Forest for the past 10 years, given his temper. It is truly something that only happens in England’s footballing scene.
Twain might not really understand the life he has had in Madrid since, but Ribéry has been paying attention to everything that Twain has done. For example, he knows that Twain got the last laugh in his bet with Spicer in which either of them had to eat a table upon losing, and he also knows that Forest just won the FA Cup.
It was not difficult for him to learn about news regarding Twain, because the media frequently reports about him. The Spanish media does not report about footballing matters from other countries often, but Tony Twain is an exception. He has always been able to attract interest from the various media outlets, and the reporters are always on his trail.
Actually, Ribéry is looking forward to facing off with Nottingham Forest. He has always wanted to go against his ex-boss at least once. There is a strange feeling within him that makes him long for a battle against his ex-boss and his team, but Ribéry does not quite know what that feeling is exactly.
Just when Ribéry was about to doze off, the massage ended.
The masseur gently patted him on the shoulder, and that jolted him out of his half-asleep state.
“Franck, all the best for the match two days later!”
※※※
Twain noticed an interesting phenomenon that can highlight the kind of image that others have of him.
This image of his would only change a little when he faces off with Juventus in a match, because the Old Lady was just like Nottingham Forest when it comes to playing style. They were both teams who played counter attacking football, and they were also teams who were very solid with their defense. Their defense would always frustrate their opponents to no end.
Many pundits all over the world have made appearances one after another on TV to express their opinions about the Champions League finals match over the past few days.
Some of them claimed that Twain’s team was like a thief, “… What those thieves care about isn’t football. It’s about winning. To them, the only thing that they want is victory, and they will use whatever method they can to achieve it. I believe that this kills the game of football… It’s a shame that we’d see such a thief in the Champions League finals this year.”
Others were in favor of Real Madrid simply because their style of football was much more pleasant to the eyes.
“Míchel González’s style of football is truly one that is pleasant to watch. As a member of the La Quinta del Buitre and an ex-manager of Real Madrid’s youth academy, he knows very well what Real Madrid’s football is all about… It is clearly much better for a guy like him to be in charge of Real Madrid as compared to any of those world renowned managers. When Míchel first took over Real Madrid two years ago, he was hailed as ‘Real Madrid’s Guardiola’. I’m very glad that he is currently walking down the path that Guardiola once walked on. I might be a Barcelona fan, but I have to applaud the kind of football that Real Madrid is playing right now.”
The person who made the aforementioned comment was Barcelona’s ‘godfather’, Johan Cruyff. His team might have been eliminated by Real Madrid, but he still praised and applauded them as a team. Clearly, the kind of football that Real Madrid plays is brilliant.
Real Madrid might have taken a detour for a while, but now they are back on the right track.
Their offense is made up of five talented attacking players. Firstly, they have Franck Ribéry, an ex FIFA World Player of the Year and recipient of the Ballon d’Or, who transferred to Real Madrid in the January transfer window in the 2008-09 season. Next, they have Cristiano Ronaldo, who transferred to Real Madrid in the 2012-13 season.
Besides those two superstar players, Real Madrid also has 31 year-old Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, 26 year-old Benzema, and 26 year-old Higuaín in their team.
All these players form the foundation needed for Real Madrid to play an attacking style of football.
Not only does Real Madrid possess the ability to attract the world’s superstars to play for them, they are also a team who is able to play an attacking style of football. It is no wonder that Cruyff praises the football that they play as a team.
If we were to look at Forest however, their star player at the moment would be George Wood, and what the Spaniards find hilarious is the fact that the team’s star player is playing as a defensive midfielder. It accurately sums up Forest’s playing style and strength…
Ibišević is the top striker in Forest, but he cannot hold a candle against the likes of Benzema and Huntelaar.
As for the midfield…
It would be better if we do not bring it up.
How can such a Nottingham Forest team compete against the star-studded Real Madrid team?
How can they expect to win without relying on counterattacking football?
If Twain actually dared to go head-to-head with Real Madrid at the Bernabéu Stadium, then everyone in the world other than him would think that he was just digging his grave.
But, the moment Twain chooses to play counterattacking football, all fingers would be pointed at him and they would criticize him for his playing style.
What logic.
Nobody thinks there is anything wrong for thinking the way that they do, because ultimately, they are things that are happening with a person named Tony Twain.
Which should Twain choose? Becoming champions or gaining reputation?
Twain tossed the newspaper aside.
The question was too stupid, and he refused to answer.
