Benzema suddenly stood up from the bench.
Near him were waves of gasps, accompanied by a collective rustling sound.
He knew—that was the sound of Barcelona fans jumping up in panic.
And in their line of sight, a figure in white was charging swiftly toward Barcelona's goal.
As a professional footballer,Benzema had imagined this scene countless times:Scoring a crucial goal, the winner, becoming a hero.
But in his career, moments like this had been rare.Or rather, for most players, such moments were few and far between.
Getting the opportunity was one thing—seizing it was another.To meet both conditions was incredibly difficult!
When he joined Real Madrid, he was ambitious.He wanted to become the club's iconic player.
He buried that ambition and tried to integrate into the team.In a situation not favorable to him, he began adapting, trying to survive better here.
But deep down, he also longed for everything Suker had.
How did Suker achieve this level and deliver such performances?This match gave him the answer.
Relentless running!Never giving up!
Despite his complicated feelings, Benzema had to admire Suker's resilience.
This season, Real Madrid had faced countless issues and crises.To come this far—Suker had given so much.
Pressure like this could crush any top star, yet Suker had withstood it.
And he was still leading the Champions League and La Liga scoring charts.
That's terrifying ability!Benzema had reflected on it countless times, and now, his ambition was beginning to waver.
He even had a strange thought:Maybe being a supporting player isn't so bad.
In just a few months, Suker had dealt him blow after blow—mentally, tactically, and emotionally.
He never imagined he'd start to entertain the thought of giving up in such a short time.
But that was the truth.
Compared to himself—he'd rather believe in Suker.
Just like now, even though Suker hadn't shot yet, Benzema already had his hands raised.
"Shoot!!!"Raúl shouted from the side.
With everyone watching, Suker entered the penalty area and faced off against Barcelona keeper Víctor Valdés.
Valdés left the goal and lunged at Suker.
Seeing his aggressive tackle, Suker knew dribbling past him wouldn't work—the guy would take him out if needed.
So Suker gave the ball a gentle flick.
The ball soared over Valdés and headed toward the goal.
At the same time, Suker and Valdés collided hard and both fell.
Suker lay on the ground, gasping for breath.
The stadium fell into complete silence.
A faint smirk appeared on Suker's lips—he didn't need to look. He already knew the outcome.
The reaction of the Barcelona fans was proof enough.
Swish!Suker raised his right hand and roared:
"I'm f*ing awesome!"**
Before long, the Real Madrid players swarmed him.
"Ahhh!!!!""Goal! Goal! Goal!""We're ahead again!""My god! That was amazing!"
One by one, the players dove onto Suker.
They excitedly waved their arms, tousled his hair, and ruffled his head.
They were overjoyed.
Suker's dominant performance gave them goosebumps.
"Unbelievable!! That's Suker!"
González exhaled slowly, calming his excitement. Then he said:"As a Real Madrid fan, I'd say We're lucky—because in crucial moments, that Croatian always saves us. He doesn't even need team support. Just get him the ball up front, and he'll score."
"It's an incredible ability—supernatural, even."
"This season, Real Madrid have faced so many issues. But despite that, they can still deliver like this. If they had a strong manager and a more stable squad, imagine how much more explosive Suker could be."
"I, along with countless Real Madrid fans, am curious—but I believe that day isn't far off.As long as Suker stays, Real Madrid will remain strong!"
"I don't even know how to evaluate Suker anymore. I think he's redefining what it means to wear the No. 9—not just at Madrid, but in football history."
"The last time I felt this way was back in the '90s, watching Ronaldo on TV—I shouted, 'God! Look at that alien!'"
"And now, I can only say this…"
González pointed at the camera, his voice emotional:"Look! He is God!"
In the shot, Suker walked slowly back to his half, surrounded by teammates.
No one urged him to hurry.
The entire Camp Nou had fallen silent.
Even the Barcelona players looked disheartened.
There were less than five minutes left in the match.
Would they even get another chance?
Even if they did score—it'd just be a draw.
Their eyes turned to Suker.
"How can this guy be stopped?"
Manchester, England – Carrington, Training Ground No. 9
Inside Manchester United's tactics room, players gathered around a TV watching the La Liga match.
Barcelona was their upcoming Champions League semifinal opponent—they were supposed to be scouting them.
But instead, they were blown away by Real Madrid's performance.
A furious early attack.All-in counterattacks.Two goals secured.
Though they conceded twice in the second half, Suker scored again on a counter.
Just like Vidic said:
"How the hell do you stop this guy?"
Yes!
Unstoppable!Even just watching on TV, they were in awe.
Cristiano Ronaldo's eyes were sharp.
He used to see Messi and Suker as rivals.
But now—it was just Suker.
He was terrifyingly strong.
"Is the dog-fetch tactic really that effective?" Rooney tilted his head, asking Modrić:"Should we try it too?"
Modrić didn't respond. He just looked at the screen, a faint smile on his lips.
For some reason, he thought of the first time they met—On that old bridge in Mostar.The skinny, short boy... had now become a king of his era.
The one everyone had to chase.
Suker's blazing form filled Modrić with anticipation.
The 2010 South Africa World Cup awaits!
Milan, Italy – Inter Milan Tactics Room
Silence.
Srna shook his head.Maicon inhaled sharply.Zanetti looked grave.Milito, Eto'o, and Pandev wore serious expressions.
Up front, Mourinho stared at the screen—his eyes seemed to glow.
For most of the second half, he had been criticizing Real Madrid's defense and midfield link-up.
They hadn't given Suker any counterattacking chances.
Despite Barca's intense pressing…
Such an incredible striker had been wasted.
Mourinho felt putting Suker in this Real Madrid was a crime.
But Suker's final goal stunned even him.
How did he shake off Puyol?Mourinho didn't know.But Suker did it.
That last goal—Puyol was largely to blame.
Had he pressed immediately, maybe there'd be no goal.
"Real Madrid won," Mourinho muttered, then added,"But it was a pyrrhic victory."
Such a draining match—how would they face Inter in just two days?
Sure, their bench had Raúl, Guti, van der Vaart…
But age and declining form meant they couldn't carry the team.
Play it safe, and Inter could defeat Madrid and reach the final.
Barcelona had done them a big favor.
Yet Mourinho's heart stirred.
Barça might've lost—but their potential was immense.
Messi was just one part.Xavi and Iniesta's partnership could elevate them even further.
They hadn't peaked yet.When they did—they'd be terrifying.
Could Inter match that?
No.Mourinho had already drained Inter's potential.
Their strength was built on overexertion—soon they'd fade.
Only a major overhaul could revive them.Beating peak Barcelona? Unlikely.
But now—only Real Madrid could match them.
Especially Suker.Mourinho licked his lips.
If such a super striker led his counterattacks…How could he lose?
He was tempted now—seriously tempted.
Maybe… it was time to consider coaching Real Madrid.
Back on the pitch…
Real Madrid had fully bunkered down.
Counterattacks?
Gone!
Even Suker dropped deep to defend.
If they could hold the lead, they'd complete a league double over Barça.
Though exhausted, they tackled, fouled, blocked—did everything they could to hang on.
Barcelona was frantic!
A loss meant a 4-point gap.
With only 7 league games left—that could be fatal.
So they attacked madly!
Madrid refused to concede.
The battle in the final minutes was fierce.
Camp Nou fans held their breath.
Time ticked away—Barça fans no longer hoped for a win.
Even a draw would do!
But Real wouldn't let them.
Boom!Ramos cleared with a header. Alonso booted it wildly to Barça's half—no aim, just "get it away!"
"Push out! Push out!"Casillas yelled.
He was anxious. Barça would shoot if they got a sliver of space.
Suker charged at Xavi.Xavi passed to Iniesta—Suker turned and sprinted again.
"This guy!"Xavi couldn't help but grimaced.
Suker had already run a marathon—yet still pressed hard.
As Iniesta tried to drag the ball—Suker rammed him.
Iniesta staggered, tried to shield—Suker hit again.
Thud!Both went down.
And at that moment—the ref blew the final whistle.
Full-time.
2009/10 La Liga, Round 31: Barcelona 2–3 Real Madrid
Real Madrid had completed a double over Barcelona this season!
"Amazing!"
Di María had just entered the pitch, when Suker dragged him along:
"Run!"
Suker dashed toward the tunnel—his teammates followed.
Furious Barça fans were breaking through security and looked ready to storm the pitch.
No time to celebrate—just get out alive!
The dressing room was safer.
But outside, chaos reigned.
Fans poured onto the field, roaring with rage.
Some even chased after Real players.
Soon, riot police stormed in—things got even more out of control.
"Barcelona fans can't accept being swept this season."
"They were brilliant last year, but this time, Madrid are better."
"They'll have to wait till next season for revenge—unless they meet in the Champions League final."
But even González felt that wasn't likely.
The match had drained both teams—Madrid had Inter to face in just two days.
And Inter were currently in better form than Barça!
González wrapped up quickly—the director signaled to stop the broadcast due to the fan violence.
Meanwhile, back in the dressing room, Real players quickly packed up. No time to shower—they rushed to the team bus and the airport.
Barça fans were too emotional—no one wanted to risk it.
They returned to Madrid late at night.
On the bus, chants filled the air:
"Victory belongs to Madrid~~~""OH~~ Champions~~~"
Weird tune—but catchy. Everyone sang.
They were thrilled.
With this win, they opened up a 4-point lead in La Liga.
Even if they lost once—they had a 1-point cushion.
Huge relief!
But the pressure wasn't over.
After a day's rest, they flew to Italy.
Champions League Semifinal: Inter Milan vs Real Madrid.
Madrid were already disadvantaged.
Add in the brutal clash with Barcelona—and they hadn't recovered.
Coach Ledrup had to rely on veterans.
Raúl, Guti, van der Vaart—all played.
But the game was still hellishly hard.
By the 71st minute, it was still 0–0.
"Damn, this sucks!" Suker muttered.
From kickoff, Inter had smothered him.
Passing lanes cut off, surrounded by defenders.
Mourinho's defensive plan was impeccable.
He did three things:
Man-marked midfielders on standby.
Cut off ground passes.
Ultra-compact defense, compressing Suker's space—no more dog-fetch tactics.
So far, Mourinho was the best at shutting Suker down.
Suker was even forced to switch to a power-based "core card" and act as a battering ram in the box.
Still, Inter held firm.
Suker was baffled.
Inter's defense was never this good—it had evolved.
Their system had fused perfectly to crush Suker.
One man couldn't beat this machine.
Until the 88th minute—Inter scored from a corner.
Milito headed it in.
The only goal of the match.
Full-time:
Champions League Semifinal: Inter 1–0 Real Madrid.
"Let's congratulate Inter on beating Madrid."
Italian commentator Aldo Serrera said:"Mourinho's Inter has transformed—they're no longer a graveyard for stars. Look at their solid defense—they even stopped Suker."
"Of course, Madrid were drained from their league match and had little rest."
"But luck is part of strength too."
On the pitch, Suker chatted with Srna.
Mourinho stared at him—eyes wary.
"José? What's wrong?"His assistant asked.
Mourinho said seriously:"If there were ten more minutes, Suker would've broken through."
The assistant nodded:"His stamina is insane."
Mourinho:"Unreal. After all that, he still kept up that level in the second half."
The assistant shrugged:"Srna said—Suker's stamina is mule-level."
"Mule?" Mourinho raised an eyebrow."That's a fitting metaphor."
Finally, Mourinho gave Suker one last look—then turned and walked away.