Although this Max still appeared so mysterious, Cao Baiming no longer cared about him at this moment.
Whether he truly targeted him intentionally or not, honestly speaking, even if he did have such intentions, what could he possibly do? With his strength, it was completely limited.
In front of Cao Baiming, Max was merely an ant, while Cao Baiming was an elephant. No matter how much an ant attacked, the damage it could inflict on an elephant would only be a tickle, perhaps not even noticeable.
The next day, Cao Baiming returned to the club as usual to participate in team training. Everyone had already moved on from the emotions of the previous match. As the coaching staff had said, the Champions League matches could be put aside for now; that was for the following week. The more important matters were the two league matches that lay ahead.
The schedule was extremely tight, and to face these two matches, everyone had to bring their best form.
The reason for this was something everyone already knew: the next opponent was Manchester United, who had already achieved five consecutive victories.
They were undoubtedly preparing thoroughly for this sixth consecutive win, with the entire team exuding a fighting spirit, eager to push for it.
The opponent's momentum was strong, and fortunately, so was Arsenal's.
However, in comparison, due to the Champions League matches, their schedule was tighter than Manchester United's. Such intensive training and physical exertion could certainly be considered a natural disadvantage.
But this disadvantage was accepted, after all, who could they blame when they didn't have the capability to enter the Champions League?
The match after Manchester United was somewhat easier.
The opponent was a team hovering around the 10th and 11th positions in the league rankings. For the current Arsenal, such a team could be easily managed.
The players' physical condition was a significant concern, and this was something Arteta worried about, especially for Messi, who at 36 years old could no longer maintain peak condition until the final moments of a match.
Despite the repeated pleas from his teammates, Messi had no intention of seeking divine intervention. In his own words, he was content with reaching natural retirement. The rest was for future generations to forge new history.
The players were indeed discussing heatedly the news that had just broken two days ago: Max joining Manchester United.
They might not have been as familiar with Max as Cao Baiming, but the commotion he caused on the field that day had left a deep impression on everyone.
Perhaps this person had once again caused a scene at Manchester United, and the opposing coach had actually fallen for it, believing he was a gem worth cultivating.
Speaking of which, as this matter became more widely discussed, it brought much amusement to everyone.
At this moment, his teammates could no longer contain their excitement and were eager for the opportunity to directly face Max and thoroughly defeat him on the field.
After all, although he had left in a sorry state last time, his arrogant and conceited demeanor had not diminished one bit.
For such a scoundrel to join a club of Manchester United's caliber was truly eye-opening.
In addition to this, in his pre-training speech today, Arteta mentioned another fact that thrilled everyone.
In the previous round of the league, Manchester City, who was ranked second in the current standings, had suffered a shocking upset, losing to Everton, who was at the bottom of the Premier League table. This was an unexpected development.
The reason might have been a minor disagreement between two Manchester City midfielders, preventing them from playing together. This led to a key absence and the necessity of tactical changes.
However, this event also brought an unexpected advantage to Arsenal: the dream of winning the Premier League title ten rounds early was now very close to being realized.
As long as they could win the next two matches consecutively, the score itself would be completely unimportant. And what Manchester City needed to do was not to win their next two matches consecutively. If they didn't, then after these two matches, Arsenal would have secured the Premier League championship!
This would be another historic moment in the Premier League. A team locking down the championship in the mid-to-late stages of the league was unprecedented.
So far this season, Arsenal had not suffered a single defeat, with all matches being either wins or draws. Such a record left no room for negative commentary.
The players were extremely excited, thinking how honored they were to be part of a team that was constantly making history.
They were already eager to play, with excitement on their faces and a fire burning in their bodies. This was exactly the scene Arteta hoped to see.
If they could play with such momentum in the next match, securing victory would be effortless.
Manchester United also hoped to secure a top-three honor, and they had been working hard.
Ronaldo had scored in his last three matches. His contract renewal with Mendes had saved him, while Ten Hag was beginning to be pushed into the spotlight.
Whether he would start Ronaldo in the next match was a question worth considering. 138 reading network
With excited hearts, the players stepped onto the training ground. After a warm-up and an impassioned speech, everyone's bodies were now burning with energy.
Cao Baiming walked side-by-side with Messi, chatting along the way.
The team's training proceeded as usual.
Arsenal Club had been looking at many new prospects in the past few days, and the management was closely monitoring them. In reality, retaining the existing players was more important.
Currently, the club's expenses, just paying the salaries of these three elder statesmen, were already straining their finances. The budget for new signings would naturally not be very high.
Cao Baiming would not leave. Even if the management drove Messi away, they would not let Cao Baiming go, because his potential commercial value was only just beginning to manifest.
However, for Cao Baiming, if the club could not offer him the desired terms, he would naturally not consider staying out of sentiment. If he were to leave, he would do so decisively.
