READ NOVEL ONLINE Chapter 181
The news that Ronaldo blocked me spread like wildfire across the world.
[(Exclusive) Cristiano Ronaldo achieves double-digit blocks against Son Jinho this season.]
└ Double-digit blocks in a season, lol.
└ Not just scoring, but blocking too? Wow.
└ The world’s first star defender, Cristiano Ronaldo.
└ For real, he is a legend, haha.
└ Wow. How are they blocking like they’re eating?
└ They x Ronaldo o
└ My brother doesn’t really block stars.
└ Ha, damn.
└ Why are you like this?
└ Ronaldo’s behavior is like my ex-girlfriend, it sucks.
└ Did you get blocked on social media and ghosted?
└ Na, I was secretly checking out star players after breaking up, but accidentally liked a post and then got blocked by my girlfriend.
└ Aren’t you crazy? I’d block you too.
└ For real, lol, blaming the girlfriend after doing something to get blocked is legendary.
I thought it was ridiculous for an article like this to come out, but it just shows how much interest there is in Manchester United right now.
Anyway, despite the sudden news of discord, maybe because they’d been blocked so often, no one took it seriously.
[Conflict between Son Jinho and Ronaldo! Manchester United Crisis! Is the undefeated championship about to fail?]
└ Is the reporter possibly a Gooner?
└ That seems to be the case.
└ Hey, reporter! Take that down!
Except for the reporters.
Isn’t the job of reporters to turn little things into big deals?
[Rumors of Son Jinho’s rising transfer for next season! Is discord with Ronaldo the cause?]
Lacking newsworthy topics, the reporters actively spread the discord rumors.
– Ronaldo: Son Jinho, I’m never mad.
– Ronaldo: I just wanted to block him.
As the situation grew serious, Ronaldo attempted a clarification that was not quite a clarification.
***
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Jinho.
– Ho-woo: I’m on good terms with Ronaldo.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: ;;;
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: I haven’t said anything yet.
– Ho-woo: Ah. Sorry. A lot of people have been asking me about my relationship with Ronaldo lately, so I reflexively just blurted that out.
– Gyeouri: Hahahahaha.
– Gyeouri: Uncle, but why did you call Jinho?
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: I was just curious how he’s been doing lately.
– Gyeouri: ???
– Gyeouri: All of a sudden?
– Cheolmo: Tsk tsk, you must have wanted to ask how things are with Ronaldo but changed the question in a hurry.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: No.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: I really just wonder how Jinho is doing.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Arsenal and Manchester United are playing soon, so shouldn’t we prepare mentally?
– Ho-woo: Hahahahaha.
– Ho-woo: It might be good to prepare some calming tea.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Don’t you think you should at least be a bit gentler?
– Ho-woo: I’m just following the motto of Geumsun High School.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: ;;;
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: What was the motto again?;;
– Gyeouri: Hahahahahahaha.
– Cheolmo: Daughter, do you know what the motto is?
– Gyeouri: Yep.
– Gyeouri: Let’s do our best in everything.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: Ha. From now on, I guess I need to include some consideration for the weak.
– Gyeouri: Hahahahahahaha.
– Cheolmo: Hahahahahahahahaha.
***
February 1st.
Britannia Stadium, home of Stoke City.
Robin van Persie, feeling calf muscle pain during training, was given a rest.
“Jinho, not getting injured on the Stoke City away game is the top priority.”
Before heading to the Stoke City away game, Robin alerted me about the precautions.
Isn’t it famously notorious for being the Stoke City away game for some other reason?
“Guys, let’s come back safe.”
I wasn’t the only one worried about injuries among the players leaving for the Stoke City away game.
Anyway, as the kickoff time approached, the starting lineup was announced.
The news that Charlie Adam would be starting from the bench lightened the team’s mood a bit.
But just because Charlie Adam was on the bench didn’t mean we could let our guard down.
“Beep beep beep!”
Even with Charlie Adam not starting.
After all, Stoke City had the Associate Professor Shawcross.
Anyway, with the referee’s whistle, the match began.
We aggressively launched an attack.
Contrary to expectations for a rough game from the start.
At first, perhaps because they were wary of the referee’s gaze, the Stoke City players appeared more subdued than expected.
But at the 8th minute of the first half.
Just as I entered the penalty box.
“Grrrgh—! Ugh!”
In a rush, Shawcross came running, and I crumpled to the ground, screaming in pain.
“Damn. Is it starting again?”
The nightmare from the previous home game came to Ronaldo’s mind as he muttered darkly.
“Referee! I saw that bastard kick Jinho!”
Ronaldo immediately rushed to the referee and fiercely protested.
Fortunately, the referee for today’s match was not Anthony Taylor, who once proclaimed peace in our time.
Michael Oliver, rifling through his front pocket after blowing the whistle, approached.
“NO! NO! He didn’t touch him at all!”
Shawcross looked at the referee with a look of unjust frustration.
Then, casting a sidelong glance at Shawcross, Michael Oliver suddenly pulled out a yellow card for me.
“Referee!!”
We protested vigorously against the referee’s inexplicable decision.
But the referee shook his head and firmly declared, pointing at me, who was standing unharmed.
“Hollywood action.”
Crap, I got caught.
***
– Gyeouri: Ah…!! Those bastards are starting again!!
– Father-in-law: Oh dear…. My son-in-law must not get hurt.
– Gyeouri: ???
– Gyeouri: Wow, is the referee crazy? Why is he giving a warning to Jinho??
– Cheolmo: The referee is a complete nutjob.
– Father-in-law: Well, I get it’s frustrating, but let’s be kind with our words.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: What? His foot didn’t even touch him.
– Gyeouri: Huh? Uncle, are you saying our Jinho did something wrong?
– Cheolmo: Tsk tsk, acting like a family, but at the end of the day, if our blood isn’t mixed, they’re still outsiders.
– Chairman Hwang Geum-soon: …You’re not related by blood to Jinho either.
– Cheolmo: Hey! Jinho is the child I birthed in my heart!
***
The match continued.
[Oh, the game is getting rougher and rougher.]
Stoke City was using their home advantage to impose rough physical confrontations.
The players, who had been restrained at the beginning of the match, gradually gave in to their instincts rather than their rationality.
[Huh. It seems like one Manchester United player is lying on the ground now.]
Cléverley, caught by Shawcross’s rough tackle, fell to the ground.
[Oh! It’s Cléverley! After confirming Cléverley is down on the ground, referee Michael Oliver interrupts the match and issues a warning to the offending Shawcross.]
└ Damn, Cléverley was starting to look like a person again.
└ Why did he have to get injured at this timing? ㅠㅠ
[Huh. This was a full-on collision. We’ll need to see the state of things, but… Oh. Yes, the team doctor is signaling the bench that he can’t continue in this match.]
[Early in the first half, Manchester United will bring in Darren Fletcher to replace Cléverley, who exited due to injury.]
[Darren Fletcher returning after 1 year and 4 months from ulcerative colitis surgery. The crowd is heard applauding.]
With much at stake, the Manchester United players naturally had to brace themselves, and the flow of the match gradually shifted towards Stoke City.
[In fact, while winning is important, the most crucial thing is not getting injured, you know.]
[Yeah. I just hope we don’t overextend ourselves and get a draw. Speaking of which, here comes Arnautović holding the ball on the left side!]
Stoke City relentlessly pressed Manchester United.
[He’s sending it into the penalty box! Peter Crouch’s header!!]
Arnautović, having received the ball from the side, attempted a cross.
Peter Crouch succeeded in heading it with his overpowering height.
[David De Gea, the goalkeeper, embraces his head from the header by Peter Crouch!]
Peter Crouch’s header was easily blocked by David De Gea.
***
At the 40th minute of the first half.
[Darren Fletcher! He regains possession with a clean tackle!]
└ Wow, lol, that’s crazy.
└ Why is Darren Fletcher, who returned after 1 year and 4 months, doing better than Cléverley?
└ Don’t ask me, damn;;
Darren Fletcher blocked Stoke City’s attack.
[He immediately connects to Son Jinho! Passing back and forth with Son Jinho, he advances!]
Son Jinho advanced while passing the ball back and forth with Darren Fletcher and took a shot just as the angle opened.
[Son Jinho shoots─!!!!]
Son Jinho’s left-footed shot curled.
“Ah!”
But the curl was less than expected, and his shot was blocked by Asmir Begović, the goalkeeper.
[Super save!! Asmir Begović’s super save!]
***
The following Manchester United corner kick.
Danny Welbeck attracted the attention of Stoke City players from the front, and Ronaldo dashed into the open space.
Boom!
I fed the ball to Ronaldo who was charging in.
Due to Welbeck’s movement, the players near the near post lost their jump timing. They jumped late, but no one managed to get their heads on the ball.
The ball headed straight for Ronaldo in the center.
Ronaldo, showing an extraordinary vertical jump, soared higher than a head.
He directed the incoming cross with his forehead, and his header flew into the upper left corner of the goal.
The goalkeeper desperately reached out, but couldn’t stop it.
The ball shook the net without any resistance.
“Yeaaaaaaaaaaaah─!”
Cheers erupted from the Manchester United away section at the first goal.
“Vamos─!!!”
The scoring Ronaldo dashed toward me with a smile, and we performed the hoot celebration together.
“SIUUUUUUUU─!”
“Hoowooo─!”
***
[Live) Manchester United 1 : 0 Stoke City.]
└ Kyaaaaaaaah!
└ Hoo Duo, sshhhh!
└ Double hoowoo, that’s epic, lol!
└ For real, this is awesome, lol.
└ But didn’t they fight just a few days ago?
└ Star block?
└ Yep, yep.
└ Just messing around, right? They’re friends after all.
– First half ends.
– Second half begins. Manchester United’s kickoff.
└ Come on, let’s go for the second half!
└ Since we’re winning, let’s just be careful not to get injured!
– 3 minutes into the second half. Son Jinho’s killer pass, Danny Welbeck’s shot.
– Danny Welbeck’s shot blocked by Begović’s save.
└ Ahh!! How can’t he score that?
└ Damn, I set the food on the spoon and delivered it to his mouth, and he spits it out.
└ But he’s improved a lot from before.
└ ??? Are you complimenting him?
└ It was heading toward the goal after all.
└ For real, lol, just being on target is satisfying, haha.
– Stoke City goal kick.
– Wilson Palacios collides with Darren Fletcher during the contest.
– Game halted due to Wilson Palacios’s injury.
└ Ahh, that’s unfortunate.
└ I hope it’s not a serious injury.
– 4 minutes into the second half. Charlie Adam substituted in.
└ Emergency!!!! General Charlie has descended!!!
└ Please, old man, take my brother out! Please!
***
The first half ended.
As the second half continued.
“This peace….”
Charlie Adam finally appeared at the touchline.
“I’ve come to end it!”