37 The Blue Manchester

In the events following West Ham's dominant victory over Brighton, Kai can be grateful for the long preparation time he had in his hands. Straight after the Brighton match, there was a 2-week rest before their imminent match against arguably the greatest tactician to ever exist — Pep Guardiola.

Kai was nervous, incredibly so as he understood that getting even a weeny tiny point could be considered a victory! Guardiola was formidable, who doesn't know the teams and legacy he had built?

He was once just a player, but when he became a manager, he led Barcelona to its greatest generation. A super team with a revolutionary play style that forever influenced the future of football. The slow, patient and possession-orientated Barcelona played the most ascetically beautiful football anyone had ever seen.

It captured the hearts of millions, but also left a tsunami in their wake, winning countless trophies and honours along with their beautiful football. Guardiola's Barcelona was the epitome of his work, a representation of what he had built and his influence over football.

His concept of possession changed the footballing landscape forever, and many teams and football managers today tried to imitate his play style and philosophy.

But that was the past, and now was the present. Guardiola was no longer a manager of Barcelona, but a manager of Manchester City. Guardiola had dominated England with his possession play style, and with the huge amounts of wealth Manchester City can spend, he can slowly build his super team that perfectly imitates his revolutionary philosophy.

----------x----------

Pre-match Interview.

Manchester.

Etihad Stadium.

"Mr Kai, what are your thoughts on facing Pep Guardiola's Manchester City? They are widely regarded as one of the strongest teams in the league."

Kai leaned forward, his expression focused. "Facing City is undoubtedly a formidable challenge. Guardiola has built a team renowned for their fluid style of play and relentless attacking prowess. But we are ready."

As Kai finished his response, the attention shifted to Guardiola, who sat calmly, awaiting his turn to speak.

The next question was directed at Guardiola. "Pep, what do you make of West Ham United's recent performances and their newly appointed manager, Mr Chiu?"

Guardiola paused for a moment, his gaze steady. "West Ham United has shown great improvement under his guidance. They have demonstrated resilience, discipline, and a strong team spirit. I wish him the best of luck."

"And Mr Kai Chiu. Knowing the huge disparity between the quality of players between the two teams, how would you face this match?"

Mr Kai stood tall, his face reflecting determination as he faced the question head-on. He understood the challenge that lay before his team, acknowledging the disparity in quality between West Ham United and Manchester City. However, he refused to let that discourage him or his players.

"Indeed, there is a... slight difference in the quality of players between the two teams," Mr Kai began, his voice steady. "But football has always been a sport of surprises and upsets. We embrace the underdog role, knowing that anything is possible on any given day."

He paused for a moment, staring at Guardiola with a firm gaze. "Who knows... anything could happen on the pitch..." A subtle devious smile lingered on his face as the words silenced the room.

"And anyway. We'll see what happens."

The room fell silent, the weight of Mr Kai's words hanging in the air. The journalists were busy noting the words, captivated by his challenge. A headline was brewing, and they were prepared to share this silent rivalry with the world.

The West Ham players sat in the hushed confines of the Etihad Stadium's locker room, their faces etched with focus and determination. The silence enveloped them, allowing them to delve deep into their thoughts and mentally prepare for the challenge that lay ahead.

They were in another team's territory, but there wasn't a helpless feeling like they faced Liverpool. In comparison to Liverpool's Anfield, Manchester City's Etihad Stadium almost felt... empty. As though there were no fans in the stadium.

They could cope with the pressure, they had improved under the mental struggle that they faced against Liverpool. they learnt and they improved.

Each player replayed the tactical instructions given by Kai repeatedly in their minds. They visualized the disciplined defensive shape, the calculated counter-attacks, and the set-piece routines that had been drilled into them during training. The tactics had been meticulously crafted and rehearsed, leaving no room for doubt.

Noble, the leader of the team, broke the silence. "Remember, lads, stick to the plan. We've gone over it time and time again. We know our roles, and we trust each other. Let's execute it flawlessly."

His words resonated with his teammates, their nods of agreement punctuating the room. They had full faith in each other and Kai's guidance. They believed in their ability to execute the tactics and rise to the occasion. They were no more doubt in their head, and they knew their manager could get the best out of them.

Bowen, the quick and agile winger, spoke up next. "Stay disciplined, but also seize the opportunities when they come. We've got the pace and strength to exploit their defence. We'll catch them off-guard with our lightning-fast counter-attacks."

As his words hung in the air, the players absorbed the significance of his statement. They visualized themselves breaking forward with speed and precision, capitalizing on any gaps in the Manchester City defence.

As the players were engaged in a moment of unity, the door to the locker room opened. And in came a familiar figure.

Kai entered, his presence commanding attention. The players turned their gaze toward him, their eyes filled with determination. Kai surveyed the room, seeing the fire burning within each player.

"Boys, this is it," he declared, his voice brimming with confidence. "You've put in the work, absorbed the tactics, and prepared yourselves mentally. This is your opportunity to shine, to prove that you belong here. I have full trust in each and every one of you."

The room buzzed with renewed energy as Kai's words sank in. The players rose from their seats, a collective resolve emanating from within them.

As they stepped out onto the pitch, the hushed silence of the locker room transformed into a roar of determination and anticipation. The West Ham players were ready to embrace the challenge, to showcase their unity and resilience against all odds. They were a united force, armed with their tactical knowledge and unwavering belief, ready to leave an indelible mark on the Etihad Stadium.

----------x---------

"You son of a @#$%&. Just let me get past you and I'll—"

De Bruyne spun on the spot as he received the ball by his feet, but before he can even decide his next move, he could feel his presence breathing down his neck. He wanted to curse, he wanted to punch, he wanted to kill the man who dared to be so unsportsmanlike.

"Ahhh. My knee." De Bruyne whined as he was pushed ruthlessly to the floor. No remorse was spared as he wasn't even given a moment of time on the ball. He was too dangerous, and such talented players deserved such special treatment.

The Etihad Stadium became a symphony of grunts of boos as they pressured the referee the discipline the player, but the crowd's voices were almost ineffective as if they lacked any soul. It was powerless, empty and void of passion.

De Bruyne wanted to curse his luck. He had met many opponents, and he had met many different skilled midfielders that were tasked to stop his offensive prowess. Kante, Fabinho, Busquets... he had gone against the best defensive midfielders the world had to offer, but none of them was comparable against this freak of an athlete!

Tall... Strong... Fast... and the Endurance to run forever! How long has it been since the game started? Half an hour? This man had been man-marking him since the first minute the game had started! Humans had to rest, but his opponent wasn't even sweating!

Guardiola was speechless. He had seen many ways his opponents tried to stop his teams, but he had never imagined such a barbaric way to stop his team's main creator— Kevin De Bruyne. West Ham weren't playing football... they were playing Street Fighter!

The referee hurriedly made his way towards Soucek. Dishing out yet another foul and free-kick for Manchester City. The Czech midfielder innocently raised his hand to signal his good intentions and that his malicious tackle was just an unfortunate accident.

But he never spoke a single word... cause he doesn't know any English.

De Bruyne wanted to spit out blood. Why are you acting so innocent? You did that on purpose you Czech bastard! Oi. Don't give me your hand to pull me on my feet, you're just trying to make the referee believe you're an honourable footballer!

Kai grinned deviously. The game was unfair from the very beginning. They were the underdog, their opponent was superior to them in every single way. West Ham is a Bicycle and Manchester City is a Supercar. Both of them were competing in a race... How would you expect the bicycle to win in any circumstances? It was an unfair game, and Kai had to do some... things to shift the odds.

If you want the bicycle to win... you have to destroy the car's tyres... or empty its fuel tank... or even destroy the car's engines. Only then does the bicycle have the chance to win. And Kai did exactly that.

Kai focused back onto the pitch. As De Bruyne placed the ball on the area where the foul was performed, he was given a free-kick to compensate for Soucek's tackle. He scanned the pitch with a frustration in his mind, unable to believe that today's game he was shackled in chaines.

"——De Bruyne with the free-kick... He runs and delivers it into the box."

The ball floated in the air as the Manchester City players rushed to be at the end of the set-piece. The free-kick was too far away to head straight into the goal, so De Bruyne chose to cross the ball into the box for his teammates.

The West Ham penalty box was crowded with players, but one player rose above everyone as De Bruyne's pass found him perfectly. His rose in the air... but as he was suspended from the ground, he felt a slight push from his back that caused him to completely miss his header.

Rodri cursed his luck as someone clearly pushed him from the back! But he was in mid air when it happened, and no amount of adjustment could he make so his head meets with the ball.

"——OH but Rodri missed the header by an inch! We all thought he was going to connect with De Bruyne's free-kick, but he missed it!"

"——huh? What's this? He's rushing to the referee and complaining he was pushed form the back? I certainly didn't see anything... Did you?

The other commentator scratched his head. "——I don't think so... clearly Rodri dived to the ground. How dirty..."