"The fourth in the league can also participate in the League Cup, with our performance, it should be no problem to win the fourth place in the league, right?"

Locker room, teammate Frank. Beria is talking about qualification for the League Cup.

Others also chimed in, saying that since we were able to win the third place in the league "accidentally" some time ago, it shouldn't be a problem to be fourth in the league, right?

The more Chu Zhongtian listened, the more unhappy he became, and the more he listened, the more he felt that his heart was blocked, and something had to jump out, otherwise it would be uncomfortable.

"If we can't even win against Lyon, what's the point of fourth in the league?" It was not Chu Zhongtian who said this, but Menez.

Everyone looked at Menez in amazement. Chu Zhongtian also turned his head to look at the young man next to him. He stood, ** his upper body, showing his shapely muscles, and his face was full of unhappiness. There is even a clear "disdain" in that expression. It's a look that comes back, and it's always on his face during his first three months at Metz.

The players in Metz were very impressed with his expression, because it was the kid's expression that made them feel uncomfortable.

"Hey, you kid......" Beria pointed to Menez, who had now played in the first team, but that didn't mean all the players had accepted him willingly. At the very least, Ribery has nothing to do with this man other than to link up with Menez on the football field.

So in fact, the locker room didn't really accept Menez. Usually here, except for a few people who talk to him, most people ignore Menez. And if Menez has anything to say, he will communicate with Chu Zhongtian.

"What nonsense are you talking about?" Others stood up to express their displeasure with Menez. "We've played Lyon in the league and we don't have Lyon in the game anymore, so what does it matter if we can win Lyon and finish fourth in the league?"

"Yes, that's right. The rest of the league fixtures are in our favour and fourth in the league is not nonsense! ”

More and more people joined in the denunciation and ridicule of Menez.

Menez didn't talk back, didn't defend himself, just looked at his teammates with disdain. He seemed to think it was stupid to waste words with these people.

Chu Zhongtian's brows became tighter and tighter, he didn't like such an atmosphere.

Just as he opened his mouth to say a few words of justice for Menez, he saw Ribery standing up diagonally opposite.

The young player stopped when he saw Ribery standing up. They knew that the boss was going to go out, so naturally it was not their turn to call out these little brothers.

Menez also apparently noticed Ribery standing up on the other side, his expression was no longer as disdainful as before, but he was still arrogant and did not show timidity.

Chu Zhongtian suddenly became a little nervous. He knew that Ribery didn't have a crush on Menez, and that Menez wasn't as pretentious as other young players. If the two of them clash now, what should he, the person caught in the middle, do?

Maybe it's better to be the first to show your attitude at this time? Or is it simply silenced?

Just as he hesitated, Ribery spoke.

"Shut up, y'all!" The first sentence was directed at those teammates. "I'm so ashamed of you!"

Everyone looked at Ribery in surprise, including Chu Zhongtian and Menez. None of them expected Ribery to stand up not to oppose Menez, but to ......, "Are you so unmotivated?" Ribery yelled at his teammates. So scared after losing twice to Lyon? Look at what you said, I blush for you! I don't even want to admit I'm your teammate! Goodbye, guys! ”

Ribery, who had already changed his clothes, waved to everyone and turned and walked out of the locker room.

His sudden outburst shook everyone a little dizzy, and it wasn't until he left the locker room that they came to their senses.

"Frank, what's wrong?"

"Isn't he one of us? How did you help that Sochaux boy? ”

"What's going on? What's going on? I don't know why......"

Everyone was talking, and even Menez's expression was constantly changing.

Chu Zhongtian was surprised at first that Ribery actually stood with Menez this time. Later, after thinking about it, it became clear that Frank, like him, was a person who didn't like to lose, but they hated the act of admitting defeat more than he did. And it just so happens that Menez is also such a person. So on this matter, the three of them reached an agreement.

Now that he finally had a chance to speak, he stepped out of his position and walked to the middle of the dressing room. He doesn't yell at his teammates like Ribery did, but he has his own way.

Seeing Chu Zhongtian appear in the middle of the locker room, everyone knew that the commander on the court had something to say.

Usually he and Menez are relatively close, but it has not affected his status and prestige in the team. Because everyone knows that Chu Zhongtian never favors anyone, he speaks very fairly, and he is also very fair in his dealings.

What will he say this time?

Chu Zhongtian was stared at by more than twenty pairs of eyes, and he coughed.

"I have something to say to all of you."

"I know why Frank said those things because I was on the same page as him." At the beginning, Chu Zhongtian showed his attitude, he was in a group with Ribery and Menez. 'I know we've lost to Lyon twice this season, and it's been a big score, we didn't have the strength to fight back at all. But I don't think that's a shame, after all, we have a strength like Lyon, and it's normal to lose. ”

But this confusing his teammates - no matter how they sounded, it seemed like he was on our side. So who does he prefer?

"But before we started playing against Lyon, we opened our mouths and closed our mouths and said, 'Can't win,' 'Let's find another way'...... I feel ashamed to say that. ”

Chu Zhongtian's tone was very calm, but the impact was no less than Ribery's screaming.

"Why? Because we threw in the towel early. ”

"I'm okay with fighting on the pitch for 90 minutes and then losing because I'm too strong. But I can't accept that I should raise my hands and surrender before the battle has even begun. Yes, I absolutely can't accept this! He shook his head.

"I'll tell you a story, guys."

Chu Zhongtian didn't stand in one place when he spoke, he just circled around in a small radius in the center of the locker room. This ensures that his words are addressed to everyone and not just to one side of the audience.

"I know a lot of you know what I used to do – I'm not like you, I've been training in professional football since I was very young. Before I started to really get involved in the football league, I was a Chinese student studying in London, England, and my hobby was playing football. So then I joined a local amateur team that was organized by the fans themselves, and they played in the ninth tier of England, which is the amateur league, and it was a very low-level amateur league. ”

Chu Zhongtian told his past.

Although everyone knew that Chu Zhongtian used to play amateur football, no one had heard him tell his story in detail. For a moment the locker room was very quiet, only his voice. Everyone wants to hear Chu Zhongtian's story. They had even forgotten what made Chu Zhongtian stand up and tell his story.

Menez was also standing there, listening very attentively. Unlike other teammates, he heard Chu Zhongtian talk about his past. But it was very brief, and there were many details that he passed through. Today I have a chance to listen to the detailed version.

"The average attendance in the league I played was 50 to 100 people, you can imagine what level of the league it was, and you can imagine what the quality of our team was like - definitely not strong. The following season we qualified for the FA Cup – does anyone not know what the FA Cup is? As with the French Cup, all teams registered with the Football Association are allowed to participate, regardless of whether they are professional or amateur, as long as they meet the conditions. At first, it's the qualifiers, then the qualifiers between the amateur teams, and after the qualifiers, it's the main tournament, and then the professional teams will join. ”

Chu Zhongtian completed another circle.

"We started in the qualifiers, beat a lot of teams higher than us along the way, and finally made it to the main competition. Playing as an amateur team was more than enough because no one could have imagined before the tournament that we were the only amateur team to make it that year. ”

Speaking of this, Chu Zhongtian himself felt very proud. He remembered the days when he used to fight with his "mad gang" teammates. Although it is an amateur game, although they are not professional players, they are just as passionate and unforgettable. It was probably the happiest and most innocent time he played.

"Then we started to face professional teams that were countless times stronger than us, and the first opponent was a team in the second division, which is actually the equivalent of the third division team in France. We beat them without being favored. It was an upset. From that match, we had a goal - to get to the third round of the tournament anyway! Because only in the third round can we meet a Premier League team. At that point, we'll have the chance to play at Old Trafford, and we'll have the chance to be on live TV and become household names all over England. We don't think about whether we can get to that point with our own strength, we just want to win. It's simple, but it's also arrogant, isn't it? ”

Chu Zhongtian asked with a smile, no one answered his question, but in the hearts of many people, he thought so - really arrogant, really arrogant, this is simply beyond his strength...... An amateur team looking to make it to the third round against a Premier League team under the siege of a group of professional teams? It's a big dream...... "A lot of people thought so at the time." But we did make it to the third round! Chu Zhongtian's voice suddenly raised, which actually lifted the audience's emotions. But instead of meeting the Premier League side we hoped for in the third round, we faced a very special opponent...... It's a hassle to say, but it's like the kind of relationship between us Metz and Nancy in simple terms. ”

When everyone heard this, it suddenly dawned on them - Derby!

But what is the derby relationship between amateur and professional teams? Well, it doesn't matter, it's important to keep listening.

Chu Zhongtian continued: "We can't lose that game no matter what, we must win. At that point we didn't even think about winning the game and going up to the next level, we just wanted to win. In the end we really won. I assisted a goal and scored a goal. ”

Chu Zhongtian said with a smile.

"Beat a team from the English First Division as an amateur team. I was the man of the match in that game. ”

This part of the story Menez thought was the one he was familiar with, and he thought of the champagne in the wine cabinet that he had seen when he went to Chu Zhongtian's house. The bottle he was holding at the time was the best prize in the English FA Cup.

But soon Menez realized that it was not the story he had heard.

Chu Zhongtian continued.

The teammates in the dressing room were even more curious when they heard that Chu Zhongtian's team had defeated an English League One team and advanced to the fourth round. They all want to know what's going to happen next? Is that all there is to it? That always sounds like something is missing...... "We made it to the fourth round, do you know who we're up against in the fourth round?" Chu Zhongtian asked with a smile. He didn't let his teammates think about it for too long, and they didn't really guess, so he quickly announced the answer: "Chelsea." ”

"Oh-"

There was an exclamation in the locker room.

Everyone knows this name, it's a giant in the Premier League! After Abramovich became the owner, he bought a lot of world-class stars, and the lineup was quite luxurious.

Chu Zhongtian was very satisfied with everyone's reaction, this is the reaction of normal people.

"You got Chelsea?" Some teammates asked Chu Zhongtian, as if they couldn't believe it.

Chu Zhongtian nodded: "Yes, and it's still away." We're going to Stamford Bridge to play against Chelsea. Our group of team-mates have all come true – to meet a Premier League team, preferably a top club, to go away and enjoy what it's like to play on a top pitch. He said to everyone with a straight finger. Football doesn't bounce, you can't grasp the rules, and you don't have to worry about breaking your feet. ”

"But no one before the game believed we were going to win, including ourselves. A lot of people think it's okay to be able to play a game in a stadium like Stamford Bridge and lose it. But I don't think so, and neither do my other friends. The three of us want to win. Why should a strong team win against a weak team? Why can't we dream of beating the Premier League's top teams? Why? Chu Zhongtian asked everyone.

No one answered, some with their heads bowed thoughtfully.

'I know there's a huge gap between an amateur team and Chelsea, but I just want to win, at least until the game is over, and I want to try to win. I was not willing to give up before the game and raise my hand in surrender before the game. Chu Zhongtian spread out his hand and said to his current teammates. Just like when he was in the away dressing room at Stamford Bridge and said 'I just want to win' to his team-mates at the time.

'Chelsea scored first but we equalised just after the kick-off.

Chu Zhongtian heard the sound of someone inhaling.

'Then I scored another goal in the second half and we ended up 2-1 away from Chelsea.

The way his teammates looked at him changed.

"Oh, I forgot to introduce the amateur team I was on. The team is called 'Wimbledon Athletic' and is an amateur team in the Wimbledon neighbourhood of London. This team has a nickname called 'The Crazy Gang'. Why is it called the 'Crazy Gang'? Because we have a 'gang spirit'. What is the 'Gangster Spirit'? ”

Chu Zhongtian stretched out his hands: "This is the 'mad gang spirit'." ”

"The 'Berserk' always dares to challenge enemies who are countless times stronger than us, and can also perform miracles. The Crazy Gang's Never Say Die and Never Give Up! He clenched his fists, as if he had returned to that bloody night. I'm a 'crazy guy' player, I don't know what 'giving up early' is! Lyon are strong, but I guess no matter how strong we are, the gap between them and us is not as big as that of a ninth-tier amateur team and Chelsea, right? ”

In the face of Chu Zhongtian's questioning, no one could give an answer.

'An amateur team can beat Chelsea, so why can't we beat Lyon? Do you lose every game if you lose one game? I don't see it that way, but if you raise your hands and surrender before the game......" Chu Zhongtian raised his hands high, "then this game is lost." ”

He put his hand down: "I hate this action. I don't want to lose, and I don't want to throw in early. I don't care what you think of this match against Leon, anyway, even if I'm left alone, I'll fight until the last minute! ”

He shrugged: "I do what I say, no joke." ”

With that, he walked back to his locker, patted Menez on the shoulder, put his backpack on and turned to walk towards the door of the locker room.

At the door, he stopped, turned around and waved to the people in the locker room: "Goodbye, guys. ”

※※※When Chu Zhongtian disappeared at the door, no one in the locker room spoke.

Menez looked at his silent mid-teammate and began to get dressed silently. When he finished dressing, he was ready to leave.

Before leaving, he said to those whom he looked down on: "I will also fight until the last moment." ”

Then he chased him out.

A room full of people looked at each other. Then no one said anything, not to discuss the UEFA Cup, not to discuss Lyon, not to discuss the fourth place in the league, they just silently began to change their clothes, or went to the shower, or had already finished the shower, began to get dressed, and prepared to leave.

Everyone seemed preoccupied, and for the first time the dressing room was so dreary.

(To be continued)