The Road to the Promised Land: Chapter 46

Miracles, Nervenstärke :Previous «Home Page» Next: The Calm Before the Storm
== The Brazilian Ace, Memories of 1999 ==
Wednesday May 8
West Didsbury, Manchester, UK
3:00 PM BST (11:00 PM Japan time)
In the aftermath of the epic match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich, several sports media ran stories about the events of the match that saw United returning to the UEFA Champions League final for the first time since 2011. Some Japanese media even used Nana's now-famous words – "YATTA, KĀ-CHAN! YATTA!!! (I DID IT, MOMMY! I DID IT!!!)" as their main headline in their match reports. The main discussion was about how Nana's return galvanized the late push that culminated with her decisive penalty, but some media also talked about other subplots such as the long-awaited duel between Nana and Mina Meier, Mina Meier's tears after her penalty miss, and the moment when Nana consoled Meier. Furthermore, news of Mrs. Mishima, who had awakened from her coma, sparked lots of buzz as a feel-good story on both regular and social media worldwide during the day.
Nevertheless, Kakeru and Nana took their day off by avoiding social media as much as possible, even though the latter became a huge worldwide trend on social media for the day. In the middle of the afternoon in the UK (which is late evening in Japan) and from their living room, Kakeru and Nana joined M. Mishima and Mito on a group video chat on Skype to talk about various topics.
"Have the doctors been able to assess Mom? What have they said, Dad?" Nana asked.
"They told me that she did well on cognitive and neurological tests. They will push for more tests to make sure that everything is definitely fine, but it is encouraging so far." M. Mishima replied.
"That was definitely the biggest fear outside of the question on whether she would wake up or not. For as long as she does not have any permanent damage to her brain, she can fully focus on physical rehabilitation." Kakeru added on his side, sitting next to Nana.
"That's great news." Nana said.
"I will say this: the turn of events can be seen as the stuff of miracles from where I'm watching. Whether that's you, your mother, or even both, that is how I see it anyway. I'm really happy for you two right now." Mito said.
"Thanks. Sometimes we can enjoy one miracle or two." Nana replied.
"We have been avoiding social media and newspapers as much as possible so the dust could settle down. But out of curiosity, what has been said so far in Japan, Mito?" Kakeru asked.
"I don't think I have ever seen this kind of interest for soccer in Japanese headlines outside of the World Cup. The fact that Japan has 3 players – you two and Saeki-san in the Champions League final, it is bigger than many things I have seen over the years. The media here are praising all of you for showing great composure under pressure." Mito replied.
"Same feeling too. I've seen through a lot in Japanese soccer over the years. I have seen the game grow bigger in popularity, but it is the first time that our media here are talking a lot about it altogether outside of a World Cup." M. Mishima added.
"I can only imagine how they will cover the Champions League final in a few weeks." Kakeru said.
"It will definitely be like something we've never seen here, Kakeru-kun."
"I hope you will get us tickets, Kake-nii. Dad and I are doing everything we can right now to remove from our obligations so we and Mom can enjoy Paris and attend the final." Mito said.
"Yep, the club will get you 3 good tickets. We will make sure to have Nana's parents and our family sitting next to each other."
"Thank you a lot, you two." M. Mishima said to Kakeru before he turned his attention to Nana. "Nana... Your mother asked me to show her what she missed from your match against Manchester City on the night of the accident. So I showed her the match on a tablet. She really loved your goal and the dance that followed."
"Ah! I'm glad that she managed to catch up and enjoy it." Nana replied.
"I guess I'll let you go for now. It has been quite a day full of emotions, and I need some sleep." M. Mishima said.
"Okay then. It was nice talking to you again and receiving the news. Please say hi to Mom for me." Nana replied.
"I will. Meanwhile, you go and win the title on Sunday."
"We will fight for it, Dad. I promise."
"Same for me. We made this far. We can't let it slip away now." Kakeru added to Nana's reply.
"I know you will fight for it. Stay strong, you two." M. Mishima replied.
"I'll talk to you later, Dad. Bye." Nana said.
Then M. Mishima logged off the group video chat, leaving Mito as the only one left on the Skype call with Kakeru and Nana.
"So do you have a preference or a prediction on the other finalist in the Champions League?" Mito asked.
"You know we can't afford that. We have to take on whoever comes up next, especially when both sides are top teams. It's about being prepared ahead of time." Nana replied.
"We will do what we have to do, but I have to say that Barcelona look like the most likely opponent at this moment." Kakeru added.
"They won the first match in the semi-final, right?" Mito asked.
"Yeah, they won the first leg 3-1 in Barcelona. They play in Paris later tonight." Nana replied.
"We will see. You never know. If you could make a comeback against Bayern Munich, the Paris team may find some inspiration to do the same."
"I guess we will find out in a few hours." Kakeru said.
"Plenty of time to study the opposition. We will focus on our last Premier League match first." Nana added.
"I see. It will be revenge time against Ukyo Sera on the last day too."
"You bet, Mito. That's the double motivation. We will wait for him with a welcome worthy of Manchester." Kakeru said.
"Yeah. Making sure that he leaves with nothing left to gloat would be the perfect outcome." Nana added.
"I hope you will win. I'll cheer you from here in Japan." Mito said.
"Thanks." Kakeru replied. "We'll talk later. It's getting late over there in Japan."
"You're right. I also have classes tomorrow. It was nice talking to you two after this turn of events."
"Tell Mom and Dad that I keep on thinking about them every day." Kakeru said.
"I will. Have a nice day over there, Kake-nii." Mito replied.
"Oyasumi (Good night)." Kakeru and Nana said before the conversation on Skype ended.
Minutes later, Kakeru was reading headlines on his laptop to satisfy his own curiosity. He was also astonished by how true Mito and M. Mishima's words about how extensive the coverage about the match and the aftermath was in the Japanese media.
"Reading headlines?" Nana said, hugging Kakeru from behind.
"Yep. Mito and your father did not lie about how much has been written and talked about our match against Bayern." Kakeru replied.
"It will grab people's attention for at least a few more hours. We have yet to see our next opponent in Europe tonight."
"No matter what happens, I'm sure your mother really looks forward to be in Paris." Kakeru gently stroked Nana's hand.
"You're right, Kakeru. If I get on that pitch at the Stade de France, I will play for her without any worries."
"And I will gladly stand on that pitch by your side to build our moment." Kakeru said. "Oh, I remember something."
"What is it?" Nana asked.
"In the press conference on Monday, you said that an old friend told you what the right question you had to ask yourself was. Who is that old friend?"
Nana paused before she gave her answer.
"Believe it or not, it was Suguru-san."
"What? How?"
"I came to pay my respect in front of his grave and asked out loud to him what I should do. Then he appeared in front of me like a ghost in full daylight. I know it's difficult to explain. I couldn't believe it either."
Kakeru took a few seconds to absorb that part.
"I believe you. I last saw him in February somehow."
"During the Munich Air Disaster commemoration, I know. Suguru-san told me. He also said that I was the first person outside of you who could see and hear him as a ghost. Then he told me that the right question was what Mom would have wanted me to do if she was with me instead of being in a coma."
"So that is what sparked your decision to return, right?"
"That and one other thing. Suguru-san promised me that he would find my mother and then bring her back. When I talked to Mom yesterday, she said that she heard his voice guiding back towards the light. I strongly believe that he actually helped her to wake up from her coma." Nana said. "I know that sounds strange, but..."
"It's not strange at all. I always... I always felt that he is still watching over me and, by extension, you as well." Kakeru replied.
"Yeah. We are blessed to have had him with us even though we wished to have him around longer."
"Thank you, Nii-chan." Kakeru said out loud.
Then Kakeru and Nana continued to read Japanese media articles a few minutes more before they had seen enough.
"What time is it now?" Kakeru asked.
"Barely over 3:30 PM." Nana replied.
"Care to go upstairs and kill together some of the 4 hours and a half before the match?"
"I know where this is going. I want it too."
“I have been waiting for weeks now.” Kakeru said.
"Well, let's not wait any longer." Nana replied. Kakeru grinned.
Paris Saint-Germain vs. F.C. Barcelona (UEFA Champions League semi-finals, 2nd leg)
Parc des Princes, Paris, France
7:55 PM BST
In the evening that followed, viewers from all around the world gathered in front of TV screens, laptops, mobile phones, and other devices ahead of the last semi-final match of the UEFA Champions League. After the spectacular turnaround of the previous night, everyone was eager to see who of F.C. Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain F.C. (PSG) would meet United in the final. Watching from the living room in Kakeru and Nana's West Didsbury apartment, Yusuke and Noriko joined their 2 friends in discovering the other finalist.
"How do you think this one will turn out?" Yusuke asked with Noriko sitting by his side on the couch.
"Barcelona were dominant and ruthless in the first leg. Even though PSG got the away goal, I don't think that will be enough to make a difference." Kakeru replied.
"I don't put too much hope on PSG either, but I'm interested in seeing what Tono-san will do in goal. I know that PSG signed him in the winter because the backup is injured for the season, but Tono-san took the starting spot in recent weeks even though the regular number 1 goalkeeper played last week against Barcelona." Nana added.
"That's right. Tono is starting tonight." Noriko said.
"He may be able to keep it a tight game, but PSG will need to score a lot of goals first and foremost tonight." Kakeru replied.
"They scored 5 against Ajax in the round of 16. They scored 3 against Alisson and Liverpool in the quarterfinals. And since Barcelona's defenders are not always consistent, PSG can score a few goals." Noriko said.
"Barcelona players of whom we have known for more than a decade may be getting older, but they still have plenty of experience for this kind of match." Nana replied.
"Leonardo Silva will be looking to make amends for his timid performance in the first leg... This could be interesting." Yusuke said.
"Let's sit back and watch." Kakeru finished.
There was plenty of firepower and skills on both starting lineups. For PSG, Brazilian ace Leonardo Silva started as the traditional playmaker, supported by a solid ensemble cast that included the likes of Thiago Silva (Brazilian defender and captain), Marco Verratti (Italian central midfielder), Marquinhos (Brazilian central midfielder), Marco Antonio (Brazilian left forward), Kylian Mbappé (French striker), and Ángel Di María (Argentine right forward). The field players for PSG wore an all-dark blue kit while the shirt had a vertical red stripe in the front, bordered with white on the blue background.
"Marco Antonio is Leonardo Silva's younger brother. I faced him before." Kakeru said.
"You met him shortly after Enoshima's first national title, right?" Nana asked.
"Yeah, and he scored 3 goals against Japan's U-22. He murdered us on his own."
"It was a bloodbath for Japan back then." Nana said.
"Seeing him play was like looking at myself in a mirror." Kakeru replied.
"He wore the name 'Marquinho' on his back at the time if I remember well." Yusuke said.
"Yeah. I guess he's now using his own name to avoid confusion with the other guy named Marquinhos." Noriko replied.
"He is one to watch closely." Kakeru finished.
On the other hand, F.C. Barcelona had several seasoned winners on their side such as Lionel Messi (Argentine right forward and captain), Luis Suárez (Uruguayan striker), Sergio Busquets (Spanish central midfielder), Ivan Rakitić (Croatian central midfielder), Arturo Vidal (Chilean central midfielder), Gerard Piqué (Spanish defender), and Jordi Alba (Spanish left-back) among many. Barcelona's field players wore all-yellow kits.
Daniel Mann: Who will join Manchester United in the final? We are ready to find out.
PSG kicked the match off, but Barcelona controlled most of the action for several minutes through their quick passes and combination plays between the players. The Catalans used their trademark sophisticated passing game for the purpose of forcing their opponents to make mistakes. However, the first mistake came from a Barcelona player.
In the 14th minute:
Daniel Mann: Verratti... and Leonardo Silva was clipped in front of the penalty area. It was not subtle by Lenglet, and it will be a free kick in a good position for PSG.
When Leonardo came to receive the ball from Verratti, the Brazilian playmaker was clipped by a late tackle from a Barcelona defender. As a result, a direct free kick was awarded to PSG. Either the right-footed Leonardo or the left-footed Di María could take it.
PEEP!
Leonardo took the shot. Despite the presence of 7 Barcelona players in the defensive wall, the shot flew like an arrow above the defenders and into the top corner of the goal. The Barcelona goalkeeper was left flat-footed as the Parc des Princes went into a frenzy.
Daniel Mann: OHHHH, BREAKTHROUGH!!! First chance for Leonardo Silva and the first step to redemption after a tame performance in the first leg.
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"Wow! He arrowed that into the net!" Kakeru exclaimed.
"No chance for Marc-André ter Stegen on that shot." Yusuke said.
"Now PSG are within the same scenario that we were in after Johansson scored." Noriko said.
"They are, but it is still early in the game. Barcelona can change the narrative if they score at any moment." Nana replied.
"With their experience, Barcelona should be able to reply." Kakeru said.
As expected, Barcelona responded first by snuffing out whatever bit of momentum PSG had by controlling the ball for long periods of time. PSG tried to play a more aggressive approach in their attempts to retrieve the ball, but it was exactly what Barcelona wanted as gaps began to appear.
In the 25th minute:
Daniel Mann: Busquets... to Lionel Messi...
Pushing for an attack inside the PSG half, Barcelona moved men forward. Right after Lionel Messi received the ball from his teammate, the Argentine ran with the ball while 3 PSG players were closing down on him from various sides. Nevertheless, Messi made a pass into the run of Sergi Roberto, who moved forward to support the attack like a striker.
Daniel Mann: That's a good ball for Roberto...
The PSG right-back managed to poke the ball away from Roberto, but it rolled right into the path of Luis Suárez. The Uruguayan chipped the ball above the goalkeeper.
Daniel Mann: SUÁREZ'S GETTING THERE...
Mikiya Tono could only see Suárez's shot smack into the crossbar until Lionel Messi headed down the rebound and then kick it into the back of the net. In a flash, the Parc des Princes was silenced but for the pocket of Barcelona supporters who traveled to support their team.
Daniel Mann: AND MESSI WILL WALK IT IN!! Barcelona have their away goal, and it's a long way back for PSG now.
"Now Barcelona have erased the away goal they conceded last week. That's a crushing blow for PSG." Kakeru said.
"I don't think they can come back after that unless something spectacular happens." Nana added.
"It looks difficult to PSG now, but they still have 65 minutes to find 2 goals or more without conceding." Noriko added.
"You're the only one among us who picked PSG to be in the final. Right, Noriko?" Nana asked.
"Because Leonardo Silva is on the other side, yes. I'd like to see that contest in the final instead of facing Lionel Messi again." Noriko replied.
"It's good to wish, but reality speaks otherwise now." Nana said.
"I have to agree with Nana here." Yusuke added.
"We will see." Noriko replied with confidence.
In the minutes that followed the 1-1 goal, Barcelona maintained their overall control in ball possession. PSG needed a boost coming from somewhere, but little they knew that it would come from the Japanese goalkeeper who was originally signed in January to be a backup.
In the 33rd minute:
Daniel Mann: Sergi Roberto... now to Vidal...
As Barcelona controlled the ball inside the PSG half, the ball went from Sergi Roberto to Arturo Vidal. Then Vidal launched a long diagonal pass forward and to the left. Brazilian forward Philippe Coutinho received the pass just inside the corridor between the penalty area and the touchline on that left flank, but the PSG right-back stood in front of him. Nevertheless, Coutinho released a drop pass toward Jordi Alba, who then cut a through pass towards Luis Suárez.
Daniel Mann: Jordi Alba... SUÁREZ'S THERE AGAIN!!
The Uruguayan striker snuck behind the PSG defenders with a perfect timing to stay onside. Suárez looked to give a toe poke on Alba's pass to deflect the shot beyond the goalkeeper, but Mikiya managed to catch the deflection.
Daniel Mann: OHHH!! WONDERFUL SAVE BY TONO!
While everyone in the stadium was admiring how Mikiya stopped that shot, the PSG goalkeeper quickly got up and kicked the ball up the field to spark a counterattack. The ball arrived to Leonardo.
Daniel Mann: Long ball forward from Tono to Leonardo Silva.
From the middle of the park, Leonardo ran and dribbled his way forward. Then he passed the ball ahead and on the left to Marco Antonio. Everyone expected the Brazilian forward to try and burst his way towards goal when he entered the Barcelona penalty area.
Daniel Mann: Marco Antonio...
But instead, Marco held onto the ball to buy some time for teammates to arrive in support. While Kylian Mbappé appeared to lure a couple of Barcelona players with him, it allowed Leonardo to be free. Without hesitation, Marco made a layoff pass into the path of Leonardo, who took the shot 12 yards from Ter Stegen's goal.
Daniel Mann: LEONARDO SILVA...
The shot curled away from the goalkeeper and then found the inside of the Barcelona goal. In a blink of an eye, PSG could believe agan.
Daniel Mann: SCORES!!! IT'S HIM AGAIN! THE 2 BROTHERS COMBINE! It's well and truly on now for PSG! Just as in the other semi-final yesterday, PSG are within distance from forcing the unthinkable.
"Leonardo Silva is on fire right now." Kakeru said.
"That is exactly what PSG needed from him." Nana added.
"The next goal will be crucial, but PSG are already looking a lot different from last week's match in Barcelona." Yusuke remarked.
"It can swing either way now, I say." Nana replied.
"If PSG score the next goal, we'd have a perfect tie on both away goals and aggregate score. But if Barcelona score another away goal, PSG would have to score at least 3 more times in order to progress." Noriko added.
The rest of the first half went down without a single goal being added to the scoreboard. PSG were one goal away from parity, but Barcelona felt that another goal would make a world of difference. In the early minutes of the second half, what started as an attack would illustrate the kind of night for Barcelona.
In the 53rd minute:
Daniel Mann: Jordi Alba... Coutinho...
In the center circle, Philippe Coutinho received the ball so he can push forward with the attack inside the PSG half. Then the Brazilian passed the ball to Lionel Messi ahead on the right flank.
Daniel Mann: Lionel Messi...
A total of 7 PSG players were retreating in full speed to try stopping this attack. However, Messi saw Jordi Alba attacking forward and even further ahead of Luis Suárez. Finding the exact right time, Messi sent a through pass towards Alba's path. There was no offside when the pass was made.
Daniel Mann: Jordi Alba's through. Flag stays down...
Jordi Alba first took one touch to set the ball ahead of him. Entering the PSG penalty area in full speed, Alba was engaged in a 1v1 situation against Mikiya. The Spanish left-back took the shot, but was stopped by the tall frame of the Japanese goalkeeper. The ball was still bouncing free for a second, but Mikiya grabbed it to stop the action.
Daniel Mann: And Tono denies him! The most recent addition to PSG is still keeping his team in the semi-final, but for how long?
"Another save by Tono-san!" Kakeru exclaimed.
"He's keeping PSG's hopes alive, but they hang almost by a thread." Yusuke said.
"That kind of quality goalkeeping is what they didn't have in the first leg. That could be a difference maker if PSG become re-energized." Noriko replied.
From that moment forward, Mikiya stopped shots when he had to. However, most of Barcelona's shooting attempts either went wide or were easy catches for the goalkeeper. PSG replaced Ángel di María with German midfielder Julian Draxler in the 65th minute to change the formation from a 4-5-1/4-3-3 hybrid into a 4-1-2-1-2 setup with Leonardo Silva being pushed further forward while the 2 strikers are free to cover more space. The changes soon took their effect as PSG started to look re-energized. The French side started to apply a lot more pressure on a vulnerable Barcelona defensive line.
In the 70th minute:
Daniel Mann: Messi gets the ball, but Leonardo Silva is on him...
Receiving the ball inside his own half of the center circle, Lionel Messi was looking to advance. However, Leonardo Silva himself came down to fight for the ball. In the end, the Brazilian took the upper hand on the Argentine by toe-poking the ball towards Marco Verratti.
Daniel Mann: Dispossessed. Now it's Verratti...
Having retrieved the ball, the Italian midfielder passed the ball forward to Kylian Mbappé. Then the French forward made a small layoff pass to Leonardo Silva while the PSG players started running forward. Arriving within 10 yards of the Barcelona penalty area, Leonardo Silva waited for the split second when all Barcelona players would have their eyes on him. When that moment happened, Leonardo made a through pass to Mbappé.
Daniel Mann: Leonardo Silva finds Mbappé with a chance...
Entering the Barcelona penalty area almost unopposed and onside, Kylian Mbappé took one swing of his right boot to slot the ball past the goalkeeper to achieve aggregate score parity between PSG and Barcelona.
Daniel Mann: AND MBAPPÉ HAS SCORED!!! He took it magnificently! Kylian Mbappé has put everyone back on terms! It's 3-1 on the night and 4-4 on aggregate. This is incredible!
The Parc des Princes erupted into an explosion of joy as their team succeeded in another big step towards a comeback in this semi-final. However, the crowd had not seen anything just yet. With Barcelona still trying to recover from the 3-1 goal, PSG were smelling blood with a 4th goal within their sights.
In the 72nd minute:
Daniel Mann: Another sloppy pass from Barcelona. It's Kimpembe... now Thiago Silva...
Following a bad pass from a Barcelona player, the ball was recovered by the PSG defenders. After the ball went to Thiago Silva, the Brazilian captain ran few yards forward with the ball before he passed it across the halfway line to Leonardo. The former Tokyo Shuukyu Academy player had all eyes on him again, especially from the surrounding Barcelona players.
Daniel Mann: Leonardo Silva...
The Brazilian ace knew that he had the fastest sprinter in the beautiful game in Kylian Mbappé. With a perfect timing, Leonardo unleashed a through pass beyond Gerard Piqué and into the path of the speedy Mbappé.
Daniel Mann: It's another great ball. Kylian Mbappé...
Rushing towards the ball, Mbappé was not going to get caught by the Barcelona defenders. In desperation, the goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen rushed towards the French striker in a head-on race for the ball. But instead of shooting, Mbappé chose to slide the ball to the side and into the path of Marco Antonio. With disconcerting ease, the Brazilian striker gave PSG the monumental 4-1 goal they were looking for.
Daniel Mann: ...and across to MARCO ANTONIOOOOOO!!!!!
In the midst of the celebrations, Marco and all of his teammates celebrated on the bench with their coaches. In a cauldron of noise, the vast majority of the 47,400+ spectators were genuinely believing that PSG were at the gate of a first Champions league final.
Daniel Mann: Devastation for Barcelona! But pure joy for PSG! Just do not predict anything in the Champions League! Marco Antonio has put PSG on the verge of history at the end of a magnificent buildup that started with Leonardo Silva again!
Meanwhile in West Didsbury:
"Crazy stuff! That's 2 goals in 2 minutes for PSG. They are a real juggernaut out there." Kakeru said.
"Leonardo Silva totally eclipsed Lionel Messi, even though Messi scored once. That's the difference tonight." Nana replied.
"He already had 2 goals and 1 assist tonight before he started that play. He can carry on and on if he wants to." Yusuke said.
"Yeah, but Kylian Mbappé and Marco Antonio did their big part too. They play tonight like they did at the World Cup." Noriko replied.
"Still over 15 minutes to go though. Do you think Barcelona can come back?" Kakeru asked.
"Seriously? No. They look shell-shocked right now. I know that Barcelona came back from 0-4 after the first leg to win 6-5 in the second leg against PSG in 2017, but Leonardo Silva took PSG to a different level now." Noriko replied.
"Agreed. The body language on the Barcelona players says that they don't have much left in the tank anymore." Nana added.
After PSG took the lead on aggregate score, Barcelona were unable to find the strength to make one final push against Tono's goal. Time winded down with PSG remaining energetic and proactive as they defended their slender lead. Finally, the final whistle confirmed what was almost unthinkable at kickoff time and sent the Parc des Princes into wild celebrations.
PEEP PEEP PEEEEEEEEEP!!!
Daniel Mann: The referee's blown the whistle. Paris Saint-Germain are in the Champions League final for the first time in their history, and they will play the final in the stadium that is considered as their second home in the decade! It is a memorable European night in Paris, but it may also be a taste of a bigger one in 24 nights from tonight. It will be a difficult result to swallow for Lionel Messi and for Barcelona, but it is perhaps the rise of a new dominant force in Leonardo Silva and PSG. 4-1 on the night, 5-4 on aggregate. The best team in France will meet the current leaders in England in the final at the Stade de France.
Minutes after the match was finished, Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke remained speechless after they saw how PSG looked like a beast coming from the underworld to maul one of the greatest teams in Europe. Considering that the upcoming UEFA Champions League final was set to be played in Paris, the prospect of facing PSG appeared to be a worst-case scenario.
"What's with the long faces? I never thought you'd feel down because of that." Noriko said.
"To think Barcelona managed to have a 2-goal lead entering tonight's match before they got trounced like that, it's quite depressing." Yusuke replied.
"I have seen plenty of teams and playing styles over the years, but that game today was reminiscent of when Silva and his U-22 Brazil team destroyed us by 4 goals to 1 a few years ago. The Japanese U-22 team that lost had Asuka, Sera, Takajo, Araki, Tono, and myself." Kakeru added.
"What's your say, Nana?" Noriko asked.
"I really can't say, Noriko. I'm on the fence about our chances because we're not done with Arsenal yet on 2 fronts. Even if we get over the line in our domestic competitions, I'm not sure how much energy left we would have in the tank for the final. PSG will finish the domestic season on May 24, but they can afford to rest players because they are already crowned Ligue 1 champions."
Noriko was lost in her thoughts for a few seconds trying to find a good reply, but then had an idea. "If you want some inspiration, then you have to watch something."
"What is it?" Kakeru asked.
"It's a documentary about what happened in the 1998-99 season." Noriko replied. She took the USB stick and stuck it on a playing device that was linked to the television screen.
"Kakeru and I already saw the official season review documentary, Noriko." Nana said.
"Not this one though. If you guys want to have a feel about how people actually felt at the time, this is something that you must watch. It is also a good lesson about what soccer in Europe was all about at the time too. I swear to you that it is more relevant now than it was before."
"How long is that documentary, Noriko?" Yusuke asked.
"Just above 90 minutes."
"What are you trying to show us?" Yusuke asked.
"That United have been in a similar position before. What you see here is how and why they overcame whatever obstacle there was." Noriko replied.
"Sure. Why not?"
Then Noriko started playing the documentary. The first scene that opened up the feature showed a parade in the streets of Manchester on May 27 of 1999 in which the Manchester United team of the time were greeted with a hero's welcome with an estimated half of a million people crowding the streets that day.
Andy Cole: The city was... wow. I never knew Manchester had so many people.
Kakeru, Nana, and Yusuke looked at scenes in which the open top double-decker bus was moving through the sea of people as they celebrated what was called as the Treble. Then the bus entered the Manchester Arena as the final destination in which a sellout crowd was waiting to greet their heroes.
Manchester Arena PA announcer (1999): Ladies and gentlemen! The greatest football club in history are now in the arena! THEY'RE HERE!
"How old were you at the time of the parade, Noriko?" Nana asked.
"I was 4 years and 8 months old. My first and most vivid memories as a fan took place in that season." Noriko replied. "I have goosebumps whenever I revisit that time in one way or another."
After the scenes of the parade and the celebrations, the documentary started with the various interviewees giving ideas about what the title of the documentary would be. All kind of ideas for a title, some funnier than others, came up. Nevertheless, the main ones revolved around "The Treble" and "The Impossible Dream."
"What would have you called it, Noriko?" Kakeru asked.
"I would definitely say "The Impossible Dream" too. Why? Because everything seemed unlikely until the very last minute." Noriko replied.
Following the opening prologue, the first chapter of the documentary described the kind of manager that Alex Ferguson was. The Scottish-born manager was described as a scary, unique, and fair man with a presence like no other. To the players, he was a father figure with the unique ability of drawing the best out any player in different ways while re-inventing himself consistently with the times.
Jim Rosenthal: He knew when to put an arm around the shoulder. He knew when to shout at players.
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer: He knew he was... pissing me off, but I think he knew he got the best out of me by doing that. He knew every single one of us, how to get the best out of you.
To the other employees at Manchester United, Alex Ferguson is the man who would treat every single one with great respect from the tea lady to the club captain. Everyone felt like being somebody around Alex Ferguson.
"I would have loved to play for him even if that was for only one season." Kakeru said.
"Yeah. Me too." Nana added.
"When I see him and listen to what people say here, I can imagine why you two would." Yusuke replied.
Then came the media angle of Alex Ferguson, who was always there to give them something worth writing about in his press conferences. The man also had a particular way of answering tough questions as well.
Clive Tyldesley: Sometimes you are required to ask him a difficult question. Then halfway through that question, his head just tilts to one side. And then you continue the question by making it more digestible for him to give a favorable answer to. And if you don't do that successfully, he turns around and walks away.
Alex Ferguson was not only putting the press and the media in the firing line by using such style. He would also use mind games against rival managers. One of his favorite targets at that time was Arsenal's Arsène Wenger because the former knew how dangerous Arsenal was as a rising force. The Gunners overcame a 12-point deficit behind United to get at the top by a single point at the very end of the 1997-98 season. That turn of events hurt Manchester United.
"It was around that time that my family really started hating Arsenal." Noriko said.
"I can see why." Yusuke replied.
"I guess no one predicted that the rivalry would last so long and yet remain so intense." Nana said.
"We expected it somewhat, but we never thought it would be that it would become what it has become." Noriko replied.
Then the next few chapters talked about the meaning behind the Treble and how that was not even thought about at the beginning of the 1998-99 season because of how difficult it is for an English team to achieve it. The Manchester United team looked good, but they had to overcome all sorts of adversity such as the aftermath of David Beckham's red card in the 1998 World Cup, inconsistent results in the Premier League campaign before the month of January, surviving a group of death to qualify for the Champions League's knockout rounds by the skin of the teeth, and the surprise announcement that veteran goalkeeper Peter Schmeichel would leave English football at the end of that season due to a loss of self-confidence.
Peter Schmeichel: I was 8 years at Old Trafford, and I look at this. I've just come back from the [1998] World Cup. I was so tired. I mean... I honestly couldn't face playing another season. At some point, I started to make really, really silly mistakes, giving goals away. I found myself losing confidence. People who knew me said "Nah, nah. Can't happen. No, no, no, no, no. That's... That's not on." But I did.
"We won only 2 games out of 10 right after Peter Schmeichel announced his decision to leave at the end of the season." Noriko said.
"Damn. I guess that our own amount of adversity somewhat pales compared to what those guys had to endure." Yusuke remarked.
"Now that we are revisiting this, I have to say yes." Kakeru replied.
"After the new year, we started picking ourselves up with the FA Cup." Noriko said.
United started their FA Cup run by coming back from 0-1 to win 3-1 against Middlesbrough F.C. in the 3rd round proper (January 3, 1999) and then were trailing 0-1 against Liverpool in the following FA Cup round with 2 minutes to go (January 24, 1999). United were sending attack after attack in that match against Liverpool, but the goal was not coming at all until...
Martin Tyler (1999): Beckham takes it...
The long free kick from David Beckham found the head of Andy Cole, who then cushioned the ball into the feet of the unmarked Tobagonian forward Dwight Yorke in the 6-yard box.
Martin Tyler (1999): Oh, it's YORKE!
To have equalized with so little time left to the match was already great, but United were not done yet as they went at Liverpool again. In the second minute of injury time, Dutch defender Jaap Stam crossed the halfway line with the ball before he launched a long ball ahead. The ball went above Andy Cole's head before it landed into the feet of Paul Scholes instead.
Martin Tyler (1999): Scholes...
Not finding his stride to shoot, Scholes made a layoff pass for Norwegian striker Ole Gunnar Solskjaer. With a strike of the left boot, Solskjaer slotted the shot between the defender's legs and into the back of the net.
Martin Tyler (1999): SOLSKJAAAAAAEER!!!
thumb|center|335px|Manchester United vs. Liverpool (1999 FA Cup 4th round)
"That's really like what we did against Liverpool in the FA Cup earlier this year!" Kakeru said.
"Yeah, you're right. So uncanny." Nana replied.
"That was my very first match at Old Trafford, and it had to be in 'Fergie Time' too." Noriko said.
"What is 'Fergie Time'?" Yusuke asked Noriko.
"Wait for it. It's coming."
Then the topic within the documentary shifted from the FA Cup to the notion of Fergie Time and what that meant.
Clive Tyldesley: Fergie Time is the time added that the referee adds on to the end of the game depending on Sir Alex Ferguson's mood standing next to him.
The classic picture of Alex Ferguson in that context was of him pointing at his watch as he presses the touchline referee to add some time on. Some people say that referees felt intimidated by him when he did that, and that the concept originated from a match against Sheffield Wednesday in April 1993 when United had to win in order to march towards the first Premier League title.
After a small break, the next chapter discussed about a potent and almost telepathic-like partnership between strikers Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke. When Kakeru and Nana saw the video footage, they saw a reminiscence of some past memories of their own.
"They get along so well. It's almost like when Nana and I were playing together as strikers for the same elementary school team." Kakeru said.
"You're right, Kakeru. We were something of a pair. Really fun days." Nana replied with a smile.
After that, the story covered important key matches such as the late 1-0 win against Charlton Athletic that put United at the top of the standings for the first time of the season (January 31, 1999), the 8-1 demolition of Nottingham Forest in which Ole Gunnar Solskjaer scored 4 goals within the last 12 minutes of the match as a substitute (February 6, 1999), and David Beckham's revenge against the man who got him sent off in the 1998 World Cup.
Clive Tyldesley: Diego Simeone was something of a pantomime villain. He was the hard man of the Argentine team, their enforcer. And yet this hard man had acted in order to get David Beckham sent off. You don't forget things like that. And so, in the Champions League quarterfinal, Beckham and Simeone would meet again.
"That was the subplot that everyone was talking about at the time. Everyone wanted a Beckham vs. Simeone confrontation instead of talking about United vs. Inter Milan." Noriko said.
"Did Beckham shake hands with Simeone?" Yusuke asked.
"He did, but the glare was icy in Becks' eyes."
During that night (March 3, 1999), Simeone was outmatched by Beckham's determination on the pitch. Furthermore, Beckham showed his class with 2 masterful crosses that led to Dwight Yorke's 2 goals en route to a 2-0 victory at Old Trafford. Then United secured a 1-1 draw in the second leg in Milan to reach the semi-finals (March 17, 1999) with the clinching equalizer scored late by Paul Scholes.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Neville with the cross... Andy Cole waiting underneath it... It's Paul Scholes! HE'S DONE IT! MATCH POINT, MANCHESTER UNITED!
"When Scholesy scored that goal, we knew that Inter would not be able to come back. It was game over." Noriko told her part of the story.
"It must not have been easy to not think about the Treble at the time. Even I have a hard time not thinking about the possibility." Kakeru said.
"There was a feeling among fans that something special was happening. The players really thought about it in the back of their minds. Make no mistake. But they never spoke about it publicly because everything could have come back to bite at them." Noriko replied.
"So far, we're doing the same to calm down expectations." Yusuke said.
"Yeah. I also said to Des Kelly yesterday that we would take a breather first before we go too far ahead." Nana added.
Clive Tyldesley: Where did the phrase "Treble" come from? I'm not sure it came from anywhere. It was a dream. I suppose it's like the football equivalent of the Triple Crown. Only in this Triple Crown, you had to travel all around Europe over a space of 10 months. Win game after game after game, race after race after race.
However, more big tests were lying ahead for United in that spring of 1999. First of all, United were drawn against Juventus in the semi-finals with the second leg set to be played in Turin. At that time, Juventus played the final for 3 years in a row (1996, 1997, 1998), winning once the European Cup in that period (1996).
Andy Cole: That Juventus team was the strongest team in Europe. And we always knew that if we were trying to win this competition, at some stage you have to beat them. And the first leg, they bossed it. They really did boss it.
Indeed, that Juventus team had players like Zinedine Zidane, Didier Deschamps, Edgar Davids, Antonio Conte, Filippo Inzaghi, and Mark Iuliano all able to make a difference. To make matters things worse for United, Juventus scored the away goal at Old Trafford in the 25th minute of the first leg in the semi-final (April 7, 1999).
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Oh, poked in... It's a chance for Conte! It's 1-0 to Juventus, and the away goal has fallen into the hands of Juventus.
At that time, falling behind Juventus on the scoreboard meant nearly certain defeat for the other team. The question was whether or not United can rescue something on the night, and the answer came in the second minute of injury time of out 3 following the 90 in that match.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Hooked in towards Sheringham... Peruzzi stretched again. In goes Cole... In goes GIGGS! HE'S GOT IT! A lifeline for Manchester United has been thrown out by Ryan Giggs in stoppage at Old Trafford!
"That... was a big goal. We knew there was a job to be done in Turin, but I believe that we truly had momentum and belief on our side after Giggsy scored that one to make it 1-1." Noriko said.
"The more I'm watching this, the more I wish I was able to see those days on live television." Yusuke replied.
"Wait until we get to the FA Cup semi-final." Kakeru said.
A few days after the match against Juventus, United faced Arsenal in the FA Cup semi-final at Villa Park. The match was a forgettable 0-0 after 120 minutes of play (April 11, 1999), which forced a replay match to be played 3 days later according to the rules at the time. But unlike the other match, the replay is still regarded today as the best FA Cup match ever played. It was United – League leaders and FA Cup contenders against Arsenal – defending League champions and FA Cup holders.
"It was pretty simple: the team that would get through that match would have the psychological ascendency towards the Premier League title." Noriko said.
"I can understand why it was important." Yusuke replied.
Watching the highlights of the FA Cup semi-final replay (April 14, 1999), the 3 Japanese players saw how spectacular the match actually was. Teddy Sheringham lured 3 Arsenal players before he made a layoff pass to David Beckham, who scored the first goal for United with a spectacular curved 30-yard strike in the 17th minute.
Martin Tyler (1999): Here's Sheringham... BECKHAM! WHAT A GOOOAL!!! Well, it was going to take something to make a breakthrough here, and David Beckham has provided it.
United held onto their lead until the 69th minute. However, Dutch striker Dennis Bergkamp equalized at 1-1 for Arsenal with a long shot of his own as well.
Martin Tyler (1999): Bergkamp... GOAL FOR ARSENAL!!! NEVER WRITE THEM OFF!
Then Arsenal's Nicolas Anelka was denied a goal due to an offside call in the 74th minute, but then United lost their captain, Roy Keane, on a second yellow card only seconds later. To make things worse, the Mancunian side faced another problem as a penalty was called against them in the last minute of the second half.
Martin Tyler (1999): In stoppage time, down goes Parlour. David Elleray gives Arsenal a penalty! Would you believe it?
"Oh my God!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"It's really silly to foul someone like that, especially so late." Kakeru added.
"Yeah, it was stupid and heart-stopping. But watch what is coming next." Noriko said.
Martin Tyler (1999): Two international greats here in a decisive moment in a FA Cup semi-final replay... Bergkamp and Schmeichel... AND SCHMEICHEL HAS SAVED IT!
Dennis Bergkamp fired towards the bottom corner to the left of Peter Schmeichel, but the Danish goalkeeper guessed the direction right and thus pushed the ball away. Under the sound of the roaring United fans behind the goal, the game carried on.
"Wow!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"That was unbelievable." Kakeru said.
"My Dad said that was the best £10 he ever spent in his life to be at a match. Grandpa was there with him too. Mom and I couldn't be at Villa Park, but we watched everything on TV back then." Noriko said.
"So you saw everything after all, right?" Yusuke asked.
"Yes, and the best was going to come." Noriko replied.
The action shifted in the 109th minute. United were holding off Arsenal as well as possible despite being down to 10 men since Roy Keane got sent off. It was then that Welshman Ryan Giggs intercepted a pass near the half-way line...
Martin Tyler (1999): That's a rather weary one from Vieira...
Since Giggs arrived in the match as a substitute, he had fresh legs to deal with the Arsenal players' tired legs at that time. After the interception, Giggs ran and dribbled past Patrick Vieira and then past Lee Dixon.
Martin Tyler (1999): Giggs... gets past Vieira, past Dixon...
"I know that some people wanted him to pass the ball, but I was saying 'Go on, then'." Noriko said.
Giggs moved past Martin Keown on the edge of the penalty area and past Lee Dixon a second time to slip through the defenders. Then Giggs fired the shot beyond Tony Adams's sliding tackle and beyond the goalkeeper, David Seaman.
Martin Tyler (1999): ...who comes back and it's a wonderful run from GIGGS!!!
Yusuke was astonished at what he saw while Kakeru and Nana felt goosebumps as they watched this historical moment. The goal came out of nothing after the Welshman beat 5 players with perfect body feints, silky footwork, and a run in full speed with the grace of a gazelle.
Martin Tyler (1999): Sensational goal from Ryan Giggs in the second period of extra time! He's cut Arsenal to ribbons, and the team with 10 men goes back in front 2-1!
"Oh my... Wow!" Yusuke exclaimed. "That would be the goal of a lifetime."
"I say that's the goal of 100 lifetimes to me." Noriko replied.
Andy Gray (1999): Well, words fail me. Words fail me! Stunned Arsenal fans... Joyous United fans... And if this is the last semi-final replay goal we ever see, well, it would rank with some of the greatest ever scored.
thumb|center|335px|Arsenal vs. Manchester United (1999 FA Cup semi-final replay)
"Greatest goal ever scored in the FA Cup." Kakeru said.
"One to watch time and time again." Nana added.
"Simply vintage. That goal alone is why I became a big fan of Ryan Giggs, wearing his name and number on my shirts until Yusuke gave me his." Noriko replied.
"You made a very good choice. I must say I'm really glad I have taken over your childhood hero was the name at the back of your shirt." Yusuke replied before he cuddled with Noriko, who smiled in return.
At the end of extra time, United held on to win 2-1 over Arsenal. Several United supporters invaded the pitch to celebrate with the team. Ryan Giggs and David Beckham in particular were mobbed by the ecstatic supporters; Beckham was even carried on the shoulders of many supporters in triumph.
"My Dad was on the pitch after the final whistle. It's the only time that he was so happy after a win that he would dare to express himself on the pitch itself." Noriko told the story, giggling in-between.
Following a memorable victory in an epic FA Cup semi-final replay, the action shifted to Turin exactly a week later. In the hostile environment of the Stadio Delle Alpi, United expected Juventus to attack instead of defending in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final (April 21, 1999).
Clive Tyldesley: Only two English teams had ever won an European match in Italy in that time. Nobody ever won in the Champions League.
Despite all the words of caution from their manager, United had the worst start they could have in that match. Following a short corner kick, Zinedine Zidane unleashed a long pass to Filippo Inzaghi with pinpoint accuracy at the far post.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Zidane guides it in, Inzaghi was there! Less than 6 minutes played.
As if things were not looking dire enough for the Mancunians, they quickly fell behind 0-2 against Juve.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Inzaghi there again, ahead of Stam... Deflected and in. Twice in the opening 11 minutes, Filippo Inzaghi has struck for Juventus.
"Ouch! I know I've watched the highlights of that match before, but still... ouch!" Kakeru said.
"My dad was swearing like crazy at the TV when Juve went up by 2." Noriko replied.
At that moment, United were down 1-3 on aggregate. The only way for the Red Devils to survive was to score at least 2 goals against an Italian side that mastered the art of defending like few others in those days. It was seen as mission impossible. However, an Irishman was about to emerge as a dominant force that would rewrite the history of the match.
Jim Rosenthal: In the midfield, Juve had 2 wonderful players: Zidane and Davids. United had a fella called Roy Keane – the captain.
Lee Dixon: The hardest, most competitive midfield player I played against. When you come across a player like that, you just dream of having him in your team.
Rachel Riley: He would die for Man United, you know. He gave everything in the game, and he made everyone around him give everything as well.
The captain rose to the challenge in the 24th minute as he headed David Beckham's corner kick perfectly into the back of the net.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Beckham with the corner. It's towards KEANE! Roy Keane with a captain's goal for Manchester United! He's pulled them back to 2-1! GAME ON!
"Keano was the best captain I have ever seen play in all of sports. He was very demanding, but that was a huge reason why United were so successful for a long time when he played." Noriko said.
"Did your grandfather say that I reminded him of Roy Keane, at least partially?" Yusuke asked.
"Yeah. Being as inspirational like him is a good way to go if you want to become the club's captain one day." Noriko replied. "He gave everything, even though he took one yellow card too many in that match."
"I will take that advice."
Following a tackle on Zinedine Zidane, Roy Keane picked up the yellow card that would rule him out of the final. Nevertheless, Keane was a man on a mission, driving his teammates forward and bossing the game. Juventus started to fear another away goal that would tilt the semi-final in the other direction. Those fears became a reality in the 34th minute.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): This is Cole... It's towards Yorke! It's 2-2! Dwight Yorke has equalised for Manchester United! And they have seen the Juventus away goal, and they have raised it! As things stand, it's United who go through.
Later in the match, substitute Paul Scholes was introduced in the match to replace one of the starters. However, Scholes also picked up a yellow card that would also rule him out of the final. With 2 midfielders on yellow cards, the question was whether United would sit back on their laurels and defend. The answer was a big negative when Yorke and Cole breached the Juventus defense in the 84th minute.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): It's Dwight Yorke! He's brought down by Perruzi... Cole will finish it off. FULL SPEED AHEAD, BARCELONA!
"That was a great comeback by those players." Kakeru said.
"To come back from 0-2 to win 3-2 in hostile territory, it shows you the mental strength of that team. Nothing's impossible when you keep on fighting like they did." Noriko replied.
"I now understand why you wanted us to see this documentary." Yusuke said to Noriko.
"Whenever I watch this, I tell to myself that nothing's impossible, not even in the worst situations. Keep watching the highlights of the final 3 games to see what I mean."
After the match ended 3-2 on the night and 4-3 on aggregate for United, the players in red celebrated their accession to the final. However, everyone spared a thought for Keane and Scholes, who were both suspended for the final.
Andy Cole: These 2 players were an integral part of our football team. We were all disappointed for them because they sacrificed so much for the rest of the team to get there. That's why we wanted to win it so much as well.
After another epic moment in the season, the fate of the season went down to 3 games in 10 days in May. After 37 matches in the Premier League, United were ahead of Arsenal by one single point. In the 38th and final day of the League season (May 16, 1999), United first had to beat Tottenham Hotspur at Old Trafford to secure the title.
Ian Darke (1999): If Manchester United beat Spurs, they will be the champions no matter what Arsenal do. It's as clear cut as that.
Tottenham were in 11th place out of 20 clubs in the standings at the time, but they had some dangerous players like David Ginola and Les Ferdinand. In the 24th minute, Les Ferdinand stuck a boot out to flick the ball above Peter Schmeichel and against the run of play.
Ian Darke (1999): Ferdinand tries at it and he scored! Les Ferdinand has scored for Tottenham! Goodness me. It was only about their second or third attack.
Because Tottenham Hotspur are territorial rivals with Arsenal, no one really celebrated the goal among the Spurs players and away supporters because a Manchester United defeat would mean Arsenal winning the title. Even Les Ferdinand was stunned, wondering what he had done.
"I was at that match with my parents too. I cannot tell you the level of shock in the stadium when Ferdinand scored. Everyone was asking what just happened there." Noriko said.
"That could have knocked the stuffing out of the crowd." Yusuke said.
"We kept on attacking though. We had no choice but to." Noriko replied to Yusuke.
"United never do things the easy way, not even back then." Kakeru said.
Meanwhile at Arsenal's old stadium of Highbury, the Arsenal supporters cheered at the news of Tottenham's goal while the match between Arsenal and Aston Villa was still locked at 0-0. Back at Old Trafford, everyone was nervous at the possibility of missing out the Premier League title as well as the ramifications for the FA Cup and the Champions League final. To make things worse, waves of Manchester United attacks could not find the back of the Tottenham net despite all efforts. However, David Beckham stepped up in the 42nd minute.
Ian Darke (1999): Wide for Beckham arriving. A real chance here for Manchester United, and DAVID BECKHAM HAS GOT THE EQUALIZER!! 1-1!!!
With a free kick-like bending shot past goalkeeper Ian Walker, Beckham relieved some of the tension inside Old Trafford. However, the context said that a draw for Manchester United combined to a win for Arsenal would give the title to the latter. At halftime, Alex Ferguson replaced Teddy Sheringham with Andy Cole. That substitution summed up the Scotsman's ability to get the best out of everybody as the move paid off in the 48th minute.
Ian Darke (1999): Gary Neville... Cole in space... brings it down... it's Andy Cole! OH, IT'S A GREAT GOAL FROM ANDY COLE!
A long ball forward from Gary Neville found the unmarked Andy Cole, who took 2 touches of the ball to stop it and then lob it above Ian Walker and into the net. After the 2-1 goal, the Manchester United supporters started to believe that the title was theirs. But things got nervy again when Arsenal took a 1-0 lead and would eventually preserve it against Aston Villa. Regardless, Tottenham were kept in distance by the Manchester United defenders to the very end.
Ian Darke (1999): Spurs will just launch this downfield for one last attack, maybe. BUT THE WHISTLE GOES! AND MANCHESTER UNITED ARE THE CHAMPIONS OF ENGLAND AGAIN!! It's another Alex Ferguson party!
The Manchester United players hugged each other, relieved of having accomplished the hardest part by that time. For Peter Schmeichel, the outcome for his final home game at Old Trafford was all he could wish for. On the other end of the spectrum of emotions though, it was disappointment and sadness for Arsenal supporters at Highbury on that day.
Ian Crocker (1999): They block off their ears to listen to their radios. It's all over at Old Trafford, and Manchester United have beaten Tottenham Hotspur. And they are champions. Arsenal must make do with second place.
"What a finish!" Yusuke said.
"Yeah. For us fans, it was worth celebrating big. However, the players didn't celebrate too much. It was back to business on the following day." Noriko replied.
"Because of the FA Cup, right?" Kakeru asked.
"That and then the final in Barcelona, yeah." Noriko replied.
The League title celebrations were not exuberant at all as the players shifted their focus quickly towards the FA Cup final against Newcastle United (May 22, 1999). The biggest talking point before the final was that veteran striker Teddy Sheringham would not start the match. Sheringham was depressed as not playing in the FA Cup final would mean the same as not playing in the Super Bowl.
Clive Tyldesley: Teddy Sheringham was signed by Manchester United in the summer of 1997. He was already 31 years of age. He was an established England international, but he didn't have a single honour to his name. Dwight Yorke was signed, and Teddy was relegated to the substitutes' bench.
Inside the first 10 minutes of the match, Roy Keane picked up an injury. Hence Sheringham was called upon to replace the injured Keane. Again Ferguson knew how to get everyone ready to play at any moment's notice. Just a little more than 90 seconds after the substitution, Sheringham completed a give-and-go with Paul Scholes to give United the 1-0 lead.
Martin Tyler (1999): Sheringham... Scholes... FOR SHERINGHAM!!! BRILLIANT PLAY BY MANCHESTER UNITED!! AND THE SUBSTITUTE HAS STRUCK! What an extraordinary turn of circumstances here!
Being suspended for the Champions League final, Paul Scholes played the first 78 minutes of the match. In the 53rd minute, Scholes put the icing on the cake with a trademark piledriver of a goal.
Martin Tyler (1999): Solskjaer... Sheringham can tee it up for PAUL SCHOLES! 2-0!
In all, Manchester United won the FA Cup final without much resistance from Newcastle. Having completed the domestic Double for the third time (1994, 1996, 1999) in 6 seasons, United had their eyes on the biggest prize of all in the shape of the Champions League final against Bayern Munich. On the day following the FA Cup final, United took the flight on Concorde from Heathrow-London to Barcelona.
Manchester United supporters were officially allocated 25,000 tickets for official supporters, but more than 100,000 supporters actually made the trip from England to Barcelona.
"I was there with my parents at the Nou Camp, in Barcelona." Noriko said.
"Really? How? Back then, the Champions League final was played in the middle of the week unlike nowadays." Kakeru asked.
"One of Dad's co-workers managed to get us tickets, so he and Mom managed to get the day off before we bought our plane tickets."
"I can only imagine how much money would have to be paid nowadays for a ticket in that match." Nana said.
"A huge lot of money." Yusuke added.
"Before we took the plane, we had a feeling that something special was on. One thing that people sometimes forget is that it was Sir Matt Busby's birthday that day." Noriko replied.
Steve Bower: There was a romantic subplot: the final falling on what would have been the 90th birthday of Sir Matt Busby – the great Manchester United manager who led them to the European Cup in 1968, who was a really important figure for Sir Alex.
Outside of the Nou Camp, it was mayhem because of the very large contingent of Manchester United basically taking over the streets of Barcelona. According to people who were there, the Nou Camp had 2/3 of the stadium filled with United fans who managed to get their way inside one way or the other. The anticipation was intense inside the stadium, which is always expected when the Pride of England faces the Pride of Germany.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Just listen to the atmosphere wailing up inside the stadium.
Because of the suspensions to Keane and Scholes, Alex Ferguson was forced to play David Beckham in central midfield while Ryan Giggs was pushed on the right wing. So to speak, United started the match with a disadvantage because a whole makeshift midfield against a Bayern Munich team whose strengths laid in midfield and at the back (May 26, 1999).
"We were sitting a number of rows up and behind the goal that would be Bayern's in the second half. I never forgot that day; it was a beautiful and sunny day before the match. But things didn't turn out as expected after the start." Noriko said.
"Then from there, you saw Mario Basler score that free kick for Bayern." Nana said.
"I did. It was in the 6th minute." Noriko replied.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): It's Basler... First blood to Bayern Munich! And Manchester United, as they've done time and time again on this European run, have made it hard for themselves.
In the first half, Bayern Munich controlled the flow of the play. On the other hand, United looked a little tired. To make a metaphor with boxing cards, Bayern were ahead on points at halftime with the 1-0 lead. When the second half started, things didn't look any better for United as Bayern continued to dominate without adding another goal. Bayern substitute Mehmet Scholl almost scored with a lob shot in the 75th minute, but the ball bounced back off the post and into Schmeichel's arms. Despite the stroke of luck, something had to change with United.
Clive Tyldesley: Bayern Munich should have been 3-0 up going into those closing minutes. United hadn't got their act together. They had to make changes. Sheringham came on mid-way through the second half; Solskjaer came on for the last 10 minutes.
When Solskjaer came on, his impact was almost immediate as he forced the Bayern Munich goalkeeper to make a diving save with a header. A minute later, Bayern Munich missed another opportunity to put the game away as Carsten Jancker took an overhead kick that went off the crossbar.
"Damn!" Yusuke exclaimed.
"Sometimes, everything is a matter of inches." Nana replied.
Raphael Honigstein: People got very excited as the clock was ticking down. We [Bayern Munich fans] thought, finally after all these years, this is happening. This is real. We're nearly there.
As the clock approached towards the 90:00 mark, thousands of Bayern Munich supporters started to celebrate as if the European Cup would soon come into their hands. Nevertheless, United started to create more scoring chances as well in the final minutes of normal time. Then came the 4th official indicating 3 minutes of injury time – 3 minutes for United to save their quest for the trophy.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Cross deflected, Effenberg, behind for a corner. Can Manchester United score? They always score.
As soon as United got the corner kick in the first minute of injury time, Peter Schmeichel ran his way up inside the Bayern Munich penalty area to disorganize the Germans' defensive setup
"When Schmeichel got all the way up in his flashy green shirt, my parents and I thought it was all or nothing." Noriko told.
"The Bayern Munich defenders must have gotten scared when they saw the green giant flying in." Kakeru said.
"They were." Noriko replied.
Ron Atkinson (1999): Can he score another one in Europe? He's got one in the UEFA Cup.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Beckham... in towards Schmeichel...
David Beckham's ball flew in just over Schmeichel's head.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): It's come for Dwight Yorke...
Yorke tried to return the ball back towards a crowded area, but then Bayern substitute midfielder Thorsten Fink could not get enough contact to clear the ball far enough. The ball went on the edge of the area to Ryan Giggs, who then took a poorly struck right-footed shot.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Cleared... Giggs with the shot...
The hearts of all Manchester United supporters sunk for a split second until the ball rolled towards Teddy Sheringham, who swiped at the ball to redirect it into the back of the Bayern net (Time: 90:36).
Clive Tyldesley (1999): SHERINGHAM!!!
Inside the Nou Camp, inside pubs, and in front of TV screens all around the world, Manchester United supporters jubilated at a point when all hope was nearly lost. Inside the stadium itself, it was bedlam. Torches and flares were lit up in the Manchester United end of the stadium.
"Absolutely mental. I couldn't hear myself when Teddy scored, but I remember my mother hugging me after I jumped around like a kid on Christmas. Then my father did the same. We thought United were dead seconds before, but that team kept the best for late once again." Noriko said.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Name on the trophy! Teddy Sheringham, with 30 seconds of added time played, has equalised for Manchester United! They are still in the European Cup!
Although United had not won that match yet at the time, there was an overall feeling that the life was sucked out of the Bayern Munich players even though it was 1-1 with the prospect of extra time. Some people went away to prepare for extra time without knowing what would come next after Ole Gunnar Solskjaer forced another corner kick.
Raphael Honigstein: We didn't think that lightning could strike twice.
In the third and final minute of injury time, David Beckham was ready to take the corner kick.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Is this their moment? Beckham... in to Sheringham...
Beckham's ball flew towards inside the penalty, where Sheringham got the head to it. But because Sheringham jumped a little too early, all he could do was to redirect the ball down the face of goal.
"Then we all prayed... Please, God, go in." Noriko said.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): ...AND SOLSKJAER HAS WON IT!!!
With just a poke of his right foot, Ole Gunnar Solskjaer sent the ball into the roof of the net (Time: 92:17). In a flash, the majority of the 90,245 spectators of the stadium erupted into pandemonium while joy also burst in all places where Manchester United supporters gathered to watch the game. The entire Manchester United bench sprinted to join the other players as they mobbed the Norwegian hero. Meanwhile, Peter Schmeichel celebrated with a now-famous cartwheel.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): Manchester United have reached the Promised Land!
"After that goal, Dad lifted me up high in his arms as we celebrated. It was the only time that I saw Dad with tears in his eyes; those were tears of absolute joy. He waited all of his life to witness that in person and then keep precious memories." Noriko told her story.
Martin Tyler: You're right. This is a Hollywood script. Yeah, that was cheesy; that is never gonna happen. Truth is stranger than fiction.
For what was left of injury time, the Bayern Munich players had to restart the game. However, many of them were overwhelmed with despair, virtually unable to continue. Even the referee had to drag them off the ground. Merely seconds after the restarting kick, the final whistle was blown.
Clive Tyldesley (1999): History is made. Manchester United are the champions of Europe again!
thumb|center|335px|1999 UEFA Champions League final
In the aftermath following the match, a number of stories started to emerge surrounding the final itself. Some of them were quite goofy and strange, including one involving former United legend George Best.
Gary Lineker: I actually sat behind George Best, and he left with 10 minutes to go. Can you imagine leaving that game with 10 minutes to go?
Another one involved the UEFA president at the time.
Jim Rosenthal: Lennart Johansson, the UEFA president, from his lofty seat in the stand had gone down to the presentation area up 1-0. He emerged from the lift and came out, and saw United colours on the trophy as if "What is going on?" He missed the goals... completely, couldn't believe it.
After a few early celebrations on the pitch, Alex Ferguson uttered the following famous words in the post-match interview with ITV's Gary Newbon:
Gary Newbon (1999): Alex Ferguson, they put you through the mill, into injury time. Almost lost the cup, and you win it. The new European champions. The Treble. The dream come true for you.
Alex Ferguson (1999): Oh, I can't believe it. I can't believe it. Football, bloody hell! But they never gave in, and that's what won it.
Minutes later, the Manchester United players received their winners' medals. Peter Schmeichel, who captained the team for what was his farewell night, asked Alex Ferguson over to hoist the trophy together as a way to thank him for everything. When the team entered the dressing room, the players were so exhausted mentally and physically that it took them nearly an hour after the game to start celebrating for real.
"That was and still is the best night in my lifetime as a fan. It was the stuff of dreams." Noriko told.
"The kind of thing that I have dreamed in my share of times as a child and even beyond." Kakeru said.
"Me too." Nana added.
"Same for me." Yusuke added.
In the streets of Manchester, the party went on all night. Then on the following day – Thursday 27 of May 1999, the team flew back to Manchester before they took part in a championship parade in the streets of Downtown Manchester. A sea of people packed the streets, including some people hanging up on lampposts as the double-decker open top bus moved slowly on Deansgate and on the way towards Manchester Arena.
Martin Tyler: The impossible had been made possible in a blink of an eye, really.
Jim Rosenthal: If any modern team manages to do what that class of '99 did, they deserve to be lauded to the heavens.
Then the documentary ended with a brief epilogue telling about what became of many of the heroes from that season. In the summer of 1999, Alex Ferguson was knighted by the Queen for his services to British football. All of that epilogue was intercut with more video footage of the parade and the celebration inside the arena.
"Gary Neville once said 'If you could bring 10 days back and live them again, those would be the 10 days in my life that I would.' I get goosebumps every time I talk about that season, especially those 10 days in May of 1999. Sure we won the European Cup again in 2008, but nothing can really beat 1999." Noriko said.
"You were blessed to live through those days and then build your emotional connection from that time. We were never able to enjoy something like that in Japan." Yusuke replied.
"Yusuke is right. To dream about it is one thing. But to live through the dream like you did, it is something unique and unmatched." Kakeru added.
"It would be special if we can accomplish what they did." Nana said.
"And you still can do it. There's always some luck involved, but it's all about never giving in. After all, I see some similarities between 1999 and this year." Noriko replied.
"Well... We can hope." Kakeru said.
"No, I mean it. I know it's tempting to think a little far ahead, but you guys kept cool heads so well so far against all kinds of adversity. Many of the key players back then were around the same age as all of us are. They never expected to become legends until they did it for real." Noriko replied.
"Noriko is right. Like them, it's down to 3 matches now. One at the time, and we can do it." Nana said.
"I'm in too." Yusuke added his voice as well.
"Hey, Noriko. Thanks for cheering us up by sharing your childhood memories. Somehow, I feel we have found the final bit of inspiration we needed." Kakeru said.
"Anytime. All of you have that X-factor deep within yourselves. So keep digging for it for the right moment to come. Just take every game, every half, every minute, and every second at the time."
"We'll keep on fighting so you can have new memories that can come close to your childhood's memories." Yusuke said.
"I will back you up all the way." Noriko replied before all 4 friends gave each other high-five handshakes.
"The real job starts tomorrow. Let's do this." Kakeru finished.
Thursday May 9
Aon Training Complex, Carrington, UK
9:56 AM BST
In the following day, the Manchester United players returned to the training ground in Carrington to train ahead of the final match of the Premier League season. Although the players were supposed to keep their focus on that match, the main talking topic was mostly about how PSG defeated F.C. Barcelona to become the other UEFA Champions League final-bound team.
"Knight, you have played against Leonardo Silva before. What is it like?" Matthias asked.
"Playing against him will require a lot of nerves of steel, Skipper. It was the biggest challenge I have ever faced, and it took me a great bunch of great guys as teammates to defeat him." Kakeru replied.
"He is as good as the top talented Brazilians of the past like Sócrates, Zico, Rivaldo, and Ronaldinho, but he's not invincible." Nana added.
"If you're looking for a reliable teammate, you can count on me, Knight." Nikolaj said.
"Same for me. All of us in fact." Marius added.
"Thanks, guys." Kakeru replied.
"But how can we prepare ourselves to play a final against a very good team, especially when they will be playing the final almost on their own turf?" Shawzy asked.
"We have someone here who can tell us how to survive in such hostile environment." Kakeru replied before he turned his eyes towards Matthias. "Hey, Skipper. You were more of substitute in the 2014 FIFA World Cup, but you also prepared for that semi-final against Brazil in Brazil as if you were about to play it, right?"
"Yeah. All of us on the German team were so focused and so well prepared that we were ready for anything they would have thrown at us. Beating the home side with so much at stake is not impossible." Matthias replied.
"The 1965 final was the only time when a team both played the final at home and then won the match. In 1984 and in 2012, the home team lost the final in their home stadium. Pressure will be on PSG because the people in Paris expect PSG to win." Nana said.
"And seriously, why not? The man who convinced me to be a part of this club taught me that we must always have a siege mentality. People outside of United want to see us fail, but we're always here to prove them wrong. It's us against them, and that is why it would be a lot sweeter if we can shut our critics down." Kakeru added.
"Sir Alex Ferguson used to think that way. That is how he managed to keep the hunger alive for him and for his players, and that is how we will do it as well." Matthias replied.
"That's right. Let's channel that siege mentality for each of the 3 matches we have." Yusuke said.
Then Andrew Butler rounded up all of his players for one team talk before the training session starts.
"All right, everyone. Chatter's over. I can guess that everyone here watched yesterday's match and saw what happened. I know it won't be easy to play the final in Paris. However, there are 23 days between now and then. For now, we have our last home game of the season on Sunday. I want you to think about that match first and about how you can give our fans something to cheer. It's in our hands. Do you want to give the fans something to celebrate on Sunday?" Andrew said.
"YES, BOSS!" the players replied.
"Work hard in training and give your all every time you step out on that pitch."
"YES, BOSS!"
"Michael." Andrew asked his assistant to proceed with the training.
"All right, people! Let's get going on the training pitch. Move it!" Coach Schneider ordered.
Then the Manchester United players moved on with the training session as usual. The success or failure of the season hinged on 3 final matches in 3 different competitions. The coaching staff and the players knew better than anyone that straying away from the nearest short-term objective was not an option. It was the beginning of the calm before the storm.
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