Football: What Happened To Going To The Nightclub? I Have To Score

"Pep... Pep?"

"Huh? What?"

"The reporter is asking you!"

"Oh, right... Sorry, could you repeat the question?"

In the media center at Stamford Bridge, Manchester City coach Pep Guardiola sat at the podium, momentarily lost in thought. A reporter had asked a question, but Pep didn't respond until the press officer next to him quietly nudged him back to reality. No matter how frustrated he felt, he knew he had to push his emotions aside and deal with the press.

"Can you explain the reason behind Manchester City's loss today? Is it related to your tactical decisions? Is sticking to a possession-based strategy always the best approach?" the BBC sports reporter asked, cutting to the heart of the matter.

In the first half, Manchester City's possession game had looked formidable, and they led comfortably 2-0. But in the second half, Chelsea's counterattacks broke through repeatedly, leaving the City defense in disarray.

The stats were clear: Manchester City dominated with 73% possession, 879 passes with 842 completed, a pass accuracy of over 90%. Meanwhile, Chelsea's pass success rate was only 79%. In terms of shots, Chelsea had 7 compared to City's 17, with 6 on target for Chelsea and 10 for City. By all accounts, City had been the stronger side for the first 75 minutes.

Chelsea, weakened by the loss of key players like Kanté, Hazard, Azpilicueta, and Lukaku, seemed half a step behind City in terms of strength. Given their physical disadvantages, it was expected that City would overpower them. The only unexpected factor was Su Luo.

For 75 minutes, Su Luo had been almost invisible, leading Guardiola to believe he was no longer a threat. But in the final stages, Su Luo erupted, turning the tide of the match with a stunning comeback.

Now, Guardiola found himself grasping the meaning of a Chinese idiom about enduring hardship to achieve success. It suddenly made sense.

After considering the reporter's question, Guardiola responded in a measured tone:

"Manchester City has always been committed to playing possession football, both in the past and now. We believe that through possession, we can dominate English football."

Though his answer seemed somewhat disconnected, it did address the reporter's query in a roundabout way. Despite the loss, Guardiola showed no signs of abandoning his philosophy and appeared determined to stick to it.

Another reporter chimed in: "Do you think your defensive strategy against Su Luo was effective? How will you plan to contain him in the future? Has he surpassed Messi to become the world's best player?"

The mention of Su Luo's name made Guardiola's expression tighten.

"No, I don't think it's about surpassing. Su and Messi are different types of players, both made for the big stage. There's no comparison. The next time we meet, we'll have a plan."

With that, Guardiola lost interest in the press conference. He stood up and left abruptly, leaving the reporters stunned and his captain, Kompany, looking around in disbelief.

"Wait, did he just leave me here alone?" Kompany thought, forcing a strained smile as he and the press officer tried to manage the awkward situation.

Meanwhile, Conte, brimming with energy, was all too happy to sing Su Luo's praises during his press conference. He sounded like a proud teacher boasting about his top student.

"Was it Su Luo's fault that he didn't play well for the first 75 minutes? No, it was our lineup's fault. We're missing too many key players. We're basically fielding a second-string team. It's normal for us to struggle against a full-strength Manchester City. Even I had my doubts."

"But... with 10 minutes left, that's what I call 'Su Luo time.' He's young, strong, and will fight fiercely until the final whistle. Those opportunities—he created them all."

"When hope seemed lost, he dug deep and made it happen. He created hope. He created a miracle."

"I've said this to Abramovich many times, and I'll say it again today: Su Luo was the perfect signing last summer, bar none! His presence guarantees a title! We won't give Manchester City another chance. Not. A. Single. Chance."

Conte's bold declaration sent shockwaves through the press room. It was as if his confidence had reached new heights.

As of now, Chelsea was 8 points ahead of Manchester City with 7 matches left in the Premier League. The only top-tier team Chelsea still had to face was Manchester United. Liverpool, Tottenham, Arsenal, and Manchester City had all fallen to Chelsea twice this season.

If mighty Manchester City couldn't secure a win at 3-0, who else could stop Chelsea? No one—except Chelsea themselves.

Chelsea still had the FA Cup and Champions League ahead, so there was a risk of them faltering in this three-front battle. Manchester City might still have a slim chance to catch up, but it was dwindling fast.

While the English media focused on the title race after this crucial match, Su Luo's personal statistics were causing an even bigger stir among fans and commentators alike.

"Mr. 60 Goals! Unprecedented in the Premier League! This Chinese sensation is unstoppable!"

"High-energy from start to finish in his first Premier League season! Captain Huaxia's magical run isn't over yet!"

"60 league goals in a single season? No, he's not done yet!"

After Su Luo orchestrated this thrilling 4-3 comeback with a hat-trick, his league tally had reached 60 goals! And on top of that, he had 30 assists. Su Luo's combined goals and assists outstripped any other players in the league.

The disparity was stark. Before this, top Premier League strikers like Harry Kane and Aguero might have harbored hopes of catching up. But now, they didn't even dare to compete.

60 goals in a single season? That's pure fantasy.

Harry Kane couldn't help but think that even if he took banned substances in every match, he still wouldn't be able to achieve what Su Luo has accomplished. All he could do was admire Su Luo from the depths of his heart.

As for Su Luo, there were no signs of any wrongdoing. He was subjected to a urine test after nearly every game, and the Anti-Doping Committee seemed eager to monitor him 24/7. But even with such scrutiny, Su Luo's stats were impeccable.

Even the most arrogant skeptics couldn't find a way to accuse him of cheating, and with the lessons learned from past scandals, Su Luo was careful not to give them any reason to question his integrity.

With the full support of Chelsea Club, Su Luo could focus entirely on his performance on the field without worrying about off-field issues.

It's worth noting that Su Luo's achievement of 60 goals and 30 assists is even more remarkable than Manchester City's dramatic 4-3 comeback victory.

or the next week, the media, television, and social networks were abuzz with the news. Discussions spread from the Premier League to the Bundesliga, Serie A, La Liga, and Ligue 1. Fans and pundits across the world couldn't stop talking about it.

Su Luo, while at Union Berlin, had already shattered scoring records across all leagues, coming close to breaking even the legendary Dixie Dean's record. Back in the 1927-28 season, Dean had set the seemingly unbreakable record of 60 goals in a single season for Everton, in an era without the offside rule. That record had stood as an insurmountable peak for decades.

But now, Su Luo was once again on the brink of rewriting history. With 8 rounds remaining in the Premier League, even one more goal would etch his name into the annals of football history, leaving Su Luo as the only peak left in world football, a summit no one else could surpass.

The hype around Su Luo had reached a fever pitch, with countless TV stations vying to have him on their shows. Major networks like the BBC and Sky Sports pulled out all the stops, sending glamorous hosts to lure him with flirty invitations. Their words dripped with ambiguity, as if offering him whatever he wanted in exchange for an appearance.

But Su Luo firmly rejected every offer.

"I'm a serious player. This is a critical moment for the team as we push for the championship. I need to stay focused on the game."

Ironically, just after turning down the TV stations, paparazzi snapped photos of Su Luo at a nightclub, dancing away.

"Link_start!"

On the second night after the dramatic comeback against Manchester City, Su Luo hit the dance floor again, trying to tap into the illusion that had helped him secure the last-minute, long-range free kick. While Su Luo was confident in his ability to score from distance—he was about 50% sure—it was the mysterious power of the illusion that had given him that extra edge, making his success inevitable.

He practiced free kicks daily, honing his accuracy to a high level, but it still couldn't compare to the power of that causality weapon—the ability that ensured the ball would hit the back of the net, no matter what.

Despite his efforts, Su Luo found that he still couldn't fully access the illusion. The only silver lining was that his connection to it had improved slightly. He could now sense a faint trace of the illusion and establish a weak link, though it was far from stable. Perhaps, in moments of extreme focus on the pitch, he could tap into it enough to activate some of his abilities—better than nothing, at least.

The one regret Su Luo had was not being able to use his "Kai Wushuang" ability, which he had unlocked last season in Berlin. It had been left unused during the first half of the season, and by the time he needed it in the second half, the link was severed. If he had been able to activate it against Manchester City, the scoreline would have been 4-0 in the first half, making it impossible for City to mount a comeback.

With just 6 days remaining before Chelsea's Champions League quarter-final clash with defending champions Atletico Madrid, Su Luo wondered if he might be able to activate his abilities in time. He wasn't sure, but he knew he would give his all on the field.

Only 3 days after the 4-3 comeback against Manchester City, Chelsea faced Bournemouth in the 32nd round of the Premier League. With the crucial match against Atletico Madrid looming, Conte opted for a full squad rotation, leaving Su Luo on the bench to watch his teammates.

Bournemouth, lacking attacking prowess, couldn't break through Chelsea's defense. With even Pedro resting, Conte had to turn to U23 player Joao Rodriguez, who was thrown into the starting lineup for the Premier League for the first time. Unfortunately, Rodriguez struggled, barely making an impact on the field.

By the 80th minute, Conte had seen enough. He turned to Su Luo.

"Sue, ten minutes enough for you?"

"Five minutes is all I need."

Su Luo nodded, stretching as he pulled on his number 7 blue jersey. He was certain of one thing—those 3 points were Chelsea's, no doubt about it.

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