Chapter 79

At the Giant Dragon Stadium, if it weren't for the red card shown by the referee at the 25th minute, no one would have known that this was a game with one team playing with fewer players!

As the first half neared its end, the Giant Dragon Stadium emitted an unusually intense noise, a mix of boos, applause, curses, and cheers. The scoreboard in the center of the field displayed a striking number: 1:0! Surprisingly, the team leading was Chelsea, who were playing away and with one man down!

"… Rooney's goal benefited from a precise through ball by Lampard. Of course, Rooney's final shot was also very calm, calmly pushing the ball into the far corner past the advancing Pia. Through this goal, we can't help but marvel again at how, in a passive situation in the first half, the substitution by Jowan Xian had a miraculous effect! The double defensive midfielder combination completely overwhelmed Porto's central attack, and Porto's three forwards clearly lacked the ability to break through or cross from the wings. The game situation was once again controlled by Chelsea."

In the second half, Jowan Xian finally, as everyone had been eagerly awaiting, brought on the Finnish forward Fosse, who had been in excellent form recently.

Who is Fosse? Jowan Xian didn't know in his previous life! This was also why he pursued Gudjohnsen and looked down on Fosse. Generally, the characters he remembered were top or elite players in the football world, and Fosse… had no place in the big clubs.

Fortunately, his recent form was still quite good.

The game continued, and Porto kept trying to break through the midfield blockade. However, in front of Makelele and Geremi, they repeatedly hit a wall and were thwarted. By the 60th minute, their total number of interceptions had reached a staggering 32 times. Clearly, Fernandez had no solution against these two black giants!

On the contrary, Chelsea relied on Rooney and Duff's cut-ins and crosses to repeatedly threaten the opponent's flanks. Especially after Fosse came on in the second half, the pressure on the opponent's penalty area increased sharply. The possession rate also rose from 38% in the first half to 59%!

Finally, Porto's coach adapted! At the 65th minute, he finally brought on the Portuguese rising star Quaresma, intending to emulate Chelsea by abandoning the central push and focusing on wing breakthroughs to create threats.

Quaresma didn't have the fate of a big club, but his performance in Portugal never disappointed. Indeed, the choice to engage Chelsea in the wings improved Porto's situation. A precise cross by Quaresma, combined with Fabiano's charge, created a dangerous situation in front of Chelsea's goal. If it weren't for Cannavaro's goal-line clearance, Fabiano might have changed the score.

Seeing this, the commentator on site, who might not have known that Fernandez was facing the threat of dismissal, lavished praise on the Porto coach without hesitation, saying, "Jowan Xian's substitution changed the game, and Mr. Fernandez's substitution clearly had the same effect! Jowan Xian is magical, and Porto's Fernandez is not weak!"

Porto fans watching on TV turned red with embarrassment, wishing they could find a crack to hide in: "Can you commentate? They are playing with 10 against 11! You're still talking big, is Fernandez your cousin?"

Sure enough, at the 76th minute, Chelsea scored again, giving the commentator who had been praising Fernandez a hard time.

Duff used his individual skills to bypass Porto's left-back Ricardo Costa, crossed the ball from the wing, and the Finnish forward Fosse, living up to expectations, scored an incredible goal from a tight angle, securing Chelsea's victory, 2:0!

Seeing this goal, the commentator on site painfully covered his eyes, feeling his face burn, and quickly changed his tone, adding insult to injury: "This Spanish coach is clearly not suitable for the Champions League! He can at most make a splash in the UEFA Cup, lacking the ability to handle such a big stage! Porto must find a coach like Mourinho to lead the team to continued success. Fernandez, go home, your mom is calling you for dinner!"

In the last ten minutes of the game, Fernandez launched a desperate offensive, starting a frenzied counterattack, but it was ineffective. Chelsea almost capitalized on a counter-attack to score another goal. Finally, with the referee's two short and one long whistle, the last round of Group H in this season's Champions League ended, with Chelsea winning 2:0 away from home, a victory with some suspense but no real danger!

In the other match, Paris Saint-Germain drew with CSKA Moscow, and the final standings of the group were: Chelsea with 18 points at the top; Paris Saint-Germain with 7 points securing a place in the round of 16; defending champions Porto with 5 points in third place, exiting the Champions League; and Moscow in fourth place, suffering a bitter defeat.

Interestingly, the total points of the last three teams were not even as high as Chelsea's.

After the game, Gudjohnsen's red card and Jowan Xian's miraculous substitutions became the focus of English media. Even "anti-Jowan" leaders like The Sun and The Guardian sang praises for Jowan Xian's substitutions.

"Geremi Changes the Game, Fosse Seals the Deal!"

"Substitute Players Keep Jowan Xian's Myth Alive!"

"Double Defensive Midfielders Unstoppable, Defending Champions Exit in Shame."

...

However, unlike the jubilant English media, the Portuguese football industry was in a cold silence. Last year's treble winners, this year's league slump, and Champions League exit were not the Porto they knew!

Sure enough, the next day, Portugal's Record newspaper exposed a piece of news: "Porto has terminated the contract with Spanish coach Victor Fernandez due to the Champions League exit. The club will not pay any breach of contract fees. Currently, Porto is conducting a wide search for a new coach. After the experiences with Del Nido and Fernandez, Porto's management is likely to focus on a Portuguese coach, seeking a true successor to Mourinho. The club will simultaneously announce Fernandez's dismissal and the appointment of the new coach."

Record is the most professional newspaper in Portugal, not like some gossip tabloids that only seek attention. This news quickly sparked a wave of public opinion in the British Isles.

Why?

Because two days ago, Newcastle's coach Souness, who had just faced Jowan Xian, had also been dismissed! Within three days, two coaches were sent packing, and Jowan Xian had become a nightmare for underperforming coaches! They even didn't want to hear the name "Jowan Xian," as if a cannon was about to fire, making them shudder.

After the major European coaches were bombarded, rookie coaches also felt the threat of the cannon.

Compared to the mixed media reactions to Jowan Xian, all English media harshly criticized Gudjohnsen, not only for his goal drought but also for the red card that nearly cost English clubs their honor! This Icelander did not deserve Jowan Xian's trust!

When Jowan Xian was interviewed by the media, he did not mention Gudjohnsen. When asked if the club would impose a fine, Jowan Xian firmly shook his head.

Clearly, he had a more severe measure than a fine!

England has the world's most passionate fans, and with the media's hype, Gudjohnsen quickly became the target of criticism from Chelsea fans. Feeling disheartened, Gudjohnsen believed he had no future in England and submitted a transfer request to the club.

When Kenyon came to the coach's office to discuss Gudjohnsen's transfer request with Jowan Xian, he also mentioned another matter: a transfer offer from Manchester United targeting Geremi, who had performed exceptionally well in the previous Champions League match.

Ferguson and Roy Keane had a falling out, which was now well-known in England. Keane had only played 9 times this season, 5 of which were as a substitute! The lack of depth in midfield made Sir Alex Ferguson urgently need to sign a strong defensive midfielder in the winter.

Winter transfers usually don't come with high fees, so Ferguson had to look for cost-effective players. Chelsea's substitute, Geremi, who had performed exceptionally well, caught Ferguson's attention.

"Ferguson is interested in Geremi?" This surprised Jowan Xian a bit, but since he was even willing to sell Makelele, Geremi was no exception. He asked without hesitation, "How much is Ferguson offering?"

"4.5 million pounds!" Kenyon said through gritted teeth, clearly dissatisfied with the offer. The club had paid 6.9 million pounds to Real Madrid last season, and Geremi had performed well this season, so he should have appreciated in value.

Jowan Xian narrowed his eyes, tapping his fingers on the table in thought. Kenyon watched him anxiously, fearing that Jowan Xian might agree to this losing deal in a moment of heat.

"Alright, I agree!" Jowan Xian slapped his thigh confidently.

"Huh?"

Kenyon was stunned!

Jowan Xian, seeing Kenyon's pained expression, couldn't help but laugh: "No one can take advantage of me, not even Ferguson! Since Roy Keane is already a marginal figure at Manchester United, this winter, I want him to join Chelsea!"

"Roy… Roy Keane?" Kenyon was taken aback.

Jowan Xian said smugly, "Keane is determined to leave, and Manchester United also wants to let go early. We only have one requirement: complete Keane's free release by December, and in January, I will send Geremi to Manchester for 4.5 million pounds! I hate the back-and-forth haggling of Arsenal, so let's make it a straightforward deal!"

"Keane… Keane is good, Keane is good…" Kenyon muttered, already beaming with joy.

(PS: There was a bit of a bug in the group standings in the previous two chapters, so I made some adjustments. Also, the transfer window is coming up. Which player do you think would be a good acquisition?)