859 Madrid (1/2)

The team flew from Birmingham to Madrid after undergoing training for four days at their training grounds at Wilford. Twain was very familiar with Spain's capital. He had been in Madrid numerous times before.

The moment the team stepped out of the airport, they could tell that the city was gearing up for the Champions League Final. Promotional banners and posters were hung everywhere, on the walls, by the sides of the roads, all the way to the hotel that they were staying in. The team might not have set foot in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium yet, but they could already envision the sort of scenes that they would see there.

As well as the promotional banners and posters for the Champions League Final, the team flags of the two finalist teams were also hung throughout the city. There were significantly more Real Madrid flags than Nottingham Forest flags. This was normal since they were playing in Madrid. This is the home team advantage that Real Madrid got to enjoy. If they had been playing in a neutral venue, however, the number of team flags would be pretty much the same for both teams.

The entire city of Madrid was basking in excitement over Real Madrid's qualification for the Champions League Final. The Real Madrid fans all believed that their team had an 85 percent chance of winning the match. Their beliefs were not unfounded. Real Madrid would be playing on their own home grounds, and the fact that they were playing in the Bernabéu Stadium would undoubtedly spur the players on and make them play at their best. After all, it is not often that a team gets to play on their own home grounds in the Champions League Final.

As the bus that Forest rode on drove past the downtown area of the city, the team saw numerous Real Madrid fans congregating in the streets. These same sights could be seen throughout the city, and their numbers would only increase as the day for the Final drew closer. The Real Madrid fans waved at them upon seeing the bus. They did not appear to be hostile, and there didn't appear to be any tension in the air either. However, Twain knew very well that the expressions on those fans' faces could change the moment his team created trouble for Real Madrid. It was not as if he had not heard the ear-splitting boos from the Real Madrid fans in the Bernabéu Stadium before. He knew that they were capable of showing hostility toward opposing teams.

Nonetheless, boos would not perturb Twain in the slightest, since he was someone who attracted boos wherever he went, and he had grown used to them.

”Look at that. Look at how they are smiling at all of you. Wave back, lads. You are not going to see such amiable smiles during the match for sure,” Twain said to his players. Laughter instantly rang out within the bus.

The bus turned and stopped before the entrance to the hotel. There were many reporters who were already waiting before the doors. Reporters from all over the world had gathered here in Madrid to provide the fans with timely updates regarding the Champions League Final.

The Forest players have all grown used to being in the spotlight and seeing large crowds of reporters surrounding them. Thus they paid the reporters no mind when they alighted from the bus and walked straight into the hotel. Some of the more popular players were still stopped by the reporters, however. They were asked a few questions, but the reporters quickly changed their target when they noticed that Tony Twain had finally alighted from the bus after everyone else, and they collectively flocked over toward him. Twain felt as though he was looking at a pack of drooling wolves when he saw the reporters charge at him. He whistled in response.

”Mr. Twain, is this your first time playing a match in the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium?”

”I don't know. I don't remember.”

”Can you predict the results of the match?”

”Sorry, I have never predicted the results of any match.”

Twain might have said that, but the reporters did not think that he was speaking the truth. They had their ways to make him talk.

”Mr. Twain, I'd like to congratulate you for achieving the Double by clinching both the Premier League trophy and the FA Cup trophy. So…are you confident of clinching your third trophy?”

”We made it into the final. How could we be fighting for second place?” Twain flung his hands out. He said he was not going to predict the results of the match earlier, but didn't he just predict the match with those words of his?

The reporters laughed in satisfaction.

”How would you describe Real Madrid as a team? They too have won the league title this season…”

”Real Madrid is a very strong team. They are the strongest team in Spain. I am very happy that we can face such an opponent in the finals and not some other never-heard-of-before team.” Twain appeared to have shown enough respect for Real Madrid.

”Are you worried that the stress of achieving the Treble would affect your team's performances now that you are so close to achieving it?”

Twain smiled. ”I am worried about them not being able to sleep well at night. I'm also worried that they will get injured during the match. And I'm also worried that our plane back to England could be a little late… But, I've never worried about them performing badly on the pitch. Performing badly? What the h*ll is that?” Twain oozed confidence as he dealt with the reporters' questions with ease. If there were any of his fan girls standing nearby right now, they would have shrieked in joy at his behavior.

”You look like you are full of confidence, Mr. Twain. We all know that Franck Ribéry was a player whom you brought over to England from the French Ligue 2. But he has betrayed you now…”

Twain cut the reporter off. ”I'm sorry. This is something that happened many years ago. Please do not ask questions that have nothing to do with the match.”

”Uh…are you worried that he will score against you in the Final?” The reporter hesitated for a moment before phrasing his question as one that seemed to have something to do with the Final.  Find authorized novels in Webnovel，faster updates, better experience，Please clickfor visiting.

”He is a Real Madrid player right now. Would it be surprising if he scored against me?” Twain looked at the reporters who had anticipation written all over their faces and paused, ”He is a brilliant player, and he has performed well in Real Madrid. I am very pleased to know that I didn't make the wrong judgment back then.” When he finished speaking, he pushed away the reporters and moved toward the security guards. He was then escorted into the hotel by them.

”Mr. Twain! I still have another question…”