After Rob Palmer finished speaking, referee Anthony Taylor blew the whistle for the penalty to be taken.
At the penalty spot, Theodore Bjorn kept his eyes fixed on Neuer, while Neuer stared right back at him from the goal line.
The Allianz Arena filled with desperate whistles, but Theodore remained calm, took a deep breath, and began his slow run-up.
Just before striking the ball, he added a slight pause to his motion, disrupting Neuer's rhythm at the crucial moment.
Bang!
The next second, Theodore sent the ball toward the left side of the goal, while Neuer dived in the opposite direction.
The ball flew firmly into the net.
5–1.
Real Madrid had scored again.
"Theodore scores! A hat-trick at the Allianz Arena!" Rob Palmer shouted. "He sends Neuer the wrong way, and Real Madrid now have five against Bayern Munich!"
"That is ice-cold from Theodore," Terry Gibson said. "The pause in the run-up breaks Neuer's timing, and once the goalkeeper commits, the finish is simple for a player with that level of composure."
"Real Madrid lead Bayern Munich 5–1," Rob continued. "The defending champions have been completely dismantled in their own stadium."
Once the score became 5–1, all suspense disappeared from the match.
A few minutes later, Anthony Taylor blew the final whistle.
Real Madrid had demolished Bayern Munich 5–1 away from home at the Allianz Arena, with Theodore finishing the night with a hat-trick and two assists.
For Madrid, this was a victory that almost pushed them through the gates of the Champions League final, while for Bayern, it was a humiliating collapse on their own pitch.
📱 @MadridistaHQ ✔
Hat-trick and two assists at the Allianz. Theodore has just delivered one of the greatest Champions League semifinal performances in years.
| ↳ 📱 @BlancoPulse
| Reply: He scored, assisted, defended Lewandowski, won headers, created counters, and controlled the whole match. Complete domination.
📱 @BayernZone ✔
5–1 at home in a Champions League semifinal. I have no words. This is humiliation.
| ↳ 📱 @MiaSanMiaTalk
| Reply: We talked about Lewandowski vs Theodore all week, and Theodore answered in the cruelest possible way.
📱 @UCLMadridista ✔
Theodore at the Allianz: three goals, two assists, Lewandowski locked down, and Bayern destroyed. That is Ballon d'Or proof.
| ↳ 📱 @NeutralUCLFan
| Reply: That performance will be remembered for years.
After the match, Spanish media outlets rushed to publish their reports, all heavily praising Theodore's brilliant performance.
📰 AS: Nineteen-Year-Old Ballon d'Or Winner Conquers Munich! Theodore Destroys Bayern With a Perfect Performance!
📰 MARCA: Another Night Belonging to Theodore! Madrid's New Number Ten Crushes Bayern With Three Goals and Two Assists!
📰 Madrid Sports: From Ballon d'Or Debate to Allianz Destruction — Theodore Bjorn Silences Lewandowski and Bayern!
📰 Mundo Deportivo: The New Hope of World Football! As Messi and Ronaldo Age, Theodore Bjorn Marches Toward His First Champions League Crown!
📰 Diario Sport: One-Sided at the Allianz! Theodore Tears Bayern Apart in Attack and Locks Down Lewandowski in Defense!
📰 Sky Sports: Madrid Demolish Defending Champions! Theodore Masterclass Leaves Bayern on the Brink!
📰 Kicker: Bayern Humiliated at Home! Theodore Bjorn Turns the Allianz Into His Personal Stage!
One week later, the two teams would return to the Bernabéu for the second leg.
At the same time, the other Champions League semifinal had also ended, with Manchester City defeating Paris Saint-Germain 2–0 at home.
Judging from the current scores, Real Madrid and Manchester City were very likely to meet in the Champions League final.
After the match, Madrid's players did not immediately return to Spain.
Instead, they stayed in Munich for one more day before taking a flight back to the Iberian Peninsula at noon the next day.
Next, Madrid welcomed Sevilla at home.
In this match, Zidane chose to continue using his strongest lineup, clearly unwilling to let the team's winning streak end before the decisive stage of the season.
After the match began, Theodore and Benzema, Madrid's two super scorers, relied on their individual ability one after another to break through Sevilla's goal with long-range strikes.
2–0.
That score remained unchanged until the final whistle.
Real Madrid won again!
Two days later, Madrid faced Real Sociedad once more in the second leg of the Copa del Rey semifinal.
Since Madrid had already taken a massive lead over Real Sociedad in the first leg, Zidane did not send out his strongest lineup this time.
Instead, he used a half-main, half-rotated squad, with absolute starters such as Theodore and Modrić not even included in the matchday squad.
After all, in three days, Real Madrid would host Bayern Munich.
Although Madrid had destroyed Bayern 5–1 in the first leg, that did not mean they could treat the second leg carelessly.
Compared with the Copa del Rey, Zidane naturally placed more importance on the Champions League clash.
But even with a half-strength lineup, Madrid's attacking power was still extremely sharp.
The first half had not even ended, but Real Madrid were already leading Real Sociedad 3–0.
The current Madrid had become a true team of kings, and even when their biggest stars rested, the machine continued to run smoothly.
After the second half began, the young Vinícius scored again through a fast counterattack, breaking through Real Sociedad's goal once more.
In the end, the score was fixed at 4–0.
Real Madrid successfully reached the Copa del Rey final.
And in the final, their opponent would still be Barcelona.
In other words, Madrid would have the chance to beat Barça four times in one season.
📱 @MadridistaHQ ✔
Copa del Rey final confirmed. Madrid vs Barcelona again. We might actually beat them four times in one season.
| ↳ 📱 @BlancoPulse
| Reply: Barça fans thought the Clásico pain was over, but Madrid have one more meeting waiting for them.
📱 @LaLigaCentral ✔
Real Madrid rested Theodore and Modrić, yet still beat Real Sociedad 4–0. This squad depth is terrifying.
| ↳ 📱 @CulerPain
| Reply: Imagine reaching a final and your reward is Theodore's Madrid. No thanks.
...
In the blink of an eye, time reached May 8.
At the Bernabéu, Real Madrid welcomed Bayern Munich for the second leg of the Champions League semifinal.
In the first leg, Madrid had defeated Bayern 5–1 away from home, which meant they had already taken complete control of the tie.
Tonight, for the Bundesliga giants, there was no other choice. They had to fight with their backs against the wall.
At the pre-match press conference, Bayern head coach Flick had sworn that he would lead Bayern to an incredible comeback at Madrid's home ground.
However, dreams were beautiful, while reality was cruel.
"Welcome to the Santiago Bernabéu," Rob Palmer announced. "Real Madrid hold a 5–1 lead from the first leg, but Bayern Munich arrive knowing they must produce one of the greatest comebacks in Champions League history."
"It is a huge mountain to climb," Terry Gibson said. "Bayern need goals, and they need them quickly. But the problem is obvious. If they open up too much, Theodore Bjorn will have space, and we saw at the Allianz what happens when he has space."
Less than five minutes after kickoff, Bayern conceded again.
Theodore relied on his individual ability in midfield, breaking through repeatedly even as Bayern tried to stop him by force.
Javi Martínez and Kimmich both attempted to foul him, but neither could halt his momentum.
After powering through the pressure, Theodore charged toward the top of the penalty arc and unleashed a long-range strike.
Bang!
The ball flew like a cannonball, bending quickly toward the corner of the goal.
Neuer had no answer and could only watch as the shot tore into the net.
1–0.
Madrid had taken the lead at home.
On aggregate, Real Madrid now led Bayern Munich 6–1.
"Theodore again!" Rob shouted. "Five minutes at the Bernabéu, and Bayern's comeback dream has already taken a brutal hit."
"That is the worst possible start for Bayern," Terry said. "They needed an early goal of their own, but instead Theodore drives through midfield and scores from distance again. With the aggregate score now at 6–1, this tie looks almost impossible."
At this point, Bayern had no way out.
They could only fight to the death.
After the restart, Bayern's players began launching frequent high crosses into the penalty area.
Kingsley Coman, Sané, and the others kept sending the ball into the box, trying to rely on Lewandowski's heading ability to break through Madrid's goal.
But Madrid still used Theodore to mark Lewandowski.
Every time Lewandowski tried to compete for a header, Theodore would get there at the first opportunity, using his strength, timing, and positioning to disrupt the Bayern striker before clearing the danger.
"Another cross toward Lewandowski, and Theodore clears again," Rob called.
"It is becoming a nightmare for Lewandowski across these two legs," Terry said. "Bayern keep trying to find him in the air, but Theodore is matching him every time. He has been defending like a center-back while still carrying Madrid's attack."
After attacking desperately for ten straight minutes, Bayern's spirit gradually began to fade.
The more experienced Madrid players seized that moment and suddenly raised the tempo.
Theodore slid in cleanly to steal the ball from Kimmich's feet, then immediately displayed his improved technique with a penetrating through ball that tore open Bayern's defensive line.
Benzema charged into the box, met the pass with one touch, and finished calmly.
2–0!
Madrid led Bayern again.
On aggregate, Real Madrid led 7–1.
"Benzema scores, and Theodore creates it again!" Rob shouted. "Seven-one on aggregate, and Bayern Munich are being taken apart."
"That is the tie finished," Terry said. "Kimmich loses it, Theodore wins it, and the through ball is perfectly weighted. Benzema does not need a second touch. Madrid are ruthless."
That goal basically killed all suspense.
For Bayern Munich, playing away from home, defeating Real Madrid now required at least six more goals, and scoring six at the Bernabéu was almost impossible.
By the time the first half ended, the entire Bayern team already looked as if they wanted to give up.
As head coach, Flick was helpless too.
He had already exhausted every option.
He had tried pressing, crosses, physical duels, and relying on Lewandowski, but nothing had worked because whenever Bayern found half a chance, Theodore appeared to cut it out, and whenever Bayern pushed forward, Theodore punished the space behind them.
For Flick, there was no solution left.
There was only the cruel reality of the scoreboard.
Real Madrid 2–0 Bayern Munich on the night.
7–1 on aggregate!
The Champions League final was now within touching distance!
---------
Read 30 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator