Football Dynasty-Chapter 552: Time for Revenge

This was the first time Richard had ever decided to bribe someone. In truth, he didn't want to do it. But this time, he couldn't avoid it.

To make sure the FA didn't take a decision that would severely harm Manchester City, and to demonstrate that the club had done everything within its power to control the situation, he had no other choice. If there was any small consolation, it was that this entire chain of events traced back to Carl Morran of the Blazing Squad.

At first, Richard had blamed the Blazing Squad and their associates for the chaos during the derby. The timing was too convenient, and their past made them the easiest suspects.

However, immediately after the match, Carl Morran had sought Richard out to explain himself. Then, by the next day, he had gone even further—successfully identifying every individual and group that had instigated the violence.

"Don't worry," Carl had said calmly. "This time, I've already warned the Blazing Squad to stay completely out of it. I only asked them to investigate, and this is what we found."

Richard had been stunned when Morran handed him the brown envelope. His brows knitted together instinctively. It was only after he opened it and saw what was inside that he finally understood what needed to be done.

After a long moment of silence, Richard reached out and patted Carl Morran on the shoulder.

"I'll trust you this time."

Carl nodded. "Thank you."

How Carl had obtained the photographs and evidence was not Richard's concern. He had no intention of asking, and no desire to know.

What mattered was the result.

Manchester City acted swiftly, ensuring they took action before the authorities imposed sanctions. Sure enough, ahead of the next derby match, the FA quickly issued its disciplinary decisions aimed at decisively addressing the issue.

Roy Keane was shown a straight red card and suspended for three matches, along with an additional four-match ban, bringing his total suspension to seven games. Gennaro Gattuso was also shown a straight red card and received a three-match suspension.

Will they play again in the FA Cup later?

People definitely would not want to miss this.

England's suspension rules differ significantly from those of other European leagues. In England, player suspensions apply across all domestic competitions rather than being separated between league and cup matches. As a result, Gattuso would not miss City's upcoming FA Cup fourth-round match against Manchester United.

"Shit, no!" Richard immediately rejected the suggestion to field Gattuso. They could exploit yesterday's incident to rile the crowd and turn it into a ticket-selling spectacle.

Of course, Gattuso was eligible to play, but Richard was not willing to take that risk. With tensions still high after the events of the previous day, even a single provocation could ignite the stands again. One reckless moment, one mistimed challenge, and the situation could spiral out of control—on the pitch and beyond it. For Richard, protecting the club's stability mattered more than fielding a single player, no matter how important he was to the team.

In addition, the management at Maine Road Stadium was fined £180,000 for failing to control the crowd in the stands. Thankfully, the incident was rapidly de-escalated as Richard personally stepped in to take charge of the situation. He also promised to cover the hospital expenses resulting from injuries sustained by police officers.

Aside from the 283 fans already removed from the stadium, rumors circulated that an unpublished list included over 400 supporters. Those identified on camera clashing with police were said to be facing lifetime bans, effectively barring them from attending any FA-organized matches for life.

Fans involved in violent behavior would also face criminal prosecution.

Regardless, this outcome was considered the best possible result. With the Premier League nearing its finale, imposing severe penalties on both Manchester clubs could have been perceived as favoritism toward another title contender, potentially provoking even greater unrest among supporters.

Manchester United had just suffered a league defeat to Middlesbrough but had won the previous encounter against Manchester City.

With that in mind, Mourinho chose to field his strongest possible lineup, determined to bounce back from the setback and assert dominance in the derby.

Outside the locker room, Mourinho fixed a serious stare on the City players.

"Manchester United are our local derby rivals. If we lose or draw today and Manchester United win, you know what that means, right? To the fans. To Woodgate. This is unacceptable—at least for me. I do not want them to win this match. I cannot allow it."

If today's opponent had not been Manchester United, there would have been no urgent need for Mourinho to put such pressure on his players. However, the circumstances forced him to make them fully aware of the consequences of losing.

Since January, their run had been smooth, and no team had managed to defeat them. They had suffered a loss to Manchester United in the League Cup, but that result hardly mattered. If they were to lose at home to Manchester United today, it would mark their fourth meeting of the season—and City would be losing yet again.

PHWEEEE~

The FA Cup match began!

Richard sat in the Old Trafford lounge, propping his chin on his hand, his expression serious as he observed the game with calm nonchalance.

From the very start, Manchester United took the initiative, launching relentless attacks but failing to turn their pressure into goals.

Manchester City, after adjusting their approach under Mourinho's psychological gamesmanship, had clearly gained valuable experience from the previous match—especially in defense, which now looked sharper and more disciplined.

Today, their focus on defensive solidity was even more pronounced. The three midfielders—Pirlo, Makélélé, and Zidane—were active and aggressive in their challenges, frequently dropping back to shield the defense.

United were forced to rely on crosses from the wings, registering zero shots on target and struggling to create even long-range opportunities.

City's attacking focus today was Ronaldinho, supported up front by Ronaldo and Pires.

Manchester City's transition from defense to attack was direct and efficient. Ronaldinho seemed to be everywhere, distributing the ball whenever possible. When closely marked, he simply solved the problem himself. After all, Butt was the only United midfielder consistently tracking back as City launched a series of ferocious counter-attacks.

Roy Keane, as expected, was not selected by Ferguson.

The Manchester United players were clearly working hard, but the attacking line simply wasn't delivering.

Andy Cole and Dwight Yorke led the line for United today.

Seeing them struggle, Richard instinctively glanced toward the United bench.

"Ole…"

Seeing his City player struggling, Richard could not help but let out a soft sigh. The baby-faced striker had endured an injury-plagued season, and his goal tally reflected it—far below expectations.

Manchester United continued to rely heavily on their wing play to penetrate dangerous areas, but time and again their attacks fizzled out at the final moment. The Yorke–Cole partnership, usually so lethal, failed to deliver on this occasion.

So what, exactly, was Manchester United still missing?

In this match, if Ferguson had asked Richard for his opinion, he would have answered without hesitation: Roy Keane and Paul Scholes.

Without them, United's midfield lacked both steel and creativity. Richard couldn't understand what Ferguson had been thinking by entrusting the center of the park to a Sheringham–Butt pairing. It left the team unbalanced—too passive defensively and too limited going forward.

Well, it was also possible that Ferguson didn't want to take any risks. Keane's recent performances had been inconsistent, and Scholes, for all his brilliance, lacked the tackling ability needed for a physically intense match. So Ferguson chose a safer solution.

What United needed was a lethal combination in midfield: someone who could act as a temporary playmaker and connect the wings to the attack, paired with a player with positional discipline and defensive reliability. 𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

Butt offered exactly that—solid positioning, dependable tackling, and deep familiarity with United's system. Sheringham, on the other hand, brought exceptional football intelligence and strong link-up play.

On paper, it made sense.

In reality, it lacked bite.

As the first half drew toward its close, United pushed forward in search of one final attack. Gary Neville surged up the right to provide support, but his cross was read perfectly and cut out by Materazzi.

Without hesitation, Materazzi slipped the ball into Pirlo's feet. Sheringham was supposed to be tight on him, but Pirlo ghosted away before the maestro could even be closed down.

Sheringham reacted a fraction too late, failed to follow Pirlo's movement, and in doing so left a pocket of space at the heart of United's midfield.

That was all Pirlo needed.

With his head already up, the Italian quarterback unleashed a sweeping long pass, instantly bypassing United's midfield line.

City pounced. What had begun as a routine interception turned into a lightning-fast transition, defense morphing into attack with ruthless precision.

In that instant, the momentum flipped.

Sheringham lacked defensive intensity here.

"Good!" Richard stood up.

Just as he had expected, without Keane and Scholes, United were a different team.

First, Nicky Butt—though a senior player at United—didn't possess Keane's authority or control. He needed a partner who could help with the build-up. In theory, Sheringham was meant to fill that role, but Butt's limited progressive passing left Sheringham overwhelmed. With no one dictating the tempo, United became disjointed and frantic.

Richard glanced toward the United bench and saw Ferguson angrily kicking the bottle he was holding. It was the first time Richard had ever seen Ferguson this furious.

He could guess why.

If Richard could see the root of the problem, then a manager like Ferguson would have realized it long ago.

"Oh, that's a loose touch in midfield—Pirlo's picked it up… and here's Ronaldinho."

Pirlo's pass found Ronaldinho between the lines.

"Look at the space… no one's gone with him."

With his first touch, Ronaldinho carried the ball laterally, drawing defenders and creating space. Spotting Zidane's movement, he slipped a short pass and immediately darted forward. Zidane returned it with a clever one-two, leaving Gary Neville wrong-footed on the edge of the box.

"Ronaldinho drifting across the pitch… lovely little exchange with Zidane—Neville's been sold!"

Breaking past Neville, Ronaldinho accelerated and combined again—this time with Ronaldo—exchanging another rapid one-two that split United's back line. Jaap Stam stepped out to close the gap, but the speed and precision of the passing dragged him out of position.

The City fans rose to their feet, the roar swelling as the move unfolded.

"Stam's been dragged out! Schmeichel's coming!"

Ronaldinho burst into the penalty area. Peter Schmeichel charged off his line, arms spread wide—but Ronaldinho stayed calm. With a gentle touch of the instep, he rolled the ball across goal and into the far corner.

"RONALDINHO—OH THAT IS ABSOLUTELY SUBLIME!"

Manchester United 0 - 1 Manchester City!

BOOM!

After scoring, Ronaldinho shook his head with a wide grin and raised his arms, performing his signature celebration toward the away end. Old Trafford erupted—not in unison, but in shock and disbelief.

City supporters lost themselves in the moment, roaring his name. They adored this Brazilian magician—his effortless footwork, elastic movement, and joyful confidence made them believe one thing without doubt: Ronaldinho was destined to become the king of Manchester City.

Wait—wasn't that wrong?

The next king of Manchester City?

Had they already forgotten Ronaldo?

True, this season he had struggled, burdened by all kinds of problems off the pitch, distractions that had nothing to do with football. But everyone knew the truth: when the Alien finally awakened, no defense in the world could stop him.

Across the stadium, the Manchester United fans stood frozen. Many clutched their heads in despair, their faces mirroring Sir Alex Ferguson's on the touchline—a painful mixture of anger, frustration, and disbelief.

Had United not beaten City at home in the previous match, this defeat might have been easier to swallow. But this—this was different.

This was supposed to be their night.

They had come expecting dominance, expecting to reassert their authority over their city rivals once more. Instead, everything unraveled in ways they never anticipated. The rhythm was gone. The control was missing. And worst of all, City were playing with confidence—almost with joy.

This wasn't the Manchester United they believed in.

And that realization hurt far more than the scoreline itself.

PHWEEEE—

As the halftime whistle blew in the FA Cup quarter-final, Mourinho was the first to turn and stride toward the dressing room, already deep in thought. Richard followed shortly after, walking in silence. He said nothing, choosing instead to observe and enjoy the process of the halftime team talk.

At first, Richard's presence had made some people uncomfortable—especially the players. An owner standing so close to the team was never easy to ignore. But with time and experience, they came to understand that Richard truly did not interfere in football matters.

He never questioned selections. Never challenged tactics.

Gradually, even Mourinho's newly appointed staff relaxed. They stopped paying attention to Richard altogether, treating him as part of the background—someone who watched, listened, and trusted the professionals to do their work.

Based on Mourinho's instructions, the tactics remained unchanged. Instead, he emphasized controlling the tempo in midfield during the second half—using Manchester United's urgency to score against them and striking back at the right moment.

In a match like this, the last thing you want is for your opponent to read your intentions. It was no secret that Manchester United would come out attacking, just as City had done in their previous encounter, driven by the pressure to close the gap in points.

Away from home, United's defensive structure grew increasingly fragile as they committed more men forward. While the intensity of their direct attacks was immense, every forward surge left space behind—space that could be punished on the counter.

As the second half kicked off, the players returned to the pitch. Richard also made his way back to the directors' box and took his seat, his expression calm and unreadable.

Ferguson, on the other hand, couldn't sit still. From the opening whistle of the second half, he patrolled the touchline, barking instructions and urging his players to keep pressing City's defense.

The Red Devils were throwing everything forward, launching wave after wave of attacks.

City, however, remained composed. United's famed wings were active down the flanks, stretching the pitch and delivering crosses—but for all their movement, the final threat was lacking. City's defense held firm, absorbing the pressure and waiting patiently for the moment to strike.