Silence in the Spotlight

Some people click instantly, while others just know from the first glance that they won't get along. During a conversation with Carter, Aldrich found himself quickly warming up to this guy across from him. 

"No, no, no! Impossible! A six-year deal? I wouldn't even consider a four-year deal unless you offer me five million pounds a year in sponsorship." 

"Two point three million pounds per year is already a high offer." 

"Sure, six years ago, thirty thousand pounds in sponsorship was outrageous! But look where we are now!" 

"Do you really think the commercial value of football clubs will continue to rise?" 

"Absolutely! With broadcasting technology advancing, this is just the beginning for football clubs. Don't be fooled by the fact that this year the Premier League's broadcasting contracts have increased more than twofold; the next contract is going to double again. You might believe in Millwall's future, but you're overlooking the market potential."

Although Aldrich felt that Carter was a worthwhile friend after a brief conversation - at least the chat was comfortable - he wasn't about to underestimate the club's future interests. 

The sponsorship offer that Carter presented seemed incredibly high at this time. Plus, he suggested a long-term contract – six years! 

From a conservative viewpoint, this might lock in Millwall's long-term interests, but if the following scenario occurred, Millwall's interests would undoubtedly suffer. 

That scenario is: Millwall makes it into the Champions League every year, meaning they stay in the Premier League's top tier for the next six years. 

Aldrich wouldn't be blinded by immediate profits at the cost of long-term benefits. Historical losses faced by Arsenal serve as a cautionary tale.

When they moved into the new stadium, Arsenal signed an eight-year sponsorship deal for their chest logo. At the time, the 5.5 million pounds sponsorship felt justified given Arsenal's market value and economic environment, especially after the collapse of the football bubble, with many thinking the market was saturated.

At first, Arsenal thought they were neither making nor losing money on this contract, but as time went by, the losses became more and more outrageous. Ultimately, they found themselves earning around £100m less than the rest of the Premier League.

Even if Aldrich signed a six-year deal now, he wouldn't face as much of a loss. But he was that kind of person – meticulous and penny-pinching about the club, and ever since he shifted roles from coach to owner, he displayed a tendency to be a bit frugal. 

Once they moved into the new stadium, all sponsorship deals had to be renegotiated at the new rates.

After a while, Carter realized that Aldrich just couldn't be persuaded or, rather, defeated; he had to admit that Aldrich possessed extraordinary foresight.

The specific terms of the contract would be discussed when Carter returned to London with Adam. Aldrich wouldn't make any promises either; if other competitors showed up offering higher prices, Millwall would obviously choose the option with more revenue.

With still plenty of time until the flight landed, the two pushed work aside and began talking as friends. Aldrich found it surprising that Carter, being British, was actually a fan of Maradona. Aldrich just wore a British exterior; he never felt personally hurt by anything Maradona had done.

Speaking of Maradona, both men shared a sense of melancholy. Just two days prior, Maradona had been the center of attention in the football world, as the Argentine soccer legend officially announced his retirement from the field. 

Aldrich felt like he had made a good friend today, at least because he and Carter were both fans of the beautiful game.

Their admiration for Maradona was limited solely to his on-pitch persona; when it came to Maradona off the pitch, both exchanged bittersweet smiles and shook their heads.

It seemed unlikely that the football world would find another figure so perfectly embodying the angel and devil dichotomy.

When the plane landed in Barcelona, Aldrich and Carter parted ways. Before Aldrich left, Carter wished Millwall good luck at Camp Nou.

As Aldrich stepped outside the airport, he looked up at the clear Spanish autumn sky. Luck? Who can rely on luck for hope?

After arriving in Barcelona, Millwall maintained a low profile, staying at a hotel further from Camp Nou and conducting closed training sessions. Apart from attending the UEFA-mandated pre-match press conference, Aldrich declined all interviews. 

This high-stakes match was being pursued by media from all over. 

Van Gaal had already made his bold statements, yet Aldrich hadn't uttered a single word.

When Aldrich appeared at the press conference, cameras flashed, everyone wanted to capture Aldrich's first visit to Camp Nou. 

What kind of entrance would he make? How would he respond to Van Gaal's disdain? 

Once seated, Aldrich appeared very calm, opening with the same statement in both Spanish and English.

"I will only answer questions regarding today's match. Any questions irrelevant to the match will be met with silence." 

The reporters were frustrated. 

"We came here to see you exchange barbs with Van Gaal!" 

Last season, Aldrich had a particularly strained relationship with the Spanish media, especially the Catalonian press. 

The conflict originated from a debate about the Ballon d'Or and was later exacerbated by Millwall's winning of the European Winners' Cup. 

What amused outsiders was that the Catalonian media had taken offense due to the controversy over whether Ronaldo deserved the Ballon d'Or. However, Ronaldo had only remained at Camp Nou for a single season before moving on to Meazza.

The source of the conflict had vanished, but the rivalry lingered. 

Now, they were siding with Van Gaal, belittling and criticizing Millwall and Aldrich. 

When asked about Van Gaal's comments, Aldrich remained silent. 

As he stated, he wouldn't address any issues unrelated to the match. 

Only when someone asked: "Barcelona's first two matches resulted in one draw and one loss. Do they stand any chance of advancing?" 

Did Aldrich finally respond with a calm expression, "Of course they still have hope. If they defeat Millwall in both matches and Dynamo Kyiv and PSV do not win both of their concurrent matches, Barcelona will hold their fate in their own hands. With two rounds of matches left, they would have an advantage." 

Catalonian reporters smirked, finally feeling that this young coach had said something sensible.

Yeah, that sounds about right.

 Barcelona was just one step away from falling into the abyss.

If they win their next four matches, they would definitely secure advancement with thirteen points. 

Thanks to Millwall putting pressure on Dynamo Kyiv, they minimized any chance of points being lost, making the group situation even more complicated.

"Your tone suggests you're somewhat pessimistic about the two matches against Barcelona. Are you lacking confidence in getting points from them?" 

Aldrich sighed, turned to the press officer, and said, "Can I leave now? I don't want to waste time with idiots." 

As soon as those words left his mouth, he instantly angered the questioner, who was from the *World Sports Daily*. 

"Mr. Hall, are you publicly humiliating me?" 

Ignoring the reporter, Aldrich simply looked at the press officer, who checked the time and shook his head, indicating that their time was not yet up.

Reluctantly, Aldrich turned back and commented, "I don't know how the public views the match between Barcelona and Millwall, but some people think that Millwall should just hand over six points to Barcelona and accept defeat with grace, kneeling before Barcelona in submission. Sorry, but the reality is harsh. Barcelona is a giant of Catalonia, a symbol of this place, representing not just football but also the spirit and fighting spirit of Catalonia. However, that doesn't make them special in the competition or give them the right to dismiss every opponent with arrogance or show a lack of basic respect for foreign teams. A single person can be arrogant, but collectively, that kind of mindset is downright pathological." 

Laughter erupted from everyone except the Catalonian reporters. 

Just a few minutes after feeling down, came the unexpected twist. 

"Who's that arrogant person you reference? Are you implying it's Van Gaal? Mr. Hall, when you first appeared in public, didn't you seem just as arrogant by claiming Millwall was entering a new era? Haha, but in Europe, you're still nobody." 

Catalonian reporters were livid. 

They couldn't understand why they couldn't stand Aldrich. 

A young man daring to criticize the Ballon d'Or and question Ronaldo's nomination, yet yet snatching the trophy from Barcelona's grasp. 

While Aldrich appeared to adopt a humble posture today, it actually seemed as if he was mocking them through his silence. 

No matter how much the reporters asked, Aldrich refused to answer. Some reporters stormed out angrily, while Aldrich occasionally glanced at the press officer. Once given the nod that he could leave, Aldrich stood up and walked away.

Only the Catalonian media disliked him; all other media seemed to love him simply for being newsworthy. 

On match day, players sat in the locker room, staring at Aldrich. 

The atmosphere felt particularly strange. 

Aldrich couldn't take it anymore. 

Half of the players looked at him with determination, while the other half cast sympathetic glances. 

They knew well what had transpired in the news. 

Some players felt a flicker of anger deep within. 

They had fought tooth and nail for their championship achievements, only to see them trampled by others; who could ignore that? 

It was normal to feel this anger, while some mature players remained calm but worried about Aldrich's state. 

From the moment they started prepping for this match up until twenty-five minutes before the game, Aldrich had been too calm. 

It felt as if he were a victim shoved into a corner, hiding his grievances deep inside. 

It made sense; having already made his mark in history as a young coach, it was only natural that he felt hurt by being so easily dismissed. 

Aldrich simply felt that responding aggressively would be unwise. 

With the match yet to take place, pre-match banter had its context, and Aldrich thought that in this case, it was best not to engage in the back-and-forth.

Unexpectedly, his non-response was misinterpreted by the players as "hurt." When he prepared to address the team before the match, an astonishing scene unfolded in the locker room.