Chapter 402: Pirlo

The issue of the photo album eventually went unresolved—none of the Milan players were able to get their hands on Suker's computer.

But the obsession lingered.

So, the Milan players took their revenge by uploading some of Suker's embarrassing photos to YouTube.

Pirlo was the first to strike—he posted a six-photo compilation of Suker's goofy moments.

The album was titled: "This is your so-called superstar striker!"

Each photo was more ridiculous than the last. Combined with Suker's fame, the post was instantly shared far and wide.

Milan fans were absolutely loving it.

But soon enough, Suker struck back.

Just one photo.

A photo of Pirlo's bare butt taken after a match in the showers.

Title: "Such a white butt!"

Fans went crazy laughing.

It was a back-facing, bare-bottom shot of Pirlo.

Whether it was the lighting or something else, his butt actually looked fair and smooth.

As a result, Pirlo earned himself a new nickname:

"White-Butt"

Round one: Suker wins.

Gattuso followed up with his own attempt.

But his photography skills were lacking, and fans widely criticized his blurry and poorly timed shots.

Naturally, Suker didn't let that slide.

He posted two pictures:

One of Gattuso fishing.The second—an empty bucket.

Caption: "Even the fish hate ugly people."

That precise strike completely broke Gattuso's mental defenses.

For two days, Suker was hunted across the training ground, yelling "You guys just can't take a joke!"

After these two lessons, Milan's meme war finally died down. No one dared provoke Suker again without absolute confidence.

God knows how much "ammo" that guy still had stockpiled.

Milan was all laughter.

Bayern Munich, meanwhile, was caught between spectating and stressing out.

Watching Milan's lighthearted team atmosphere, they even questioned whether they were being too uptight—after all, Milan didn't seem like they were gearing up for a major battle.

But Bayern knew better—Milan had every reason to be confident.

Even today, the phrase "Eat, sleep, beat Bayern" still held true.

Three days passed quickly.

Milan continued refining their "dog-chasing-frisbee" tactic.

And honestly, it worked very well for them.

Especially with players like Suker and Kaká, whose explosiveness and attacking threat, when combined with Pirlo's precise long passes, put immense pressure on Bayern's defense.

Match Eve:

Bayern Munich arrived at the San Siro.

At the airport, Podolski made bold claims to the media:

"We're here to win. We're putting an end to our embarrassing track record. And I'll show the world who's better"

He called out Suker directly.

Local Milanese media picked up the story instantly.

But Suker didn't respond. Not even a comment.

He knew about it—but didn't see the point in replying.

At Suker's current level, challenges came from everywhere.

Was he supposed to respond to every single person?

And Podolski? What had he done?He was still fighting for a starting spot against Makaay and Pizarro.

You want to trash-talk me? Win a starting spot first.

So Suker ignored him completely.

Meanwhile, the match between AC Milan and Bayern Munich was drawing huge attention.

Especially considering that last season, right here at the San Siro, Bayern had suffered a humiliating loss.

Whenever Bayern played Milan, they always looked like they were out of gas.

This season—would anything change?

That's what fans and media alike were asking.

Headlines like:

"Can Bayern Munich Break the Milan Curse?"

"Can Bayern Withstand the Suker-Kaká Attack?"

Filled the airwaves.

Even the usual anti-Milan voices went quiet.

Why? Because there was nothing left to criticize.

In both the league and the Champions League, Milan had been performing spectacularly.

Especially in Serie A—despite an 8-point deduction at the start of the season, they were still in title contention.

If not for those 8 points, Inter and Roma would be miles behind.

April had arrived.The weather was warm—not too cold, not too hot.

Perfect for outings and sports, making fans even more enthusiastic.

Outside the stadium was still relatively cool, but inside, the sheer number of fans and their roaring chants made the atmosphere hot and heavy.

And in the midst of this intense vibe, the players walked out, hand-in-hand with child mascots.

At first, everything looked normal.

Until Suker stepped out—with a "kid" who was at least 165 cm tall and noticeably chubby.

This "fat ball boy" was tall enough to stand among the players.

"Justin, you're really not fit to be a mascot anymore," Suker sighed.

He used to be a little chubby. Now he was a big chubby.

"I feel great!" Justin replied cheerfully.

Suker rolled his eyes.

You may not feel embarrassed, but I sure do.

But hey—he paid, so Suker couldn't say much.

Suker was, as usual, the center of attention. Even the commentators commented on his oversized ball boy.

Starting Lineups:

AC Milan (4-4-2):

GK: Dida

Defenders: Cafu, Nesta, Maldini, Jankulovski

Midfield: Ambrosini, Gattuso, Pirlo, Seedorf

Forwards: Kaká, Suker

Bayern Munich (4-4-2):

GK: Kahn

Defenders: Van Buyten, Sagnol, Lucio, Lahm

Midfield: Salihamidžić, Ottl, Schweinsteiger, van Bommel

Forwards: Makaay, Pizarro

On the bench, Podolski sat fuming—clearly furious about not being in the starting lineup.

He had been in good form, but coach Hitzfeld trusted the veterans more.

During the winter break, Bayern's former coach Magath was sacked, and Hitzfeld took over. Since then, Podolski saw fewer chances.

What really pissed Podolski off was this:

I talked big, made bold statements—and now I'm benched?!

But he couldn't go against the old coach. He could only seethe.

Still, his eyes never left Suker.Even if he only came on as a sub, he would prove himself.

On the pitch, the players completed the opening ceremony and took their positions.

Milan had the kickoff.

Camera zoomed in on Suker.

Currently leading the Champions League scoring chart, he remained Europe's brightest young star.

Every Milan match had one name front and center—Suker.

The media said Milan had entered the "Suker Era"—and the club didn't deny it.

In fact, they welcomed it. With a talent like him, why wouldn't they?

Even if people joked that Milan had "Suker dependency" or "couldn't play without Suker," the club didn't care.

Because it was working.

At least this season, anyone who faced Milan...was going down.

Milan fans were full of confidence.

Both teams stood poised for kickoff.

Suker and Kaká stood over the ball at the center circle.

Behind them, Pirlo called out:

"I'll send the pass—don't forget to chase it!"

Suker pretended not to hear.

Kaká clenched his jaw and stayed silent.

At first, he was fine with the tactic—but after Suker explained it sounded exactly like "dog-chasing-frisbee," and he was the dog... Kaká was not happy.

Still, putting feelings aside, the tactic was extremely effective.

So they stuck with it.

They couldn't punch their own teammates—so they'd take it out on Bayern Munich.

Whistle!

Suker tapped the ball.

Kaká passed it back.

Both instantly sprinted forward.

Bayern players surged ahead to press Milan.

The first leg of the 2006/2007 UEFA Champions League Quarterfinals had officially begun!