THE GREATEST OF ALL TIME
chapter-612

The pressure on Juventus' defense immediately skyrocketed as the ball they had just cleared came back flying towards the box within seconds. Chaos descended, and a few players, like the already-exhausted Stephan Lichtsteiner and Roberto Pereyra, lost the players they were marking.

The lurking and never-tiring Javier Mascherano took advantage of the situation after escaping the harassment of Pereyra. The Argentine timed his run well and met the incoming cross with a thunderous header.

Buffon read the Argentine like an open book and dived the right way. He got his fingertips on the ball, sending it slightly off its trajectory. It pounded off the goalpost and headed towards the left side of the box.

Jordi Alba picked up the pieces and resumed Barcelona's wave of attack. He collected the ball at the edge of the box and squared it back into the area. He sent it on a grounded trajectory across the mouth of the goal, where many Barcelona players were still lurking.

More havoc occurred within Juventus' box as players of both teams pounded forward, heads, chests, hips, or legs first—to connect with the ball. But eventually, Lionel Messi, the Argentine magician, outwitted everyone with his timed run.

Messi abruptly lunged forward and slid in front of one of the Juventus defenders before meeting the cross with an outstretched boot. He skillfully tapped home, using the ball's momentum to ease it past Buffon's outstretched hand and score Barcelona's fifth goal for the night.

"GOOOOOAAAL!" shouted Steve Bower, the commentator, as Messi's strike rippled the net. "Unbelievable! Absolutely unbelievable! Juventus had fought tooth and nail to come back from a three-goal deficit and level the score at 4-4. But just when the game seemed to be heading towards extra time, Messi produced a moment of magic in the 93rd minute to put Barcelona 5-4 ahead! Listen to the noise! With only two minutes of added time left on the clock, the stadium has erupted into a frenzy of excitement and celebration as Messi's goal might have most likely sealed the victory for Barcelona!"

"Wow, I still can't believe it?!" yelled Conor McNamara, the other commentator. "Barcelona has taken the lead with a score of 5 to 4! Juventus put up a great fight, playing some aggressive football, and nearly had Barcelona on the ropes. But then, the legend himself, Lionel Messi, came to the rescue and scored the fifth goal for Barcelona. What a thrilling game!"

"Conor! I have to say that this has been a Champions League final, no – the Champions League finale for the ages," chuckled Bower. "It has had all the tactics, the moments of suspense, the goals, and it's yet to end. Who knows? Maybe Juventus can score the fifth, and the game can head into extra time."

"Wow, that would be absolutely epic – I mean, the kind of thing that becomes the stuff of legends," Conor exclaimed. "Anyway, let's get back to the live action. The Juventus players are about to restart the game. From the looks on their faces and their body language, it's obvious that they haven't given up yet. They still believe they can score within the remaining two minutes and ultimately win the final."

—-

The game resumed, with all the Barcelona players, including Messi, falling back to their half to defend for dear life. The Catalans played like never before and parked the bus before their goal to squash any chances of their unrelenting opponents scoring an equalizing fifth goal.

As for the Juventus players, they all did the opposite. They put their every skill and every ounce of determination on the field of play, hoping to score an equalizer during the remaining one minute or two. They played sharp football that relied on long balls from Pirlo and wing play ending in crosses to bombard Barcelona's box..

But that was not all. The other Juventus midfielders and defenders, like Zachary, Claudio Marchisio, Patrice Evra, and Leonardo Bonucci, also did their part. They all tossed their defensive and midfield duties out of the window and pushed forward like a pack of hunting wolves, hoping to score in those final few minutes.

Zachary, in particular, took his game to another level. He floated out of the crowded midfield and overloaded the left wing. His tactical switch soon paid off during the 96th minute when a just-cleared ball came his way.

He advanced carefully while fully knowing that the chance could be the last for Juventus. Heart racing, he worked with Kingsley Coman in an excellent display of snappy one-twos to cut from the wing and arrive around the edge of the box.

Bracing himself and skipping past Neymar, who was surprisingly in defense, he pulled the trigger. He swung his leg masterfully and smashed the ball, sending it flying towards Barcelona's goal with all the strength he could muster.

‘Please, go in!'

Zachary tightened his fists and watched his shot heading towards the top corner. But just then, he noticed a gloved fist suddenly appearing in the ball's trajectory before sending it out of play for a corner kick. It was, of course, Marc-André Ter Stegen, the Barcelona keeper, who had acted. And he had saved his team from conceding a goal again.

"Damn it!" Zachary let out a frustrated exclamation.

Despite the setback, he refused to give up hope and dashed towards the corner, aiming to take the corner kick swiftly. However, just as he was closing in, the referee's whistle blared loudly, causing him to freeze in his tracks.

The sound echoed throughout the stadium, sending shivers down his spine. He turned around, and his worst fears were confirmed.

The Barcelona players were ecstatic, cheering, hugging each other, and raising their arms in triumph, while his teammates slumped to the ground, their faces etched with disappointment.

The referee had obviously ended the game, and Barcelona had claimed the 2015 Champions League title once again, crushing his dreams.

Zachary was devastated as he turned to look at the jumbotron of the Olympiastadion. As he read the glaring red letters that showed Barcelona had emerged victorious over Juventus with a score of 5:4, he couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment.

The once vibrant world around him seemed to have turned dull, and he felt an overwhelming wave of sadness wash over him, leaving him with no constructive thoughts. The weight of the loss was too heavy to bear, and he sank to his knees on the pitch, staring at the final score listlessly. A single tear streamed down his cheek as he grieved over the loss.

As he kneeled there, lost in his own thoughts, his emotions were all over the place. But just then, he felt a comforting hand patting his shoulder.

When he looked up, he saw some of his coaches standing behind him, including the likes of Max Allegri and Maurizio Trombetta. Even though they looked crestfallen after losing in the final, their eyes were focused on him, filled with concern and empathy.

Coach Allegri nodded at Zachary with a warm smile and another reassuring pat on the shoulder. "Great job, Zachary!" he exclaimed. "You and your teammates played your hearts out today, and it showed. Although we didn't come out victorious, I want you to remember that you gave it your all out there. Your hard work and determination were clearly evident in your performance today."

He continued, "Let's not let this defeat bring us down. Instead, let's use it as motivation to achieve even greater victories in the future. Remember, every loss is just another opportunity to come back stronger. Keep pushing forward, Zachary."

Zachary nodded in agreement, feeling slightly dejected but also proud of his team's effort. He exchanged a few words with Coach Allegri and the other coach before slowly walking toward the sidelines to join his teammates. Despite the loss, he knew they had all given it their best shot, and they would come back even stronger next time.

The rest of the evening was a blur for Zachary. He mechanically went through the motions while receiving his loser's medal and Champions League golden boot.

Despite countless congratulatory and consolation messages from his teammates and opponents, he was still dejected as he watched Barcelona lift the coveted trophy. He knew that he had lost the game, but he was determined to use this defeat as a driving force to further his career.

As he clutched his golden boot and match ball, which he had earned by scoring a hat trick, Zachary walked towards the dressing room, lost in deep thought.

The stadium was still buzzing with noise, but his mind was elsewhere. He knew that he would never forget this moment, but he swore to use it as a motivation to work harder and win the Champions League trophy for his team.