Dynasty Awakening: Building My Own Football Empire-Chapter 241: Cowboy in London

The bus drove into London. It was Sunday. The sky was grey. The rain was falling. Stamford Bridge was a huge stadium. It looked like a fortress made of money and glass. It was the home of Chelsea. Michael Sterling sat at the front of the bus. He looked at his phone.

Chelsea vs Barnsley

Squad Value: 1.2 Billion vs 150 Million

Arthur Milton sat next to him. Arthur was eating a bag of jelly babies. He looked nervous. He was shaking.

Boss Arthur said. My hands are shaking. Is it the sugar or the fear.

It is the fear Arthur Michael said calmly. But fear is good. Fear makes you sharp.

At the back of the bus Diego Nunez was singing. He was singing a song about pineapples.

Vladimir Petrovic The Bear was sitting next to him. He was looking out the window at the expensive London houses.

These houses are small Vladimir rumbled. In Serbia my house is small but my garden is big. Here the garden is a postage stamp.

Lorenzo Ricci The Model was checking his reflection in the window.

The humidity is seventy percent Lorenzo whispered. My hair is in danger. It might frizz. If I frizz I cannot cross the ball.

Do not worry pretty boy Diego shouted. If you frizz I will lick your hair. My saliva is like glue.

Lorenzo looked horrified. Please never do that Diego.

They walked into the stadium. The corridors were lined with pictures of legends. Drogba. Lampard. Terry.

The Chelsea players were waiting in the tunnel.

They looked expensive.

Enzo Fernandez had boots that looked like they were made of gold. Moises Caicedo looked like a machine. Cole Palmer was chewing gum and looking relaxed.

They looked at the Barnsley players.

They saw Diego Nunez wearing his socks too high. They saw Vladimir Petrovic who looked like a lumberjack lost in the city. They saw Kaito Tanaka bouncing up and down like a rubber ball.

The Chelsea players smiled. It was a smile that said we will crush you.

Michael Sterling stood by the dugout. He shook hands with the Chelsea manager.

Good luck Michael the Chelsea manager said. You will need it.

We do not use luck Michael smiled. We use chaos.

The referee blew the whistle.

CHELSEA vs BARNSLEY

Minute 1 The game started fast. Chelsea wanted to show their power.

Enzo Fernandez got the ball. He passed it to Caicedo. Caicedo passed it to Nkunku.

The ball moved like a laser.

Barnsley could not touch it.

This is the carousel Arthur Milton groaned on the bench. They are spinning us around. I feel dizzy just watching.

Stay calm Michael shouted. Keep the shape.

Minute 10

Chelsea attacked down the middle.

Christopher Nkunku was fast. He dribbled past Mateo Vega. He dribbled past Leo Stone.

He was running at the defense.

He saw a gap. He pushed the ball forward.

But the gap was a trap.

Vladimir Petrovic stepped out.

The Bear did not run. He just occupied space. He was so wide he blocked out the sun.

Nkunku tried to go around him.

Vladimir extended one arm. He stopped Nkunku. It looked like a father stopping a toddler.

Nkunku fell over.

The referee waved play on.

Strong Vladimir grunted. He passed the ball to Lorenzo.

Lorenzo Ricci controlled it with his chest. He looked elegant.

He looked up. He saw the Chelsea press coming.

Lorenzo did not panic. He fixed his hair with one hand and passed with the other.

The ball went to Kaito Tanaka.

Zoom Zoom Kaito shouted.

The Japanese sprinter took off. He ran past Chilwell.

He was fast. But Chelsea were smart.

Thiago Silva the veteran defender was waiting. He did not run. He just stood in the right place.

Kaito ran into him. Kaito bounced off.

Experience beats speed Silva seemed to say.

Minute 22

Chelsea were relentless. They kept coming.

Cole Palmer got the ball on the right wing.

He cut inside.

Amara tried to stop him. But Palmer was tricky. He did a body feint. Amara went left. Palmer went right.

Palmer looked at the goal.

Jan Visser was ready.

But Palmer did not shoot. He chipped the ball.

It floated over the defense.

Nicolas Jackson was there. He jumped.

Diego Nunez jumped too.

But Jackson was higher. He headed the ball.

It went into the corner.

GOAL. Chelsea 1. Barnsley 0.

Stamford Bridge erupted. The blue flags waved. The fans sang about spending money.

Michael Sterling stood still. He put his hands in his pockets.

Expensive goal Arthur sighed. That goal cost more than our entire history.

It is just one goal Michael said. We have time.

Minute 30

Barnsley tried to fight back.

Mateo Vega The Painter got the ball.

He was the creative genius. He wanted to paint a masterpiece.

He dribbled past Enzo. He dribbled past Gallagher.

He saw Diego Nunez making a run.

Why was Diego making a run He was a defender.

Diego was charging forward like a runaway train.

I AM A STRIKER NOW Diego screamed.

Mateo passed the ball.

Diego controlled it with his knee. It was a clumsy control but it worked.

He was thirty yards out.

SHOOT the away fans shouted.

Diego swung his leg. He hit the ball with maximum power.

The ball flew like a rocket.

It was going towards the top corner.

Robert Sanchez the Chelsea goalkeeper flew. He stretched his hand.

He touched it.

The ball hit the bar.

The sound echoed around the stadium.

NO Diego shouted falling to his knees.

Minute 40

Chelsea 1. Barnsley 0.

Chelsea were controlling the game again. They slowed it down. They kept possession.

They were boring the Misfits to death.

Michael Sterling looked at his bench. He looked at Lukas Weber The Wall.

Lukas Michael said. Warm up.

Lukas nodded. He started doing calculations in his head while he stretched.

On the pitch Kaito Tanaka was getting frustrated. He wanted to run but he had no space.

Lorenzo Ricci was getting annoyed because the Chelsea winger Mudryk kept splashing mud on his white shorts.

This is disrespectful Lorenzo complained. My shorts are designer.

Just play Lorenzo Vladimir rumbled. The mud washes off. The shame does not.

Minute 45

The fourth official held up the board. 2 minutes added time.

Chelsea thought the half was over. They relaxed.

Just for one second.

But a second is a long time for a Misfit.

Jan Visser caught a cross.

Usually a goalkeeper holds the ball. But Jan Visser saw something.

He saw Mateo Vega waving.

Jan threw the ball. A long throw. It went over the halfway line.

Mateo controlled it. He turned.

He saw Kaito Tanaka.

Kaito was on the left wing. He had space.

Go little rocket Mateo whispered.

He hit a pass that sliced through the Chelsea defense.

Kaito saw the ball. He saw the space.

ZOOM ZOOM Kaito screamed.

He activated the boosters. He ran so fast his feet were a blur.

He got to the ball before James.

He was inside the box.

He looked for a pass.

Victor Osimhen was covered. Diego Nunez was still running back from defense.

Kaito had to shoot.

He was small. The goal was big. Sanchez was big.

Kaito closed his eyes. He remembered what Michael told him. Be a zigzag.

He did not shoot straight. He aimed for the near post.

He kicked it. The ball stayed low. It skidded on the wet grass. Sanchez dived. But the ball was too fast. It squeezed under his hand.

It hit the post.

It bounced across the line..

GOAL! Chelsea 1. Barnsley 1.

The away end went crazy.

Kaito Tanaka did a backflip. Then another backflip. Then he started running in circles around the corner flag.

I AM FAST Kaito shouted. YOU CANNOT CATCH THE WIND.

Diego Nunez ran all the way from his own box. He picked Kaito up and threw him in the air.

FLY LITTLE MOUSE Diego roared.

Mateo Vega walked over smiling. He pretended to paint Kaito face.

Lorenzo Ricci checked his hair in the camera lens. It was wet but it was still perfect.

Good goal Lorenzo said. Very efficient.

Michael Sterling punched the air on the sideline.

Yes Michael hissed. That is it. That is the Misfit way.

Pep Guardiola was watching from his home in Manchester. He probably dropped his water bottle.

The referee blew the whistle.

CHELSEA 1 - 1 BARNSLEY

The players walked off.

The Chelsea players looked angry. They were drawing with a team that cost less than their bench.

Enzo Fernandez was arguing with Caicedo.

Vladimir Petrovic walked off calmly. He saw a small daisy growing near the touchline. He stepped around it carefully so he did not crush it.

Respect nature Vladimir muttered.

Michael waited by the tunnel.

He high fived Kaito.

He patted Diego on the sweaty bald head. He nodded at Vladimir.

They went into the dressing room. It was small. It was hot. It smelled of wet socks. But to Michael it smelled like opportunity. He closed the door. He looked at his team. They were wet. They were tired. They were covered in London mud. But they were level with the billion pound giants. Listen to me Michael said softly.

The room went quiet.

They are angry. They are embarrassed. In the second half they will come at us with everything. They will throw money at us.

Let them throw money Diego said taking a bite of a halftime banana. I will throw banana skins.

Exactly Michael smiled. We do not play their game. We play our game.

He looked at Lukas Weber who was ready to come on.

Lukas Michael said. You are the logic. Go in there and destroy their rhythm.

I will disrupt their algorithm Lukas stated.

Michael looked at the rest of them.

Forty five minutes. We can settle for a draw. Or we can be greedy.

I like greedy Victor Osimhen said adjusting his mask. I want three points.

Then let us go get them Michael said.