104: Chapter 104 The Supreme Ruler! 5 goals in 8 minutes and 56 seconds: A miraculous return of the king in the Europa League.

London, Yu Bai's villa.

The night before departing for Florence, Italy.

In the softly lit bedroom, Wen Wan was crouched before an open suitcase, skillfully and meticulously organizing Yu Bai's clothing, protective gear, daily necessities, and those essential nutritional supplements for his trip.

Her expression was focused, as if she were performing a sacred ritual.

Yu Bai leaned against the doorframe, quietly watching her busy back.

The warm yellow light outlined her soft shoulder lines and lowered eyelashes, and the air was filled with a tranquil and warm domestic atmosphere.

For the past two months, she had been in this villa, just like this, attending to every detail of his life, accompanying him through the most difficult period of his rehabilitation.

He recalled the loneliness of her keeping watch at home alone during the Spring Festival, and the fragility and longing that flashed in her eyes when she mentioned "home".

A soft place in his heart was gently touched.

"Wen Wan."

Yu Bai spoke suddenly, his voice appearing exceptionally clear in the quiet room.

Wen Wan's movements paused, and she turned her head, looking at him with some confusion.

Yu Bai touched his nose, his gaze shifting, seemingly trying to figure out how to phrase his words. Finally, he used a tone that sounded very "straight-male" and "work-related":

"That... this time going to Italy, you should come along too."

"Um... I've just returned, and for the first match, I might..."

He paused, finding an excuse he deemed reasonable, "I might need your help. For example, post-match physical therapy, or dietary adjustments, that sort of thing."

He spoke somewhat haltingly, his eyes not daring to look directly at Wen Wan, as if it were truly just for "work needs".

However, Wen Wan, looking at his attempt to cover up and pretend to be calm, was stunned at first. Then, a knowing, infinitely gentle smile rippled through her emerald green eyes, as if a spring breeze had melted an icy lake.

How could she not understand?

What "need help", what "post-match therapy", were all excuses.

It was this young man, who appeared mature and calm on the outside and dominated on the pitch, using his unique, clumsy, and sincere way to care for her, to respond to her loneliness during the Spring Festival, and to invite her—to walk into the more important moments of his career and life.

He had noticed her being cooped up at home for two months and wanted to take her out for a walk, see different scenery, and share the excitement of his return to the pitch. It was just that he couldn't say those sweet words, and could only express it in this awkward "work-related" way.

This "straight-male-like tenderness" was more heartwarming to Wen Wan than any flowery language.

She didn't expose him, nor did she ask further. She just nodded gently, a bright and satisfied smile blooming on her face, her voice soft yet firm:

"Okay."

"I'll go prepare my luggage."

A single "Okay" contained all her appreciation, understanding, and joy.

Yu Bai watched her eyes and smile light up instantly, and he breathed a sigh of relief, the corners of his mouth lifting involuntarily.

He turned and walked towards the training room, dropping a sentence: "Mm, hurry up and pack."

February 18, 2016, Italy, Florence.

The gem of the Renaissance was now shrouded in the smoke and fanaticism of European football.

By evening, the area outside the Stadio Artemio Franchi was already bustling, with waves of purple and white clearly distinct, yet clashing fiercely in the air.

This stadium, named after the former president of the Italian Football Federation, had witnessed countless classic battles, and tonight, it would usher in the prelude of a legend.

Europa League Round of 32, first leg, Fiorentina vs Tottenham Hotspur.

Starting lineups:

Fiorentina (3-5-2): Ciprian Tatarusanu (GK) / Gonzalo Rodriguez, Davide Astori (Captain), Facundo Roncaglia / Marcos Alonso, Borja Valero, Matias Fernandez, Matias Vecino, Jakub Blaszczykowski (Kuba) / Federico Bernardeschi, Nikola Kalinic.

Tottenham Hotspur (4-2-3-1): Hugo Lloris (Captain, GK) / Kieran Trippier, Toby Alderweireld, Kevin Wimmer, Ben Davies / Tom Carroll, Ryan Mason / Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, Yu Bai / Son Heung-min.

Mauricio Pochettino made rotations, Harry Kane sat on the bench, and Son Heung-min led the line. But the most eye-catching was undoubtedly the white figure on the left who had been away from the pitch for nearly two months, wearing the number 52 jersey—Yu Bai! He was starting!

"Yu! Yu! Yu!"

Thousands of traveling Tottenham Hotspur fans shouted the name at maximum volume, the sound even overpowering the home fans' cheers at one point. They had waited for this moment for too long.

When Yu Bai followed Captain Hugo Lloris, stepping onto the turf of the Stadio Artemio Franchi that glowed with an emerald sheen under the lights, he took a deep breath of the slightly cool Italian night air and closed his eyes.

The roaring sound, the scent of the turf, the slight tremor of adrenaline... the familiar feeling, it had all returned.

He was back.

[It's here! Number 52! He's back!]

[Go Young Master! Let the world see how well you've recovered!]

[With this lineup, Tottenham Hotspur's attack is fully loaded!]

In the stands, in an inconspicuous corner.

The broadcast camera keenly captured a familiar figure—Gareth Southgate, the current assistant coach of the England National Team, regarded as the potential successor to "Roy Hodgson".

He was in a dark suit, his expression serious, his gaze closely following Yu Bai warming up on the pitch.

The purpose was self-evident.

It had long been rumored that England National Team Roy Hodgson was extremely fond of Yu Bai and hoped to call up this genius during the March international break to prepare for the European Cup in the summer.

Gareth Southgate's personal attendance undoubtedly confirmed this rumor.

When Gareth Southgate's face appeared on the broadcast, especially in China's online live streaming rooms and social media, it instantly exploded:

[Holy crap! Even Gareth Southgate is here! England is really playing for keeps!]

[The European China National Team is already making moves, what about our Football Association?! Still playing dead?!]

[I'm truly impressed by the efficiency of the Chinese National Football Team's management! Their coach has already flown to Italy, and we don't even have a single news report of contact!]

[With Yu Bai's current hype and influence, if they don't naturalize him quickly, are they waiting for England to snatch him away?!]

[If I were Yu Bai, I'd choose England too! The platform, teammates, exposure, tournament opportunities—which one isn't better than the Chinese National Football Team? Can the Football Association do something useful!]

[Football Association: Studying it, studying it (tactical tea drinking).]

[Stop scolding upstairs, the Football Association might still be studying which department is responsible for Yu Bai's nationality! (doge)]

Sarcasm, anger, helplessness, hatred for the lack of improvement... the emotions of Chinese fans were completely ignited at this moment.

Their own best talent being fought over by all of Europe, while their own Football Association seemed to be an outsider; this sharp contrast and sense of powerlessness made everyone who cared about Chinese football feel stifled.

[Real! Too real! Football Association, come out and get beaten!]

[Gareth Southgate: I came to invite him personally. Football Association: My line is busy.]

[Little Bai, don't choose the Chinese National Football Team! Go to England! We want to see you at the World Cup!]

"Beep—!"

Spanish referee Carlos del Cerro Grande blew his whistle, and the match officially began!

After the start, the home team Fiorentina was full of momentum, utilizing their skilled three-center-back system and the frequent forward runs of the two wing-backs to continuously pressure Tottenham Hotspur's defense.

Nikola Kalinic's role as a pivot in the front line was significant, and the raids by Federico Bernardeschi and Kuba on the wings were also quite threatening.

As for Tottenham Hotspur, perhaps it was due to a long absence from the pitch, or perhaps they were still adapting to new teammates and tactical systems (after all, at Leicester City, he was the absolute core), Yu Bai seemed a bit... struggling to adapt in the opening stage.

In the 3rd minute, he received a pass from Ben Davies on the left with his back to the goal, attempting to use his signature pull-back turn to shake off Kuba, but his footwork seemed to have rusted for half a step, and the ball was cleanly intercepted by the Polish veteran.

In the 8th minute, Christian Eriksen sent a through ball in the middle, Yu Bai made an off-the-ball run, but under the close marking of Facundo Roncaglia, his first touch was a bit heavy, and the ball was collected by the onrushing goalkeeper Ciprian Tatarusanu.

Opportunities to touch the ball were few, and the only two times he handled the ball, it seemed insufficiently precise, even a bit hesitant.

"Yu Bai seems to be still finding his match rhythm," the on-site commentator remarked.

"Understandable, after all, he hasn't played an official match in two months."

"But Tottenham Hotspur needs him to get into the state as soon as possible; Fiorentina's offense is very threatening."

High EQ: Yu Bai is finding his match rhythm and adapting to the pace.

Low EQ: Yu Bai seems... a bit bad? His form hasn't returned?

The broadcast camera timely cut to Mauricio Pochettino on the sidelines.

The young Argentine manager had his hands in his suit pockets, his brows slightly furrowed, his lips tightly pressed. Although the score on the field was still 0:0, the worry and gravity on his face were clearly visible.

He had bet on Yu Bai starting in his first match back, clearly hoping he would bring immediate change, but the start didn't seem smooth.

[Yu Bao seems a bit tight... no feel in his feet.]

[Don't rush, don't rush, it's just the start, let him find his feel.]

[Mauricio Pochettino's expression... under huge pressure.]

Back home, CCTV Sports studio.

Commentator Zhang Lu watched the match footage, stroking his chin and analyzing: "Sigh, Mauricio Pochettino, he really needs to think carefully about how to use Yu Bai. You see, he was thriving at Leicester City because Claudio Ranieri gave him great freedom and trust, and the whole team revolved around him. Now back at Tottenham Hotspur, there are Christian Eriksen, Dele Alli, and Son Heung-min in the front court, all attackers who need possession. How to distribute this possession, what Yu Bai's positioning is, Mauricio Pochettino needs to ponder."

He paused and joked: "I even think Mauricio Pochettino could give Claudio Ranieri a call and ask for the instruction manual on using Yu Bai."

Commentator Zhan Jun laughed and replied: "Zhang, having said that, Tottenham Hotspur and Leicester City are direct competitors for the Premier League title! I think that even if Mauricio Pochettino really called, Claudio Ranieri might not give it!"

"Hahahaha!"

Commentator Zhang Lu also laughed, "If it were me, I wouldn't give it either! This is a 'martial arts secret manual', how can you pass it to a competitor casually!"

The two commentators used a relaxed tone to point out the realistic problem Yu Bai faced after returning to Tottenham Hotspur—tactical integration and possession distribution.

However, before Tottenham Hotspur could sort out their offense, Fiorentina struck first!

The 27th minute!

Fiorentina executed a delicate combination on the right side of the front court. After a wall-pass between Kuba and Federico Bernardeschi, Kuba sent a low cross near the byline with speed, curve, and placement all worthy of being called perfect! The ball quickly swept across the front of the small penalty area, bypassing all defensive players at the near post!

At the back post!

Italian international, wearing the number 10 jersey, Federico Bernardeschi appeared like a ghost! He rushed in before the recovering Kyle Walker and volleyed the ball directly into the net!

"Bang!"

The ball shot into the near corner past Hugo Lloris like a cannonball!

1:0! Fiorentina opened the scoring!

"Gooooooooooooooal!!! Federico Bernardeschi! A wonderful combination, a brilliant volley! Fiorentina leads!"

"Tottenham Hotspur's defense has a loophole! Kuba's pass was too lethal!"

The Stadio Artemio Franchi instantly boiled over! The purple ocean erupted in a fanatical wave! Federico Bernardeschi celebrated with a knee slide!

0:1 behind!

Yu Bai's comeback debut, the team was at a disadvantage, his own performance was mediocre, and now they were trailing!

Tottenham Hotspur fans in the stands instantly became much quieter, their faces filled with worry.

Mauricio Pochettino waved his hand forcefully on the sidelines, his face even uglier.

Gareth Southgate also furrowed his brows.

[It's bad! Trailing!]

[Young Master, wake up! Need you to stand up!]

[This goal conceded... the back post was completely left open.]

Adversity, it seems, can wake up a sleeping beast faster.

After conceding, Tottenham seemed to be jolted awake by a bucket of cold water.

After the restart at the center circle, they immediately launched a frenzied high press, attempting to equalize as quickly as possible.

As for Yu Bai, the moment the goal was conceded, his eyes changed.

The previous stiffness and hesitation receded like the tide, replaced by a cold focus and restless murderous intent.

Trailing? Perfect. This allowed him to completely shed the burden of "finding his form," leaving only one thought—score! Equalize the score!

The 30th minute!

The prelude to the climax was initiated by a seemingly ordinary high press!

Son Heung-min's pressing on Vecino on the left caused a Passing error, and the ball rolled to the edge of the penalty area in the center!

Dele Alli alertly intercepted the ball. He looked up, didn't dribble himself, but immediately distributed the ball to Yu Bai, who was sprinting up the left flank!

Yu Bai met the ball on the left side of the penalty area, about 20 yards from the goal! He didn't take a touch to adjust, nor did he even look at the goalkeeper's position! The moment Astori stepped up to block, Yu Bai swung his right foot while on the run!

It wasn't a power shot, but a light, agile curling shot with intense spin!

"Beckhams Curve"! No, now it is "Yus Curve"!

The ball traced a beautiful arc, bypassing the diving Astori, and precisely lofted into the far corner of the net!

Fiorentina goalkeeper Tatarusanu reacted with lightning speed; he moved quickly, leaped into the air, and stretched his arms to the limit!

But the arc of the ball was too tricky!

The ball sailed over his fingertips, grazed the underside of the crossbar, and then dropped into the net!

1:1!!! Yu Bai! Equalizes the score!

"Gooooooooooooooooal！！！！！！ Yu Bai! A signature curling shot! He is back! He is truly back!"

"A perfect shot! Impeccable technique!"

"Tottenham equalizes quickly! Yu Bai scores his first goal since returning!"

After the goal, Yu Bai didn't celebrate excessively. He just pumped his fist hard, swept his sharp gaze across the Fiorentina goal, then ran quickly to the goal, scooped up the ball, and ran back to the center circle.

There was still plenty of time.

The feeling had just returned.

[Holy crap! That curve! So damn cool!]

[It's here, it's here! The feeling is back!]

[This goal gave me goosebumps!]

The Fiorentina players hadn't fully recovered from the blow of being equalized, and Tottenham's offensive frenzy had already arrived like a tsunami!

The 31st minute!

A lightning-fast turnaround!

Tottenham won the ball back in the backfield, and Christian Eriksen sent a precise long ball over the top from midfield, finding Son Heung-min sprinting up the right flank! The South Korean didn't take a touch near the byline and crossed immediately!

This cross was fast, carried spin, and created massive chaos in front of the goal!

Tatarusanu came out but couldn't touch the ball; Astori and Roncaglia collided while trying to clear, and the ball bounced strangely toward the edge of the six-yard box!

In the chaos, a white shadow arrived like a ghost!

It was Yu Bai! He had already sprinted from the center to the front of the goal when Son Heung-min crossed! He beat everyone else to the ball, met the bouncing ball, and with the tip of his right foot, poked it in with extreme alertness!

"Swish——!!!"

1:2!!! Yu Bai scores a brace! Tottenham takes the lead!

"Gooooooooooooooooal！！！！！！ He scores again! Yu Bai! An alert follow-up shot!"

"Fiorentina's defense is in complete disarray! Yu Bai seized the opportunity!"

"Two goals in two minutes! Yu Bai has gone crazy!"

The sea of purple at Stadio Artemio Franchi fell silent in an instant. The cheers from the Tottenham fans were deafening!

The 33rd minute!

The nightmare continued!

The Fiorentina players seemed stunned by this sudden blow. In the backfield, under pressure from Son Heung-min, Roncaglia's back-pass to the goalkeeper was too weak!

Son Heung-min pounced like a cheetah, intercepting the ball before Tatarusanu could get to it! He dribbled into the left side of the penalty area, and facing the rushing goalkeeper, calmly slotted it home with his left foot!

"Bang!"

Tatarusanu dove and blocked the ball with his feet!

"He saved it!"

However, the danger was not cleared!

The blocked ball rolled, perfectly, toward the penalty spot!

There, Yu Bai arrived again! Without even adjusting, he met the rolling ball and easily pushed it into the empty net!

1:3!!! Yu Bai completes his Hat-trick!

"Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooal！！！！！！ Hat-trick! Yu Bai completes a Hat-trick!"

"Incredible! Incredible! 2 minutes and 51 seconds! Yu Bai took less than three minutes to complete a Hat-trick!"

"He broke the record for the fastest Hat-trick in Europa League history!"

"The return of the king! This is the declaration of the return of the king!"

The entire stadium fell into complete silence and shock! Even the Tottenham fans seemed to have forgotten to cheer, left only in stunned silence.

Yu Bai stood in the Fiorentina penalty area, roaring at the sky! His fists were clenched, veins bulging! All the repression, all the waiting, all the doubts, at this moment, with these three goal whistles, completely erupted!

He was back! And in the most insane, most domineering way!

In the stands, Wen Wan, wearing a white Tottenham hat and a white No. 52 jersey, could no longer control herself when Yu Bai scored the third goal. She jumped up from her seat, covered her mouth with both hands, and tears streamed down her face, but her face was beaming with an immensely bright, proud, and happy ecstatic smile! She waved her arms vigorously, screaming recklessly!

This moment was precisely captured by the broadcast camera. In the close-up, her stunningly beautiful face, tear-stained yet smiling like a flower, instantly struck the hearts of countless viewers around the world. After the match, netizens hailed her as the "Most Beautiful Fan" and "Yu Bai's Number One Goddess."

However, the miraculous night belonging to Yu Bai was far from over!

The Fiorentina players had completely collapsed, and their morale had hit rock bottom.

The 36th minute!

Yu Bai was brought down by Vecino at the edge of the penalty area, and Tottenham was awarded a Free kick in an excellent position.

Yu Bai stood behind the ball without hesitation. He stepped back, measured his steps, and locked his eyes on the top-left corner of the goal.

Run-up, kick!

Another perfect "Yus Curve"!

The ball curled around the wall and went straight into the dead corner!

Tatarusanu could only watch and sigh again!

1:4!!! Yu Bai scores four goals!

"Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal！！！！！！ Free kick! Banana Kick! Yu Bai scores his fourth goal! Four goals!"

"Crazy! Absolutely crazy! Fiorentina's defense has been shredded by him alone!"

In the stands, Gareth Southgate could no longer sit still. He stood up abruptly, applauding Yu Bai vigorously, his face full of shock and irrepressible excitement! Such a player, such explosive scoring ability, is exactly what the England National Team dreams of!

On the sidelines, Mauricio Pochettino also shook his head in shock, his face showing disbelief mixed with ecstasy. He had bet correctly! This young man rewarded him with a personal performance worthy of being written into history!

The 38th minute!

The slaughter continued!

Christian Eriksen sent a scalpel-like through ball from midfield, and Son Heung-min's intelligent positioning on the right flank drew away Roncaglia's defensive attention.

On the left, there was an open space!

Yu Bai, like a wild horse unleashed, sprinted forward at high speed, perfectly beat the offside trap, and created a one-on-one opportunity!

He dribbled straight into the penalty area! Facing Tatarusanu, who had abandoned his goal, Yu Bai did not choose a simple push shot.

Amidst the gasps of the entire stadium, he suddenly performed a light Step-over feint while running! The change in rhythm instantly deceived Tatarusanu's balance!

Yu Bai easily dribbled past the Romanian goalkeeper, and facing the empty net, calmly pushed the ball in!

1:5!!! Yu Bai scores five consecutive goals!

"Gooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooal！！！！！！ The fifth! The fifth! Yu Bai has scored his fifth goal!"

"He dribbled past the goalkeeper! He has scored five goals!"

"From the 30th minute to the 38th minute, 8 minutes and 56 seconds! Yu Bai has scored five goals!"

"A total of 8 minutes and 56 seconds! Yu Bai has blasted in 5 goals!"

In the domestic studio, Commentator Zhan Jun's voice trembled with excitement, and he almost roared the next sentence: "This is 3 seconds faster than the 'Five goals in nine minutes record' (a total of 5 goals in 8 minutes and 59 seconds) performed by Robert Lewandowski on September 22, 2015, during the 2015-16 Bundesliga Round 6 match between Bayern Munich and Wolfsburg! Can you believe it?!"

"Hehe!" Commentator Zhang Lu beside him was already grinning from ear to ear, his signature laughter filled with amazement and exhilaration: "Unstoppable! Simply unstoppable! Fiorentina has met a true god tonight! Yu Bai's form is scorching hot!"

8 minutes and 56 seconds, 5 goals!

Surpassing Lewandowski's "Five goals in nine minutes record" miracle!

The craziest and most efficient individual goal-scoring performance in Europa League history!

Yu Bai, in his first match since returning, on the stage of the Europa League, performed a "Return of the King" + "Five goals in nine minutes record" super Hat-trick! Declaring that he was not only fully recovered but had become even more terrifying and unstoppable than before his injury!

He stood in the Fiorentina penalty area, opened his arms, tilted his head back with his eyes closed, fully enjoying the deathly silence of Stadio Artemio Franchi, followed by the erupting, tsunami-like cheers and worship from the away stands and countless fans in front of television sets around the world!

The king has returned.

And his legend has just written its most colorful chapter.

"Beep—beep—beep！！！"

The whistle for the end of the first half finally sounded in an atmosphere that was almost dreamlike and absurd.

1:5!

Tottenham leads away!

Yu Bai, five goals in the first half!

The entire football world went completely crazy because of these 8 minutes and 56 seconds!

[5 goals in 8 minutes and 56 seconds! Surpassing Lewandowski! I witnessed history!]

[Five goals in nine minutes record! Yu Bai's version of the Five goals in nine minutes record!]

[What shadow of injury, what questions about form, get lost! This is the answer!]

[Tottenham's 100,000-a-week salary is so worth it! A huge bargain!]

The 15-minute halftime break for the players turned into a complete carnival on global social media about Yu Bai, the "Five goals in nine minutes record," and the "Return of the King"!

#Yu Bai 5 goals in 8 minutes and 56 seconds#

#Yu Bai surpasses Lewandowski#

#Europa League Yu Bai Return of the King#

#Yu Bai Five goals in nine minutes record#

These topics swept across all global social networks and sports media headlines with explosive speed!

And at the center of the storm, Yu Bai walked back to the locker room calmly.

His face was drenched in sweat, but he carried a calmness after venting and a deeper, more profound confidence.

During my injury, my market value dropped by 10 million Euros? Doubting I don't deserve the top salary? Worried that my form wouldn't be the same after injury?

Now, do you see clearly? Am I, Yu Bai, worth it or not!

. . PS: Confirmed no Chinese National Football Team, joining England, playing in the European Cup, World Cup... The results are too poor, and the book test failed. I will try my best to write, try not to abandon it, and speed up the progress, woo woo... It's too hard! Please give me a five-star review and gifts! Thanks to the book friends who are still accompanying me. Without your urging for updates, I wouldn't have been able to persist! QAQ!