"Manchester City's quarter-finals opponent: defending champion"

Rong Guang held the Manchester Evening News in his hand, which was the title of the newspaper.

Below the title is a photo from the scene last night.

The lottery guest held a note in his hand, and there was an enlarged picture next to it. The picture was a close-up of the note part, which clearly showed the words "Barcelona".

"The London media may have something to say again." Debola said while touching the jam on the bread.

"Whatever they do." Rongguang didn't care.

Debola handed the slice of bread with the jam to the glory of the bread sitting next to her, looking at the bread.

Honor took a big mouthful and bit it half.

"But you still have to think about what you should say when facing the reporters."

Rongguang scratched his head: "Tell them that the league champion must be ours?"

"Of course I can't say that. Just say that Chelsea is strong and Barcelona is strong. Manchester City will do their best in the league and in the Champions League..." said Deborah.

“Don’t this meant nothing was said?”

"This is the result that public relations need. It sounds good, but there is no actual content at all. Don't expose your true thoughts to the public's eyes, it is very dangerous." Debola guides Rong Guang from a professional perspective.

Rong Guang nodded.

In this regard, he was very convinced by Debola.

※※※

Sure enough, when Rongguang drove to the Carrington Training Base, he was surrounded by reporters before he could enter.

These people all wanted to ask him about the results of yesterday's lottery.

Rongguang rolled down the window and took the initiative: "I know what you want to say. Barcelona is a very strong team. I am very happy to be able to fight against a strong team. This is what I think. Thank you, please let me go."

But how could the reporters let him go so easily?

A reporter asked loudly: "Will the showdown with Barcelona affect the league?"

"We will do our best, whether in the Champions League or the league." Rongguang answered the reporter's questions as Deborah said.

But the reporters were still not satisfied, and Yu Qian and some reporters directly transferred the comments from the London media to Rongguang.

"... But they think the match between Manchester City and Barcelona will affect the domestic league. Although Manchester City is now leading by four points, they may also lose the top spot during these two quarter-finals..."

Rongguang didn't say anything and didn't interrupt the reporter's question. After he finished speaking, Rongguang nodded: "Okay, then wait until the time comes to see if we will lose the top spot in the league."

After saying that, Rongguang released the brakes and the car drove forward slowly.

When the reporters saw the car moving, they knew that Rongguang was really leaving, so they had to make way.

Rongguang has a good temper to the reporters, and he has stopped the car and heard them say so much. He has to change to a star with a bad temper. Maybe he doesn't stop at all, and the windows won't shake down, and he just squeezes into the training base. At that time, these reporters have to let them go - just interview a player, so there is no need to interview under the wheels?

Although they did not dig out particularly strong materials from Glory's mouth, at least they knew Glory's attitude.

That is, he is not afraid of Barcelona and is confident that he can maintain his position in the league.

It is normal for him to have such confidence, because he is glorious.

But it is hard to say whether other teammates still have them...

※※※

While Rongguang was sweating profusely on the training ground, his teammates discussed the draw results of last night in the locker room.

When you meet Barcelona, ​​you will play at home first and then away. It can be said that it is the worst of all draw results.

Although no one said it clearly, the atmosphere can be felt.

Many people acted silently after coming to the locker room today.

The atmosphere is far less active than usual.

When the team's old captain Dunn saw this, he couldn't sit still. He stood up and slapped.

"Let me say a few words. Actually, before the start of the season, no, when I joined Manchester City, I never thought I could play this role in the Champions League... At that time, I didn't even dare to think about participating in the Champions League..."

When Dunn first clapped his face, not many people looked at him, but as he spoke, more and more people raised their heads and looked at him.

"My goal was very simple at that time, and it could help Manchester City stand firm in the Super League. Unfortunately, after the end of that season, we were relegated.

Dunn joined Manchester City from Everton in the 26261 season, and played here in his first season at Manchester City.

But Manchester City eventually ranked 18th in the Premier League and fell into the League One - it was called League One at that time, but it was actually the current Championship...

"After falling into Class A, my goal became to help the team return to the Super League. A season later, we succeeded. When I returned to the Super League, I adjusted my goal again, and this time I wanted to really help the team gain a foothold in the Super League. Thankfully, I did it. Since then, Manchester City has not been relegated, although sometimes our ranking is not good..."

In today's Manchester City team, Dunn is the one who has been playing for the longest time, so he is the captain of the team as the captain of Rongguang.

It has been almost ten seasons since the 2626l season.

And he is already thirty-one years old.

For ten seasons, he followed Manchester City from relegation to upgrade, once struggled in the Premier League, and was just proud and natural to win a League Cup.

Of course, now, he is running towards the goal of the league championship and also reached the quarterfinals in the Champions League.

"I don't want to put too much pressure on you. I think our performance in the Champions League is very good, so no matter what opponent we meet or when we are eliminated, this cannot be changed. We are able to reach the Champions League quarterfinals, which has already set the record and history of Manchester City clubs. My contract expires this season, and I don't plan to continue Liu in this team. I am very grateful to myself for having the opportunity to work with so many of you excellent players in my career. In any case, this season will be the best season in my career for me."

Dunn finished speaking, and a silence fell into the locker room.

No one said anything, some were watching Dunn, and some lowered their heads.

At this moment, the door of the locker room was pushed open.

The glory of sweat came in.

But this time he did not walk straight towards the shower room in front of everyone's eyes. He stood at the door without moving, looking at everyone.

As everyone's eyes looked at him, he raised his index finger and middle finger: "There are two things I can assure you. First, we are definitely not the ones who were eliminated from the Champions League quarter-finals. Second, we are definitely the league champions."

※※※

"Did you feel anything change? Mauricio." Benitez asked his assistant coach Mauricio Pellegrino during training intervals.

"Change? What changes?" Assistant coach Pellegrino was a little confused.

"The changes in the team, the whole team."

Pellegrino stared at the players resting on the training ground, thought for a long time, and then shook his head: "No."

Benitez took a deep breath: "I felt that the sweat in the air was more concentrated than before - they practiced more seriously."

Pellegrino also sniffed, and he smelled nothing.

"After the draw against Barcelona came out, I was worried that the team would lose their fighting spirit. Now it seems... I am too concerned." Benitez continued, his tone a little relaxed. "Now I have the confidence to compete with Barcelona in two games."

※※※

After the draw results came out, Manchester City received more attention.

It can be said that it has received the most attention among the eight teams.

Because they won the defending champion.

Barcelona, ​​where Guardiola teaches, is at its peak.

They have swept the entire world football in the past year, winning all six championships - La Liga, Spanish Copa del Rey, UEFA Champions League, Spanish Super Cup, European Super Cup, and Club World Cup late last year.

Before them, there weren't a team that completed this Grand Slam score.

Guardiola's "Dream Team Three" has become like an "unprecedented person and no one to come."

They are writing a history that no one can write before them.

Once this team appears, it will automatically become the focus of the world's attention, and their strength has been deeply rooted in people's hearts through six championships in the past year.

Manchester City really drew a draw this time.

Even if Manchester City can beat Real Madrid and Bayern Munich in the group stage, and qualify as the first in the group.

But can the group stage and the knockout stage be the same?

Of course not

The same team's performance in the group stage and in the knockout stage are also completely different.

The most typical example is Inter Milan led by Mourinho.

His Inter Milan didn't play well in the group stage. He was tied by Barcelona at home in the first group stage. Then in the second group stage, he tied with a bottom team like Kazan Ruby in the away game. Many people said at that time that Inter Milan should not even be able to go out of the group stage, which would be too embarrassing.

In the third group stage, Inter Milan still played badly, drew 22 at home with Dynamo Kiev. It seems that they were really eliminated if they wanted to have a group stage.

When playing Barcelona away, Inter Milan lost 02 to a net win.

If there weren't two more games to win, Inter Milan would have to play the League Cup.

In the end, they ranked second in the group with nine points and successfully qualified.

After qualifying in the group stage, Inter Milan's performance made a fundamental reversal.

In the quarterfinals of the quarterfinals, they faced Chelsea.

In the end, Inter Milan stubbornly eliminated Chelsea 0 away at home and advanced to the quarterfinals.

From the example of Inter Milan, we can see what mentality the team will have when facing knockout matches and group stages.

European giants often attach more importance to knockouts and ignore group stages.

This will certainly make them suffer a lot in the group stage, but if they can pass the group stage, they will complete a gorgeous transformation when they enter the knockout stage.

Often, those teams who don’t participate in the Champions League very much and finally participate in the Champions League once performed well in the group stage because they tried their best in the group stage. When they entered the knockout round, they would be eliminated soon.

For example, Sevilla, the number one in Group G, was not very strong after entering the quarterfinals, but was eliminated by CSKA, who often played in the Champions League.

Therefore, Manchester City, who performed well in the group stage, may not be able to continue their outstanding form, especially when facing Barcelona.

※※※

E, I'm sorry, I wrote the Champions League quarterfinals in yesterday's update, forgot that Bayern Munich has been eliminated, and now it has been modified...
Chapter completed!