LRAB Chapter 179
Chapter 179
What is the biggest miracle on the green field since 2000?
If you ask a thousand fans, 999 of them will blurt out, Istanbul Miracle!
The remaining AC Milan fan may hum and curse something like "open champagne at halftime", "fuck Shevchenko and Pirlo" and so on.
Then, we have to admit that it is still the Istanbul Miracle!
As the protagonist of the Istanbul Miracle, the Red Army Liverpool!
In the Champions League final last season, after falling behind 0-3 at halftime, they successfully equalized the score and dragged the game into a penalty shootout.
In the end, with three penalties saved by goalkeeper Jerzy Dudek, they successfully reached the top of Europe!
Won the fifth Champions League trophy in team history last season.
It also allowed Liverpool, a traditional Premier League giant, to get out of the 14-year low period without league championship and Champions League championship from 1991 to 2004.
This Champions League trophy inspired Liverpool's players to play a beautiful performance in the first half of this Premier League season.
At present, the 19th round of the league has ended, with 14 wins, 2 draws, 3 losses and 44 points, ranking third in the Premier League, second only to Manchester City and Chelsea with 17 wins, 1 draw and 1 loss and 52 points.
In the 20th round of the Premier League, Liverpool will visit Manchester City at home and challenge the top of the Premier League.
This battle.
It has also been hyped by the Premier League media as the first must-see game of the Premier League in the new year of 2006!
.......
January 3, one day before the 20th round of the Premier League.
Merseyside, Liverpool training base.
Rafael Benist, wearing a velvet suit, stood beside the court with his hands in his pockets.
He didn't seem to be in a good mood.
Because the assistant just brought him a bad news. Although the team won the Champions League last season, it could not fundamentally alleviate the team's financial problems.
This also led to the team not only having no funds for signings in this winter window, but also having to rent and sell several players to reduce expenses.
"12 million pounds..."
"Stuart, the prodigal son!"
"If you give me this money, I can help the team find two good substitutes."
Rafael Beniste felt sour when he thought of the news about Manchester City's new signings he saw two days ago.
Times have changed.
Since Chelsea pioneered the era of Premier League football, the value of European players has increased several times in recent years.
Those football agents who racked their brains to blackmail the team, as long as they saw a team from the Premier League, their offers were very high.
Rafael Beniste spent several days to collect and calculate, but he couldn't even collect 2 million pounds.
He can only maintain the current lineup.
The good news is that the team's state is really good this year. Recently, the performance has become more and more stable, and it has successfully completed the Champions League group stage as the first in the group.
Especially thinking of Manchester United's elimination at the bottom of the Champions League group stage.
Rafael Benist is in a better mood again. As a person, you always have to find someone who is worse off than you to compare with, so that you can live happier.
As for Luka Modric's joining.
Whether it will become a variable in the match against Manchester City tomorrow, Rafael Benist is not worried.
The kid from the Croatian League did perform well in the previous league, but whether he can adapt to the intensity of the Premier League is still a question.
Moreover, Rafael Benist does not believe that Modric can be integrated into Manchester City's tactical system in just a few days.
Kick Manchester City and strangle his right side.
Using tall defenders and midfielders to pinch Su Fei's header has become the best defensive method defaulted by Premier League coaches today.
Knight's absence in the Tottenham game had a very obvious impact on Manchester City.
And what Liverpool lacks the most today is the experience of defending the center forward and the muscular man.
From the back line, to the midfield, to the forwards, the average height of the team has reached more than 1.8 meters!
So.
Although Manchester City has defeated a number of strong teams this season and tied Chelsea, Rafael Benítez has an inexplicable confidence.
Confident that the team will successfully win the away game tomorrow!
"Using a defeat as a New Year's gift to Manchester City, this is not bad."
Thinking of this, Rafael Benítez smiled.
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On January 4, the streets of Manchester had not yet dissipated the New Year's atmosphere, and New Year decorations could be seen everywhere.
Near dusk, traffic congestion occurred around Manchester City's home stadium, the Etihad Stadium.
Traffic from all directions of the cityNew Year, New Atmosphere, Manchester City fans are looking forward to the home team's first game of the New Year.
The bus carrying Manchester City players approached the stadium. Modric looked through the window excitedly at the Manchester City fans who had lined up in advance, singing and waving team flags.
Su Fei was sharp-eyed and saw the bright spot in the crowd at a glance.
"Luka, look!"
Following the direction pointed by Su Fei, Modric was surprised to see that some fans had specially made signs to support him.
'Come on Modric, Manchester City welcomes you! '
Just yesterday, Manchester City also prepared a small welcome party for Modric, with thousands of Manchester City fans present.
Today.
Modric once again felt the enthusiasm of Manchester City fans.
He had the urge to play football.
However.
Before the game, Stewart did not promise that Modric would definitely play today, but only put Modric on the big list.
When the player bus arrived at the parking lot, Stewart hurried to the pre-match press conference.
Since the team did not hold a press conference specifically for Modric, today's pre-match press conference was destined to be lively.
When Stewart pushed the door open.
The media reporters who filled the venue could not wait to point the microphone at the old man.
Stewart, who had already gotten used to the enthusiasm of reporters this season, calmly stood on the podium and cleared his throat.
Unexpectedly, the first question raised by the football reporter was not friendly.
"Mr. Stewart, the team transferred Luka Modric for 12 million pounds in the winter transfer window. Do you personally think this is a serious overpriced transfer?"
"Overpriced? No, I think Luka is worth the price. He is a talented young player and is very suitable for Manchester City now."
"Do you mean Modric will be the team's main starter in the next game of the season?"
"Yes. Maybe he won't start in this game today, but I believe that after he gradually adapts to the Premier League, I will make him the team's starter!"
The reporters in the audience were in an uproar. Although Manchester City was willing to spend 12 million pounds, Modric must be introduced as a main player.
But can such a thin midfielder from Croatia really adapt to the Premier League? Reporters are more and more curious about Modric's performance in the team's training match.
But Manchester City always conducts closed training. There has been no news in the past few days, which is very mysterious.
Next question.
"Mr. Stewart, did you notice that Liverpool coach Benister mentioned in an interview at the training base yesterday that he would give Manchester City a New Year's gift today?"
"New Year's gift?"
Stewart was stunned. He had been busy setting up new tactics for the team for Modric's joining these two days.
He really didn't have time to pay attention to what Benister said.
"Ahem, Benister said that he would give Manchester City a New Year's gift today by giving the loss as a New Year's gift, for you!"
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