Heroes of the Restricted Zone

Chapter 167 Is this a nightmare? (Guaranteed first update)
The schedule of the UEFA Cup is more intensive than that of the UEFA Champions League, because there are more teams participating in the UEFA Cup and the schedule is longer.Since the restructuring of the 04-05 season, there have been [-] teams participating in the group stage alone. Such a large number has attracted many second- and third-tier league teams to participate.However, this move did not make the UEFA Cup more attractive and competitive. On the contrary, the large number of participating teams and the overly long and compact schedule made the event lose its original brilliance.Today's UEFA Cup is completely reduced to tasteless for most people, and neutral fans rarely pay attention to this event.

But for the teams participating in this competition, especially those playing in second- and third-tier leagues, the UEFA Cup is their only chance to show their faces in the European arena, and they still attach great importance to it.

It's a championship after all.Especially after entering the knockout stage, with the addition of No.3 in the UEFA Champions League group stage, a cloud-like situation has formed.This game is considered something to watch.So the UEFA Cup does not actually start from the group stage with 32 teams participating, but from the knockout stage where the top [-] fight against each other...

The opening game of the new season of the Russian Premier League is on March [-]th, with the newly promoted Terek_Grozny playing against the Soviet Wings at home.Zenit's first league game will have to wait until the [-]th, and their opponent is last season's runner-up-Spartak Moscow.The media said that this is an opportunity for Sparta to take revenge, but it is doubtful whether they can successfully take revenge in the away game...

Before that, Zenit will play two UEFA Cup games. As the St. Petersburg media previously predicted, it will be Marseille-before the start of the new season, Marseille will either be resolved or be resolved by Marseille.

If it is solved by Marseille, they can play the league with peace of mind.But this is definitely not the result that Advocaat and his team want.

Speaking of Marseille, the promotion process is still a bit thrilling.They beat Spartak Moscow 3-0 at home, clean and tidy, and everyone felt that there was no suspense for them to advance.Unexpectedly, returning to their home court, Sparta Moscow beat Marseille 2:0, almost equalized the total score, and dragged the game into overtime...

The media in Moscow are feeling sorry for Sparta, and at the same time hope that St. Petersburg can avenge Sparta in Moscow.Although the two sides competed fiercely in the domestic league, everyone still has to work together when it comes to the outside world.

So Zenit St. Petersburg shouldered the responsibility of "revenge for Moscow Sparta"...

But Advocaat and Chen Yingxiong don't care whether they want to avenge Sparta Moscow. They won Marseille not for revenge, but to advance themselves.

In the first round, they will go to Marseille to challenge their opponents. They will play away first and then at home, which is considered to be a more favorable schedule.

Too bad Advocaat and his players don't think so right now...

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"Mamadou-Niang (Mamadou_Niang)!!" Huge cheers erupted at the Velodron Stadium in Marseille, and the on-site commentator was shouting the name of the goal scorer emotionally.

On the court, the black player with a name behind his back that made Chen Yingxiong laugh for a long time before the game was raising his arms and running wildly to celebrate the goal-this is Marseille's second goal in this game .Just 2 minutes into the second half, Marseille was already leading 2:0.

The player who scored the goal was named Niang, but the name printed on the back of his jersey was "Mother" - Niang.For this name, Chen Yingxiong pointed to this name and laughed for a long time while waiting to enter the field in the player tunnel, and passed the waiting time.

He didn't know what to call this person, anyway, he just called this big-looking black striker "Mother".

It was this girl striker who was laughed at by Chen Yingxiong who scored the crucial second goal, which suddenly expanded and consolidated Marseille's advantage.

Chen Yingxiong couldn't smile at all now.

They also finally tasted the taste of being cleanly scored two goals by the opponent in the away game.

At this moment, if Villarreal knows the truth, he will burst into tears-you guys have today too!

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Advocaat stared grimly at the court.Only one goal behind in the first half, which is okay.During the intermission, he asked the team to stabilize the defense and then try to counterattack. It doesn't matter even if they can't win, as long as they don't continue to lose the ball, he can accept a 0:1 away game loss.

But just like that, the opponent still seized the opportunity that the second half of the game had just started 2 minutes ago, and the Zenit team hadn't entered the game state yet, and they were in a trance and lacked concentration.

It's a difficult game when you're behind by two goals.Because it is easy to cause morale to collapse, and you will not be able to pull back even if you return to the home court.This is not alarmist - Villarreal is still alive...

He is a little anxious, the current situation is that it doesn't make much sense to continue to defend.Because even if they lose the game 0:2 and don't concede the ball afterwards, Marseille has already taken advantage, both at the game level and at the psychological level.

So Zenit better be able to find a way to score a goal, score an away goal, and let the opponent's lead change from two goals to one goal.

But is this goal something you can have if you want it?

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Zenit fans felt like they were living a nightmare with their eyes open.In this nightmare, they were underdogs, they were ridiculed, and every cheer from the home fans at the Velodron was like a stab in the heart.

They easily defeated Villarreal 2:0 at home, which made them very optimistic about the team's future in the UEFA Cup. Who would have thought that this game would turn out like this.

Those St. Petersburg reporters who followed the team to the away game to report the game were also talking in the stands, complaining about the bad situation and results.

"Damn it! Looking at it now, the eight yellow cards and two red cards against Villarreal in the last game finally showed their power! Hill is not on the field, our left attack can't be played at all, it depends on An Yukov can't do it!"

"Yeah, yeah, without a cross from the side, the hero's characteristics can't be brought out at all..."

"Marseille is completely crazy...Look at their attack, their cooperation, their passing, their shooting...how they played, alas!" Someone sighed heavily. "I think Zenit is in danger this time!"

The Chinese reporters were also a little disappointed. They did not expect that Zenit, who was still majestic in the previous round, would be beaten back to its original form when facing Marseille this time.

Is it possible that Chinese players can only reach here in the UEFA Cup?
In addition to Chen Yingxiong, six Chinese players have appeared in the UEFA Cup - from the earliest Jia Xiuquan and Liu Haiguang, to the later Sun Jihai, Sun Xiang, Shi Jun, and Gao Leilei.But most of these people are participating in the UEFA Cup qualifiers.Chen Yingxiong followed the team to the top [-] of the UEFA Cup, which is already the best achievement of a Chinese player in this competition.

Many Chinese journalists would be satisfied if it had been put aside.But after seeing Chen Yingxiong's outstanding performance, they are already a little dissatisfied... How great it would be if they could go further!

Many people have such an idea in their hearts.

Hope is good.

The reality is often cruel.

Just seven minutes after Zenit conceded their second goal, they conceded again...

Marseille took advantage of Zenit's two goals behind the team and when the team was a little flustered, they made another victory and Cisse scored twice!

"3:0! Aha! 3:0! The suspense has been lost in the second round!" The commentator of the French TV shouted triumphantly. "Most of Marseille's body is already in the quarterfinals!"

And Hirgejewski looked very frustrated: "This is really a dark day! Zenit fell behind by three goals in the away game, and everything is irreparable... I think the second round of the game has lost its meaning..."

Advocaat also held his head in his hands, looking frustrated and in pain.

The reality is so cruel, tell him how difficult it is to go further.

Perhaps it was really easy to beat Villarreal to advance, which made him a little blindly optimistic.Who would have thought that Marseille was so strong!

"After eliminating Spartak Moscow, Marseille is about to eliminate another Russian team. And it is very coincidental that they faced two Russian teams at home, and they both won a perfect 3:0!" The French commentator even brought up history to prove how glorious such a victory is. "What Napoleon failed to accomplish back then, Marseille has accomplished! Conquering two Russian teams in a row, they have become veritable Russian nemesis!"

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Conceding three goals in a row, this blow made many Zenit players stunned. When Cisse and his teammates were celebrating the victory-yes, it was a victory, not a goal. There is no more suspense, and there is no need to compare with the next game. Just declare that they have advanced to the quarterfinals—Zenit players either hold their heads in their hands with pained faces, or simply look at each other dumbly. This reality is totally unacceptable.

Chen Yingxiong also couldn't accept it at all, but there was no blank expression on his face.He was clutching his hand hard, clenched it and let it go, clenched it again and let it go.In this way, the knuckles that were clenched every time turned white, the veins burst out, and the joints made a crackling sound.

He knows exactly what it means to be behind by three goals in an away game. Going home, such a score will always weigh on the hearts of every Zenit player like a boulder, and as time goes by, it will become heavier and heavier.At the end of the home game, everyone was overwhelmed.

At that time, what normal state will the team have to play?
Chen Yingxiong didn't know if there was any hope of winning this game, and he didn't even know if it would be a draw.But he is very clear about one thing - if you want to keep a glimmer of hope for the team, at least one away goal is required!
He is a striker and he is good at scoring goals.

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(End of this chapter)