Grass roots glory

Chapter 863 Quarterfinals: Uruguay
Winning all three games in the group stage and winning the first place in the group means that the Chinese team will then have to leave the three small cities in northeastern Brazil and move to Rio de Janeiro, the economic center of Brazil.

From a small place to a big city, the next game, the Chinese team will usher in the knockout round that attracts the attention of all of Asia at the most famous Maracana Stadium in Brazil.

The scene has been raised and so has the challenge.

In the last post-match press conference, although the South Korean reporter made a few sour remarks intentionally or unintentionally, one thing is still true.

In the knockout round, there is no soft persimmon with old arms and legs like Greece, and the last time it has to be an opponent who is only stronger than Colombia.

The first time the Chinese team arrived in Rio de Janeiro, it gave people a feeling of going home at the airport and returning to our own home field.

The airport seemed to have been specially arranged. As soon as the Chinese team walked out of the airport, applause and cheers rang out.

Welcome to the national team in Rio!
The eye-catching Chinese slogan was held up by dozens of Chinese fans squatting in the middle of the airport, causing everyone in the team to stand still and watch without taking a step forward.

Zhou Tiancheng was purely watching the fun. As a person who has stayed abroad for a long time, he would be more moved when he saw group activities organized by Chinese people.

The motherland is still strong, and the strength of the people is great. Although it sounds a bit like a catchphrase, but you will know it after you have really been abroad. This sentence is true at any time.

What's more, this is the World Cup arena, and the fight is all about momentum!
And the other local international players are really confused.

We are still so popular?
Even when they passed through the crowd, they received many flowers from fans, and even saw the faces of foreigners crowded in the crowd, giving us a high thumbs up.

This is different from the welcome they received abroad when they went to the Asian Cup in the past. At least on the surface, it can be seen that everyone is sincere this time.

Zheng Zhi's arms were already stuffed with flowers, and people even kept coming up to shake his hands, which made Zheng Zhi's movements sluggish.

Zhou Tiancheng couldn't help but find it funny when he saw it.

"Hey, what's the matter, brother Zhi? Why can't we move on with this scene?"

Zheng Zhi smiled and shook his head slightly: "You have seen many big scenes, we really can't compare them. To be honest, I have never seen such a lively scene before. Don't forget that this is still Brazil, and there are tens of thousands of kilometers across the country. .”

Zhou Tiancheng smiled: "Calm down, calm down, you have to know that we are now in the top sixteen of the World Cup, what is this? If we can win the championship, believe it or not, this place will be here, and a Chinese will occupy the whole city for you Parade?"

Zheng Zhi's eyes lit up slightly, but then his smile became stronger: "Just think about it, just think about it. How do you say that current catchphrase? Yy is not guilty, yy is not guilty, listen to my elder brother's persuasion, yes Ideals are good, but don’t drift away, don’t drift away.”

The Chinese team's training camp in Rio is near the Maracanã stadium. Because the preparation time for the training camp here is relatively short, there are not many considerations such as avoiding the media in the selection of the site.

In fact, the area used by the Chinese team is one of the echelon training camps of the local Brazilian giants Flamengo in Rio. It has become the center of media attention.

But Lippi's training for the knockout round was not as open as before facing the first group match.Except for opening to the media within the time stipulated by the organizing committee and sending a relaxed signal, the training of the Chinese team was in a closed state for the rest of the time.

After all, the opponent in the next eighth final is Uruguay, and Lippi can't be careless at all.

Although Uruguay did not play well in the group stage, in the end they squeezed out Italy and England, and they were No.4 in the last World Cup. Their strength is absolutely good.

As a strong team in South America, on the offensive line, just looking at the last World Cup Golden Globe winner Diego Forlan and "Su Ya" Luis Suarez and other big-name stars understands the pressure on the Chinese team's defense. .

Although Uruguay's defense line also has a gate like Godin, but to be honest, Lippi is really not worried. The overall strength of the Chinese team's forward line may not be as good as Uruguay's, but they don't have such a bug as Zhou Tiancheng. Unable to guard against him, and frequently sending forward in the midfield, even the Chinese team has the confidence to play against each other.

What he really worries about is defense, so Lippi's tactical training these days has only one focus: how to chase back and counter-steal as quickly as possible after losing the ball in the midfield or even in the frontcourt.

In fact, this was Lippi's long-standing request, but now he made a special request that Zhou Tiancheng's defensive position recovery should be deep enough.

When attacking, it should be used as a forward midfielder, and when defending, it should stand on the same line with Zheng Zhi and Feng Xiaoting, and transform into the role of a central defender.

For the team's defense, Lippi really can't rest assured, this is also a helpless move.

Even after the team's training, he left Zhou Tiancheng alone: ​​"Zhou, I have to tell you something about the defense in the next game."

Zhou Tiancheng listened patiently and didn't say anything, but he was thinking about it in his heart, still worried about me?

Lippi looked at his expression, and said slowly and earnestly: "Zhou, don't think too much, of course I am not worried about your ability, but... In short, your next match with their striker, especially the 9 No, you must pay attention when defending him, body contact can be casual, but you must pay attention when pulling, otherwise you may suffer a dark loss."

"Understood, old man." Although Zhou Tiancheng responded, it was obvious that he didn't take Lippi's advice very seriously.

After Lippi left, Madaloni came up quietly and explained: "Zhou, don't blame Marcelo for being long-winded. He is really afraid that you will suffer."

"Hehe, no, how could I blame him?" Zhou Tiancheng smiled, but it was obvious that Madaloni could tell that Zhou Tiancheng was full of confidence.

But what they were worried about was Zhou Tiancheng's confidence.

Madaloni walked up and put Zhou Tiancheng's shoulder lightly, and explained: "Do you know that number 9 from Uruguay, what did he do?"

Zhou Tiancheng was taken aback: "This number should be a very awesome character, but no matter how awesome you are, don't you believe me?"

Madaloni patted Zhou Tiancheng: "What's the hurry, I haven't finished talking yet, we are definitely not worried about you in terms of ability. But in the last game, Uruguay's No. 9, Luis Suarez, bit Italy while defending Defender Chiellini took a bite, so, be careful, don't get tricked by him."

Zhou Tiancheng's eyes widened all of a sudden - what the hell, arranged for me to watch a dog? !
(End of this chapter)