Midfielder Ruler

Two hours before the game, the Dortmund team took the bus provided by the hotel where they stayed to the Donbas Arena, the venue for the game.

On the bus, Tang Zheng, as usual, closed his eyes and listened to music with earphones, appearing a little silent.

Because of this, not many people noticed that something was wrong with him.

Only roommate Hummels looked at Tang Zheng worriedly, frowning.

When the players were warming up at the Donbas Arena, the Shakhtar Donetsk fans who came to the stadium in advance let out a tacit laughter. They laughed at the Dortmund players who came from afar.

This...damn weather!

Pirlo, who returned from injury as a substitute, rubbed his hands and couldn't help blurting out.

The coldest weather in Ukraine is from December to February of the following year, which is the fundamental reason why the Ukrainian Super League chooses December to March as the winter break.

This time last year, the cold was the most obvious, and the lowest temperature reached minus 40 degrees.

If the weather is really over minus 40 degrees here, let alone playing football, it will be a pain to go out and walk around.

The Dortmund players and home team players who came out to warm up were fully armed, with long-sleeved trousers, gloves and scarves.

Oliver Bartlettra, the fitness coach who led the team to warm up, yelled loudly: Guys! You must warm up fully in cold weather! Be serious!! Don? Speed ​​up! Yes! That's it!!

Tang Zheng felt his head was heavy, and his feet seemed to be filled with lead.

Hummels pulled Tang Zheng and asked with concern: Do you feel all right?

Well, it's fine, I'm fine, just a little uncomfortable. Tang Zheng nodded.

At the same time, Shakhtar Donetsk fans in the stands were still laughing at the warming-up Dortmund players.

I heard that they are the Bundesliga champions? Haha... the German guy in his clothes with his head locked!

Go home, German! Victory belongs to Donetsk!!

Poor people! Seeing them rubbing their hands constantly, don't they need to run to warm up?

I have a hunch,

Dortmund is the light of our lives! Send points!

...

Dortmund coach Klopp was a little worried, feeling that the players were afraid of the severe cold weather.

But it's normal when you think about it. The weather in Germany has returned to normal now, and you won't feel cold when you wear ordinary long-sleeved clothes. Unlike Donetsk, you can still feel suffocating in thermal underwear.

Klopp turned his head to look far away. Fortunately, Shakhtar Donetsk has some South American players who are naturally afraid of the cold.

Like Teixeira, Adriano, Fernandinho.

Or Mkhitaryan from Armenia, who is not very comfortable with the bad weather in Ukraine.

they are rubbing

Moreover, the Ukrainian Super League has been suspended for more than two months, and the status of the players is unknown.

Thinking of this, Klopp heaved a sigh of relief, and then looked at Tang Zheng who was lively and alive, feeling a little more chance of winning in his heart.

In fact, Tang Zheng gritted his teeth and persisted under the attention of physical coach Oliver Bartlett.

The warm-up time lasted about 20 minutes. A layer of sweat leaked from the players. Oliver Bartlett quickly called the players back to the air-conditioned locker room. Otherwise, the continuous warm-up in minus 10-degree weather might not be a good thing.

Lewandowski, who returned to the locker room, said what everyone was thinking: This environment is still comfortable, and the weather in Ukraine is really not for people!

The teammates didn't speak, but they all nodded in agreement.

After the players changed into new and dry jerseys, the head coach Klopp re-explained the specific tactical implementation of the game.

※※※

In the locker room of the home team, the head coach Lucescu swept over the faces of every player, and he said very seriously: Guys, we were able to beat the defending champion Chelsea in the Champions League group stage. The UEFA Champions League 1/8 finals can also be won! Do you have confidence?

Have!

Captain Srna was the first to respond.

Immediately, other team members echoed: We must be the ones who win!

We're going to the quarter-finals of the Champions League!

The defending champions have been eliminated by us, let alone the Bundesliga champions?

...

At this time, Douglas Costa, who was not included in the starting list, seemed a little absent-minded. He had a strong desire to fight, but he did not convince the coach.

As for why Douglas Costa's desire to fight is so strong, it all comes from the semi-finals of the 2009 Copa Libertadores four years ago.

At that time Tang Zheng represented River Plate, while he represented Gremio.

Douglas Costa, who had high hopes, did not perform as well as Tang Zheng in the two rounds of home and away games, so that he lost to River Plate led by Tang Zheng in the end, regrettably going to compete for the Copa Libertadores championship.

Fate seems to be so magical, Tang Zheng came to Dortmund with the river plate as a springboard by virtue of the Copa Libertadores, and it has been smooth sailing for more than three seasons.

So Douglas Costa would think, if his performance was more eye-catching, would he be the player who joined Dortmund?

※※※

Shakhtar Donetsk played against Borussia Dortmund in the first round of the UEFA Champions League 1/8 final at the Donbass Arena at home, as scheduled, with the familiar theme song of the Champions League and a fanatical atmosphere.

In order to better meet the competition, Tang Zheng was fighting with himself, whenever he felt weak, he would grit his teeth and perform high leg lifts.

The competition was held in such severe cold weather, and no one felt that Tang Zheng's physical condition was not good.

The game started in standard Champions League time, with Shakhtar Donetsk taking advantage of the home advantage to quickly attack Dortmund's defensive half.

The first shot of the whole game was completed by Mkhitaryan, the core midfielder of Shakhtar Donetsk. He accelerated outside the penalty area and broke through Tang Zheng's supplementary defense to complete a high-quality long-range shot.

Mkhitaryan speeded up to break through Tang Zheng. Marcel Leff felt strange and said doubtfully, Tang was wiped out so easily this time. Could it be that his status is being adjusted? I think... it should be due to the bad weather in Ukraine. His play.

Central 5 commentator He Wei also talked about Tang Zheng: The game has just begun, this is an accident.

The on-site director gave a close-up shot of Tang Zheng's face, his handsome face didn't look much bloody.

Of course, no one thought that Tang Zheng's face was pale because of a cold. The fans in front of the TV just thought that the weather in Donetsk was too cold.

Tang Zheng put on thermal underwear, long sleeves, and gloves.

In the camera, Tang Zheng waved to his teammates, indicating that he made a mistake, and then covered his face with his hands holding the jersey, trying to concentrate his energy as much as possible.

Hummels stepped forward and patted Tang Zheng's right shoulder: How is it?

Tang Zheng deliberately changed the subject, spit out a mouthful of saliva on the ground: It's really cold, I'm afraid of straining my muscles.

That's right, it's too cold! Hummels shivered uncontrollably.

The game continued, Weidenfeller made a short pass goal kick, and the football passed continuously to Tang Zheng's feet.

Just as Tang Zheng's right foot stopped the football, he saw a Shakhtar Donetsk player wearing orange and black horizontal stripes jump out from the corner of his corner of the eye, and quickly moved a step to the right.

beep~

The referee's whistle sounded, and Fernandinho, who was wearing the No. 7 jersey, looked depressed. He felt that he had not fouled and was wronged.

Is there really no foul?

Have!

The reason he did this was just to make the referee feel better and make it easier for the next tactical foul.

In other words, get off your horse.

Tang Zheng is Dortmund's most threatening offensive organization point, and the fierce defensive Fernandinho is very good at dealing with this kind of player.

German footballer?

Bundesliga assists king?

The 23-man shortlist for the FIFA Ballon d'Or?

Feel sorry!

I am also a professional player!

Another two minutes passed, Tang Zheng was attacking the 35-meter left area and turned to face the ball, Fernandinho rushed out from the side, Tang Zheng subconsciously flicked the ball to the left with the instep of his left foot.

Fernandinho didn't kick the football, instead he kicked Tang Zheng down, and he didn't take back his outstretched right foot.

The referee didn't calm down like Fernandinho's first foul. He pulled Fernandinho to educate him as a warning.

While getting up from the ground, Tang Zheng shook his head left and right to get rid of distracting thoughts.

Marcel Leff was visibly annoyed at Fernandinho's actions: It's totally worthy of a yellow card! The referee's whistle is too soft!

Tang Zheng is a very creative midfielder. If the referee continues to tolerate Fernandinho's fouls on him, I think the excitement of this much-watched Champions League 1/8 final will be greatly reduced. Central 5 commentator He Wei said unequivocally.

British Sky commentator Martin Taylor even stood up from his seat suddenly when Fernandinho fouled, and gave a fierce judgment: Absolute yellow card action! I really don't know what the referee thinks, this is tolerating crimes Behavior!

※※※

Fernandinho had a verbal warning from the referee, and his defense became cautious. As one of the team's double midfielders, he knew that the game time is still early, and if he gets a yellow card too early, it will seriously affect the team as a whole. battle plan.

Of course, this was due to his keen insight that Tang Zheng's style of play was not as tough as the media said, but rather soft.

Since the style of play is soft, there is no need for frequent fouls.

not worth it!

Tang Zheng received two consecutive fouls from Fernandinho, he no longer chose to dribble too much, but passed the football through early observation.

But Tang Zheng's position is an attacking avant-garde, in the middle position, and he has a heavy responsibility to organize the attack in the frontcourt. He doesn't dare to take the ball too much, which means that Dortmund's offensive organization in the frontcourt lacks creativity.

In this case, Dortmund's offensive has been greatly affected.

The offense has no way to put pressure on Shakhtar Donetsk, and their offensive players can focus more on offense.

Teixeira, who was wearing No. 29, began to show his good dribbling ability. Coupled with Mkhitaryan's dribbling and passing in the middle, Shakhtar Donetsk's offensive gradually rose.

Dortmund, who was a guest, had to retreat to defend, so Tang Zheng's position also retreated accordingly, facing Fernandinho again.

In the eighth minute, Fernandinho caught Srna's pass too far, Tang Zheng took the initiative to seek a physical confrontation, and at the same time stretched his right foot and long leg forward.

Everyone thought that Tang Zheng would win, but in the end the football was stabbed to Mkhitaryan by Fernandinho who stopped the ball too much.

The Dortmund players are very confident in Tang Zheng's physical confrontation ability. Like the fighting level just now, Tang Zheng's winning rate is infinitely close to 100%, so Sven Bender's reaction is slow.

If it weren't for Hummels' unknown premise suddenly grabbing, Donetsk's offensive will create a threat.

He Wei, the commentator of Central 5, was not sure, but watched the slow-motion playback and said: Why do I have the feeling that Tang Zheng seems to be out of shape, let alone the two previous physical confrontations that were at a disadvantage, just this time 50/50 it always felt like he wasn't in the right physical shape.

Tang Zheng's inappropriateness could be seen through the screen, and Klopp, who was standing on the sidelines, could see it more clearly. He turned his head and said to the assistant coach Zeliko Bouac: Do you feel that Tang Zheng's physical condition is not good enough? ideal?

Ah? It's a little bit, but I think it's because of the weather. Zelico Buvac gave the answer.

Klopp nodded lightly, because he was also willing to believe that Tang Zheng's performance was due to the weather.

As long as there is no physical problem, the weather cause can be overcome sooner or later.

Three minutes later, Dortmund switched from defense to offense, and the football passed quickly to Tang Zheng's feet.

From the corner of his eye, he noticed Shakhtar Donetsk players approaching from the side and rear, so he quickly handed the football to Schmelzer, and then continued to run forward to serve as a pick-up point.

Tang Zheng came to attack the 30-meter area on the left rib, and Goce passed it to Tang Zheng who was responding when the breakthrough failed.

Fernandinho tensed instantly, seeking to confront Tang Zheng's body.

Lewandowski was marked by Ziglinski, and Gotze, who passed the football, was marked by Srna, neither of which was a suitable pass point. Tang Zheng only had a fake fax dunk to dunk the football back.

Fernandinho was dissatisfied with his reaction, and turned around ninety degrees clockwise on the spot. At the same time, he sought a physical confrontation, and his right shoulder bumped into Tang Zheng's left shoulder.

Normally, Tang Zheng would definitely be able to withstand this level of physical confrontation, but when his feet exerted force, his strength could not keep up, and he was immediately knocked down by Fernandinho.

The referee hesitated for half a second before blowing his whistle, because the football was still within Tang Zheng's control.

For the referee's penalty, Fernandinho was dissatisfied, captain Srna was dissatisfied, and the fans were even more dissatisfied!

Whooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo-

There was a deafening roar of cheers in the Donbas Arena.

The location of the incident was not far from Dortmund's attacking left sideline, and Shakhtar Donetsk fans laughed at Tang Zheng unscrupulously.

Chinese, are you a softie? Football is a man's sport!

You will fall when you hit it. Are you a graduate of La Masia Film and Television Academy?

Sissy! This is not where you should be!!

Tang Zheng could hear the voice more than ten meters away, because the Shakhtar Donetsk fans said it in English, he bit his lower lip until he felt the pain.

This is the only way to wake yourself up!