[Football] King Of Europe

With the same seven points, the leading position of the Portuguese team was enough for them to recharge their batteries. On the contrary, the seven points behind Manchester United made Ferguson look gloomy.After the game, Manchester United captain Roy Keane directly expressed his dissatisfaction with the newcomers in the team, and Ferguson also expressed his support for this.

"Giggs has won 8 league titles. That is his experience and responsibility. Roy is right. When these old players retire, young people will always take over their responsibilities. Manchester United's young People - they're capable, but immature in certain areas and periods of the game."

England's "Sun" took a rare and serious look, and recorded the attitudes of Roy Keane and Ferguson. By the way, it also analyzed Manchester United's injury situation in the team, and also analyzed Manchester United's opponents in the Champions League.

Manchester United is currently suffering from injuries on the back line of the team. Since this season, the weak air control ability of the defense has been repeatedly exposed.Ferdinand's eight-month suspension made his appearances this season a dream. Sylvester was also injured in the game against Leeds United. Among the players who were lined up by Ferguson, Fortune was responsible for defending on the left and the midfielder Brown is full of weak links, and maybe he will be caught by his opponent to make a big fuss.

And their opponent, Porto——

It was a team that the English media didn't know much about. It was only because their coach Mourinho led the team to win the minor treble last season that they gained a little bit of fame.Perhaps the only ones who can be related to Manchester United are Manchester United newcomer Cristiano Ronaldo and Porto's Sebastian, but I heard that he has also been suspended for a long time.

However, the media in England will not expressly look down on Manchester United. After all, a lean camel is bigger than a horse. No matter how many injuries Manchester United suffers from, they are still a well-deserved giant in the Premier League and a famous giant on the European continent.

That Porto... who knows if it was just a flash in the pan?

Meanwhile, Portugal.

After the match between Manchester United and Leeds United, Boas immediately sent back the information he summarized to the club. Last season, he left the youth team and was transferred to Mourinho as an assistant coach. Mainly responsible for the analysis of opponent data.

In the Porto training base, Mourinho is studying carefully.

The tracking of Manchester United has been carried out rapidly since the results of the Champions League draw. The technical team coordinated by Boas has conducted a comprehensive analysis of Manchester United's technical characteristics and dynamics.The moment Mourinho got Manchester United's injury list, the Portuguese raised his mouth slightly.

There is no winter break in England!Porto's players have all gone through the winter break, but Manchester United's players have been experiencing intensive games.Improper recuperation after a large-scale event will cause muscle damage or various injuries. Now is the period of concentrated outbreaks.As the "Sun" wrote, Manchester United has deficiencies in various positions, and it is concentrated on the back line.

"Compared to Manchester United, our players are in better shape."

"Of course, Rui. After all, the Portuguese Football Association is not as crazy as England. We still have a wonderful Christmas holiday." Mourinho joked, "It's not like we can't even get the manpower."

Rui Faria shrugged and stood in front of the tactical board with a marker pen, which was covered with the names of Manchester United players.

On the right side of this tactical board, the names of Porto players are written.

"I think Ferguson is also having a headache with Manchester United's injuries. After all, it has become so serious...Look at this defense line. Manchester United can only discharge five people. Neville Brothers, Brown, Fortune, O'Shea , ha, even if we don’t have enough substitutes, even if we want to change our tactics, we can’t do anything about it.”

Faria crossed out all the names in the defense that Mourinho did not mention, and looking at the remaining five, he felt a little more relaxed.

Mourinho saw the performance of his old partner and joked: "Relax, man, Manchester United is not that terrible. You see, they only have five defenders left, maybe four in a row. Can't even line up a defender?"

Faria nodded dumbfounded.

"The Neville brothers will start if there is no accident. After all, Ferguson doesn't have many choices. O'Shea, a rookie, will probably be pushed on the bench in this situation, so Brown and Fortune should be the remaining two." Rinho also felt that there was nothing to say. Only Brown could play as a center back. The only change was in the left back. The more experienced Fortune compared with the younger O'Shea. Even a layman knew how Ferguson would choose.

"If they can't pierce a Manchester United Deco with such a weak defense, then I don't mind keeping them cold for a while."

"Oh, come on, Jose! You've put Sebastian out of your mind!" Faria half-truthfully exclaimed, "Haven't you seen how unrestrained he is playing now? , God, never seen him so crazy before."

What they said is that since the New Year, Mourinho has sent Sebastian to the field at the last minute in every game, and as a result, this guy's current style of play has become extremely unrestrained.After the Portuguese Super League dominates, Porto basically takes the lead early at the end of every game. It is terrible to release Sebastian who has been absent for so long at the last minute.In the first few games, he still had some slight discomfort, and he didn't know which joint was opened later. This guy won the ball from his teammates by virtue of his passing, and stabbed the opponent's defense in various ways. It's all over the place.Faria told Mourinho privately that now Sebastian wants to poke a hole in any team he catches. Fortunately, it only lasts a dozen minutes. If he is allowed to go wild, it will be fine!

Four assists in three games...

This is simply amazing than before being refrigerated!

Faria and Brito agreed that it must have been refrigerated for too long, so the little guy is now crazy every time he plays.

Mourinho drew a circle on the tactical board belonging to Porto, and smiled meaningfully: "Isn't this pretty good? He would have such ample motivation before? Now he is playing against Manchester United... this Wouldn't it be good to have a weak defense?"

Faria:! ! !

"Ferguson's midfield and attack line are still a bit difficult to guess, but their defense is enough to be turned upside down-"

——In the current state of the Porto midfielder.

"As for the forwards, that's the business of Costa and Carvalho. Rui, our defense is intact."

Faria's marker brushed across Manchester United's tactical board, and couldn't help shivering - Ruud van Nistelrooy, Scholes, Giggs...

It is enough for these people to report their names, whether it is the king of the small restricted area, ginger head, or Welsh flying wing, they are all very difficult to deal with without exception.

In Mourinho's view, as long as Porto's midfield can hold them back, and even trap Manchester United's offense in the midfield, then their defenders can create some small traps... those flying wings with amazing speed , Maybe he will become irritable because of these small traps.

"Midfield..." Mourinho murmured.

In the days that followed, he thoroughly instilled his tactical intentions into the minds of every player.

It is beneficial for them to play at home first. A team like Porto, facing such a famous opponent, just needs to win a victory at home to find a little confidence.

Although the Porto team was devastated after Manchester United was drawn, Mourinho still believes that their team has the possibility of advancing.In fact, one of the two opponents he most hopes to draw is Manchester United, and the other team is the French team Monaco.The former is his ideal opponent - European giants, while the latter is the opponent he most expects to meet in reality.

In fact, in order to adjust the mentality of the players, after the big victory against Guimaraes, Mourinho hoped that the players would relax.

Facing Manchester United, it doesn't matter even if they lose. No media will say anything, as long as it is not a massacre.

As a weak in the general sense, Porto has enough retreat.

But he still has a desire for victory. Such a powerful opponent is enough for them to use all their strength to fight!

Take it easy, take it easy, think about what you did with Real Madrid, how you did with Manchester United.His final request to the players is to welcome this game with a relaxed mood.

When the big game came, he warned his players: "Any result that does not require us to go to England to win is a good result. It is good to win a goal, and a 0-0 draw is fine, so we are not prepared to take risks—— Everything that is not a loss is acceptable."

In such an atmosphere, Porto finally ushered in the first Champions League knockout game of the season.

——It is also the first Champions League knockout game for most players in the team.