Chapter 112 Every cell in me is trembling
Chapter 112 Every cell in me is trembling
On May 18, 2006, the most important game in European football this season is about to start. The two best teams will stage a peak duel at the Stade de France. Whether AC Milan with the Wright Brothers won the championship for the seventh time in history, or the Gunners with Henry, Cesc Fabregas and Ljungberg won the cup, the huge suspense will be revealed soon.
AC Milan's original plan was to go to Paris three days in advance, but in order to arrange another training session in Milan, Ancelotti finally decided to postpone the departure date by one day. Celotti felt that training in Milan was better than training in public in front of hundreds of cameras in Paris.
When the AC Milan team arrived in Paris, soon, the bus pulled the team to the Trianon Palace Hotel in Versailles, a suburb of Paris.
This is a luxury hotel converted from an ancient monastery, comfortable, quiet and uninhabited. This is the most ideal residence in Ancelotti's mind, because his team stays in this kind of place, not only can get away from the harassment of the media and fans, but also avoid some players who like nightlife to go out the night before the game.
Although only 18 players are needed, Ancelotti brought all the first-team players who could play to Paris, including Shevchenko, who has not fully recovered from his injury. All first-team players were present when the team won the championship.
In addition, a large truck full of supplies also arrived in Paris. In addition to the equipment and supplies that must be used every day, there is also an oversized bottle of champagne loaded on the truck.
France is the hometown of champagne, but the Italians would rather bring their own champagne to Paris, and then after the team wins the championship, open this bottle of champagne with the taste of the hometown.
Compared with AC Milan's meticulousness, Arsenal seemed a bit unhurried. Not only did the Gunners arrive in Paris later than AC Milan, they were not even ready to arrange training to adapt to the venue!
Of course, we must not say that Arsenal is strong because Henry, Pires and many other Gunners are too familiar with the final venue in France, and coach Arsene Wenger often commented on the game at the Stade de France as a guest.
When it comes to comparing the right time, place, people and various factors, it is clear that Arsenal is better.
For the UEFA Champions League, Paris has left countless good memories. In 1956, Stefano and Kepa played against each other at the Parc des Princes in Paris, leaving the most classic battle in the history of the Champions League.
It was the first final of the Champions League. Stefano's goal in the 14th minute gave Real Madrid, who conceded two goals in the first 10 minutes, hope again, although the former French national team coach Hidalgo once forced the Spaniard. At the end of the road, but Marquitos and Rial rewritten the score to 4 to 3, and finally Real Madrid captain Munoz won the championship trophy.
Kepa, who lost the game, conquered Real Madrid and became Stefano's teammate a year later, creating an era belonging to Real Madrid and leaving one of the best memories of artistic football.
Art football, or football art.
Forty years ago, Stefano and Kepa proved with their feet that football was more than a sport, it was an art. Forty years later, Kaka, Degan, Henry and others returned to Paris with the Champions Cup, and another decisive battle will be played at the Stade de France.
The reappearance of the classics from forty years ago?
The conclusion cannot be drawn too early. Perhaps the game will not be as ups and downs as Liverpool's three-goal comeback last season, and it may not be as thrilling as Manchester United's victory in 1999, but at least Porto will not stumble two years ago. Wrestling and boxing to win the championship scene, it is certain that this will be a pure final, a real competition of skills, tactics, restraint and anti-restraint.
Two teams, Arsenal is considered to be the spokesperson of technical football in recent years, while AC Milan has become the successor of classical football by virtue of their steady defense and sharp counterattack.
This season, the two teams are the most entertaining teams in the Premier League and Serie A respectively. Arsenal's style in the European war has changed slightly this season, but Lehmann's record of 745 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in the Champions League, It doesn't mean that Arsenal went to Paris by relying on defense. Although Wenger's team played in the league this season, it still scored more than 70 goals for the fifth consecutive season. The last 11 rounds of the Premier League were close to every Scored 3 goals.
Even in the European arena, while consolidating the defense, Wenger's team did not give up the offense. With many talented players in the midfield, the simple passing coordination made Arsenal's counterattack sharper.
AC Milan has the sharpest offensive combination in Europe. There are still doubts about whether Shevchenko can play. His absence may slightly weaken the power of the trident, but after Inzaghi returned from injury, he played well. , can completely replace Shevchenko's position.
Art is not only about showing off the skills at your feet, but the head coach's fighting skills are even more interesting.
Both Wenger and Ancelotti are known for their elegance, they rarely play psychological warfare and verbal wars with their opponents, but put all their minds on the study of the game and opponents.
Wenger and Ancelotti often emphasize "control", emphasizing that players must adhere to the rhythm of the game they are used to, and ball control is the key to winning the game. Most importantly, you must play the way you are used to.
Of course, it is necessary to strengthen defense while emphasizing control. There are many classic reversals in the history of the Champions Cup. The balance of power game became one-sided.
On the Premier League battlefield this season, Highbury's curtain call ended with Henry's hat-trick, marking the Frenchman's state is still at its peak.
AC Milan has the most terrifying scoring machine, Degan. If the game is in a stalemate, the state of the core players will determine the game.
Degan is the kind of player who is born for big competitions. Although it is only the first time to participate in the Champions League, Degan has no signs of stage fright at all. He always has amazing performances in key games. AC Milan eliminated Barcelona in the semi-finals. Degan's genius free kick that day sent AC Milan to the final. Although Henry's performance in the competition was criticized by others, don't forget that it was the Frenchman's solo breakthrough that completed the victory against Real Madrid at the Bernabeu. The lore.
On the eve of the Champions League final, as usual, it was time for the war of words between the two sides. AC Milan's key player in this game, Digan, took the lead in shouting the slogan: let Arsenal experience the charm of Italian football.
Hearing this sentence, Eboue, the Ivorian giant in the Gunners, was the first to refuse. He said: he will definitely kill AC Milan with speed.
For Arsenal, suppressing the Wright Brothers is half the battle. Everyone knows that for AC Milan with a disorganized lineup, the only chance to win is when the Wright Brothers explode on the court.
Arsenal coach Arsene Wenger will naturally set up a net, and Eboue first patted his chest to ensure that he will completely paralyze AC Milan's wings in this game and do nothing.
What makes Eboue most proud of his housekeeping skills is his lightning speed. The Ivorian has wowed Highbury with performances since replacing the injured Lauren at right-back after Christmas. Now, the super shooter Digan, who made the whole of Europe tremble, naturally became his most wanted target.
"I played against Robinho at the Bernabeu and Coach Wenger gave me a lot of confidence. Now, I'm about to face another world-class player - Degan. I'm not scared, it's a step up My own good chance, I will do everything I can to play a beautiful game for myself and the team. Degan's speed is very fast, but I think I have an advantage in terms of speed, which is what I am most proud of When playing against AC Milan, I will show off my speed and skills against Digan. Even if I can't beat him technically, at least I won't be able to outrun him. I can take advantage of my speed to make up for other Shortcomings."
As for the central defender who has no speed and rough technique, it can be imagined how difficult it is to defend Digan, an extremely comprehensive striker monster.
Now except that Toure has booked an absolute main place, the remaining one will be produced between Senderos and Campbell.
According to the news disclosed by Arsenal's official website, since the Swiss teenager has not fully recovered from his injury, Campbell is likely to start at that time. Although his experience is reassuring, beware of Degan taking advantage of his weakness of slow turning to hit behind.
Ashley Cole, who has recently returned from injury, may appear at left-back. If he plays then, this will also be the first time Cole has stood on the Champions League stage since he was injured in September last year.
Of course, Flamini is a good substitute when Kerr is absent, and he has a better chance of playing. Although Degan's usual activity area is not on the right, but also beware of his surprise attack.
The Gunners' four defenders will face the Wright Brothers in the final, but who among them can really contain his offensive?
This will have to wait until the game starts before the answer can be given.
When interviewed before the game, Ancelotti seemed to be very low-key. He thought that AC Milan's situation in this game would be very difficult.
"This game is obviously easier for Wenger. Arsenal just need to fight back. I am the one who has more headaches."
Maldini, who has just returned from injury and will definitely play in this game, also said carefully: "We must be careful of every Arsenal player, not Just Henry."
Although the team kept a low profile, it was more like AC Milan's silence before winning the championship.
From a tactical point of view, AC Milan actually has no secrets. At the beginning of the game, Degan was the main attack on the left. This trick seems simple, but it is not easy to guard against it. The previous opponents who were eliminated by AC Milan were helpless.
Although Arsenal's right defender Eboue is capable, both Ljungberg and Helleb's defensive abilities are relatively average, resulting in insufficient support from the midfield to the back line.
In the middle, Diaby is the only one who can physically contend against Degan. Look at top defensive players like Marcos, Puyol, and Lucio all bowing down to Degan. Diaby or Eboue The end should not be much better.
In terms of Arsenal, the team's offense this season is mostly concentrated in the center and right. These two directions happen to be AC Milan's defensive strengths.
In the last game, when AC Milan was facing Barcelona, it was still difficult for Ronaldinho to break through AC Milan's defense, and I believe it would be difficult for Arsenal to do so.
In a big arena, it is often a flash of genius that determines the outcome. If the standard of genius is the Wright Brothers, then Wenger's Arsenal has only good players. Perhaps this has already determined that the championship belongs to AC Milan.
Ancelotti said before the start of the game that AC Milan is not the favorite to win the championship, but this obviously has elements to confuse the opponent, but it is more about seeking truth from facts.
Having eliminated Real Madrid, Juventus and Villarreal's Arsenal successively, Ancelotti should be taken seriously.
Arsenal deters Real Madrid by their strength, wears down Juventus by speed, and pushes back submarines by defense. In every game, Wenger's team will make those who underestimate them realize how terrible they are.
And in the face of AC Milan, which is recognized as the strongest defense in Europe and has the sharpest weapon Digan, what magic weapon will Wenger's team offer?
The word Wenger mentioned the most in his pre-match press conference was "practical".
Wenger said: "In the final, the first thing to bear the brunt is to have a strong defense. Continuous successful defense can give you confidence, and opportunities also come from repeated defensive successes."
When answering the comparison between Degan and Henry, the professor said: "This is a match between AC Milan and Arsenal, not a contest between Degan and Henry. We will win in the end."
The team's midfielder Ljungberg also held the same opinion: "AC Milan is a team that is good at playing defensive counterattacks, but their defense is very oppressive, and they can always catch some negligence of the opponent. Chances are created, but their defense has a lot of problems due to injuries, and our offense will also have good opportunities."
The defensive midfielder Gilberto Silva was unanimously considered to be Wenger's secret weapon for freezing Kaka due to his successful freezing of Riquelme and a teammate of Kaka Brazil.
Gilberto said: "Degan is very good, but I think Kaka is the most important player for AC Milan. We have no special plans for him. The coach didn't say anything to me, he just told me to play the game as usual. Okay. Football is a collective game and as long as each of us does our job, the best results will be won."
Although Ancelotti took the initiative to show weakness before the game, and even though AC Milan's players were cautious, it is clear that people are more optimistic about AC Milan. Of course, Arsenal fans will definitely not be happy. They rarely feel such contempt, especially It was purely natural, without any hatred, like the contempt of Manchester United, Tottenham and Chelsea fans.
Open any newspaper at will, and people can see predictions about the final of the Champions League. These predictions come from different mouths, but they have the same central idea: AC Milan wins, Arsenal loses.
AC Milan's legendary player Fran Basten is of course on the side of AC Milan. He believes that AC Milan's hopes of winning the seventh Champions League trophy in the club's history are only one step away from reality.
"As long as the team can perform normally and get normal luck, after 90 minutes of the game, we must be the ones celebrating. Arsenal are very strong, but in some aspects they still have a lot of loopholes. For example, the offense relies too much on Henry, Although the current AC Milan team has some problems, in my opinion, it is still almost perfect."
Barcelona coach Frank Rijkaard, who was eliminated by AC Milan, is also very optimistic about his old club: "I have experienced their greatness personally, and I know very well the horror of this greatness. It simply makes you unable to breathe. If we hope Seeing a wonderful goal performance, then we are likely to be disappointed. These two teams are currently emphasizing more on defense, and their defense is equally good, but AC Milan's offense based on defense is obviously stronger. "
If Basten and Rijkaard both have AC Milan resumes, which is not convincing, then let's take a look at what other football celebrities who have nothing to do with AC Milan say.
"AC Milan's football style is more stable, which will allow them to get more opportunities in a tough game." Heathfield, who once led Dortmund to win the UEFA Champions League, said, "Arsenal's defense has done very well recently. But I think it may imprison their minds, Wenger will definitely think first and emphasize defense, this conservative style of play is very dangerous, especially when you face a talented player like Degan who can change the game at any time ."
Hitzfeld's view has been echoed by current Bayern Munich coach Magath.
"Facing AC Milan, it will definitely not work, because AC Milan will always be more patient than their opponents. This kind of patience is a kind of torture for anyone, but AC Milan enjoys it. I think Arsenal should be brave Compete with AC Milan for the control of the midfield. Only when you control the right to play the ball in the midfield can you win. You must not give AC Milan too much freedom in the midfield. It is a pity that Vieira has already Leave, Arsenal would have had a better chance of winning if he had been around."
Although Arsenal has won various championships in England many times, it is somewhat embarrassing compared with traditional powerhouses such as Manchester United and Liverpool, because their honor room has always lacked a European championship trophy. But now, the Gunners' chance has come.
Although the outside world generally believes that the strength of AC Milan is higher than that of Arsenal, Gunners coach Arsene Wenger is full of confidence when looking forward to the prospects of the final: "AC Milan is the favorite to win the championship! We are terrible challengers! We have made up our minds to do our best. We can beat them. This is the final and everyone has a chance. We believe that we can be the final winners of the game. My players know the responsibility on their shoulders, which means they can go to victory."
After the adjustment period in the latter part of the league, the Gunners' state has indeed shown an upward trend, which also makes the young players in the team play better and better, and their self-confidence has also been improved.
Eboue felt a little guilty when facing Robinho in the first game against Real Madrid, but now he is full of confidence when he is about to face Digan, the recognized scoring maniac.
In addition, the comeback of Ashley Cole, Campbell, Senderos and Flamini not only made the Gunners' lineup more complete, but also made the players full of confidence.
Fabregas said: "I am very happy that Cole and Campbell can play in the final. When these two players are there, we are a stronger team."
It is indeed good news for Arsenal that the defensive injury will come back. As long as AC Milan is not allowed to score in the early stage of the game, the more they hit the back, the better it will be for the Gunners.
When AC Milan did not get a chance for a long time, the Gunners' sharp counterattack had room to display, and Henry would become the terminator of the game.
In addition, there are two factors worthy of attention for the Gunners in this campaign. One is that this campaign may be the farewell match of the 37-year-old Bergkamp, and the other is that the 17-year-old Walcott, who was selected for the England national team, may also play. Lao Yi's novel may surprise people!
Arsenal has a luxurious attack line and a rock-solid defense line, but the most critical thing for Wenger in this game is how to cut off the connection between Digan and Kaka, the Wright brothers, Only by preventing this pair of brothers from playing their due strength, can they have a chance to win.
What Wenger relied on the most was not Cesc Fabregas, Henry, Pires or Ljungberg, but Brazilian veteran Gilberto Silva.
Although born in Brazil, the stunt that Gilberto Silva is famous for is still defense.
In the European war, Wenger often used a 451 formation, with three midfielders in the middle and two midfielders responsible for attacking, while Gilberto only intercepted.
Against Real Madrid, Gilberto Zidane's follow-up defense was very successful, and the French core hardly had a few decent passes; against Villarreal, the Brazilian blocked Riquelme's attack with his body.
And this time, Gilberto Silva's task will be more arduous than before, because his opponent will be Kaka, who is the core player of AC Milan and an important pivot from defense to offense.
Gilberto Silva also attaches great importance to the Brazilian compatriot: "He is an unbelievable player. Without him, AC Milan would not be so dangerous."
The only regret is that although Gilberto knows Kaka very well and has a good relationship with Kaka in the international team, he has no formal experience against Kaka.
In this game, what Gilberto Silva has to do is to make Kaka disappear from the field, leaving Degan alone in the frontcourt.
Gilberto Silva has another dream, and that is the World Cup. Four years ago, the Brazilian brought the honor of world champion to Arsenal. Now, he hopes to bring a championship trophy to Germany to defend the World Cup.
But in terms of experience, this is already AC Milan's ninth Champions League final. They have only lost three times before, once to Marseille, once to Kluivert, and once to a crazy Liverpool.
But for the Champions League final, Arsenal is still just a beginner!
The decisive battle is approaching, and the Stade de France is already full of people. The fans of AC Milan and Arsenal occupy most of the stands, and the rest of the space is occupied by neutral fans. They come here hoping to see a wonderful game. Battle.
The 18-man rosters of both sides have been handed in. For Arsenal: goalkeeper Lehmann, back line Eboue, Toure, Campbell, Ashley Cole, midfielder Hleb, Gilberto Sean Erva, Cesc Fabregas, Ljungberg, Pires, Henry on the striker.
Sitting on the bench are: Almunia, Reyes, Bergkamp, Van Persie, Flamini, Senderos, Walcott.
AC Milan: goalkeeper Fiori, defensive line Simic, Costacurta, Maldini, Karadze, midfielder Pirlo, Gattuso, Seedorf, Kaka, forward line Digan partner because Zaghi.
Sitting on the bench are: Karachi, Serginho, Vogel, Ambrosini, Rui Costa, Gilardino, Shevchenko.
Shevchenko's injury is not completely healed, but Ancelotti still put him in the 18-man squad, and in the substitute list, there is only Serginho as a defender. It can be seen that AC Milan's injury is already serious At what point, if there is an accident, perhaps Ancelotti can only let Ambrosini and Vogel play as defenders.
In the locker room, Degan was still sitting in the corner as usual. Degan didn't listen carefully to Ancelotti's last instructions and Maldini's pre-war mobilization. At this moment, all he could hear was his own heartbeat.
nervous?
maybe!
After all, it is the first Champions League final. At Digan's age, it is basically a miracle to start the Champions League final. If he can win the cup, he will also become the youngest main player in the Champions League final .
Originally Degan thought he would not be nervous and would treat this game as an ordinary game, but when the game was about to come, he realized that he could not be so calm, he felt that every cell in him was trembling.
"Rod! Take it easy!"
Digan raised his head and saw that the captain Maldini was standing in front of him. The two of them didn't communicate much in normal times. Moreover, Maldini had been on a long truce this season, so there were even fewer chances to fight side by side on the field. .
"Rod! You are the key to this game, remember!"
Digan was taken aback for a moment, then nodded, is it the key?
Deagan liked the idea.
When he turned his head and found that Kaka was looking at him, Degan smiled: "Ricardo! I know, don't leave any regrets!"