Chapter 679: The finale opens
In the luxurious Bernabeu home dressing room, Manchester United's players are wearing knee pads and shin pads to make their final preparations before the pitch.
Ferguson stared at his disciples, but what came to mind was what he said to Mourinho last season: "I have two things, you only have one, and I'm not talking about the thing in the crotch."
Ferguson is talking about the Champions League winners.
This is what the legendary British coach Clough once told Ferguson, when Ferguson had not won a second Champions League title, and there was no way to refute it by Clough's sarcasm.
Although Mourinho has an absolute advantage over Ferguson's record, but Mourinho is irrefutable to Ferguson's words, and Ferguson can be regarded as breathing a sigh of relief at that time, but if Manchester United loses this game, Ferguson believes that the arrogant Mourinho will definitely throw this sentence in his face.
Time was running out, and Ferguson decided to say a few more words.
"Our opponent is a terrible army because his coach is Jose Mourinho! they have beaten Chelsea and Barcelona! Are you scared?" Ferguson looked around at his disciples, and the players' faces were excited, excited, and a little nervous, but not a little afraid. I don't see you scared, because you know that we are just as strong, last season we beat Jose Mourinho and his army, every player who can start at Inter is strong, but we can't divide all the energy evenly between everyone, everyone has to know who is the one who controls the rhythm of Inter? Who is in charge of Inter? You have to firmly control the most influential person on the other side, he is Gao Xiaodong! I'm sure you're sure you're impressed with him, he eliminated us once last time, and this time we're going to take revenge! Great players can't be defeated twice by the same enemy!
"Got it!
"Can it be done?"
"There's no problem! β
Hearing the resounding answers of the disciples and seeing Rooney's unconvinced face, Ferguson was relieved, and heard that the Spanish referee Uendiano had begun to blow the whistle and assemble, Ferguson waved at the players, "Then let's go!
Manchester United's players walked out of the dressing room, just as the players from Inter Milan also walked out, the players on both sides looked at each other, and their eyes immediately rubbed sparks, and everyone looked at each other directly, and no one refused to back down.
The referee, Untiano, was accustomed to this situation, and he quietly stood between the players of the two teams, separating the players from both teams, "Are you all here? β
As soon as Uendiano broke up, the tension disappeared, and the players on both sides took the little caddy's hand and followed Unantiano towards the court.
Ferguson and Mourinho walked behind the team, the two looked at each other and smiled, Ferguson said: "Jose, congratulations, this is really an unexpected reunion." β
Mourinho laughed: "No, it was an expected meeting. β
Ferguson laughed: "I'd love to know how much better Inter Milan are than last year. β
Jose Mourinho replied: "Just enough to beat Barcelona and Chelsea. β
Alex Ferguson laughed: "Although we also beat Barcelona and Chelsea last season to win the title, I don't believe you have as much luck as we do. β
Mourinho said lightly: "History always has a striking similarity. β
Ferguson laughed: "Then let's wait and see." β
Although the game has not yet started, the Santiago Bernabeu Stadium is not lonely, the big screen in the stands is playing the wonderful pictures of Inter Milan and Manchester United qualifying, reporters run to the stands to interview fans, and the on-site commentators are introducing off-field tidbits.
At first, fans on both sides were chanting their stars, and then Manchester United fans sang the Manchester United anthem, and Inter Milan fans also sang the Inter Milan anthem, and fans on both sides were desperately howling and trying to overwhelm their opponents.
As soon as the Inter Milan and Manchester United players came out of the mixed tunnel, the singing in the stands immediately stopped, and almost the entire stadium began to cheer and applaud in an earth-shattering sound that was even louder than the two fans had just cried out.
The reporters immediately turned their cameras to the players on the field, and the flashes kept flashing, especially the focus players like Rooney and Gao Xiaodong, who didn't know how many films were murdered.
The on-site commentator saw the players come out, and immediately became excited, "The players of Inter Milan are out! The players of Manchester United are out, the protagonists of today are all on the field, now let's determine the starting lineups of both sides." β
"Inter Milan starters: goalkeeper 12-Cesar, back four 13-McConn, 6-Lucio, 25-Samuel, 4-Zanetti, double midfielders: No. 5 Stankovic, 19-Cambiasso/three forwards: 9-Eto'o, 10-Gao Xiaodong, 27-Pandev, single striker/22-Milito. This is a 4231 formation, Motta is suspended, Stankovic replaces Motta's position, Motta's technique is more detailed, and his ability to play the ball is stronger, but Stankovic is not as good as Motta, but he also has a certain passing ability, and he also has a long shot. Sneijder has recovered from injury, but out of caution, Mourinho has put him on the bench, replaced by Pandev. Pandev and Sneijder have different characteristics, but there is not much difference in ability, and there is no suspense in the other starting positions. β
Manchester United starters: goalkeeper 1-Van der Sar, back four: 2-Gary Neville, 5-Rio Ferdinand, 15-Vidic, 3-Evra, two midfielders: 16-Carrick, 24-Fletcher, three forwards: 13-Park Ji-sung, 25-Valencia, 18- Scholes, single striker 10-Rooney, this is also a 4231 formation, in the face of Mourinho, the master of counterattacking, Ferguson's arrangement is more cautious, only on Rooney a striker, midfielder Fletcher and Carrick form a double back, Park Ji-sung on the side is a can't run, Valencia is young and physical, Scholes also has good defensive ability, even if it is a striker Rooney, he does not hesitate to do physical strength, often called a defensive striker, this starting lineup ensures Manchester United's ability to defend back, Inter Milan wants to rely on counterattacks to break Manchester United's goal is very difficult, the only variable is captain Garyγ Neville is too old to know if he can stop the onslaught of Inter. β
"In terms of attack, Park Ji-sung's current state is difficult to provide much help, Valencia can't fully fill the firepower gap after Ronaldo leaves, but his speed and breakthrough are good, but his shooting skills are much worse, and it is even more difficult for Rooney to break through the door of Inter Milan alone. β
"Both teams attach great importance to defense, and it may not be easy for anyone to break through the opponent's goal, so in such a game, the coaches of both sides know the roots, and it is normal to be cautious, maybe the penalty shootout is possible in the end......"
When the commentator introduced the starting lineups of the two teams, the players of both sides had already taken a group photo, and the captains of the two sides, Zanetti and Gary Neville, came to exchange team flags and emblems.
As Zanetti walked over, a banner reading the number 700 was displayed in the stands and Inter fans gave a standing ovation as it was the Inter captain's 700th game for the Nerazzurri.
Zanetti has always been a model of consecutive appearances, he can play in multiple positions, rarely eat cards and rarely have injuries, so in his 15 years at Inter Milan, Zanetti has made 699 appearances, an average of more than 46 per season!
The Nerazzurri's record for appearances is held by Bergomi, who made a record 758 appearances during his 19-year spell with Inter Milan between 1980 and 1999, and for Zanetti, who still has three years left on his contract, it is almost certain to break that record.
After the captains picked sides, they returned to their own halves, where Inter Milan strikers Milito and Samuel Eto'o, who had won the kick-off, made their way to the centre circle to kick off.
Two minutes later, in front of the eyes of fans around the world, Spanish referee Juendiano blew the whistle and the Champions League finale, the finale of the 2009-2010 Europa League, began.