Chapter 356: A Stepping Stone to Success
Borussia Dortmund hosted Mainz at the Westphalen Stadium at the weekend, with captain Tang Zheng contributing a goal and an assist to help the team beat Mainz 2-0 and meet the challenge of Barcelona with a high attitude of 14 consecutive league wins. Pen @ fun @ pavilion wWw. ļ½ļ½ļ½Uļ½Eć ļ½ļ½ļ½ļ½
A day later, Barcelona beat Getafe 1-0 at home, with Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp also present at the Camp Nou.
Therefore, during the preparation of Barcelona and Borussia Dortmund for the semi-finals of the Champions League, the Spanish media and the German media kept 'fighting'.
Both managers and players were particularly focused at this point, with their attention fully focused on the first leg of the Champions League semi-final starting in the middle of next week.
Whether you admit it or not, the meeting between the two teams in the Champions League quarter-finals last season is not recognized, not that the performance of the two teams is not good, but there are too many misjudgments in the two-legged game, if it is not for the referee's continuous mistakes, Dortmund is very likely to beat Barcelona at the Camp Nou, and then advance to the Champions League semi-finals.
Everything, it's a pity.
This season, the two teams were drawn together in the semi-finals of the Champions League, and there was naturally a lot of talk about it.
For example, whether Messi can complete a breakthrough in the game against Tang Zheng, who is stronger in the Tiki-Taka style of high pressing VS Dortmund high pressing.
As time passed, the topic of the two teams began to increase, and more and more experts and fans joined in the discussion.
UEFA would also love to see that happen, as they can sit back and enjoy it.
The Champions League is UEFA's most influential brand, so why not use the power of dialogue to increase its impact?
The first leg of the Champions League semi-final between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona kicks off at 8.45pm on Wednesday evening, with the entire Barcelona squad arriving in Dortmund on Tuesday morning.
The Barcelona players who came to Dortmund airport were not welcomed, but deafened and loud boos.
Although the misjudgment of the 1/4 finals of the Champions League last season came from the referee, the media around the world is rumored that Barcelona is the godson of UEFA.
The Barcelona fans who came to Dortmund early had the intention to create cheers, but they were helpless because of the large number of Dortmund fans, and the sound they produced was much lower than the boos produced by Dortmund fans.
Messi, as Barcelona's biggest star, received the most greetings.
But Messi is a big-game player and has experienced countless big-game scenes.
There was no change of mood in this situation, he wore headphones and listened to lyrical songs, when thousands of Dortmund fans ceased to exist.
For example, the young player Alba, who joined Dortmund last summer, couldn't help it, and he gave his middle finger to the Dortmund fans who caused huge boos to vent his frustration.
And Alba's response was naturally an even greater boo.
In the afternoon, the whole Barcelona team planned to go to the Westfallun Stadium to acclimatize to the venue, and the Dortmund fans who came to the surrounding square in advance once again showed their strong strength and 'welcomed' the Barcelona team to hell with huge boos.
After acclimatization, it was the usual pre-match press conference, and manager Pep Guardiola, who spoke to the media, said that tomorrow night's game will be very hard.
With the exception of a surprise defeat to Wolfsburg at the end of the first half of the season, Borussia Dortmund have won 14 consecutive league games and are unbeaten in 21 games in all competitions.
Immediately, Guardiola spoke very normally about Dortmund's absolute core Tang Zheng.
He didn't shy away from any praise: "He's the most versatile player I've seen in my career and my coaching career, there's no one, whether it's attacking or defending, he's able to do it perfectly, everyone knows I'm going to be Bayern Munich manager next season, and if I have a player like that, I think I can win any title." ā
The Chinese reporters looked at each other when they listened, and Guardiola's evaluation of Tang Zheng was too high.
What does it mean to have such a player under your command to win any championship?
This......
Except for the reporters who are 'not deeply involved in the world', which of those scheming reporters can't hear that Guardiola is deliberately giving Tang Zheng ecstasy?
When these words reached Tang Zheng's ears, Tang Zheng smiled and chose to ignore them.
In the evening, the Champions League semi-finals between Bayern Munich and Real Madrid were played as scheduled at the Allianz Arena.
Tang Zheng watched the live broadcast of this game at home, and he believes that the team is very likely to enter the final, so watching the game is equivalent to knowing the situation of the opponent in the final in advance.
To Tang Zheng's surprise, the game that should have been equal turned out to be 4:1.
The home team is in the front, the away team is in the back.
Bayern Munich beat Real Madrid 4-1 at the Allianz Arena......
Who would have thought before the game?
In short, Tang Zheng didn't expect it.
The two sides met in the Champions League semi-finals last season, when the 210-minute draw led to a brutal penalty shoot-out.
How can the gap between the two teams become so big in just one season?
Of course, this is not because the gap between the two teams has widened, but because Real Madrid is not very lucky.
With Cristiano Ronaldo hitting the woodwork twice and goalkeeper Manuel Neuer's heroic play, Bayern would have been likely to keep Real Madrid home by four goals if it weren't for Dante's return pass error in the closing stages.
Bayern showed a very strong momentum by beating Real Madrid 4-1 in a strong dialogue.
At this time, there is naturally less crazy catharsis from many Bayern fans.
After the game, many fans said to Dortmund fans on their personal social networks: "See? We beat Real Madrid 4-1! The Champions League title is ours! The league title is also ours! Dortmund?
The purpose of Bayern fans is clear, and they want to influence Borussia Dortmund's Champions League preparations and the upcoming Bundesliga with their efforts.
Half a season has passed, Dortmund has been biting Bayern Munich in points, which has worried many Bayern fans......
Dortmund fans also used color to show Dortmund's luxurious record against Bayern Munich in the past three seasons, and treated them in a human way.
Aren't you proud?
Isn't it cool?
Then we'll make it cool for you!
ā»ā»ā»
A big victory at the Allianz Arena, no one expected that it would multiply to the exchange of Bayern fans and Dortmund fans.
It stands to reason that it should be Real Madrid fans who are fighting with Bayern fans at this time.
Real Madrid's heavy defeat at the road, and in his regular post-match press conference, manager Jose Mourinho took the blame for the defeat, but he did not say that the team had been eliminated early, and he thought his side would have hope at home.
Vice-team Sergio Ramos, who accompanied the squad at the regular post-match press conference, expressed his support for Mourinho and also saw the second leg at the Bernabeu Stadium a week later as a great opportunity for a comeback.
The next day, the content of the mainstream media in Europe revolved around Bayern's 4-1 home victory over Real Madrid in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals that ended last night.
Jose Mourinho, who has been in charge of Real Madrid for three seasons but has broken with most of the players in the team, has been pushed to the forefront by the Spanish media and criticized with words.
So much so that the first leg of the Champions League semi-final clash between Borussia Dortmund and Barcelona did not receive much media attention.
In this way, it also made the managers of both sides feel a little happy.
The competition itself is simple, and the purpose of the media reporters is to cause gimmicks outside the competition, to increase revenue.
Without the undue attention of the media, players can focus more on the game itself, which has the effect of improving the game.
Borussia Dortmund's home game against Barcelona takes place at 8:45 p.m. German time on Wednesday, a regular weekday during the day, but by the first rays of the morning, the square around the Westphalun Stadium has already gathered a crowd of die-hard Dortmund fans.
The last time we reached the semi-finals of the Champions League was 15 years ago.
That year, they were European champions.
By noon, there were more Dortmund fans gathered around the square.
Many of them are Dortmund fans outside of Germany, and in order to be able to do well in Dortmund's Champions League semi-finals, they all fly to Dortmund in advance to cheer on their beloved team.
Five o'clock in the afternoon is the time for office workers, who are also the backbone of Dortmund's fan base.
However, at this time, the square around Westfallun Stadium was already overcrowded, and when the backbone arrived at Westfallun Stadium, it could be said that a sea of yellow and black was formed.
The Barcelona fans in red and blue striped shirts are like an ark in the ocean, and it is difficult to attract attention.
Dortmund entered the Champions League final again after 15 years, and the fans were enthusiastic, and there were not a few media reporters who came to the square around the Westphalic Lun Stadium to shoot materials.
At the same time, the entire Dortmund squad shared a meal at their hotel to prepare for the Champions League semi-finals in the evening.
After a break until about half past six, the members of the coaching staff and the players boarded the club bus.
At the door of the hotel in Dortmund, there were no accidents, in order to hide from a large number of media reporters.
Of course, it is the passionate Dortmund fans who are indispensable.
Most of these fans who choose to come to the hotel are fans who do not have tickets, and the only way to do this is to cheer for their favorite team.
Tang Zheng was very moved, he saw that most of the posters, banners, and slogans held high by fans were about himself.
The bus slowly drove away from the hotel, Tang Zheng put on his headphones and closed his eyes.
However, instead of closing his eyes and resting his mind, he adjusted his mental state.
With Borussia Dortmund reaching the Champions League semi-finals, Rodrygo and Chen Jia have been lobbyists non-stop, and if nothing else, it is likely that the environment will change this summer.
Before leaving, something must be left behind.
Dortmund was eliminated by Barcelona last season, and Tang Zheng, who accumulated three yellow cards in the first leg and was suspended, has a lot of responsibility, and he believes that this season must be shameful!
Messi?
Barcelona?
I'm sorry, but you're all my stepping stone to success.
ā»ā»ā»
In stark contrast to the atmosphere of Dortmund's bus ride to the Westfal Stadium, thousands of Dortmund fans self-organized themselves to stay at the Barcelona hotel on the eve of the Barcelona to the Westphalun Stadium.
They fully ridiculed Barcelona for relying on the help of referees to qualify for the last four of the Champions League last season, but still did not progress to the final of the Champions League.
In the semi-finals of the Champions League this season, Barcelona also has no way to qualify for the final, so the team that will eventually qualify for the Champions League final will be Dortmund!
Escorted by hotel security staff, the Barcelona players slowly boarded the bus.
Boos rang out in his ears and Pedro muttered, "The quality of the Dortmund fans is so bad!
'It's not that they're not quality, it's that they want Dortmund to go further. Messi, who was sitting next to him, said lightly.
Pedro was speechless for a moment, and by the time he was about to say something, Messi had closed his eyes.
In fact, Messi is not closing his eyes to recuperate, but cheering himself up.
As Pep Guardiola's departure time draws closer, Messi always feels that his form is getting worse day by day.
According to what the psychiatrist said, he must keep giving himself psychological hints, otherwise it will be difficult to adjust to the state.
At around half past six in the evening, the buses of both sides of the competition were parked in designated locations.
And these places have long been occupied by fans who do not have tickets to enter.
The natural deafening cheers that greeted Dortmund were in stark contrast to the buses in which the entire Barcelona team was riding, and they were greeted by huge boos that pierced through the clouds.
Everything from last season is still fresh in my mind.
Although the game is a matter of refereeing, Dortmund fans believe that it is Barcelona in the end.
is nicknamed UEFA's godson, why do you have to take the blame, right?
Half an hour later, players from both sides of the game put on their training shirts and came to the stadium to warm up.
At this time, the seats in the stands were basically filled by fans from both sides.
Of course, the Westphali Lun Stadium is the home stadium of Dortmund, and the Dortmund fans wearing yellow and black striped shirts account for more than ninety percent, and the red and blue fans belonging to Barcelona are less than one tenth.
It can be said that the first leg of the 2012-2013 Champions League semi-finals was full of atmosphere at home.
Stepping into the court from the players' tunnel, Tang Zheng had a different feeling.
Compared to stepping into Westfalfa Stadium in the past, this time I was obviously more excited!
And his excitement was vividly reflected in the pre-match warm-up, with a powerful long-range attempt and an extremely accurate long pass, all of which caused the fans to burst into deafening cheers.
Before the game started, the cheers from the stands were so loud that the Barcelona players on the other side who were warming up were very upset.
Especially players such as Jordi Alba and Pedro, who are already unhappy with Dortmund fans.
The play of the home fans will indirectly bring the play of the home players, so the following warm-up effect is very good.
Dortmund fans who came to the Westfalfa Stadium gradually felt a sense of confidence from within.
Barcelona, no arguments!