Chapter 309: Restlessness (I)
It was another disappointing season for Liverpool fans, with the team finished out of the top four and finished fourth in the league, which was inversely proportional to the expectations of the fans before the game. It seems that if the Reds are to be expected to return to their former glory, Liverpool fans will have to wait for more.
Last summer, Liverpool were one of the biggest moves in the Premier League's transfer market, with their total spending second only to Manchester United. Among them, the addition of Spain's strong Torres is indispensable, and the value of 36 million euros makes him the target of the new season, in addition to Benitez has recruited Voronin, Babel and Benayoun and other giants, for a while, Liverpool's bench strength has been greatly enhanced, and it has been able to withstand the pressure of multi-front operations.
Then, after entering the winter, the team spent 9 million euros to bring in Slovak player Shkotl, which also set a record for the team's central defender value. The young defender has squeezed out Hyypia and made people forget about the long-injured Agg, who is the hope of the Reds defence.
Rafael Benitez's Liverpool had a good start to the season, winning three and drawing one of their four games in August last year, including a draw with Chelsea, and the team's performance also gave people hope of winning the title, but the team's instability was exposed again. In the next seven games, Liverpool remained unbeaten, but won five draws, and was suddenly pulled away from the top of the table.
Situations like this have recurred after the New Year, with January being the most intensive part of the season, but Liverpool drew four and lost one, missing out on the title early. In fact, Liverpool have been on the same trajectory this season as in previous seasons, with no hope of winning the title in the winter, and a strong rebound in the second half to secure a Champions League ticket, but 11 points off the top.
Although the squad is strong, but their performance, sometimes more like a pseudo-strong team, this season's semi-finals, they continue to be at the bottom of the table, including two defeats to Manchester United, two draws with Arsenal, two draws with Chelsea, but did not achieve a victory, especially at Old Trafford, the Reds were beaten 3-0 by Manchester United, it is no wonder that they can only finish fourth in the league.
In the English League Cup, Liverpool was eliminated in the quarter-finals, and in the FA Cup, they were also swept out in the quarter-finals.
It can be said that the results of the four major are very dissatisfying to Liverpool fans and Liverpool executives.
Especially in the Champions League, last season's Champions League runners-up were swept away by Leon's Inter Milan with a near-humiliating score, much to the displeasure of Liverpool's American owner.
This is also the reason why the Liverpool club hierarchy has been slow to make up their minds to renew Benitez's contract.
Benitez's contract with Liverpool expires at the end of May 2010, and the Liverpool club hierarchy originally planned to continue to wait for a while to see Benitez's results in the next season, but, obviously, Benitez is also not satisfied with this, he thinks that Liverpool's results are not ideal, but it can't be said how bad, after all, he led Liverpool to win the Champions League in his first season, and reached the final again last season, such a result is enough to make Benitez also among the ranks of champion coaches, Liverpool's hesitation in renewing the contract, so that Benitez is dissatisfied。
It was also at this time that Inter Milan contacted Benitez.
Although shocked by the news that Leon is leaving Inter Milan, it is clear that Benitez is very tempted to take over the legacy of the championship team left by Leon......
***********
The Sun's news that Inter Milan have invited Rafa Benitez to coach has shocked the entire football world.
It's not the focus of attention on who Inter Milan invites to coach, it's the message behind the news: Leon is leaving Inter Milan!
This is explosive news!
Immediately, almost all the global sports media were 'swiped' with headlines to the same meaning.
"Shocking!Leon and Inter Milan break up?!"
The Departure of the King of Inter Milan?!"
"Leon and Inter Milan's high-level suspected contradictions broke out!"
"Leon and Inter Milan Break Up Peacefully?!"
"After conquering the Apennines, he turned away?!"
Similar headlines quickly flooded the media.
In addition, the explosive news derived from this explosive news is even more frenzied.
"There has been a sudden change in Barcelona's managerial selection, and the future of Pep Guardiola, who was previously thought to be at the helm of the first team, is in doubt, and the Barcelona hierarchy is seriously considering the possibility of bringing Leon to coach. —World Sport.
The newspaper also reversed its criticism of Leon, laving praise for him, "There is no doubt that Leon's tactics are the closest and most suitable for Catalan football, and for the great champion coach, Barcelona's dressing room will not be a problem......"
Another Catalan mouthpiece, Le Monde, also used the player's voice to express his welcome to the Chinese champion coach, "According to what we have received from Barcelona, the captain of the team, Puyol, admires Leon very much, thinking that the champion coach is very suitable for Barcelona, and in addition, young players including Xavi and Iniesta have also expressed their recognition of Leon...... The team's young star, Lionel Messi, also praised Leon as a respectable super coach......"
Ronaldinho, who is likely to be leaving, has also suspended his transfer operations, and it is clear that the Brazilian superstar is watching the matter, and if Lee-Ang comes to Camp Nou, Ronaldinho will be eager to regain his glory under the top manager. ”
Not only Barcelona, but also in the city of Madrid, it is starting to be lively.
"Marca" said that Leon will indeed leave Inter Milan, and Real Madrid president Calderón is doing his best to invite Leon to coach Real Madrid.
As the 'mouthpiece' of Real Madrid, another media "As" newspaper also expressed a similar opinion, "Although Schuster led Real Madrid to win the La Liga championship, Schuster has never been the first choice of Real Madrid and Calderón, Leon is the real man that Real Madrid has been chasing, and when the opportunity (of Leon's reign at the Bernabeu) comes again, Real Madrid should not be silent." ”
It's not just Spain.
In Germany, "Bild" also broke the news that if Leon really broke up with Inter Milan, Bayern Munich would invite Leon to the Allianz Arena at all costs.
In England, it has been rumored that Chelsea owner Abramovich admires Leon, and now, in the words of The Guardian, Abramovich has given an order to Chelsea CEO Kenyon that after Leon leaves Inter Milan, the only new owner must be Chelsea.
In addition, the "Daily Mirror" said that after Inter Milan was bloodied by Leon in the Champions League, Arsenal's senior management also expressed dissatisfaction with Wenger, and they are also exploring the possibility of inviting Leon to coach Arsenal.