The complexity of the UEFA Cup format is not only the "fake grouping" of the first round draw, but also the "inheritance" of the teams eliminated from the Champions Cup. Pen, fun, pavilion www. biquge。 In the first round of the draw, the 80 teams included 32 teams that qualified for the second round of the qualifying round, 32 teams that qualified directly for the tournament, and 16 teams that were eliminated in the third round of the Champions Cup qualifiers. After a battle to determine 40 teams to participate in the group stage, the top 3 teams in each group a total of 24 teams entered the knockout round, plus 8 Champions Cup group stage 3rd place, a total of 32 teams to participate in the knockout stage draw. It was only at this point that the strong teams aiming to win the championship began to enter the role, and this was already in mid-February of the following year.

It can be said that the group stage of the League Cup is a small test for Sporting Gijón, with five teams in each group, and he only needs to finish in the top three to qualify for the knockout round.

Eight groups, a total of twenty-four teams advance, and then add the eight teams that finished third in the Champions League group stage to produce the round of 32, which will be a knockout round.

The knockout round of the top 32 is the real test for Sporting Gijón.

Therefore, Li Ang is now pinning his hopes on the team to be divided into a relatively weak group, which can save more effort.

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24 September 2004, UEFA Headquarters, Nyon, Switzerland.

The draw for the group stage of the 2004/2005 UEFA Cup is underway.

Leon sat in his seat, a little distracted.

The head coach of some teams also looks at it from time to time, in European football, the appearance of Li Ang, a Chinese, is definitely a shocking novelty, so to speak, the forty teams in the group stage, there are Schalke 04, Stuttgart and other Bundesliga powerhouses, as well as Feyenoord, Sporting Lisbon and other Eredivisie and Portuguese Premier League giants, as well as Newcastle and Villarreal and Lazio and other Premier League and La Liga, Serie A powerhouse, however, the head coach of La Liga promoted Sporting Horse Gijón is definitely the most eye-catching one.

Everyone already knows that this Chinese is the head coach of Sporting Gijón, who won the Spanish Copa del Rey last season as a Spanish Liga B team against Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey.

In a European team where Europeans occupy the absolute mainstream, the emergence of a Chinese has aroused their curiosity, surprise, and of course, suspicion, scrutiny and even contempt.

But, in any case, Leon's presence here is enough to attract the attention of others.

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Sporting Gijón is returning to European competition after nearly 30 years, so their European points are close to zero, which ultimately leads to the fact that Sporting Gijón is included in Pot 5, which means that Sporting Gijón has a much higher chance of meeting strong opponents.

Li Ang is also helpless, Athletic Gijón has paid off his debts for the past twenty or thirty years, which is something that cannot be helped.

The first team to be drawn is the team in the first pot, which has nothing to do with Sporting Gijón for the time being, and it is possible that they will fall in any pot.

Then it was the team in the fifth gear that was drawn, and Leon immediately came to his senses.

Sporting Gijón fell into Group C, and Leon shook his head, which is not a good sign, because the first team in Group C is the Serie A quasi-giants Lazio. At this time, Lazio is not a down-and-out team ten years later, and now it is a quasi-giant in Serie A, often able to reach the top four in Serie A.

Feeling someone's gaze, Li Ang looked over, he nodded in response, but the other party ignored it and turned his head away.

Leon touched his nose, he was despised.

***********

That person is Lazio coach Domenech Cassel, well, not the Frenchman Domenech who later became the head coach of the French team, this is Italian, he was the head coach of Lazio's youth team, and after Lazio manager Mancini went to Serie A giants Inter Milan this summer, Lazio has been busy with club financing and registration for the new season. It wasn't until the end of July in the summer, when Lotito took over, that the club began to select a manager. Zoff, Cassel and Carmonesi are all popular candidates for the moment, while cash-strapped Lazio can't offer a high annual salary to the likes of experienced Zoff or Carmonesi, so they choose youth team manager Domenech Cassel to lead the team in Serie A.

If you really count it, Domenech Cassel's first-team coaching experience may not be as good as Leon's, although Leon only coached Sporting Gijón in La Liga last season, but he is still a first-team team.

Therefore, seeing that he was despised by Cassel, Li Ang was unhappy in his heart, Lao Tzu's qualifications are a little more powerful than you.

At this time, Leon pondered in his heart that Lazio was undoubtedly one of the strongest teams in the first pot, and it would definitely be difficult to deal with, but, however, their manager might be a weakness.

Domenech Cassel naturally didn't know that he would be regarded as Lazio's weakness by the La Liga promoted manager, and he turned his head to the person next to him and chuckled, "It's good luck to meet a fish belly." ”

In Cassel's mind, it is obvious that in the game against Sporting Gijón, the three points are in place.

"Ha, when the time comes, you teach the Chinese a lesson and tell him what it is like to play in Europe." The one next to him, an executive of Lazio FC, also said with a smile.

Cassel smiled slightly, he took this opportunity to be promoted from the youth team to the first team of Lazio, he is eager to make a name for himself, lead Lazio to play well and become a famous coach.

***********

Subsequently, the second pot team was also drawn, and it was Belgian giants Club Brugge who fell into Group C.

This team is also a regular in the Champions League, although it is often at the bottom of the Champions League, but it is also an old fritter in Europe, and its strength is not bad.

The third team in Group C is Austrian giants Rapid Vienna.

Pot 4 is Eredivisie powerhouse Utrecht.

The draw results are all out, and Group C where Sporting Gijón is located are Serie A giants Lazio, Belgian giants Club Brugge, Austrian giants Rapid Vienna and Eredivisie powerhouse Utrecht.

Li Ang took a deep breath, there is no soft persimmon, and if you really want to talk about the five teams in this group, which team is the weakest, it seems to be his Athletic Gijón.

Leon could even feel the managers of the other four teams all glancing at him, and all with smiles.

This is obviously to regard Sporting Gijón as the number one soft persimmon in the group, and it is estimated that in their hearts, the three points of the match with Sporting Gijón are all planned.

Li Ang frowned slightly, this group, it is not easy to qualify.

However, thinking of the contemptuous gaze of several other opponent coaches towards Sporting Gijón just now, Li Ang touched his chin, although he felt very unhappy to be despised by his opponent, but, perhaps, this is not a good thing.

It's just that it's weird in my heart.

***********

Leon did not make a long stop in Nyon, and after the draw ceremony, he took an overnight flight back to Spain. Two days later, the team will have an away game in La Liga, and the opponent is Osasuna, which is not an easy opponent to play against.

On the plane, Leon, who was pretending to be asleep, heard a song from the headphones of the passenger sitting next to him.

Then his eyes opened, and in his headphones was Shakira's latest album, and the one he was playing was the song he sang with Shakira, "TakemetoYourheart".

It was a young girl, average-looking, with a few freckles on her face, but she looked a little cute.

"Excuse me? The girl smiled embarrassedly, revealing her little tiger teeth.

"Oh, no. Leon shook his head and smiled, "Shakira's latest album?"

"Ah, you also like to listen to Shakira's songs?" said the girl in surprise, "I didn't really like her songs, but this album is really good, my favorite is this song "TakemetoYourheart", it is so good, it is so good. ”

The girl is obviously a very extroverted character, seems to be someone who has the same interests and hobbies for the journey, is very happy, and keeps talking.

"Well, I love this song too. Leon nodded, "Shakira sings well. ”

"I think that man sings well, but it's a pity that I can't see his face in the album. The girl was excited, "But, I'm sure, it must be a handsome guy, I was fascinated by him, he has such a good voice." ”

Li Ang touched his nose, hearing such words of praise for himself, well, it feels good to be on such a strange occasion.

***********

When the plane arrived at Madrid airport, it was already sunset.

Leon takes the subway to Madrid's train station, where entertainment news is playing on a mobile TV screen in a subway car.

Colombian diva Shakira's latest album "TakemetoYourHeart" has sold nearly one million copies in just two days, and the title song of the same name "TakemetoYourheart" successfully entered the tenth place on Billboard at 0:00 EST on the 24th...... Below, I will bring you this song "TakemetoYourheart" ......"

Leon closed his eyes and hummed the song softly. This song has his memories of his previous life, and those past loves gently surround him, making his heart ripple slightly.

After a song, he opened his eyes, thought about it, and sent a text message to Shakira, "Congratulations, the album is a big hit." ”

Then, Leon sent a message to Alice: I miss you. (To be continued.) )