Chapter 158: World Record
After advancing to the semi-finals, there is no need to draw lots for the semi-finals, and Dortmund automatically meets Real Madrid led by madman Jose Mourinho.
There is no doubt that this is another Mars collision with the Earth.
Dortmund not to mention, just Cheng Hai's name and the record of the four continental giants from the group stage to the quarterfinals against Arsenal, Marseille, AC Milan and Chelsea are enough to make it the team with the strongest record in the Champions League this season.
And Dortmund's opponent is even more exciting.
First of all, Real Madrid is the team with the most Champions League titles in history, having won the Champions League nine times so far, and is undoubtedly the number one in the world.
Secondly, Real Madrid is a team led by the madman Mourinho, who is known as "God first and he is second".
Jose Mourinho is a two-time Champions League winner, with two different teams, Porto and Inter Milan.
His Inter Milan side were also the first team to win the treble in Serie A history, and also led Real Madrid to the top of the La Liga table this season and led them to the semi-finals of the Champions League.
Therefore, Mourinho definitely has crazy capital.
Finally, there is the squad of Real Madrid, known as the Galaxy Battleship, this season, with Casillas, Carvalho, Pepe, Ramos, Nuri Shaheen, Khedira, Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Benzema, Ozil, Granello, Marcelo, Alonso, Altentop, Higuain, Di Maria and so on.
With so many superstars, the starting lineup can't be stuffed, and some people can't even get into the squad.
Nuri Shahin, who is at the absolute core of Dortmund's organization, has not even been able to come off the bench a few times after moving to the star-studded Real Madrid, but it is too late to regret it.
It can be said that Real Madrid's bench lineup is more luxurious than Dortmund's starting lineup. Moreover, their players are not a bunch of veterans like AC Milan, but also big players in their playing years.
Casillas is a goalkeeper and is just 30 years old.
Pepe is 28 years old, Ramos is 25 years old, Shaheen is 22 years old, Cristiano Ronaldo is 26 years old, Kaka is 29 years old, Benzema is 23 years old, Mesut Ozil is 22 years old, Marcelo is 23 years old, Alonso is 29 years old, Higuain is 23 years old, Di Maria is 23 years old......
It can be said that Real Madrid has perfectly integrated the three generations of old, middle and young players, and has played an extraordinary combat effectiveness in La Liga and the Champions League this season.
Borussia Dortmund will not be able to defeat each other by dragging down their fitness as they did with AC Milan and Chelsea.
If you want to drag your physical fitness, you can't make it happen that Dortmund will collapse first.
These two Champions League semi-finals are definitely two hard-fought battles.
Speaking of which, it will undoubtedly be very difficult for Borussia Dortmund to win the Champions League this season.
In the group stage, they were in the group of death with Arsenal and Marseille, and met AC Milan in the quarterfinals, Chelsea in the quarterfinals, and Real Madrid in the semifinals.
If they get past Real Madrid, they will face the winner of the other semi-final, Barcelona vs Bayern Munich.
Compared to Dortmund's easy path to qualification from the lower divisions in the German Cup, Dortmund's Champions League journey this season can be described as hell's.
In this way, if Dortmund can successfully win the cup in the end, then this gold content is undoubtedly the most in the previous Champions League, and it can also prove Cheng Hai's strength.
However, before the Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, Dortmund has three Bundesliga games to play, namely the 29th, 30th and 31st rounds of the Bundesliga, and the opponents are away to Wolfsburg, home to Bayern Munich, and away to Schalke 04.
With the exception of Wolfsburg, neither Bayern Munich nor Schalke 04 are easy opponents to play against.
Bayern are the Bundesliga champions and Borussia Dortmund's old rivals in the German national derby. Schalke 04 is an old rival in the Ruhr derby, and the competition is more intense than the German national derby, and there are more uncontrollable factors.
After the first 28 rounds, Dortmund is in first place in the Bundesliga standings with 23 wins, 3 draws and 2 losses with 72 points, Bayern Munich is second with 60 points, and Schalke 04 is third with 54 points.
It can be said that whether in terms of team strength or points standings, Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 can threaten Dortmund.
However, with only six rounds remaining, Schalke 04 is 18 points away from Borussia Dortmund, and there is basically only a theoretical threat.
But Bayern Munich is different, they are real and can still threaten Dortmund's top spot.
Coupled with the semi-finals against Real Madrid, you can imagine how difficult those two games were.
Therefore, after playing against Chelsea and advancing to the semi-finals, Klopp held a team mobilization meeting before the 29th round of the Bundesliga against Wolfsburg and mobilized all the players.
Jurgen Klopp said at the meeting:
"This season, our German Cup has been going very well, and before the final, we didn't even meet a Bundesliga team and reached the final."
"But in the Champions League, every time we advance, it's full of thorns, and every opponent is almost all the top European giants."
"Being able to reach the semi-finals can be said to be an unexpectedly good result."
"However, this is not enough."
'Although it was Real Madrid who stood in our way in the semi-finals, we had nothing to fear.
"Do you remember last year's UEFA Super Cup? We beat Barcelona to win the championship. ”
"We beat Barcelona last year, and I'm sure everyone can beat Real Madrid and reach the final this year."
"Of course, football matches are not just about shouting two slogans to qualify, you have to pay attention to methods and strategies."
"Real Madrid is not one of those low-level opponents in our German Cup, just send two people up to solve the battle."
"Cristiano Ronaldo, Kaka, Casillas, etc., I'm sure every name is thunderous for you."
"If you want to get past Real Madrid, maybe it's more difficult than AC Milan and Chelsea."
'In order to concentrate on the Champions League semi-finals and on Real Madrid, we need to be distracted and win the league early.
"Moreover, we have this foundation and conditions."
'Now we are 12 points ahead of Bayern Munich in the league and there are six games left in the league.
"In the 29th round of the league, if we beat Wolfsburg and Bayern also wins, then we remain 12 points ahead of Bayern and have five games left in the league."
"In the 30th round, we played Bayern at home. And if we can win this game, we will lead Bayern by 15 points with four rounds left in the league and win the championship ahead of schedule. ”
"And if you lose to Bayern in the 30th round, then you must win Schalke 04 in the 31st round, and you will also be 9 points ahead of Bayern with only 3 rounds left, and you will win the championship in advance with only one point in the remaining league."
"It's still based on Bayern's three wins, and as long as Bayern draws, we will win the title early."
"Of course, the first thing to meet is that we have to win at least two of these three league games."
"And the first away game against Wolfsburg is not to be lost, it must be won."
"In that second home game against Bayern, we have the possibility of winning the title early at the Westfalen Stadium."
"If we win the first two games in a row, we can even rotate the third game against Schalke 04 to concentrate on the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid."
"So, from now on, everyone must devote themselves to training and playing, and strive to win two consecutive league games and win the championship ahead of schedule."
"Do you have faith?"
Everyone in the team shouted in unison: "Yes! ”
As long as the league wins two in a row, it will win the championship in advance.
In this way, Dortmund can prepare for the Champions League semi-finals as a team, aiming to beat Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-finals and advance to the final.
As long as you make it to the final, you can win the championship.
Also likely to win the German Cup is the German Cup.
The first treble of the Bundesliga is not far from Dortmund, with only a few games to go.
Thinking of this scene, everyone's fighting spirit was naturally stimulated.
After two days of dedicated preparation, at 15:30 on the afternoon of April 7, in the 29th round of the Bundesliga, Bayern hosted Augsburg and Dortmund challenged Wolfsburg at the same time.
The weather has been bad across Europe lately, and it has been raining heavily on this away road, but Wolfsburg's home stadium is also full.
There are not many home fans who know that Wolfsburg will most likely lose, but there are more than 20,000 away fans from Dortmund and Cheng Hai's personal fans, and together with a small number of Wolfsburg fans, the Volkswagen Arena is full.
Everyone came to see Cheng Hai break the world record.
Previously, Cheng Hai's total number of goals in the Bundesliga this season had reached 67, equalling the world record of 67 goals scored by Scotsman Alche Stark in the 1924/1925 American Football League for Bethlehem Steel.
In this away game against Wolfsburg, countless people believe that Cheng Hai will definitely score and set a new world record.
At the same time, this is also the 100th official match of Cheng Hai's career, including club and national team, which is of milestone significance.
In the landmark 100th professional game, setting the world record for goals scored in a single season in the world's top league is exciting to think about.
Therefore, so many Dortmund fans and Cheng Hai's personal fans came to fill the Volkswagen Arena in the heavy rain.
In the heavy rain, many Cheng Hai fans held signs or banners printed with the words "Cheng Hai 100 games" and "100 milestones" to cheer for Cheng Hai.
Of course, there is no shortage of signs or banners with "68 goals world record", but not many people are holding them up now. Presumably, when Cheng Hai really scores, such signs and banners will pour out.
After the start of the game, although Wolfsburg knew that it was unlikely to stop Cheng Hai from scoring, they still had to work hard.
They don't want to be the background emperor of Cheng Hai's world record, and they will be repeatedly mentioned in various articles and TV in the future.
Therefore, Wolfsburg learned from AC Milan and Chelsea, and defended Cheng Hai's attacks and counter-attacks.
However, where can Wolfsburg's defenders compare with AC Milan's Nesta, Van Bommel, Boateng and Seedorf, as well as Chelsea's John Terry, David Silva, Essien, Frank Lampard and others?
The same two people were sandwiching Cheng Hai, and the players of AC Milan and Chelsea could barely stop Cheng Hai, but the players of Wolfsburg couldn't stop him at all. In the 5th minute of the opening game, Cheng Hai took the ball and faced the interception of two Wolfsburg midfielders, but he simply picked the ball and passed people, and then used his full physique and speed to force it between the two, and the two Wolfsburg players' closed defense could not stop Cheng Hai.
When the two stretched out their hands to signal to the referee that Cheng Hai had fouled someone, Cheng Hai had already dribbled the ball to the Wolfsburg penalty area.
If it weren't for the last shot that was blocked by the opposing defender on the side, Cheng Hai would have scored in the 5th minute of the opening game.
Even so, the much-anticipated Cheng Hai's first goal was not too long apart.
Cheng Hai's personal strength is too great an advantage in the Bundesliga against the mid-stream team Wolfsburg.
Although it is not easy to hit the ground in the heavy rain, Cheng Hai still has a full volley!
At the same time, the full value of stopping the ball and picking the ball pass the skills make Cheng Hai's control of the ball in the air much stronger than that of ordinary players.
After a few misguided passes in the rain, in the 12th minute, right-back Grosskloitz suddenly inserted the ball on the side, and after hitting the wall with his teammates, he hit the right side of the front field, and then sent a diagonal cross to the front near Cheng Hai at the front of the penalty area.
However, the ball was a little behind, and Cheng Hai could only turn around and stop the ball with his back to the goal.
Wolfsburg defender Madelen, who was stuck with Cheng Hai behind him, even felt that he had successfully defended and did not let Cheng Hai face the goal and volley directly, so that Cheng Hai was forced to turn his back to the goal and couldn't shoot at all.
At the same time, there was also a defender next to him, Ricardo, who tried to stretch his heel to Cheng Hai to grab the ball, but was isolated by Cheng Hai with his body and couldn't grab the ball.
Just when both of them were about to wait for Cheng Hai to unload the ball and grab it, and even tackle it, they saw that Cheng Hai didn't stop the ball at all, but picked up the ball with his right foot in the face of the falling ball, and picked the ball over the heads of himself and Madelen, letting the ball fall to the big penalty area behind him.
The moment he completed the pick, Cheng Hai turned around and wiped past the left side of Madelen's body and entered the penalty area.
Madelen and Ricardo, who were separated by Cheng Hai behind him and next to him with their bodies, were caught off guard and failed to react in time, but watched Cheng Hai complete the turn from Madelen's side, and entered the penalty area to pick up his right leg against the ball he picked up.
The full value of stopping the ball and picking the ball passing skills, plus a little luck, made Cheng Hai's pick and pass without unloading the ball very perfect.
Not only did he succeed in picking the top of his and Madelen's heads, but he also turned his way into the penalty area and shot just right.
Of course, Madelen didn't allow himself to be broken through so easily, and he had to watch Cheng Hai shoot.
Therefore, although Madelen, who followed Cheng Hai and turned around, couldn't get stuck and could only watch Cheng Hai shoot, he still tried his best to push Cheng Hai, wanting to make Cheng Hai lose his balance and affect his shooting.
Madelen's push did affect Cheng Hai a little, but the impact was not great.
After all, Cheng Hai still has a full value of physique and balance skills!
Moreover, the experience brought by the long-term competition also let Cheng Hai know that he will definitely be pushed or pulled by the other party.
Therefore, Cheng Hai was actually ready to be pushed or pulled by the other party, and adjusted his center of gravity the moment Madelen stretched out his hand to maintain his body balance.
Although it is still somewhat affected, it is not very affected.
On the football field, it is inevitable that the top striker will shoot under the interference of the opponent, and Cheng Hai has long been used to it.
Therefore, Cheng Hai finally resisted Madelen's push and completed the shot.
He rushed into the box from next to Madelen, and before the ball he picked into the box fell to the ground, he picked up his right leg and volleyed it onto the ball.
The ball flew like a cannonball towards the Wolfsburg goal.
Then, Cheng Hai lost his center of gravity and was pushed down in the penalty area by Madelen. However, the ball he volleyed was already firmly flying towards the Wolfsburg goal.
Cheng Hai's play in the attack this time, whether it was a sudden pick or a volley that rushed into the penalty area to stabilize his body, was quite perfect.
If you don't pick up the ball from outside the penalty area, but try to unload it and dribble with your feet, you will probably be destroyed by the opponent.
And after picking the ball into the penalty area, without volleying, there is also a high probability that Madelen will be pushed down, or the angle of the shot will be blocked by other defenders rushing from the side.
It was Cheng Hai's tackle and turn volley that caught Madelen and Ricardo off guard, and let the other defenders on the side of the penalty area complete the shot before they could block the angle of the shot.
Cheng Hai's final volley was also perfect.
It was originally a violent volley in the penalty area, but it was powerful, fast, and at a bad angle.
In the end, goalkeeper Benaglio reacted with a save, but he was completely out of reach, and he watched the ball fly far in front of his palm into the net while he was still in the air.
In the 12th minute of the first half, Cheng Hai scored his first goal of the game with a perfectly connected pick + volley in the penalty area, and it was also his 68th goal in the Bundesliga this season, officially breaking the world record of 67 goals scored by Scotsman Alche Stark for Bethlehem Steel in the 1924/1925 season of the American Football League, creating a new world record for Cheng Hai alone.