As in previous years, the draw ceremony and the award ceremony were interspersed.

Although Ajax have won the Champions League and UEFA Cup in the past two years, and the previous year was the quarter-finals, they are still placed in Pot 2, because the seeded teams in Pot 1 are all giants of the four major leagues.

Real Madrid finished in the round of 16 last season, but still topped European football with 131 three-pointers.

AC Milan, Barcelona, Liverpool, Manchester United, Inter Milan, Bayern Munich and Arsenal are the other seven seeded teams.

And the most interesting is Liverpool.

The team that won the Champions League last season only finished fifth in the Premier League and originally missed the Champions League.

But the defending champions missed the Champions League in the new season, which is definitely ridiculous and generous, so UEFA made an exception and allowed Liverpool to enter the Champions League as the defending champions, but from the first round of qualifying, and there are no clear nationality restrictions.

So, while others start the season at the beginning of August, Liverpool start the season in mid-July and have played six of the three Champions League qualifiers and two Premier League games.

In the most recent game, Liverpool did not play well, losing 0-1 at home to CSKA Sofia.

Thankfully, the Reds won the first leg 3-1 away from home and progressed to the group stage 3-2.

From this game, Liverpool exposed a very serious attacking problem, eighteen shots on goal, only five on target, whether it is Cisse or Morientes, obviously seriously out of shape, which greatly affected Liverpool's attack.

In the next UEFA Super Cup, Ajax intends to use this to make a fuss.

As Liverpool are the only special team in the seeded squad that has no nationality, it is theoretically possible for Liverpool to be drawn from Pot 2, including Chelsea in the Premier League.

After seeding the team, the best goalkeeper was awarded to Chelsea's Peter Cech.

The goalkeeper was indeed impressive, conceding just 13 goals in 35 Premier League games, which earned him the Goalkeeper of the Year award over Champions League winners Doudek and Italy's Vivo Buffon.

Petr Cech is also very optimistic about everyone, the most powerful top goalkeeper in European football after Buffon.

After the award of the best goalkeeper, the draw for the fending team begins.

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"Yang, is there a team you particularly don't want to meet?" Kaka asked, looking back, with a smile.

Yang Yang smiled and shook his head.

Ajax's luck this year is certainly better than last year's, as the team has gone up a notch after winning the League Cup.

In other words, it is impossible to encounter such a tragic thing as Juventus and Bayern Munich last year.

Of course, in the third pot of teams, there are still teams such as Schalke 04, Werder Bremen, Anderlecht, etc., but they are much luckier than last year, and they will not be in the same group as the two giants.

Therefore, Yang Yang felt that it didn't matter, he could meet anyone.

"Is there anything you'd like to encounter in particular?" Kaka asked again.

Yang Yang pondered for a moment, leaned closer, and said with a smile: "Do you count?" ”

"Huh?" Kaka was a little surprised, "Are you serious? ”

"Hmm." Yang Yang nodded, "Two years ago, at the Amsterdam Athletic Stadium, I watched you defeat us with my own eyes, and I was thinking that one day I would take revenge. ”

After finishing speaking, Yang Yang couldn't help but be happy.

In fact, with the current strength of Ajax, it is also unlucky to meet AC Milan.

But there is definitely a fight.

"You're quite vindictive." Kaka laughed.

"Well, you'd better pray to God and Buddha this year and don't come to our Amsterdam Arena again." Yang Yang threatened.

Kaka also came to his senses, "Then I really hope to run into you, let's compete again." ”

They are all young people, and they are full of the smell of competition with each other, and they all want to compete for a high and low.

But the result is very regrettable.

Ajax was drawn second to Arsenal in Group B.

Interestingly, the first team to be drawn in Pot 2 was Juventus, who actually drew Bayern Munich.

How dark does this have to be to be in the same group as Bayern Munich for two consecutive seasons?

Subsequently, Ajax drew Sparta Prague from the Czech Republic in Pot 3 and Thun from Switzerland in Pot 4, both of which were not strong overall.

Judging from the draw, there is still a great possibility for Ajax to qualify, but it can't be careless.

Whether it is Sparta Prague or Thun, they all have a certain strength to cause problems for Ajax.

There are no weak teams in the Champions League, and carelessness will only make you suffer.

In addition to the draw, other awards have also been released.

The best defender went to Chelsea's centre-back John Terry, who beat Champions League winners Carragher and runners-up Maldini to be elected, and the Blues centre-back was doing quite well overall.

Kaka scored seven goals in Serie A last season and played in all of the Champions League competitions, and his performances were also very good, which earned him the Midfielder of the Year award, followed by Frank Lampard.

Ronaldinho was the best striker, beating Inter Milan's Brazilian compatriot Adriano and AC Milan's teammate Ukrainian nuclear warhead Shevchenko.

Liverpool's captain Steven Gerrard won the Player of the Year award, which is not much of a suspense, as most of the awards come from Champions League winners.

It is worth mentioning that there are two inconspicuous awards, namely the Champion Coach Award, which was given to Benitez, who led Liverpool to the Champions League, and Ronald Koeman, who led Ajax to the UEFA Cup.

Yang Yang sat in the venue from beginning to end, indifferently watching the people in front and behind come up to the stage to receive the award, but nothing happened to him.

From the beginning, he knew he was going to be watching from the sidelines again.

Because the League Cup really doesn't have half a weight.

If anything, it's Ronald Koman's paltry championship coaching award.

As for Yang Yang, the best player in the League Cup, there is no sense of existence.

After many strong teams finished third in the group, they didn't even want to play in the League Cup, and went directly to the bench, thinking it was a waste of time.

It is conceivable that Yang Yang's current status in European football seems to be quite famous, but in fact he really does not have much sense of existence.

When everyone mentions him, it should be more that he broke Ronaldo's record.

But this is somewhat suspicious of Ronaldo's anger.

If it was in the Netherlands, Yang Yang would not feel this way at all, because both the Dutch media and fans praised him like a superstar, and even the club took care of him.

But it was only when he came here, in this star-studded venue, that he really felt his insignificance and insignificance.

It's the same feeling he felt when he sat on an Almere bus and passed under the majestic Amsterdam Arena.

Unlike then, he is more confident now than he was then, and his desire to prove himself is stronger.

He hopes that one day, like Kaka, like Gerrard, will be able to walk on that podium in front of the eyes of the whole world and let the UEFA president call his name out of his mouth.

Not just the UEFA award ceremony, but also the FIFA award ceremony in December.

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After returning to the hotel from the Grimalty Convention Center, the teammates were most concerned about what Yang Yang saw at the venue.

But for these, Yang Yang is not much interested in talking.

For him, whether it is Ronaldinho or Kaka, they are both distant goals at this stage.

Yang Yang really cares about the next game against Liverpool.

It was Ajax's European debut of the season.

Although the weight of the European Super Cup is not heavy, it is also a championship trophy in the end, and facing the Champions League champion, Yang Yang must be eager to prove himself in the competition.

But Liverpool isn't a fuel-efficient lamp either.

According to Ajax's current speculation, Liverpool will also play the main force in this game, but Benitez's line-up is often very unexpected, and many things cannot be fully speculated.

For example, in the forward line, will he use high school striker Crouch or Spanish center Morientes?

The two centre-forwards have different characteristics and different tactical plays.

What will Luis Garcia and Cisse arrange?

Liverpool's attack is very poor, but that is relative to the top team, Ajax is weak in attack and defense, and paralysis will only make him die faster.

And Yang Yang still doesn't know who he will face.

Is it the Norwegian left wing-back Ritse, who is brave but lacks strategy, has poor one-on-one defensive ability, but is very threatening in attack? Or is it Traore, a tall, defensively better African player with strong physical confrontation?

Since Yang Yang now often switches to the left side, who will Liverpool use on the right side?

Finnan? Josemi? Or do you want Captain Carragher to move over?

If Ronald Koeman likes to explore the multifaceted attributes of his players, Benitez treats his players as a universal puzzle piece, fighting wherever he needs them, which makes it difficult for opponents to figure out his use.

But the only thing that can be confirmed is that Gerrard is injured in this game and will not be able to play.

This point, which Gerrard had confirmed in this afternoon's meeting, was no secret at all.

But Liverpool's midfield still has Xavi Alonso, Hamann, Mohamed Sissoko, etc., all of whom are very powerful players, especially Xavi Alonso, the Spanish midfielder has begun to transform into a top midfielder in Europe after joining Liverpool.

Of course, Ajax's midfield strength is not weak, and the combination of Yaya Toure, De Jong and Sneijder should not be underestimated.

Especially Yang Yang himself, he is full of fighting spirit.

After seeing the medal ceremony in the afternoon, he felt a strong desire to prove himself again.

He wants to be remembered by the whole of European football.

Let's start with this Super Cup!