On June 9, the long-awaited European Championship kicked off in Madrid, the capital of Spain.

After the opening ceremony, which was full of Latin flair, the host Spain played the opening match against Belgium.

La Liga is known for its attacking style, and the Spanish national team has the same style as their league. The European Championship in Spain also seems to be a feast for attacking football.

In the past, the opening match of the World Series always gave the impression of being dull and boring, and both sides played cautiously for fear of making mistakes. But this time, at the Santiago Bernabeu in Madrid, Spain and Belgium staged a wonderful attacking drama.

In the end, Spain came out on top and beat Belgium 3-1 to win their first group game. Spanish striker Bojan scored the first goal of the tournament, while Belgium's Axel. Whitesel (axel_itsel) received his first yellow card of the tournament.

The 80,000-capacity Bernabeu Stadium was packed to capacity, and fans watched the launch of Spain's new armada, which they hoped would once again dominate Europe on their own soil.

The next day, June 10, the tournament of this European Championship was in full swing. The strong teams did not encounter any opponents in the first round and won easily.

Due to the expansion of the European Championship, the rules for qualifying from the group have also been adjusted. Twenty-four teams were divided into six groups of four teams each. The top two teams from each group qualify directly, and the four best finishers advance to the quarter-finals, making up 16 teams to play in the quarter-finals.

With this change, the competition for the group stage is not as fierce as before, because as long as your team can finish third in the best group, they can still qualify for the knockout stage. With the exception of the strong teams that aim to top the group, most of the mid-table teams have more pragmatic goals.

It's just that the group that should be fiercely contested will also be fiercely contested, such as the group of death.

※※※

"Portugal's weakness is at the back." Don was standing in the conference room giving the team a tactical lesson, the last tactical lesson before the game, and the players would know what tactics the team was going to use tomorrow.

Practically every player has a tactical booklet, which has been developed by the coaching staff specifically for each person's characteristics and different tasks, and has been distributed to the players. If they can't remember, look at the pamphlet to make it clear. However, Don still has to talk about it in person, in terms of the overall layout.

'Their centre-back line is older and slow to move. Pepe is the heart of their defence and is also 33 years old, and injuries and age have made him much less physical than he used to be. Marsh. Castro's turn wasn't fast either. The two full-backs, Beniello on the right and Antunes on the left, are both assist-oriented full-backs who will step forward when they have the chance, which is also a characteristic of Portugal's attack. This creates a situation where their backs are always empty. ”

Donn circled behind the Portuguese defender.

"We defend on the counter-attack to lure them into pressing and then use the speed to attack the gaps." He drew a couple of arrows in England's half and cut straight behind the Portugal backline.

'Portugal are sharp on the flanks because they have Ronaldo, Nani, Quaresma. That's why I ask our wide players not to back down in the game and to hedge against them. Don clenched his fists and slammed them. If you retreat, you'll only give them an inch. We also need to make more use of the wings in our attack, and the full-backs also need to be active in assisting...... We're defending and counter-attacking, it's not just defending and not counter-attacking, when there is a counter-attacking opportunity, the two wings must press for me, I don't want to see our ball go to the front, our people haven't passed the situation in midfield. ”

Counter-attacking is a core part of Donn's insistence on defense, and if you don't fight back, no matter how strong your defense is, it won't work. Defending and countering and defending are indispensable, and both play a role to ensure that they win.

"Be fast when you counterattack, you have to be fast. Minimise the number of passes in midfield......"

Speaking of which, Donn turned on the projector on the side, and the white screen showed the picture of the warm-up match between England and Argentina. George. Wood was dribbling the ball and after two runs he passed the ball to Downing on the left, who cut inside and forced a cross past Fazio, who then cut in and fired a powerful volley.

It was England's first goal against Argentina.

"In this goal, we saw the benefits of simple handling of the ball in midfield...... Donn rewinds the goal process and explains it to the players in detail.

"As we counter-attacked, the Argentine players were coming back quickly. If this time George. What happens when Wood takes the ball down, spins around again, looks up? ”

He pressed the remote control and the screen began to move, until Wood's pass had just passed through Mascherano's defense. "Then there's a good chance that this pass won't pass."

The footage continues, frozen again when Downing forcibly breaks through Fazio.

"Even if it passes, Downing will not be able to break through Fazio so easily, because behind Fazio there will be an Argentine defender to protect him, maybe a full-back who will return to the defense, maybe a central defender who will make up for him. But in any case, the probability of success of this attack has been greatly reduced. ”

"You have to remember that the counter-attack is a race against the defender, and whoever takes the initiative wins half the way. Don't stop at midfield at this time. Even if you can't take the football out for a while, you have to pass it to the people around you as soon as possible, and then make the passing route yourself through running. ”

"Of course, if the opponent's defensive system is well maintained, the defense will be very fast. If you don't have a good passing point, then there's no need to go for speed, we can slow down the speed and then pass it back and pull them out. Don made a gesture that illustrated his words vividly.

"Draw them out and then pass forward decisively! Take the football to the most dangerous places! ”

"Mitchel, you get up front and get all their defensive attention. Rooney and Gerrard will lie behind you, waiting for an opportunity to intervene. You're not the scorer in this game, you're the bridgehead, you know? Don turned to his disciple in the Forest team.

Aron. Mitchel nodded. As long as it is arranged by the leader, even if he is allowed to play central defender, he will not have an opinion. Because the boss must have a reason for him to arrange it this way.

'Draw the Portuguese defensive firepower, create chances for your team-mates and score yourself when you have good chances. When we counter-attack, you have to be the first to go up, press the Portuguese defence back, and make space for Wayne Rooney and Gerrarda to be inserted in the back. ”

"No problem, sir." Mitchel replied.

"When attacking from the position, if Portugal focuses on defending our flanks, they play more on the ribs. If the Portuguese shrinks down the middle to defend, he crosses directly from the wing. "Anyway, with Mitchel's excellent header, even if Portugal senses that something is wrong and wants to shrink and play a positional battle with England, Donn is not afraid.

He didn't play the double fast combination of Abang Lajo and Rooney, he was defending this hand.

"We didn't play man-to-man defence in this game, remember how we trapped Argentina's attacking lineup? Still playing like that, zone defense. After the ball is broken off by the back line, pass forward, with as few horizontal or return passes as possible. If you don't have a good chance to get on the ball, Johnson (michael_johnson) has to drop back a lot to receive the pass, and you are the hub of the midfield. ”

Michael, a twenty-seven-year-old midfielder from Tottenham Hotspur. Johnson nodded. He was the man that Donn had hired to be Wood's replacement for the time being. However, he is not the only one, in fact, Gerrard's position is closer to the opposition penalty area, but he can also do Johnson's job if necessary. George. Wood's perverted ability to run, defend and attack needs multiple people to share, and this is Donn's "non-nuclear tactic". In the past, England's opponents only had to find a way to keep an eye on Wood, but now they can't.

Donn continues to explain tactics above, George. Wood sat in the corner and listened. In fact, he didn't use it at all, because he couldn't play, and the tactics were the same whether he listened to it or not. Still, as captain, he sat here and listened to Donn's tactical arrangements.

If nothing else, I just want to experience the atmosphere of the competition. In this way, when he can play, he can adjust his condition to the best in the shortest possible time.

Now listening to the tactical arrangements and watching the goal video, Wood only feels that his body misses the feeling of health more and more.

He's hungry to play.

※※※

In the morning, there was a tactical meeting, and in the afternoon Don went to the Camp Nou for a pre-match press conference. He was in attendance at the same time as Portugal's head coach Queiroz, and the media was full of anticipation.

Because Quiroz is said to have been very unhappy with Don when he was at Manchester United. It is precisely because of Ferguson's preference for Don that Queiroz did not finally sit in the position of his successor, and he chose to coach the Portuguese national team for this reason.

Now he finally has this opportunity to prove to the world that he is also a good coach who does not lose to Donne.

Because of this relationship, Donn felt that the atmosphere was wrong when he and Quiroz shook hands.

There was no smile on Quiroz's face, and Don put his smile away.

The two head coaches took a group photo in front of reporters with straight faces.

At the beginning of the press conference, Donn broke out with a shocking remark: "I am an old acquaintance with Mr. Queiroz, and we should have known each other well in the Premier League. I know a lot of Portuguese players in the Premier League and I'm familiar with them, like Nani and Adrian at Manchester United, Danny and Moutinho at Manchester City, Postiga at Middlesbrough and Pepe at AC Milan...... I'm familiar with them and this Portugal team has no secrets for me. I'm pretty sure I'm going to beat them. ”

As soon as these words came out, the scene was in an uproar.

All say Tony. Don En is a madman, and when he sees it today, he really deserves his name......

How could such a statement be made before a game? Obviously don't take the opponent in your eyes, and you're not afraid of provoking the opponent's battle**?

Sure enough, Queiroz's face suddenly became gloomy.

He hit back: "I do know each other for a long time, we played each other in the Premier League. I have a lot of respect for what he has achieved. "The implication is that I don't like him very much." In fact I have been in the Premier League for a long time and I know the England team very well. To be honest, I think Mr. Don was joking when he said they had a good chance of beating us. ”

After saying that, he laughed first. Then there was a burst of laughter.

Don laughed along, and the joke was so clumsy.

He didn't continue to embarrass Quiroz in his mouth, and Quiroz's remark that "I think Mr. Don was joking when he said they had a good chance of defeating us" was already a sign of weakness.

It's not fun to beat the reservoir dogs at this time.

But he was sure that he had succeeded in stirring up the anger of the other party. Defend and counterattack, defend and counterattack, don't provoke the opponent and let them press out, how can you fight back on your side?

Journalists are more concerned about what will happen to England in Wood's absence. Don didn't answer these questions, but he always made excuses to prevaricate when it came to tactics and lineups. If you are in a hurry, you simply don't say anything.

He had nothing to mention in the ten-minute press conference, except for the more vigorous speech he made when he appeared on the stage.

Instead, Queiroz talked eloquently, completely comparing Don to him.

'We will try to attack, Portuguese football is attacking football.'

Don snickered beside him, it would be the best.

'Nobody is injured and we can play with the best possible squad.

Don nodded, and that would be in line with my prediction for your lineup this morning.

"Death squad? Our goal is not to qualify from the group, it is not a problem to qualify. ”

Don answered in his heart: The third place in the group with the best results can also qualify.

……

And so it was until the press conference ended, when Donn got up and shook hands with Queiroz again.

"See you at the game, Mr. Queiroz."

Quiroz was taken aback by Donn's sudden remark, and before he could react, Donn had already let go of his hand and turned away.

Queirouz looked at the somewhat arrogant back, and his lips pursed tightly.

After winning a few club trophies, are you proud? Mr. Donn. After winning a few underdogs in the qualifiers, do you think you can do whatever you want? Mr. Donn.

You're just a newcomer in the national team, and I see how long you can run amok!

※※※

Don didn't know how Quiroz was cursing him, but when he returned to his hotel, he took a shower and washed away his stinky sweat. Changed his clothes and lay on the bed and talked on the phone with Shania.

He's relaxed now, and he doesn't feel any nervous about taking the national team to his first international tournament.

What happened to the Euros? Lao Tzu's champions have all been soft-handed, what wind and waves have you not seen?

After ending the call with Shania, he rolled over in bed and fell asleep.

He didn't dream that he would lead the team to lift the championship trophy, but he dreamed that he had a child, a lovely girl, as beautiful and likable as her mother. When she grows up, she must be the center of attention of all men.

She would get tired of being by Donne's side all day long, shouting "Daddy" and "Daddy", and Done would never get tired of listening.

I don't want her to grow up, but I want her to be smart. In this way, with a conflicted feeling, I watched her grow up day by day and become an adult.

When Donn was woken up by Walker to go to dinner, he had a distinct smile on his face.

"You're in a good mood, Tony?" In the elevator, Walker asked.

"Oh, how so?" Donn asked.

"I've heard people say that the best way to judge a person's mood is to look at the way they look when they wake up. You're laughing......"

Don laughed again: "The mood is really good, because I had a sweet dream." ”

"Did you dream of winning the championship?" For Walker, he couldn't think of anything else that would make Don laugh in his dreams.

Don shook his head: "No, it's a dream that makes me happier than winning the championship." ”

"What's that?" Surprised Des. Walker asked reflexively.

Don didn't answer. Judging by the smile on the corner of his mouth, I'm afraid he is immersed in that dream again, right?

(To be continued)