Valencia have only 23 first-team players, which is a small number of many teams.

Changsheng needs to make sure that every position is competitive, but it doesn't keep idlers either, so twenty-three is just the right number.

It's just that he didn't expect to be hit by a wave of injuries this season.

As a result, he is now overstretched.

Prior to the second leg against AC Milan, he had only eighteen men at his disposal, which was exactly the number required in the squad. There are even three goalkeepers among those eighteen people. In the past, David Langel, as the team's third goalkeeper, would not have had the opportunity to enter the squad, but he was also included in the squad for this game. Because it takes someone to make up the numbers.

But in reality, there is no one to change at all.

Everyone knows this situation, and it's no wonder that they are not good, and Valencia was able to turn the tables at home.

Perhaps only the Valencia players themselves believe it.

In the past two weeks, Chang Sheng has instilled in them the belief that "we can reverse it", and it has become a habit almost.

Even if they were barely able to put together a list of eighteen people, they didn't doubt it.

Because the thought of the humiliation they suffered at the San Siro made them desperate to beat AC Milan and prove to the world that they were all wrong!

※※※

Before the second round, the war of words between the two sides did not stop for a moment.

Once again, Berlusconi spoke about the constant victory, his big mouth that never stops offending people.

"I heard that Valencia has been mulling a change of manager lately? I think they're right. Now their development has entered a bottleneck period. And often not a good solution...... Having been knocked out by us in both seasons shows that he lacks quality and experience in the Champions League. Ancelotti is a good choice. But we're not going to let Carol go, he's priceless! Hahaha! ”

In the end, he smiled humorously.

He's adding fuel to the fire.

Discussions about whether Chang Sheng should leave have been raging for the past two weeks, and Berlusconi's public support for Chang Sheng's departure has pushed the discussion into the air.

A reporter even asked him if he would leave Valencia next season during an interview with Chang Sheng.

Chang Sheng: "My task is to play well in the current game, and you should ask the future me about the future, which has nothing to do with the current me." ”

"What do you do ...... to Berlusconi?"

"It's not once or twice that Berlusconi talks nonsense, I'm used to it, haven't you gotten used to it?"

In the end, Tsunga insisted that his side could knock out AC Milan: "I heard that. You all think that if Valencia are going to knock out AC Milan, they can only pray for a miracle. But what I will say is that miracles are done, not prayed. Miracles only favor those who will not give up until they die! And not cowards with mouths full of 'impossible'! ”

"But you have to be sensible, when you concede three goals in the first leg...... It's really hard to make the cut......"

"It's just three balls, and it's not thirty balls, what's impossible?" Chang Sheng snorted. "We can't do it. We'll see! ”

※※※

Ancelotti did not say anything about the words of Chang Sheng, nor did he say anything about the provocations of his boss, he was silent, low-key, and completely unnoticed.

But a small detail still exposes the true thoughts in his heart.

Generally, teams depart a day earlier for an away game. It is good to adjust the time difference, eliminate the fatigue of the journey, and then adapt to the venue.

For example, Valencia, who are always winning, went to play AC Milan away on Monday, and the game was on Wednesday night.

It stands to reason that AC Milan should be like that.

But they didn't.

The tournament is on the evening of April 7. AC Milan arrived in Valencia on the afternoon of April 6. Then they went straight to the Mestalla Stadium, after an hour of acclimatization. I went back to my hotel.

That's how AC Milan prepares.

In fact, they didn't have much to do with staying in Milan, and after 28 rounds of league games, they have 69 points and are at the top of the table. Roma, who are second in the league, have 61 points, and the two sides are separated by eight points. Roma are already hard pressed to threaten AC Milan.

Naturally, they didn't stay to prepare for the weekend's game against Empoli.

It can only seem that because they don't think the game against Valencia is important.

After winning the first leg by three goals, can you still lose 0:4 away from home? It doesn't matter if we let the opponent score four goals, we only need to score one goal to eliminate the opponent.

The situation has turned one-sided, and Valencia has only one way out.

So instead of going over so early, it's better to train and rest more in Milanello.

In front of the media, Ancelotti was still very cautious.

Speaking at his pre-match press conference after arriving in Valencia, he said: "Valencia are a strong team and we have to take it seriously. Anything is possible on the football pitch and we can't afford to be proud. ”

But having said that, in fact, he can't control the mentality of the team at all.

The Italian media are optimistic.

'We were three goals ahead in the first leg and now AC Milan can play Valencia with a very comfortable counter-attack...... I'm confident in AC Milan's counter-attack. To be honest, I'm not looking down on Valencia, but football is a very realistic sport and I can't think of anything else that Valencia could have reversed......"

So said the Milan Sport newspaper when analysing the match.

“…… Valencia will face Milan, the most powerful Milan of the 21st century, in the Mestalla! This team is riding high in both the league and the Champions League, and anyone who stands in their way will be ruthlessly crushed! Whether it's Roma or Juventus, they've already tasted that. Now it's Europe's turn! ”

“…… I don't think Valencia's forwards have what it takes to break down Milan's best defence in the world. Maldini, Nesta, Cafu and other experienced and highly qualified defenders will block Valencia's not a single shot on goal! And Kaka and Shepchenko were like fish in water in the counterattack. It will be a big threat to Valencia's goal! ”

The entire Italian media appeared to be at ease.

No one believed Valencia would be able to complete a comeback at home.

※※※

What did Chang Sheng say about this in his pre-match press conference?

"We can do things you can't imagine!"

It's just such a simple sentence, there is no dry goods at all, how can it be done? Didn't say.

Let everyone just want to boo him.

Chang Sheng feels that everything that needs to be said has been said, and it is useless to waste saliva with the media here, and he might as well analyze the weaknesses of AC Milan for the players in the tactical class with this time.

On the night before the game, the two teams had two very different preparations.

At the AC Milan hotel, the tactical meeting ended early, and Carlo Ancelotti simply announced the starting line-up for tomorrow's game. Then I told you what everyone knows.

Then he announced his disbandment.

The huge lead made him feel that there was no need to push his players too hard, although he said it was very cautious, but it was not necessary to be too nervous, these are experienced players who know how to adjust their form and mentality.

Or let them relax a little bit to help play tomorrow.

And in the hotel where Valencia stayed. The lights in the conference room are always on.

After the players had dinner at the hotel, they went straight to the conference room, and the lights were on from half past nine to half past eleven, a full two hours!

It was the four longest tactical meetings Valencia players have ever had.

In order to be foolproof.

Tomorrow's game is too important, and neither the winners nor the players dare to be perfunctory.

Chang Sheng didn't say anything impassioned to make the players' blood boil.

Now he only talks about tactics, only about the advantages and disadvantages of both sides.

'AC Milan's backline, like Roma's, has conceded the fewest goals in Serie A this season. Their defense line is strong. All of them are experienced and have an excellent level. But this does not mean that they do not have weaknesses, on the contrary, their weaknesses are large and deadly. So we just have to take advantage of their weaknesses and we have a good chance of a home comeback. Remember. Guys, I said we can reverse it. It's not a bluff, I'm sure! ”

"From the reopening of the Champions League in the Milan derby to now, AC Milan have conceded nine goals in the last eight league games. As the tournament volume has gradually tightened, this solid defensive line at the beginning of the season has now slipped significantly. Their biggest problem is age, and this backline is too old, Pancaro is thirty-two, Cafu is thirty-three, Maldini is thirty-five, Costa Kuta is thirty-eight and Nesta is twenty-seven. As far as Nesta is young, but he is often injured. He only returned from injury in the last round of the league. At the beginning of the season, when these people were in good physical condition, AC Milan's defense had the advantage of experience and strength, but as the league and Champions League came to an end, the disadvantage of this defense gradually increased compared to the old cadres. In recent times, AC Milan has been almost a double cheek. No one could have imagined the fatigue of Pancarlo, who started the league and the Champions League and the national team from the 24 rounds against Sampdoria, playing nine games in a month. On the other side, Cafu has been a regular from the first half of the league until now, and it is only in midweek that the Brazilians can get a little respite when it is the Coppa Italia. Maldini has been given a full week of rest during the international break, but for the 35-year-old, he has been playing as a main player without rotation until now, and his fitness has reached a limit. The other centre-back position is played alternately between Costa and Nesta, and once Costacuta catches up with the double game of the week, there will definitely be problems in his performance, and Nesta's two games since returning from injury have not been very good......

Chang Sheng began to analyze the problems of AC Milan's backline in great detail and detail.

'There are also problems with Carlo Ancelotti's tactics. Although the media said that AC Milan would definitely advance as long as they defended and counterattacked in this game. But I don't think Ancelotti will choose to defend and counter-attack. Because he advocates a pressing style of play, seeking the best opportunities through the backward feet in the front court, however, once the ball is lost and turned to defense, it often gives the opponent a lot of space. I remember Pancaro once revealed that AC Milan's tactics were that the two full-backs pressed the inverted feet involved in the attack, and the midfield formed a multi-point response, which was the heart of Ancelotti's attack. At the back, they relied on two centre-backs with strong individual qualities, but they often scored ahead of their opponents. ”

'Carlo Ancelotti will definitely do the same and destroy us completely with his attack on the road. I think even if Carlo Ancelotti had to play a counter-attack, he would have to score a goal in the game to do so. It's safer because there are 90 minutes in a game, and it's not Carlo Ancelotti's style to give the initiative to the opponent as soon as you come up. ”

Don't ask why Ancelotti is so sure that Ancelotti would attack rather than counter-attack when he was three goals ahead in the first leg, because he just knew it.

He has a lot of memories of what happened in world football in the past. Especially this kind of thing that shook the whole of European football.

The same season, the same quarter-finals, but the opponents are different. At that time, AC Milan played against Deportivo La Coruna, and they played a 4:4 in the first leg, Deportivo La Coruna had an away goal, but it was meaningless, and AC Milan won by three goals.

How similar is it to my current situation?

Surprisingly, in the second leg, Ancelotti did not choose to defend and counterattack, but continued to attack...... As a result, everyone knows what happened next. AC Milan were crushed by Deportivo 4:0 and with an aggregate score of 4:5, they were eliminated from the competition!

No one knows why Carlo Ancelotti continued to attack instead of opting for a solid defensive counter-attack.

Chang Sheng didn't know, but he just needed to know that Ancelotti was going to do it, and he didn't need to know why he was doing it.

"In Ancelotti's formation, Seedorf is called a left midfielder, but he is actually a free man, and the whole attack and defense on the left side depends on Pancaro alone...... Everybody this ball. "The TV in the conference room is showing footage of the AC Milan match that has been carefully edited by Rudy Gonzalez." It was AC Milan's match against Mona, and the goal was not returned after Pancaro attacked, Nesta made up for it on the left side, and Simic made up for it in the middle, revealing a vacuum on the right...... Then this ......" often wins fast forward with the remote control. 'The same goes for the goal against Sampdoria. The liberation of Seedorf can indeed revitalize the attack, but weaken the defense on the left side...... So AC Milan's left side is their weakness and we will focus on it in tomorrow's game, and our focus will be on their wing! (To be continued)