Chapter 300: Champions League Grouping
After the match against Stuttgart, the team returned to Dortmund. Pen %Fun %Pavilion www.biquge.info Then all the international players in the team who had national team tasks left the team one after another, and Zhou Yi was no exception, he stepped on a flight back to China and rushed back to participate in two warm-up matches, against Iran and Paraguay respectively.
Also leaving Borussia Dortmund are the club's manager Jurgen Klopp and general manager Zorc, who are on their way to the Champions League draw.
This has a special meaning for Borussia Dortmund as a team.
The last time they appeared in the Champions League was in the 2003-2004 season, but it was a qualifying round. They finished third in the Bundesliga in 2002-2003 and qualified for next season's Champions League qualification. However, Dortmund made their debut in the third qualifying round, drawing 3-3 with Club Brugge in a two-legged home and away game, and both teams scored the same number of away goals, both of which were one.
The two sides could only fight on penalties. In the end, in the penalty shootout, Dortmund lost 2:4 and was eliminated, and did not even participate in the Champions League match.
The last time Dortmund played in the Champions League was in the 2002-2003 season, because they won the Bundesliga last season and can go straight to the main competition without playing in the qualifying round.
The format of the Champions League that season was different from the one we are familiar with now, with two group stages. The 32 teams that entered the main competition were divided into eight groups, and the top two teams in each group qualified for the round of 16.
Instead of a two-legged knockout round, the top 16 teams will be divided into four groups for the second round of the group stage.
The top two teams from each group advance to the final knockout stage.
Borussia Dortmund were drawn in the first round of the group stage with Arsenal, AJ Auxerre and PSV Eindhoven. In the group stage, Dortmund won three games, drew one and lost two in six games, and finally finished second in the group and qualified from the group with Arsenal.
In the second round of the group stage, Dortmund and AC Milan, Real Madrid, and Lokomotiv Moscow were placed in Group C, which can be regarded as the group of death. At that time, Real Madrid was the reigning champion of the Champions League, while AC Milan was the winner of the Champions League that later season.
Borussia Dortmund are only better than Lokomotiv Moscow in this group, with three wins, one draw and two defeats in six games, finishing third and being eliminated from the competition.
This was Borussia Dortmund's last appearance in the Champions League.
Since then, Dortmund's strength has plummeted due to the deteriorating financial situation, and the ranking of the German domestic league has slipped year by year. No longer eligible for the Champions League.
After seven seasons, Borussia Dortmund is back in the Champions League.
What will be the formidable enemies that will await them?
Everything will be revealed at the Champions League draw.
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After Zhou Yi arrived in China, the Champions League draw ceremony is also taking place in Monaco.
The draw for the Champions League group starts with the determination of four brackets of teams, with the 32 teams divided into different brackets according to their European points.
The eight teams with the highest points are seeded and are also the teams in Pot 1.
Borussia Dortmund have not played in the Champions League for seven years, and the Europa League has only played in the 2008-2009 season, and they were eliminated by Udinese in the first round.
So the European points are pitifully few, almost none.
They were rightfully placed in Pot 4.
In this way, they are highly likely to be placed in a group with strong enemies.
In fact, Dortmund's luck this time was really not good......
They have been placed in Group A, where defending champions Inter Milan are seeded, Spanish giants Valencia in Pot 2 and Eredivisie champions FC Twente last season.
Although the level of death is not as high as Group G with AC Milan, Real Madrid, Ajax and Auxerre, it will be very difficult for Dortmund to qualify from the group.
Barcelona was placed in a group with Copenhagen, Panathinaikos, and Kazan Rubin, which was basically equivalent to being guaranteed to the round of 16. This grouping also seems to have given a lot of people talk about "Barcelona has a godfather cover in UEFA".
As soon as the results of the draw came out, the German media were the first to report on them.
There are three Bundesliga teams participating in the main tournament this season: last season's champions Bayern Munich, runners-up Borussia Dortmund and third-placed Schalke 04.
These three teams represent the face of German football and have an extremely important mission – their performances in the Champions League will affect the number of places that Bundesliga teams will have in the Champions League each season.
Bayern Munich, last season's Champions League runners-up, also drew a good sign, and they are in Group E with Roma, Basel and Cluj. This group is not surprising, basically Bayern Munich and Roma join hands to qualify, and Bayern Munich is definitely the first in the group.
Schalke 04's results in the league over the years are still relatively stable, 2004-2005 Bundesliga runner-up, 2005-2006 league fourth, 2006-2007 league runner-up, 2007-2008 league third. They play in Europe almost every year and have more experience than Borussia Dortmund.
In this season's Champions League, they were placed in Group B with seeded teams Lyon, Benfica and Tottenham Hotspur. Media analysis believes that the teams that qualify from this group should be Lyon and Schalke 04. Benfica's strength is not good, and Tottenham Hotspur is returning to the Champions League after decades, with zero experience, and it is impossible to make any waves.
Borussia Dortmund are not in a very good situation, they have not played in the Champions League for many years, they are still separated from the defending champions, and there are strong opponents like Valencia in the same group, it is not easy to grab a qualifying place, and even need some luck.
Bundesliga media analysis believes that the whole team of Dortmund should have a correct mentality. Returning to the Champions League after seven seasons should be about gaining experience, Jurgen Klopp's side are still young, and the youngsters should learn as much as possible about the Champions League this season. Their focus should still be on the domestic league and making sure they can play in the Champions League next season.
When this team matures, it is possible to achieve better results in the Champions League, and it is worth expecting more from them.
This year's Bundesliga honor still depends on Bayern Munich to maintain.
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In addition to the German media, the Chinese media and fans are also very concerned about the Champions League draw, which is of course always concerned, because the Champions League is a high-profile event in China, no less than the World Cup.
Every season, the Champions League group draw will be reported by major domestic media, and fans will pay attention.
But this season, because of Zhou Yi, everyone's focus is different.
In the past, everyone would pay more attention to the grouping of those giant teams, such as whether Real Madrid will be separated from the enemy Jia Ang this time, and whether Barcelona will be taken care of by the godfather again......
And now, everyone is most concerned about the results of the group draw for Borussia Dortmund.
After the results came out, the reaction of the Chinese media and fans and the German media was similar, feeling that the result of this grouping was not very favorable to Dortmund, and it was definitely not a "sign", and it was considered a winning lottery.
Some Chinese media went to the training ground of the national team to interview Zhou Yi, and the question was not about the national team, but about the Champions League grouping.
“...... I didn't watch the live broadcast, the live broadcast was too late, and I didn't watch it due to jet lag. But I know the result. Zhou Yi was on the sidelines of the training ground, facing a large group of reporters, and said with a calm expression and tone. "What do you want me to rate?" he asked.
"Do you think this is a bad result, or is it not as good as you imagined......" the reporter asked.
Zhou Yi shook his head: "No, I didn't think about who we would be with." Speaking of this, he couldn't help laughing, "Fourth-tier teams, what qualifications do they have?"
When he said this, the reporters were amused.
Because what Zhou Yi said is indeed quite right. The teams in the fourth tier are often the last teams to be drawn, and the strength of the teams in the first three tiers is basically stronger than them, so it is equally difficult to play anyone who is drawn.
"And I think we have to take it seriously, no matter how strong or weak the opponent is, so it doesn't matter who the opponent is. If you think that your opponent is weak and the game is easy to fight, you will lose badly. After all, this is the Champions League. Zhou Yi, who has been in Europe for two years, can already be calm and calm when facing reporters, just like the confidence he has shown.
"So what do you personally expect from the team in the Champions League?"
"First of all, of course, it's the group qualification. Zhou Yi replied.
"How sure are you?" must be a novice journalist who asks such a question, or the question is blurted out without thinking.
Zhou Yi faced such a stupid question and laughed: "I said 100 percent, you don't believe it, right?"
Everyone laughed too, and the slightly awkward atmosphere was dissolved.
Then Zhou Yi got serious and said: "Go all out, the next step is not for me to decide." Let's do our own thing first. Well, that's it. ”
There is no tone of pride adverbials, it is very bland, as if he is talking about a very ordinary thing.
However, these Chinese reporters, who have gradually become familiar with Zhou Yi, can feel the strength of this young man from his flat tone.
Dortmund has waited seven seasons for this Champions League, and what about Zhou Yi? This is the first Champions League in his life!