An hour after Sweden's 2-0 match against Ireland, the second group game of Group E was played in the city of Lyon.

And this European Championship finally ushered in the first strong dialogue in the strict sense since the start of the competition.

One is the Belgian team, the first brother of Europe, and the other is the old powerhouse Italy, which is no longer majestic.

The last time Belgium appeared at the European Championship was 16 years ago, and it was not until a group of outstanding attackers such as Eden Hazard, Romelu Lukaku and Kevin De Bruyne that the former European Red Devils re-emerged under the leadership of veteran Wilmots.

They were at the top of the FIFA national team rankings last year and are aiming to regain their glory in the 80s.

In contrast, Italy, a four-time World Cup winner, has struggled in recent years.

If the Azzurri still has a star who can handle it, then only goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon is left.

The 38-year-old also set a new record of 974 consecutive minutes without conceding a goal in Serie A this season, and the old and stalwart Italian captain also celebrated his fourth and possibly final trip to the European Championship in Lyon today.

For this game, of course, Pan Yi is also very concerned.

It's not just that both teams will be Sweden's next opponents, and it's important to study their latest tactical play;

It is also because of these two teams that there are proud disciples of him who were or are now.

On the Italian side, because Milan's players such as Gattuso and Ambrosini have all aged, there is only one old subordinate in the team.

However, due to the current Italian coach Conte prefers to use the three-center-back system, the back line is basically dominated by the Juventus four elders (BBC + Buffon), and the wingbacks also prefer to use Candreva and Darmian;

Desiglio does not have a main position in this Italian team, and can only be regarded as a relatively important rotation.

It's a different story on the Belgian side.

In addition to Chelsea's Eden Hazard, Lukaku, Courtois, including Manchester City's De Bruyne is also the absolute main force of the team!

It can be said that whether it is from the strength of the team or from personal emotion, Pan Yi is inclined to Belgium to win.

But football is often not a game of pure data.

Italy, which is more experienced, defeated Belgium, which is a little more immature!

After the opening, Italy even had a slight advantage, but the comparison between the two sides at both ends of the offensive and defensive ends still made the game itself enter the rhythm of "contradictions" early, with Belgium attacking and Italy defending.

In the 10th minute, the Belgian team played a combination at the edge of the penalty area, Fellaini headed back, and the follow-up Nainggolan raised his foot to blast out a heavy cannon, and Buffon struggled to save the ball.

In the period that followed, Belgium continued to tighten their control of the ball, while Italy played on counter-attacks and counter-attacks.

From the 29th minute of the game, Pelle sounded the clarion call for Italy to counterattack with a long-range shot, and the holes in Belgium's defense gradually appeared.

3 minutes later, Bonucci made an accurate long pass near the middle line, Aldeveld accidentally rose to the top, and after winning the ball, Giaccherini calmly pushed the ball into the lower right corner of the goal to score, 1:0!

However, the Italians had no intention of quitting after taking the lead, with Candreva's long-range strike and Pelle's header relay both putting Courtois to the test.

In the face of Italy's simple and clear defence, Belgium had a great chance to equalise at the beginning of the second half, De Bruyne crossed the middle, and the one-on-one Lukaku faced the attacking Buffon and actually deflected the ball.

Italy, who escaped the game, almost doubled their lead a minute later, when Candreva curled a cross from the right for Pelle to head in and Courtois made a Banksy save to lift the ball away.

Since then, both sides have attacked and defended, and the two managers have also continued to deploy troops, including Carrasco, and players have been put on the field.

It's just that the Atletico youngster did not realize the vision of a savior in danger, and Origi, who replaced Romelu Lukaku, missed the equalizer one after another.

On the contrary, it was the Italian team that was forced into a corner to take the opportunity to quickly counterattack, and in the second minute of stoppage time, Candreva crossed from the right, and the unmarked Pelle volleyed in at the back post to seal the victory.

In the end, Italy beat Belgium 2-0, ending their record of three consecutive European Championship debuts without a win.

After the game, the Belgian media and fans sharply criticized the line-up of head coach Wilmots:

"Is he just going to play 4-2-3-1? Hazard has hardly any performance under such a system! ”

"Look at Romelu Lukaku, like a fly without a head on the pitch, is this still the super goalscorer who won the Premier League Golden Boot two years in a row?"

De Bruyne was completely killed by the Italians, but Wilmots didn't have any back-up either. At a tactical level, he was completely defeated by Conte. ”

"Why can't he even copy his homework? How does Pan Yi use De Bruyne in Hamburg? How did Lukaku and Eden Hazard work at Chelsea? ”

"Hehe, we shouldn't have Wilmots as the national team manager, he doesn't have that kind of ability. Look at Antonio Conte, who was the head coach of Juventus before joining the Italian national team and was the Serie A champion! ”

"To be honest, we were blinded by the national team's performance in qualifying, so we felt that Wilmots could lead the Belgian golden generation to the title. But winning first place in a group made up of Andorra, Cyprus, Israel and Bosnia and Herzegovina really doesn't mean much. ”

"That's right, if you want to win a championship, you have to use a championship-level coach! It's a pity that Pan Yi, who has the instruction manuals for Hazard and Lukaku, went to the Swedish team ......"

"Look at Pan Yi, what card is in his hand, and what card is Wilmots in his hand? But the result was completely different. It can only be said that the gap between coaches and coaches is bigger than the gap between people and pigs! ”

"I can only say that it's a pity that our golden generation has not matched a coach of the same level as them! You know, we've been waiting for 30 years! ”

……

Belgium lost to Italy, but Pan Yi became the focus of everyone's discussion, maybe this is the world's top class.

Of course, Sweden's 2-0 defeat of Ireland is the main battlefield for everyone to pay attention to Pan Yi.

As soon as the game ended, the major European media immediately gave key reports, especially the domestic media in Sweden, which gave a large amount of comments and analysis to the game.

"Daily News" said that Pan Yi fully demonstrated his coaching ability in this game.

Although the individual ability of the Swedish players is generally not as good as the Chelsea that Pan Yi led before, Pan Yi still kneaded them together well.

"After only about ten days of exploration and research, Pan Yi and his coaching team seem to have found the most suitable tactical style for the Swedish team."

"Although he can't play the control-oriented technical flow of football like Chelsea, Pan Yi still gives the tall Swede good midfield control and attacking firepower."

"From the opening attack to the combination of wings and centres after the substitution of Kulusevski, we have shown the potential of this Swedish team in attack. Whether it's Isak or Kulusevsky, their performance proves that Pan Yi's vision is as vicious as ever! ”

"After taking the lead, we also saw a defensive counterattack tactic with Pan Yi's characteristics. That is, it is not the kind of passive and conservative defensive counterattack, but a more proactive, more active, more exciting and varied defensive counterattack. ”

"If veteran fans must be able to remember, Pan Yi has used such defensive counterattack tactics whether in Milan or Hamburg. One of the most important features of this tactic is the stable construction of the midfield, passing through the midfield quickly, playing teamwork in the front, and creating changes and opportunities. ”

'If the draw with Wales in the warm-up game had left us with doubts about Sweden's Euro prospects, this resounding win over Ireland has put that doubt away.

"Yes, we see hope! I believe that Pan Yi's team can qualify from the group and go far in the European Cup! ”

"Not because of anything else, just because our head coach is Pan Yi! This coach who has just set countless records and miracles on the European continent! ”

"He will lead Sweden to continue to create miracles that belong to him and belong to Sweden!"

The Irish Independent used a headline called "Pan Yi Makes Ireland Go Home Early".

In this report, the reporter believes that Ireland did not play badly in this game, especially in the first half.

After withstanding Sweden's opening attack, Ireland took advantage of their back three in midfield to steal a lot of balls, which hindered Sweden's midfield advance.

Ireland then had a lot of chances to feed into the Swedish penalty area, but couldn't find the back of the net.

But in the second half, after Pan Yi began to make targeted adjustments to the performance of the two sides in the first half, the gap between the two teams at the head coach level was revealed.

Sweden replaced teenager Kulusevski, while strengthening the control of the midfield, but also increased the pressure on Sweden in the front, and also used the overload tactics on the left to force Ireland's right side.

However, in the face of these changes, Ireland coach Martin O'Neill was unable to provide a timely response strategy, and as a result, Sweden scored two goals in a row early in the second half.

At this time, Martin O'Neill woke up from a dream and ordered his players to attack aggressively, but it was too late.

Looking to the future, Pan Yi even removed the team's two biggest stars, Ibrahimovic and Forsberg, and used defensive counter-attack tactics to play the second half of the game steadily, winning all three points.

It can be said that under the premise that there is no obvious gap in the strength of the players of the two teams, the use of troops and the ability to command on the spot by the head coaches of the two sides determine the final result of the game.

"Italy's 2-0 win against Belgium was a bit unexpected, but it also pushed Ireland into the abyss of death."

"In the next round, Italy and Sweden, who won, will face each other, while Belgium, who lose, will fight us to the death. They're definitely going to fight with us! ”

"After the defeat to Sweden, what kind of confidence do we have to compete with the star-studded Belgium? And then against the morale-boosting Italy team that beat Belgium? Hehe. ”

"Perhaps, as we predicted before the game, the loser between Sweden and Ireland is destined to leave this European Championship."

"It can also be said that Pan Yi beat us home through his first official game in the national team!"

It's not just the media that praised Pan Yi's first performance in coaching the national team.

After the game, the reporter of "The Times" interviewed Mourinho, Ferguson and Wenger, who came to France to watch the game together.

Although these three guys can be regarded as loving and killing each other in the Premier League, they actually have a good relationship in private.

Later, when Arsene Wenger came to Old Trafford for the last time, the United fans also sent him their best wishes, and of course it was this scene that was even more moving:

Jose Mourinho, then manager of Manchester United, took Arsene Wenger's hand and walked onto the pitch, while the retired Alex Ferguson stood by with a gift to greet his old team-mate and present him with the gift of setting foot on Old Trafford for the last time as Arsenal manager.

The two then also brought Mourinho to their side. Although the three are different in age, time has turned them from best rivals to best friends in more than ten years, from fighting each other to appreciating each other.

Mourinho has also said that Ferguson and Arsene Wenger are my sweetest enemies and my best friends......

Now they come to watch the game together, as coaches and friends, to enjoy the performance of the world's best head coach - Pan Yi, whom they jointly recognize.

All three said in unison that the Swedes were playing really well.

Mourinho said: "Pan Yi has always been Pan Yi, even if he is in the national team, he is still the same him. So I wasn't surprised at all that he led the team to beat Ireland. ”

Ferguson echoed Mourinho's words: "In football, the manager is really important, and Pan Yi has proven it time and time again. It's hard to imagine what kind of football this wonderful Belgian boy would play if he was under Pan Yi. ”

Arsene Wenger believes that the Swedish team's tactical style is very eye-catching: "Pan Yi and his team have found the most suitable tactics for themselves, and they have also found a way to restrain Ireland. Judging from the second half, they can definitely go toe-to-toe with Belgium or Italy, and they need time to mature themselves and their tactics. ”

Regarding the qualifying situation of this group, the three head coaches have said that there is absolutely no problem for the Swedish team to qualify.

"If someone says that Pan Yi's team can't make it out of the group, then he must be stupid!" Mourinho still carries his trademark dismissive tone.

At least he thinks that even if the overall strength of Italy and Belgium is stronger than the Swedish team, as long as the Swedish team has Pan Yi, these two strong teams will not be able to eat Sweden steadily.

"There is no problem in qualifying, and I believe that Pan Yi will be able to do this." "But if you want to get better results, that's the biggest challenge for Pan Yi." How far can he take a team as mediocre as Sweden? I'm really looking forward to it. ”

Arsene Wenger is more optimistic: "I don't think Sweden should be discussed because I even think they have a chance to win! I believe Pan Yi has the ability to cause upsets, and don't forget how he managed to win Bayern when he first arrived at Hamburg. But this requires them to pay more, and Pan Yi needs to stimulate all the combat effectiveness of the team as soon as possible! ”

In addition to the three major managers of the Premier League, there is also a heavyweight who has also expressed optimism about his national team.

That is the King of Sweden, Carl XVI Gustav!

In an interview with his country's newspaper after the game, he said that the team not only won the game, but also played with momentum and spirit.

He will follow the game in every next game, and hope that Pan Yi can lead the Swedish team to go further and strive for the best results!

——

After playing their first game of the European Championship group stage, Sweden returned to the estate to rest.

But they didn't start training immediately for the second game against Italy.

According to Pan Yi's previous rules, family members are allowed to visit the hotel after the game, and they can stay overnight.

The next morning's training session was also cancelled and the players were allowed to rest until the evening before their families had to leave the station.

Many of the rules set by Pan Yi are very tough, but after the game, let the players' wives and girlfriends stay in the hotel, which is a very humane arrangement.

Pan Yi believes that completely banning this kind of behavior during the game is actually not conducive to the physical and mental health of the players, as long as they grasp it well.

This is a bit different from the approach of Italian coach Antonio Conte.

He believes that on the pitch "either you die or I die", so every player should play to their maximum potential on the field.

To do this, players need to be disciplined enough in both training and off-field life, which is also related to following a good X life rule.

Conte has publicly stated: "I want my players to be able to play in the shortest possible time and in the most energy-saving way, preferably with their other half on it. X life, of course, is as simple as possible, and it is better to be with their wives. ”

Conte's move is undoubtedly to allow the players to devote more energy to the training ground and the field, reflecting his strict side of the army, and his strictness has long become a label given to him by the outside world.

In his Italian national team, Giorgio Chiellini lamented that Conte's training was too hard: "Conte is like a sergeant, every training session takes a whole day, and when you finish training you feel like you're going to die. It's not that I'm tired, it's that I really feel like I'm going to die. ”

In his previous days at Chelsea, the Blues players also knew that Conte still demanded that his players complete their training routines against the backdrop of a busy schedule.

I have to say that Conte's strict management of the army has created an elite division, and it has also made him a top commander in the world.

However, he was also too strict at times, making his players feel uncomfortable.

In Pan Yi's previous life, players such as Diego Costa, Willian and Eden Hazard all complained about Conte, which was one of the reasons why Conte was later sacked at Chelsea.

Pan Yi is not Conte, he chooses to be friends with the players more.

After all, strictness and harmony have never been a pair of antonyms.

Obviously, at present, the players of the Swedish national team still like Pan Yi's management model very much.

Be strict when you should be strict, and relax when you should relax.

What better way to relax and unwind with your loved one after the race?

As the head coach, Pan Yi, of course, also needs to relax.

In fact, Valentina also came to the hotel last night and was in harmony with him.

The next morning, the two of them left the room together and went out for a walk.

After all, this manor is in the middle of the woods, and the morning air is very fresh.

Walking out of the hotel, stepping on the smooth bricks, there is a lake.

Along the lakeside, surrounded by trees, it is like walking in a paradise.

Especially after going deeper, even the road is a well-groomed gravel road, with no houses, no cars, only trees, and only the sound of birds.

"This place is really quiet and beautiful!" Valentina couldn't help but praise, "You really know how to choose places, it's really beautiful here, and it's so natural!" ”

Pan Yi smiled: "Look, isn't this much better than taking you to some beach for a vacation?" ”

Valentina glanced at Pan Yi: "Can this be the same?" I mainly think it's really good, you can do what you like, and you don't delay accompanying me. ”

Pan Yi sighed and said, "Isn't it because if I am with you every day, I will be squeezed dry by you?" ”

"Whew!" Valentina kicked over, "You've learned to shoot backwards?" Who often doesn't have enough to eat at one time, and has to add food......"

As she spoke, Valentina herself couldn't help but laugh.

But she does like it here.

For a person like her, who lives in the city all year round, this kind of life like a mountain village has a special taste.

Away from the crowds, it seems to be in the fairy mountain.

Looking at Valentina's smile, Pan Yi finally smiled and said: "This place is indeed very good, I hope to stay here for a longer time!" ”

is talking about living in this manor, but this is actually Pan Yi's expectation of his team.

After all, if you want to live here for a long time, you must at least qualify from the group and go further and further in this European Cup!

(End of chapter)