32 The spread of death
When Inter Milan was reversed by Real Betis at their home Meazza, their Champions League group suddenly became lively.
In another game of this round, the Liverpool people equalized three times after falling behind three times at Stamford Bridge. Benitez's team once again showed the true colors of the Phoenix.
After three rounds in this group, Inter Milan ranked first with two wins and one loss and Betis, who also had two wins and one loss, while Chelsea ranked third in three games with one win, one draw and one loss, and Liverpool had two losses and one draw.
However, this is only half of the group stage, just like a football game is only halfway through and cannot be concluded, the UEFA Champions League group stage, especially this suspenseful death group, has just begun.
...
In the tenth round of Serie A, although the Champions League was unfavorable in the middle of the week, Inter Milan played very well in the league. After beating Sampdoria 1-0 in the away game, they continued to catch up with AC Milan in the rankings. At this time, most people thought that , Inter Milan's defeat in midweek was just an accident.
Because if Mancini did not withdraw the commander Leonwell midway, it would be absolutely impossible for Betis to reverse.
However, it is often too early to speak.
In the eleventh round of Serie A, Inter Milan ushered in a highlight of this round. Their opponent is the blue eagle Lazio. It seems that Lazio seems to have recovered from the blow at the beginning of the world after the city brother Roma started to get back on track. Come.
In Rome, the Lazio people showed their tenacious fighting spirit. No matter how Inter Milan attacked, Lazio just did not fight back. Their silent defense allowed them to draw with the mighty Inter Milan in this round.
Fortunately, the other two AC Milan and Juventus in the top three of this round of Serie A have also suspended their progress, which makes the top three in the standings unchanged. AC Milan is still leading, followed by Inter Milan. Tooth came in third.
After only one victory in Inter Milan's three games, "Gazzetta dello Sport" also retracted their arrogant declaration.
In fact, they are very embarrassing to the media, because they have to cater to the tastes of the fans, even if it is "French Football", which is relatively fair in everyone's eyes, it is actually very good at following the trend.
The o5-o6 season is destined to be exciting, because this is the last season before the start of the World Cup in Germany.
At the end of the year, there will be a preview of the World Cup such as the Confederations Cup, and for the head coaches of each national team, this is also their last chance to inspect players.
...
Two weeks later, when Inter Milan faced the opponent of Betis again, they had put away their desire to underestimate the enemy. However, compared with Betis two weeks ago, they are now ranked first in the group and they are not tempted at all. ...
If the team can qualify from the Champions League, the economic benefits will be far greater than their relegation in La Liga.
So at this time, the Betis that Inter Milan is facing is already a red-eyed Betis, and they want to create a miracle.
Inter Milan was tied. They have lost three of their last four games. In Spain, the Betis players rejected the mighty Inter Milan with a solid wall and conquered them.
And in this way, the situation of this death group has been completely chaotic, because the British duo drew again in this round. At Anfield, Chelsea's lore before the end made Liverpool miss the victory. After they drew with Liverpool , the situation of the entire group of death is completely different from two weeks ago.
Inter Milan and Betis currently have seven points, and it seems that the situation is very good. However, they will face Chelsea and Liverpool respectively. Although Chelsea currently only has five points, they still have a game against Betis. What about Liverpool? Worst looking, only two points...
However, no one knows that after two weeks, the seating chart of the death group will change again!
...
In the thirteenth round of Serie A, Inter Milan, who seemed to have fallen from the altar recently, challenged Messina in an away game. Mancini felt the crisis because he had lost three of the last four games.
Inter Milan, who tried their best in this game, also showed off their might in the away game. After defeating Messina 3-0, they have replaced AC Milan, who lost this round, and took the position in the Serie A table.
Although the Champions League seems confusing, the stabilization of the league has allowed Mancini to temporarily resolve the crisis.
The fourteenth round of Serie A is the last league game before the start of the fifth round of the UEFA Champions League group stage. In this round, Inter Milan will challenge Ascoli.
And next, the fifteenth round of Serie A will be the Milan Derby, that is to say, Inter Milan will go to Anfield and then return to Milan within four days...
The devilish journey has begun, Inter Milan, can you hold your ground and continue on the parallel line that does not intersect with Barcelona until the end?
...
At Anfield, Inter Milan lost. It's not that Inter Milan played badly, but Liverpool's luck is really good.
In this game, Inter Milan, which has the overall upper hand, hit the goal frame three times, which also added a legendary color to this Anfield defense. The Liverpool people only hit the goal with one kick. The next shot was defended.
And the only kick came from Luis Garcia, a zero-angle shot...
So, two weeks later, with Chelsea's victory over Real Betis, the decisive battle of the Champions League death group has really begun!
Chelsea ranked first with eight points after defeating Betis, Inter Milan and Betis both had seven points, while Liverpool looked worst with only five points, but in the final round Chelsea will face Inter Milan, Liverpool will face Betis, four Each team has a chance to qualify, and the decisive battle will be in the sixth round of the Champions League! The winner will get two tickets to the round of 16, while the loser will go home.
Everything has become different. The loss at Anfield made Mancini hear the scolding again half a year ago. He is not a qualified coach, at least not in the Champions League.
Last season, Mancini survived, but this season, Mancini can survive it?
The fate is still in the hands of Inter Milan. They will face the challenge of Chelsea in San Siro in the last round. Everything is too similar to last season. Last season, Inter Milan ended after losing 2-0 at home to Chelsea. After the Champions League trip, will history repeat itself this season?
The death of the group of death has begun to spread. The situation of the four teams is not the same. There is no best and no worst. The fate is in their own hands.
...
"Aslan, do you think we will be eliminated?" After returning to Milan, Leon also saw Miranda who was looking worried.
Miranda is very afraid that Inter Milan will repeat the mistakes of last year. Although the team is performing very well in the league now, for Inter Milan fans, why don't they want to feel proud in the Champions League?
"No, isn't our destiny still in our own hands?" Leon comforted Miranda while also encouraging himself. In addition to its own reasons for Inter Milan's poor performance recently, luck is indeed bad.
However, in Leon's eyes, he never took these difficulties seriously. No matter how hard or tired, as long as the past is over, it will be a new chapter. On the contrary, Leon is afraid that there will be no difficulties and no challenges, because that will make people lack progress. motivation.
"You are still as confident as ever." Miranda pouted and looked at Leon and said.
Of course, I have to be confident, because if I am not confident, then what am I talking about to create the era of big international?
The opportunity is still in our hands, as long as we grasp it, it will be smooth sailing.
...
"Leon, I won't go to the Champions League in the middle of next week." Haflier said suddenly after seeing Leon go home.
"Why, Lil." Leon looked at Hafliel and said.
In fact, Leon didn't know, because in the few games Haflier watched Inter Milan, Inter Milan always lost more than they won, and she was afraid that if she went to watch Inter Milan's game again, it would make Inter Milan unlucky.
Although Haveril hasn't completely forgiven Leonwell, she doesn't want Leon's Champions League journey to end like this, because she knows how much Leon attaches importance to this season's Champions League.
"I..." Haveril looked worried, and at this moment, Leon hugged her directly and decisively, "Don't think too much, Lil, I will wait for you to give me the Champions League in the middle of next week." I'll work hard, and Sugihara, you can go with Lil too. There are so many objective reasons for the competition, if you are out, you can come back next year."
"I'm Leonwell." When Leon showed his confidence, Haveril finally let go of the worries in his heart, and the little maid Sugihara Anri quietly took it from Leon's hand. took the coat.
What's the matter, what's the matter, why are you all so worried about me?
Chelsea knocked us out last year, and I won't do the same thing this year!
I am Lionwell, so in this decisive battle, we must be the ones who have the last laugh.
...
Before the decisive battle with Chelsea, Inter Milan must first play a heavyweight game in Milan.
Milan derby.
For Inter Milan, it is indeed a test from heaven for them to fight Liverpool first, then AC Milan, and then the Meazza decisive battle within nine days.
The god of history is fair, and the history of numbers has proved that although the UEFA Champions League system has disadvantages, the strongest must be the one who can have the last laugh.
And the team selected by the league system must be the one that everyone is looking forward to.
Because under the same rules, everyone has to rely on their own strength to play.
...
Unlike Inter Milan's recent situation, although AC Milan has lost its position in the league, Ancelotti's team has established a qualifying position in the Champions League.
So in this Milan derby, Ancelotti can fight with all his strength.
Nominally speaking, this is AC Milan's home court. However, in the Milan derby, the home court advantage has no other advantage except for a few more fans.
Inter Milan is familiar with AC Milan, just like AC Milan is familiar with Inter Milan. If Inter Milan is the queen of Europe, then AC Milan is definitely the cousin who often sleeps with the queen of Europe.
They are all too familiar with each other.
In front of Ancelotti, there is only one way, defeating Inter Milan, taking advantage of Inter Milan's two ends of the Champions League to regain the Serie A position!
Ancelotti thought so, and so did the Milan soldiers under his command.
Especially Kaka, who has made great progress in the summer, once again faces his old enemy Leonwell, Kaka naturally wants to win the game.
On the eve of the Milan Derby, Ancelotti personally invited the main players of the team to dinner. Ancelotti first found out about the players. He needed the players of AC Milan to fight against the enemy.
Because Ancelotti knows that although the current situation of Inter Milan is not good, they have lost the momentum they faced at the beginning of the season, but that is only because of their recent bad luck and underestimation of the enemy.
They are still a strong Inter Milan, the most powerful Inter Milan ever.
This is Ancelotti's understanding of Inter Milan, so Ancelotti knows that it takes some courage and courage to pull the emperor down.
Obviously, AC Milan has both.