Chapter 131 Creating Miracles

Manchester United's first game of the season was against Birmingham at home.

After Birmingham was relegated in 2008, McAllish led the team back to the Premier League in the first season of the Championship. Birmingham only scored 54 goals in the league last season, which is the weakest attack among the top 10 teams. The success of the promotion still depends on defense. They once invited Chinese player Shao Jiayi to try out during the winter transfer period in order to seek the improvement of firepower.

In the end, Birmingham was directly promoted to the Premier League as the runner-up in the Champions League.

Since the promotion, Birmingham has begun to strengthen the team's strength.

Head coach McAwlish's most successful is Joe Hart, who was selected for the England national team on loan.

In terms of midfield configuration, McCaleish reused experienced players, invited fellow villager Barry Ferguson, who previously played for Rangers, and bought out Bowyer, who was on loan from West Ham last season.

However, this Ferguson has committed discipline problems in the national team and the club, and Bowyer did not achieve much success last season.

Birmingham's biggest bet was to buy Ecuadorian striker Christian Benitez, who scored 31 goals in 58 games in the Mexican League.

is a bet, because Benitez joined with a shoulder injury, and the previous transfer was delayed due to his knee problems, but the whole team still had high hopes for him.

However, it is more or less surprising that the fans who originally supported them did not bring much joy to the fans after the upgrade of Birmingham.

This is reflected in the fact that the team's playing style last season was really ugly. McAllish's ability to lead the team is worthy of recognition, but his playing style is not popular.

Throughout the Championship season, Birmingham scored fewer goals at home than Charlton, who was at the bottom. No wonder they had a poor attendance.

McAllish will feel the pressure from the fans and the top of the club in the new season, but the question is, who can help the team score?

Midfielders Barry Ferguson and Bowyer will compete for two central forward positions with Casley and Damian Johnson. Sebastian Larson and McFadden are more creative in midfield. Coupled with the original O'Connor, Birmingham will be the same Scots in the front court next season.

Joe Hart, who is on loan from Manchester City, will definitely prove himself here. His originally bullish career has fallen to the bottom due to the arrival of Gwen. Birmingham will provide him with the opportunity to win the World Cup in South Africa.

Although Birmingham directly advanced to the Premier League as the second in the Football League Championship, they decided their fate after defeating Reading in the last round. The prudent head coach McAulish has always been known for exploring the potential of players. For example, he used the Argentine star Sarat, who is now playing for Lazio, in the season before his relegation a year ago.

McAulish's team will definitely fight for relegation to the end. They can satisfy the fans, but they will not please the fans. The only problem is that scoring a goal may be a big problem. If it is solved, Birmingham University can be relegated, otherwise it will continue to be a lift.

In this game, the outside world is generally very optimistic about the European champion Manchester United. Although Manchester United may be tired, the fans at Old Trafford at home are enough for Birmingham players to drink a pot. Manchester United has no reason to give up a good opportunity to please the fans and take three points.

Manchester United faced the promoted horse at home. The prediction before the game was one-sided. However, the progress of the game was beyond everyone's expectation. The first goal was scored by the home team Birmingham. Birmingham, who had a problem with the goal, broke Manchester United's goal.

This was the 22nd minute of the game. McFadden, the only straight striker in Birmingham, used his speed to tear open Manchester United's defense and shot low into the net against the attacking goalkeeper Van der Sar - Manchester United 0:1 Birmingham.

What's wrong with Manchester United?

Is this still the European champion two months ago?

Looking at the sleepwalking performance of Manchester United players on the court, the commentators and experts kept asking.

Of course, Ferguson knows what the problem is. There is something wrong with the team's physical fitness. The summer commercial game makes the team's physical reserve a joke. The current situation of Manchester United team's physical fitness does not have a horizontal line at all. Some players have good physical fitness, while some players have average physical fitness without too much training time. It also makes the players sleepwalking on the field. Today's Manchester United is in a bad state and is not well prepared compared with their opponents.

Under such circumstances, it is impossible to expect the team to have a good performance.

However, for Ferguson, although the team is not in good physical fitness, it is absolutely intolerable to be led by one goal in the opening game of the season at home.

When referee Farrow whistled at the end of the first half of the game, the score of Manchester United's 0:1 Birmingham on the scoreboard at Old Trafford remained unchanged.

Manchester United players walked dejectedly towards the dressing room, and Ferguson didn't even wait until the end of the first half of the game and got into the player's corridor with an angry face...

"Haha, it seems that the 15 minutes of the halftime are so dark for Manchester United players." The commentator said unkindly. Obviously, everyone knows that the players in the lounge will definitely be criticized by Ferguson. As for whether it is a hairdryer or not, it is not clear. After all, this is the opening game.

The explanation is not wrong at all. You can hear the roar in the player's lounge far away in the corridor. Who else can it be? Ferguson is furious.

"Is this your football? Shit! The players of the youth team play better than you. You should have **!'

"No fighting spirit!"

"Have you wasted your energy on women?"

Ferguson's dressing room scolded everyone. When the old man scolded people, he was simply speechless. He scolded anything. The old man of Scotland seemed to have burst out in this summer's anger at this moment.

When the players ran out of the player's corridor, everyone's faces were not so good-looking, which showed the strength of the old Scottish man's hair dryer.

After the start of the second half of the game, Manchester United was lucky enough to equalize the score in the 51st minute.

This is Scholes' long-range shot that caused Blackburn goalkeeper Hart to get away. Fletcher grabbed the football into the net just before being cleared from the Birmingham defender this season. 1:1, Manchester United at home scored a goal.

This goal made Manchester United fans at home very happy, and the commentator also praised Manchester United. In everyone's opinion, it is not a big problem for the European champion to equalize and overtake the score.

The game has been going on for 80 minutes, the score is still 1:1, and Manchester United are behind at home.

"Li Yu's performance today is very puzzling. She runs a lot, but she has never had a few opportunities to take the ball. She can only be said to be very positive, but the actual effect is not obvious, which has something to do with Birmingham's targeted defense!" The commentator's evaluation of Li Yu is quite objective.

Of course, Li Yu himself certainly wanted to score a goal, but he felt that it was very difficult to cooperate with his teammates today. He ran out of a good position several times, but his teammates did not pass the ball at the first time.

How to put it, Li Yu wants to cooperate, but she always feels that she is almost there. In fact, Li Yu seems to understand what the problem is. Other players are in poor physical condition now. Some of the movements they can usually make and the goals they can score now seem to be difficult.

This time, after Li Yu finally received Carrick's long pass in the front court, she padd her chest and stepped on the football under her feet. He and Rooney made a wall-like cooperation, which broke through Carl's defense.

Then, without saying a word, Li Yu directly used his speed to force Johnson, but the final shot was steadily taken into his arms by the opponent's goalkeeper Hart.

Li Yu took a look at the opponent's young goalkeeper after shooting. He knew how powerful he was to shoot, but Hart could throw the ball instead of hitting the ball. Is this young goalkeeper very confident?

Three minutes later, Li Yu's beautiful frontcourt passed Birmingham defender Kudru. He wanted to send a straight ball, but he found that he had not formed a tacit understanding with Rooney this time. Rooney did not insert forward, so he had to force an inward cut inward. He had to do it alone. Li Yu no longer wanted to cooperate.

Everyone had to crush it in front and finally complete the shot. Li Yu thought so and did so. Birmingham central defender Johnson, who came forward to defend, felt as if he was on a wall. The opponent was not moved, but he lost his center of gravity in an instant. Li Yu directly passed by with the ball.

In the picture, the seemingly weird picture made Manchester United fans excited. Li Yu made a successful cut, and he was going to shoot!

Shaving up his right foot, Li Yu made a strong shooting posture. Hart confidently judged the direction of the shot, moved his center of gravity, and was ready to make movements at any time.

Suddenly, Manchester United's No. 9 foot in the air changed!

"It's not good!" Hart shouted, and it was too late to move the center of gravity in the opposite direction.

The outer instep was rubbed at the opposite angle. The ball speed was not fast, but there was no obstruction on the trajectory of the ball. The goal was scored, and Manchester United finally overtook the score by 2:1 at the last moment!

The goal was so difficult that it was almost shot with the final whistle!

The inside of the Old Trafford Stadium suddenly became jubilant. Before the game starts, it is estimated that few people will realize that the game is so difficult.

The Birmingham players looked unwillingly at the Manchester United players who celebrated the goal. Before the start of the game, maybe they should be satisfied if they could take a point from Old Trafford. However, after the game began, especially after they took the lead, Birmingham also started from Old Trafford. The stadium took away the dream of three points, and the score was overtakened by Manchester United in stoppage time, and there was no point that was about to get. Of course, Birminghamers have reason to be depressed.

After the game, Li Rui was just passed by the media, which is still rare in his career.

In the first round of the Premier League in the 2008-2009 season, Liverpool lost to the Tottenham Hotspur away from home, and the other three teams won.

Arsenal beat Everton 1:6 away, De Nielsen, Gala, Vermalen, Eduardo, Fabregas scored twice, and Wenger's Red Arsenal high-alcombation gun.

Chelsea won a 2:1 victory over the promotion to Hull City at Stamford Bridge. In this game, Ancelotti's Blues generals did not perform well. At the critical moment, Drogba stood up in stoppage time, a beautiful volley shot, which won all Chelsea's goals in the game and helped the Blues open the season. Red.

Liverpool was blocked by Tottenham Hotspur in White Hart Lane, losing 2-1 to Tottenham Hotspur in the away game. Gerrard's goal did not help the team take away any points.

After this round, the whole England said that Arsenal had signs of rising, but the league points were not pulled away. Chelsea and Manchester United had Drogba and Li Yu standing up at the critical moment. Only Liverpool was disappointing. Although Tottenham Hotspur was also difficult to play, Liverpool, who did not get a single point, was more or less. The beasts are a little blind!

Subsequently, the UEFA Award Ceremony last season and the Champions League group draw ceremony for the 2009-2010 season were held in Monte Carlo.

At the scene, while presenting awards for the European Champions League last season, there is a group draw of this season's Champions League group stage.

Best goalkeeper: Van der Sar (Manchester United)

The first to award the best goalkeeper award was given. Van der Sar defeated Chelsea's biggest rival Cech, as well as other nominees Amunia, Neuer and Reina, and was elected as the best goalkeeper.

Ingeniously, Van der Sar was awarded to former Manchester United goalkeeper Schmeichel, who won the first good goalkeeper award in 1998.

Next is the award of the best defender. Former AC Milan captain Baresi, as the guest of the award, awarded the best defender award to Barcelona captain Pujol.

Although Barcelona lost to Manchester United in the final, the captain of Barcelona still beat Vidic, who was very popular with Manchester United, and won the award of good defender.

But Pujol is obviously not in a good mood. In the past season, he reached the Champions League final with Barcelona and finally won the runner-up, which made Pujol look in a bad mood.

"For me personally, this is a surprising achievement. In order to become a great defender, you must have many qualities, such as fast, strong and good header. You still need a lot of excellent teammates around you. I'm lucky to have such a condition. Of course, if I can bring the championship to the team, I am willing to give up my personal glory. When the host Pujol asked him to talk about the award-winning speech, he said it truthfully.

The subsequent best midfield award belongs to Cristiano Ronaldo. In fact, the former Manchester United No. 7 should be a striker. However, because almost everyone knows who the best striker will be, he took a compromise plan and awarded the award of the best midfielder to Christie. Yano Ronaldo.

Interestingly, Cristiano Ronaldo was awarded to another Manchester United man - Manchester United's legendary superstar Sir Bobbi Charlton.

Cristiano Ronaldo was very happy to win this award. He said, "This award makes me feel good. The competitors you see are all world-class players. The competition is very fierce. It's great to get him in the end."

Li Rui won the two awards of Best Player and Best Forward without any suspense. Before the award ceremony, it was already an open secret.

UEFA President Platini personally handed over the crystal trophy to Li Yu.

"Congratulations, Li Yu, the trophy and honor belong to you!" Platini smiled and shook hands.

"Thank you, Mr. Chairman." Li Yu responded politely. Asian players won the best player and best scorer in the Champions League, which can be said to be an unprecedented feat.

The next day, the photo of Li Yu holding the crystal trophy in his left and right hands became the front page of a big sports media, among which the title of The Times was sensational and exaggerated -

"Magic young man! He made a history!"

At the end of the award ceremony, the group draw ceremony of the group stage of the UEFA Champions Cup in the 2009-2010 season was also completed. The final group grouping situation is as follows:

Group A: Bayern Munich, Juventus, Bordeaux, Maccabi Haifa (Israel)

Group B: Manchester United, CSKA Moscow, Besiktas (Turkey), Wolfsburg

Group C: AC Milan, Real Madrid, Marseille, Zurich (Switzerland)

Group D: Chelsea, Porto, Atletico Madrid, Atletico Greek (Cyprus)

Group E: Liverpool, Lyon, Florence, Debretze (Hungary)

Group F: Barcelona, Inter Milan, Dynamo Kiev (Ukraine), Kazan Ruby (Russia)

Group G: Sevilla, Glasgow Rangers, Stuttgart, Unionia (Romania)

Group H: Arsenal, Alkmaar, Olympiacos (Greece), Standard Liauge (Belgium)

The first to be seated in the draw are the eight seeded teams. Their groupings are: Group A Bayern Munich, Group B Manchester United, Group C AC Milan, Group D Chelsea, Group E Liverpool, Group F Barcelona, Group G Seville, Group H Arsenal, followed by the most eye-catching second-class team group. Real Madrid was drawn to Group C, they will meet Serie A giant AC Milan, Inter Milan will be drawn to Group F, and will be drawn to the Champions League runner-up Barcelona; Juventus, another high-profile team, will be drawn to Group A, where Bayern Munich is located.

Since then, the draw of the third and fourth teams has been calm, and the group of death in the absolute sense has not appeared.

The new season of the Champions League group stage will be held on September 16/17, September 30/October 1, October 21/22, November 4/5, November 25/26 and December 9/10. The top two of the group will enter the top 16 knockout stage, and the third place will enter the UEFA Europa League. Top 32.

The final will be held at the Bernabeu Stadium in Real Madrid on May 22, 2010.