After two weeks of waiting, the world's Red Devils fans and Nerazzurri's long-awaited second leg Champions League knockout match between Manchester United and Inter Milan finally opened on Thursday night.
When the players of inter and Manchester United came out of the dressing room under the leadership of referee Proenza, the fans of inter were stunned. It was not only because Leonardo had a Christmas tree formation when he needed to score two goals, but also because Pandev, who was praised as "the living dead" by them, started the game because of his poor form this season.
Inter start 1-cesar; guard 13 Maicon, 15 lanozia, 5 Lucio, 26 ziwo; midfield 5-stankovic, 19 Cambiasso, 8-motta, 10 Sneijder, 27 Pandev; forward 9-eto'o
compared with the first leg, only one person has been changed, that is, Pandev replaced injured captain saneti.
Pandev is also a famous star. When he defeated Spain in Macedon and scored a goal in the defence of Juve in Lazio's heyday, he also played a great role in inter last season. However, Pandev's condition this season is extremely low. In the league match with Brescia, Pandev even staged a "hat trick" and lost three goals in a row A single knife.
Because of his poor form, Pandev also failed to start in the first leg of the match between Manchester United and Inter. In the end, inter lost 2-1 at home. However, no one thought that Pandev's starting could help inter recover the defeat.
"Pandev starts? Does Leonardo want to give up the game? "
"What can Kung Fu Panda do in this state?"
"Can inter only use general Pandev to beat Manchester United?"
"Is this going to leave Manchester United alone?"
"The last time we played Manchester United at home, we used 4213 formation. This time we need to score two goals, but we even discharged 4321 formation. Is Leonardo coming to be funny?"
"Is inter going to defend and fight back?"
"Let's guess if Manchester United will come out?"
……
The Inter fans who come to the stands are talking about it. These fans come all the way, they are loyal fans. Most of them come to see the game with the hope of turning over. However, it's not good to see such a lineup and starting.
Manchester United and the weekend against Arsenal, more staff, midfield Valencia, Carrick, Fletcher bid farewell to injury return, the attack has Rooney and Hernandez is enough, anyway, Gao Xiaodong goals more than the forward, is the centre back Vidic and Ferdinand still can not play, or can only be on the bench.
Although Ferguson has a hemispheric advantage, he is still not ready to defend the 2-1 score. He still has a balanced 4-4-2 formation, with goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar; four defenders Evra, brown, Smalling and Rafael; four midfield players: Scholes, Gao Xiaodong, Fletcher and Carrick; double forwards: Rooney and Hernandez.
Although the total score, Manchester United advantage is very big, but Manchester United fans are still not at ease, because they stand on the key position of the back line is brown and Smalling, fans are worried about these two low-level mistakes, after all, against Inter Milan such tactics and experience are very good team, Ferguson can not be out of six guards strange array to make up for the lack of back line.
Today, Manchester United's captain's armband was worn on Fletcher's arm. For the first time, Fletcher was the captain of the team against such a defending champion as Inter Milan. Fletcher was very excited. When he came into the stadium, he kept clapping in the stands, as if all the fans came to support him, and let Gao Xiaodong and Rooney keep their mouths shut.
When the two captains exchanged flags and badges, Ferguson and inter coach Leonardo also shook hands and had a simple exchange.
"Sir Alex, when you come to Old Trafford this time, please be lenient." Leonardo deliberately shows weakness.
"Modesty, in meacha we are lucky to win, this game is the real contest." Ferguson is not arrogant.
"Inter can leave with dignity Leonardo continued.
"Ha ha, go to my office for a drink after the game." Ferguson didn't comment on Leonardo's words, but turned away with a smile on his face.
"Well, I'm sure I'll try the Baron's wine."
Leonardo released Ferguson's hand and walked to the visiting coach's seat with satisfaction.
As a coach deeply influenced by Serie A, Leonardo, though young, attaches great importance to tactics and likes psychological warfare.
when he arrived in Manchester, he and Moratti were very high-profile, which was to encourage the players and fans. However, in the line-up, Leonardo seemed to be conservative, put out a stable Christmas tree formation, and when he showed weakness to Ferguson, it was really to confuse Ferguson, and let Ferguson and his disciples breed pride. Inter Milan have a chance to survive.
After the group photo, referee Proenza blew the whistle for the start of the game, and Manchester United took the lead to kick off.
After Rooney and Hernandez reversed their feet, Rooney passed the ball back to the midfield, and he and Hernandez took no time to jump into the inter half.United's four midfielders today are Michael Carrick and Fletcher, Gao Xiaodong and Paul Scholes, but Gao Xiaodong and Paul Scholes also have defensive tasks.
The ball is passed back and forth between the midfield and the defender. Manchester United are not in a hurry to attack. After all, they have a great advantage and are not in a hurry to score.
Inter didn't seem to show their determination to win at the beginning. When Manchester United controlled the ball, they didn't press too hard, and they didn't press too hard. They gave Manchester United time to control the ball calmly.
Obviously, it's a home game, and Manchester United are not Barcelona's old team in controlling the ball. After a few seconds in the backcourt, seeing that inter didn't exert much pressure, Manchester United quickly passed through the midfield and pressed the formation to the half court of Inter Milan.
Nani injured, Valencia substitute, today's Manchester United did not have a pure edge avant-garde, wingers are mainly Rooney and Gao xiaodongla, full back to play.
Gao Xiaodong's move attracted inter players to shrink the middle. Scholes passed the ball to Rooney. Rooney tried to attack left back Chivu from the side. Chivu was forced to attack. Pandev pulled the ball from Rooney and the referee gave Pandev a foul and gave Manchester United a free kick.
In the first minute, Manchester United got a free kick, which was criticized by Inter fans for Pandev's foul. This made Inter fans even more dissatisfied. Many people muttered, what else can this guy do except foul.
Scholes free kick to the penalty area, Smalling and Rooney's grab point attracted Inter's attention, Fletcher after the point of contention, the ball directly to the arms of goalkeeper Cesar.
Cesar held the ball and quickly threw it to Stankovic to launch a quick counterattack.
Manchester United quickly returned to defense, forced Stankovic with the ball and blocked the connection between Stankovic and his teammates.
Obviously, Sneijder, the core of Inter, has been targeted. Cambiasso and Motta, who have one foot pass, have also been blocked. Only Pandev, who is in the worst condition and doesn't think he will start, is free.
There's no way. In the process of attack and defense conversion, Manchester United don't invest enough forces in defense. They can only defend the most dangerous players.
Stankovic didn't stick to the ball and gave it to Pandev.
Pandev took two steps to see Eto'o start his run and lift his foot to the ground behind United's three defenders.
Eto'o cheetah's explosive power is really fast, he got rid of all the defensive players, formed a single sword to the party.
Brown and Rafael two people behind, brown and Rafael desperately chasing back, while raising their hands, signal Eto'o offside.
However, the linesman didn't raise the flag and thought it was a good goal.
With Eto'o's speed, where can Rafael and brown catch up? Eto'o pushed the arch of goalkeeper Edwin van der Sar on the line of the forbidden area and sent the ball into Manchester United's goal.
1: 0
in less than two minutes, inter led Manchester United 1-0 and tied 2-2.
Inter couldn't believe their eyes. They jumped up to celebrate.
The head coach Leonardo and the assistants also rushed out of the coaching position and hugged each other. Although they made a careful layout before the game, they didn't expect to score in less than two minutes. Now they hope to come back. They only need to score one more goal to eliminate Manchester United and make it into the final eight.
Ferguson also jumped up, he angrily yelled at the referee Proenza, because from Ferguson's point of view, Eto'o is offside.
A lot of Manchester United fans in the stands are also roaring and protesting. They also think that Eto'o's goal is offside.
However, Proenza did not pay attention to the shouts of Ferguson and the fans. Since the linesman did not raise the flag, he thought it was a good goal.
But then the stadium screen played slow motion, from slow motion, Eto'o over brown half shoulder, is an offside goal.
"It's a misjudgment," sighed Andy Gray, the commentator! Inter took advantage! But it's normal that the linesman can't see clearly. Manchester United have a problem in defence. They shouldn't give their opponents a chance to be offside at all! Now the suspense has come again. Manchester United have only half a goal advantage. Once inter score another goal, Manchester United will be eliminated. It looks like a very stable game. Unexpectedly, only two minutes later, the situation has changed dramatically. Let's see how Sir Alex Ferguson adjusts