Benitez is a very structured head coach, and can even be said to be rigid in a way.
For example, every morning on a match day, a tactical meeting will be arranged.
Liverpool arrived in Madrid on the day before the game. The temperature on the Iberian Peninsula is much warmer than in the north of England. This sudden temperature difference makes many players not particularly accustomed to it. Even a careless one may fall ill at any time.
However, Liverpool are a battle-hardened team and most of the players on the team are also experienced. In the past few years, they have played back and forth across Europe for a long time. They have long had their own countermeasures for the away game.
This is the difference between mature teams and young players.
On the morning of the match day, Benitez held a tactical meeting in the hotel as usual. The focus was to discuss the tactics against Real Madrid, but mainly to elaborate his own ideas and framework. The specific details will be in the locker room before the game It was only announced here that this is what Benitez has always done.
In his words, for fear that the player accidentally leaked out.
But one thing is very clear, that is this game, the key to Liverpool's victory will fall on Yang Yang.
The Reds are hailed as Yang Yang ’s own team. This is not an exaggeration of the outside world. Even the team has defaulted on this statement. Now, Crouch and Gerrard have been injured successively. Liverpool captain this game The game can only play a substitute, Yang Yang's responsibility will be even heavier.
After the meeting, everyone finally stood up.
Captain Gerrard also walked in front of Yang Yang and patted Yang Yang's shoulder vigorously. "This game depends on you!"
Team doctor Mark Waller did not give Gerald a green light in the last game, barely promised to let him enter the big list, but Gerald as the team's spiritual leader, but also the captain, if the situation is delayed At times, let him go up, still be able to play some role.
What's more, if Crouch is absent, Yang Yang will become the target of Real Madrid's focus. Once Yang Yang can't escape Real Madrid's cage, Gerrard can properly share Yang Yang's defensive pressure after playing.
Anyway, Gerrard is also a world-class midfield superstar.
"Relax, I'm here." Yang Yang replied with a smile.
"Your legs are all right?" Gerrard asked concerned.
"Small injury, if it's not Mark, I will be able to get on against Manchester City."
Yang Yang's ankles really do not matter. After all, he has learned how to protect himself after playing professional football for so many years.
Gerald silently said nothing, but looked at Yang Yang deeply.
Others may not know, but as the captain of Liverpool, he is very clear that this will be Yang Yang ’s last season on the team, and he can clearly feel that Yang Yang likes Liverpool from the heart, and wants to be for this This city, this team, this group of fans, left something.
Therefore, this season, Yang Yang has always been in very good condition, and his training has been extremely hard.
Needless to say, some of you know each other.
...
Unlike usual, after the tactical meeting, Benitez did not allow the players to move freely in the hotel, but organized the players to go out and walk around the hotel.
Benitez is a native of Madrid, and in his words, this is a very suitable city for walking.
I don't know whether it is to return to his hometown, or whether he wants to make the players soothe, relax, and drive away the tension before the competition.
This is a bright spring morning, and the weather in Madrid is really much better than that in Britain.
At the very least, good weather like the morning is rare in the UK a few times a year.
Benitez walks with the players in the streets and alleys near the hotel, taking a leisurely walk, introducing the surrounding buildings and famous landmarks led by the nearby roads from time to time.
From the Royal Palace of Spain to the Prado Museum, from Puerta del Sol to the Statue of Harvest, from Calderon to Bernabeu ...
Benitez is clearly a treasure trove of the city, so that at this moment, the players in the Liverpool team suddenly discovered that he was really a Madrid native, born and fused into the blood.
His professional career debuted with Real Madrid, and his coaching career also debuted with Real Madrid. It may even be his distant pursuit of the Bernabéu Stadium.
It is not uncommon to see stars in Madrid.
There are several professional teams here, Real Madrid, Atletico Madrid, Getafe, Vallecano ...
Especially with Florentino's Galaxy Battleship era, meeting the world's top stars on the streets of Madrid is no longer a novelty, and has even become a pride for all Madrid people.
Therefore, when the residents of Madrid saw Liverpool players in casual clothes walking on the streets of Madrid, they were not surprised, nor did they even become hostile because of the upcoming decisive battle.
The team staff opened the way in front to avoid the fans from slamming into the team, and declined all requests for autographs and group photos. The fans were also very self-disciplined, just watched or photographed from a distance, and no one would come forward.
There were people in the crowd shouting from time to time to cheer for Liverpool's game tonight, but few would wish them a victory.
Yang Yang is Liverpool's number one star and is also the most popular among fans.
At first it didn't feel much, but as more and more people heard the wind around, someone started shouting slogans like "Welcome to Bernabeu", hoping that Yang Yang could join Real Madrid.
This made Yang Yang, who was walking among the players, somewhat embarrassed and could only smile.
Perhaps it was because I saw more and more people gathered around, fearing that something was wrong, or maybe it was almost time. After Benitez led the team around, he returned to the hotel and started lunch.
Subsequently, the players received a two-hour break.
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Just returned to the room, Yang Yang turned on the phone and found a lot of text messages.
There are both pre-match blessings from friends and family and Su Ye's concerns, and one of them comes from Florentino.
"Welcome to Madrid! Hope to see your best performance tonight!"
After reading the text message, Yang Yang smiled. Obviously, Benitez led the team walking through the streets of Madrid. The news that Florentino got the first time, it is clear that the Spanish business man is in The connections here.
"Thank you! I will go all out!" Yang Yang replied.
"This is a beautiful city, and I hope you will have good memories here!" Florentino replied quickly.
This is a sentence with a pun. Yang Yang naturally knows that he may not be wishing him a victory tonight. After all, Florentino is also a big fan of Real Madrid. He is more likely to look forward to the future.
"I hope so." Yang Yang replied briefly.
He has lived in the south of China since he was a child. Although he has adapted to the climate of the Netherlands and the UK, he really doesn't like it. On the contrary, although he hasn't said much about Spain, he prefers the climate here.
Of course, what is more important is your own professional development.
But these are all things that need to be considered in the future, and the most important thing now is this game tonight.
Before the game, the Spanish media described the Real Madrid of Juan de Ramos as an invincible lion.
On the front line, they have a strong and fast Higuain. This Argentine striker of the same age as Yang Yang has a very strong ability to seize the opportunity. He is the number one scorer of Real Madrid this season and should not be underestimated.
There is also Raúl. Real Madrid ’s captain returned to the front line and performed equally well, especially in the Champions League. Raul is the player with the most goals in the Champions League among active players, and Yang Yang chased fiercely after Raul. To some extent, this is their competition.
There is also Robben on the wing, this winger performed quite well in Chelsea, and it is equally good after coming to Real Madrid, but now it is more of playing on the right side, and his inward cut on the right side is quite threatening.
Instead, Yang Yang's best friend Sneijder, because of the previous divorce, the whole person is depressed, and now can not play the main force.
Two players, Russ Diarra and Gago, acted as Real Madrid's midfielders' double midfielders. Both players are also strong.
The defensive line is led by world footballer Cannavaro, and Ramos, Pepe and Heinze are partners. Such a defensive combination is considered to be second to none in the world at least from the board.
And this line of defense, known as the strongest in the Champions League, will be the challenge Yang Yang faces tonight.
Losing the high center of Crouch and the powerful help of Gerrard, Yang Yang had to face this group of opponents like a wolf alone.
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The game started at 19:45 in the evening.
But in fact, just after 19 o'clock, the Bernabeu Stadium was already full of people on the stands.
This is undoubtedly one of the most important games Real Madrid has ushered in so far this season, second only to the century derby.
Florentino brought the group of rich and famous celebrities who attacked the fan meeting and appeared in the most expensive luxury box in Bernabeu. The fans at the scene gave warm applause to his appearance. At the same time, many Real Madrid fans played banners. Welcome Yang Yang to Santiago Bernabeu, which should be considered an invitation from Real Madrid fans.
The warm-up training before the game, the atmosphere of both sides is very harmonious.
Liverpool is a team with a very deep Spanish atmosphere. The head coach is a Spanish. The core Xavi Alonso and Aveloa are also Spanish. The Real Madrid team Heinze, Robben and Las Diarra has played in the Premier League before and is very familiar with each other.
Yang Yang and Sneijder wearing Real Madrid's No. 10 jersey are more close friends, but unfortunately, the Dutch midfielder can only sit on the bench, which has to be a big regret.
During the meeting, Yang Yang also asked Sneijder's current situation with concern. The latter said that his private life problem had been solved, and he was aware of the problem and was trying to find opportunities. But if he wanted to return to the main force, how easy was it to say?
After the training, Liverpool's lineup was released, and Benitez's platoon formation was once again surprising.
The king of the cup, surprisingly won, but it is not worthy of fame.