Football Legend No. 13

After winning Liverpool, Manchester City failed to fully seize the opportunity in the next few rounds of the league, which also left them in third place!

The two teams in front of them are Arsenal and Chelsea, and Liverpool behind them are also biting the score, and if you don't pay attention, you may be left behind!

The current top four points in the Premier League are

: 1, Arsenal: 57 2, Chelsea: 56

3, Manchester City: 54 (26th round postponed)

4, Liverpool: 53

...

This also means that Manchester City have the biggest advantage if they miss one round!

But what they need to face now is pressure from the Champions League, this year's Barcelona in the multi-front situation, they have always maintained the ranks of the league title, for them, this Champions League draw is considered better, for them, this is already a guaranteed quarterfinal!

February 19, 2014.

The quarter-finals of the Champions League officially kicked off, starting with Manchester City's home game against Barcelona.

This is a challenge for Zheng Lin, but also for the entire Manchester City midfield.

With one of the best midfield combinations in all of Europe plus Messi in the double, this is already a lot for Manchester City!

Fortunately, the core of their establishment is very young, and there is still a chance!

So this game is a BOSS level for Manchester City, especially for Zheng Lin This is a valuable experience, for which Mansour appeared in the dressing room and expressed his condolences to everyone, "Everyone work hard, against Barcelona, as long as there is a goal, there is a reward!" The whole team awards 300W euros for one goal. "

It instantly got all the players bloody!

With monetary rewards, this is a great stimulus for players, for players this is a job, if you meet the boss can pay extra bonuses, this time is not hard, then when to wait?

What's more, this is not to say that you are required to win Barcelona, a goal of three million euros, divide down, tens of thousands of thousands of always have, this money as long as you work hard to have a chance to earn!

For the fans, the result is a game that is decided, and all they want to see is whether there is a miracle!

......

February 19, match day arrives.

The first round of the Champions League quarterfinals begins!

Manchester City's home side The Etihad welcomes one of La Liga's twin heroes, Barcelona.

It wasn't easy for Tito Villanova to be Barcelona's manager, the young coach who had served as Pep Guardiola's assistant.

His pre-match announcement of the starting list left many Manchester City fans in despair.

[Up front: Andres Iniesta, Messi, Sanchez

Midfielders: Cesc Fabregas, Sergio Busquets, Xavi

in the back: Alba, Mascherano, Pique, Alves

goalkeeper: Valdés substitutes

with Brazilian genius Neymar and veteran Pedro, etc.]

Barcelona's best midfield trio is listed, and Messi is also in the forward position, This is undoubtedly the hardest time for Manchester City!

For this situation, Pellegrini had expected it, but unfortunately there were too few cards in his hand, which also made him have to think about whether to let Zheng Lin retreat and let him keep an eye on Messi, but this could lead to the inability to attack.

"Oh my God, is this to let Zheng Lin go directly to guard against Messi? Isn't it good to abandon the attack like this? "

The game has already begun, Zheng Lin is playing the back position, the front back is replaced by David Silva, and the sideline is also on Milner, which looks like the posture is Zheng Lin staring at Messi.

Alves plugged in directly, which is also the right side of Alves and Sanchez to cooperate with each other, behind them there is the presence of Xavi, the passing master, which is also the reason why people are fearless.

At the same time, Andres Iniesta on the left is also a very threatening player, which makes City's backline have to divide the attention.

Messi's running did not throw off Zheng Lin, and Zheng Lin always maintained a reasonable defensive position with Messi so that he could directly block his shot at the first time.

In Zheng Lin's understanding, even if Messi is left alone, then Manchester City will lose miserably, if it is targeted, then it depends on whether other teammates can complete the defensive task!

In the face of Manchester City's left defense, Alves did not find a chance, he passed back to Xavi, at this time he also appropriately retreated, after all, pressing too far can easily cause a hit behind.

Xavi, who received the pass, was not in a hurry, he slowly advanced with the ball, this look is extremely oppressive, David Silva is expressionless, as a teammate of the national team, he is very aware of Xavi's strength, which is why, he dare not step forward too much, because this guy's ability to kick the ball is too strong!

Say what's coming, Xavi kicked a pass, the football passed David Silva, and Messi, who withdrew to receive the ball, received the ball with his back, and behind him was Zheng Lin, and at this time he could be snatched by Zheng Lin as soon as he turned around.

But people always have confidence, as soon as Messi turned around, the football was really stabbed out by Zheng Lin.

"Zheng Lin's judgment is really good, this foot will cut off this wave of Messi's attack, David Silva controlled the ball, this is Manchester City's opportunity to launch a counter-attack."

David Silva is well aware that he is directly playing a quick counter-attack, that is likely to be directly counter-snatched back, the current Manchester City playing fast is not impossible, but for a team like Barcelona, you still need to be careful.

Especially when their defense is not pressed, he is waiting for you at this time, not to mention that he also knows that his team's full-backs and centers are not counter-attacking material, they are not fast enough.

However, you are not realistic to expect a center forward with a tactical fulcrum to fight back.

After pressing down the rhythm, David Silva only drove forward with the ball, not in a hurry, some things are not in a hurry!

David Silva didn't pass back to Zheng Lin until halftime, this behavior, Zheng Lin is very clear that he needs his own long pass!

Zheng Lin glanced at it and went straight to Negredo, a tall center.

Negredo pressed Pique to unload the ball and he lightly passed back to David Silva.

David Silva received the ball, dunked Busquets and rubbed a shot with his left foot.

"Valdés pounced in the right direction, the ball was saved by him bravely, and Mascherano's big foot went straight away."

Fortunately, Manchester City still has a bit of a height advantage against Barcelona.

It is also this height, the ball is still under the control of Manchester City.

Zheng Lin still played an active role in attack at this time, he took Konarov's pass, he observed the opponent's position, and then took the initiative to advance with the ball, because he knew that if there were four people in front, it was difficult to cause a goal, and someone had to support them behind him.