Chapter 1334
Words:1654Update:22/11/25 20:44:11
Qin Xiong scored the last goal of the game in the second leg of the Champions League semi-final at Shakhtar Donetsk's home ground in Ukraine.
Shakhtar Donetsk defeated Liverpool 4: 3 at home, but lost to Liverpool 5: 9 on aggregate.
Liverpool advanced to the Champions League semi-finals with their heads held high!
Qin Xiong was asked by a reporter in an interview after the game, "At the start of the second half, Shakhtar Donetsk narrowed the gap to three goals. They had scored three goals before, and people seemed to see signs of Shakhtar Donetsk performing a miracle. But everything changed after you came on the field. Your play was crucial, wasn't it?"
Qin Xiong smiled and said, "The most important thing is that the team advanced to the Champions League semi-finals. Liverpool has advanced to the Champions League semi-finals after the last round. Today's game was a goal battle, but Shakhtar Donetsk scored a few goals first. The team's overall performance was not as good as before because we came to unfamiliar Eastern Europe. We were slower to get into the game, which gave Shakhtar Donetsk some opportunities."
Victory belonged to the team. Qin Xiong had always believed in this. He would not be easily swayed no matter how much the media fanned the flames or sowed discord.
Comain expressed his respect for Shakhtar Donetsk at the post-match press conference.
"One thing that must be considered is that Shakhtar Donetsk's Champions League experience is not rich. If they can perform like they did today at Anfield, I believe the final score gap will not be so big. We should applaud Shakhtar Donetsk."
The Fleet Street reporter below the stage raised his hand and asked, "Liverpool conceded three goals today. Although this is related to the lineup rotation, if the team can't improve its defense, will there be hidden dangers in the future Champions League semi-finals?"
Comain's face sank. He was not angry, but the reporter's question hit the nail on the head.
Yes, Liverpool had conceded goals, and it was in the Champions League. There were hidden dangers in the defensive line, which was also related to Liverpool's persistence and investment in offense.
The offensive and defensive system itself could not be divided into two. Looking at it alone, Comain was self-aware and knew the competitive landscape of European football like the back of his hand.
If Liverpool were to go further and further down the road of frenzied attacks, then they would gradually drift further and further away from the restoration of the dynasty.
Because the whole world was studying Liverpool, all potential or aboveboard competitors would study and analyze Liverpool in detail, so the chances of Liverpool suffering a Waterloo defeat would be higher.
"Now it's time for the team to perk up and pay more attention to defense. Conceding three goals in a game is a sign of losing the title. We'll summarize the game when we return to Liverpool, then work hard to improve and strive to perform better in the semi-finals."
Offense wins the game, defense wins the championship.
A team that did not pay attention to defense was bound to suffer a crushing defeat.
That was an immutable truth in football.
Comain was well aware of this, so he did not hide his views to the media.
Liverpool entered the Champions League semi-finals with a strong momentum and would meet Manchester United, who had defeated Chelsea with a total score of 3: 1, in the Champions League semi-finals!
The English derby will be staged in the Champions League!
The other half would be El Clásico!
Real Madrid VS Barcelona in the semi-finals.
The semi-finals of this season's Champions League was a spectacle. The famous derby between England and Spain was presented in front of the global audience at the same time.
After Liverpool returned to the Melwood Training Ground, Comain and the coaching staff began to improve the team's defense.
Looking at the long-term, Manchester United had to focus on defense and avoid conceding goals, because it was very different from the league tournament.
In the league tournament, Liverpool was ahead of Manchester United in the first half of the league tournament and had an innate advantage. What about the Champions League semi-finals? There were no external factors affecting the two teams.
Moreover, Manchester United was the home team and would certainly not take the initiative to attack in Anfield.
If Liverpool broke through Manchester United and entered the final, whether it was facing Barcelona with strong offensive firepower or Real Madrid built by Mourinho, Liverpool's current defensive strength was bound to put people on tenterhooks. Real Madrid's quick attacks and counterattacks were the best in Europe and were on par with Liverpool!
The weekend was approaching and the 33rd round of the Premier League was just around the corner.
The most eye-catching game of this round would be Liverpool's visit to the Emirates Stadium to challenge Arsenal.
Liverpool's successful title defense was only to be announced, while Arsenal was caught in a fierce battle for a place in the Champions League.
The day before the game, Wenger said in a press conference that he was not afraid of Liverpool's arrival. Liverpool's exhaustion from the long journey would make them unable to lift their spirits at the Emirates Stadium!
Comain "thanked" Wenger for his concern at the pre-game press conference.
"If my team is still working hard for a place in the Champions League and the competition is very fierce, I will not evaluate other teams, because a team that was originally thought to have the strength to compete for the Champions League should first find its own reasons and improve the problem after falling behind early. In any case, thank others for their concern. Liverpool will try to greet this game in the best condition possible."
In the afternoon of April 17th.
The Emirates Stadium was full. Arsenal's home attendance had always been good. Even if the price of tickets increased every year, the north London fans still bought in. Although Arsenal had not been able to win trophies in recent years, at least they still maintained the appearance of beautiful football that Wenger had said.
After the players of the two teams walked into the stadium, the noise at the scene subsided. Arsenal's fans' cheering tended to be quiet. This was also a well-known fact, especially for Qin Xiong, who had played for Arsenal. He was not surprised.
"Welcome to the Emirates Stadium. Today is the highlight of the 33rd round of the Premier League. Arsenal and the defending champions, Liverpool, are in a strong confrontation.
Martin Taylor and Andy Gray are on the scene to give you the live commentary.
First of all, let's talk about the defending champions, Liverpool, who have come from afar. The Red Army's performance in the past few games has surprised the whole of Europe. They have gone on a killing spree and knocked down many strong teams. Will this momentum continue? "
"I don't think it's possible. This kind of momentum is not rare. For example, the two powerhouse teams in Spain have often played games with big scores in the past two seasons. There have also been several games in a row where they have achieved a crazy winning streak with a mixture of different fronts. Liverpool's current strength is indeed very strong, but it's impossible for their condition to remain the same. But I think the possibility of them losing to a weak team is far greater than losing to a strong team! Because playing against a strong team will make Liverpool more excited. This kind of excitement will maintain their form. On the contrary, playing against a weak team may cause them to lose interest and their form will directly decline. "
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