At the pre-match press conference, Li Ang's final statement about the victory had angered the Leganés manager, Espardo.
According to the media, Espardo was furious. When he left the press conference, his face was extremely ugly. He kicked over a trash can in the corridor and was then complained about by the staff.
This important Segunda División relegation battle was broadcasted live to the whole of Spain on Telefonica 5.
Dagestino was in charge of commentating the game. Sitting next to him was his old partner, González.
The game had not yet started. The players on both sides had just finished warming up and were leaving the field to return to the locker room for the final preparations before the game began.
While there was no work, Dagestino and González chatted about the story that happened before the game.
"The Leganés manager, Espardo, received a 'fine' from the Sporting de Gijón club, asking him to pay twenty euros for the trash can that he kicked …" González said.
"Man, you know, you have to pay for things that are broken …" Dagestino looked at González's face and said with a smile, "Although Mr. Espardo is a guest, he does not have the 'immunity' of not paying for things that are broken."
"But the problem is, there is news that it was Li Ang's idea to mail the fine to Leganés," González said.
"Uh — really?" The smile on Dagestino's face froze. This was not the "script" they had discussed. He really did not know about the news.
"It's true. At least that's the news we got," González said.
"Well, I can understand Mr. Espardo's anger," Dagestino said with a smile. "But Coach Li Ang didn't do anything wrong, did he? Haha."
*****
While the two men were chatting in the commentator's box, Li Ang was watching his players in the locker room.
Li Ang didn't care about the two commentators' teasing at all.
In fact, he was not very clear about the matter at all.
Li Ang was passing through the corridor and saw the staff cleaning the trash with a distressed and angry face, so he asked what was going on.
The staff responded that the trash can was broken.
"Whoever broke it has to pay for it," Li Ang said and then left.
In fact, he did not know who broke the trash can and did not care. However, the worker was overjoyed. He thought that it was Li Ang's idea to annoy the Leganese. Then, the Leganese received the "fine" for the trash can.
As a matter of fact, it was an accident and an accidental injury caused by a lack of communication.
Li Ang did not know about this. However, even if he knew about it later, he would not care about the anger of the Leganese people. He had to compensate for the damage, right?!
The anger of the opponent? He wouldn't even think about that. What he had to consider was the competition and results of his team. That was his job and responsibility!
*****
At this moment, the atmosphere in the home team's locker room at El Molinon Stadium was a little solemn.
The cheers for Sporting de Gijón could be heard clearly in the stands. Listening to the passionate singing of the fans, everyone's heart was beating like a war drum!
The game against Leganese was very important for Sporting de Gijón.
If they lost, Sporting de Gijón would be reduced to four points by Leganese, less than two games away!
If they won, Sporting de Gijón would be ten points ahead of Leganese, more than three games away!
There were still seven games left in the league. Ten points meant that Sporting de Gijón had one foot out of the relegation zone!
Just as the Voice of Gijón said, this game could be considered a battle to avoid relegation for Sporting de Gijón!
Everyone knew the weight and importance of this game. The atmosphere was a little solemn.
Everyone looked at Li Ang. Before Li Ang took over the team, Sporting de Gijón's morale was low. Almost no one thought that they could avoid relegation. Now, almost three months after Li Ang took over the team, he had established his authority among them through his actions. This was a crucial game. At this time, everyone would choose to trust their manager, to trust Li Ang!
Li Ang finally spoke. His voice wasn't loud, but it was very powerful. Or rather, the players seemed to be able to feel the power in his voice!
*****
"The media is talking about this match. They're talking about how important this match is. They're saying that this is a crucial match. They're saying that this is an evenly matched match. They're saying that this match is the final battle or something. But I don't like this description. And I don't think you'll like it either. Because when did we fall to the same level as Leganese? Just thinking about it makes me feel ashamed and angry! "
"That's right!" Someone shouted.
Li Ang glanced at the players. He continued, "… In this game, I hope you can explode with all your energy!"
"Why did we practice all kinds of tactics over and over again this Monday? Let me tell you, it's for victory! That's all. Don't think too much about it. What decisive battle? What life and death battle? Go to hell! There's no meaning to it. This game is a game worth three points! And my request is to win the game and get the victory for me! You should use this victory to tell your opponents, to tell Leganes that this is just a normal match. Leganes is not an opponent that we should consider as a threat! Our opponents are Levante, Getafe, and other teams that have been promoted! Our current situation is only because of the mistakes of the past! But this doesn't mean that we are willing to accept the current situation. We have to look forward! Everyone, kick out your mental facade! "Li Ang strode to the door and pulled it open.
The singing and cheering from the stands of the El Molinon Stadium rushed to their faces!
It made their blood boil!
"Tell the Leganese that they are a relegation team! And we just took a nap! Our current ranking is just an accident. They shouldn't think too much about it! "
Sporting de Gijón's players all stood up. With a crash, everyone rushed out of the locker room.
With an indomitable spirit!
*****
The 35th round of the Segunda División B match between Sporting de Gijón and Leganese had been going on for more than ten minutes. The score on the field had not changed at all. Sporting de Gijón showed a strong desire to win from the beginning of the game. The players were fired up by Li Ang's words and charged towards Leganese's goal. However, Leganese's manager, Esaldo, was clearly prepared. Li Ang was studying his opponent's team, and the opponent's manager was also studying his team.
Rumor had it that Leganese's manager, Esaldo, was furious and felt humiliated by Li Ang. He vowed to make Li Ang and Sporting de Gijón regret at the El Molinon Stadium. This manager had clearly worked hard!
On Sporting de Gijón's forward line today, Li Ang gave Michael Pihra a chance to start.
McGour-McGour-Pihra was the focus of the Leganés defenders. Their center back, Gerweide, was given a mission by the head coach, Espard. He only had one goal: to guard against the rising star of Sporting Gihon, the veteran player McGour-Pihra.
Although Gerweide was not famous, this 27-year-old center back performed quite well. He was the core of Leganese's defense. This center back was considered to have the ability to compete for the Best XI of the Segunda División this season. The fact that a center back from a relegation team was qualified to compete for this honor showed that Gerweide was indeed a very capable player.
At this time, seeing Gerweide being unusually busy, blocking Michael Pihra's attacks time and time again, Li Ang was a little depressed. This unknown center back was actually so difficult to deal with.
Another person that gave Li Ang a headache was Leganese's midfielder, Kong Go. This player was currently the core of Leganese's midfield. All the attacks were carried out around him. He passed the ball, tackled the ball, organized the attacks, and even personally delivered the fatal blow. He had made 39 appearances this season and scored seven goals. For a midfielder, this was quite an impressive number.
In addition, Kong Go's dribbling was quite outstanding.
*****
Li Ang narrowed his eyes and glanced at Esaldo, who was at the other end of the technical area.
This Leganese manager's tactical arrangement today was very targeted.
Sporting de Gijón's excellent performance in the second half of the season was inseparable from their solving the problem of scoring goals on the offensive end. The team's veteran, Michael Pihra's condition was getting better and better. He had slowly begun to adapt to the physical requirements of the entire game. In addition, Michael Pihra's physical condition was not bad. His header ability was too outstanding. With him on the field, the opponents would obviously be wary of high flying balls. Together with the other extremely fast Juan and Mata, this partnership had become one of Li Ang's favorite and valued partners.
Michael Pihra's dominance in the penalty area, coupled with Juan and Mata's speed and dribbling, this forward partnership was enough to threaten the goal of any team in Segunda División.
But now, this lethal forward partnership had lost its direction in Leganese's defensive line and completely lost its power.
Li Ang was a little surprised by this situation. He did not expect the opposing manager, Esaldo, to be so good.
However, Li Ang was not an incompetent person.
In the manager's position, he began to get more and more comfortable. He felt that he was born to be a manager.
Li Ang observed the opponent's performance and began to analyze in his mind. Like a sophisticated computer, he was looking for the opponent's openings and weaknesses.
The core of Leganese's team was their midfielder, Kong Go. Almost 60% of the offense was initiated by him. Li Ang's strategy before the game was to contain Leganese's offense, especially the core of the midfield, Kong Go, and not let him play at all.
Therefore, in today's game, Li Ang specially arranged for Carlos to focus on defending Kong Go. Don't forget that there was also Marcos, who was Sporting de Gijón's last line of defense in the midfield.
Therefore, although Sporting de Gijón's offense was contained, Leganese did not get any chances to attack.
The two managers' tactical arrangements were very targeted. As a result, the game had started for 15 minutes, and no one got a better chance. Most of the time, they were fighting around the midfield. Carlos and Marcos' defense made Kong Go and the opposing midfielder, Victor, very uncomfortable. They could not organize an effective attack at all.
*****
Sporting de Gijón's left winger, Jeffrey, made a beautiful breakthrough from the side, forcing Leganese's right back, Bassone, to foul him. Sporting de Gijón received a free kick from the left side of the front field.
Seeing this, Li Ang stood up from the manager's seat and walked to the side of the field. Then he just stood there, not doing anything, not shouting anything. But the Sporting de Gijón players on the field knew what this meant. They had practiced the set piece tactic hard for a week, and it was finally going to be put to use here.
Isma ran into the opponent's penalty area, and Yago also left the backfield. Sporting de Gijón's entire rear defensive line pressed forward. The two defensive midfielders, Marcos and Carlos, were at the back.
Everyone who could head the ball was in front of Leganese's goal.
Li Ang's intention could not be more obvious. He wanted to use the set piece opportunity to find a goal!
At this moment, the camera was focused on Michael Pihrat in the penalty area!
Everyone knew this veteran's ability to head the ball!
Michael Pihrat's ability to score with headers in the penalty area was now famous in Segunda División.
*****
Sporting de Gijón's free kicks were usually taken by the captain, Michael Cobas, as long as he was on the field. This time was no exception.
He carefully placed the ball and looked at the penalty area. As the manager expected, Leganese's defenders focused their attention on Isma and Yago, especially Michael Pihrat. No one paid attention to the short Javier Blanco. Javier Blanco being in the starting lineup today was already unexpected by many. In addition, compared to Marcos, Carlos, and Mata, the three young players from the B Team, Javier Blanco, who was also from the B Team, was much less impressive. This caused many people to lack understanding of this young player.
However, Michael Cobas knew that Javier Blanco was a player that Li Ang also admired. He had always been paying attention to and looking forward to Javier.
Leganese's manager, Espardet, shouted on the sidelines, directing the team to defend this free kick.
Obviously, half of Leganese's attention was on Sporting de Gijón's center backs, Yago and Isma, who came up to participate in the free kick attack. The other half was naturally on Michael Pihrat, who was widely recognized for his headers.
Li Ang narrowed his eyes on the sidelines. He suppressed the excitement in his heart.
This was the set piece tactic that Li Ang had set up. Those three players were the best cover for the short Javier Blanco.
Michael Cobas drove the ball into the penalty area, but he surprised all the Leganese players. He did not drive a high ball to Michael Pihrat's head. Instead, he drove a half high ball, flat and fast.
Under everyone's astonished eyes, Mata suddenly cut forward, which attracted the attention of the Leganese defenders.
This was Li Ang's double insurance for the smoke bomb of the free kick tactic!
Then, almost at the same time, Javier Blanco suddenly rushed out of the crowd and rushed forward!
The football flew over!
He was also there!
He swung his head and headed the ball towards the nearest corner of the goal!
Leganese's goalkeeper, Santas, faced this sudden attack at such a close distance. He had no time to react at all, and the football flew close to the goalpost and into the goal!
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