Albertini's comeback was not as simple as having one more player in the team. More importantly, it boosted the team's morale.
Following that, on October 15th, the Forest team challenged Tottenham Hotspur in an away game. After a fierce battle, the Forest team won their opponent 1: 0.
Unknowingly, Nottingham Forest, with one less game, had already accumulated 19 points and was ranked second in the league table. First place was still Chelsea. Mourinho's team had won nine games since the start of the new season and was ranked first with 27 points.
But now, Tang En was not focused on the league, but on the Champions League.
On October 19th, the day of the Champions League, the Forest team faced Benfica at home. Tang En adjusted the team's lineup. Arteta was replaced by Albertini, and George Wood, who had ended his ban, returned to the starting lineup. The Forest team straightened their backs.
What were the consequences of straightening their backs?
The Forest team finally ushered in their first Champions League victory on their home ground.
2: 1. Nottingham Forest defeated last season's Portuguese league champion, Benfica!
Before the game, there were people who suspected that Wood, who had missed two Champions League games, would not be able to keep up with the team's pace. But Wood's performance looked no different than usual. The reason was that before the game, Tang En had told Wood to just play the Champions League like a normal game. They were all football games. There was no difference.
Before the game, Benfica had thought of Nottingham Forest as a pushover. They did not expect to break their own teeth when they bit down.
In fact, in the first two group games, Nottingham Forest's performance could not be considered bad. It was only because of one reason or another that they did not win. In the first group game, the Forest team scored first against Real Madrid and was only overtaken by Real Madrid at the last minute. In the second group game, it was not easy for the exhausted Forest team to tie with Lille in an away game.
In this game, there were no absences. Their physical condition was good, their mentality was good, and their form was good. Playing at home, the Forest team finally broke out with their true strength. Benfica, who underestimated the Forest team, became the first victim.
After the game, the Portuguese media used "Forest's upset" to describe the game, while the English media thought it was natural for the Forest team to win against Benfica. The Sun mocked the Portuguese media's "upset theory." "The English Premier League's second place defeating the Portuguese Premier League's fourth place is actually called an upset?"
These words didn't contain any detailed analysis of strength, but they made it clear at a glance how absurd the "surprise attack theory" was. Although Tang En did not really like The Sun, the fact that they were speaking up for Forest this time still made Tang En feel very good.
In the other group stage match held on the same day, Real Madrid easily defeated Lille with 2: 0 on their home ground.
As a result, the situation in Group D became that Real Madrid topped the table with two wins, one draw and seven points, while Nottingham Forest, a fourth-tier team, was originally in last place. Because they defeated Benfica, they suddenly became second in the group with four points. Lille and Benfica, who both lost in this round of games, were ranked third and fourth with two points.
After beating Benfica, everyone looked at the Forest team in a different light. No one dared to underestimate this tenacious team anymore. UEFA's latest issue of UEFA's UEFA Champions League TV magazine introduced the game as follows: "… The youngest UEFA Champions League manager has led his team to its first victory in the UEFA Champions League. Let's see what kind of results Tony Twain can create …"
The youngest … this was really a good gimmick to hype up.
※ ※ ※
Time entered the end of October. The Forest team had a string of victories in the league tournament, always closely following in Chelsea's footsteps, pressing down strong teams like Manchester United, Arsenal and Liverpool. They even achieved their first victory in the UEFA Champions League. It looked like Tang En was riding on the crest of success.
However, he still had a troubling matter that he did not tell anyone.
On October 24th, the day after the tenth round of the English Premier League, Tang En went to the Royal Medical College of Nottingham University to visit his player, Freddy Eastwood.
After the first operation, the doctors found that the condition did not improve, so they carried out a second operation on Eastwood's right knee. The Romani's comeback time was pushed back again and again. Seven months had passed since he was injured in the game against Sporting Lisbon. It was really a hopeless seven months …
Surgery, recovery, the condition did not improve, surgery again, recovery again.
There was no hope at all. He did not know if the leg would suddenly have another problem after recovery.
Tang En still remembered his impassioned speech to Eastwood in the ward of this hospital, telling him that fate was a big net made up of one choice after another. People would always have to face this or that choice, but no matter what choice they made, they could not stand still and not move forward.
Seven months had passed, and Tang En felt that he did not have the face to say such words in front of Eastwood again. He himself was a little desperate from waiting. Every time there was some bad news from the hospital, it made his heart sink a little.
Tang En did not ask where Eastwood's ward was in the hall below. He went straight up. There was no need to ask that number; it had long been memorized in his heart.
But when he pushed open the ward door, all he saw was an empty room. Tang En thought he had found the wrong room. He pushed it out and looked up to see the room number. There was no mistake. It was Eastwood's ward.
He stood at the door and thought for a while. It was impossible that Eastwood had moved out of the hospital without him knowing. Professor Constantine would tell him everything about Eastwood's movements in a timely manner.
Tang En walked in. The ward was very tidy. There was a bouquet of flowers in a vase on the bedside table. He took a closer look and saw that there were still water droplets on the petals and leaves. He touched the bed and found that it was still warm.
It looked like Eastwood had not moved away, but … Tang En, who was standing at the window, looked down and quickly found his target.
※ ※ ※
Freddy Eastwood, who was strolling slowly in the garden with the help of his wife, was a little surprised to see Tang En appear in front of him.
"Boss? Why are you here? "He sounded pleasantly surprised.
"I'm here to see you, Freddy." Tang En waved the bouquet in his hand and then smiled at Freddy's wife. "Hello, Salem."
"Hello, Boss." The Romani woman followed her husband's greeting of Tang En.
The three of them sat on a bench by the gravel road.
"Yesterday's game was really exciting!" Eastwood took the initiative to mention football. He was talking about the tenth round of the league tournament that had just ended. Forest had played against Middlesbrough at home. Because of the feud between Tang En and Middlesbrough's manager, McClaren, the game had attracted much attention.
The final score was 4: 2, and both sides were in a heated battle. With a sharper offense and superior defense, the Forest team took down Middlesbrough and extended McClaren's winless record at the City Ground stadium.
Tang En scratched his head. "You watched the live broadcast? Didn't the doctor say that it's best not to watch Forest's games? "
Tang En was not joking, even though he had thought it was a joke when he first heard the suggestion. Professor Stephen Albert, who was the chief surgeon for Eastwood, had seriously warned Eastwood after the second surgery that it was best not to watch Forest's games for him to recover as soon as possible, lest he hurt his fragile knees again in his agitation.
When watching a game, it was inevitable that some body movements would be made due to excitement. If the movements were too big, it would not be surprising to hurt the knee that had just undergone surgery.
Eastwood chuckled. Beside him, Salem pointed at him and said, "He didn't miss any of Forest's games. He watched all of them live."
"I can't not watch the game," Eastwood said. "I can't play now. If I'm not even allowed to watch, I won't know how to pass the time."
Tang En's gaze swept to his right knee. He hesitated for a moment before asking, "How's your recovery this time?"
"I think it's going well!" The Romani's answer was straightforward and certain. "I think I'll be able to return to the training field in another two months."
Unlike what Tang En had thought, the Freddy Eastwood in front of him was full of hope for the future and had no intention of giving up.
Seven months, or even a longer recovery period, did not break him down. He was still as optimistic as before.
"That's great, Freddy. We're all waiting for you. "Tang En felt that he had worried for nothing. This could not be better. "Oh, right. Don't watch the live broadcast in the next round of the league tournament. Come to the City Ground and watch it live. "
Eastwood froze for a moment.
"Why? Can't I walk? "Tang En asked.
"No, Boss. No problem. It's not a problem even if I walk from here to the City Ground stadium. "
"Who said you could walk there!" Tang En laughed. "I'll let you watch the game live. But you better watch out for your knee."
"Don't worry, Boss. I want to recover more than you do! But … Boss, who's our opponent in the next round of the league tournament? "
"Chelsea," Tang En replied.
Eastwood whistled. "That Chelsea with nine wins and one draw without losing a single game?"
"Yes. Chelsea, who's currently ranked first in the league tournament with 28 points in ten rounds. Why, are you scared, Freddy? "
"You're joking! What's there to be scared of? "Freddy retorted loudly. He then muttered in a low voice," It's not like I'm the one playing … "
The two laughed at the same time.
(To be continued. If you want to know what happens next, please log on to WWW. CMFU. com. More chapters. Support the author. Support original reading!)
You've already exceeded your reading limit for today. If you want to read more, please log in.
Login
Select text and click 'Report' to let us know about any bad translation.
