When the night fell on 8th July, which place in England had the best business?
Without a doubt, it was the pubs. More specifically, the pubs that could watch the game had the best business.
Englishmen liked to gather together to watch the game. Watching the game at home was not as comfortable as going to a pub with friends to drink beer and watch the game.
BBC5 started the live broadcast of the game two hours in advance. They covered the final from all angles. After all, it was the first in 50 years. The audience would not agree to it if it was not grand.
Dunn was not the kind of person who liked to join in the fun. He preferred to watch the TV broadcast quietly at home alone compared to a lot of people who were noisy together.
But tonight, he did not seem to be quiet.
"Darling ~ ~ ~" His wife, Tang Jing, was wearing a sexy lingerie and stood in front of Dunn, blocking the TV screen. "Am I beautiful?"
"Yes." Dunn's eyes never left the TV screen. Seeing that Tang Jing was blocking his view, he changed his seat and looked at the TV screen from a different angle. And he responded casually. On the screen, Shearer, who was invited by the BBC, was analyzing the possible lineup for England today for the audience. Tang En, like before, did not announce the starting lineup until the last minute.
Even a fool could see that Dunn was doing it perfunctorily. A look of resentment flashed across Tang Jing's face. Dunn changed his seat, and she followed suit.
"Then do you want me?" Tang Jing did not feel embarrassed at all when she said such things. After staying in England for a long time, she had long forgotten the shyness of the Chinese people.
This time, Dunn turned his eyes to Tang Jing. Looking at his wife, who had pulled the bra strap up to her elbow and revealed half of her breasts, he shook his head seriously. "No."
The answer really made Tang Jing lose face. She was about to lose her temper. Dunn also realized that he had said the wrong thing and hurriedly added, "At least not tonight."
How was this a rescue? This was clearly adding fuel to the fire.
Tang Jing was like a volcano that erupted. She took off the bra that was about to fall off and threw it at Dunn's face. "Then go make love to the football!"
With that, she angrily rushed back to the bedroom, shaking her white breasts. Of course, she did not forget to slam the door hard. A lot of the dust on the ceiling was shaken off by her.
Dunn looked at the closed bedroom door and smiled helplessly. He turned his attention back to the TV screen. Finally, no one came to disturb him watching the game. As for the sound of things being smashed coming from the bedroom, he could no longer hear it.
"… The England team has not set off yet, but we can already see players appearing in the hotel lobby on the first floor …"
On the TV screen, there was a picture of the interior of the hotel taken by the reporter from afar. It was a little blurry, but Rooney, Mitchell and the others could be recognized. As for Tang En's whereabouts, the camera was still searching.
※ ※ ※
Tang En sat in a blind spot where the cameras could not capture him, chatting with Des Walker. From their seats, they could see the elevator at a glance. For every player that walked out of the elevator, he silently matched his number to see if there was anyone left.
"Des, are you nervous?" Twain asked.
"A little. Don't you know that? "Walker retorted.
"Of course I have a little too." Twain laughed. "Can't you see that I've been chewing gum?" He pointed to his mouth. "I've been chewing for an hour."
"Why are you still chewing when there's no taste?"
"You're right." Tang En wrapped the gum in a piece of paper and threw it into the ashtray. Then, he took out another piece and put it in his mouth. "I should buy bubble gum. That's still a little fun."
"I don't think you're nervous at all now, Tony …"
Tang En revealed a surprised expression. "Really? That's great! "
Actually, he was really nervous. However, he did not want others to see it, so he had to do something else and say some nonsense to divert his attention. It seemed that chatting with Walker had already worked.
The one who walked out of the elevator was Mitchell. With his tall stature, he stood out from the crowd. Tang En noticed the depressed expression on his face at first glance. This kid was still brooding over not being able to participate in the finals.
"Aaron, come here!" He waved and called.
Mitchell walked over obediently.
"Sit." Twain pointed to the sofa opposite him. "This is a reserved seat for the coaches. The players who are going to play tonight are not qualified to enjoy it."
He joked with Mitchell.
"Thanks, Boss …" Mitchell knew that Tang En was comforting him. Even though he was still unhappy, he did not show it.
"Don't think so much. Just wait to enjoy the championship." Twain leaned over and patted him on the shoulder.
"But I feel that even if we win the championship, it's meaningless if I can't help …"
"You can't say that. If you keep sitting on the sidelines with a sad face, what will happen to your teammates on the field when they see you? It will affect their mood and cause their condition to worsen. I'm not joking. When you're working hard on the field and you raise your head to see someone with a sad face or eating melon seeds as if nothing had happened, wouldn't you feel unhappy? "
Mitchell was stunned for a moment. He had to admit that the Boss' words were very convincing. He thought about it seriously and felt that if he were in that situation, his mood would indeed be affected.
"Smile, Aaron." Twain grinned at Mitchell. "A smile can bring about an unimaginable and magical power. Your smile can infect your teammates and give them more confidence to overcome difficulties and defeat strong opponents. Remember, no matter what happens, you're all as a team. Whether you go on the field or not, you will affect your teammates and affect the game. Do you know why I never look sad off the field? Even if you lose the game, I'm just angry. Anger can give people motivation, but depression can only make people lose their fighting spirit and confidence. That's a contagious disease. "
Mitchell was enlightened by Tang En's words and suddenly understood.
"I understand, Boss." A smile appeared on his face.
"It's good that you understand. Go back to the team. From now on, you're stripped of your right to sit here! "Tang En slapped him on the head.
Mitchell hurriedly got up and left.
"Have a good chat with them. Don't let them go on the field with their worries for you." Tang En's voice came from behind. Mitchell turned around and replied, "I know!"
"You're really something, Tony." Des Walker sighed from the bottom of his heart as he watched Mitchell run off energetically. He was a completely different person from when he walked over in the dusk. "Adjusting the mentality of the players. I've never seen anyone who can reach your level."
"It's actually very simple. Put yourself in the players' perspective and think about it. Just be more sincere when you speak." Tang En leaned back on the sofa again. This time, he saw Wood coming down from the elevator. He was the last person to come down from the team. It looked like he was performing his duties as a captain and only left after calling everyone down.
He raised his wrist and looked at his watch. There were still nearly two hours before the start of the game.
"It's almost time. I don't want to be watched by those reporters outside like a monkey in the zoo. Get ready to go. "He stood up. This was the signal. After seeing him stand up, the players who were originally chatting or taking a nap in the three sections also stood up and began to walk towards the bus parked outside the gate.
The reporters outside saw the movement inside and also became excited. They rushed out from their hiding places to the bus and charged at the line of defense formed by the security guards. They wanted to get a close-up shot of the players getting on the bus.
The fans had a much simpler purpose than the reporters. They just shouted outside the isolation line, "We're the champions! We're the champions! England! England! Oh oh! "
"They've set off!" The BBC5 reporter who was in charge of reporting at the hotel shouted excitedly.
※ ※ ※
At the same time, the Italian presenter also used the same emphasis to announce that the Italian team was on the road to becoming the champions.
Two buses of different colors drove towards the Bernabéu Stadium from different directions. Along the way, police cars cleared the way and traffic was controlled. In the sky, there was even a helicopter rented by the television station tracking and filming. This appearance was really awe-inspiring.
When the England team's bus arrived outside the Bernabéu Stadium, even the air-conditioned bus could hear the loud noise coming from the Bernabéu Stadium.
In the night, the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium was shrouded in a dazzling white light. It was the "White House" of the football world, waiting for the two protagonists of the night.
When the bus stopped, the players stepped out of the bus and appeared in front of the many reporters and fans. They caused a commotion. The police who maintained order at the scene acted as if they were facing a formidable enemy, trying their best to stop the surging tide of people. The players, who were already used to this scene, did not stay for long. Instead, they filed into the tunnel and walked towards the locker room.
Tang En, who was the last to get out of the bus, gave a brief interview to BBC5.
"It is said that a large number of England fans have poured into Spain these two days. Obviously, they did not expect their team to be able to make it to the final. What do you think of this, Mr. Tang En? " The reporter, who had one hand on the headset and the other holding the microphone, spoke quickly. However, his standard London accent allowed Tang En to hear the question clearly in such a noisy environment.
"I'm very happy." Tang En also raised his voice to answer the question. "I even hope that the Bernabéu Stadium will allow those England fans who do not have tickets to enter the stadium to watch the game. Ha! Turn this place into our home field! But the Italians will definitely object! "
"Is Italy a very strong team?"
"Of course. There are no weak teams that can make it to the final, even a team like Greece. "
"Do you have good memories of the Bernabéu Stadium …"
"Yes." A smile appeared on Tang En's face when he said this. "Two years ago, I achieved the Treble here. I like the Bernabéu Stadium. "
"Can I ask again, how does Mitchell's absence affect the final?"
"I don't think so. We are a team, not a team of one person. Every player who can be selected for the national team is very good. I'm not worried about that. "
Tang En waved his hand, indicating that he was going to leave.
The reporter happened to hear the director's urgent voice coming from the headset. "Ask him one last question, don't let him go! Let the audience hear his declaration of being the champion! Provoke him! "
"Wait, Mr. Tang En, please wait a minute …" The reporter reached out to stop Tang En as he pressed on the headset and listened to the director's latest instructions. "One last question: Have you thought about what if you don't …"
Before he could finish his words, Tang En rudely interrupted him. "That's impossible, absolutely impossible. We're not here to work hard and fight for a runner-up position! "
The reporter's idiotic question made him a little unhappy. This time, he turned around and walked away resolutely.
The reporter saw the cameraman give him a thumbs up and the director's satisfied voice in the headset. "Well done, Louis! This declaration of being the champion is really imposing! Alright, now go into the stadium and wait for them to come out to warm up! "
※ ※ ※
At the same time, at the other entrance, the Italian team was also being pursued by the media and fans.
Lippi held a cigar in his hand and dressed in a well-ironed suit, like an old Italian gentleman, very elegant.
He was being interviewed by Italian national television, and his players filed into the tunnel behind him.
"Is it good news that England doesn't have Mitchell?"
"No, they still have Rooney and other good attackers." Lippi did not show the slightest optimism. "Mitchell is not the core of the team. His absence has little impact on England."
"Will there be a penalty kick in this game?"
"It's hard to say. It depends on what the score is after 90 minutes." Lippi's answer was watertight.
"This is your last time coaching. Do you want to end it with a European Championship?"
"Of course, I hope we can take the European Championship trophy back to Italy."
"But some people are worried that you've won almost all the championships and will be a little less motivated …"
"I haven't won the European Championship yet." Lippi was not dissatisfied with the evaluation. Instead, he responded with a smile.
"Thank you for the interview. Good luck."
"Good luck to Italy."
"Not arrogant, not underestimating the enemy, calm and experienced. We've seen a reassuring manager. "After Lippi left, the reporter made his comments to the camera. "I think Tony Twain has met his match. Should I wish him good luck? No, I hope good luck is away from him and away from England. I'll see you in a while! "
※ ※ ※
"Oh no, I'm a little nervous …" Joe Mattock stood on the sidelines and looked up at the packed stands. A thought suddenly hit his mind — — This is the final, the final of the European Championship, the first final that England has participated in in 50 years!
When he thought of this, he felt his legs go weak, his heart beat too fast, and his lips were dry.
"F * ck!" Mitchell scolded next to him, "If you're nervous, let me do it! I'm fine with playing as a left back! Can't you be a little more promising? You're from Nottingham Forest, don't embarrass our Forest team! "
Tang En's words had an effect. Now, Mitchell was full of fighting spirit.
"Uh …" Joe Mattock scratched his head in embarrassment. After being scolded by Mitchell, his nervousness lessened a little.
In fact, Joe Mattock was not the only one who was nervous. It was just that no one had said it to him so bluntly. Now that they heard Mitchell's words, they also felt that their nervousness was very funny. Some people could not even be nervous even if they wanted to. As people who could play in the game, why should they think about whether they were nervous or not? Shouldn't their minds be full of the game?
"Let's warm up, guys. What are you doing here? Talking about the weather? "
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