Chapter 62: Old? Old!

Real Madrid fans have been looking forward to the club's tenth Champions League trophy for a long time. Since Real Madrid defeated Leverkusen and won the ninth Champions League trophy in the 2001-2002 seasons, they have returned empty-handed for twelve seasons so far.

Since Mourinho, Real Madrid has been working hard to win the Champions League title, and it is just a matter of being able to compete with its old rival Barcelona in China. As the number one giant team in Europe and even the world, Real Madrid fans cannot tolerate their team not being able to encounter the Champions League trophy for more than ten years.

Mourinho and Ancelotti are both experts in the Champions League. Mourinho once won the Champions League trophy with Porto and Inter Milan, and Ancelotti also led AC Milan to win the Champions League twice, so they were invited by Florentino to Madrid.

Since Florentino's second entry into the Bernabeu, he has invested a lot in the team every year, but Real Madrid has always been a little far from the Champions League trophy.

This season, the outside world had already unanimously determined that Real Madrid had the best chance to win the Champions League trophy. Barcelona was in a transitional period, and Manchester United was also in a transitional period. Bayern Munich also changed the head coach because Guardiola became the head coach of the Spanish national team. The two Milan champions who were declining in the sky were unable to threaten them. The nouveau riche Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain had no background. It can be said that Real Madrid really had a chance to win the Champions League trophy this year, but unexpectedly... Simon Grayson suddenly brought Manchester United out. The "Red Devils" who had just changed the head coach actually showed an invincible momentum. So far this season, he has remained unbeaten in all competitions, and has won two championship trophys.

Real Madrid fans are just optimistic about their team, but there are many voices from the outside media talking about Real Madrid's "crisis"...

This year's Real Madrid is considered to be the most powerful team in the Cristiano Ronaldo era. The overall structure and experience of the players have reached the best state, but one problem cannot be ignored, that is, the age of Real Madrid players is getting older.

C Ronaldo is already 30 years old. As the main core of the "Galaxy Battleship II Phase", the aging of the Portuguese striker means the aging of the "Galaxy Battleship II Phase II".

In addition, Xavi Alonso is 33 years old, Pepe is 32 years old, Ramos is 29 years old, Casillas is 33 years old, Albiol is 29 years old, Khedira is 28 years old, Benzema and Coentella are 27 years old, although Ozil and Marcelo are 26 years old, they are not the protagonist of the "Galaxy Battleship II". It can be said that Real Madrid is facing an age problem as a whole. After this season, more of them will enter the hurdle of thirty years old, and the team's overall combat effectiveness will inevitably decline further, and it will be even more difficult to come up with results. The miracle of Chelsea's "Blue Army" defeating Bayern with an old body in the 2011-2012 season was not so easy to be born.

Real Madrid fans, full of hope, have made the home atmosphere of the Bernabeu Stadium extremely hot because of their desire for the Champions League trophy. They have done everything they can do for the team.

But sometimes the development of things is not what everyone wants, not to mention that this "what everyone wants" is just the wishful thinking of Real Madrid fans. Manchester United fans also hope that they can win the club's fourth Champions League trophy under the leadership of Simon Grayson!

At the beginning of this game at the Bernabeu, Ancelotti noticed that Manchester United's tactics were still Shaq as the center. Rooney and Ganso were the midfield partner, so he immediately gave tactical instructions on his team's residence. He asked the experienced Pepe to specifically target Shaq.

Although French central defender Varane is outstanding in talent, he is too young after all. If he asks him to guard Shaq, Shaq will only be one year older, but the result will be Shaq who will completely defeat Valanne. The abilities of the two are completely different from the same level.

Ancelotti has just adjusted his tactics. Real Madrid has encountered a crisis on the court...

When Marcelo was defending on the left, Nani, who dribbled past him, pulled down five meters away from Real Madrid's right corner of the penalty area, and Manchester United won a free kick in the frontcourt.

Shaq stood in front of the ball again, and now he is very confident in his ability to free kicks. He can do very well whether it is shooting directly or passing the ball to his teammates.

Standing in front of the ball, Shaq did not run up because he didn't want to shoot directly. The angle of the ball was still a bit off and was closer to the wing. It was really difficult to kick the ball directly into Real Madrid's goal at this position!

However, if you pass the ball in this place, players from Manchester United in the middle and left sides of the frontcourt will have a chance. If necessary, Shaq can even send the ball to the front point on the right.

"Ding--"

The referee from Germany, Johen Dres, blew the whistle, and Shaq swung his right leg directly. After a "bang", the ball flew horizontally to the Real Madrid small penalty area!

Shaq's free kick was very low, flat, but it was extremely fast!

In the chaotic Real Madrid penalty area, five Manchester United players were concentrated on the right side of the center, with only a red figure near the top of the penalty area, and a Manchester United player who looked short and thick on the court was at the back point, which was Greek central defender Papadopoulos.

When the ball flew out from Shaq's feet, Papadopoulos ran horizontally from the left to the middle. Ramos, who was originally defending beside him, found that the Greeks were going to run, and he just pulled him. After all, this was his own penalty area, and he didn't dare to move too much. If he really gave a penalty to his opponent, he would become a sinner.

But Ramos' pulling was just a pause in Papadopolos's body. The Manchester United's central defender still ran to the ball landing point on the left in the middle. The Real Madrid players who were all focused on the other people did not hear Ramos' anxious yell, and no one found out that the crisis had arrived!

Xavi Alonso judged the ball landing point and went backwards to push the ball directly out, but just when he was close to the ball landing point, he suddenly bumped into a strong body that had jumped into the air!

After a moment of silence, Harvey Alonso turned his head and glanced back, and then he saw a figure wearing a red jersey, flying above his head like a god of war...

"oh----"

"Dangerous! Papadopoulos!"

Countless screams of surprise sounded in the Bernabeu Stadium...

"Dong!"

Papadopolos, who seemed to be flying in the air, had his arms and legs slightly spread out to maintain his balance. He simply shook his head and pushed the ball towards Real Madrid's right goal.

This header is on the top... very clean!

It's so clean that people can't find any faults!

However, Real Madrid's side felt extremely worried. It was obvious that there was a loophole in their defense!

"Bang!"

The ball hit the goal line on the right side with a very fast speed, and then rebounded and flew into the goal...

Because he wanted to prevent Shaq from taking a direct free kick, Diego Lopez's position was still a bit back. When he found out that Shaq was passing the ball, he moved to the position close to the middle, and it was already too late.

"goal!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"

Papadopoulos yelled excitedly and rushed towards Shaq who assisted him. This goal was so comfortable and so good. He could score a goal from Real Madrid away in a match like the Champions League quarter-finals. I believe he will definitely become famous after today.

Manchester United's bench was also full of joy. Simon Grayson, who was standing on the sidelines to watch the game, roared and waved his fist hard at the moment of the goal, then turned around and hugged and celebrated with McAndrew, Zanetti, Lerotale and others running up behind him with high fives. The goal scored by this free kick can very well show the hard work they put in training!

"The ball went in... Just 2 minutes into the game, Manchester United scored the goal in the first shot of the game!"

"This ball was completely a mistake in Real Madrid's own defense. Ramos missed someone while defending... Let's take a look at the slow-motion replay. Yes, Ramos was indeed defending Papadopolos. Ah, Ramos pulled Papadopolos and then let go of his hand. He was shouting, as if reminding his teammates in the middle, Xavi Alonso retreated and moved to the ball landing point... Oh! That's it! The responsibility of this ball is really not very big with Ramos. Ramos cannot directly defend this ball because of his position, but Xavi Alonso... There is no way. Alonso faces the Greek central defender who is ten years younger than him, and he can't compete for the header. And he didn't seem to realize at the beginning that there were Manchester United players behind him to compete for the top! 1:0, it was only two minutes before the game started, and Manchester United took the lead!"

"Oh, after seeing this goal, I only have one feeling, that Alonso is really old! If he was five years younger, I believe that even if he couldn't win the header, he would never let Papadopolos bomb his own goal above his head. Ramos has become more and more mature, but Ramos is not as good as the rough and fierce Ramos at the time. If he directly grabbed Papadopolos, the referee might not have to award a penalty. At that time, Papadopolos was still three or four meters away from the landing point of the ball!"

In the Bernabeu Stadium, Real Madrid fans in the stands booed at the beginning. They thought Papadopoulos' goal must have been a foul, but after watching the slow motion replay, they began to talk and make a buzzing noise...

At this moment, all Real Madrid fans realized a problem. The outside world said that several main players of their team were getting old. It was indeed a cruel existence that they could not accept but existed... Fact!
Chapter completed!