future king

Before Manchester United's home game against Benfica, Ancelotti issued a must-kill order: "We have won 5 consecutive victories, this game must be won, and strive to qualify as the top of the group."

The British media are also optimistic about Manchester United. Former Chelsea assistant coach Ray Wilkins believes that whoever is sure knows the importance of qualifying for the top spot. The Red Devils cannot be tripped by the same stone (3-3 Basel at home). But after 90 minutes of the game, Manchester United conceded a goal first, equalized and then reversed. In the end, they were tied 2-2 by Benfica.

There were boos at Old Trafford in the 90th minute. The fans could only use boos to vent their dissatisfaction with the team's performance. Manchester United only won one of the three home games in the Champions League group stage. Dissatisfied with this, Ancelotti heard the boos from the Red Devils fans for the first time since he took office.

After 5 rounds, Benfica and Manchester United share 9 points.According to the UEFA Champions League competition rules, if the two teams have the same score, first compare the relationship between the two teams;

Manchester United and Benfica drew at home and away in the group stage, with a total score of 3-3, but Benfica scored 2 away goals, while Manchester United only scored 1 away goal. Therefore, after 5 rounds, they ranked below Benfica .

After Basel defeated the Galati Steel Team 3-2 in this round, the points reached 8 points.In the last round, Manchester United will go to an away game to challenge Basel. Since Benfica has won one and drawn one in the two games against Basel, no matter what happens between Manchester United and Basel, Benfica has already determined to qualify one round ahead of schedule.

In the final game of the group stage, Benfica will sit at home against the weakest team in the group, Galati Steel, which has lost all 5 games. There should be no big problem in winning, and the top spot in the group is a sure thing.If Manchester United wants to qualify as the top of the group, they must beat Basel away, and then hope that Galati Steel can draw or beat Benfica away. The difficulty can be imagined.

At present, Bayern has confirmed to qualify as the top of Group A one round in advance; Inter Milan has confirmed to qualify as the top of Group B one round in advance; Benfica is temporarily ranked first in Group C; Real Madrid has confirmed to qualify as the top of Group D one round in advance; Group E The current leaders in Group F and Group F are Chelsea and Arsenal respectively; the leader in Group G is APOEL from Cyprus; in Group H, as long as Barcelona does not lose away to AC Milan, they should be able to qualify first in the group.

Since the UEFA Champions League 18 final draw adopts the principle of avoiding the same group and avoiding the same team registered with the Football Association, if Manchester United qualify second in the group, it is likely to have only 5 choices, and among them, except for the mysterious trip from Cyprus. 4 teams (Real Madrid, Bayern, Inter Milan and Barcelona Milan) are top giants.

That is to say, although Manchester United can ensure their qualification without losing to Basel, if they can only qualify as second in the group, and Arsenal and Chelsea respectively occupy the first place in the group, Manchester United has an 80% chance of winning. Top giants!

Although some Manchester United fans wrote on Weibo, "Whether the group is the first to qualify, who cares? If you want to be the best team, you must beat those good teams. Barcelona let it go!" But in all fairness , when Scholes and Van der Sar retired, Giggs' physical condition was not enough to support him to play frequently, Evra and Ferdinand's state declined seriously, and rookies such as Cleverley were repeatedly attacked by injuries. If you really draw Barcelona, ​​I am afraid it will be close to death.

And if they lose to Basel in an away upset, Manchester United will suffer the misfortune of being out of the group!This is probably unacceptable to all Manchester United fans anyway.In a word, Manchester United has been driven to a dead end, and there is no way to retreat!

Benfica's Champions League group match against Manchester United is very important for both sides. Before the game, the two teams have 8 points in Group C, and the winning side will occupy a very favorable situation for qualifying.Before the game, people’s attention was focused on Benfica’s young midfielder Nicolas Gaitan. This potential new star has been spotted by Ancelotti. Gaitan’s performance at Old Trafford is also Gaitan’s proof of his strength excellent opportunity.

Gaitan did not disappoint many people who were optimistic about him. The Argentine teenager can be called one of the most threatening players in the first half of Benfica.

After the opening, Benfica turned away and took the lead.In the 3rd minute, Benfica made a pass from the right to cooperate. Gaitan inserted into the Manchester United penalty area and made a cross with his left foot. Manchester United defender Phil Jones accidentally blocked the ball into his own goal. Benfica got a fantastic start; in the 6th minute, Gaitan singled out Evra on the right, and the slightly embarrassed French veteran had to destroy the ball out of the sideline; in the 15th minute, after Gaitan took the ball in the middle, he continued to bounce the ball without waiting for the ball to land. His superb ball control skills It won a round of applause from the audience.

In the 19th minute, Gaitan passed the ball to Aimar in the penalty area with his back and heels. Gaitan beautifully passed the ball in front of the penalty area to Aimar who was plugging in behind, and the latter formed a one-handed trend, but the last shot of the "Joker" was saved by De Gea.

In the second half, Manchester United, eager to win, aggressively attacked. Benfica was completely suppressed in their own half, and Gaitan did not get too many opportunities to perform.In the 48th minute, Gaitan received a through ball from his teammate, and the left-footed arc shot in front of the penalty area was too straight, and the ball was caught by De Gea.In the 67th minute, Benfica coach Jesus, who was satisfied with a draw, replaced Gaitan to strengthen the defense. Gaitan's performance at Old Trafford also ended perfectly.

In Sky Sports' post-match scoring, Gaitan also scored 7 points, the second highest score in the team after Aimar.

The 23-year-old Gaitan was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina. He just joined Benfica from Argentina's Boca Juniors for £720 million last summer.

Since coming to Benfica, Gaitan's outstanding performance has attracted the attention of Inter Milan, Paris Saint-Germain, Manchester United and other teams. Among them, Manchester United is the most sincere buyer. Ferguson even sent scouts to keep an eye on Gaitan.Although currently assigned to the left winger position by the team, Gaitan is very comprehensive. His most familiar position is the offensive midfielder behind the striker. When the team plays a 5-man midfielder, Gaitan can also change positions. To the right, Gaitan was on the right in this game and caused a huge threat to Manchester United.

Gaitan's debut season in Benfica was very successful. He scored 9 goals and won the "Most Breakthrough Player Award" in the Portuguese Super League that year.He has scored 1 goal and 3 assists in the league this season, helping Benfica reach 24 points and tied with Porto for the top spot in the Portuguese Super League.

In addition, Benfica's excellent record in the Champions League is also inseparable from Gaitan's performance. Before this game, he has contributed 4 assists, ranking first in the Champions League assists list.When Benfica played against Manchester United at home in the first round of the Champions League group stage, Cardoso's opening goal was an assist from Gaitan.In this game, it was Gaitan's pass that forced Phil Jones to score an own goal, helping Benfica win a good start, and finally took away a point at Old Trafford smoothly.

It may not be easy for Manchester United to get Gaitan. The Argentine just renewed a five-year contract with Benfica last month. Suitors. <" said in an interview: "I am very lucky to play for a team like Benfica. I am very happy here. It is an honor to be associated with Manchester United, but my wish is to complete my contract in Benfica. It's a great club. I know Sir Alex Ferguson thinks very highly of me, but the closest I've come to Manchester United is when the two teams meet in the Champions League group stage."

The appearance of Gaitan can't help but remind people of the Argentine "wizard" Veron who once played for Manchester United.Veron joined Manchester United at a price of 2001 million pounds in 2800, but he never adapted to Manchester United's tactical system during his two-year Manchester United career, and finally had to leave Old Trafford to join Chelsea. The Argentine is also regarded as Ferguson One of the failures of signings.

But Gaitan is completely different. This teenager has a more advanced position, fast speed, outstanding skills and great talent. He is a great supplement to Manchester United, which currently lacks creativity in offense.Judging from the performance of this field, Gaitan is the man that Manchester United needs. He can not only use flexible running positions to create threats on the wing, but also send precise through balls in the middle. He can completely play in Manchester United's midfield. Occupy a place in the configuration, and form a good chemical reaction with Li Yu, Hernandez and others.

Although his high net worth may make people worry about whether he will become the "second Veron", Gaitan is just 23 years old this year, and his age is his biggest advantage, and he still has a lot of room for improvement. Under the guidance of Sir Alex Ferguson, it has been further improved.Perhaps for Manchester United, Gaitan is their best Christmas gift.

After a nightmarish start, the Red Devils seemed to have lost their usual arrogance at Old Trafford, and appeared very cautious on the offensive end. There is absolutely no chance of performance.

But it was almost the first touch of the whole game, and Manchester United's No. 9 changed the trend of the game.

In the 30th minute, Manchester United organized an offensive on the left. Li Yu suddenly stepped forward and continued to circle the offside line. Like Inzaghi, the opponent was elusive. Manchester United No. 9 was unmarked and the lion shook his head to attack the goal. The ball flew into the net against the right post.

Judging from the slow motion, Li Yu was a little over half a body when Nani passed the ball.This is Li Yu's 25th goal in 25 UEFA Champions League matches on behalf of Manchester United.Although there is some suspicion of offside, the goal is real. There is also a point that Li Yu has always started quickly, which is likely to be an optical illusion!

Score a goal in a sports battle!Li Yu, who broke through the scoring shortage, finally wiped away the cloud that permeated his face at the beginning of the game, and the melancholy in his eyes was gradually shrouded in murderous aura. From that moment on, Li Yu was completely revived.

After scoring the goal, Li Yu always felt cautious in the previous few games, retreating frequently to support the teammates behind him, and took the initiative to ask for the ball to suddenly revitalize the previously dead team offensive.

In the 31st minute of the game, Li Yu retreated in the middle to take the ball and took the opponent's two central defenders out of the penalty area. Manchester United's No. 9 received the ball and turned around and saw Mata who was quickly plugging in. Manchester United's No. 9 had a hidden through ball The ball tore through the opponent's defense in an instant, and Mata got a single chance, but the opponent's goalkeeper bravely saved Mata's shot.

After changing places to fight again, Li Yu played more and more comfortably.Only 30 seconds into the second half of the game, Li Yu used a kick in his own half to cause a foul by his opponent. Apart from showing off his footwork, he also showed his confidence in his new position.

In the 50th minute, Li Yu took the ball in the penalty area. With two defensive players scrambling, Li Yu immediately knocked the ball to Fletcher with his heel. Under the circumstances, the ball was passed, and the reaction was a little slow, wasting the opportunity to shoot directly from the penalty area line.Just 9 minute later, Li Yu passed two people in the left rib of the restricted area, and hit the outside of his right foot across the middle to find Mata, who had already outflanked him. Unfortunately, his strength was a little weak and was destroyed by his opponent.

However, the crazy state also made Li Yu a little overconfident when handling the ball.

In the 78th minute, Fabio picked a pass from the right. Li Yu broke into the penalty area and faced the goalkeeper. Since all the Benfica players pressed up to cause offside, Li Yu had time to unload the ball and choose to shoot directly or pass the goalkeeper. However, Manchester United's number 9 used the most difficult way to handle the ball. He faced the ball and volleyed sideways. Ancelotti couldn't help but hold his head and sigh.

In addition, Li Yu's two goals were called offside. It is amazing that Manchester United's No. 9 seems to have quietly completed the transition from a technical shooter to an opportunity shooter.

From the beginning of the 06-07 season, that is, 5 years ago, Ronaldo has maintained a scoring rate of at least one goal every two games in Manchester United. After joining Real Madrid, he even averaged more than one goal per game in the past season.But Li Yu, who is only one year and nine months younger than Ronaldo, has already broken Ronaldo's record. When Ferguson was in office, he had no choice but to fully stimulate Li Yu's offensive potential. After Ancelotti took office, more Considering the overall problem, in fact, no matter who is in charge, Manchester United is actually going downhill year by year, especially when the defense needs a large-scale replacement of personnel, the young rookie strategy adopted by Ferguson before retirement , making it difficult for Ancelotti to do anything.

Ancelotti retreated Li Yu's position, which was also a helpless move. It is absolutely impossible for Li Yu to act like he is in Real Madrid, as long as he concentrates on attacking, especially in the absence of Rooney this season, Li Yu retreated has become an inevitable choice.

Returning to the Premier League from the Champions League, now, all teams know that Manchester United's once impregnable defense has a fatal weakness, that is, left-back Evra is afraid of the impact of speedy wide players.

The explosive power is declining and the large assists that still refuse to accept the old man make the French veteran often leave a large open space for the opponent to step on the joint camp, so Manchester United's left side has become the back garden of those speed monsters running wildly.

From the moment he was abandoned by Manchester United, Obertan has been looking forward to the opportunity to play against his old club all the time. Being able to prove his strength in front of his former teammates is obviously the best way to wash away the shame of being swept out by the Red Devils.

The French wing said slowly and confidently before the game: "Leaving Manchester United is never a good thing, maybe there are some regrets, but after such a good start to the season at Newcastle, I no longer feel any regrets. Evra is my A good friend of mine, I called him before and said I had been in the gym for two weeks so he had to be careful. When you leave a club, you always have that idea and come back to prove you It's gotten better, and I'm going to do it."

When Obertan, who was wearing a Newcastle shirt, appeared at Old Trafford as an away player, the Manchester United abandoner used his sharp wing breakthrough to prove that the previous warning was not alarmist, even though Obertan was considered by many He is a single-cell player with only the best physical fitness, but Evra still has nothing to do with the sudden bow of this speed demon overlord.

In the 19th minute, Obertan left Evra far behind with an acceleration on the right edge of the penalty area, and then easily sent a cross near the baseline. Vidic grabbed a hasty header in front of Demba Ba and made a clearance. The ball fell to the feet of Ryan Taylor at the back point. Taylor made a strong shot and was firmly confiscated by De Gea.In the 38th minute, Obertan received a through pass from Demba Ba and dribbled the ball all the way to the bottom line. Evra could only follow behind him in embarrassment. In the restricted area.

In the 42nd minute, Obertan sent two consecutive crosses in front of Evra. At that moment, Evra's defense was useless. Fortunately, the anti-aircraft turret composed of Vidic and Ferdinand performed very steadily and cleared the ball consecutively.

In fact, perhaps deciding that the young Fabio was more prone to mistakes, Newcastle's attack in the opening period was mainly concentrated on the right flank of United.However, after Gutierrez failed to single out Fabio twice in a row, Newcastle shifted their offensive focus to Obertain's side. As a result, they found that the so-called experienced and experienced Everabi was still childish. Fabio was much easier to deal with, Obertan used speed to make a sudden attack and Evra was almost accurate, and the jittery left defense couldn't help but make Ferguson on the coach's bench feel like he was on pins and needles.

In stark contrast to the embarrassment on the defensive end, Evra's performance on the offensive end is very impressive.In just 7 minutes of the opening, Evra sent a high-quality over-the-top long pass to Xiaopea, and Xiaopea's shot after cutting inside also formed a certain threat.

In the 55th minute, Evra quickly inserted when Ryan Giggs was double-teamed. The Welsh veteran knew how to send a pass behind him. Evra passed the last defensive player on the opponent's right and drove straight in. A high-quality low pass was sent, and the latter fired an angry shot from the far corner in front of the penalty area, and the ball went wide against the post.In the 70th minute, Evra dribbled the ball from the left rib of the midfielder, leaned on the opponent with his body and rushed all the way to the penalty area, and completed a furious shot, showing amazing confrontation ability and ball protection skills.

In the 83rd minute, facing Sami Ameobi's clearance corner kick, Evra drew a curved ball with the instep of his left foot on the edge of the penalty area. The ball was saved from the bottom line.

It is fortunate that such a defense brought back 1 point in the away game.