Football: Starting from being abandoned by Barcelona

In July, Shenzhen was scorching hot, and the steaming heat enveloped this southern city.

Manchester City finished the high-intensity warm-up matches with European giants Roma and Real Madrid, and is about to leave China for Hanoi, Vietnam, to start the last stop of its Asian trip.

Li Lei followed the team and walked out of the bus to the gate of Shenzhen Bao'an International Airport.

Although he was tired from the games in recent days, he was full of excitement and expectations.

As a Chinese player, it was his childhood dream to represent Manchester City and compete with the world's top teams.

However, after two years of playing in the Premier League, he has already turned his childhood dream into reality.

Outside the airport, hundreds of fans have been waiting here for a long time.

Seeing Li Lei's figure, the crowd burst into cheers: "Li Lei, come on! Manchester City, come on!"

The fans waved banners with Li Lei's name on them and shouted his name.

Li Lei smiled and waved to the fans, feeling very warm in his heart. These support and encouragement will become his driving force on the road ahead.

The trip to Vietnam is also of great significance to Manchester City and Li Lei.

After playing against European powerhouses, the team has seen its own shortcomings.

The stage of the friendly match is a great opportunity for everyone to relax, adjust their state and prepare for the new season.

The plane slowly took off, and the sky of Shenzhen gradually went away until it disappeared from the fans' sight.

After a day of rest, Manchester City ushered in a friendly match with the Vietnamese national team in Hanoi on the evening of July 27.

Under the night sky of Hanoi, there were a lot of traffic and people.

The red national flag fluttered over the Vietnam National Stadium, and tens of thousands of spectators poured into the stands, looking forward to the start of this Sino-Vietnamese football feast.

When the game whistle sounded, Manchester City's players rushed to the front like cheetahs.

Less than five minutes after the start, Li Lei received De Bruyne's precise pass and easily sent the ball into the net.

The Chinese fans in the stands cheered and cheered for their compatriots.

Manchester City's forward line showed terrifying offensive power.

Aguero and Sterling were like two sharp blades, tearing apart Vietnam's defense.

Before the end of the first half, the score was 0:4, and Manchester City firmly controlled the rhythm of the game.

During the halftime break, the faces of the Vietnamese players were full of frustration.

In the Manchester City locker room, Guardiola encouraged the players to stay focused and continue to play to their level.

In the second half, Manchester City's offensive became more and more fierce.

De Bruyne's goal was like a master's work of art, the ball drew a perfect arc and went straight to the dead corner of the goal.

And then Li Lei attacked again, scored twice, and rewritten the score to 0:6.

As the game was coming to an end, Guardiola made adjustments and let several substitutes come on the field.

Perhaps out of respect for the host, Manchester City slightly restrained its edge.

The Vietnamese team seized the opportunity and scored a goal in injury time, and the game ended with a score of 1:8.

After the game, the players of the two teams hugged and greeted each other in a friendly manner.

Despite the huge score difference, this game showed the charm and friendship of football.

In an interview, Li Lei also modestly said that he still needs to work hard to contribute more to Manchester City and Chinese football.

Mercedes-Benz Arena, Stuttgart, Germany.

Manchester City came to this city in the heart of Europe after the end of their trip to Asia.

This will witness their last warm-up match before the season, and the opponent is the Bundesliga powerhouse Stuttgart.

At the beginning of the game, Guardiola stopped to observe on the sidelines. He had special arrangements for this game.

In order to run-in tactics and train players, he kept changing the starting lineup and gave everyone a chance to play.

Li Lei started the game and continued to create threats in the frontcourt.

But Stuttgart's defense was extremely tenacious, and Manchester City's offense was repeatedly frustrated.

At the end of the first half, the score was 1:1, and the two sides were evenly matched.

During the halftime break, Guardiola deployed the players.

"Everyone should try more in the game, be innovative, and don't be afraid of failure. This is the meaning of the warm-up match itself."

In the second half, Manchester City's formation kept changing, and the players kept rotating on the field.

However, frequent substitutions and tactical adjustments affected the team's rhythm.

Stuttgart seized the opportunity and scored three goals in a row, rewriting the score to 4:1.

As the game was coming to an end, Manchester City launched the final attack.

Li Lei received a diagonal pass and calmly pushed the ball into the goal, narrowing the score to 4:2.

The whistle sounded, and Manchester City lost 2:4.

Walking off the court, there was no disappointment on Guardiola's face.

For him, this game achieved the purpose of the drill.

Tactical running-in and player training are what he really cares about.

Win or lose, it is not important at this time.

A few hours after the game, Manchester City's charter plane landed at Manchester Airport.

After more than half a month of travel across the Eurasian continent, the players' faces were exhausted.

After walking out of the cabin, Guardiola gathered the players together.

He looked around at every face and slowly said: "Guys, you have worked hard."

"From now on, take a vacation! Have a good rest and adjust your state."

"In the new season, we have greater challenges waiting for us."

The players smiled with relief. After several weeks of high-intensity competition and training, they can finally take a breath.

Faced with this intensity, Li Lei is no exception. He urgently needs to rest to restore his physical fitness to the best condition.

The players left one after another, and the airport returned to calm.

This summer, Manchester City completed a special journey.

They crossed continents, played against different opponents, and gained valuable experience.

In August 2015, the English football world ushered in the arrival of the new season.

The focus of everyone's attention is undoubtedly Leicester City, which is defending the double crown, and Arsenal, which is eager to return to the top.

Community Shield, Wembley Stadium.

The blue Leicester City and the red Arsenal are competing fiercely on the green field.

This will be a evenly matched contest, and also a showdown between veterans and rookies.

Last season, Leicester City created a miracle in the football world. With the amazing performances of young players such as Li Lei, Mahrez, and Kante, they won the league and FA Cup championships as a dark horse.

But at the beginning of the new season, this championship team has undergone major changes.

Core players such as Li Lei have left the team one after another, and the strength of Leicester City has been questioned.

On the other hand, Arsenal is determined to take revenge.

The defeat last season dealt a heavy blow to this traditional giant.

Professor Wenger knows that only by winning back the championship can the glory of the team be reshaped.