The Red Devils' revival starts with retaining Mourinho

Time soon came to March 16. At about 1 pm that day, under the leadership of head coach Mourinho, assistant coach Van Nistelrooy and other members of the coaching staff, all Manchester United players took a bus and slowly drove into Dortmund, a city full of passion and enthusiasm. The destination of this trip is the home of Dortmund Club - Signal Iduna Park, which is the devil's home stadium "Westfalen Stadium" that is famous throughout Europe, a football sanctuary that countless visiting teams both yearn for and fear.

The bus stopped outside the stadium, and Manchester United players got off the bus one after another. They were wearing training clothes, with a hint of curiosity and awe in their eyes, staring at the stadium that was about to become their battlefield. Captain David De Gea stood at the front, raised his head slightly, looked at the huge outline of the building, and complex emotions surged in his heart.

The moment you step into the Westfalen Stadium, it seems like you have entered a whole new world. Although there is no noise from fans at this moment, every inch of the stadium seems to be filled with the smoke of history and the afterglow of passion. When the Manchester United players stepped onto the green grass, feeling the elasticity of the grass, they imagined that one day later, this place would be overwhelmed by the enthusiasm of Dortmund fans.

Under the leadership of assistant coach Van Nistelrooy, the players began to warm up. They jogged around the court, and the sound of their footsteps echoed in the empty space. The strikers flexibly changed direction and sprinted, and every acceleration seemed to be racing against the invisible pressure; the midfielders practiced short passes, focusing on the passing of the ball, trying to find a familiar rhythm in this unfamiliar environment.

When the players came to the goal for shooting practice, they seemed to feel the traces left by the legendary shooters here. Every shot was full of strength and determination, as if declaring war on the history of this stadium. At this time, some staff were busy on the sidelines, making final preparations for the big battle a day later.

However, even in such a quiet pre-match moment, the chilling atmosphere of Dortmund's home stadium deeply shocked the Manchester United players, especially some young players. They knew that when the game started, the stands would erupt with cheers and cheers like a volcanic eruption. Those Dortmund fans, like a group of brave warriors, used their enthusiasm and shouts to build an invisible fortress for their team.

As the warm-up progressed, Manchester United's players gradually relaxed, and they began to communicate and encourage each other. They knew that in this strange land, they were each other's most solid support. At this time, head coach Mourinho was also carefully observing the status of each player, giving some guidance and suggestions from time to time.

When the warm-up was over and the players walked off the court, they looked back at the lawn. They knew that one day later, this would become a stage for them to show their courage and strength. With a desire for victory, they left the Westfalen Stadium to make final preparations for the upcoming battle.

Back at the Klosterpfort training base, head coach Mourinho and the coaching staff did not arrange any other training. All Manchester United players only conducted simple relaxation training in the swimming pool of the training base.

After a peaceful night, the first round of the 2018-2019 UEFA Champions League quarter-finals arrived as scheduled. At 10 o'clock in the morning of that day, the atmosphere of the pre-match press conference in the press conference hall of the Westfalen Stadium was tense and warm. Reporters from all over the world gathered here early, and their cameras and recording equipment were aimed at the rostrum in front, waiting for the appearance of two key figures-Manchester United coach Mourinho and midfielder Rodrigo Hernandez.

With a slight commotion, Mourinho walked into the press conference hall with a steady pace. He had that iconic serious expression on his face, and his eyes revealed confidence and dominance. Behind him, Rodrigo Hernandez stood tall, and his young face was full of expectations for the upcoming game.

After the two sat down on the rostrum, the flash lights flashed instantly. Mourinho cleared his throat and began his speech.

"First of all, I am honored to be here with you to discuss the upcoming Champions League quarter-final. This is a crucial game for us at Manchester United, and we have made full preparations." He paused for a moment, then continued, "Now, I will announce our starting lineup for this game. The goalkeeper is our trustworthy David De Gea, whose saving ability and command ability on the field are obvious to all. On the back line, Theo Fernandes' speed and breakthroughThe ability of the two players will provide us with strong support on the wing; Raphael Varane's defensive experience and physical fitness are the guarantee of our defense; Kepler Laveran Lima Ferreira, also known as Pepe, his toughness and ferocity will make the opponent's attack fearful; Ashraf Hakimi is good at attacking and defending in the position of full-back, and his vitality and offensive awareness will bring us surprises. "

Mourinho took a sip of water and continued: "In the midfield, Dani Olmo's creativity and passing accuracy will be the organizer of our offense; Marco Verratti's ball control and dispatching ability will allow us to control the rhythm of the game; and Rodrigo Hernandez, his interception and coverage in the midfield, will be the key to our defense. On the forward line, Cody Gakpo's agility, Romelu Lukaku's impact and Edinson Cavani's sense of smell in front of the goal, I believe they can create enough scoring opportunities for us. ”

After Mourinho announced the starting lineup, reporters began to ask questions impatiently.

A reporter stood up and asked: "Coach Mourinho, facing such a high-level event as the Champions League, what considerations did you base your choice of such a starting lineup on?"

Mourinho frowned slightly, and then replied: "This is the result of comprehensive considerations. Our opponent is a very strong team, and we need to have the strongest players in all positions to deal with it. David De Gea's stability in front of the goal is our first line of defense; the combination of the back line takes into account speed, experience and tough style, and can deal with different types of attacks. The midfielders have their own strengths, and they can find a balance between offense and defense. The combination of the forward line is to be able to play a variety of tactics in offense. "

Another reporter then asked: "What do you think will be the biggest challenge for this game?"

Mourinho pondered for a moment and said: "The biggest challenge is undoubtedly the strength of the opponent and the pressure of the game. Every team in the Champions League quarter-finals is not a fuel-saving lamp, they all have their own advantages and characteristics. Moreover, in such a big game, the players are under great psychological pressure. We need to keep the players calm and play at their normal level. "

At this time, the reporters turned their attention to Rodrigo Hernandez. A reporter asked: "Rodrigo, as one of the team's midfield cores, what are your expectations for this game?"

Rodrigo Hernandez sat up straight and answered seriously: "I am very much looking forward to this game. This is the Champions League quarter-finals, and it is an opportunity for every player to show themselves. I will do my best in the midfield, do a good job of connecting defense and offense, create more opportunities for the forward line, and also assist the back line in defense. "

Another reporter asked: "What do you think will be the cooperation with Dani Olmo and Marco Verratti in the midfield? Do you have any special tactical arrangements?"

Rodrigo Hernandez smiled and said: "We have done a lot of running-in in training. Olmo is a very creative player, his pass can always find the offensive space; Verratti has a strong ability to control the ball and grasp the rhythm of the game. We will cooperate with each other according to the actual situation of the game and play to our midfield advantages. We don't have a particularly fixed tactical arrangement, because the game is changeable, and we need to make timely adjustments according to the situation on the field. "

The reporters' questions continued, and one reporter asked: "Rodrigo, before such a big game, do you feel nervous? How do you adjust your mentality?"

Rodrigo Hernandez answered frankly: "Of course I will be a little nervous, after all, this is the Champions League quarter-finals. But I will tell myself that this is just a football game, we just need to follow the coach's tactical arrangements and play to our level. I will do some relaxation training before the game, listen to some music, and keep my mentality calm. "

Mourinho added on the side: "Mentality is very important for players. We will also focus on adjusting the mentality of players in training. We hope that the players can stay confident in the game and not be affected by external pressure. "

After a press conference that lasted for more than an hour, Mourinho and Rodrigo Hernandez left the press conference room. Their backs revealed a kind of firmness and confidence, which made people full of expectations for the upcoming game.

In another press conference room, Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre and team captain Marco Reus also left the press conference room.After the interview, Dortmund's starting lineup of 4-1-4-1 formation for this game also appeared in the hands of Manchester United coach Mourinho and the analysis computer of Manchester United coaching staff:

Goalkeeper: Roman Birki

Defenders: Marius Wolf, Manuel Akanji, Julian Weigl, Abdou Diallo

Defensive midfielder: Axel Witsel

Midfielders: Jaden Malik Sancho, Marco Reus, Mario Gotze, Raphael Guerrero

Forward: Paco Alcacer

Substitutes: Marvin Hitz, Dan-Axel Zagadou, Lukasz Piszczek, Damien Delaney, Christian Pulisic, Marcel Schmelzer, Jakub Larsson