Chapter 683

Encircle the Premier League!

This is the attitude of European mainstream media after the Champions League group match.

Obviously, the strength of the Premier League in recent years has made other teams in the European League rather afraid.

Manchester United, Arsenal, Chelsea and Liverpool have all performed very well in the Champions League. The Premier League team has even reached the final of the Champions League for several years in a row. Except for Rafael Benitez's Liverpool, Arsenal, Manchester United and Chelsea are all on the verge of winning the Champions League, but the fact that they can reach the final has proved the strength of the Premier League.

Although the La Liga League has enjoyed great success in the past few years, with Atletico Madrid in the cold, Barcelona in Rijkaard and Guardiola, and Real Madrid, the galaxy warship, the three giants, still can not cover up the edge of the Premier League on the pitch, let alone in the transfer market.

In the past few years, the football market has been in a downturn. The Premier League has always been the most purchasing power in Europe. It is even said that the promoted teams in the Premier League are richer than the top teams in other leagues. This is not wrong.

The four giants have monopolized the top four of the Premier League for a long time and firmly occupied the qualification of the Champions League. They not only made huge profits, but also greatly increased their financial revenue, making them more willing to invest in the transfer market, so that they are superior to the others.

However, some people think that with the strong entry of Middle East Turkmen sur into Manchester City this summer, it is bound to break this pattern and let the good days of the top four of the Premier League lie and count money go forever.

But for now, the strength of the Premier League is well known.

Of the 16 teams that emerged from the Champions League group stage, all the top four teams in the Premier League have been promoted. Manchester United and Liverpool are all ranked first in the group, while Chelsea and Arsenal are ranked second in the group.

All four teams are tough opponents.

In addition to the Premier League, all the top four of La Liga have been promoted. Barcelona and Atletico Madrid are the top of the group, while Real Madrid and Villarreal are the second.

Among the four teams in Serie A, Roma and Inter Milan are the first in the group, while Juve are the second. Fiorentina were eliminated and forced to play in the UEFA Cup.

As for the Bundesliga, only Bayern Munich came to the fore, Werder Bremen only got the third place in the group and was forced to play in the UEFA Cup. As for Schalke 04, he didn't even cross the preliminary round and was eliminated directly.

On the contrary, the Portuguese Super League, Porto and Sporting Lisbon are promoted, and Lyon of the French First Division also qualified second in the group.

From the distribution of the list of the top 16 teams in the Champions League, it is not difficult to see the current strength pattern of European football. The Bundesliga has even been reduced to the same level as the Portuguese Super League and the French league, and has gradually been widened by the other three leagues.

However, it is precisely because only Bayern Munich can qualify in the Bundesliga League. According to the draw rules of the last 16 of the Champions League and the principle of avoiding the same team and the same country in the group stage, any one of the eight teams in the second place is likely to win Bayern Munich.

This immediately made all the teams who finished second in the group feel threatened, especially the top teams such as Arsenal, Chelsea, Real Madrid and Juve. They all talked about Bayern turning pale for fear that they would win this dead draw.

But even if we get away from the cold of Bayern Munich?

The answer is also not optimistic.

Just like Chelsea, they have avoided Manchester United and Liverpool in the same country and Rome in the same group. The remaining five opponents are Inter Milan, Barcelona, Bayern Munich, Porto and Atletico Madrid.

Obviously, apart from Porto, the other four teams are worrying.

But who is to blame?

After the group lost 3-1 to Rome in the fourth round, Rijkaard's team drew 1-1 with Bordeaux in the fifth round and gave the group leader to Rome.

It can be said that the first place in this group was let out by Chelsea, which is nothing special.

According to the British media, Abramovich was so angry that he almost vomited blood.

But the draw goes on, doesn't it?

…………

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December 19, noon.

In the trapezoidal conference hall of UEFA headquarters in nion, Switzerland, although the central air conditioning is on and the heating is on, it still makes everyone who walks into the conference hall feel the chill, especially the representatives of the top league teams.

From the face of every person who walks into the conference hall, you can understand their inner dignity.

The draw of the final 16 of the Champions League is related to their qualification and their income of over 10 million euros. Who dares to be careless?

After the representatives of the 16 teams entered the arena, they found the club's position according to the paper cards on the table and sat down. All of them looked at the transparent glass tanks in a row on the platform under the trapezoidal seats.

Wait a minute, the Champions League knockout match will be decided in the tank.

Peter Kenyon had been frowning and worried all the way.

As the chief executive of Chelsea, he knows the current situation better than anyone else. If he fails to win the top of the group, it will be a heavy loss for Chelsea. Unless he can draw Porto, who is the weakest in the first place, they will face a bitter battle.

It's obviously something that no one at Chelsea wants to see.

On the contrary, the teams that won the first place in the group match are obviously more relaxed. At least they have a greater chance of winning the more relaxed opponent.

The host of the draw was UEFA secretary general, Italian Gianni ivantino.

Like Peter Kenyon, he is a bald man.

As everyone who is familiar with UEFA knows, Gianni ivantino is Platini's direct line. Two years ago, Platini defeated Johansson and became UEFA president. Immediately, he pushed back Johansson's direct line, then Secretary General Olsen of Sweden, and appointed ivantino as secretary general.

The player, who has worked in UEFA for nearly 10 years and is in charge of player registration, law, patent and other related matters, is familiar to all of the participants. He has excellent eloquence. It is a piece of cake for him to preside over such a draw ceremony. It is also humorous to introduce the performance of each team in the group match, but it can not ease the tension at all.

Because it was live, a retrospective video of the group match was broadcast on the big screen, introducing the qualification experience of each team, and the most eye-catching one was undoubtedly Bayern Munich.

The Bundesliga giants are the only team that has won all six games in the group stage. They are also the nightmare that all the second place teams are afraid to avoid. No one wants to hit them.

As the final was arranged at the Olympic Stadium in Rome, it was customary for the lucky draw guests to invite the famous guest of the Roma team, the current manager of the club Bruno conte.

Although Bruno conti looks very gentlemanly in his suit and shoes, he is actually a famous youth training expert in Europe. A group of new generation players like de Rossi are all written by him.

As a lucky draw guest, Bruno Conte spoke highly of what Gao Han had done in Bayern Munich when joking with ivantino, believing that Gao Han's achievements were unbelievable.

"Look at his transformation of Schweinsteiger, the use of Modric, the training of Robben, the promotion and cultivation of a group of young players such as humales, I think they are the best team in the group match."

But when ivantino asked which team Roma would like to win most, Bruno Conte replied with a smile, "I think everyone knows."

There was a burst of laughter in the hall.

In fact, everyone knows that Porto is the first team that the second ranked team most wants to win, because it is the weakest team in the first place of the group, and it is also the most promising team to counter attack.

As for the top team, the team that wants to win most is undoubtedly Panathinaikos.

It's absolutely amazing that this Greek team can reach the top 16 this season, but because of this, it highlights the decline of the Bundesliga League.

Because Werder Bremen in the same group couldn't even take the second place in the group.

After a little greeting, the draw began soon.

The organizer took the lead in putting the ball with the name of the second team of eight teams in the glass jar in front of ivantino. The Secretary General of UEFA went in and stirred it up. He quickly selected one of them. After unscrewing it, he called out the first team to be drawn out.

"Panathinaikos!" Ivantino flipped the note in the ball and announced with a smile.

There was an uproar. Unexpectedly, the first team to be pulled out was Panathinaikos, which immediately made the eight teams in the first group eager to try.

The live camera also specially showed the faces of the representatives of the eight teams, and everyone's expression was full of expectation.

Everyone knows that the draw of Panathinaikos, it almost represents the early qualification.

Even the other seven teams who are second in the group are praying that it's better for Panathinaikos to pick the teams they least want to meet, especially Bayern Munich.

God, take away the cold quickly!

Bruno Conte grinned and put his hand into one of the glass jars in front of him. He also took out a small ball, unscrewed it and took out the note. The whole process happened very quickly, but it seemed very long in the eyes of everyone.

Everyone opened their eyes wide, looking at Bruno conte, as he gradually turned the note in his hand.

"Porto!"

There was an uproar in the conference hall, most people were sighing, only the representatives of Porto were laughing and laughing.

This is already the best draw they can get.

Signed, absolutely signed.

But not necessarily for others.

The weakest team in the first group has won the weakest team in the second group. Is it really not greasy? Does it have anything to do with the average resources of the major leagues that Platini has been pushing since he came to power?

But everyone knows that this suspicion can only be conspiracy theory.

The big screen behind ivantino immediately played the words Panathinaikos against Porto, and then the draw continued.

The next team to be pulled out of second place is Real Madrid, while Bruno Conte's first team is Liverpool, which makes Real Madrid's representative Mijatovic a little depressed.

Benitez's team is famous for playing in the cup, especially in the Champions League. It is very difficult for Real Madrid to beat Liverpool in the Champions League.

Of course, it's better to hit Liverpool than Bayern Munich or Inter Milan.

So, it's a happy sign.

While both Liverpool and Real Madrid were relieved, ivantino again took a small ball out of the glass jar, unscrewed it, took out the note and announced loudly, "Chelsea!"

When Peter Kenyon heard the name, he immediately tensed his nerves.

Finally, it's our turn!

Bruno Conte also reached into the glass jar and took out a small ball.

Watching Rome star twist the ball, Peter Kenyon nervously closed his eyes and moved his lips. If he got closer, he could hear him saying, "don't be Bayern Munich, don't be Bayern Munich, don't be Bayern Munich."

"God, don't hit Bayern Munich!"