Bayern Munich went home full of dissatisfaction, and all the first legs of the Champions League quarter-finals were played.
There were three strong matchups in this round: Real Madrid vs. Manchester United, Barcelona vs. AC Milan, and Arsenal vs. Bayern.
In terms of attention and influence, the games between these three groups of teams are almost as good as the finals, but after everything is settled, the showdown between Bayern and Nana will have far more consequences in every aspect. Is the sum of the other two groups.
The teenager who stepped onto the professional field for the first time scored four goals against a world-class giant in the knockout round of the Champions League, and there was also a buzzer beater and a fairy ball. This kind of news can be regarded as nuclear bomb level in the sports world, and its shock level can almost It is comparable to the famous scenes of Messi's early years when he scored five goals in a row and when Kaka overcame Manchester United's defense alone at his peak.
Alexander not only became the most famous fried chicken in the UK overnight, but also topped the hot search list in Europe without any suspense.
"The Guardian", "The Sun", "Gazzetta dello Sport", "AS", "Kicker", "Football Weekly"… almost all the media that have anything to do with football have reported this game. It was placed on the front page, and Alexander was the most mentioned name.
Alexander undoubtedly received the highest score in the post-match ratings from major newspapers. The most surprising thing is that "L'Equipe", a newspaper that is known for its picky and harsh ratings, also rarely gave it this time. Out of 10 points.
This has only appeared six times in the history of "L'Equipe", and the closest fifth and sixth times were given to Messi. The fifth time appeared after the game between Barcelona and Arsenal in 2010. .
His comment is somewhat outrageous: "FIFA can completely establish a Alexander Award to reward young players who perform well in their debut."
This was a comment that everyone quickly laughed off after seeing it. No one took anyone seriously. Just like before Puskas and Yashin retired, no one could have imagined that there would be a "Puska" in world football in the future. Kash Award" is the same as a "Yashin Award"…
Alan Shearer praised Alexander's performance during an interview, and carefully analyzed Alexander's technical characteristics with everyone in the column of "The Athletic". After everyone looked at it, they finally concluded that the common Conclusion: First-class golf intelligence, fast speed, strong body, coquettish running position, and accurate shooting skills.
To sum it up in one word: the future is promising and the future is promising.
Henry was also generous with his words of praise, but while praising Alexander, he also secretly praised his mentor's vision, "The moment I saw the starting list, I knew that things were not that simple. What happened to this kid There must be something extraordinary, you know, Wenger is the best coach in the world at discovering and using young players, but he is also the most picky coach…"
Manchester United has naturally become the hardest hit area for interviews.
Ferguson was a tough talker and never mentioned that he had ever had feelings for Alexander.
"Manchester United attaches great importance to the development of young players, but unless I am crazy, I will never arrange for a young man who has not really played a professional game to start in the Champions League knockout rounds. Arsenal did win the bet, but This approach is not worth advocating…
Alexander and Van Persie are similar? I must admit that Alexander is indeed more impressive when talking about his debut alone, but when we discuss a player, we can't just focus on his one or two games. If Alexander wants to become a player like Robin, he also needs to More effort. "
What Wenger was most afraid of was facing off against Ferguson and Mourinho.
Without him, when it comes to quarrels, the professor never wins.
But this time it's different.
With enough confidence, no matter how gentle the tone of the counterattack is, it can become overwhelming, not to mention Wenger's somewhat personal emotions this time.
"That man is indeed a very good striker. His current worth can buy ten Alexander. Unfortunately, at the same age, he is not even qualified to serve as Alexander's substitute… Well, guess how I know… "
How did Wenger know?
It's very simple. Van Persie was brought to Arsenal by Arsene Wenger when he was 21 years old. It took him three months to make his debut at Arsenal, and five months to make his first start and first appearance at Arsenal. Goals.
Where is Alexander? It only took 21 days from when Wenger knew the name to when he started for Arsenal.
Van Persie's whole body was cold when he heard this.
In the past, when the flowers were blooming and the moon was falling, I would call people my dear Robin. Now the new person has replaced the old person, and I call them "that person"…
As for Ferguson, he can only support his close friend at this time. "The whole world knows that Wenger has always been worried about Van Persie's departure, but he has never reflected on why he left…"
If he wants to mention this, Wenger will win too easily. Even the format of the speech can be copied directly and used casually with the name: "The whole world knows that Ferguson has always been for Beckham and Cristiano Ronaldo. He was deeply troubled by their departure, but he just never reflected on why they left…"
The two old men, who are over 140 years old in total, are like two gangsters, focusing on each other's dark history and yelling at each other in the air. This scene is unique to the Premier League in this era. Unfortunately, that "special one" is missing. , this kind of battle always makes people feel that it is missing a bit of essence.
Blues fans once again collectively petitioned Abramovich to invite the Mad man back to join the battle.
No matter how noisy or noisy, Alexander is the biggest winner this time.
According to the nature of the situation here, it is unreasonable not to have a spectacular showdown at this time. Wenger was also very considerate and gave Alexander a day off to return to Reading for a homecoming.
In everyone's eyes, Alexander was delayed by Redding for six full years. If he doesn't go back and give him a slap in the face, why are he waiting?
But before Alexander left, a call from his parents made him quit.
"…Sweetheart, you have never seen such a scene. I feel like reporters from all over the UK have gathered around our house," Isabella complained half distressed and half proud, "The neighbor has called the police a hundred times. , but it's of no use, are you sure you want to come back now?"
"So what's your suggestion?"
"Our suggestion is that you ask the professor for his advice. You know, he is better than us in this regard," Isabella said, "But I guess he will advise you to focus more on the court. ."
"I like this suggestion…" Alexanderdao said, "It seems that we have reached a consensus. It doesn't matter whether we ask the professor or not, doesn't it?"
"Yes, reason tells me that you should stay away from the media and the limelight and focus all your energy on your career. After all, your life has just begun and you haven't gotten carried away yet. But there is another little devil in my mind. It's just constantly egging me on, 'Hey, darling Isa, what are you thinking? This is the second Beckham, and he should be in all the headlines and making girls all over England go crazy for him'… so I'm distressed, my precious son."
"Now, get that little devil out of your head, grab him by the neck and tell him that even without all the headlines, chicks all over England would be crazy about your son, just from football alone."
"Haha, I like that answer."
Regarding the fact that their son had become "someone else's child," the couple had actually made a very complete plan to show off. Unfortunately, the plan could not keep up with the changes. In order to avoid Alexander being overexposed, they chose wisely. Let him continue for a while.
Although London is the base camp of reporters, I believe that with Wenger's protection, the ups and downs of the outside world will not touch their little sweetheart for the time being.
After chatting for a few more words, Isabella handed the phone to John.
John got down to business as soon as he opened his mouth.
"Did your mother tell you that football agents from all over Europe are crowding around our house?"
"…Our family style needs to be straightened out. People are talking more and more exaggeratedly now. This phenomenon is very bad."
"No, I'm not exaggerating at all," John said solemnly, "Do you know who I was talking to just now?"
"Who could get your number so quickly…Mendez or Barnett?"
Mendes is a superstar in the agent world. His Cristiano Ronaldo has already beaten many of his peers. Add in Mourinho, and this guy is almost recognized as the king of agents.
As for Jonathan Barnett, he may not be as well-known internationally as Mendes, but in England, his influence is definitely first-rate. Bell, Saul, Ashley Cole, Luke Shaw, Mensah, Joe Hart, etc. are all his clients. It is not wrong to say that he is the godfather of agents in England.
"The wrong one," John said, "It's Mendes and Raiola."
Raiola, known as La Pang in the world, Ibrahimovic, Bergkamp, Nedvěd, Balotelli… In the fame history of these people, La Pang all played an indispensable role, and his The famous saying "You run as fast as you can, and I'm responsible for making you the best star in the world" is undoubtedly what all players want to hear from their agents.
The most awesome thing is that this guy is almost the only person in the world who can deal with Balotelli: after the fire in Balotelli's home, the first thing he did was not call the police, but call him. You can imagine how much he has to deal with this guy.
"What does it feel like?"
"The best of all human beings," John sighed, "I wish I could split you in half and sell you to them separately."
"…You are not the good father of Reading this year. I am the first to refuse to accept it."
"Find a time to chat in person, and then you will know how great it is."
Alexanderdao said: "Let it dry first, wait for a while, they are still in a hurry."
"That's what I mean too. Sometimes you have to put on airs, and it's most important to take the initiative."
"Okay, then I won't go back yet… By the way, I will still start the game the day after tomorrow. How many tickets can I leave for you?"
John thought for a moment, "Two pieces, it's enough for your mother and I to go. It's better to keep a low profile for the time being. Who knows if you will suddenly die one day."
"…I thank you."
Although he had known that he would definitely take a low-key route due to his personality, Alexander still felt a little pity when the decision was made. He thought that the "heartthrob" was a secret investment in him, but he didn't know that compared to being naked, Showing yourself in front of the camera, this sense of mystery that is half-hidden while holding a pipa can actually stir up the nerves of veteran SPs.
The more he hides himself, the more curious the outside world becomes about him. Interviews with teachers, classmates, youth training teammates, and old Reading goalkeepers can no longer meet the needs of the media. Everyone is eager to know everything about Alexander. Unfortunately, Wenger this time He had a very tough attitude and refused all interviews about Alexander with an attitude that left no room for doubt. Even if Nana's CEO Gazidis came forward, it would not work.
As a result, the only channel for everyone to pay attention to Alexander is the football field.
This time Wenger was very sensible and fulfilled everyone's wishes. On February 23, 2013, in the 27th round of the Premier League, Arsenal played against Aston Villa at home, and Alexander started again.
Giroud originally thought that Alexander was here to assist him, but unexpectedly he ended up being the substitute.
"Viewers, welcome to the Emirates Stadium. The game between Arsenal and Aston Villa is about to start here. I think what everyone is most concerned about in this game is whether Alexander can continue his wonderful performance in the Champions League…"
As the league enters the second half, the relegation teams have to start the much-loved "catching up on homework the day before school starts", and Arsenal has to start to be busy fighting to secure 4 points.
The coaching staff and players have even summarized their own set of methods and experiences for this, such as how to deal with strong and weak teams, how to choose when facing a dense schedule, etc.
Painfully skilled.
Players from both sides enter the court to warm up.
The Emirates Stadium is already more than half full, and Arsenal's No. 11 jersey, which has been missing from the stands for a long time, reappears in front of everyone today. And looking around, it is obvious that most of the people wearing the No. 11 jersey are female fans.
Alexander appeared with applause and became so popular that even he himself never expected.
While teasing, the teammates were also a little amused. During the free warm-up, they used all kinds of martial arts to steal the spotlight.
Alexander was not good at juggling to begin with, and quickly became lackluster in this aspect. Fortunately, he had good looks to keep him from being outdone by his friends.
"Haha, Alexander doesn't seem to be good at those fancy moves, but that's nothing to laugh at. You know, Batistuta can't even hit the ball, but he is still one of the best strikers of his era. …Huh? The warm-up is over, I wonder if you have noticed a small detail…"
After the warm-up, everyone took off their long-sleeved jerseys or sports coats and tossed them casually to the collection staff.
This was not a big deal at first, but I am so afraid of comparison in everything: Alexander stepped forward and handed his jersey to the staff member, without forgetting to say "Thank you for your hard work" with a smile…
The staff member who was lowering his head to pick up the jersey looked at him in surprise, and then a happy smile appeared on his face. After taking the jersey, he patted his back affectionately, "Hey, what I should do, come on, Alex, Blast their asses off."
"I'm not interested in kicking their butts. I'm kicking them in the goal."
Lineker, who discovered Hua Dian, laughed and said: "He has a body as strong as King Kong, but he also has a good education and a delicate heart. I have to admit that I am already a fan of his."
After the game, "Sports Weekly" also included this detail when taking stock of the game, and specifically compared it with Alexander's performance on the court. Then the cover of that issue of the weekly newspaper had such a sentence that made people wonder. How to complain about fantasy titles.
"Indestructible Vajra Body, Exquisite Heart with Seven Orifices".