In this match, the reason ssi invited two of his forward friends to watch together at ho, aside from cheering for Celtic, had another purpose.
That was to hope his teammates would learn more about Tang Long, a formidable opponent Barça must face in their quest for the Champions League title.
As Tang Long’s performances in the Premier League and Champions League beco increasingly impressive, with miraculous goals appearing one after another;
Many sensationalist dia personnel also refer to Tang Long as the third best in football today, trailing only ssi and C Luo!
They even say ssi and C Luo, one being 29 and the other 31, are in the latter stages of their careers. Once their form declines, Tang Long, who is young and rapidly growing, will quickly surpass them.
Suarez and Neymar, upon seeing this news, are quite displeased in their hearts!
Not to ntion that at least 10 current players could claim the third position in the world; where does Tang Long stand in that ranking;
I, Suarez, and I, Neymar, haven’t even spoken yet!
Little Tang Long, you score a lot of goals, but outside of a UEFA Europa League and Premier League title, what other championships have you won? Do you have a Champions League?
Furthermore, Suarez and Neymar, though each think they’re more skilled than the other, have imnse respect for ssi, Barça’s undeniable king.
"Ryo, you’re only 29, still quite young, but these dia have started hyping that Tang will surpass you. It’s absolute nonsense! Listening to it makes laugh, I wonder if Tang Long feels embarrassed hearing such reports, hahaha!"
ssi is both a humble and a proud person.
Over these past seven to eight years, football has consistently seen a duel between the two stars;
Aside from C Luo, ssi never considered another current player could compare to himself.
He once said, "The competition between C Luo and will continue for a long ti, providing fond mories for the fans."
But there’s an old saying: Only geniuses understand geniuses!
ssi, who reached his peak not long after debuting, possessed talents others found hard to match, a gift to Argentinian football.
ssi found many striking similarities between himself and Tang Long.
Both rose to fa young, debuted early at top clubs, won championships in their first season, and shared similarities in dribbling moves and composure while shooting.
Take the group stage first-leg encounter between Barça and Manchester City for instance, Tang Long’s run from the back where he got past 5 players using quick shoulder drops was precisely the dribbling skill ssi is famous for!
Moreover, ssi noticed Tang Long’s dribbling was just like his own, first making moves then adjusting based on the opponent’s reaction;
Unlike so players who make a move then charge ahead regardless of whether the opponent is fooled.
In the few encounters with Tang Long, ssi realized Tang Long’s ga vision and anticipation compare to his own, sotis even stronger!
Yet ssi is already 29, having won nurous titles with Barcelona and achieved countless personal accolades;
But Tang Long being only 20, ssi knows full well that the ssi of 2007 was no match for Tang Long of 2016.
Does this point suggest, purely from a talent perspective, that he is not as gifted as Tang Long?
ssi, sowhat proud, is reluctant to admit this truth.
He just loudly reminded Suarez and Neymar, "Stop fooling around; the match has started; let’s watch!"
...
The match unfolded exactly as Guardiola anticipated pre-ga, completely one-sided.
However, this one-sidedness pointed not to the score but to the possession percentage.
In the opening 20 minutes, Manchester City’s ball possession reached a staggering 85%!
Celtic hardly touched the ball, losing possession to Manchester City almost imdiately.
On the sidelines, Guardiola clearly saw that Celtic’s failure to hold the ball wasn’t entirely due to incapability; their financial standing and player strength indeed lagged behind Manchester City, but at their ho ground, they were not this lacking.
Guardiola’s mind clicked, "As expected, this is quite tricky now."
Celtic’s coach is Brendan Rodgers, an Irishman.
Before taking over Celtic’s reins, he was Liverpool’s coach for three full seasons.
While Rodgers didn’t lead Liverpool to any honors during a ti of decline, he was dismissed midway through the season.
Yet after training with a top club, Rodgers matured significantly, broadened his vision, and beca more patient.
Following the Champions League’s first-round group debacle, losing 0:3 away to Manchester City, Rodgers pondered deeply and adjusted tactics upon returning ho.
This match, he lined up a conservative 541 formation, intent on a tough defense against Manchester City.
He also instructed his players that even if they gained possession, they should not try to hold the ball or excessively pass laterally;
Because under Manchester City’s powerful high pressing, players would frequently err and concede goals imdiately.
Thus, at the start, Celtic hardly touched the ball; their only attacking attempt was a direct long pass from the backfield to find the forwards.
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