Chapter 513 The Top 32 Are in Place
After three consecutive tough games, Bruno finally got a chance to breathe. Because the world football ushered in the third international match day of this season, and it was also the last international match day of 2017.
Since the Portuguese team has already obtained the ticket to the World Cup in Russia next year, the Portuguese team's games on this international match day are two warm-up matches, the purpose is to train soldiers and examine more newcomers. So after communicating with Bruno, Santos did not recruit Bruno into this period of the Portuguese national team.
Not only Bruno, Santos also did not recruit Ronaldo.
For Bruno, this international match day is a rare opportunity to rest.
Since the start of the new season, he has hardly had a rest. Although Mourinho is rotating Manchester United's lineup as much as possible, Bruno is not the object of Mourinho's rotation.
Since the Community Shield in early August, Bruno has rested for two League Cup games, and has not missed any of the other 17 games.
In addition, because he participated in the Russian Confederations Cup with the Portuguese national team in the summer, it can even be said that he did not have a good rest in 2017.
Although the 23-year-old Bruno is in his prime, the long-term competition still makes him feel a little tired.
The international match day that came at this time was a relief for Bruno.
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During the two-week vacation, Bruno did not arrange any other itinerary. In addition to going to the Armani headquarters in Milan and attending an Armani dinner, Bruno has been on vacation with Vanessa on Mallorca Island.
In addition to vacation, Bruno is also paying attention to the situation of the Portuguese national team.
The Portuguese team, which lacks two superstars, has achieved 1 win and 1 draw in two warm-up matches. They defeated Saudi Arabia 3:0 and tied with the United States 1:1.
At the same time, the play-offs of the European qualifiers for the Russian World Cup have also decided the results.
In the two-round play-offs, Croatia eliminated Greece 4:1, Switzerland eliminated Northern Ireland 1:0, Sweden eliminated Italy 1:0, and Denmark eliminated Ireland 5:1.
Italian fans are the most disappointed. After being eliminated in the group stage in 2014, the team they support has not even made it to the finals of the World Cup in Russia.
With Peru defeating New Zealand 2:0 at home and returning to the World Cup finals after 36 years, the 32 teams of the World Cup finals in Russia have all been announced. The 32 teams include 14 European teams, 5 teams each from South America, Asia and Africa, and 3 teams from Central and North America.
With the 32 teams in place, the division of each team has been fixed. The host Russia, plus the top seven teams in the world, Germany, Brazil, Portugal, Argentina, Belgium, Poland and France, are the seeded teams; the second-tier teams are Spain, Peru, Switzerland, England, Colombia, Mexico, Uruguay and Croatia; the eight teams in the third tier are Denmark, Iceland, Costa Rica, Sweden, Tunisia, Egypt, Senegal and Iran; the fourth-tier teams are the remaining fourth tier: Serbia, Nigeria, Australia, Japan, Morocco, Panama, South Korea and Saudi Arabia.
Among the 32 teams that advanced, the lowest ranked team was Saudi Arabia, which ranked 63rd in the world in October, followed by South Korea, which ranked 62nd in the world in October. The world rankings of these two teams at that time were not as good as China, which ranked 57th in the world.
However, Panama, which is ahead, is ranked in the top 50 in the world.
The draw for the group stage of the World Cup next year will be held on December 1. The rule of the draw is to draw one team from each group and divide it into a group, and there are certain avoidance principles. For example, except for European teams, there cannot be teams from the same continent in the same group, and there cannot be more than two European teams in the same group.
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After two weeks of international matches, the league restarted.
Manchester United's game was on Saturday evening, and they played at home against the newly promoted Newcastle.
The three newly promoted teams in the league last season performed very well. After 11 rounds, Brighton ranked eighth, Newcastle ranked 10th, and Huddersfield, which lost to Manchester United, is currently ranked 14th in the standings, 3 points higher than the relegation zone.
Newcastle can be ranked in the upper half of the standings because they are relatively stable, winning all the games they should win and basically failing to win the games they should not win.
In the first 11 rounds, they scored 10 goals and conceded 10 goals. The defense is good, and they are the fifth team with the fewest goals conceded, only more than Manchester United, Manchester City, Tottenham, and Burnley; but the offense is weak, and the number of goals is only more than Crystal Palace, Swansea, Bournemouth, Huddersfield, West Bromwich Albion and Southampton, ranking 14th among the 20 teams.
However, almost everyone is not optimistic that Newcastle can score points at Old Trafford, because the team they are about to face is too terrifying.
Before this game, even during the international match day, the most discussed topic in the British media was how many goals Newcastle would lose at Old Trafford.
And Manchester United is also very confident about winning Newcastle.
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“GOOOOOOOOOOOALLLL!!!!!!” Andy Gray stood up and shouted, “The game has only started for thirteen minutes and the goal has appeared! The visiting team Newcastle surprisingly got a dream start at Old Trafford!”
"Yedlin scored for Newcastle! 1:0! Ha, let's look at the visiting team's coaching bench, Benítez jumped up with joy, like a 200-pound fat man who stole candy!"
Looking at the Newcastle players celebrating excitedly on the field, and looking at Benítez who jumped up and cheered, Mourinho was not angry because the team lost the ball too early, but just pouted his lips and said unhappily: "Country bumpkin!"
Isn't it just a goal, so excited?
He obviously forgot his wild state when the team scored.
Mourinho got up from the coaching bench, patted his butt, and then walked to the sidelines. While the visiting team players were still celebrating the goal excitedly, he shouted the names of several players and called them to the sidelines.
"After the game resumes, the visiting team may focus on entanglement with us in the midfield." Mourinho said, "Give them a hard response in the midfield! Tell them, this is our territory!"
Kante nodded, he knew it was said to him.
"At the same time, we can try to play behind them directly. Their right-back assists very deep, and the space behind him may be our chance to score!"
Mourinho quickly wrote and drew on the tactical board. He drew an arrow directly under Gundogan's name, symbolizing the passing line, and then pointed to several points in the front field. Swoosh, swoosh, several arrows tilted to the left.
"We will play on their right side!"
Gundogan and Bruno both nodded.
But Gundogan asked a question: "Coach, what if they retreat to the defense line instead of fighting with us in the midfield?"
Mourinho said: "Then try to make a foul!"
Gundogan nodded and said: "I understand!"
The three players ran back to the field, and Faria said beside Mourinho: "Gundogan is a young man with ideas."
"It's really good, dare to ask questions, and have ideas." Mourinho nodded.
No coach would dislike such a young man.
Of course, Mourinho knew that Bruno would not raise this question, because Bruno was experienced and knew what to do in that situation. This is the role of stars like Bruno. Sometimes they can make judgments and adjustments quickly based on their own experience without the head coach's special instructions.
After the game resumed, as Mourinho's first judgment, Newcastle did not retreat across the board, but moved the defense line forward, and the two sides were in a fierce fight in the midfield.
"Jose, why are you so sure that they will fight in the midfield?" Carrick asked.
"The game has just started. If Benítez is not stupid, he will know that it is impossible to hold 1:0 by retreating the defense line now. So their best choice is to fight in the midfield, advance the team's defense line, and form a chain protection for the penalty area!" Mourinho wrote and drew on the tactical board and explained to his assistant.
Carrick looked at Mourinho, who was talking freely, and was surprised and admired. He is worthy of being a world-class coach. His prediction of the opponent is really amazing.
"If..." Carrick was about to ask a question, but he heard cheers from the stands. Mourinho and Carrick both looked up at the field.
This was Kante, with the help of Van Dijk, who worked together to intercept the ball, and then he quickly passed the ball to Gundogan who came to respond. The German pulled the ball and turned, looking at the front court. Bruno, Rashford, Harry Kane and Mbappe were all sprinting.
Where to pass?
Gundogan made a decision almost instantly and passed it to the left!
This was what the coach had just reminded him of, and Gundogan also quickly caught the gap behind the opponent's right back Yedlin!
Newcastle's goal was assisted by their right back Yedlin. At that time, Yedlin made a triangle pass back to the penalty area from the right, and Lindelof accidentally slipped when he retreated. Gayle followed up with a push shot, and the ball hit the left post and bounced into the net!
This offensive helped the team score, which made the American right back taste the sweetness and pressed forward frequently in subsequent games.
Gundogan kicked the ball and passed it to Rashford who was running on the left.
Fast speed, delicate technique, and the ability to pass and shoot are the characteristics of this outstanding figure in Manchester United's youth training!
Gundogan handed the ball to Rashford, and Manchester United had more options in attack!
The most important thing is that Rashford runs fast and is the closest offensive player to the opponent's goal.
There is an open opportunity and speed to seize the opportunity. Who else can I find if not him!