Chương 243: Advancing to the Next Round of the Champions League
Although the League Cup holds less prestige than the Premier League title or the FA Cup, winning the team's first trophy of the season brought great joy to everyone at Manchester City.
At Wembley Stadium, they stood on the podium for the first time.
Since many of the League Cup matches had been played by substitute players, these players deserved much of the credit for winning the trophy.
Lin suggested that the substitutes should be the ones to lift the cup, and his teammates supported this idea.
The substitutes, thrilled by this recognition, raised Manchester City's first trophy of the season, surrounded by the starting players.
...
After winning the League Cup, the Manchester City squad wasted no time celebrating in London and quickly returned to Manchester.
They had two important home matches coming up: one in the FA Cup against Stoke City and the other in the Champions League against Werder Bremen.
The proximity of these two matches sparked some disagreement within the club.
Some believed they should strategically forfeit the FA Cup and focus entirely on the Premier League and the Champions League.
Compared to the FA Cup, the Premier League title and the Champions League trophy were clearly more significant.
Moreover, the FA Cup, unlike the League Cup, wouldn't end immediately. Including the upcoming match, they would need to win at least three more games to claim the title.
These three games would be sandwiched between crucial Premier League and Champions League fixtures, making things very challenging.
However, not everyone agreed on giving up the FA Cup. After all, they had already reached the quarterfinals, and only three more matches stood between them and the trophy.
Wouldn't giving up now make all their previous efforts meaningless?
"Stoke City isn't that strong. Even if we don't field our strongest lineup, it's not certain we'll lose to them."
"Exactly. We have a significant lead in both the Premier League and the Champions League, giving us a lot of room for error. If we win the FA Cup as well, we could achieve a domestic treble this season!"
This so-called "domestic treble" obviously included the League Cup. Generally speaking, in the top five European leagues, a treble refers to winning the league, the domestic cup, and the Champions League—three highly prestigious titles. Securing all three is extremely difficult, so true trebles are rare.
Faced with the assistant coaches' differing opinions, Pellegrini pondered the situation seriously.
In the last round, they had won 4-1 away against Werder Bremen, securing a three-goal advantage and scoring four away goals.
Thus, in the next match against Werder Bremen, as long as they didn't lose by four goals or more, they were almost certain to advance to the next round.
So, should they prioritize the FA Cup and play conservatively against Werder Bremen?
Pellegrini was undecided, so he decided to seek input from the players during the next day's training session.
After all, the players themselves knew best how fatigued they were.
When Pellegrini raised the question, the substitute players were adamant about fighting for every title.
Among the starting players, veterans like Kompany and Yaya Touré felt that the focus should be on the Premier League. They were finding the intense schedule challenging and were concerned about injuries affecting their chances in the upcoming World Cup.
Pellegrini understood the general consensus among the players and then turned to Lin, who hadn't voiced his opinion yet.
"Lin, what do you think?"
Lin didn't have the same concerns as the older players. Thanks to his injury immunity talent, he didn't need to worry about getting hurt.
As for fatigue, he felt fine for the most part. Although the continuous matches had caused some mental weariness, it was still within tolerable limits.
Just as the substitute players had said, if they gave up now, all their previous efforts would have been for nothing.
So he spoke up, "I think we should go for this title!"
As soon as Lin voiced his opinion, De Bruyne immediately stepped up to support him.
"I support that too!"
The Spanish contingent, who naturally looked to Lin for leadership, also voiced their support for pursuing the FA Cup.
Agüero, who had a good relationship with Lin, also stood by his side.
As for the younger players, they were thrilled to have Lin's backing, gathering around him like he was their big brother, fully supporting his decision.
Kroos, quietly observing the reactions of Manchester City's players, took it all in.
Lin's influence and authority at Manchester City were even greater than he had anticipated.
When the veteran players heard Lin's stance, disappointment showed on their faces.
In cup competitions, the deeper you go, the tougher the matches become, as only the strongest teams remain.
Though there were only three games left, each one would be a battle, and winning all three would be incredibly taxing.
If they were to fall short halfway through, it would truly be a case of losing both the battle and the war.
However, since most of the players supported Lin's position, there was little use in opposing it, so they chose to remain silent.
"I do support continuing in the FA Cup, but I think the main players' fatigue is too much. Until we reach the final, we should rely on the substitutes as much as possible."
Just when everyone thought the decision was made, Lin spoke again, drawing everyone's attention.
"Lin, from what you're saying, isn't that just giving up on the FA Cup?" Kompany asked, unsure if he had heard correctly.
Fielding an entire lineup of substitutes would be practically the same as forfeiting the FA Cup. You couldn't seriously expect a team of substitutes to win the title, could you?
Lin smiled and clarified, "Of course not, because I will be playing."
He then explained his plan: in the two remaining FA Cup matches before the final, Manchester City would field a lineup of mostly substitutes, but Lin would start to provide stability.
This way, the main players could rest, and even with mostly substitutes, the team wouldn't be overwhelmed by the opponents.
If necessary, they could have a few key players on the bench, ready to step in during the second half if the team struggled.
With this approach, Manchester City would be able to handle most of their opponents.
"It's a workable plan, but won't this put too much strain on you, Lin? Are you sure you want to do this?" Pellegrini wasn't entirely on board with Lin's proposal, worried that playing across all competitions might lead to injury.
"No problem. If I ever feel I can't keep going, I'll let you know."
Pellegrini nodded. Since Lin was confident, he had no reason to argue further.
So, when selecting the starting lineup for the next day's match, Pellegrini included Lin.
Commentators reacted with puzzled expressions when they saw Manchester City's starting lineup.
"Honestly, I don't quite understand Manchester City's lineup!" Commentator He Wei shook his head.
Most of the starters were substitutes, with only Lin as the absolute core player on the field. What was the strategy here? If they were fielding mostly substitutes, it seemed like they were giving up on the FA Cup. But with Lin starting, it didn't look like they were giving up. This lineup was contradictory. Were they forfeiting or not?
"Maybe Pellegrini has his own unique understanding of the situation. We'll have to wait and see how this lineup performs once the match starts," Xu Yang added, choosing to believe before criticizing.
Even with a lineup of substitutes, Manchester City's squad was strong.
Aside from Lin, the starting eleven included Negredo, Jovetić, Nasri, Javi García, Demichelis, and Milner.
If Fernandinho hadn't been suspended, they would have had a solid defensive midfielder, further strengthening the lineup.
In this match, Lin was paired up front with his Spanish teammate Negredo.
Negredo had been Agüero's backup for most of the season, but he was a different type of forward.
Negredo was a tall, strong player with the ability to hold up play and distribute the ball. Whenever Manchester City needed a physical presence up front, they turned to him.
But in most cases, the front two consisted of Lin and Agüero, a pairing known for their speed and agility.
Lin and Negredo, a combination of height and speed, had started together less frequently.
Although Negredo didn't start often, he had appeared in many matches.
This season, Negredo had played 32 games for Manchester City, including 22 league matches, 4 League Cup games, 3 FA Cup matches, and 3 Champions League fixtures.
If he hadn't had so many appearances, he wouldn't have made it into Vicente del Bosque's Spanish national team.
Excited to be partnering with Lin, Negredo was eager to contribute.
"Lin, just watch. I'll be the perfect target man up front and set you up for goals!"
Before the match began, Negredo made a bold promise.
However, once the game started, Negredo's first encounter with an opposing defender didn't go well.
"Damn it, that doesn't count. I wasn't ready!" Negredo grumbled as Lin helped him up after being knocked down, spitting out grass in frustration.
Lin glanced at the towering black center-back and then at Negredo.
He wasn't optimistic about Negredo's chances of winning one-on-one battles with the defender.
And as expected, Negredo struggled against the physically imposing center-back, failing to hold up play effectively and even becoming a weak spot in Manchester City's attack.
Fortunately for Manchester City, Stoke City's attack was too basic, unable to break through City's midfield on the ground, and relying on long
balls was unlikely to trouble Manchester City much. The match quickly became a stalemate.
Seeing that the team wasn't making any headway through the middle, Lin decided to take the ball to the wings.
With Milner and Nasri, two capable players, controlling the wings, Lin felt that they would be more effective.
Stoke City's players were well aware of Lin's threat, knowing that he was far more dangerous than anyone else on the pitch for Manchester City.
For Stoke City, stopping Lin meant they were halfway to success.
In the 23rd minute, after a series of passes on the left side, Lin received a pass from Nasri and cut inside, only to be fouled by a defender.
Lin didn't mind being given a free-kick opportunity, but the position wasn't ideal. His shot went just over the bar, but the Stoke City goalkeeper was still frightened by the ball's erratic movement.
"Watch your fouls! Don't give them a good free-kick opportunity!"
Hearing the goalkeeper's shout, Stoke City's players felt the pressure.
Stopping Lin was already difficult; doing so without fouling was even harder.
But they understood the consequences. If they continued to give him free-kick opportunities, they might end up conceding a goal.
So they assigned a defensive midfielder to mark Lin closely, limiting his space and preventing him from making plays.
Lin was no stranger to being closely marked and was used to such tactics.
Seeing that a player was sticking to him, Lin decided to drop deeper, drawing the defensive midfielder out and creating space for his teammates.
As Lin moved away from the forward line and began orchestrating play from midfield, Stoke City's defensive midfielder hesitated and looked towards his coach.
Coach, should I keep following him?
Stoke City's coach gritted his teeth and made a tough decision: Follow him!
Even if he goes to play goalkeeper, I want you right in front of him!
Seeing the midfielder still trailing him, Lin couldn't help but smile.
He passed the ball to García and pretended to make a forward run.
He's running forward! That midfield positioning was just a trick!
Stoke City's defensive midfielder got excited and prepared to intercept Lin's pass.
But Lin's forward run was just a decoy. He suddenly changed direction and dropped back, just as García's pass arrived at his feet.
Before the midfielder could react, Lin played a through ball.
This time, he didn't pass to Negredo but to the attacking midfielder, Jovetić.
Jovetić was in space, and after receiving the pass, he took a shot from distance.
It was a powerful strike, but unfortunately, it sailed just a bit too high, grazing the crossbar as it went out of bounds.
Stoke City narrowly escaped!
"Watch your marking! Don't let anyone slip through!"
Stoke City's coach was furious, believing that the players' lack of focus had allowed Jovetić to make that run.
He also blamed the midfielder for not marking Lin tightly enough, allowing him to play the pass.
In short, this defensive sequence had exposed several issues. If they couldn't correct these mistakes quickly, Manchester City's ability to capitalize on opportunities would eventually lead to disaster.
But fixing these problems was easier said than done.
The defensive midfielder marking Lin closed the gap further, practically glued to him!
However, sticking too close wasn't necessarily a good thing, especially against someone like Lin, who was a master dribbler.
In the 42nd minute of the first half, Lin dropped deep to receive a pass from Demichelis.
As the ball reached his feet, Lin executed a Cruyff turn, easily slipping past the overly close midfielder and charging into Stoke City's half.
With the defensive midfielder out of position, Stoke City's central defense had a gap, giving Manchester City an opportunity.
Lin played a one-two with Jovetić, then dribbled into the box and calmly chipped the ball over the goalkeeper into the net.
Manchester City took the lead, going 1-0 up against Stoke City.
After scoring, Manchester City's substitutes breathed a sigh of relief.
They all puffed out their chests with pride: We're amazing. Even our substitutes can beat their starters!
With growing confidence, they played with increasing freedom and performed better.
On the other hand, Stoke City, desperate to equalize, launched frantic attacks, only to expose themselves to more counterattacks, which Manchester City capitalized on.
In the 55th minute of the second half, Milner's goal sealed the victory for Manchester City.
In the end, Manchester City won 2-0 at home, advancing to the FA Cup semifinals.
However, their luck seemed to run out as they drew Arsenal as their semifinal opponents.
Given Arsenal's hunger for a title, that match would be incredibly challenging.
But having reached the semifinals, the substitutes were already thrilled.
Whether or not they could get past Arsenal, they had proven themselves this season.
Even if they couldn't stay at Manchester City next season, they should be able to find a good place to go.
After the match, Pellegrini gave the team a day off.
Three days later, they would face Werder Bremen at home in the Champions League.
For this match, Lin was placed on the bench.
Though he had assured Pellegrini that he was in good shape, Pellegrini felt that Manchester City had such a significant advantage that Lin's presence on the pitch wasn't necessary unless things got really tough.
Lin saw the logic in that and didn't insist, content to watch from the bench.
Despite their slim chances of advancing, Werder Bremen played aggressively when they arrived at the Etihad Stadium.
They chose to go toe-to-toe with Manchester City, a decision that City was more than happy to oblige.
As a result, the match was open, and the goals came quickly.
In the 13th minute, Kompany headed in a goal to give Manchester City a 1-0 lead.
In the 20th minute, Werder Bremen responded with a goal from Petersen on the counter, leveling the score at 1-1.
Just two minutes later, Manchester City regained the lead as De Bruyne scored a free-kick.
Like Lin, De Bruyne didn't celebrate the goal, simply lowering his hands, even though they were at home.
The attacking didn't stop there. In the 38th minute, Manchester City committed a foul in the box, gifting Werder Bremen a penalty.
Captain Fritz stepped up and calmly converted, making it 2-2.
At this point, the aggregate score was 6-3, with Manchester City still holding a three-goal lead.
Given how the two teams were playing, it was clear that a Werder Bremen comeback was unlikely.
Nevertheless, the Green-Whites didn't give up and continued their assault!
In the 67th minute, Werder Bremen scored again, with Arnautović outjumping Kompany to head the ball into Manchester City's net.
However, before that, Manchester City had already scored twice, in the 48th and 55th minutes.
The scoreline now read 4-3, giving Manchester City an even greater cushion.
As the match progressed, both teams began to ease off, and by the end, some Werder Bremen players were cramping up.
Despite the significant gap in quality, Werder Bremen had shown incredible spirit and determination, scoring three goals against Manchester City and earning the respect of City's fans.
After the match, Manchester City's supporters stood and applauded, showing their appreciation for the valiant effort of the opposing team.
Although they hadn't pulled off a miraculous comeback, they had proven their worth and earned the respect of the football community.
By defeating Werder Bremen, Manchester City set a new club record by advancing to the Champions League quarterfinals.
In other matches, Bayern Munich drew 1-1 away at Chelsea, progressing 4-1 on aggregate to reach the quarterfinals.
Manchester United narrowly beat Galatasaray 1-0 at home, advancing 2-1 on aggregate.
Arsenal lost 0-3 away to Barcelona, suffering a double defeat and missing out on the quarterfinals.
Atletico Madrid thrashed AC Milan 4-1, also winning both legs to progress to the quarterfinals.
Real Madrid comfortably beat Olympiakos 3-0 at home, securing a place in the last eight.
Borussia Dortmund shocked everyone by losing 1-2 at home but still scraped through 5-4 on aggregate.
Paris Saint-Germain beat Bayer Leverkusen 2-1, claiming the final spot in the quarterfinals.
Thus, the quarterfinalists were decided: Manchester City, Manchester United, Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund, Real Madrid, Barcelona, Atletico Madrid, and Paris Saint-Germain.
With three teams in the quarterfinals, La Liga reaffirmed its status as the top league.
The Bundesliga and the Premier League each secured two spots, performing respectably.
Serie A was completely wiped out, while Ligue 1 still had a representative.
Shortly after the quarterfinalists were decided, the Champions League quarterfinal draw took place at UEFA headquarters.
The first team drawn was Real Madrid, who would face Paris Saint-Germain.
Next up was Manchester United, who were drawn against Bayern Munich.
Then Atletico Madrid was drawn against Borussia Dortmund.
With only two teams left, the final match was already known.
Manchester City would face Barcelona in the quarterfinals!
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