Chương 377: Advancement to the Knockout Stage
As the outside world questioned Millwall, in the 17th round of the Premier League, they narrowly defeated Middlesbrough 1-0 at Riverside Stadium in a hard-fought away match.
The only goal came from a penalty when Henry was brought down by a defender during a breakthrough. Nedved stepped up and converted the chance. With Larsson absent, he was the designated penalty taker, followed by Ronaldinho in the pecking order.
Despite the unconvincing nature of the victory, Aldrich faced a barrage of questions post-match, but he calmly stated that a win is still three points.
He was focused on adjusting the team's performance. For the time being, Millwall's matches would be stable, with a home-ground advantage before the Champions League knockout stages kicked off.
Before the Champions League group stage's final round began, the media added up the points and came to a rather dull conclusion: Millwall and Inter Milan's last encounter would be a meaningless match!
Both teams had already safely secured their places in the knockouts!
Looking back at the first round of fierce battles, Millwall defeated Inter Milan with a stunning score of 5-4 at the Meazza Stadium, and fans are also looking forward to the fierce confrontation when the two teams meet again. However, Spartak Moscow and Graz performed mediocrely against Millwall and Inter Milan, giving the two teams 10 points and 12 points respectively.
Millwall has 13 points and has already secured a spot in the knockout rounds; it doesn't matter whether they finish first or second in their group. Inter Milan has 12 points and has also secured promotion, and given the lower total points in other groups, Inter Milan can easily get one of the two best second-place finishes.
Thus, their final group stage match was merely a procedural formality.
Is Inter Milan eager for revenge? Looking to restore some pride?
Well, the fact is, they are caught in the middle of a Serie A mess. Going to Wembley to face Millwall? That makes no sense for them!
During a UEFA news conference, Aldrich heard an Italian reporter suggest that Inter Milan would send an entirely reserve lineup onto the pitch, with the likes of Ronaldo and Baggio not even making the traveling squad.
Speaking of bad luck, Hodgson has had a tough season. His return to Inter coincided with Ronaldo being closely watched by Serie A teams and many players suffering from the so-called "World Cup Syndrome". As a result, Inter's performance was unfortunately down from the previous season, and other strong teams also struggled. At the beginning of the season, the Serie A battlefield was chaotic, like the legendary seven heroes fighting for supremacy. Now, halfway through the league, Lazio and AC Milan have begun to stage a fierce competition.
In addition, the much-anticipated Ronaldo and Baggio combination, although very strong in theory, never really became a reality. With the Champions League entering the knockout stage, Moratti is once again considering a coaching change, although it seems unwise to do so now.
"Inter Milan is sending all reserves; what about Millwall? Will they also treat the match casually?"
Facing such questions, Aldrich shook his head earnestly and replied, "We take every match seriously. Just because we've advanced doesn't mean we'll underestimate this game, especially against an opponent like Inter Milan. They may send many reserves, but they have strong players in every position. Millwall must go all out to secure the win."
The reporters perked up at this response.
Great! Inter is sending reserves, and Millwall is going all out at home; wouldn't it be perfect to rout Inter Milan and give them a real thrashing?
"Who will start for Millwall tomorrow? Nedved? Who will get the nod, Henry or Van Nistelrooy?"
"Huh? What are you asking?"
"The starting lineup for tomorrow's match—could you share that with us?"
Aldrich cleared his throat, saying, "Sure, I can give you that.
Goalkeeper: Keller.
Defenders: Ferreira, Ferdinand, Mills, Neil.
Midfielders: Van der Meyde, Gattuso, Lampard, Duff.
Forwards: Klose, Gronkjaer.
If nothing unexpected happens, that will be the starting XI."
As soon as Aldrich finished his statement, the reporters were practically seething with disbelief.
"Seriously? Full effort, huh?"
"Seriously? You've included Ferreira, a guy who can't even sit on the bench for league games, and you claim you're taking this seriously?"
Fleet Street had come to know Aldrich's character, so this didn't surprise them.
However, the Italian reporters were outraged, with one standing up to accuse, "Mr. Aldrich, you're clearly playing games with us! Is this how you treat the media? Saying one thing and doing another—is that fun?"
Aldrich, bewildered, replied, "What did I say that was untrue?"
"..."
Some things are understood without being explicitly stated; everyone knows but can't articulate it.
Millwall not only sent reserves but even chose to start players from the youth team. Yet who could say this was a definite sign of disrespect?
After all, Millwall had crafted superstar after superstar, most of whom hit the big stage around 18. Some even carried the team on their shoulders.
David Miller from *The Times* stepped in to smooth things over by introducing a new topic.
"Can you share your thoughts on the Champions League knockout stages? Which team does Millwall hope to avoid?"
Aldrich shrugged, "The teams from other groups aren't confirmed yet, so I can't say who Millwall may face."
"Then let's broaden the discussion. For instance, would you be wary of facing Manchester United or Bayern Munich? Their strikers are in great form."
Aldrich shook his head slightly, saying, "We're the defending champions and should not fear any team. In the knockout stages, there are no weak teams. So, I think we should just go with the flow and maintain a calm mind."
As things stand right now, the four strikers drawing the most attention in Europe are:
1. Batistuta, marauding through Serie A.
2. Elber from Bayern Munich.
3. Yorke from Manchester United.
4. Millwall's Nedved.
Strictly speaking, Nedved isn't solely a striker.
However, counting his goals across all competitions this year, he has surpassed 30, and with 98 still ongoing, he could break the 35-goal barrier. Right now, he stands at 32 goals and has contributed 22 assists.
After selling Trezeguet and Shevchenko that summer and with Larsson injured at the start of the season, the first half of the campaign relied heavily on Nedved to steer Millwall forward. His knack for stepping up in crucial moments alleviated the pressure on Ronaldinho, Lampard, and Van Nistelrooy during matches. When the chips were down, Nedved was their warrior!
Consequently, among the candidates for the Ballon d'Or, the most prominent contenders are Nedved and Zidane.
After the pre-match press conference ended, the next day before the match, it was evident that there were large swathes of empty seats in Wembley. The stadium was too big, and with fewer than 50,000 ticket holders present, fans had heard about Inter's reserve lineup—who would want to watch that?
Before the match began, Aldrich arrived early at the touchline, chatting amiably with Hodgson.
Hodgson displayed a noticeable change in demeanor compared to their last encounter three months prior; the two were engrossed in pleasant conversation.
It was peculiar; despite the three-month gap since the group draw, the two had spent less than an hour together discussing football. Yet their mutual attitudes had transformed significantly.
After Inter Milan eliminated Graz and secured their 12 points, confirming their advancement, Hodgson seemed relieved, eager to enjoy his time with Aldrich again.
They chatted on and on, as if they had an endless supply of topics.
Aldrich surmised internally: This guy probably felt stifled in Milan and didn't dare vent his frustrations. Now back in England, he was eager to let loose on all his pent-up thoughts!
As kickoff approached, Hodgson circled back to discuss the match.
Aldrich was baffled as his counterpart rambled on about Inter Milan's decision to send players out for match experience, assessing someone's form and if he was worth the money...
"Why does this concern me?"
But then, when Hodgson finally stopped talking and turned his sharp little eyes toward him, the lightbulb went on for Aldrich.
Hodgson's eyes were practically telling a story!
Aldrich caught on quickly, as if Hodgson was saying, "Let's have a little unspoken agreement here!"
A draw would save face for both—Millwall remains first in the group, we can progress to the knockout stage hand in hand, and as long as we don't meet again, we'll be lifelong friends!
Aldrich could only chuckle softly at the thought.
As he turned back towards the coaching area, he internally acknowledged Hodgson: Sorry.
It wasn't that he didn't want to cooperate; it was just that the situation didn't allow it.
If Millwall had only 11 players, they certainly wouldn't have gone all out considering today's situation; a dull game would have been acceptable and a draw wouldn't have bothered them.
However, Millwall has fielded a team of substitutes today. While Lampard might be feeling a bit fatigued, Pirlo is on the verge of returning. As long as Pirlo can quickly regain his form upon his comeback, he'll be seated on the bench, yet he will fight tooth and nail on the pitch, giving his all regardless of the challenges.
The other young players were even more eager—most of them were used to playing in the League Cup or FA Cup against lower-league competitors.
Today, they had a rare opportunity against the Italian powerhouse, Inter Milan, on the Champions League stage. They couldn't care less who was on the pitch. Even if Inter sent out eleven amateurs, they were ready to give their all.
Young players know how to seize opportunities; scoring just once could catapult them to stardom!
As soon as the match kicked off, Hodgson's eyes nearly bulged out of his head.
Gronkjaer assisted Klose in scoring after weaving past two defenders during a swift counterattack just six minutes in.
Millwall's rapid pace threw Inter Milan off balance.
Both sides were now locked in an exhilarating match.
The reserve players were determined to show what they could do, and the ensuing back-and-forth was exhilarating.
Inter Milan encountered relentless chain defenses week after week in Serie A; here against Millwall, they enjoyed a smoother and freer game.
Yet Ferreira, being young, occasionally chose the wrong moments to surge forward and left gaps behind. Inter focused their attacks down his side, with little defense being set up.
The match was a see-saw battle, beautifully contested, with goals coming in quick succession.
By the end of the match, Hodgson's expression was somewhat grim.
Inter Milan lost 4-3 yet again.
This kind of defeat is far more painful than falling to a mere 1-0 loss.
It feels like Inter really battled hard, only to collapse in the end, bleeding from the effort.
As Hodgson clasped Aldrich's hand, a glimmer of sorrow crossed his face. Aldrich could only laugh awkwardly, "Haha, haha, just a touch of luck, right?"
Hodgson shook his head and left Wembley.
Aldridge was a little embarrassed, wondering if he and Hodgson would ever be able to laugh together again.
Thus, the quarterfinals of the 98-99 UEFA Champions League were finalized.
The three English representatives saw Arsenal exit early, while Manchester United progressed to the quarters alongside Millwall, having secured a spot as one of the two best-second-placed teams.
Ukraine's Dynamo Kyiv topped their group above Premier League champions Arsenal and Ligue 1 champions Lens.
Germany's Bayern Munich ousted Manchester United and Barcelona to claim the top spot in the "Group of Death." Last season's Bundesliga champions, Kaiserslautern, also advanced first from a relatively low-key group.
Lucky Juventus progressed as well, finishing first in their group amid a three-way tie of teams all on 8 points.
Finally, Greek champions Olympiacos advanced as group leader from a weaker group.
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