Buffon the Ball-Fisher, Don't Run! We've Met Again in the UEFA Champions League!

After the UEFA Champions League semi-finalists were determined in the 2016-2017 season, the next step was still a draw.

The upcoming draw ceremony has become the focus of attention for football fans worldwide.

Real Madrid, Manchester City, Juventus, and Borussia Dortmund —these four teams happen to come from La Liga, the Premier League, Serie A, and the Bundesliga respectively, each carrying the glory and expectations of its respective league.

Even before the lottery ceremony began, the online world was already abuzz with discussion.

Fans transformed into prophets, engaging in heated predictions on various platforms, with discussions surging like a tidal wave.

Some fans are eagerly anticipating the clash between Real Madrid and Manchester City, and can't wait to witness this epic showdown.

"The biggest turning point in this year's UEFA Champions League is undoubtedly Real Madrid and Manchester City. It's better to let them clash sooner rather than later. That would be truly exciting!"

"Agreed! I can't wait to see Cristiano Ronaldo and Tang Long face off in the UEFA Champions League. Just thinking about it makes my blood boil!"

"This should be the first encounter between the two in their professional careers. It's like a clash of titans, an absolutely historic match, and you can completely predict how exciting it will be!"

Serie A fans, especially those of Tang Long's former Inter Milan, have different expectations.

They were hoping Manchester City would draw Juventus, intending to use Manchester City's strength to stop Juventus from reaching the UEFA Champions League final.

"Looking forward to a fierce battle between Manchester City and Juventus, hoping to successfully stop Juventus's advance and prevent them from reaching the UEFA Champions League final!"

"So what if Juventus makes it to the final? They've been UEFA Champions League seven times already. They're not called runners-up for nothing; they're Kia! Hahaha!"

"Nothing else, I just want to see Tang Long teach Juventus a lesson again, especially to teach that old dog Buffon a good lesson."

"Sigh, if only Tang Long were still wearing his Inter Milan jersey. Inter Milan vs. Juventus in the UEFA Champions League semi-final... it's a pity, we might not see a match like that again for many years..."

Premier League fans, especially Manchester City fans, are eager to be drawn against Borussia Dortmund, hoping to be selected from the Bundesliga.

On the one hand, although Borussia Dortmund is a strong team, it is slightly weaker than the other three teams in the semi-finals – a fact that was generally acknowledged by the media before the draw.

If Manchester City draws Dortmund, their chances of advancing to the final are extremely high.

The thought of reaching the final for the first time in the team's history, even if they ultimately fall short of the UEFA Champions League trophy, makes many longtime Manchester City fans feel that they have no regrets in this life.

On the other hand, many Manchester City fans are looking forward to seeing if the Premier League can completely dominate the Bundesliga.

Manchester City, as the Premier League leaders this season, have demonstrated the highest level of competition in the entire Premier League in terms of personnel, player value, tactics, and league points.

Bayern, the Bundesliga powerhouse, has already been defeated by Manchester City. If Borussia Dortmund loses to Manchester City as well, it would mean that Manchester City has achieved a double victory over the top two teams in the Bundesliga. In that case, the Premier League would truly dominate the Bundesliga in terms of competition.

However, the final result will have to wait for the draw ceremony to reveal.

Mendes accompanied Cristiano Ronaldo to watch the live broadcast at his home.

Before the draw ceremony even began, Mendes asked Cristiano Ronaldo a question:

"Cristiano, who do you hope Real Madrid will draw?"

At this moment, Cristiano Ronaldo was wearing a face mask, lounging on a soft sofa, looking completely calm.

"The problem is that you ask me this question every time there's a draw. I've said it many times: if we want to win the UEFA Champions League, we have to be the best team in the world, which means it doesn't matter who we draw."

Mendes continued, "Aren't you afraid of being drawn against Manchester City early? That would mean you and Tang would face off in the semi-finals, which would definitely be a clash of titans."

Cristiano Ronaldo chuckled coldly, his tone full of confidence and dominance. "Drawing Manchester City in the semi-finals is too late. If we had drawn Manchester City in the round of 16, Tang Long would already be long past the semi-finals."

Mendes laughed heartily and generously gave Cristiano Ronaldo a thumbs up.

"In my heart, you are the one and only best in the world, and that confidence is your greatest asset."

Mendes listened to the opening ceremony narrated by the beautiful female commentator on television, watched the camera pan across the gathering of various celebrities, pondered for a moment, and then spoke again:

Do you really think that drawing lots is random?

Cristiano Ronaldo glanced at Mendes, said nothing, and simply waited quietly for him to continue.

"I'll bet you, Cristiano," Mendes said with a sly smile, "Manchester City definitely won't draw Real Madrid, and you shouldn't even dream of facing Tang Long in the semi-finals."

"Barring any unforeseen circumstances, Manchester City will definitely be drawn against Juventus or Borussia Dortmund. You'll see."

The final draw results were exactly as Mendes predicted!

The semi-final matchups are as follows:

Real Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund

Manchester City vs Juventus

Mendes clapped his hands and laughed heartily, the sound echoing in Cristiano Ronaldo's spacious living room.

"I knew it would be like this. Real Madrid and Manchester City are both absolute favorites to win the title. How could you two possibly decide the winner in the semi-finals? UEFA, for the sake of the show, will definitely leave you to the end."

Cristiano Ronaldo smiled, his eyes revealing unwavering determination, and said, "Alright then, wait and see as I lead Real Madrid to victory over Manchester City and Tang in the final!"

Italy, Turin.

Juventus training ground.

The Bianconeri players all looked serious, and the playful and joking scenes from their usual training sessions were nowhere to be seen.

This season, Juventus remains the undisputed superpower in Italy A.

They are now 10 points ahead of second-placed Napoli, and barring any unforeseen circumstances, they will clinch the 2016-2017 league title in just a few rounds.

As for their old rivals AC Milan and Inter Milan?

Unfortunately, they have long been left far behind by Juventus.

The two Milan giants have become the two Milan bears.

Xiong Da and Xiong Er are ranked fifth and sixth respectively, with Roma and Lazio ahead of them in the UEFA Champions League zone.

This is precisely why Juventus players play with ease and confidence in Serie A.

In fact, many Serie A teams use the "Tian Ji horse racing" strategy when facing Juventus.

They knew they were no match for Juventus and that even with their best efforts, they would struggle to win. So, when facing Juventus, mid-to-lower-tier teams simply fielded a reserve lineup.

Juventus, on the other hand, often went along with it, ending the game with a score of 1-0 or 2-0, a tacit understanding between the two sides.

In this way, Juventus will encounter very little strong resistance in Serie A.

However, after the draw for the semi-finals, the huge weight that had been hanging over every Juventus player's heart was lifted, and everyone felt dizzy and completely stunned.

Especially the team's longtime captain Buffon!

This season, the 39-year-old Italy veteran goalkeeper Buffon still firmly holds the starting position in Juventus' goalkeeping position;

They even kept 27-year-old goalkeeper Neto, who was in his prime, firmly on the bench.

There's a saying that goes, "Being the second-choice goalkeeper is the most painful thing at Juventus and the Italy National Team because you never see a chance to get ahead."

Above you, there is always someone like Mount Tai, suppressing every generation of Italy goalkeepers, from Toldo to Sirigu to Neto, without exception.

That person is Buffon!

Despite being nearly 40, Buffon is in excellent physical condition, still agile and nimble, and his eyes are as sharp as an eagle's.

His long professional career of 20 years has given him an unparalleled wealth of experience in major competitions.

Often, all he needs to do is spread his arms, widen his eyes, and stand in goalkeeper position. Even when facing a one-on-one situation, the opposing striker will panic and attempt a shot under his intimidation, only to be easily saved by him.

Buffon possesses a unique and formidable presence in Serie A.

But Buffon's career also has its regrets, namely, that he is about to retire but has never lifted the UEFA Champions League trophy!

Buffon was filled with anxiety and unease during the draw.

He felt the best draw would be Borussia Dortmund, followed by Real Madrid, which was also not bad, but the last thing he wanted was to be drawn against Manchester City!

"Haha, my old brother, you're going to run into Tang Long again, are you happy?"

After watching the draw ceremony nervously at home, Buffon felt utterly despondent and hopeless.

At that moment, his phone suddenly received a text message from Ronaldo.

Upon seeing the text message, he was instantly enraged, his mind racing with thoughts of how to immediately retaliate.

He thought and thought, his finger hovering over the screen for a long time, but he couldn't type a single word. In the end, he could only give a bitter laugh and say sadly:

"Damn it, why did I have to run into him again? That damned China man!"

A series of unbearable memories began to flash rapidly through Buffon's mind like a movie.

Tang Long has faced Juventus in both Serie A and UEFA Champions League group stages, whether he was with Inter Milan or Manchester City.

He left Buffon with a huge psychological scar!

His two consecutive Panenka penalties and one bizarre shot with his supporting foot completely outmaneuvered Buffon, making him look like a three-year-old child and causing the Italy goalkeeper to lose face and be unable to hold his head up in front of his family and teammates.

Buffon played over a thousand matches in his career and experienced countless ups and downs.

But no player has ever hurt his proud heart as deeply as Tang Long.

On Juventus' training ground, the scorching April sun of the Apennine Peninsula poured down without any shade, baking the entire field to a scorching heat.

"Has he gone mad today? Why is he practicing penalties the whole time?"

A member of Juventus' coaching staff, shielding his eyes from the glaring sunlight, frowned and looked at the center of the field with a puzzled expression, and couldn't help but whisper to his colleague beside him.

"Yes, it's been an hour already, and he hasn't even had a sip of water. Isn't he tired?"

The other coach wiped the sweat from his brow, shaking his head and sighing, his eyes filled with surprise.

"Haha, Higuain's leg is about to cramp up." Higuain slightly tired and staggered.

"Poor Higuain, look, he tried to leave, but Buffon grabbed his hand and wouldn't let him go!"

All eyes turned to him, and there he saw Higuain looking helpless, trying to break free from Buffon's pull, while Buffon held Higuain's arm tightly, his eyes revealing an undeniable determination.

At this moment, Buffon seemed to be engaged in a battle all by himself.

He stood in front of the goal, his jersey soaked with sweat, his hair stuck to his forehead, but he was completely unaware.

At his insistence, several forwards, including Higuain, Dybala, Mandzukic, were forced to take turns taking penalty kicks on the sweltering training ground.

Time ticked by, and a full hour passed.

Higuain and his teammates felt as if their legs were filled with lead. Every time they lifted their feet to shoot, it felt like they had used up all their strength, as if their legs were about to cramp up at any moment.

However, Buffon was like a tireless machine, not only not drinking a drop of water, but also becoming increasingly formidable.

His eyes were fixed on every football flying towards the goal; his focused expression made it seem as if only he and that penalty kick existed on the field!

He leaped and pounced like the Cheetah, sometimes stretching his body to the left and sometimes flying to the right, forcefully clearing each high-quality penalty kick.

His movements were swift and powerful, and his repeated successful saves were like buckets of cold water, gradually extinguishing the confidence of the forwards and causing frustration and helplessness to show in their eyes.

"Have a drink of water, Buffon. You're a goalkeeping expert now, we all admire you!"

After missing another penalty, Higuain bent over, panting, with his hands on his knees and his arms outstretched in despair, his voice tinged with a pleading tone.

But Buffon remained unmoved, his eyes as firm as steel, and said in a resolute tone, "Keep shooting!"

The sound carried an invisible force, echoing across the training ground.

Then, he turned to Dybala and Mandzukic and shouted, "This is nothing! Higuain, keep training! And you two, Dybala and Mandzukic, you're both getting an extra half hour of training after the game. None of you are allowed to leave!"

His words are commands.

In this Juventus team, Buffon is undoubtedly the senior figure in the locker room.

He enjoys extremely high prestige and wields absolute authority within the team.

Therefore, although Higuain, Dybala, and Mandzukic are all renowned top-tier football stars, they can only obediently comply with Buffon's demands.

Buffon's intense penalty practice stems from a deep-seated premonition that penalties are highly likely to occur in the two semi-final legs against Manchester City!

He knew that if Manchester City were awarded a penalty, Tang Long would most likely be the one to take it.

When Buffon thought of Tang Long, a complex emotion flashed in his eyes—anger and resentment!

Previously, he had been outmaneuvered by Tang Long three times in a row at the 12-yard line, and the humiliation still lingers in his heart.

This time, he secretly vowed in his heart that no matter what the cost, he would save Tang Long's penalty kick and avenge his previous defeat.

Buffon's thoughts involuntarily drifted back to his journey in the 2006 World Cup.

That was a glorious memory. In that World Cup, the Italy team successfully won the championship, and Buffon was one of the biggest contributors.

In the group stage, he made numerous crucial saves, repeatedly thwarting the opponent's highly threatening attacks and leaving their forwards empty-handed.

In the knockout stage, he was like a pillar of strength, guarding the Italy team's goal.

Throughout the tournament, the Italy team conceded only two goals: an own goal and a penalty from Zidane.

At that time, Buffon was at his peak. Every save he made in front of the goal reassured his teammates and instilled fear in his opponents.

Now, although he is 39 years old and 11 years have passed since the 2006 World Cup, Buffon is still full of confidence in himself.

He believed that although time had left its mark on him, his strength had not diminished in the slightest.

He remains the strongest goalkeeper in the world, on this earth!

As long as he stands in front of the goal, Juventus' defense will be as impenetrable as the Great Wall of Steel, and it will be no easy task for any opponent to break through Juventus' goal.

In Buffon's eyes, standing on the training field, on the goal line, everything around him seemed to gradually blur.

Whether it was Mandzukic's powerful penalty kick, Dybala's tricky shot, or Higuain's deceptive free kick, in his eyes, the images of these three gradually transformed into Tang Long.

Tang Long's faint smile and confident stride seem to be right before my eyes!

As he repeatedly saved penalties from these top strikers, Buffon's confidence soared like a blazing fire.

His eyes gleamed with unwavering determination, and his desire to win ignited like a flame from the depths of his heart, spreading rapidly and crackling as it burned throughout the restricted area!

He kept shouting in his heart, "Tang Long, bring it on! If you manage to fool me in the penalty shootout again this time, I'll retire on the spot!"

Buffon made a silent vow in his heart, his gaze fixed firmly on the distance, as if he could already see the moment of facing Manchester City.

The sunlight on the training field shone on him, outlining his resolute features.

Juventus posted a nine-grid photo collage on their official social media, all featuring Buffon saving penalty kicks in training, with the caption. "We're ready for Manchester City!"

Soon, Inter Milan fans left comments:

"Buffon the Ball-Fisher, don't run away! Your old friend Tang Long has run into you again!"