Manchester City's Title Charge Hits a Snag? "If they don't go easy on us, we'll cripple Tang on the field!"

Carrying the glory and pride of advancing to the FA Cup final, the entire Manchester City team returned to their daily training routine.

That day, as training came to a close, Guardiola's signature voice boomed like a bell. "Listen up, everyone, prick up your ears!"

Everyone stopped and quickly gathered around.

Guardiola stood tall and straight, his eyes revealing an unwavering determination and resolve, as if he were not just a coach, but a general about to lead his troops to the final battlefield.

"Now, we have entered the most difficult period," Guardiola said slowly, his voice steady yet containing immense power, "But at the same time, this is also a crucial juncture that, once successfully overcome, will become an eternally brilliant memory in the future."

His gaze swept across the face of each player, trying to convey his inner beliefs and strength to them.

"We've made it to the FA Cup final, and our opponent is Manchester United!" He smiled slightly, a hint of satisfaction in his eyes. "That's fantastic, lads! I'm incredibly proud of you!"

The players' faces were filled with pride; it was the FA Cup final, and they were about to face their arch-rivals Manchester United on the pitch of Wembley Stadium.

"Furthermore," Guardiola paused slightly, then continued, "We also reached the UEFA Champions League semi-finals, equaling the club's best record in history."

"Our opponent is Juventus." At this moment, Guardiola's gaze fell intentionally or unintentionally on Tang Long, a mysterious smile appearing on his face. "We have 100 ways to defeat them, and I have complete confidence in that!"

Manchester City's teammates understood immediately, and all their eyes turned to Tang Long.

Tang Long felt everyone's gaze, but simply shrugged, his casual gesture exuding confidence, before flashing a bright smile.

The entire Manchester City team is well aware that Tang Long, Ranocchia, and Bonazzoli in their current squad all possess extensive Serie A experience, which is undoubtedly an advantage they hold when facing Juventus.

Tang Long, in particular, is considered Juventus's nemesis in the football world, an absolute ace!

Whether during his time at Inter Milan or now at Manchester City, he has led his team to numerous victories against Juventus in both the league and the UEFA Champions League, scoring many thrilling goals.

In this harmonious and spirited atmosphere, several team members could no longer contain their excitement and began to shout.

"Boss, we can't wait to go to Turin!"

"Let's go to Italy first and wipe them out!"

"Tang is Juventus' nemesis; we all feel at ease with him around."

Seeing everyone praising Tang Long, Ranocchia couldn't help but interject, "Hey, brothers, don't forget me! I know Juventus very well too."

"Me too, me too!" Bonazzoli rubbed his hands excitedly, his small eyes sparkling with excitement, as if he could already see himself receiving Tang Long's brilliant assist and then unleashing a powerful shot that broke through Juventus' goal.

As a homegrown Inter Milan youth academy player, Bonazzoli has extremely deep feelings for Inter Milan and the blue and black striped jersey that accompanied him through his childhood.

In his mind, scoring a goal against Juventus would be the greatest honor.

This honor belongs not only to him personally, but also to the entire Bonazzoli family!

Guardiola was filled with satisfaction as he looked at his players' high spirits.

He raised both hands, signaling everyone to quiet down.

Immediately afterwards, his brows furrowed tightly, and his previously gentle tone suddenly turned serious, as if he had become a completely different person.

"Confidence is certainly a good thing, and I, like you, am full of confidence," Guardiola said firmly. "Years of coaching experience have taught me that a team full of confidence will be invincible and unstoppable."

"However, we have an even more important and urgent task at hand," Guardiola's eyes revealed a resolute determination, "That is to win the Premier League title three rounds early!"

Upon hearing this, the players, who had been immersed in their dreams of the UEFA Champions League and the FA Cup, instantly fell silent.

Everyone's eyes suddenly lit up, and the gazes that were originally directed at Tang Long now turned to Guardiola.

Even Tang Long's eyes gleamed with a burning light.

Winning the Premier League title three rounds early—what an exciting goal!

"I believe that every one of you, including myself and CEO Mr. Berrada, is absolutely certain that Manchester City will win the Premier League title this season," Guardiola said firmly. "However, I think the title should be won as soon as possible, not too late."

Seeing this, Chivu stepped forward and added:

"The head coach means that we still have the FA Cup and the UEFA Champions League final to focus on. So, the sooner and more smoothly we win those titles, the more we can relieve the heavy pressure and concentrate on preparing for the other two crucial competitions."

"We are currently facing the difficult situation of competing on three fronts, and any team that can persevere to the end in such a high-intensity three-front battle must be an extremely focused team. Therefore, our primary goal right now is to go all out to win the league title as soon as possible, and we absolutely cannot afford to be distracted in the slightest!"

Chivu then changed the subject and publicly criticized two players.

"Onana," Chivu's gaze fell on goalkeeper Onana, "Your recent performances haven't been ideal, mainly because you're too self-centered and have too many ideas when it comes to passing the ball."

Onana stood there, still with that smiling expression, seemingly not taking Chivu's words to heart.

"While your footwork is undoubtedly excellent," Chivu continued, "The center-back Stones has a clearly defined role. Sometimes, excessive ball possession can disrupt the team's rhythm and potentially put you in a dangerous situation."

Onana scratched his head, a faint smile still on his face, making it hard to tell whether he had truly taken Chivu's criticism to heart.

Seeing his nonchalant attitude, Chivu sighed inwardly.

He knew that Onana possessed all the talent and qualities to become a world-class goalkeeper: excellent physical attributes, sharp reflexes, and superb footwork, all of which are standard features of a top goalkeeper.

However, Onana's lack of discipline remains a hidden time bomb, causing great concern.

Chivu silently prayed that Guardiola's discerning eye would not be mistaken, that he could successfully unlock Onana's full potential, and that he could help him overcome his lack of discipline.

When talking about Gündoğan, Chivu's tone became even more sharp.

Compared to Onana, who is in his early twenties and still somewhat inexperienced, Gündoğan, born in 1990, is already 27 years old and is an experienced and technically mature middle-aged player.

Logically, he should play a more stable and reliable role as the team's midfield core.

However, it wasn't just Guardiola and Chivu; the entire Manchester City coaching staff keenly noticed that while Gündoğan displayed extreme focus in the FA Cup and UEFA Champions League, he seemed like a different person once he returned to the league, appearing somewhat distracted and exhibiting inconsistent form.

"Gündoğan," Chivu said, his gaze sharp as he stared intently into Gündoğan's eyes, "Do you know who our opponents are in the next three league matches?"

When Gündoğan heard his name, he froze slightly, his expression instantly turning somewhat awkward. He opened his mouth, but couldn't utter a coherent sentence.

In fact, Gündoğan's mind was no longer on the league.

He paid no attention to the schedule; for him, each league match was just a routine formality.

In his subconscious, Manchester City's league title this season was already a sure thing, like a perfectly ripe duck placed in front of him. Even if God himself came down, this duck would never escape, let alone fly away.

Chivu frowned slightly when Gündoğan couldn't answer, a hint of disappointment in his voice, and said, "It's Burnley, Watford, and Manchester United."

"I know you might all look down on Burnley and Watford," Chivu's voice rose, a warning in his eyes, "But you must remember this: these two teams are currently 17th and 18th in the league. They are both fighting tooth and nail to avoid relegation!"

"For these mid-to-lower table teams, the motivation to remain in the Premier League, both spiritually and materially, is no less than that of Manchester City winning the UEFA Champions League."

Everything Chivu said was true, Tang Long, standing to the side, nodded frequently as he listened.

Several years ago, when he was just beginning to make a name for himself at Inter Milan, Berni had an in-depth discussion with him about the formidable fighting spirit of relegation-threatened teams during an away game against Cagliari.

Tang Long still vividly remembers the older brother telling him with a serious expression that if the team were unfortunately relegated, many players' contracts would include salary reduction clauses, at least 50% or more!

If they cannot find another job in time, their salary will be significantly reduced, and their quality of life will plummet.

This is absolutely catastrophic!

Therefore, every relegation-threatened team will give their all in the final stretch of the season, unleashing amazing energy in every match.

"As for Manchester United," Chivu's tone softened slightly, but his eyes still held a hint of wariness, "I don't need to say more, do I? They've always been our arch-rivals. Although they've completely lost hope of winning the title this season, they're currently giving it their all to secure UEFA Champions League spot."

"Besides, the city derby is never simply about who has more points; it's a pure contest of dignity and honor, a battle of wills. Do you understand, Gündoğan?"

At this point, Gündoğan's face flushed red and then turned pale.

He knew that his recent performance in the league had been unsatisfactory and that he had let down his coach and teammates.

At that moment, he was filled with guilt and self-reproach. So, he patted his chest and made a firm pledge. "I will do my best to help the team win the championship ahead of schedule with a three-game winning streak!"

Guardiola and Chivu's coordinated attack, like a magical spell, instantly elevated the team's cohesion to a new level.

Playing for a powerhouse team like Manchester City, the internal pressures and the overwhelming expectations from the outside world weigh heavily on every player's mind, like an invisible mountain.

Here, doing well is just the basic requirement; they must constantly surpass themselves.

Their strength, market value, and high salaries dictate that they should demonstrate greater dominance on the field.

"Dominance, that's right. We, Manchester City, should be the champions of the Premier League, and we should crush our rivals Chelsea, Liverpool, Arsenal, and Manchester United under our feet."

Tang Long pondered to himself.

The Manchester City players all put in an exceptionally hard job during training that day.

During the scrimmages, they were cautious and tried to avoid using any aggressive moves that could injure their teammates, because they knew that in this final sprint of the three-front campaign, an injury to any key player could cause immeasurable losses to the team.

However, during individual training sessions such as full-field shuttle runs, shooting, and heading, the players were all fully focused, as if they were in a real match, without the slightest carelessness or slackness.

Even worse, when a player, frustrated by missing a crucial goal, crouches on the ground with his head in his hands, his face filled with dejection and self-blame.

Manchester City's official photographer was captivated by the bustling training scene before him;

The camera in my hand seemed to come alive, clicking away incessantly, trying to freeze every wonderful moment forever.

When Tang Long received Chivu's incredibly precise cross from the right, he soared into the air like an eagle spreading its wings!

In mid-air, his body seemed to have lost the restraint of gravity, moving as lightly and freely as if walking on flat ground;

Immediately afterwards, he swung his right foot and unleashed a thunderous, world-class shot!

The football, like a cannonball, flew straight into the corner of the goal with a whistling sound.

In that instant, the photographer decisively pressed the shutter.

And this photo capturing Tang Long's brilliant moment unsurprisingly made it to the homepage of Manchester City's official website, with a striking and impactful headline:

[A soaring eagle! The whole team is fully prepared for the Premier League!]

Of course, for Tang Long, the significance of these next three league matches is not only to help Manchester City win the title in advance, but also to have a significant impact on his fierce competition with Cristiano Ronaldo for the European Golden Shoe.

At this moment, Cristiano Ronaldo has scored an astonishing 43 goals in La Liga, as if divinely inspired, while Tang Long has also successfully reached the 40-goal mark thanks to his outstanding performance.

Tang Long was well aware that although Cristiano Ronaldo was getting older and his physical strength had declined compared to his younger days, Real Madrid's situation in La Liga was far more difficult than Manchester City's!

Unlike Manchester City, Real Madrid did not establish a 10-point lead in the standings early on.

They hold a slim three-point lead over Barcelona, and in such a fiercely contested title race, a single misstep or loss could drastically alter the entire situation.

If Real Madrid wants to defeat Barca and win the La Liga title, Cristiano Ronaldo's individual performance, especially his crucial number of goals, will undoubtedly be the key factor in determining the outcome.

On this point, Zidane, as Real Madrid's head coach, will undoubtedly emphasize again and again that he has high hopes for Cristiano Ronaldo.

"My God, why are they taking this so seriously? The Premier League title is theirs anyway, can't they at least leave us a way out?"

The atmosphere in Burnley's manager's office was so oppressive it was almost suffocating.

Head coach Dyche and sporting director Ederson sat facing each other, their faces etched with worry. They stared at each other, like two silent statues.

In fact, sporting director Ederson had already called Manchester City CEO Berrada a day earlier.

He tried his best to make his tone sound tactful and sincere, and carefully suggested to the other party that they go easy on him.

Ederson has a close personal relationship with former Manchester City CEO Begiristain. The two studied together at the Barcelona Business School, where they forged a deep friendship.

Ederson hoped that, through this connection, Berrada might show leniency towards Burnley.

However, reality delivered a harsh slap to Ederson's face!

Upon hearing the request for water, Berrada didn't hesitate and abruptly ended the call without a second thought.

Immediately afterwards, a short and cold text message arrived:

[You'll have to rely on your own efforts to avoid relegation. We'll throw the game? Dream on!]

This rude and decisive response infuriated Ederson, making him furious.

He cursed inwardly, thinking that he and Begiristain were such good friends that if Begilistan were in power, he would surely have asked him to spare Burnley out of consideration for their past relationship.

After all, for a club, the pain and disaster brought by relegation is undoubtedly devastating, enough to plunge the entire team into an abyss of no return.

"Who does Berrada think he is? I've been in the Premier League for ten years longer than him. He's never even played in a professional league. He doesn't understand football at all!" Ederson roared in his office.

Burnley manager Dyche said with a wry smile, "How could the executives of such a big club understand the struggles of us small teams? They're going to be relegated anyway."

Berrada, however, was so cold and unapproachable.

Thinking of this, Ederson's malice grew rapidly like weeds.

He gritted his teeth, his face terribly grim, and said to head coach Dyche, "Fair play then, no problem. But Dyche, listen to me carefully: if he doesn't let us have an easy time, we absolutely cannot let him have an easy time either."

Upon hearing this, Dyche was taken aback. He looked up at Ederson with a puzzled expression, seemingly not yet fully understanding the deeper meaning behind the other's words.

Before he could even ask, Ederson continued, "We need to build momentum on our home turf, you understand what I mean?"

"Of course I know," Dyche quickly replied. "We're still deep in the relegation zone. If we can beat Manchester City, we have a chance to climb out of this quagmire. I will definitely lead the players to play with spirit and give it our all, you don't need to worry about that at all. I've already explained everything to the players in detail, and I've also specifically devised corresponding tactical plans based on Manchester City's characteristics. We've recently developed a new approach to crossing from the wings, and the set-piece coach has also told me that we have some new ideas and changes in our set-piece tactics..."

Ederson impatiently waved his hand, interrupting Dyche's rambling.

"What I mean is, even if we go all out against Manchester City, no matter how hard we try, we'll most likely still lose. So let's go all out, especially targeting their key player, Tang. They're not going to hold back, so let's find a way to injure him! Without Tang, their absolute core player, let's see how they compete in the UEFA Champions League!"

As Ederson spoke, he clenched his fists, a ferocious expression on his face, as if he could already see Tang Long injured and lying on the ground.