On February 13, the coaches of both teams expressed their opinions at the pre-match press conference:
Napoli coach Walter·Mazzarri said this, "We know that Manchester United is the favorite, but in the two rounds, anything is possible.
Saint Paul Stadium is our twelfth man. We must show aggression from the first minute, press high and pass quickly.
Manchester United's three forwards are the strongest frontcourt combination in the world, especially Mr. Ballon d'Or Zhang Kuang. We must use overall defense to limit the speed of the three of them.
We have the ability to achieve a good result at home and lay the foundation for the second round. I believe that my team and players will perform at 100% and hope to get the results they want."
Manchester United coach Sir Alex Ferguson: "The Italy team is never easy to deal with, and Napoli is especially good.
The combination of Cavani and Lavezzi is very threatening, and we must cut off their supply in the midfield.
I'm not worried about our offense. I hope there will be no problems with our defense tomorrow. We will score Saint Paul goals, and more than one.
Zhang Kuang is our nuclear weapon, he will level everything. Because he is the most valuable Mr. Ballon d'Or, and no Mr. Ballon d'Or has ever scored as many goals as him in a single season."
February 14th, six o'clock in the evening.
Napoli The streets around Saint Paul Stadium have been flooded by a sea of blue and white.
Napoli fans sang the team song, lit fireworks, and the firelight reflected on their faces, like an ancient pre-war ritual.
Manchester United bus entered the main road under the escort of police cars.
The boos and curses from both sides were clearly audible through the car window, and someone threw an empty water bottle at the bus.
Zhang Kuang is sitting by the window, wearing headphones, with a calm expression.
He was listening to "The Wanderer's Voice" by Sam Hui: "There is a time in life that must be there, but there is no time in life. Don't force it."
A smile appeared on his lips and he turned off the music.
He doesn't believe in fate, he only believes in himself.
But if he didn't believe in fate, how did he get through time?
Alas, I can't figure it out again.
But no matter what, he still doesn't believe in ghosts and gods.
The bus drove into the underground parking lot, and security personnel linked arms to form a human wall to block the extreme fans who tried to attack the bus.
In the locker room, Ferguson stood in front of the tactical board, his eyes swept over the players' faces, and paused on Zhang Kuang for a second longer:
"Saint Paul Stadium is one of the most difficult away games for Europe. Maradona defeated Juventus here. Since then, this stadium has become Southern Italy's football mecca. But Maradona has retired, and now it is your time.
Napoli Three defenders, press on both wings, Hamšík organizes, Cavani presses in front. Press high and counterattack quickly.
Their weakness: Once they are pushed back and the defense shrinks too deep, there will be space in the frontcourt. Zhang Kuang, you will be taken care of today. What you have to do is not to compete with them, but to run so that they cannot catch up with you."
Zhang Kuang nodded, Ferguson paused.
"Today is Valentine's Day. Winning this game is the best gift to your significant other. This is why I allowed your wives to come and watch the game today.
If you win, you can live whatever you want tomorrow. If you lose, I will drag you back early tomorrow morning and go back to the base to watch the video. Do you understand?"
"Got it!" everyone shouted.
7:30 pm, Saint Paul Stadium player channel.
Zhang Kuang stands in the middle of the team, with Giggs in front and Rooney behind him.
He is wearing a Manchester United red jersey with a dark red background and gold trim, with 'ZHANGKUANG33' printed on the back.
On the other side of the tunnel, the players of Napoli stood in a row.
Napoli's mascot: a doll dressed as a 'mozzarella cow' is jumping around at the entrance of the passage, trying to lighten the atmosphere.
Suddenly, there was a burst of fireworks out of nowhere. The bull doll staggered in fright and rushed directly towards the visiting team's warm-up area, almost hitting Rooney who was warming up.
The staff rushed over and hurriedly dragged the doll away, and the whole audience burst into laughter.
Zhang Kuang glanced at the embarrassed doll, turned to Rooney and said, "Napoli's mascot steals the spotlight better than you."
Rooney rolled his eyes. "Get lost."
7:45 pm, Sky Sports live broadcast room.
Martin·Tyler and Gary·Neville are already in place.
Tyler was wearing a dark suit with a tactical tablet in front of him. Neville was wearing a gray jacket and holding a glass of water in his hand.
Martin·Tyler: "Welcome to watch the first round of the quarter-finals of the 2011/12 season UEFA Champions League brought to you by Sky Sports, Napoli versus Manchester United.
I am Martin·Tyler. Sitting next to me is Manchester United, the legendary captain Gary·Neville. Gary, what do you think of the game tonight?"
Gary·Neville: "Martin, I have to say, this game makes me a little nervous. As a former Manchester United player, I know how difficult Saint Paul Stadium is to play.
The legend of the Maradona era is still affecting this stadium to this day. The fanaticism of Napoli fans ranks among the top five in Europe."
Martin·Tyler: "But Manchester United is no longer the Manchester United that relies on defensive counterattacks to win. Manchester United is now Mr. Zhang Kuang, the new coach Ballon d'Or, has scored 57 goals in all competitions this season. Gary, do you think Napoli can guard him?"
Gary·Neville: "Frankly speaking, no. I'm not saying that Napoli is not good at defense. Campagnaro and Little Cannavaro are both top defenders, but Zhang Kuang is a pervert. I don't know anyone on this planet who can guard him."
Martin·Tyler: "Napoli's tridents Cavani, Hamšík, and Lavezzi are also very good. Gary, how many goals do you think Napoli can score?"
Gary·Neville: "Cavani, Hamšík, and Lavezzi are all excellent forwards, but they need luck to score goals. Only when all factors are added together can they score goals.
Unlike Zhang Kuang, he doesn't need luck, he just needs his teammates to pass the ball to his feet, and he can score more than two goals per game."
Martin·Tyler: "Haha, that's right, let's take a look at the starting lineups of both sides. Manchester United ranked 4-3-3: goalkeeper De Gea.
The defenders are: Smalling, Evans, Ferdinand, Evra. The midfielders are: Valencia, Carrick, Giggs. The front trident is: Zhang Kuang, Hernández, Rooney.
Vidić felt discomfort in his calf during warm-up before the game, and Ferdinand made an emergency substitution in the starting lineup. Gary, will Vidić's absence have a big impact?"
Gary·Neville: "Of course there is influence. Vidić is the leader of Manchester United's defense. But Ferdinand's experience is enough to make up for it.
What I am more worried about is that Smalling plays right back, he is more accustomed to the center back position. Napoli has Zúñiga and Lavezzi on the left, both speed players, Smalling will be very busy tonight."
Martin·Tyler: "Napoli ranks 3-4-1-2: goalkeeper De Sanctis, and the back line is: Campagnaro, Little Cannavaro, Aronica.
Midfielder: Maggio, Džemaili, Inler, Zúñiga. The three frontcourt players are: Hamšík; Lavezzi, Cavani.
Gargano was injured and absent, Džemaili replaced him. Gary, what do you think of Napoli's formation?"
Gary·Neville: "The biggest problem with the three-back system is the space on the wings. After Maggio and Zúñiga press on, the space behind them is what Zhang Kuang and Rooney like to use most.
If Napoli cannot limit Manchester United's advancement from the wing, they will be beaten. In addition, Inler's long shot is an important weapon for Napoli, and Manchester United's midfielder must press him before he takes off."
Martin·Tyler: "Okay, the on-site ceremony is over and the game is about to begin. Let's switch the signal to Saint Paul Stadium.
Tonight's chief referee is Nikolai Rizzoli from Italy. As the Italy referee officiating the Italy team's game, there were some controversies before the game, but Rizzoli is a referee trained by UEFA. His law enforcement style has always been rigorous. Let us wait and see whether he is fair and just..."
At the same time, CCTV's broadcast also made some reports.
"Beep--!"
Rizzoli blew the whistle to start the game.
The sound waves of Saint Paul Stadium instantly rose to a level that made your eardrums tremble.
After the kick-off, Napoli immediately launched a high-position press.
Maggio and Zúñiga press forward from the side like two sharp knives, Hamšík connects in series in the middle, and Cavani is at the front constantly harassing Ferdinand and Evans.
He Wei: "Friends from the audience, the game has begun! Napoli pushed very forward as soon as they started. This is the 'aggressive football' promised by Mazzarri before the game.
Manchester United is wearing a red jersey today, and Napoli is wearing a blue and white striped jersey. Zhang Kuang is standing on the left, and opposite him is Napoli's right back Maggio."
Zhang Lu: "The first five minutes are the key. Napoli wants to take advantage of the home momentum to get the start. Manchester United must stabilize their position and not let their morale drop."
In the 4th minute, Lavezzi broke through Evra from the left and swept in front of the goal. Cavani shot from the front, and De Gea subconsciously stretched his legs to block it.
Smalling Bigfoot makes a rescue.
Martin·Tyler: "Lavezzi's breakthrough! Cross! Cavani rushed to shoot, De Gea blocked it! What a risk! Manchester United's defense was penetrated in the first shot! Napoli should not be underestimated!"
Gary·Neville: "Smalling couldn't keep up with Lavezzi's speed. Evra was also beaten cleanly. The tacit understanding of the Manchester United backline combination was far from enough."
On the GiggsSports forum, Manchester United fans have exploded:
"Smalling is a disaster playing right back! Ferguson What are you doing?"
"Calm down, it's just the beginning."
"Lavezzi is too fast, Smalling is like a wooden stake."
"..."
In the 8th minute, Giggs intercepted the ball in the midfield and passed through. Zhang Kuang took the ball from the left and cut inside, attracting Campagnaro and then passed the ball across the middle.
Hernández responded to Carrick who was plugged in. Carrick pushed from the top of the arc in the penalty area, but De Sanctis fell to the ground and tackled him.
Martin·Tyler: "Manchester United's counterattack! Zhang Kuang took the ball and cut inside, passed it across...Hernández responded...Carrick shot!"
De Sanctis saved it. This was Manchester United's first shot in this game. Although it didn't pose much of a threat, the coordination was very smooth."
Gary·Neville: "Look at this coordination: Giggs intercepts the ball, Zhang Kuang receives the ball and cuts inside, Hernández goes back, Carrick inserts...
Four people touched the ball four times and completed the attack in one attack. Manchester United's tacit understanding in the frontcourt has reached a very high level."
SkySports comment section:
"Zhang Kuang is really cool when he cuts inside. Campagnaro is completely stunned."
"Carrick's insertion was at just the right time, but the shot was a bit off."
"The coordination is great, Manchester United's offense has become a system this season."
"No, why did Zhang Kuang pass the ball? Why did Carrick intervene instead of Zhang Kuang?"
"Huh, why are there so many? You have so many things to do. When watching a game, you must have stipulated who should shoot and who should move?"
"..."
In the 10th minute, Zúñiga passed back from the left, Inler transitioned to Hamšík, Hamšík volleyed from the top of the penalty area, and the ball was about two meters above the crossbar.
He Wei: "Napoli's offense is very active, Hamšík's long shot! It's over the crossbar. Napoli's offense is dominant after the opening, and the ball possession rate has reached 58%."
Zhang Lu: "This is Saint Paul Stadium, Manchester United must adapt to this rhythm as soon as possible and let the game be under their control."
In the 12th minute, Valencia fiercely stole the ball from Džemaili in the midfield, and then passed the ball to the right. Rooney took the ball from the right and cut inside, shooting low with his left foot into the near corner. De Sanctis fell to the ground and saved, and Little Cannavaro made a big-footed clearance.
Martin·Tyler: "Valencia's steal! Rooney cut in and shot... saved by De Sanctis! Valencia's defensive task in this game is very heavy, but his steal just now is very crucial."
Gary·Neville: "Valencia is the most critical piece for Ferguson today. He needs to suppress Džemaili in the midfield confrontation and also provide width during the transition between offense and defense.
This is why Ferguson chose him instead of Cleverley. Experience, strength, and tactical execution, Valencia has it all."
In the 14th minute, Lavezzi and Maggio collided with the wall and then crossed the ball. Hamšík shot from the left side of the penalty area into the far corner. De Gea flew up and held the baseline with one hand, a corner kick.
He Wei: "It's Hamšík again, Hamšík curve ball! De Gea made a great save! This is a world-class save! Hamšík's shot has been aimed at the far corner, but De Gea's stretching ability is too strong!"
Zhang Lu: "When De Gea first came to Manchester United, many people questioned his ability to save. But now if you look at him, his reaction speed, wingspan, and positioning sense are all top-notch. Manchester United will be a goalkeeper for the next ten years. Don't worry."
MyScore live broadcast room comment area:
"De Gea is too stable, this ball might have been scored by another goalkeeper."
"Hamšík's footwork is really good, and the arc is very beautiful."
"Manchester United 3:0, Zhang Kuang hat trick, thank you! --Me from the future."
"Damn it, this guy bought a ball again, and he bought a big ball. He bought Zhang Kuang hat trick. This is a typical gambler. The bet is huge, it should be."
"Hey, brother, who doesn't buy football, who doesn't buy Zhang Kuang? If you buy him, your income will be very stable."
"Fuck, a bunch of gamblers!"
"Zhang Kuang was inactive in the first 15 minutes. What's going on?"
"The passing route has been cut off. The ball cannot be passed to Zhang Kuang."
"Napoli has a moment."
"..."
In the 16th minute, Hamšík took a corner kick on the right, Little Cannavaro headed the ball back, Aronica relayed the header in front of the goal, and the ball slightly missed the right post.
Martin·Tyler: "Cavani missed it! Ah!! The top of the ball was deflected! Aronica missed the ball less than five meters in front of the goal! Napoli The fans held their heads and sighed!"
Gary·Neville: "Hey, this is the difference between top players. If you change it to Zhang Kuang, this goal will definitely be scored. There is a difference between a forward and a forward. As long as a super forward like Zhang Kuang is given a chance, he can score at least one, sometimes both, in two opportunities. But a first-class forward like Cavani may score one in every five opportunities, or more.
On this ball, Manchester United's defense missed people continuously. First, Little Cannavaro was completely unmarked at the back point, and then Aronica. Ferguson looked very angry on the sidelines. He should have solved this problem in the locker room."
Ferguson waved his hands angrily on the sidelines and seemed to be shouting something.
The camera showed a close-up of him: his face was ashen.
In the 18th minute, Ferdinand stole the ball and made a long pass to Hernández. Hernández headed the ball to Rooney. Rooney cut in from the right and shot low with his left foot. Little Cannavaro stretched out his foot to block the ball from the baseline.
Martin·Tyler: "Manchester United's quick counterattack! Ferdinand's long pass... Hernández's ferry... Rooney's shot! Little Cannavaro blocked it!"
Gary·Neville: "This is Manchester United's counterattack speed. It is extremely fast. From Ferdinand stealing the ball to Rooney shooting, the whole process takes less than ten seconds.
Napoli's defense must always be vigilant, otherwise it will be broken down by this speed. Now Hernández's center forward's ability to return is getting better and better. Two of them have already posed a threat in this game. This is the skill of a top center. Hernández has a promising future."
In the 21st minute, Giggs midfielder moved to the left accurately. Zhang Kuang took the ball and passed Maggio and then made a pass. Hernández jumped high in front of the small penalty area and headed the ball over the crossbar.
He Wei: "Zhang Kuang's breakthrough! Cross! Hernández's header... high! One of Manchester United's best chances! Zhang Kuang's breakthrough was very beautiful, and Maggio was completely knocked away by him!"
Zhang Lu: "Hernández should have suppressed the ball. The angle of his header was not good enough. But the speed, arc, and placement of Zhang Kuang's cross were all perfect.
Maggio is guarding Zhang Kuang on the right. This game will be very painful. What a pity, Zhang Kuang should have shot it himself. Zhang Kuang has not shown his sword until the first half. Is he paralyzing his opponent?"
SkySports comment section:
"Zhang Kuang This breakthrough is so easy, Maggio is like slow motion."
"Hernández, this goal should be scored."
"Little Pea is still too short. If Zhang Kuang grabbed the points by himself, he might have entered."
"Zhang Kuang, what the hell are you doing? Why don't you shoot the ball yourself? I bought your hat trick."
"Shit, Zhang Kuang is a little weird today, I don't have much desire to express myself."
"Is it possible... that he was conquered by the beauty Italy last night?"
"Maybe that's what it is!"
"Then what should we do? Find someone to blow up Zhang Kuang."
"Pfft, haha, what are you talking about?"
"..."