At the UEFA Champions League group stage draw ceremony in the 1998-99 season, after Aldridge arrived, he clearly felt that the treatment was very different from last year.
Last year, in a gathering of this handsome man, he was just a rookie. Since people didn't know him, they didn't bother to talk to him.
But this year was different. Many strangers came to Aldrich to say hello and exchange a few cordial words. Most of them were formulaic greetings without any connotation.
Aldrich sat down and waited for the lottery ceremony to begin. After a while, there was someone next to him. He turned around and saw that the other person was looking at him with a smile.
"Oh, your vice-chairman has been criticizing Millwall recently, saying that the FA gives Millwall special care. It's really strange. I really want the FA to take care of us and treat all our future Champions League games.
It was arranged to be a home game, but in the next three months, after six Champions League match days, we actually have to play five away games, while Arsenal only has two away games. I really don’t know who the FA favors."
Aldrich said with a smile.
Wenger smiled bitterly and said: "Actually, I don't agree with Dane's proposal. Arsenal suddenly go to Wembley to play Champions League home games. This will greatly reduce our home court advantage. For Arsenal, who has returned to the Champions League after many years,
, it would be unwise to further reduce the home court advantage."
Aldridge showed his hands and said: "But my team played in the Champions League for the first time last year."
"But your team got familiar with Wembley through the European Cup Winners' Cup training last season. Although the home court advantage is still weakened, at least there is an adaptation process."
Aldridge did not argue, the fact is as Wenger said. He was loaned to Wembley last season to prepare for the Champions League.
"How's it going? Do you have any ambitions for the new season?"
Wenger stared at Aldridge with a smile and said softly: "Didn't you say it? Arsenal is not good enough to fight on two fronts. The league is not your competitor. As for the Champions League, who would think Arsenal is the favorite?"
After returning to the Champions League after many years of absence, Arsenal may not even be among the top ten favorites to win the championship.
Aldridge shrugged and said: "You can't look at it that way. Millwall was not the favorite last year."
While he was talking, two people sat down on the other side of Aldrich. He turned around and looked amused.
One is the coach of Inter Milan, Hodgson, and the other is the coach of Manchester United, Ferguson.
Hodgson, an English coach, is able to take charge of a giant club like Inter Milan in Italy. He has great abilities and reputation.
As soon as Hodgson sat down, he talked enthusiastically with Aldridge. The two shook hands first, and then Hodgson began to pour out his bitter words.
Millwall's player supermarket opened in the summer. Inter Milan all had offers for the six players who had transferred from the first team. The offers were basically the same as the transfer values of these players. Moratti had Aldridge's phone calls booming.
But in the end, Aldridge was not sold to Inter Milan.
He and Hodgson are both English, so they are not careless when communicating.
"Inter Milan is still buying people? Still buying? Your first team has more than 30 people. Do you want to run the team, or form an army to conquer the universe? It's not that I don't sell people. I know Moratti about the same.
It has been three years since I agreed to his offer. But the player himself did not want to go to Inter Milan. The player directly rejected Inter Milan, so there was no negotiation. This really has nothing to do with me."
Aldridge explained somewhat innocently. People like Herguera and Capdevila want to go back to Spain, Shevchenko goes to Milan, and Trezeguet goes to Juventus. These are no less attractive than Inter Milan.
, Gudjohnsen wanted to play the main force, and he would definitely be a substitute when he went to Inter Milan. Ballack had hesitated, but after taking a look at Inter Milan's first-team lineup, he was so frightened that he directly rejected the offer.
The transfer window closed in two days, and the signings of all major teams were basically finished. Hodgson gathered his mood and began to compliment Aldridge.
Aldrich repeatedly said that he didn't dare to take it seriously.
The cordial conversation between these two people made Ferguson and Wenger feel disgusted. At this moment, the two people who were wrong had the same idea: Hodgson, Aldrich, can you stop being so disgusting?
He and Hodgson had no business exchanges at all, they were basically just flattering each other...
When the flattery made him feel bad, Aldrich looked at Huo Taigong with a smile and asked: "Inter Milan has such a luxurious lineup, Ronaldo, Djorkaeff, Baggio, Simeone... uh,
You won the UEFA Cup last season, but unfortunately fell behind Juventus in Serie A. You should have greater pursuits in the new season, right? The outside world is looking forward to Inter Milan's Champions League performance."
Huo Taigong nodded. His coaching career has been on the rise so far. Although it is his second time to take over Inter Milan in the summer and he has a relationship with Audrey, he is guaranteed by his strength. Now he is proud of his life.
When climbing to the top, I would occasionally wear black sunglasses to look cool and fashionable.
"As long as they are not placed in the group of death, Inter Milan is fully capable of entering the knockout rounds, and then it will depend on the luck of the draw."
As soon as Huo Taigong's words came out, except for Aldridge who kept smiling and nodded, Ferguson and Wenger both sneered in their hearts: Luck? After entering the knockout round, who among the top eight will be a soft persimmon for you to pinch?
"What about Millwall? Are you confident of defending your title this year?"
Hodgson returned the favor and asked Aldridge a question.
Aldridge said in a low-key tone: "It's too difficult to defend the title. Millwall should try to qualify from the group first. My team hasn't taken shape yet."
When he said this, Ferguson snorted coldly.
Grass!
They just defeated Manchester United a week ago, and now they say that the team has not yet formed!
Aldrich noticed Ferguson's reaction, chuckled twice, and did not continue.
Before the draw ceremony began, Johansson still talked about the achievements of European football in the past year. Millwall won the team of the year again. After all, in the eyes of the outside world, they still won the Champions League as a dark horse. This is a myth.
In addition, they contributed many wonderful games. The final against Real Madrid was a classic battle. Millwall won this honor again without much controversy.
Critics will accuse Millwall of only finishing third in the Premier League, but Millwall tied with the runner-up and finished third with only one point behind champions Arsenal. In addition, they also won the League Cup.
, Millwall's performance among various strong teams was compared horizontally, and it has enough confidence to be selected as the best.
Millwall won the European Championship for two consecutive years. It also had an unbeaten record for two consecutive years and was listed as a seed team.
In the group draw, Millwall was directly drawn in the first pot, waiting for other opponents to join the same group.
When the teams in the second pot were drawn, Aldrich's face turned green.
When the second team of his group appeared, many people at the scene turned their attention to Aldrich, not only to him but also to Huo Taigong!
Inter Milan!
Hodgson's face was expressionless, more like stunned.
Aldrich looked embarrassed...
Mahler Gobi, the two of them just chatted like old friends, complimenting each other and wishing each other good luck in the Champions League.
Isn’t this nonsense?
6 groups, 8 qualifying places. This is a rhythm that must be fought to the death!
Ferguson and Wenger held it in for a long time, but neither of them could hold it back. They turned their faces to the side and raised the corners of their mouths slightly.
After Hodgson accepted this reality, he smiled dryly and said: "Haha. The second place in the group can also qualify."
"Hehe, yes. Yes."
Aldrich said a few words in agreement.
No more calls were made.
Yes, the second place in the group can also qualify, but out of the six second places in the group, only 2 can advance.
Between us, who is willing to be second in the group and leave his fate to luck?
The two people who had been chatting happily before fell into silence and watched the lottery ceremony quietly without even turning their faces towards each other.
The stupid UEFA!
This is a conspiracy!
Aldrich secretly cursed in his heart. If we want to talk about how strong Inter Milan is, he doesn't think it's just an embarrassing situation and a depressed mood at this moment.
After the other two opponents in the same group came out, Aldrich couldn't hold it back, lowered his head and cursed.
Seeing Aldridge's reaction, Hodgson looked up at the big screen, rubbed his eyes, and made sure he saw it correctly. He turned to ask Ferguson: "Inter Milan is with Millwall, Austria's Graz, and Russia's Spartak Moscow."
Are Dafen in the same group?"
Ferguson looked up and nodded: "Yes, congratulations, the group situation is good. As long as we don't lose to Millwall, the first place has a high chance of advancing."
Hodgson nodded slightly, Aldridge was next to him, and he couldn't make any more rhetorical remarks.
strangeness!
Graz, Spartak Moscow, this is definitely the fish belly in my impression!
Of course, they are the big players in their home league, but in the Champions League, they give the impression that they are the weaklings at the mercy of others.
Why did Aldrich react so violently?
Wenger also expressed surprise. He asked in a low voice: "Did you see it wrong?"
Aldrich suddenly raised his head and took a closer look, and said disappointedly: "That's right."
"Are you unhappy?"
"Can't be happy."
"Why?"
"Because the team is going to Moscow to play a game, no! In this grouping, Millwall cannot be divided into Central and Western Europe!"
When Wenger heard this, he immediately understood.
The United Kingdom and Russia are almost the westernmost and the easternmost in Europe.
Although Millwall only needs to play one away game, an expedition to Moscow, the back-and-forth travel and fatigue of the game will directly affect the league that approaches after the match day.
A league game sounds insignificant, but considering that Millwall failed to defend the title last season, the only difference is a game! The difference is to turn a defeat into a draw, or turn a draw into a victory, then they can
Defending the title successfully.
Why the league performance in the first half of last season was worse than in the second half of the season, the expedition to Kiev was a factor. It may seem small, but it cannot be ignored.
After the lottery ceremony ended, Aldrich quickly left his depression behind.
He stood up, shook hands with Wenger and congratulated him.
Wenger smiled bitterly and said: "My group is not easy. Why do you congratulate me? I also have to lead the team to Ukraine to challenge Dynamo Kyiv, and I also have to face last season's Ligue 1 champion Lens, and there is an unfamiliar player.
Greek giant Panathinaikos.”
"Anyway, congratulations."
Aldrich turned around again and hurriedly shook hands with Mr. Huo. The two had nothing to congratulate or wish each other. Anyway, it would not be long before they would meet again, and that would be the day when swordsmen met.
Finally, Aldridge shook hands with Ferguson again and congratulated him.
Ferguson looked ugly and said, "Did you do it on purpose?"
Only then did Aldrich turn his head and look at the big screen, asking for trouble and saying, "Okay, pretend I didn't say anything."
Manchester United is unlucky. The other three opponents in the same group are Bayern Munich, Barcelona and Brondby.
Except for the Danish champion who may be giving away points, the other three giants are fighting each other. This group is a group of death. The worst thing is that the internal friction between the three giants may cause the second place in the group to have a low score and be unable to qualify...
