Super Marshal

The weather in Moscow has been gloomy and rainy these days.

Gao Han arrived at Domodedovo International Airport on Lufthansa and was picked up by Manchester United's driver.

Just two days ago, Bayern Munich had just returned to Munich from Manchester, and while they were still holding a victory parade, Gao Han received a call from Ferguson, inviting him to Moscow to watch the game, and the treatment was excellent.

Gao Han's food, accommodation and other expenses in Moscow were all paid by Manchester United.

But Gao Han certainly knows Ferguson's wishful thinking.

Coincidentally, Guardiola also called Gao Han and invited him to watch the game in Moscow.

The former assistant's performance in coaching Barcelona this season is quite amazing. Although it is only his first season, he has won the league championship and cup championship in Spain. He has also reached the final of the Champions League and is expected to win the most in La Liga history. The second Triple Crown, Guardiola also became famous.

The same situation exists with Manchester United.

After a spree of signings last summer, Ferguson's team has greatly increased its strength this season. It defeated Rijkaard's Chelsea and won the Premier League championship. At the same time, it reached the Champions League final and is expected to win the double.

Also because both sides are league champions, they are also determined to win the Champions League championship and attach great importance to it. That's why they took the initiative to call Gao Han, hoping that he could come to Moscow to watch the game live and help make suggestions.

One is an old friend, a former disciple and assistant; the other is an old friend, who has taken care of Gao Han in the past years, and even provided advice for Inter Milan's Champions League final last year. The palm of his hand is flesh, and the back of his hand is also flesh.

Gao Han arrived in Moscow with this awkward and entangled mood and went to the hotel where Manchester United stayed.

Some red and yellow finals posters kept appearing along the way. They used oil paints to spray paint on the cement road and turned them into posters. There was one about one kilometer away, a bit like guiding the fans.

It is said that if you walk along this passage of posters for the Champions League final, at the end is the stadium for the Champions League final, the Luzhniki Stadium under the Sparrow Mountain.

But the hotel where Manchester United stayed turned into the city halfway.

The roads in Moscow are not as impressive as those in the suburbs, but there is an endless stream of colorful flags printed with final posters along the way, fluttering in the wind, always reminding every passing fan that the decisive battle is coming.

Since media reporters and fans who had heard the news had been waiting outside the hotel where Manchester United was staying, the driver took Gao Han directly into the hotel through another passage and did not get off the car until the entrance of the lobby.

As soon as they heard that Gao Han was visiting the team, every Manchester United player seemed very excited and rushed to the ground to say hello, especially players such as Van der Sar, Carrick, Matic and Pepe who were involved with Gao Han.

The Dutch goalkeeper came to Manchester United from Chelsea last summer. As a result, he set an astonishing clean sheet record in his first season and helped Manchester United win the league championship and reach the Champions League final. His performance was quite eye-catching.

It is said that Abramovich almost vomited blood because of this, but he hated Gao Han even more because of it.

Because in his opinion, it was Gao Han and the players he brought out who were making things difficult for him.

Otherwise, how to explain that Veron performed poorly at Chelsea but thrived at Inter Milan, and Van der Sar did the same? Is there nothing fishy in this?

Carrick is another player that Abramovich regrets. It was because of him that the Chelsea management had a falling out with Gao Han, but this British midfielder proved his success in Tottenham Hotspur and Manchester United. His strength has made countless Chelsea fans regret it, and has become an eternal thorn in Abramovich's heart.

Not to mention Pepe and Matic. They were both recommended to Ferguson by Gao Han, but they turned out to be major contributors to Manchester United's championship this season. It is logical for Abramovich to blame Gao Han for this.

On the contrary, this group of players admired Gao Han's attitude very much. Many of them even rushed to ask for autographs and photos, saying they wanted to post them online for fans to see.

After finally reaching the door of Ferguson, all the players stopped temporarily. The old man waved his hand and signaled everyone to go back and prepare for what they should do. The players then dispersed like birds and beasts.

Ferguson entertained Gao Han with great enthusiasm, and even took out the precious wine that he brought specially from the wine cellar of his home in Cheshire. Looking at Gao Han's wine destroying him like a cow chewing a peony, he felt heartbroken. ah.

But there is no way, who can let him ask for help?

"To be honest, he has been with you for so long, and you brought him here. How do you think we should play in this game?" Ferguson asked straightforwardly.

Gao Han had known for a long time that this old man would not be able to afford it early without any benefit.

Taking out the fine wine collected at home will definitely lead to more valuable information.

Fortunately, he was also prepared.

"Frankly speaking, if you insist on your own style as you just said in the pre-match press conference, it will definitely be useless, because if you play offense, you can't keep up with Barcelona."

Guardiola's team has gathered a group of outstanding scorers, Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Messi, Henry, and players like Iniesta, Xavi and Deco are in the midfield. Manchester United can't beat Barcelona if they play offense.

"What do you mean, Mamoru?"

Gao Han nodded, "The main focus is on defensive counterattacks, but you can't defend. Start with a rush. Don't ask for goals, but you must disrupt their rhythm. But the length of time depends on how you treat your own team." Defensively.”

After all, the team belongs to Ferguson, and only Ferguson himself knows many things. As a bystander, Gao Han can only give his own reference opinions. As for how Ferguson uses it, that is his own business.

"Actually, Sir, to be honest, your offense is good, your defense is good, it's comprehensive, and it's balanced. You have more options, so you may not be incapable of fighting." Gao Han reminded carefully.

Manchester United is indeed more balanced, but Barcelona has better ball control and offensive capabilities. When playing against such a team, you cannot be anxious and want to eat the opponent in one go. That can only work in the Premier League. If you play against Barcelona, ​​you will definitely die.

Ferguson looked hesitant, "My idea is to try to score a goal first in the first half."

"Can you hold it?" Gao Han asked.

Ferguson did not answer, obviously he was not sure himself.

"Think about it for yourself." Gao Han said.

Ferguson nodded, this kind of thing can only be worried about by him as the head coach.

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After staying at Manchester United's hotel until the evening and having dinner with Ferguson, Gao Han asked the hotel to arrange a car to take him to the hotel in Barcelona where he was staying.

Fortunately, the distance between the two hotels is not far, and it takes less than ten minutes to get there.

The Barcelona players who had been resting all rushed out to meet Gao Han when they heard that Gao Han was coming.

Eto'o, Ronaldinho, Messi, Deco, Pique...these are all Gao Han's favorite students, plus Alves, whom Gao Han values ​​​​and coach Guardiola too Gao Han's player later served as Gao Han's assistant for two years, so that many people regard the current Barcelona as Gao Han's team.

But only Gao Han himself knows that this team is still very different from him.

The biggest difference is that Guardiola values ​​ball control more. He is more like a person who regards ball control as his lifeline. Although Gao Han values ​​​​passing and controlling, his rhythm is faster and he is more inclined to attack quickly.

After meeting and greeting the players, and encouraging them to keep up their efforts in tomorrow's game, Gao Han went to the coffee shop downstairs of the hotel for a drink with Guardiola.

The Guardiola in front of him is obviously very different from the new Barcelona coach who came to Madrid to seek advice a year ago. He is a little more confident and has a strategizing general demeanor, which makes Gao Han feel... I am very pleased and can't help but admire his achievements in coaching Barcelona this season.

There is a chance to win the Triple Crown in the first season. Guardiola's coaching is like a plug-in. More importantly, the kind of football his team plays is very consistent with Barcelona's traditional philosophy. .

Cruyff, Van Gaal, Gao Han and Guardiola are considered to be from the same origin.

"In fact, Barcelona has reached this point. You no longer need to think too much about your opponents. All you need to do is stick to your own football philosophy, stick to your own technical and tactical play, and really put me first. ."

In this Champions League final, Barcelona's overall strength has an advantage, and their tactical concepts are more mature, so they can stick to themselves, but Ferguson's Manchester United cannot. The Red Devils must adopt more targeted tactics. .

However, Gao Han always felt that Ferguson had a strong gambling habit, liked taking risks, and was good at using surprises.

As a friend of both parties, Gao Han will definitely not take sides, nor will he disclose to Ferguson or Guardiola the content of his conversations with the other party, and the suggestions he gives are basically those that the other party must have seriously considered.

But what Guardiola talked about most was not the final, but after the final.

"We Chinese have a saying that it is easy to break if it is too rigid. It has sufficient rigidity and strength, but it is not good if it lacks flexibility and flexibility. Just like Juventus before. On the other hand, your situation is purely technical and heavy. Skills, but not enough stiffness and hardness, I think this is where you need to strengthen next.”

Speaking of this, Gao Han gave an example, "Look at AC Milan, its strength has declined a lot this season. The main reason is that after the ability has declined, especially after the strong Gattuso and other players have weakened, the team's His style is soft and he can easily be bullied by his opponents.”

"Another typical example is Arsenal in the Premier League. Wenger's best team was the one I faced back then. At that time, it had strong players such as Vieira and Gilberto Silva. There are also delicate players like Pires, Henry, Bergkamp and Ljungberg, who can be said to be strong and soft at the same time. That was the peak of Wenger's coaching, and after that it was worse every year."

Guardiola has always admired Gao Han's vision and affirmed his judgment on AC Milan and Arsenal. From these words, he also saw Gao Han's reminder.

Barcelona need to inject some hardness into themselves and make themselves stronger.

This is a bit like Gao Han's Bayern Munich team, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Modric, but also Van Bommel and Vidal, obviously for this reason.

Looking at the teams that Gao Han has coached, Atletico Madrid is like this, Chelsea is like this, Inter Milan is like this, and now Bayern Munich is like this.

This may be what he often talks about, the Chinese golden mean.