In the away team's locker room at that moment.
"The rhythm of the Champions League and the Premier League differs greatly, so after the match starts, we must first find our own rhythm as much as possible," Ling pointed at the tactics board.
In Manchester United's previous Champions League group stage matches, the opponents they faced weren't particularly strong, nor had they played against any elite La Liga teams.
Thus, it was easy to fall into situations of being unable to change the tempo or struggling to adjust the pace against Spanish opposition.
Recently, Ling had meticulously reviewed Atlético Madrid's Champions League matches over the years and found that Simeone basically followed the exact same pattern: leveraging home advantage to aggressively seize the initiative at the start.
They always launched a big, physical wave of attacks at the beginning to try and break through the opponent's goal early.
"Also, Kante can't play in this match due to being cup-tied with Chelsea, so our backline must be extra careful, trying to eliminate threats outside the penalty area as much as possible," Mourinho added as he walked in.
"And our attacking play up front must be fast, not giving Atlético Madrid time to adjust their defensive block."
Since Simeone took charge of Atlético Madrid in December 2011, the team had achieved an astonishing 34 clean sheets in the Champions League, the most among all European clubs in the same period.
Even though Manchester United's attacking line is exceptionally luxurious, scoring goals tonight wouldn't be easy.
Moreover, it was entirely foreseeable that Atlético Madrid's marking of Jeremy in this match would undoubtedly reach a terrifying, physical level.
After getting caught up in intense physical confrontations, creating threats or completing breakthroughs would be a significant challenge.
The same applied to the other United attackers.
"Ling, increase the frequency of positional rotations up front. As long as we can disrupt Atlético Madrid's rigid defensive formation, teammates making late runs will find space," Mourinho looked at his captain and reminded him.
"Got it, Boss!" Ling nodded, then shouted loudly to the room, "Come on! Let's take the victory home to Manchester!"
"COME ON!"
The Manchester United players roared in unison before following him out of the locker room.
...
The atmosphere in the player tunnel seemed to drop to freezing point the moment the two teams lined up.
Ling turned his head and scanned the surroundings, locking eyes intensely with Filipe Luís.
Last time, in the Super Cup, if Filipe hadn't been so arrogant and dirty, Ling definitely wouldn't have retaliated with violence.
But honestly, after throwing that punch, he had felt incredibly satisfied.
He wondered if Filipe would give him another chance to swing today.
Thinking this, Ling's eyes grew eager and ready.
Filipe involuntarily averted his gaze for a second, instinctively rubbing his nose where he had been struck, but he soon glared back defiantly.
He didn't care about the physical pain, but the psychological blow to his ego had been too great.
Ever since being knocked down by Ling's punch on live television, he had become a laughingstock in European football.
His personal social media accounts received daily private messages filled with mockery, disdain, and even insults from rival fans.
"Just you wait!" Filipe made a throat-slitting gesture toward Ling.
"I hope you can last a bit longer this time!" Ling didn't back down either, stepping forward. "Don't fall down again in one go, like a weakling."
The Atlético Madrid players couldn't tolerate such disrespectful remarks and immediately stepped forward aggressively to confront Ling.
The Manchester United players didn't hesitate for a second, instantly stepping up to form a physical wall, blocking their way.
Beep beep beep!
The sharp sound of a whistle suddenly pierced the tense air.
Referee Felix Zwayer stepped between the two packs of players and said sternly, "Gentlemen, I hope you can control yourselves, otherwise—"
To assert his authority, he then pulled a yellow card from his pocket and showed it to the players as a final warning.
"See you on the pitch, boy," Atlético captain Diego Godín stopped his teammates and spoke coldly to Ling.
"See you on the pitch, old man," Ling tightened his captain's armband expressionlessly.
Once the tunnel quieted down slightly, Maguire covered his mouth and whispered to Mahrez, "Damn it, Riyad, let's find a chance to take down these Spaniards later. Last time in the Super Cup, the brawl ended before I even got to make a move!"
"Harry, don't you dare act recklessly! If you get a red card, the boss won't let you off easy!" Mahrez frowned deeply, whispering back.
'Was this big guy really that clueless?' Mahrez thought.
Couldn't he see Ling's real intention? Ling was deliberately provoking the Atlético players in the tunnel, hoping to get them angry so they would make rash challenges and get carded.
Since yellow cards carry over, if they got booked, Manchester United could advance smoothly without much trouble in the second leg at Old Trafford.
Football is like a war—player ability, tactical setups, pre-match mind games... the outcome is influenced by many factors.
"Don't you trust me?" Maguire patted his massive chest.
"Just remember what I said." Mahrez's lips twitched uncontrollably.
It was precisely because it was Harry Maguire that he couldn't be trusted!
After that, Mahrez quickly went over to De Gea, reminding the Spanish goalkeeper to keep a close eye on the big guy, lest Maguire make another foolish mistake fueled by adrenaline.
Soon, led by the officiating team, the players from both sides walked out of the tunnel.
...
Whoosh!!!!!!!!!
The Wanda Metropolitano erupted with thunderous, deafening cheers.
The stands were a hostile sea of red and white, blending together like a grand, aggressive oil painting.
Tonight's two Champions League knockout matches were Atlético vs. Manchester United and Roma vs. Porto.
Without a doubt, the former was more thrilling and intense, capturing the attention of most fans globally.
Clive Tyldesley: "Good evening from the magnificent Wanda Metropolitano in Madrid! The Champions League knockout stages are here, and tonight, we are treated to a heavyweight bout! Diego Simeone's Atlético Madrid host Jose Mourinho's Manchester United!"
Ally McCoist: "It is a clash of two very distinct, very physical footballing philosophies, Clive. Let's look at the lineups. Simeone is deploying his trusted, battle-hardened 4-4-2 formation. Since he took over, Los Colchoneros have become a nightmare for any European giant."
Clive Tyldesley: "And wearing the black away jerseys tonight are Manchester United. Since N'Golo Kante is cup-tied, having played for Chelsea in Europe this season, Mourinho has opted for a more balanced 4-3-3 formation, with Nemanja Matic anchoring the midfield."
Ally McCoist: "Both these teams are renowned for their dark arts and their defense. Atlético has conceded the fewest goals in La Liga this season, just 17 in 24 matches. United has conceded just 15 in 26, making them the best defensive team in the Premier League. This is a clash of impenetrable shields."
"Ally, which team do you favor more in this war of attrition?"
"Of course, it's still Manchester United, even though on paper, the physical strength and defensive solidity of the two teams are quite similar," Ally McCoist said, pausing for a moment.
"But Manchester United still holds the ultimate trump card—Jeremy Ling. With 21 goals and 9 assists in the league, he can create something out of absolutely nothing. That capability terrifies even Simeone!"
Although he said it out loud confidently, deep down, Ally McCoist felt somewhat uneasy.
The 4-4-2 formation has a natural tactical advantage over the 4-3-3, mainly due to the numerical superiority and pressing traps in midfield.
Manchester United might easily face a disjointed formation tonight, leaving their forwards isolated and unsupported against a brutal defense.
But there was no point in overthinking it now.
The players were in position.
BEEP!!!
Referee Felix Zwayer blew the whistle, and the heavyweight clash began!
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