The rest of the draw followed.
Liverpool were paired with Atlético Madrid.
Chelsea drew Valencia.
Barcelona avoided Tottenham, preventing what could have become a full Premier League-versus-La Liga war.
Of course, UEFA probably preferred keeping several major clubs apart for the later stages.
Television ratings had to be protected, after all.
When Mourinho and Ling left the venue, reporters swarmed around them.
"Do you have any thoughts on the draw?"
A microphone was pushed close to Mourinho's mouth.
More than a decade earlier, Mourinho had openly attacked UEFA during a Champions League draw because he believed Chelsea had been targeted.
Tonight, his response was calmer.
"Manchester United have won the Champions League twice in succession. We are not planning to fall in the round of sixteen, and I have complete confidence in my players."
"As for the Manchester derby at the end of the month," another reporter continued, "the result could decide who finishes the year top of the Premier League. Which team has the better chance?"
"There is no need to ask."
Mourinho's lips curved into a faint smile.
"Of course, I believe our chances are higher. We lost to Manchester City in the Community Shield, but anyone who watched the match understands the circumstances."
"Ling is also in outstanding form. In decisive matches, he always produces decisive performances. I expect him to do so again."
Mourinho turned and walked away.
Ling was surrounded separately and bombarded with questions from every direction.
"Will the Manchester derby affect your wedding three days later?"
"Will Guardiola make things difficult for you if United win?"
"It's been reported that Guardiola has ordered City's defenders to target you specifically in training. Is your future father-in-law trying to sabotage you?"
Ling did not answer. Security personnel formed a path and escorted him toward the car.
When Guardiola later heard the questions, he refused an interview with a grim expression.
Damn it! Ling was Manchester United's most dangerous player.
What's wrong with preparing targeted defensive tactics against him?
Why did those reporters make it sound as though a future father-in-law were secretly plotting against his son-in-law?
The reporter had to be from The Sun!
...
Four days after the European draw, Manchester United faced League Two side Colchester United in the League Cup.
Mourinho handed the match to a youthful lineup, and United still won 3–1, advancing to the semifinals without needing their core players.
On December 22nd, Newcastle United arrived at Old Trafford for the 18th round of the Premier League.
When the final whistle blew, the scoreboard showed Manchester United 4–1 Newcastle.
Ling had scored twice again, first with a stunning long-range strike in the 29th minute and later with a close-range finish at the near post.
His league tally had reached twenty-two goals with one match still remaining before the halfway point of the season.
"Two more for the Ballon d'Or winner, two more steps toward numbers the Premier League has never seen!"
"Twenty-two before the season has even reached halfway, and every defense in England must now be wondering where this ends."
Could he score a hat-trick against Burnley in the next match?
No.
He was not even included in the squad.
Mourinho implemented a sensible rotation and rested almost every important player.
Two days later came the Manchester derby, a match capable of changing the entire title race.
The core players needed to arrive at the Etihad in peak condition.
Even without them, United defeated Burnley 2–0 away from home, securing victory in their penultimate match of the year.
...
The Manchester Derby
The arrival of the Abu Dhabi ownership group had transformed Manchester City from an unremarkable club into a European powerhouse, albeit one still searching for the historical weight possessed by its greatest rivals.
They collected domestic cups, won league titles, and produced the unforgettable 93:20 moment, claiming the Premier League by stepping over Manchester United in the cruelest possible fashion.
When Pep Guardiola arrived, he built the squad around his own vision and brought a refined version of possession football back to the forefront of the sport.
Many believed City would continue ascending until the entire sky above Manchester turned blue.
Manchester United had once appeared to be moving in the opposite direction.
After Sir Alex Ferguson retired, Moyes, Giggs, Van Gaal, and others oversaw a steady decline.
Old Trafford became a place haunted by its own history, forever comparing the present to a past it could no longer reach.
Then Mourinho arrived.
A minor treble in his first season.
A double in his second.
Seven trophies in his third!
Under Mourinho and Ling, Manchester United did not merely recover the aura of the old Red Devils.
They surpassed it.
The Manchester derby had become one of the marquee events in world football, drawing audiences capable of rivaling even the North West Derby.
Christmas had ended only four days earlier, and traces of the holiday remained throughout Manchester.
Trees still stood in public squares, shop windows, and private gardens, but many were decorated with red or blue flags instead of ordinary ornaments.
The city had divided itself.
At the Etihad Stadium, tens of thousands of fans filled every seat long before kickoff.
During the pre-match press conference, one reporter asked, "Mr. Guardiola, how has Manchester City changed compared to last season?"
"There have not been major personnel changes," Guardiola replied, his expression calm. "But we now have more options in important positions. Rodri, Cancelo, Angeliño, and others provide tactical variety and help address several weaknesses that were exposed last season."
Did that calmness represent confidence? Not necessarily.
Manchester City had improved, but so had Manchester United.
Guardiola believed Pogba's departure had weakened United in certain areas, especially their ability to control matches from deep.
Yet Bruno Fernandes and Havertz offered qualities that perfectly suited the attacking-midfield role, while Grealish had integrated faster than expected.
Grealish had originally been one of Guardiola's targets before United stole him at the last moment.
Why say "one of"?
Because United had hijacked several City targets.
Mahrez.
Maguire.
Potentially even Rodri, if City had not acted quickly enough.
The most painful one, of course, was Jeremy Ling.
Guardiola had watched the Tottenham match and failed to sleep that night, though drinking two cups of coffee probably had not helped.
Ling's performance had been terrifying.
There was no gentler description.
Compared with Messi at his peak, Ling could arguably hold the upper hand in terms of tactical range.
He could operate as a pivot, organize attacks, dominate in the air, run behind the defensive line, overpower centre-backs, and break through with explosive speed.
He appeared to be the template of a perfect attacking player.
The only flaw Guardiola could identify was that Ling did not play for him.
That was why he remained uneasy.
"What about the wedding in three days?" a reporter asked. "Will your relationship with Ling affect your preparation?"
"No matter what our relationship is away from football, it will not affect my determination to win."
Guardiola left with a displeased expression.
He did not care that Ling was his future son-in-law.
On the contrary, he needed victory tonight to preserve the dignity of a future father-in-law.
In the neighboring conference room, Mourinho faced the same question.
"I believe we will win, end 2019 perfectly, and give Ling the best possible wedding gift."
There was a faint trace of bitterness in Mourinho's voice.
He had once introduced his own daughter to Ling, but apparently the two had not possessed that kind of fate.
What a pity!
...
After all preparations were complete, the players gathered in the tunnel.
"Kevin, don't forget to come to my wedding."
Ling waved toward De Bruyne.
They had faced one another countless times over the past few years and had appeared together in several football programs.
Although United and City were rivals, their personal relationship was friendly.
"Don't worry. I'll be there." De Bruyne smiled.
The two Manchester clubs were city rivals, but this was not the kind of hatred that prevented players from speaking to one another.
Rodri looked at Ling's back while memories from Atlético Madrid flashed through his mind.
He held no particular resentment.
Even Rodri had disliked aspects of Atlético's football.
Deliberately trying to hurt an opponent might create an advantage during one match, but there was always the possibility that someone stronger and more ruthless would return the favor later.
...
Soon, the referee team led both sides out of the tunnel.
The Etihad erupted.
Peter Drury's voice rose above the noise.
"MANCHESTER DIVIDED, MANCHESTER DELIVERED TO THE EDGE OF ANOTHER NIGHT OF CONSEQUENCE!"
"Sky blue against blood red, Guardiola against Mourinho, the champions of possession against the champions of defiance!"
"Christmas has passed, but there are no gifts here—only points, pride, and perhaps the first true shape of the Premier League title race."
Jim Beglin added, "There's very little between these sides in the table, Peter. City have improved with Rodri, but United arrive with the Ballon d'Or winner in extraordinary form. Guardiola has to control Ling without distorting the entire team."
The camera lingered on Ling as he walked across the pitch.
"And there he is," Drury continued, his voice deepening. "Jeremy Ling, three days from his wedding and ninety minutes from either giving his future father-in-law a reason to celebrate—or ruining the family mood completely."
The starting lineups appeared.
"Manchester City begin with Ederson in goal, Walker, Stones, Laporte, and Angeliño across the defense. Rodri anchors midfield, with De Bruyne and Bernardo Silva ahead of him. Sterling, Gabriel Jesus, and Mahrez's former teammate Sané complete the attack."
"Manchester United make a slight adjustment. De Gea starts behind Wan-Bissaka, Thiago Silva, Maguire, and Ashley Young. Kanté, Matić, and Herrera form the midfield base, while Havertz supports Grealish and Ling."
"Both managers have chosen structures they trust. Tonight will be decided by which philosophy bends first."
---------
Read 30 chapters ahead and support me on patreon.
patreon (.)com/Newbietranslator